Course content

Acquiring a second language comes with specific challenges. Some of these challenges relate to the general process of second language acquisition and are common regardless of which language is being acquired (the "target language"), while other aspects are specific to Norwegian as a second language, whether the language is learned through interaction with other speakers or in a classroom setting. Which aspects are challenging and which aspects are easy also depends on which languages a person already knows.

This course provides valuable tools for describing and explaining Norwegian as a second language across all these areas, along with the analytical frameworks needed to contrast Norwegian with other languages that may be present in the classroom or workplace. The course also offers perspectives that are relevant to both teaching and research.

Human language can be studied from various perspectives, and this also applies to the acquisition of a second language. Learning a new language involves acquiring new thought patterns and habits, and when languages come into contact, this happens both in society and in the mind of the individual language user.

The course has two versions that alternate from year to year, each emphasizing the above perspectives to varying degrees.

1. Language typology and Norwegian as a second language in a cross-linguistic perspective.
2. Structural and cognitive aspects to second language acquisition of Norwegian.

A. Language typology and Norwegian as a second language in a cross-linguistic perspective

A well-founded teaching approach to Norwegian as a second language relies on an understanding of aspects of Norwegian that are challenging from a second-language perspective. This work also requires the ability to view Norwegian from a cross-linguistic standpoint. The course describes the Norwegian language within a systematic description of world languages. The general section addresses the classification of languages into typological categories, while the specific section examines Norwegian from a contrastive perspective relative to major immigrant languages in Norway. The focus is on linguistic aspects that may be challenging for minority language speakers learning Norwegian. Emphasis is placed on the concept of learner language, with an introduction to its linguistic and theoretical foundations.

B. Structural and cognitive aspects of second language acquisition of Norwegian.

This version of the course provides an introduction to what second and foreign languages are, how they are acquired, and cognitive aspects that may influence individual interlanguage varieties of Norwegian. The main emphasis is on the investigation and analysis of the language system of learners (morphology, syntax, and semantics) in light of the target language, Norwegian, and languages already acquired. The course also examines what happens when different languages interact in the mind of the language user, through phenomena like transfer, cross-linguistic influence, and language mixing. Among the individual factors discussed are the learner's age, whether Norwegian is the second, third, or nth language being acquired, metalinguistic awareness, and whether the language is most easily and effectively acquired in a naturalistic way or through explicit instruction.

Learning outcome

Learning outcomes version A

Knowledge

The candidate has

• knowledge of key concepts and issues in cross-linguistic descriptions and can relate these to the acquisition of new languages
• a strong understanding of Norwegian language structure in a comparative perspective, with particular emphasis on phonological, morphological, and syntactic features that are typically challenging from a second-language acquisition perspective
• an understanding of how languages can be described and compared typologically and what distinguishes Norwegian among world languages and Norway's largest immigrant languages
• knowledge of the phonological, grammatical, and pragmatic development of learner language
• knowledge of teaching methods in Norwegian as a second language, with a specific focus on pronunciation, grammar, and pragmatics

Skills

The candidate can

• define and use key concepts in linguistic analysis
• use professional tools to describe and compare central features of different languages
• analyze and describe learner language and develop plausible hypotheses about the origins of specific language-use deviations
• view second-language phenomena in relation to language learning and language teaching
• apply insights into linguistic differences as a resource in planning, facilitating, and conducting Norwegian as a second language instruction

Learning outcomes version B

Knowledge

The candidate has

• in-depth knowledge of Norwegian sentence structure and morphology, with emphasis on features known to be challenging in adult acquisition of Norwegian
• knowledge of similarities and differences between first, second, and third language acquisition
• familiarity with theories about critical periods and the significance of the language learner's age for the learning trajectory and final proficiency level
• familiarity with modern theoretical frameworks and recent research on language acquisition as a process
• knowledge of vocabulary learning and vocabulary learning strategies
• knowledge of cross-linguistic interference, transfer, and language mixing as outcomes of language contact in the multilingual speaker's mind

Skills

The candidate can

• analyze and explain structural features of Norwegian and Norwegian as a second language
• identify and diagnose systematic deviations between learner's language and the target language, Norwegian
• analyze Norwegian interlanguage in light of individual and cognitive factors in the learner
• analyze language mixing as it manifests internally within the individual and externally in the language system
• explain structural aspects of Norwegian in a way that is accessible to second language learners of Norwegian

Learning methods and activities

The teaching will consist of a combination of lectures and group work with discussions. Emphasis is placed on enabling students to use the analytical tools they acquire in a creative and independent way.

1-2 approved assignment(s) and/or test(s) in written and/or oral form. Obligatory assignments will be presented at the start of the semester.

An approved obligatory assignment is valid for 2 semesters (the semester in which the approval is given, plus the following semester).

Compulsory assignments

• Up to 2 written assignments and/or oral presentations

Recommended previous knowledge

NORD1102 and NORD1106, or equivalent.

Credit reductions