Critical Analysis of Readings

Assignment 1 Critical Analysis of Readings
Aims:
1. For students to have a deep understanding of several areas in the field of language learning alongside their more
general understanding of all of the areas.
2. For students to be able to critically analyse the works of several key figures in the field and establish points of
difference and similarity.
Procedure:
1.Collect articles/chapters/works on the topic of language learning or acquisition written by at least 3 key researchers who
share similar interests and write in related fields. For example:
l Chomsky
l Pinker
l Halliday
l Pit Corder
l Selinker
l Schumann
l Schmidt
l Swain
l Vygotsky
l Long
**This list is not exhaustive. You may choose to review another three key researchers. Make sure that the work of
the researchers you choose links together in some way whether that be in a contrasting way or a complementing
and extending way.
2.Summarise what each author has to say and how each has added to debates and theories on language learning/acquisition
(both first and/or second).
3. Draw links between what each author is saying showing points of difference and contrast in their beliefs and theories.
4. Summarise works which have critiqued the work of any of the three researchers you have described both in the past and
more recently.