SPAN 424 Facts and Myths about Learning Spanish

This course focuses on key aspects of the acquisition of Spanish as a second language. The course will address questions such as: Can watching Netflix help me learn Spanish? What type of practice, and how much, can help me learn a language? Does the native language change when we learn a second language? Does speaking a second language influence thought and perception? Is it worthwhile to invest in studying a language abroad, and why? Is computer-based learning as effective as face-to-face learning? Is it enough to learn 'standard' Spanish? Throughout the course, students are presented with these and similar questions which they will have consider and evaluate as "facts" or "myths". The course goes from theory to practice, and emphasizes hands-on experience based on examining data and experiments. During the semester, you will regularly work by examining data from real speakers (native and non-native) to help you answer the questions explored in the course and to develop your own hypotheses.