Event

TUJ Distinguished Lecturer Series: Optimizing Second Language Practice in the Classroom: Applying Insights from Cognitive/Educational Psychology to Second Language Learning

Saturday, March 16th, 2019, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Yuichi Suzuki (Kanagawa University, Japan)

Deliberate and systematic practice is essential to develop knowledge and skills for using a second language (L2) more accurately and fluently. It remains, however, largely unknown as to what constitutes optimal practice activities as well as when and how practice activities should be presented to L2 learners effectively. These complex, yet critical issues on L2 practice have been addressed in a growing body of literature, which aims to apply insights from cognitive and educational psychology research into L2 learning.

In this seminar, Dr. Yuichi Suzuki will focus on the skill acquisition theory and present collection of empirical research to formulating a unified account of L2 practice. Three major areas of research on L2 practice are covered: cognitive foundations of practice (including skill acquisition theories, explicit-implicit knowledge and automatization, as well as their measurements), effectiveness of L2 practice (including definitions of practice, task repetition, distribution of practice, form-focused practice, and knowledge and skill transfer), and individual differences (including cognitive aptitude measurements, stability and trainability of cognitive aptitude, and aptitude-treatment interaction).

In the opening lecture, the Dr. Yuichi Suzuki will provide an overview of the major issues on L2 practice and highlight key empirical research findings. In the rest of the lecture, the lecturer will delve into relevant theories and empirical studies and critically evaluate them. Promising directions of future research will be then presented as well as pedagogical implications for L2 classrooms. Group discussions and activities are included in this seminar in order to deepen the understanding of the materials.

Organization: Temple University Japan

Cost: free

Venue: TUJ Osaka Center: Osaka Ekimae Bldg. 3, 21st Floor, 1-1-3-2100 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0001 (map)

Location: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Contact Temple University Japan

Temple University Japan

Work phone: 03-5441-9800