Reflect on your own second language learning experiences. What kind of classroom experiences did you have in terms of the methods that were used to teach you?
What kind of language learner are you? What aspects of the language classroom make you uncomfortable? What aspects do you find helpful in learning a language? What kind of situation is necessary for you to best acquire a language?
Evaluate your ability in your L2. What types of communication can you achieve in your L2? What would you like to be able to do?
What factors have helped your attainment of your L2? Which have negatively impacted your ability to achieve the level of L2 proficiency you would like to achieve?
Suggested Readings
Bialystok, E. (2021). Bilingualism: Pathway to Cognitive Reserve. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(5): 355-364. [Note: Bialystok and colleagues have numerous articles on bilingualism.]
DeKeyser, R. (Ed). (2007), Practicing in a Second Language. Perspectives from Applied Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology. CUP.
Gass, S. M., Behney, J., & Plonsky, L. (2020). Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. Routledge.
Lahiri, J. (2017). In Other Words: A Memoir. Vintage.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2021). How Languages Are Learned. 5th Edition. Oxford University Press.
Poole, A. (2020). Learning a Foreign Language: Understanding the Fundamentals of Linguistics. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Zentella, A. C. (1997), Growing Up Bilingual. Blackwell.
