Communicative language teaching approaches emphasize the importance
of group work and oral interaction in the foreign language
classroom. In this course we will explore the relationship between
interaction and second/foreign language acquisition. We will discuss
current theoretical approaches to the study of learner-learner and
learner-native speaker interaction, paying attention to both
interactionist and sociocultural perspectives. We will also examine
the empirical research conducted from these approaches, its main
findings and their pedagogical implications. As part of the
activities for the course, students will design and carry out a
small-scale replication study.

The course focuses on second/foreign language learning and teaching,
regardless of the language in question. It is therefore open to
students interested in applied linguistics, TESOL, or foreign
language teaching.