Dwight Atkinson Lecture at Hiroshima University on May 23, 2014: Learning and Teaching Language from a Sociocognitive Viewpoint

We're pleased to announce that Dwight Atkinson (Purdue University), a pioneer in sociocognitive approach in SLA and the editor of Alternative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition is to give a lecture at Hiroshima University on Friday, May 23, 2014.

DATE： Friday, May 23, 2014

VENUE： Conference Room #1, Faculty of Education, Hiroshima University (Please note that the venue is subject to change depending on the size of the audience)

Access to Hiroshima University
Location of Faculty of Education (Conference Room #1 is on the second floor of the building between Block A and Block C in the map)

FEE： Free (except for the optional tea party, where you'll be kindly asked to pay 200 yen)

SCHEDULE：

16:30-17:20 Lecture
17:20-17:30 Break
17:30-18:10 Open Discussion
18:10-18:20 Break
18:20-19:00 Tea Party （Optional: 200 yen for coffee and sweets）

LECTURER： Dwight Atkinson (Purdue University)

Dwight Atkinson teaches at Purdue University, where he is an associate professor of English. His academic interests are in second language learning and teaching, culture, and writing. He spent 12 years living and teaching in Japan, most recently at Temple University Japan. Living in Japan has been one of the most meaningful experiences in his life. He has also spent a year and a half doing research in India.

Title： Learning and Teaching Language from a Sociocognitive Viewpoint

ABSTRACT：

Second language acquisition has often been treated as a "lonely" cognitive process: input comes in, is processed, and results in output. The mind is a computer in this view.

I present an alternative view of cognition and second language learning--as designed for and intimately tuned to social action. Like all nervous systems, the human nervous system is designed to enable us to adapt to our complex and ever-changing environments. For humans more than many other animals, this notably includes adapting to our conspecific--i.e., human--environments. That is, our existence-ensuring action-in-the-world is largely social action. This inter + action is thus what language is for, from a sociocognitive viewpoint, and therefore why--and how--we acquire it.

This theoretical viewpoint will be illustrated with video data, and possible implications for pedagogy will likewise be explored in this talk.

APPLICATION： Attendance is limited and prior application is necessary (register in the form below). When the number of the applicants meets the seating capacity of the room, all further applications will be denied.  We recommend that you apply as soon as possible.