Defining Features

The Linguistics Ph.D. program offers advanced training in linguistic theories and methods and promotes research in SLAD. This area of research uses some of the tools of core linguistics to further our understanding of the many complex socio-cultural, psychosocial, educational and pedagogical issues that surround adult second (or multiple) language acquisition and development. The program is supported by a large group of faculty with research expertise in diverse facets of SLAD (see below) and by collaborative links with the UC Davis Second Language Acquisition Institute.

Ph.D. students have the opportunity to address a wide range of questions relating to these issues. Examples of thematic areas of research topics include the following:

• the socio-cultural, political and educational milieux in which language acquisition and development take place;

• the role of dominant languages such as English in influencing the acquisition and/or development of other languages, especially when a second language is a language of relatively low prestige within the dominant culture;

• processes of literacy development;

• the interaction of social variables such as gender, age, ethnicity, and religion with second language acquisition and use.

In focusing on the application of linguistic concepts and analytical skills to areas of research and teaching that connect directly with real world educational and social issues, the program is responsive to the increasing linguistic and cultural diversity of both California and the U.S.

Faculty in the UCD Linguistics Department and Graduate Group already address various aspects of these multiple ways of thinking about second language development in their research and teaching and are prepared to work with doctoral students to examine language from a variety of theoretical and analytic frameworks that will provide a rich environment for them to engage in meaningful research of value to our increasingly diverse society. Faculty members who are eligible to serve as mentors and major professors for Ph.D. students and whose research is directly concerned with SLAD issues include:

• Linguistic theories of SLAD and issues related to English acquisition and development: Robert Bayley, Julia Menard-Warwick, Vaidehi Ramanathan

• SLAD in languages other than English: Bruce Anderson (French), Carlee Arnett (German), Robert Blake (Spanish), Travis Bradley (Spanish), Chengzhi Chu (Chinese), María Cecilia Colombi (Spanish), Noriko Iwasaki (Japanese)

• SLAD and multilingualism and their relations to social and educational issues: Robert Bayley (language socialization and variation), Julia Menard-Warwick (second language instruction and linguistic/cultural identities, literacy development), Barbara Merino (English learners in school, bilingual education), Vaidehi Ramanathan (sociopolitical aspects of language learning and teaching, literacy practices, teacher education), Lenora Timm (multilingualism and sociolinguistics), Yuuko Uchikoshi (English learners in schools, literacy development), Kerry Villalva (English learners, language development and socialization), Karen Watson-Gegeo (language development and socialization)