Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M.

Lightbown, PhD

Patsy Martin Lightbown, PhD, is a researcher,

teacher and writer with more than thirty years of
experience in the fields of language acquisition
and language pedagogy. Her research has
focused on the teaching and learning of second
and foreign languages in classroom contexts.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus from

Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, Dr. Lightbown is a consultant and
advisor to teachers, policy makers, developers,
administrators, and evaluators of second and
foreign language instructional programs (K-12,
adult education, and university levels).

Professor Lightbown is co-author of How Languages Are Learned, an award-winning

Oxford University Press book that is used in education and applied linguistics courses
throughout the world. She has published scores of articles on her research in professional
journals and books. She has taught university courses focused on both teacher training
and research on language teaching and learning. She has provided policy and program
advice to government agencies, university foreign language departments, and school
boards. She has given workshops and presentations to a broad range of audiences in the
U.S., Canada, Mexico, several European countries, Japan, and Australia.

Professor Lightbown offers workshops for in-service and pre-service teachers, as well as
program developers and administrators. She teaches university-level short courses on
language acquisition and language pedagogy for both undergraduate and graduate
students. She gives conference presentations on language learning and teaching for
general audiences as well as those with professional involvement as researchers or
teachers.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

WORKSHOPS
Workshops are designed to engage participants in active learning over a period of one or
two full days. The approach includes a variety of activities in which successful classroom
teaching and learning are not only discussed but also experienced first hand.

1. Comprehension in second language acquisition: Listening and reading as the basis

for language acquisition. Comprehension has been proposed as the most important basis
for second language learning. The opportunities and limitations of comprehension-based
approaches are reviewed. Suggestions for increasing their effectiveness are proposed and
experienced first hand.

Target audience: Teachers and curriculum developers for second and foreign language
programs at all levels.

2. What research on language learning tells us about language teaching. Major

findings of second language acquisition research are reviewed. Based on these findings,
classroom structures and activities for effective language teaching are proposed and
practiced.

Target audience: In-service and pre-service teachers in second and foreign language
programs at all levels.

3. The challenge of teaching English to non-academic adult learners. Adults who

have limited literacy and metalinguistic skills benefit from conversational and interactive
approaches with clear feedback. In this workshop, teachers participate in activities they
can adapt for use with these learners.

Target audience: Teachers and curriculum developers for adult education programs,
especially those serving immigrants.

4. Form-focused instruction and feedback on error in communicative, content- and

task-based language teaching. Classroom research on form-focused instruction and
error treatment is reviewed. Teaching techniques for providing focus on form and
feedback in instructional contexts where the focus is primarily on meaning (including
academic subjects) are illustrated and practiced.

Target audience: Teachers of second and foreign languages to adolescent and adult
students in school settings.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

UNIVERSITY LEVEL COURSES

These courses may be offered as full-semester courses or as intensive courses over a

shorter period.

1. How languages are learned: Introduction to studies in second language

acquisition. Based on the 2006 edition of Lightbown & Spada’s How Languages Are
Learned, Oxford University Press, this course provides an overview of research on first
and second language acquisition, individual differences in language learning success, and
approaches to analyzing learners’ evolving linguistic abilities. Research on the
relationship between teaching and learning is a major focus of the course.

Target audience: Undergraduate or masters students in programs for second and foreign
language teachers.

2. Classroom-centered research on language learning and teaching: Research

methods and research findings. This course is a review of research on the ways second
language learning and teaching have been studied in classrooms around the world. The
most widely used observation instruments are introduced, and students gain experience in
using these tools to describe and evaluate instructional events.

Target audience: M.A. and PhD students in second and foreign language teaching and
learning.

3. The role of practice in second language learning: Research from cognitive

psychology and applied linguistics. Recent research has revived interest in practice. No
longer seen as rote drill and habit formation, practice is increasingly understood in terms
of cognitive skill development and transfer appropriate processing. Students review
research on practice and propose research projects of their own.

Target audience: Researchers and graduate students in applied linguistics.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

4. Multilingual Development in Early Childhood: Simultaneous, Additive, and

Subtractive Multilingualism. It is widely thought that the most favorable period for
second language acquisition is early childhood. Studies of simultaneous bilingualism tend
to confirm that children can master more than one language. However, studies also show
that children may fail to develop one or more of their languages to a high level or forget a
language they once knew well. Furthermore, the success of early simultaneous
bilingualism cannot be used as support for certain types of educational programs in which
second languages are introduced in early childhood.

Target Audience: Students in teacher training programs or graduate students in applied

linguistics and language education programs.

5. Foreign Language Instruction for Young Learners: Expectations, Pedagogical

Approaches, and Research Findings. In many schools throughout the world, instruction
in foreign languages – especially English -- is begun in early primary school.
Expectations for what such early instruction can accomplish are often out of step with
research evidence. Nevertheless, with appropriate pedagogy, teachers – including those
with limited skill in the language and limited training for foreign language teaching – can
provide a valuable base on which students can build their subsequent learning. This course
draws on classroom research to propose pedagogical approaches that can be effective in
the foreign language context.

Target Audience: Teachers, educational administrators, and teacher trainers in foreign

language contexts.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

KEYNOTE/PLENARY LECTURES

These lectures are designed for presentation to large groups. They introduce or review
important elements of a topic, supported by PowerPoint documents and, where
appropriate, handouts.

1. First, second and bilingual language acquisition from birth to adolescence. Myths
about the ease with which children acquire languages are examined in light of research in
homes and schools. Implications for school-based programs are drawn.

Target audience: In-service and pre-service teachers in K-12 schools, both ESL and
mainstream. Also appropriate for teachers of English as a foreign language in non-
English-speaking countries.

2. Transfer-appropriate processing: Research on memory and the transferability of

learning as a framework for classroom second language instruction. Cognitive
psychology has provided evidence that the context and processes that are present during
learning influence the ability to retrieve and use information. Applications to second
language teaching are explored.

Target audience: Researchers and students in applied linguistics.

3. Time and timing in second language teaching. The biggest challenge faced by most
second and foreign language teachers is the limited time available for learning. Based on
research findings, suggestions are made for making the best use of limited classroom time.

Target Audience: In-service and pre-service teachers in second and foreign language
classes. Also appropriate for policy-makers and administrators in school programs.

4. Putting form-focused instruction in its place. Should form-focused instruction be

isolated from meaning-focused activities in content-based and communicative second
language teaching? Or should it be integrated into those activities? Research and
experience suggest a ‘place’ for both approaches.

Target audience: Teachers and program developers for second and foreign language
teaching at all levels.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

5. Weaving the strands. Students and teachers agree that learners need both instruction
that is focused on the formal features of language (grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary,
etc.) and opportunities for language use with an emphasis on meaningful interaction, but
what is the right balance? In this workshop, the four strands that Paul Nation proposed for
language courses will be the starting point for examining how different types of activities
contribute to foreign and second language learning both in and out of the classroom.

Target audience: Teachers and program developers for second and foreign language
teaching at all levels.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

SELECT PUBLICATIONS – 1993-2008

Lightbown, P.M. & Spada, N. (2006). How languages are learned. Third Edition.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Trofimovich, P., Lightbown, P. M., Halter, R. H., & Song, H. (In press.) Comprehension-
based practice: The development of L2 pronunciation in a listening and reading
program. Studies in Second Language Acquisition.
Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Easy as pie? Children learning languages. COPAL: Concordia
Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, 1, 1-25.
Spada, N., & Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Form-focused instruction: Isolated or integrated?
TESOL Quarterly, 42, 181-207.
Spada, N., & Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Interaction research in second/foreign language
classrooms. In A. Mackey & C. Polio (Eds.), Multiple perspectives on interaction in
second language acquisition. London: Taylor and Francis.
Nicholas, H., & Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Defining child second language acquisition,
defining roles for L2 instruction. In J. Philp, R. Oliver, & A. Mackey (Eds.) Child’s
play: Second language acquisition and the younger learner (pp. 27-51). Amsterdam:
John Benjamins.
Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Transfer appropriate processing as a model for
classroom second language acquisition. In Z. Han (Ed.), Understanding
second language process (pp. 27-44). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Spada, N., & Lightbown, P. M. (2008). Interaction research in second/foreign
language classrooms. In A. Mackey & C. Polio (Eds.), Multiple perspectives
on interaction in second language acquisition: Research in honor of Susan M.
Gass. London: Taylor and Francis.
Lightbown, P. M. (2007). Fair trade: Two-way bilingual education. Estudios de Lingüística
Inglesa Aplicada, 7, 9-34.
Ammar, A., & Lightbown, P. M. (2005). Teaching marked linguistic structures –
more about the acquisition of relative clauses by Arab learners of English. In
A. Housen & M. Pierrard (Eds.). Current issues in instructed second language
learning (pp. 167-198). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Spada, N., Lightbown, P. M., & White, J. L. (2005). The importance of
form/meaning mappings in explicit form-focussed instruction. In A. Housen
& M. Pierrard (Eds.). Current issues in instructed second language learning
(pp. 199-234). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Lightbown, P.M. (2004). Commentary: What to teach? How to teach? In B. VanPatten
(Ed.). Processing instruction: Theory, research, and commentary (pp. 65-78).
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Germain, C., Lightbown, P. M., Netten, J., & Spada, N. (2004). Intensive French and
intensive English: Similarities and differences. Canadian Modern Language Review, 60,
409-430.
Lightbown, P. M. (2003). Classroom-based research in second language
acquisition. In W. J. Frawley (Ed.). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics
(2nd ed.) (pp. 299-301). New York: Oxford University Press.

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]
 Language Teaching & Learning Patsy M. Lightbown, PhD

Spada, N. & Lightbown, P. M. (2002). L1 and L2 in the education of Inuit

children in northern Quebec: Abilities and perceptions. Language and
Education, 16: 212-240.
Lightbown, P. M., Halter, R. H., White, J., & Horst, M. (2002). Comprehension-based
learning: The limits of “do it yourself”. Canadian Modern Language Review, 58,
427-464.
Nicholas, H., Lightbown, P. M., Spada, N. (2001). Recasts as feedback to language
learners. Language Learning, 51, 719-758.
Lightbown, P. M. (2000). Classroom SLA research and second language teaching.
Applied Linguistics, 21, 431-462.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2000). Do they know what they’re doing? L2 learners’
awareness of L1 influence. Language Awareness, 9, 198-216.
Collins, L., Halter, R., Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (1999). Time and the distribution
of time in second language instruction. TESOL Quarterly, 33, 655-680.
Segalowitz, N., & Lightbown, P. M. (1999). Psycholinguistic approaches to SLA. The
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 19, 23-43. (invited paper)
Kojic-Sabo, I., & Lightbown, P. M. (1999). Students' approaches to vocabulary learning
and their relationship to success. Modern Language Journal, 83, 176-192.
Spada, N., & Lightbown, P. M. (1999). Instruction, L1 influence and developmental
readiness in second language acquisition. Modern Language Journal, 83, 1-22.
Lightbown, P. M., Halter, R.H., & Meara, P. (1998). Contrasting patterns in classroom
lexical environments. In D. Albrechtsen, B. Henriksen, I. Mees, & E. Poulsen (Eds.),
Perspectives on foreign and second language pedagogy (pp. 221-238). Odense, DK:
Odense University Press.
Lightbown, P. M. (1998). The importance of timing in focus on form. In C. Doughty and
J. Williams (Eds), Focus on form in classroom second language acquisition (pp. 177-
196). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Meara, P. M., Lightbown, P.M. & Halter, R.H. (1997). Classrooms as lexical
environments. Language Teaching Research, 1, 28-46.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (1997). Learning English as a second language in a
special school in Quebec. Canadian Modern Language Review, 53, 315-355.
Spada, N., Ranta, L., & Lightbown, P. M. (1996). Working with teachers in second
language acquisition research. In S. Gass & J. Schachter (Eds.), Second language
classroom research: Issues and opportunities (pp. 31-44). Mahwah, New Jersey:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (1994). An innovative program for primary ESL in
Quebec. TESOL Quarterly, 28, 563-579.
Meara, P., Lightbown, P. M., & Halter, R.H. (1994). The effect of cognates on the
applicability of yes/no vocabulary tests. Canadian Modern Language Review, 50,
296-311.
Spada, N, & Lightbown, P. M. (1993). Instruction and the development of questions in
L2 classrooms. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15, 205-224.
Lightbown, P. M., Spada, N., & White, L. (Eds.) (1993). The role of instruction in
second language acquisition. [Thematic issue] Studies in Second Language
Acquisition, 15(2).

PO Box 274 (508) 432-2593 or (508) 241-5528 (cell)

Harwich, MA 02645 Email: [email protected]