Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) Conference: “Diverse contributions to SLA: Integrating the parts of a greater whole”

From: SLRF (slrf2009@msu.edu)

Dates: October 29 - November 1, 2009

SLRF 2009 will be hosted by Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, MI.

Call for Papers
This annual conference aims to create a forum for the presentation and discussion of research in second language acquisition from a variety of subfields including, but not limited to: theoretical linguistics, sociolinguistics, anthropology, cognitive science, psychology, and educational science.

SLRF 2009 asks how these varied methodologies and approaches compose a single field of SLA.

We solicit papers, posters, and colloquia that address this question and that add to our understanding of SLA.

Plenary Speakers:
Dr. Robert DeKeyser, University of Maryland
Dr. Susan Gass, Michigan State University
Dr. Jim Lantolf, Penn State University
Dr. Bonnie Schwartz, University of Hawaii
SLRF 2009 offers two workshops and three colloquia (one invited and two refereed). The invited colloquium will be organized by Dr. Shawn Loewen, MSU. We invite submissions for the other two colloquia.

Invited Colloquium: Current Issues in Focus on Form
Although considerable research has been conducted on focus on form (FonF), there still remain numerous unanswered questions. This colloquium will consider FonF from the perspectives of current SLA theory, research methodology and pedagogy.

Areas to be addressed include the role of social context, the measurement of constructs (e.g. noticing), the intensity and frequency of focus, and the target of focus, inter alia. The goal of the colloquium will be to advance the research agenda for FonF.

Conference Workshops:
“Conducting Research with Learner Corpora” with Dr. Thomas Cobb, University of Quebec at Montreal.
“Grant Acquisition Workshop” with Linda White, In-House Grant Writer for the MSU Second Language Studies Program and Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR).
Submission Deadline: May 1, 2009
Notification of Acceptance: July 1, 2009

Submission Guidelines:
Proposals for papers, posters, and colloquia are welcome on all areas that contribute to second language research, including:
Formal approaches to SLA
Socio-cultural approaches / CA / pragmatics
CALL / CMC
L2 psycholinguistics
Classroom research and pedagogy
L2 assessment and research methodology
L2 phonetics and phonology
A first for SLRF, comprehensive syntheses, preferably in the form of meta-analysis, are also invited in these areas.

Paper Presentations:
Paper presentations will be 20 minutes long, followed by 10 minutes for discussion.

Poster Presentations:
Posters will be on display each day between 9:15am - 4:30pm. Poster presenters will be available to present and discuss their work during the two hour lunch break on both Friday and Saturday.

Colloquia:
Colloquia are thematic collections of presentations organized by one or more individuals; they may be proposed for blocks of 2 hours. Two colloquia will be selected for the conference program.

Instructions for submission:
All proposals will be submitted through the SLRF 2009 online submission system. To submit an abstract, please go to: http://sls.msu.edu/slrf09

Registration:
Pre-registration available online until September 15th.
Student rate: $50. Regular rate: $70.

Student Registration Waiver:
The four students whose conference proposals receive the highest ratings will have their conference fees waived. Submission deadline is May 1, 2009.

Travel/Accommodation:
Nearby airports in Lansing, MI; and Detroit, MI. Rooms available at conference venue- Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. For more  details, please see http://sls.msu.edu/slrf09

Student Registration Waiver:
The four students whose conference proposals receive the highest ratings will have their conference fees waived. Submission deadline is May 1, 2009.

Questions:
Please direct any questions to the SLRF 2009 organizing committee at slrf2009@msu.edu, or view the conference website: http://sls.msu.edu/slrf09