WINTER 2024 LINA02 SONA Alternative Assignment
As part of the SONA Alternative Assignment in LINA02, students are required to select ONE
piece of media listed below and respond to it by writing a short paper reflecting on your learning
journey in LINA02 by drawing connections between the course content and the piece of media
you selected. Please note that you must select your reading/viewing materials from the list on
the last two pages. The media discuss a range of research topics related to the field of linguistics
and/or language education.
Assignment Details:
1. For each piece of writing, select one of the media options listed below.
2. Watch/listen to/read the option you selected and write a short reflective paper discussing
your experience with the information presented in the media piece.
3. Submit your response(s) to Quercus.
4. Each 400-word submission is worth 0.5 SONA credits. You may submit up to 2 responses
to complete your 2.0 credits requirement.
a. That is, you have the option of submitting one (1) longer piece of writing (~1600
words) to earn the full 2.0 credits, or,
b. You can submit two pieces of writing (~800 words each, worth 1.0 credit) to earn
2.0 credits.
c. If you are missing 0.5 credits, you may submit a shorter piece of writing (400
words).
5. Please submit each response as a separate document.
In your reflection, consider some or all of the guiding questions below:
a) How does the information presented in the media reflect the content you learned in
LINA02? What did you already know? What was new to you?
b) Did you experience any “A-ha!” moments as you were reading/watching/listening to the
media?
c) What questions/comments/concerns were you left with after viewing/listening/reading
your piece?
d) Did your media of choice reflect an aspect of your own experience with language learning,
language use, linguistics, etc.?
e) Alternatively, you are welcome to pick one or two central arguments presented in your
media of choice and discuss your opinions on them.
Paper Requirements:
- Each reflective piece should be approximately 400-800 words (12pt, Times New
Roman/Arial/Calibri; 1-1.5 pages single-spaced, APA style), and can include written
text, audio notes, images, diagrams, etc. to facilitate your reflection and discussion of the
topic you selected.
- The word count will depend on the number of credits you are aiming to earn (see
Assignment Details section).
- For each piece of writing, please include your word count.
- You must include a reference section (styled in the APA format), that includes a citation
to the piece of media you’ve selected. You are not required to read any additional
publications outside the option you have selected, but you are welcome to do some research
on the topic to facilitate your reflection.
- Use the following resources on APA formatting (excluding the Abstract):
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_g
uide/general_format.html
- Explore Purdue Owl to learn more about APA formatting, in-text citations, and the
reference list.
- If your reflection does not follow the APA style, I may request that you re-submit
your work.
- It is generally good practice to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion to your
reflection. While the format of your response will vary depending on your topic of choice,
I suggest using this assignment as practice in semi-formal academic writing.
- You can access all of the items below through the UofT Libraries (you will need your
UTORid to access some of the papers):
(https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/).
Media Options:
Genie Wiley – the feral child:
Curtiss, S., Fromkin, V., Krashen, S., Rigler, D., & Rigler, M. (1974). The linguistic
development of Genie. Language, 528-554.
Access the reading here: https://doi.org/10.2307/412222
In addition to the reading, watch the following documentary:
Genie Wiley - TLC Documentary (2003)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8E&ab_channel=ApolloEightGenesis
Language Acquisition/Learning and Age:
1. Newport, E. L. (1990). Maturational constraints on language learning. Cognitive science,
14(1), 11-28.
Access the reading here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15516709cog1401_2
2. Cummins, J. (1981). Age on Arrival and Immigrant Second Language Learning in Canada: A
Reassessment. Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 132–149. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/II.2.132
https://librarysearch.library.utoronto.ca/permalink/01UTORONTO_INST/fedca1/cdi_proquest_
miscellaneous_85318953
On the notion of Native Speaker and Standard Language:
1. Cook, V. (1999). Going Beyond the Native Speaker in Language Teaching. TESOL Quarterly,
33(2), 185–209. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587717
https://librarysearch.library.utoronto.ca/permalink/01UTORONTO_INST/fedca1/cdi_eric_prima
ry_EJ587954
2. Dollinger, S. (2011). Academic and public attitudes to the notion of ‘standard’ Canadian
English: On Standard Canadian English, those who speak it, those who study it, and those who
discuss it. English Today, 27(4), 3-9.
https://librarysearch.library.utoronto.ca/permalink/01UTORONTO_INST/fedca1/cdi_proquest_
miscellaneous_1315888580
3. Woods, R. (2022, November 29). 'Like' isn't a lazy linguistic filler-the English language snobs
need to, like, pipe down. The Conversationalist. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from
https://theconversation.com/like-isnt-a-lazy-linguistic-filler-the-english-language-snobs-need-to-
like-pipe-down-122056
Language and Gender:
Pauwels, A. (2003). Linguistic sexism and feminist linguistic activism. The handbook of
language and gender, 550-570.
https://librarysearch.library.utoronto.ca/permalink/01UTORONTO_INST/fedca1/cdi_wiley_ebo
oks_10_1002_9780470756942_ch24_ch24