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PS30159: Language development

[Page last updated: 26 October 2023]

Academic Year: 2023/24
Owning Department/School: Department of Psychology
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: ES 80%, OR 20%
Assessment Detail:
  • ORAL PRESENTATION (OR 20%)
  • ESSAY (ES 80%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you must take PS20107 AND ( take PS20108 OR take PS20167 )
Learning Outcomes: In completing this unit students would be expected to:
* Compare and contrast the theoretical accounts of language acquisition
* Critically examine the methodology used to investigate child language acquisition
* Discuss the types, treatment and associated characteristics of children with developmental language disorders.


Aims: The intention of this unit is to:
* To introduce the students to the challenges faced by the child during the course of language development
* To introduce the students the theoretical accounts of child language acquisition and to the experimental and naturalistic study of language development.
* To introduce the students to disorders of child language acquisition and the consequences of language impairments.

Skills:
* Comprehensive and scholarly written communication (e.g. essays)
* Concise, time-bound and effective written communication (e.g. briefings / exams)
* Ability to select, summarise and synthesis written information from multiple sources
* Ability to develop rigorous arguments through precise use of concepts and models
* Ability to apply theory into practice
* Ability to select and use appropriate ideas to produce a coherent response to a pre-set question
* Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines
* Ability to work independently, without close supervision of guidance.

Content:
* Describe and evaluate the differing theoretical accounts of language development and their historical contexts
* In the unit we will discuss the time course of infant communication and language development as well as the specific skills (and underlining cognitive processes) involved in language acquisition (speech segmentation, word learning, grammar development)
* Describe and evaluate language acquisition and developmental trajectories of children with developmental language disorders.
* Examining the interplay between biological, socio-cultural, and cognitive factors in child language acquisition.
* Critically evaluate the different techniques of studying child language acquisition; including child experimentations, artificial language learning studies, analysis of child and child directed speech, and computational modelling.

Course availability:

PS30159 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Psychology
  • UHPS-AFB03 : BSc(Hons) Psychology (Year 3)
  • UHPS-AKB03 : BSc(Hons) Psychology with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPS-AKM03 : MSci(Hons) Psychology with Year long work placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.