Language acquisition

Aims

Aims

This module

• provides an overview of child first language acquisition, focusing on phonology and syntax;
• provides an overview of second language acquisition, focusing on phonology;
• introduces language acquisition in deaf infants and children;
• introduces theories of first and second language acquisition.

Students should acquire:

• a basic understanding of the normal sequence of development in the areas of phonology and syntax;
• a knowledge of the techniques used in studying language development in both first and second language acquisition;
• an awareness of the relationship between language development and cognition in general, and of the importance of theory in developing accounts of language acquisition.

Students will practice the following skills during the module:

• Academic writing
• Analytic reasoning
• Understanding experiment design
• Reading and interpreting statistical data.

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

This module is divided into two distinct learning periods:

Weeks 2-5:  Introduction to key language acquisition topics through lectures.  You will have 4.5 contact hours per week during this period.

Weeks 6-10:  Consolidation of content introduced during Weeks 2-5, through informal student presentations on and discussion of assigned readings.  1.5 contact hours per week, excluding Reading Week, which will be used for independent work on formative assessment.

Teaching materials

An electronic reading list will be available on the module VLE site.

Assessment

Assessment

Formative work

• two short essays

Assessment

• two short essays