PL3LPR-Language Processing

Module Provider: Clinical Language Sciences
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: PL2GM2L Grammar and Meaning 2
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr George Pontikas
Email: g.pontikas@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module addresses the nature of language processing in children and adults and considers evidence from both typical and atypical populations.

Aims:
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of how children and adults with typical and atypical language development process language in real-time, and with an appreciation of language processing theories.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that the students will be able to:
- appreciate core issues in language processing research;
- critically discuss and evaluate processing theories;
- understand the main open questions, and limits in the field;
- discuss the importance of language processing for the understanding of language impairment.

Additional outcomes:
This module will also encourage the development of autonomous learning through critical reading of research articles in academic journals, their numeracy by examination of the statistical treatments used in empirical measures of language processing papers, and their note-taking skills.

Outline content:
This module is organised around core issues of language processing research, such as lexical access, the mental lexicon, ambiguity resolution, the use of syntactic, lexical and prosodic information in sentence processing, complexity, and memory. These issues will be discussed on the basis of research papers on language processing by children and adults with typical and atypical language development, and in the light of current processing theories.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Weekly two-hour lecture sessions.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		20
Guided independent study:		180
Total hours by term		200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	75
Written assignment including essay	25

Summative assessment- Examinations:

2-Hour Examination

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Review of research paper (1,500 words).

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment in August

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 31 August 2021