LSMFLS: Foundations of Language Study

Module code: LSMFLS

Module provider: English Language and Applied Linguistics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Jane Setter, email: J.E.Setter@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Natalia Kampakli, email: a.n.kampakli@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to familiarise MA students with the phonetic and phonological systems of the English language (General British accent), to develop skills in analytical listening and broad phonetic transcription, and to increase the sophistication of participants' understanding of the ways in which the English language can be described grammatically at phrase and sentence level. Participants will be introduced to the major formal and functional units involved in the articulation/production of sounds, syllables, stress, intonation, words and the construction of sentences. The module underpins the linguistic analysis that students will undertake throughout their degree programme by equipping students with knowledge and skills relevant to analysing phonetic and grammatical aspects of written and spoken data. The module will enable participants to discuss the teaching of English grammatical constructions in the EFL classroom.   

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Identify and explain the major elements and structures of English at the levels of phonetics, phonology and grammar 
2. Transcribe spoken English using appropriate notation 
3. Identify how major formal and functional units may be used to describe the construction of sentences, and apply such categories to parse English sentences 
4. Apply their knowledge and skills to pedagogic situations 

Module content

In English Grammar: the description of language: levels and units, word classes. Grammar: types of grammar; data used for grammar. Levels of grammatical analysis: function and form in clause and phrase. Means of expressing grammatical relationships: inflection and word order. The Verb Phrase: the structure and communicative grammar of the verb phrase, including tense and aspect. The Noun Phrase: noun classes and categories, determiners, modification. Teaching of grammar in the EFL classroom. 
 
In English Phonology: The elements and domains of the English sound system; standard English phonemes (consonants and vowels) and their principal allophones; systems for transcribing these sounds; some sounds of other varieties of English and how they relate to the system of Standard English; principles of assignment of English stress and intonation in words and sentences; methods of transcribing English stress and intonation. The importance of knowledge and awareness of learners’ L1 phonology. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Interactive, practical, task-based lectures, flipped lecture content and independent study using web-based support. 

Study hours

At least 42 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

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

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students undertake a formative dictation assessment in Week 8 of the Semester. Students practice parsing weekly through the Semester.  

Reassessment

Additional costs