PLMLAP: Language Acquisition and Processing

Module code: PLMLAP

Module provider: Clinical Language Sciences; Sch of Psych and CLS

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr George Pontikas, email: g.pontikas@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: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module examines the relation between language and the human mind. It covers two main areas in the field of psycholinguistics which are essential to SLT practise and are core content of Language Sciences; how individuals come to know their own language (language acquisition) and the cognitive mechanisms and processes involved when we speak or listen to language (language processing). This module draws on both linguistics and psychology in order to best understand the mind-language relationship. The content includes key concepts and facts but also offers both a descriptive and evaluative approach to human language. The module presents opposing theoretical approaches to language acquisition and processing and evaluates them based on empirical evidence. To this end, research paradigms that elucidate our understanding of language acquisition and processing are presented throughout. Diverse populations, specifically bilinguals and individuals with different language and communication difficulties are central to this module.  

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Identify and describe the main stages and psycholinguistic mechanisms in language development and processing as well as informative research paradigms  
2. Outline key concepts and core theoretical debates in language acquisition and processing with critical reference to empirical data  
3. Critically assess observational and experimental language data in relation to both clinical assessment and theoretical interpretation  
4. Review differences and difficulties in language acquisition, production and comprehension across a range of diverse populations. 

Module content

Language acquisition: 

1. Phonological development  
2. Baby’s first production: sounds and words  
3. Lexical development: Learning new words  
4. Morphosyntactic development: Grammar  
5. Acquisition of Complex Structures 
6. Pragmatics – Sociolinguistic development  
7. Growing up with two languages (bilingualism) 
8. Theoretical debates in language acquisition  

Language processing:  

1. Comprehension of human speech 
2. Language production  
3. Recognising words (lexical processing) 
4. Processing (inflectional) morphology  
5. Comprehension of sentences  
6. Discourse processing – understanding context  
7. Bilingual language processing  
8. Language and cognition – theoretical implications 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures: There will be 16 two-hour lectures; these will be split equally between language acquisition and processing. The content will be aligned between acquisition and processing as much as possible 

Practicals: There will be 2 two-hour practicals on the use of specialised software (CLAN) for the purposes of linguistic analysis and assessment. This is relevant for ILOs 3 and 4.  

Seminars: There will be 2 two-hour seminars on how to review a research paper. This is relevant for ILOs 1 and 2. 

Independent study: Students are expected to engage in independent study. This entails reading both core textbooks and a range of research papers.  

Study hours

At least 40 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.

1. Online quizzes in a similar format to the exam 
2. 2 seminars supporting students towards the coursework; in the first one, students will review a research paper; in the second seminar, students will examine able reviews of research papers.  

Reassessment

Additional costs