Department of Language and Linguistic Science
- Language and Linguistic Science
- For current students
- Postgraduates
- Modules 2017-18
- Language acquisition (L18M)
Language acquisition
Aims
Aims
The module provides
- an overview of child first language acquisition, focusing on phonology and syntax;
- an introduction to related topics including some (but not necessarily all) of the following: adult second language acquisition, child bilingualism, language development in special populations;
- an introduction to theories of language acquisition;
- an introduction to methods of investigation language acquisition.
Students should acquire:
- a basic understanding of the typical sequence of child language development in the areas of phonology and syntax;
- a basic understanding of key issues in language acquisition in at least one related area. This may include adult second language acquisition, child bilingualism, and/or language acquisition in special populations, and may vary from year to year;
- knowledge of the techniques used in studying language development;
- an awareness of the relationship between languages acquisition data and general issues of linguistic competence/performance and cognition in general;
- an awareness of the role of linguistic 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
The module lasts for one term and is taught for three hours per teaching week (a 1.5 lecture and a 1.5 hour seminar).
Teaching programme
The module will present and explore:
- typical first language development
- theories and methods in first language acquisition research
- non-native language development in a range of populations (e.g., child v. adult, naturalistic v. classroom, and monolingual v. multilingual non-native language acquirers)
- theories and methods in non-native language acquisition research
Teaching materials
The module makes extensive use of the following text:
Snyder, W. (2007). Child language: The parametric approach. Oxford University Press.
A range of additional readings are also assigned.
Assessment
Assessment
Formative work
- short essays/exercises
Assessment
- two 1000-word essays
About this module
- Module name
Language acquisition- Course code
L18M (LAN00018M)- Teacher
Heather Marsden- Term(s) taught
Autumn- Credits
10