Course Catalogue

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This course focuses on the study of language development. In particular, it focuses on the importance of spoken language for the acquisition of written language (i.e., reading and spelling). It will explore research at the behavioural, cognitive, biological and environmental levels related to oral language development and its role as a predictor in text reading and comprehension. Sessions will introduce models and theories related to the structure of language, speech perception, phonological and semantic development, and oral language comprehension.

2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of seminar/tutorial/workshop or practical work weekly.

Admission to programme

None

Exam (40%): The exam will assess specific aspects of content knowledge and require students to apply or debate specific theories in relation to topics covered during the course (ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4, ILO5).

Presentation (20%):  Critique of supplemental articles: students will be responsible for critiquing one of the articles from the supplemental reading list. This written critique should be informed by the discussion in class. Students will present their critique to the class and lead a class discussion informed by the article's aims, methods, underpinning theory, results or implications. (ILO1, ILO4,)

Written Assignment (40%): - Students will identify a specific language difficulty represented in a case study. Students will discuss the identified difficulty in relation to theory and provide an evidence-based rationale outlining the means of supporting the child's development. (ILO1, ILO3, ILO4, ILO5)

The aim of this course is to provide participants with the knowledge to enable them to relate current theories and models of how language develops and is learned to practical early years and primary classroom applications.  

Specifically, the course aims to:

■ familiarise students with current theories of the development of oral language from birth to adolescents.

■ enable students to gain a detailed knowledge of child language development, including the major milestones in the development of: speech perception, speech production, phonological development, word learning, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics.

■ enable students to relate these theories to instruction and intervention practice.

■ enable students to learn and critically evaluate the methods used in studying child language acquisition and to become acquainted with the types of results these methods have uncovered.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of how children develop and acquire oral language in the home and school environments from social and cognitive perspectives.

2. Explain the causal role of the various structures of language in later literacy development.

3. Critically evaluate the relationship between the behavioural, cognitive, biological and environmental factors influencing oral language development. 

4. Critically appraise the validity and theoretical underpinnings of various interventions and pedagogical techniques in supporting a child's learning of different language structures.

5. Plan appropriate interventions and pedagogical techniques to support children with specific language difficulties.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.