University of the
West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
Code: USP JGG 20 3 Title: Language and Mind Version:
Level: UWE credit rating: ECTS credit rating:
Owning Faculty: Health and Life Sciences Field:
Faculty Committee approval: Q&S Committee (School of Life Sciences) Date:
Approved for Delivery by: UWE (Name of affiliated institution if module will only be delivered by them)
Valid from: September 2010 Discontinued from:
Pre-requisites:
USPJLC-30-2 Title: Cognitive and Developmental Psychology 2 or USPJDH-20-2 Aspects of Cognition
Co-requisites:
Entry Requirements:
N/A
Excluded Combinations:
Learning Outcomes:
When students have successfully completed the module, they should be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the structures and processes of language as they are studied by psychologists;
- demonstrate an understanding of models and theories of language and language acquisition, and show an ability to discuss them critically;
- demonstrate an understanding of the methodologies used in psycholinguistics and be able to evaluate them;
- critically discuss current issues in the psychology of language.
Syllabus Outline:
Course content will vary from year to year depending on the nature of staff interests and expertise. However, 'core' content will be taken from the following:
The nature of language; evolutionary origins; human and non-human communication; language acquisition.
Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and performance. Speech production and perception; visual word processing; grammar and sentence processing; the mental lexicon.
Language and the brain; neuroimaging; effects of brain injury (aphasias); modularity; computer models and connectionism.
Additional material will be taken from the following:
Language acquisition in special circumstances; language in other modalities (e.g. sign language; writing systems); second language acquisition.
Language in relation to other cognitive processes (e.g. memory, problem-solving and reasoning); language and thought.
Reading and reading disorders.
Language and discourse, narrative and metaphor.
Teaching and Learning Methods:
Lectures, seminars and practicals
Reading Strategy:
All students will be encouraged to make full use of the print and electronic resources available to them through membership of the University. These include a range of electronic journals and a wide variety of resources available through web sites and information gateways. The University Library’s web pages provide access to subject relevant resources and services, and to the library catalogue. Many resources can be accessed remotely. Students will be presented with opportunities within the curriculum to develop their information retrieval and evaluation skills in order to identify such resources effectively.
Any essential reading will be indicated clearly, along with the method for accessing it, e.g. students may be expected to purchase a set text, be given or sold a print study pack or be referred to texts that are available electronically, etc. This guidance will be available either in the module handbook, via the module information on Blackboard or through any other vehicle deemed appropriate by the module/programme leaders.
If further reading is expected, this will be indicated clearly. If specific texts are listed, a clear indication will be given regarding how to access them and, if appropriate, students will be given guidance on how to identify relevant sources for themselves, e.g. through use of bibliographical databases.
Indicative Reading List:
Students will be expected to read journal articles to support their studies on this module; they will also be offered suggested readings for each area they study. The following is intended to suggest some starting points.
Aitchison, J (1998) The articulate mammal: an introduction to psycholinguistics (4th ed). London & New York: Routledge
Aitchison, J (1996) The seeds of speech: language origin and evolution. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. (Also in C.U.P. Canto series 2000 with new introduction)
Altmann, G. T. M. (1997) The ascent of babel. Oxford: OUP.
Berko Gleason, J. (2000) The development of language, (5th edition). Allyn & Bacon.
Berko Gleason, J. (1997) Psycholinguistics, (2nd ed). Florence, KY: Wadsworth Publishing Co Ltd.
Garman, M. (1990) Psycholinguistics. Cambridge: CUP.
Harley, T. (2008) The psychology of language, (3rd ed). Hove: Psychology Press.
Jackendoff, R. (2002) Foundations of language: brain, meaning, grammar, evolution. Oxford: OUP. Osherson, D. N. and Lasnik, H. (1990) Language: An invitation to cognitive science. Volume 1. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Pinker, S. (1994), The language instinct: how the mind creates language. New York: William Morrow & Co.
Scovel, T (1998) Psycholinguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Steinberg, D. (1993) An introduction to psycholinguistics. London, New York: Longman.
Steinberg, D, Nagata H & Aline, D. P. (2001) Psycholinguistics: language, mind & world. London, New York: Longman.
Tomasello, M, (ed) (1998) The new psychology of language: cognitive and functional approaches to language structure. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Tomasello, M & Bates E. (eds) (2001) Language development: the essential readings. Oxford: Blackwell.
Whitney, P. (1998) The psychology of language. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Assessment:
Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: 50% B: 50%
FIRST ATTEMPT
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A (controlled) Element Wt (Ratio)
Description of each element (within Component)
Component B Element Wt (Ratio)
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Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes )
Component A (controlled) Element Wt (Ratio)
Description of each element (within Component)
EX2 |
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Component B Element Wt (Ratio)
Description of each element (within Component)
CW2 |
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SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT Attendance at taught classes .
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)