Module Identifier |
ED31020 |
Module Title |
FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION |
Academic Year |
2003/2004 |
Co-ordinator |
Mr Robert Morris Jones |
Semester |
Semester 2 |
Pre-Requisite |
ED10310 |
Course delivery |
Seminars / Tutorials | 10 Hours 10 x 2 hours |
Assessment |
Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
Semester Assessment | Course Work: 2 written assignments c 2,500 words each | 100% |
Supplementary Assessment | All failed or missing elements of assessment to be re-taken or made good. | |
|
Further details |
http://www.aber.ac.uk/education/Undgrad/Modsae/Ed31020/ed31020.html |
Learning outcomes
By the end of this module, students should:
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be aware of the principles and the methods of first language acquisition;
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be able to apply these principles and methods to the analysis of data;
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be aware of explanations of explanations of how a first lanaguage is acquired, and be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches;
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be aware of different views on influences of first language acquisition and development, and be able to assess their strengths and weaknesses.
Brief description
This module presents a description and discussion of first language acquisition, examining descriptive facts ("what" happens "when"?), methodology of investigation ("how" do we collect and analyse data?) and explanations of acquisition ("how" and "why" does acquisition take place as it does?).
Aims
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To develop an awareness of the various features of first language acquisition on a descriptive level.
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To appreciate the methods and principles that are used to analyse language acquisition, and thus develop specific analytic skills to explore its characteristics.
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To use their descriptive knowledge and analytic skills to assess explanations of how children acquire language, and to assess any influences on first language acquisition.
Content
The lectures of the module are based on the following:
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An Introduction.
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Methodological considerations.
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The development of pronunciation
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Word meaning: comprehension.
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Word meaning: production.
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Early multi-word utterances.
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Later multi-word utterances.
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Developmental paths.
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Theoretical explanations of first language acquisition.
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Influences on first language acquisition.
Tutorial / seminar work will be based:
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partly on additional themes which individual students will investigate and present to the rest of the class,
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and partly on pursuing in further detail selected themes form the lectures
Reading Lists
Preliminary Readings
Ingram, David (1989) First Language Acquisition
Cambridge: CUP
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6