| CODE | CSD5001 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Spoken and Written Language Development | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Human Communication Sciences and Disorders | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit on Spoken and Written Language Development aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how speech and language skills evolve in individuals from infancy to adulthood. It will delve into the processes, milestones, and factors influencing the development of both spoken and written language. Through a combination of theoretical discussions, practical exercises, and case studies, students will gain valuable insights into the intricacies of language acquisition, its cognitive foundations, and the ways it shapes our social interactions and cognitive abilities. It will delve into the various stages, factors, and processes that influence language acquisition, enabling learners to grasp the complexities involved in language development. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction to speech and language development: Definition of language and its significance in human communication. Comparison between spoken and written language and their interconnectedness. 2. Speech and language Acquisition Theories: Overview of prominent (spoken and written) language acquisition theories (e.g., Behaviorist, Nativist, Interactionist). 3. Early Speech and Language Development: a) Pre-linguistic communication skills in infants. b) Phonological development: Babbling to first words. c) Lexical development: Building vocabulary in early childhood. d) Morphological development: Acquiring word structures and inflections. e) Syntactic development: Forming grammatically correct sentences. f) Pragmatic Development: Understanding social and cultural aspects of language use. 4. Literacy Development: a) Emergent literacy: Pre-reading skills and concepts. b) Learning to read: Phonics, sight words, and decoding strategies. c) Reading comprehension: Strategies for understanding and interpreting texts. d) Writing Development: Early writing skills; Narrative development. 5. Language development in bilingual/multilingual individuals. Code-switching and language mixing. Dual literacy development. Orthographic depth. 6. Language in Educational Contexts: Language development in schools and classrooms. Supporting language development in educational settings. 7. Digital Literacy in Language Development. This topic focuses on the role of digital literacy in supporting literacy development, particularly in neurodivergent learners, and explores the use of digital platforms, such as e-books and interactive learning tools, to enhance reading and writing skills. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to help participants: - Understand Speech and Language Development Theories: Participants will be introduced to prominent speech and language development theories, such as the behaviorist, nativist, interactionist, and social-cognitive perspectives, to grasp the underlying principles of how spoken and written language skills evolve; - Identify Milestones in Speech and Language Acquisition: Participants will explore the typical milestones and stages of speech and language development, starting from infancy and progressing through childhood to adolescence and adulthood. Emphasis will be placed on phonological, lexical, morphological, and syntactic advancements; - Examine Socio-Cultural and Environmental Influences: Participants will investigate the role of socio-cultural and environmental factors in shaping language development. Topics will include bilingualism, socio-economic influences, and the role of family and educational settings; - Explore Literacy Development: The study-unit will focus on how spoken language proficiency relates to the development of reading and writing skills. Participants will analyze the stages of literacy acquisition and the factors influencing successful literacy development; - Foster Effective Communication Strategies: Participants will gain insights into promoting effective communication strategies to support language development in individuals of diverse ages and abilities. This will include fostering language-rich environments and promoting language growth through engagement; - Integrate Digital Literacy in Language Development: Participants will explore the role of digital literacy in supporting both spoken and written language development, with an emphasis on how digital tools and technologies can enhance language acquisition and literacy skills, particularly for neurodivergent individuals. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of this study-unit, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of speech and language development, milestones, and the factors influencing spoken and written language skills. This knowledge will equip them to effectively support language growth in diverse individuals across different contexts and age groups. The student will be able to understand: - Speech and Language Acquisition: Describe how humans acquire spoken language, including the stages of language development from infancy through adulthood; - Language Structure: Identify the fundamental components of language, such as phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics; - Language Theories: Familiarize with major theories and models of language development, such as behaviorism, nativism, interactionism, and socio-cultural perspectives; - Bilingualism and Multilingualism: Explore the processes and challenges of learning and using multiple languages, including the benefits and impacts on cognitive development; - Literacy Development: Examine the stages of literacy development, including reading and writing milestones, and factors that influence the acquisition of literacy skills; - Socio-cultural Influences & Language Variations: Recognize the impact of cultural, social, and environmental factors on language development and language use. Language Variations: Gain awareness of dialectal variations, regional accents, and sociolinguistic; - Analyse the impact of digital technology on literacy development, particularly in the context of neurodiverse profiles, and critically assess the use of digital tools, such as e-books and literacy apps, in supporting reading and writing. 2. Skills: Participants will be well-equipped to understand, analyze, and support the development of spoken and written language. These skills can be beneficial for various professional fields, including education, speech pathology, healthcare, psychology, linguistics, and communication sciences. The student will be able to: - Acquire the ability to evaluate language development in both spoken and written forms; - Analyse and describe language structure and the theories supporting speech and language development; - Critically analyze and evaluate research and literature related to speech and language development, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and implications for practice; - Apply knowledge of speech and language development to identify and address challenges in language learning and communication; - Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness when communicating with individuals from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds; - Examine and evaluate the nature of collaborative practices to facilitate language development in different settings, such as educational institutions or speech language therapy settings; - Reflect on personal language development experiences and adapt teaching or intervention approaches accordingly; - Apply digital literacy strategies and tools in real-world settings to support spoken and written language development in neurodiverse individuals, using technologies that enhance accessibility and engagement in literacy tasks. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Ewing, R., Callow, J., & Rushton, K. (2016). Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781316442791. - Garton, A., & Pratt, C. (1998). Learning to be literate: The development of spoken and written language (2nd ed.). Blackwell Publishing. - Perera, J., Aparici, M., Rosado, E. & Salas, N. (Eds.) (2016). Written and Spoken Language Development across the Lifespan: Essays in honour of Liliana Tolchinsky.Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing | ISBN-10: 3319211358. - McQueen, D., & Williams, J. (2022). Supporting the development of speech, language and communication in the early years. - McLeod S.(Ed.)(2023). The Oxford handbook of Speech Development in languages of the World. Oxford University Press. - McLeod, S., & Baker, E. (2017).Children's Speech Australia: Pearson Pub. Supplementary Readings: - Journal articles will be referenced throughout the delivery of the study-unit. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Qualification: Entry Requirements | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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