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Academic Year 2000/2001


Language Development
PSYC 331 SP

Clusters:
Linguistics

This course will survey classic and contemporary theory and research on the nature of language development in young children. It will include discussion of the innate biological specialization for language in human children, as viewed from various theoretical perspectives. Topics covered will focus on the acquisition of semantics, syntax, morphological rules, and phonological organization beginning with evidence regarding their precursory foundation in infancy and continuing through the child's rel ative mastery of native language by the early grade-school years.

MAJOR READINGS

Berko-Gleason, J. (1993). THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE. Third Edition. MacMillan Publishing Co. Required readings will also include original research articles and book chapters, e.g., Gleitman, Gleitman, Landau & Wanner (1987). Where language begins: Initial representations for language learning. F. Newmeyer (ed) "The Cambridge Linguistic Survey." Cambridge University Press. Fromkin, V., (1974) The development of language in Genie: A case of language acquisition beyond the critical period: BRAIN & LANGUAGE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Midterm exam, final exam, in-class discussion, 10-12 page term paper (literature review of scientific research on a topic in language acquisition)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

This is a seminar course in Developmental Psychology. Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: NSM PSYC    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: PSYC105 OR PSYC220 OR PSYC230 OR PSYC231 Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-26-2001


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