Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE IAL2014

 
TITLE The Development of Communication and Language

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Inclusion and Access to Learning

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit introduces students to the key topics in language development, including how research is conducted in this area, the theoretical perspectives, and major language milestones in first and second language acquisition from birth to adolescence and beyond. The study unit focuses also on language diversity and language disorders and aims at helping the student to connect language development theory and practice. The material presented in this study unit is of utmost relevance to students’ current and future experiences in the educational and research settings offering also new pedagogical practices.

Study-Unit Aims:

The aim of the study-unit is to help students to connect language development theory with practice offering new pedagogical practices they can use within an inclusive setting.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• Describe the building blocks of language and theories of language development;
• Describe first language achievement during infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, school age and beyond;
• Describe language during preschool and explain how literacy is built on Language;
• Describe language disorders in children;
• Explain language diversity;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the main processes of second language acquisition and learning;
• Comprehend the links between first and second language acquisition.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• Apply their knowledge of the building blocks of language to plan language support strategies;
• Conduct specific language strategies to the different developmental stages of a child's development;
• Identify processes that create an interplay between language and identity;
• Analyze strategies that are used in bilingual/multilingual settings, including code-switching/mixing.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Turnbull K.L.P., Laura M. Justice L.M. (2016) (3rd Ed). Language development from theory to practice. Pearson.
- Lightbown, P and Spada, N (2013, 4th edition), How languages are learned, Oxford, OUP.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Analysis Task Yes 50%
Assignment Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
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 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit