2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

EDUC5934M Analysing Language

15 Credits Class Size: 450

Module manager: Prof Alice Deignan
Email: A.H.Deignan@education.leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 Sep to 31 Oct View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

The module covers the analysis of spoken and written texts at the levels of discourse, grammar, lexis and phonology. We analyse spoken and written texts through the frameworks provided by register and genre analysis, speech act and politeness theories, traditional and pattern grammar, lexical analysis, and for spoken language, modern approaches to phonology. We consider how these frameworks relate to second language learning and materials design but we do not cover teaching methodology.

Objectives

The module aims to enable students to:

- conduct analyses of samples of naturally-occurring spoken and written English for register and genre, pragmatics, grammar, lexis, and phonology (spoken texts);

- apply their analytical skills to a range of text types;

- critically compare and contrast the insights offered by different theoretical approaches to text analysis.

The learning activities to support students to achieve these objectives are:

presentation of theoretical frameworks in online pre-recorded lectures, with exemplification from naturally-occurring texts;

selected readings around the frameworks prior to the weekly in-person seminars;

short analytical tasks to be completed prior to the weekly in-person seminars;

discussion of tasks and further analysis during in-person seminars;

post-seminar groupwork

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. compare the central approaches to the analysis of language: phonology and phonetics; lexis and lexical relations; traditional and pattern grammar; speech act and politeness theory; genre (Swales' approach) and register (Hallidayan approach) analyses;

2. Apply the central theoretical approaches to language analysis accurately to samples of naturally-occurring language;

3. Critically evaluate and compare the various features and strengths of the different models and their utility for different purposes.

Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

1. critical thinking: detailed and accurate application of theoretical models to raw data; critical evaluation of theoretical models

2. communication: present analysis and its theoretical justification concisely, following academic conventions

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Supervision 2 1 2
Lecture 5 0.7 3.2
Practical 4 1 4
Seminar 5 2 10
Private study hours 130.8
Total Contact hours 19.2
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 150

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

In-class: monitoring of performance on session tasks, concept questioning, learner-led session summaries Out-of-class: performance on structured post-session reading tasks checked at beginning of following session

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Assignment Coursework 100
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 7/16/2024

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team