Module manager: Valentina Brunetto
Email: v.brunetto@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| MODL1060 | Language: Structure and Sound |
| LING2390 | Language Acquisition |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Language acquisition is a fascinating manifestation of the human condition, and it has generated a lot of interest and debates in the research community as well as the general public. This module will introduce students to the leading questions of language acquisition research, by surveying seminal and cutting-edge studies and evaluating their implications for current debates. Focusing on the evidence available and on the methods used to find that evidence, the module explores a number of key question such as how babies start making sense of the language around them, how they acquire words and the structure of language, and how cognitive development interacts with language development. Half of the module is dedicated to bilingual first language acquisition and second language acquisition in children and adults. The focus is on experimental evidence, enabling students to gain a good understanding of the principles of research design, as well as an ability to evaluate results critically. Students are expected to have been introduced to linguistics and language acquisition on a Level 1 or 2 module in linguistics or English language before enrolling on this module. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The module aims to:
(1) familiarise students with the key concepts and research question in language acquisition
(2) survey important findings in language acquisition research
(3) introduce students to the key experimental methodologies used in language acquisition research
(4) develop students' analytical skills through practical analyses of data
(5) develop students' critical thinking through the discussion of research papers
(6) develop students' research skills through the review of studies and the creation of an experimental design
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Apply a comprehensive range of concepts and terminology used in language acquisition research.
2. Evaluate the importance of language acquisition research in linguistic theory in general.
3. Analyse experimental designs and methodologies used in language acquisition research.
4. Analyse naturalistic and experimental data using appropriate technical terms to illustrate a point under discussion.
5. Synthesise and critically evaluate the literature in scientific journals.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
6. Apply effective written communication skills to present a coherent and theoretically motivated research question.
7. Evaluate appropriate research methods for collecting language acquisition data.
This module focuses on language acquisition in three types of population: children acquiring their mother-tongue, children acquiring more than one language, and children/adults acquiring a second language. The topics covered include, among others: the early apprehension of language by infants, the acquisition of various aspects of language competence (morphology, syntax, semantics), the effect of language processing on the acquisition process, and a discussion of theoretical frameworks in language acquisition research. The lectures are complemented by seminars which enable students to explore in more depth the issues discussed in the course and prepare them for the coursework assignment. The seminars are based on student-led presentations of seminal papers and will raise students’ awareness of methodological issues. Data analysis exercises will feed into lectures and seminars.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students are given informal feedback and guidance on how to develop their research proposal in the seminar sessions. The instructions for the research proposal are disseminated at the start of the module and students are guided to read and critically review empirical studies in the weekly seminars following the assessment guidelines as a model for their critical reading. The selection of literature reviewed each week familiarises students with a variety of naturalistic and experimental data and methodologies to assess child language, and students are introduced to aspects of research designs which they can then apply to their own proposal.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Reseach Proposal | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 02/05/2025
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