Psychology 2134B-650 (online)
Psychology of Language
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This half course introduces the vocabulary and concepts used by psychologists who study human language. The course covers traditional psycholinguistic topics such as meaning, speech perception, comprehension, production and theories of language acquisition.
Prerequisite: At least 60% in a 1000 level Psychology course
Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
Course Weight: 0.5
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Sarah Smits-Bandstra, Ph.D., SLP Reg. CASLPO
Office and Phone Number: 647-407-4154 (no office)
Office Hours: Online (Skype, facetime, email or phone) Fridays 9am – 3pm
Email: smitsbandstra@gmail.com
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
Technological Support Services:
- By Phone: 519 661-3800 or Ext. 83800
- In Person: Support Services Building - our drop in counter is on the main floor right inside the front doors
- By JIRA: Create a JIRA ticket (you will need to login you’re your regular UWO username and password) at https://jira.uwo.ca/secure/CreateIssue.jspa?pid=10920&issuetype=6
- By Webform (if your password does not work to create a JIRA ticket) uwo.ca
- Ask ITS uwo.ca - get immediate answers to some of our more common inquiries
SDC’s Learning Skills Services: Rm 4100 WSS, www.sdc.uwo.ca/learning
LS counsellors are ready to help you improve your learning skills. They offer presentations on strategies for improving time management, multiple-choice exam preparation/writing, textbook reading, and more. Peer support is offered throughout the Fall/Winter terms in the drop-in PAL Centre, and Individual Counselling is available year round.
Connecting with the Course Instructor:
- When you email me, you can expect a response within 2 business days (Sat, Sun and holidays do not count). I will do my best to respond immediately on Mondays and Fridays between 9 AM and 3 PM.
- I plan to grade the discussion posts within 5 business days of when the assignment is completed to leave you with time to incorporate instructor feedback into your next assignment. You will be expected to carefully review feedback and apply suggestions for improvement. Feedback is given to support your success and develop your skills.
- You can use the “Self-Review” questions to prepare for each exam. Be sure to complete your Self-Review early so you have time to ask questions or do research for your exams. It is not realistic to expect an email response from me one hour before an exam.
- You can post any questions you have on the online forum “I Have a Question…”. If is it urgent, email me instead.
I will do my very best to meet the above deadlines for feedback unless I have exceptional circumstances (in which case, you will receive notification of when to expect a response).
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Ludden, D. (2016). The Psychology of Language: An integrated approach. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. ISBN: 978-1-4522-8880-2
This textbook is essential for success in the course. You will need it to follow along with the online lectures and complete the assignments and class discussions. This text was chosen because it is a comprehensive overview of oral, visual and written aspects of language and also presents interesting information about languages across the world.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
To gain a basic understanding of what constitutes a language, how language is related to other cognitive functions, how spoken and written words are recognized, how sentences and larger units of discourse are processed, how language is acquired, and evidence for localization of language functions.4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Table of Learning Outcomes |
Activities Supporting Learning Outcomes |
Assessment Information |
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Compare and contrast speech, language and communication.
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Textbook Reading Powerpoint lectures Video lecture
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Multiple choice exams |
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Evaluate theories of language processing (e.g., speech perception, sentence comprehension, word retrieval and speech production).
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Textbook Reading Powerpoint lectures Video lectures Written Discussion |
Multiple choice exams Graded class discussion |
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Describe research methods for assessing perception and production of speech and language across the lifespan.
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Textbook Reading Powerpoint lectures Video lectures Written discussion |
Multiple choice exams Graded class discussion |
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Identify pathways and structures in the brain important for language functions.
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Textbook Reading Powerpoint lectures Video lectures Written discussion |
Multiple choice exams Graded class discussion |
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Analyze differences in phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics across global languages.
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Textbook Reading Powerpoint lectures Video lectures Written discussion |
Multiple choice exams Graded class discussion |
5.0 EVALUATION
Activities you must complete to be successful in this course.
- Syllabus Quiz (1%)
- Exams (2 midterms worth 12% each, one final worth 50% of your final grade)
- Class Discussions (Introduction worth 1%, 3 discussions worth 8% of your final grade).
Syllabus Quiz: You are required to review the syllabus so you know what to do if you need support, an extension, if you are sick or absent, and how to obtain the best learning outcome. Late submissions will be given zero.
Exams: Exams will consist of multiple choice. Exams are non-cumulative however concepts in later lectures build on those in the early classes.
Class Discussion: Discussions will require analysis and evaluation of content presented in the readings and lectures to help you process and learn the material in a meaningful way. Late discussions will be given zero.
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Exam 1: The exam will be available for 48 hours online on OWL from 12:01am Friday Jan 25th to 11:59pm Saturday Jan 26th. It will be 30 minutes and 30 multiple choice.
Exam 2: The exam will be available for 48 hours online on OWL from 12:01am Friday March 8th to 11:59pm Saturday March 9th. It will be 30 minutes and 30 multiple choice.
Final Exam: TBA April 11-30
Because you have two full days to write the exam, it is not anticipated that any make-ups will be needed. Missed exams are handled by the Academic Counsellor’s office, not by the professor. They are provided only in cases of illness lasting the entire week of the exam, or for compassionate reasons. No make-up exams without proper documentation).
Website: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca (Social Science students only)
Email ssaco@uwo.ca or call 519.661.2011 to schedule an appointment with an Academic Counsellor. Please include your student number and the reason for the appointment.
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
All Supplementary lecture material will be delivered through OWL. All class requirements (e.g., syllabus quiz, discussions) are due on Monday at midnight.
Week Topic and Reading Due
Unit 1: 7 Jan Overview of Human Language,
Chap 1, 1-10, 12-20, 40-41, 43-45
Unit 1: 14 Jan The Science of Language, Chap 2 Syllabus Quiz
(Due Jan 21 at midnight)
Class Discussion One
(Due Jan 21 at midnight)
Unit 1: 21 Jan Speech Perception, Chap 3 Study Guide &
Practice Questions
(do not hand in)
Unit 1: Exam 1 Friday Jan 25th 12:01am to Saturday Jan 26th at 11:59 pm ONLINE
Unit 2: 28 Jan Speech Production, Chap 4 Class Discussion Two
(Due Feb 4 at midnight)
Unit 2: 4 Feb Words, Chap 5
Unit 2: 11 Feb Sentences, Chap 6
Unit 2: 18 Feb Spring Break
Unit 2: 25 Feb Narratives & Discourse, Chap 7
Unit 2: 4 Mar Reading & Writing, Chap 8 Study Guide &
Practice Questions
(do not hand in)
Class Discussion Three
(Due Mar 11 at midnight)
Unit 2: Exam 2 Friday March 8th 12:01am to Saturday March 9th at 11:59 pm ONLINE
Unit 3: 11 Mar Throughout the lifespan, Bilingualism, Chap 9, 11
Unit 3: 18 Mar Sign Languages, Chap 10
Unit 3: 25 Mar Language, Culture and Thought, Chap 12 Class Discussion Four
(Due April 1 at midnight)
Unit 3: 1 Apr Language and Technology, Chap 13 Study Guide &
Practice Questions
(do not hand in)
Unit 3: 8 Apr Review readings of Unit 3 Extra Credit Assignment
(Due April 8 at midnight)
Unit 3: Final Exam (TBA April 11-30)8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?Command=showCategory&PolicyCategoryID=1&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
10.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2018 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
