Psychology 3141F 001
Language Development
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON CANADA
Department of Psychology
2022-2023
Psychology 3141F Section 001
Language Development
- CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This course covers how children learn and use their first language(s). Major topics include the stages of language development, how these phenomena can inform theories of language representation and use in humans, the biological bases of language learning, and the relationship between first and second language learning.
Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E or both Psychology 2800E and 2810, and one of Psychology 2134A/B, 2135A/B or 2410A/B
3 lecture hours; 36 Total lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.5
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol 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.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Nicolette Armstrong
Office Hours: Virtual, by appointment only
Email: nnoonan3@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: TBA
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Time and Location of Classes: Mondays, 2:30-4:40pm, B&GS 1056
Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30pm, B&GS 1056
Delivery Method: In-Person
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
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 contact Accessible Education at aew@uwo.ca or 519-661-2147.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Hoff, E. Language Development, 5th Edition Thomson Publishers
There will be a copy of the textbook on reserve at Taylor Library.
Additional required readings:
- Bishop, D. V. (2014). Ten questions about terminology for children with unexplained language problems. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 49(4), 381-415.
- Gentner, D. (1978). On relational meaning: The acquisition of verb meaning. Child development, 988-998.
- Hoff, E., Core, C., & Bridges, K. (2008). Non-word repetition assesses phonological memory and is related to vocabulary development in 20-to 24-month-olds. Journal of Child Language, 35(4), 903-916.
- Kroll, J. F., Bobb, S. C., & Hoshino, N. (2014). Two languages in mind: Bilingualism as a tool to investigate language, cognition, and the brain. Current directions in psychological science, 23(3), 159-163.
- Kuhl, P. K., Stevens, E., Hayashi, A., Deguchi, T., Kiritani, S., & Iverson, P. (2006). Infants show a facilitation effect for native language phonetic perception between 6 and 12 months. Developmental science, 9(2), F13-F21.
- Maye, J., Werker, J. F., & Gerken, L. (2002). Infant sensitivity to distributional information can affect phonetic discrimination. Cognition, 82(3), B101-B111.
- Peterson, R. L., & Pennington, B. F. (2015). Developmental dyslexia. Annual review of clinical psychology, 11(1), 283-307.
- Saffran, J. R. (2020). Statistical language learning in infancy. Child Development Perspectives, 14(1), 49-54.
- Senghas, A., Kita, S., & Ozyurek, A. (2004). Children creating core properties of language: Evidence from an emerging sign language in Nicaragua. Science, 305(5691), 1779-1782.
- Pierre, T., & Johnson, E. K. (2021). Looking for Wugs in all the Right Places: Children's Use of Prepositions in Word Learning. Cognitive Science, 45(8), e13028.
- Treiman, R. (2000). The foundations of literacy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(3), 89-92.
- Werker, J. F., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (2008). Bilingualism in infancy: First steps in perception and comprehension. Trends in cognitive sciences, 12(4), 144-151.
Additional required readings will be assigned to supplement the book chapters, and will be made available on OWL. These are journal articles or review chapters and are intended to better familiarize students with the techniques and phenomena we will be discussing. The goal of these readings is to introduce students to reading academic papers, and they will be reviewed both in class and in tutorial.
Lectures will help explain ideas in the readings, but will not fully recapitulate everything you have read. All required readings should be completed prior to class time so that you are prepared for the lecture material. The weekly assessments will cover the readings more fully and may not overlap completely with what I discuss in the lectures. You should come to lecture prepared to discuss the week’s reading.
Tutorials will focus on reviewing the week’s additional required readings (ie, the non-textbook readings), re-capitulating course content, and discussing the week’s assignments.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge. Articulate the concepts and current states of knowledge in child language development
|
Lectures and discussion Readings (textbook chapters and journal articles) |
Weekly assessments Project Phonology and Syntax Assignments
|
|
Knowledge of Methodologies. Access, interpret and critically evaluate research in language development.
|
Lectures and discussion Readings Language development observations Phonology and Syntax Assignments |
Weekly assessments Project Phonology and Syntax Assignments
|
|
Application of Knowledge. Use evidence to support claims.
|
Lectures and discussion Language development observations Phonology and Syntax Assignments |
Weekly assessments Project Phonology and Syntax Assignments
|
|
Communication Skills. Communicate in writing accurately, clearly and logically, using the discourse of the discipline of psychology
|
Readings Language development observations Readings related to Assignments, Project Phonology and Syntax Assignments
|
Written assessments Project Phonology and Syntax Assignments
|
|
Autonomy and Professional Capacity.
|
Choosing to complete the weekly quiz or written assignment Choosing which portions of the child sample to transcribe and analyze Choosing which weekly evaluation to complete (quiz or written assignment) |
Weekly assessments Project
|
5.0 EVALUATION
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives.
|
Component |
Grade weight (% of final mark) |
Description |
|
Weekly Assessments |
50% |
Each week, you will have the option to complete a quiz (on OWL) OR a written assignment based on the week’s lecture material. There are 7 total assessments throughout the term. You must complete a minimum of 4 writing assignments, but can complete a maximum of 7. Quizzes will test your knowledge of the week’s lecture and reading material (and any supplemental material). Questions will be multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank type questions. Written assignments will reflect the week’s lecture and reading material. Assignments may take the form of thought papers, critiques, commentaries, or application of your course knowledge. Written responses should be 250-500 words. |
|
Phonology Assignment |
10% |
This assignment will be an application of your knowledge of phonological development in the early years, and phonological processes. |
|
Syntax Assignment |
10% |
This assignment will be an application of your knowledge of syntactic development in the early years. |
|
Lab Project |
30% |
For this project, you will analyze and describe a child’s language development using what you have learned in the course. You will work on this project over the course of the semester, and it will be due at the end of the course. |
5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK
Due dates for all quizzes and assignments are provided on the course syllabus. Missing coursework requires appropriate documentation. Without appropriate documentation, you will receive a mark of zero. No make-up quizzes will be provided. If you miss a Weekly Assessment, you will need to complete the written assignment option. Extended deadlines for the writing assignments and lab project will be provided only if appropriate documentation has been approved.
PLEASE NOTE: Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments must be at least 50%.
This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty.
The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses
72% 2100-2999-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: https://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
Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.
Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered (e.g., graduate or professional school). To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course.
6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE
|
Component |
Due Date |
|
Weekly Assessments |
Assessments will be posted weekly on Mondays, and due the following Monday at 2:30pm (ie, before the next class), see class schedule below |
|
Phonology Assignment |
October 24 |
|
Syntax Assignment |
November 14 |
|
Lab Project |
December 7 |
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
Monday’s and Wednesday’s classes will cover the same lecture and reading content. There are no additional readings for Wednesday’s classes.
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
|
1 |
September 12 |
Introduction to the Study of Language Development |
Hoff Ch 1 |
|
September 14 |
No tutorial today |
||
|
2 |
September 19 |
Biological Bases of Language Development Assessment #1 |
Hoff Ch 2 |
|
September 21 |
Tutorial |
||
|
3 |
September 26 |
Communicative Development Assessment #2 |
Hoff Ch 3 |
|
September 28 |
Tutorial |
||
|
4 |
October 3 |
Phonological Development I Assessment #3 |
Hoff Ch 4 Maye et al (2002) Kuhl et al. (2006) |
|
October 5 |
Tutorial |
||
|
5 |
October 10 |
Thanksgiving – no class |
|
|
October 12 |
Tutorial |
||
|
6 |
October 17 |
Phonological Development II Assessment #4 |
Hoff (2008) (article) Saffran (2020) |
|
October 19 |
Tutorial |
||
|
7 |
October 24 |
Lexical and Semantic Development Phonology Assignment Due |
Hoff Ch 5 Gentner (1978) St. Pierre & Johnson (2021) |
|
October 26 |
Tutorial |
||
|
October 31-November 6 — Fall Reading Week (no class or tutorial) |
|||
|
8 |
November 7 |
Grammar Development Assessment #5 |
Hoff Ch 6 |
|
November 9 |
Tutorial |
||
|
9 |
November 14 |
Deafness and Signed Languages Syntax Assignment Due |
Senghas et al. (2004) Hoff Ch 11 (p. 329-338) |
|
November 16 |
Tutorial |
||
|
10 |
November 21 |
Language Disorders Assessment #6 |
Hoff Ch 11 |
|
November 23 |
Tutorial |
||
|
11 |
November 28 |
Reading Ability and Disability Assessment #7 |
Hoff Ch 10 (p. 314-327) Peterson & Pennington (2015) |
|
November 30 |
Tutorial |
||
|
12 |
December 5 |
Bilingualism |
Hoff Ch 9 Werker (2008) |
|
December 7 |
Tutorial Lab Project Due |
||
8.0 Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum.
With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.
9.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: https://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 offences. 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).
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
10.0 POLICY ON THE USE OF EXAM PROCTORING SOFTWARE
If a remote proctoring service is used, the service will require you to provide personal information (including some biometric data). The session will be recorded. In the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance. More information about remote proctoring is available in the Online Proctoring Guidelines. Please ensure you are familiar with any proctoring service’s technical requirements before the exam. Additional guidance is available at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf
* Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor in advance of the test or examination. See this link for technical requirements: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us
11.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
https://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:
- For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
- For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation.
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students seeking academic consideration:
- are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;
- must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hoursafter the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence
Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.
12.0 Contingency Plan for Return to Lockdown: IN-Person & Blended classes
In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence or any other event that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor.
13.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE
In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:
- please “arrive” to class on time
- please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
- please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material
- to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
- In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
- In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
- Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting
The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following:
- If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
- Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
- Self-identify when speaking.
- Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).
General considerations of “netiquette”:
- Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
- Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
- Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
- Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.
Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.
14.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site/Current Student Information for information on the following:
- 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
- Calendar References
If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf
Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).
Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.
