PLMLPSLT-Language Processing for Speech and Language Therapy

Module Provider: Clinical Language Sciences
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr George Pontikas
Email: g.pontikas@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module addresses the nature of language processing in children and adults and considers evidence from both typical and atypical populations.

Aims:
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of how children and adults with typical and atypical language development process language in real-time, and demonstrate how an understanding of language processing theories can inform our understanding of different language disorders.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that the students will be able to:

- Appreciate core issues in language processing research;
- Critically discuss and evaluate language processing theories;
- Understand the main open questions, and limits in the field;
- Understand the importance of language processing for our understanding of language impairment.

Additional outcomes:
This module will also encourage student development of autonomous learning through critical reading of research articles in academic journals, their numeracy by examination of the statistical treatments used in empirical measures of language processing papers, and their note-taking skills.

Outline content:
This module is organised around core issues in language processing research. Topics examined will include language production and comprehension, lexical access, the mental lexicon, ambiguity resolution, and the use of syntactic, lexical and prosodic information during sentence processing. These issues will be discussed on the basis of research papers on language processing by children and adults with typical and atypical language development, and in the light of current theories of language processing.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Weekly two-hour lecture sessions, plus a one-hour seminar in the second week of term.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		10
Seminars		1
Guided independent study:		89
Total hours by term		100
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Review of research paper (2,000-2,500 words).

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy “Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes”, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Assessment requirement to pass: 50%.

Reassessment arrangements:
Assignment to be resubmitted before 1 September.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 30 March 2023