| Unit name | Language and Literacy in Young Children |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL30036 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Lucas |
| Open unit status | Open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit provides students with an overview of current understanding about the development of language and literacy in young children (0-8years). Topics covered include: Learning to speak and understand, theories of language acquisition, Bilingualism and multilingualism, understanding speech and language difficulties, learning to read, learning to write and spell and problems of literacy. The course draws heavily on theory and research from the fields of psychology and linguistics, but also on the literature regarding research and practice in the education in the early and primary years. This unit aims to
" To provide students with an overview of current theories and research on the development of language and the acquisition of literacy
" To examine the implications of research and theory for educational approaches
" To describe and explain common disorders of language and speech
" To describe and explain common disorders of reading and writing
" To consider different contexts for language acquisition
By the end of the studying this unit, students should be equipped to:
" Establish a critical understanding of relevant research
" Develop report writing and essay writing skills
" Evaluate educational approaches to supporting early literacy
Lectures, fieldwork and seminars.
Formative assessment: mock exam
Summative assessment: 3 hour unseen exam
