Unit name | Advanced Developmental Disorders of Communication |
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Unit code | PSYCM0051 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18) |
Unit director | Professor. Jarrold |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
Level 6 Psychology Students must not have taken PSYC31049 |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Psychological Science |
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
The study of developmental disorders is relevant, not only to those conditions themselves, but also to our understanding of typical development. In addition, by focussing on developmental disorders of communication this course links to more general theoretical questions of language development. The unit itself consists of introductory lectures that highlight these, more general, theoretical themes, before subsequent lectures focus in more detail on the specific cases of: deprivation and otitis media, general learning difficulties, Down syndrome, specific language impairment, Williams syndrome, autism, speech disorders, and dyslexia. Students are also introduced to recent computational approaches to the modelling of atypical language development. A series of tutorials run alongside the lectures and aim to develop student's critical understanding of the key theoretical themes of the course.
By the end of the unit, students will be able to:
This unit comprises 18 x 50 min lectures and 4 x 50 min tutorials.
Summative assessment: one 2000 word essay (30%) and one 2 hour exam (70%)
Hulme, C. & Snowling, M. J. (2009). Developmental disorders of language learning and cognition. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. RJ506.D47 HUL
Bishop, D. V. M. (1997). Uncommon understanding: Development and disorders of language comprehension in children. Hove, UK: Psychology Press. RJ496.135 BIS
Bishop, D., & Mogford, K. (Eds.) (1993). Language development in exceptional circumstances. Hove, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. LB1139.L3 LAN
Boucher, J. (2009). The autism spectrum: characteristics, causes and practical issues. London, UK. Sage. BF674 BOU
Pinker, S. (1995). The language instinct. London: Penguin. P106 PIN
Pinker, S. (2000). Words and rules. London: Phoenix. P118 PIN