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Psycholinguistics Fall, 2020-2021

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Psycholinguistics Fall, 2020-2021 Faculty of Science Course Syllabus Department of Psychology and Neuroscience PSYO/NESC 3190 Psycholinguistics Fall, 2020-2021 Instructor: Myrto Brandeker, Ph.D., SLP-Reg, SLP(C) [email protected] OffIce hours: through Collaborate Ultra (schedule wIll be released separately) Lectures: Asynchronous delIvery through Brightspace portal Modules will be released weekly accordIng to below schedule Teaching Assistants: Alex Ryken, M.Sc. (Marker) [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________ Course Description Explores the cognitive and neural bases of human language processing. Topics Include: human language and other communication systems; phonology; morphology; semantIcs; syntax; dIscourse; fIrst and second language acquisition; relationship of language to general cognitive functions such as music and mathematIcs; sIgned languages such as AmerIcan SIgn Language; and non-linguistic gesture. Course Prerequisites PSYO 2000.03 or NESC 2007.03, and NESC/PSYO 2130.03. Major and honours students In the thIrd year of the Linguistics program do not require these prerequisites, however, a prerequisite override from the instructor is required for registration. Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes Broadly speaking, thIs course aims to Improve your skills In Independent, critIcal thInking and clear communication, as well as to give you a deeper understanding of how language—one of the most unique and complex features of human cognition—works. Language Is a central part of our lIves and hopefully this class wIll provide you wIth Insight that enriches you. An understanding of language can Inform personal decisions and polIcies In areas as diverse as educatIon, polItIcs, and health. ThIs course recognizes that lIfe is not a multiple choice test, and simply “knowing a bunch of stuff” won’t get you too far — you need to critically evaluate Information to make decisions and take action In the world around you. The assessments in this class are designed with this in mind. Upon successfully completIng thIs class, you should be able to: • Demonstrate a broad, general understandIng of the fIeld of psycholInguIstIcs • Be able to clearly describe specifIc concepts In psycholInguistics, including models, theories, and experImental evidence, In wrItIng and orally • Be able to contrast dIfferent models of language processIng • Apply knowledge from multIple sources, IncludIng the textbook and the academIc lIterature, to derive conclusions from sample data • Critically evaluate scientifIc lIterature PSYO/NESC 3190 1 • Be able to determIne whether data support a partIcular conclusIon, and generate alternatIve hypotheses to explain the data • Apply fIndIngs of psycholInguIstIc research to real-life problems • Relate basIc science fIndIngs to problems In society, such as education and treatment of language disorders Course Materials Sedivy, J. (2020). Language in Mind (2nd Edition). New York: Oxford University Press. • E-book options: https://www.vItalsource.com/en-ca/products/language-in-mind-julie-sedivy- v9781605358369 or https://www.redshelf.com/book/1059808/language-in-mind-1059808- 9781605358369-julie-sedivy • Companion website: https://oup-arc.com/access/sedivy-2e-student-resources Schwartz, R. (2017). Handbook of child language disorders (2nd Edition). New York: Routledge, Taylor & FrancIs Group. • AvaIlable as e-book from the Dalhousie lIbrary: https://novanet- primo.hosted.exlIbrisgroup.com/permalInk/f/auflpa/NOVANET_ALEPh006266256 • Chapters 1 and 3 are required readIng, while chapter 4 is optional reading. AddItIonal readIngs and lInks to blog posts or videos (both required and optional readings) will be made available on the course website withIn each module. Course Format The course Is offered onlIne-only through the course website on Brightspace, which wIll be the definite source for content, assignment instructions and submissions, due dates, and materials. The course Is divIded Into 12 learning modules. Each module contains lessons, readings, activities, and discussions. The content of each module is required for the course unless it is clearly noted as optional. A new module will be released every Monday at 9 am ADT during the course (wIth the exception of Module 1 and Study Break week), as outlIned by the schedule below. It is the responsibility of each student to keep up wIth modules and readIngs. If you are experiencing any barriers to learning, please contact the instructor via email or at office hours as soon as possible. Please note that all deadlInes and times noted In this syllabus follow local time HalIfax (ADT). If you are currently in a dIfferent time zone, do not forget to adjust your time. Office hours OffIce hours will be held for two hours weekly via Collaborate Ultra. The fIrst hour will be a joint session for all students and an opportunity to meet virtually for discussions and questions. Attendance Is optIonal. A recorded version wIll be available later for all students. The second hour of each week wIll be reserved for individual meetIngs wIth students. Information on how to log in to vIrtual office hours and schedule individual meetings will be posted to the “Office Hours” section of the course Brightspace page. PSYO/NESC 3190 2 Tentative schedule (subject to change) Module Date Topic Reading Assignments due Sedivy: Ch. 2 1 Sept 8 What Is language? OrIgins of human language. OnlIne lInks Sedivy: Ch. 3 2 Sept 14 Language and the braIn BrookshIre (2014) Sedivy: Ch. 4 3 Sept 21 Learning speech sounds OnlIne lInks Learning words + What happens In atypIcal Sedivy: Ch. 5 4 Sept 28 language learning? Schwart: Ch. 1 ASSIGNMENT 1 Oct 4 Sedivy: Ch. 6 5 Oct 5 What Is syntax? Part 1 OnlIne lInk How do we perceive speech? What about sIgn 6 Oct 12 Sedivy: Ch. 7 language? Sedivy: Ch. 8 7 Oct 19 How do we recognize words? MID-TERM (released Oct 15) Oct 22 Sedivy: Ch. 9 8 Oct 26 What Is syntax? Part 2 OnlIne lInk 9 Nov 2 SpeakIng Sedivy: Ch. 10 STUDY BREAK (Nov 9-13) ASSIGNMENT 2 Nov 15 10 Nov 16 Discourse + ArtIfIcal languages Sedivy: Ch. 11 Sedivy: Ch. 12 11 Nov 23 Is language a socIal activIty? Schwartz: Ch. 3 12 Nov 30 Language diversity and bilIngualIsm Ch. 13 FINAL EXAM (released Dec 10) Dec 17 Course Assessment Evaluation component WeIght (% of fInal grade) Date PartIcIpatIon 15% During each module AssIgnment 1 10% October 4 AssIgnment 2 20% November 15 Mid-term (open book) 25% October 15-22 Final (open book) 30% December 10-17 Bonus points 2% See below. PSYO/NESC 3190 3 1. Participation (15%) This class aims to be interactive and to promote critical thinking. Students wIll be divIded Into smaller groups where dIscussIons and peer feedback on activities will take place. Each module wIll be followed by one activity and one topic for discussion. Peer feedback and discussions wIll take place In the onlIne discussion forum on Brightspace and are subject to deadlines (see separate schedule). The topics are designed to increase your broader understanding of the course content and connect with the bigger picture. GuIdelInes for giving peer feedback will be provided. In the onlIne discussions, students wIll be encouraged to share their own experIences or belIefs as well as give support from textbook or other research. Your contribution wIll not be graded based on any rubric or Ideas of right/wrong, but on degree of active participation with others as well as abilIty to apply theoretical knowledge and offer critical thinkIng. For these discussions to be successful and Interesting, It Is Important that everyone participates and encourages discussion In a respectful manner. Both peer feedback and the discussions will be monitored regularly by the instructor. 2. Assignment 1 (10%) The fIrst assignment wIll Involve collecting real-life speech and language samples and provIde these as a structured data base. Written Instructions wIll be gIven. Note that Assignment 2 builds directly onto AssIgnment 1, whIch Is why both assIgnments are Important to complete. DeadlIne for AssIgnment 1 Is October 4 at 11:59 pm. SubmIssion wIll be through the Assignment folder on Brightspace. Late penalty will be applIed with -10% per started 24-hour period, unless cleared before deadlIne wIth the Instructor. 3. Assignment 2 (20%) The second assignment consists of continued data collection as well as analysis of speech and language. WrItten InstructIons wIll be gIven. Note that AssIgnment 2 buIlds dIrectly onto AssIgnment 1, whIch Is why both assignments are Important to complete. DeadlIne for AssIgnment 2 is November 15 at 11:59 pm. SubmIssion wIll be through the Assignment folder on Brightspace. Late penalty will be applied with -10% per started 24-hour period, unless cleared before deadlIne wIth the Instructor. 4. Mid-term exam (25%) The exam Is designed to assess your abilIty to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize Information from the class, and apply your understanding of the material to new questions. The mId-term covers material from modules 1-6 and will be composed of both short- and long-answer questions. The mId-term Is released on October 15 and due on October 22 at 11:59 pm. Late penalty wIll be applIed wIth -10% per started 24- hour period, unless cleared before deadlIne wIth the Instructor. 5. Final exam (30%) The exam Is designed to assess your abilIty to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize Information from the class, and apply your understanding of the material to new questions. The fInal exam covers material from modules 8-14 as well as accumulated knowledge. It wIll be composed of both short- and long- answer questions. The fInal is released on December 10 and due on December 17 at 11:59 pm. Late penalty wIll be applIed wIth -10% per started 24-hour period, unless cleared before deadlIne wIth the instructor. Exams will not be accepter after December 22, 2020, in order to allow for timely grade submission to registrar. 6. Bonus points (2%) • You may earn a bonus worth 1% of your fInal grade for participating In a university-run “self- improvement” class (onlIne options avaIlable).
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