LIN5000 The Nature of Language
| Semester 1, 2013 Online Toowoomba | |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Education |
| School or Department : | Education |
| Version produced : | 11 April 2013 |
Staffing
Examiner: Gavin Austin
Moderator: Ann Dashwood
Rationale
To be able to teach languages, instructors need to understand:
(i) the main characteristics of syntax, phonology and other facets of language,
(ii) the systems which underlie each of these facets, and
(iii) the relationship between each facet and the social and cultural context in which it is embedded.
Synopsis
Students will be introduced to the main characteristics of syntax, phonology and other facets of language, the systems which underlie each of these facets, and the relationship between each one and the social and cultural context in which it is embedded. NOTE: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to this offering. Should enrolments not reach the minimum number required for on-campus study, students may be transferred to the ONLINE offering and advised of this change before semester commences.
Objectives
The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. At the end of the course students will show an understanding of:
- The main characteristics of syntax, phonology and other facets of language (Assignment 1, Assignment 2).
- The systems which underlie each of these facets (Assignment 1, Assignment 2).
- The relationship between each one and the social and cultural context in which it is embedded (Assignment 1, Assignment 2).
- In addition, they will develop their competence in scholarly writing, including the use of correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing conventions (Assignment 1).
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | What is language? | 5.00 |
| 2. | Brain and language | 5.00 |
| 3. | Morphology: The words of language | 12.50 |
| 4. | Syntax: The sentence patterns of language | 12.50 |
| 5. | The meanings of language | 10.00 |
| 6. | Phonetics - The sounds of language | 10.00 |
| 7. | Phonology - The sound patterns of language | 12.50 |
| 8. | Language acquisition | 10.00 |
| 9. | Language in society | 12.50 |
| 10. | Functional Grammar | 10.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from USQ's Online Bookshop (unless otherwise stated). (https://bookshop.usq.edu.au/bookweb/subject.cgi?year=2013&sem=01&subject1=LIN5000)
Please contact us for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://bookshop.usq.edu.au/contact/)
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Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., Hyams, N., Collins, P., Amberber, M., & Cox, F 2012, An introduction to language, 7th (Australia and New Zealand) edn, Cengage Learning, Australia Pty. Ltd, Australia.
Reference materials
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Behrens, Susan J., & Parker, Judith A 2010, Language in the real world, Routledge, London and New York.
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McCabe, A 2011, An introduction to linguistics and language studies, Equinox Publishing Ltd, London, UK.
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Whether you are on, or off campus, the USQ Library is an excellent source of information http://www.usq.edu.au/library. The gateway to education resources is here ... http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/facultyguides/education/default.htm.
Student workload requirements
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Directed Study | 80.00 |
| Independent Study | 80.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 40 | 40 | 05 Jun 2013 | |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 60 | 60 | 05 Jun 2013 |
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.) -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted. -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
As there are no examinations in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at http://policy.usq.edu.au/portal/custom/search/category/usq_document_policy_type/Student.1.html.
Assessment notes
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APA style is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use APA style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide. http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/apa
Other requirements
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Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to UConnect for this course.