Undergraduate Course: First Language Acquisition (Honours) (LASC10029)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principal findings, concepts and models in the field of first language acquisition. |
| Course description |
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principal findings, concepts and models in the field of first language acquisition. The central question addressed is: How is it that all typically-developing children acquire language in a relatively short space of time and seemingly without extensive external assistance? Concentrating primarily on phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax, the course surveys and examines theories that have been proposed to explain the observed developmental phenomena in these domains.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
LEL2A: Linguistic Theory and the Structure of English (LASC08017)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisite(s). However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their Cohort Lead and the Course Organiser before enrolling. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Linguistics/Language Sciences courses at grade B or above . We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 27,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
169 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment:
Coursework (50%), written exam (50%)
Additional information (assessment):
Coursework - data analysis (max 2,000 words).
Written exam - multiple-choice questions and short discussion questions (approximately 500 words). |
| Feedback |
Coursework: Students will have opportunities to practice how to analyse language acquisition data during tutorial sessions. A sample of good work will be provided prior to the submission deadline. Written feedback on submitted work will be provided individually.
Exam: Sample multiple-choice questions and short-answer questions will be provided prior to the examination. Written feedback on exam answers will be provided individually. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | First Language Acquisition Exam | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe how language development unfolds in infants and children.
- Discuss the extent to which language acquisition is dependent on various biological, linguistic, cognitive and environmental factors.
- Explain theories of language acquisition.
- Analyse developmental data using theories and models discussed in the course.
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Reading List
There is typically one required reading per lecture and further optional readings. Here are indicative required readings for the first week:
Clark, E (2016). First language acquisition. Chapter 1 [pp 1-22]. Cambridge University Press
Karmiloff, K. & Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2001). Pathways to language: From fetus to adolescent. Chapter 2 [pp. 10-42]. Harvard University Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The reading assignments, tutorial exercises, and assessments¿including data analysis¿in this course are designed to equip students with the skills necessary to critically evaluate theories and models through both conceptual reasoning and empirical analysis. Students will develop proficiency in solving analytical problems, interpreting data, and discussing theoretical implications. Additionally, they will learn to present their data analysis and theoretical discussion concisely and clearly, adhering to the standards of scientific reporting.
Core skills gained or developed on this course:
Being open to different perspectives; Data analysis and evaluation; Formulating original arguments and justifying it; Problem solving; Academic reading skills; Writing clearly and concisely; Challenging own perspectives and assumptions; Critical thinking; Written communication. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Teaching Contact Time: 9 weeks out of 11 at 3 hours/week = 27 hours |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Mitsuhiko Ota
Tel: (0131 6)50 3949
Email: mits@ling.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Mollie Fordyce
Tel:
Email: mfordyc2@ed.ac.uk |
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