Brain and Language
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| EDEN3001 | School of Education and English | 3 | 20 | Spring China |
- Code
- EDEN3001
- School
- School of Education and English
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring China
Summary
This module explores the exciting new research area of Neurolinguistics. It examines the relationship between brain and language, how this develops over the lifespan and how it is affected by normal aging and by different clinical and environmental conditions. It will also explore the current state of knowledge about how language is represented in the brain, with a focus on language comprehension. The topics covered include a basic introduction to language-related brain structure and function, how accident, disease and dementia can affect language and how studying special populations such as bilinguals and deaf signers can inform us about language processing. Modern techniques and methods for studying brain and language issues, such as neuroimaging, will be discussed and recent directions in neurolinguistic research explored. Students will have the opportunity to observe and participate in ongoing neurolinguistic research on campus.
Requisites:Attendance in the first two weeks of class is obligatory for enrolment in this module.
Although not obligatory, it is highly recommended that students enrolling in this module have already taken the level 2 module Psycholinguistics.
Please note: This module is assessed at the end of Spring semester. Re-sit exams are scheduled normally in the summer and can take the same form as the missing/ failed component of the assessment (exam, essay etc.) or other form, as decided by the School.
Target Students
Optional for BA English Language and Applied Linguistics, BA English Language and Literature, BA English and International Business. Other students by arrangement with the module convenor.
Classes
- One 1-hour-30-minute seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 1-hour-30-minute lecture each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 10% Practical Participation: Practical Participation in Applied Linguistics research study
- 40% Coursework: 2,500-word written essay
- 50% Exam (2-hour): 2 hour unseen exam
Educational Aims
The aims of this module are to provide students with an understanding of• How the brain enables language and how this changes across the lifespan.• How brain insult, injury and impairment can affect language functions.• What special language populations (bilinguals, deaf signers,etc.) can inform about language processing.• What are the current and future directions of research in neurolinguistics and the methodologies used to pursue these.Learning Outcomes
(a) Knowledge and understanding of
• the basics of neurocognition, including basic knowledge of language-related brain anatomy and neuroimaging methods
• the implications of the neuroscience of language for linguistics and language study key theories and current issues in neurolinguistic research
(b) Intellectual skills
• Ability to understand primary literature in neuroscience of language
• Ability to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a neurolinguistic approach to understanding the human language faculty
(c) Professional practical skills
• Ability to employ basic methods in the analysis of neuro and psycholinguistic data
• Ability to coherently and succinctly report on published research, identifying and distilling the main ideas in sources written at a high level of detail
(d) Transferable (key) skills
• Ability to interpret research findings and draw conclusions from them, contrasting and reconciling different data sources
• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in written discourse.
• Ability to present data and research findings in oral and audio-visual presentations
• Ability to work in teams and organise peer-learning activities
Conveners
- Dr Joanna Lin