Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Language Acquisition and Language Impairment - 1st and 2nd semester

Code

722131101

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Department

Linguística

Credits

10

Teacher in charge

Ana Maria Lavadinho Madeira, Maria Sousa Lobo Gonçalves, Susana Mesquita de Deus Correia

Weekly hours

3 letivas + 1 tutorial

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

a) Deepen knowledge on theoretical models of language acquisition and properties of linguistic development in different grammar components.
b) Develop the ability to reflect on how data from typical and atypical language development provide evidence for the modularity of the grammatical system and for the discussion of theoretical hypotheses on the functioning of language.
c) Develop the ability to reflect on how linguistic theoretical hypotheses enable a better characterization of language disorders.
d) Develop the ability to compare the acquisition of different structures in different languages and in different populations, and identify common and specific processes of language development.
e) Identify child language disorders and clinical markers for child language impairment.

Prerequisites

n.a.

Subject matter

We will explore different topics related to language acquisition, contrasting typical and atypical development.
Topics include:
1. Main theoretical models for language acquisition and how they consider the role of internal and external factors.
2. Identification of stages of typical development in different grammar components (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics).
3. Child language disorders
3.1. typology
3.2. Specific Language Impairment
3.3. clinical markers for language impairment and crosslinguistic differences
3.4. modular development of different components and selectivity of impaired structures
3.5. comparing the acquisition of specific structures in different populations (SLI, autism, Down syndrome) in morphosyntactic and pragmatic domains.

Bibliography

Bishop, D. & L. Leonard, eds. (2000) Speech and Language Impairments in Children. Causes, Characteristics, Intervention and Outcome. London/New York: Psychology Press.
Castro, S. L. & I. Gomes (2000) Dificuldades de Aprendizagem da Língua Materna. Lisboa: Univ. Aberta.
Damico, J. S., N. Müller & M. J. Ball, eds. (2010) The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders. Wiley-Blackwell.
Fletcher, P. & B. MacWhinney, eds. (1995) The Handbook of Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishers.
Freitas, M. J. & A. L. Santos, orgs. (2017) A aquisição de língua materna e não materna. Questões gerais e dados do Português. Textbooks in Language Sciences. Berlim: Language Science Press.
Guasti, M. T. (2016) Language Acquisition. The Growth of Grammar. Cambridge, London: MIT Press, 2ª edição.
Lust, B. (2006) Child Language. Acquisition and Growth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Schwartz, R. G., ed. (2009) Handbook of Child Language Disorders. New York: Psychology Press.

Teaching method

Teaching methodologies include a theoretical component and a practical component, with expository classes, practical sessions of analysis of child productions and discussion of scientific papers.

Evaluation method

The evaluation will include: i) a review of a scientific paper (30%); ii) analysis of child data (40%); iii) written exercise with study questions (30%).

Courses