PL3LAA-Linguistic Aspects of Aphasia

Module Provider: Clinical Language Sciences
Number of credits: 10 [5ECTS credits]
Level: H (Honours)
Terms in which taught: Spring
Module Convenor: Professor S Edwards
Pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Module version for: 2008/9

Email:

Aims:
The aim of this module is to enable students to understand some of the linguistic features of aphasia and to relate these to their knowledge and understanding of normal language processes and linguistic theories. This will be achieved by examining some of the current research that explores aphasia within a linguistic framework.

Assessable learning outcomes:
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
• recognise and describe the main characteristics of aphasia
• identify features of the main classical syndromes
• offer a range of theoretical accounts for these features
• evaluate different accounts and the associated research methods.

Additional outcomes:
The module also aims to give increase awareness of contrasting research methodologies used in the field, specifically group studies and single case study research, and the strengths and weaknesses of these paradigms.

Outline content:
After an introduction, we start by examining the lexical and syntactic features and theoretical accounts of two contrasting conditions, agrammatism and paragrammatism. Examination of the role of verbs, including thematic roles and event structure follows before turning our attention to anomia. Having examined some aspects of production and parsing at word and sentence level, the course will then move to consider deficits in written language and finally cross language studies of aphasia.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Eight two-hour lectures based on specified research papers, thee hours of group work / student presentations and one hour revision session. The lectures are interactive and students are expected to have read the papers before the lecture so that they can contribute to the discussion and evaluation of the accounts given.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		17
Tutorials/seminars
Practicals		3
Other contact (eg study visits)
Total hours		20
Number of essays or assignments
Other (eg major seminar paper)

Assessment:
Coursework: None

Examinations: One 2-hour examination at the Part 3B examinations

Requirements for a pass: A mark of 40%

Reassessment arrangements: Re-examination in August/September.