1572.23 - Language acquisition (BA)

1572.23

Language acquisition (BA)

10

Students are required to have completed the mandatory core component of the BA degree in Faroese. Students may also seek to enrol on the course as an individual course; however, other prerequisites will apply (please refer to programme description in force).

The purpose of the course is to provide the students with knowledge of children’s language acquisition and theories within the field, the importance of language development and which factors affect the acquisition. Furthermore, the students gain insight into the Faroese language learning environment.

The course involves theories regarding children’s language acquisition, e.g., regarding communication, vocabulary, and expressive language. Furthermore, the students will be presented to methods to describe, investigate, and assess language and language skills, and factors which can affect language learning. They will learn about the importance of language skills in relation to reading skills. Language acquisition in a Faroese context will be explored.

Lectures, student presentations and class discussions. The course includes assignments, e.g., recordings and group-work.

Students who successfully complete the course are able to: • Use theoretical concepts from the field of language acquisition • Describe essential aspects of language acquisition • Explain the importance language acquisition has for e.g., reading skills • Describe methods to collect data samples regarding child language • Explain and analyze conditions and factors related to language acquisition • Describe language acquisition in a Faroese context

Oral examination, 30 min. The students will have 30 min. preparation time).

External

7-

A complete bibliography will be delivered at the beginning of the course, including – among others – these texts: Erika Hoff: Language development, Wadsworth, Cengage learning. 490 síður. Hoff, E. (2006). How social contexts support and shape language development. Developmental review, 26(1), 55-88. Rasmussen, S. M., & Bleses, D. (2018). Faroese children’s early vocabulary acquisition: A Faroese adaptation of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. First Language, 38(6), 641-668. Rasmussen, S. M. (2022). Faroese children’s first words. Nordic Journal of Linguistics, 1-26.

Sissal Maria Rasmussen