ENG4603 - How Language Works

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

Students begin this module by exploring and reflecting on the range of different approaches to language which linguistics encompasses, and undertaking some basic exercises in typology using a database of different languages from around the world. They then go on to gain confidence in learning and applying a range of basic skills and concepts essential for the analysis of written and spoken language, including recognition and notation of phonemes used in English; the basic building blocks of sentences, from morphemes to phrases, clauses, and sentences; use of the OED.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Weekly 3-hour seminars
Hours: 60
Intended Group Size: 15

Guided independent study
Hours: 240

Further details relating to assessment
Negotiated Assessment: the negotiated assessment task will be to create an artefact which presents and compares features of three different languages.

Essay: the task for the essay will be to explain and illustrate some basic concepts in phonology and morphology, and also demonstrate the ability to retrieve and summarise relevant information from the OED.

Online Quizzes: Five pass / fail online quizzes are used specifically to ensure that students develop an appropriate level of competence in applying learning outcomes K1 and K3 to recognition of basic linguistic features (eg distinguishing and identifying speech sounds, word classes, phrase types, clause elements, etc). The quizzes are online and students can make as many attempts as they need to achieve the pass level.

Early Assessment: there will be a formal assessment in all four Level 4 modules in the programme between Weeks 4 and 7 in Semester 1, preceded by appropriate guidance and practice exercises. In ENG4603 early assessment will be in the form of the Online Quizzes, which are made available from Week 4.

Formal assessment will be preceded in each module by some formative assessment exercises (eg analysis, referencing exercise, brief report on a research task) and an ‘assessment unpacking’ session.

Integrated Assessment: The Integrated Assessment will normally be a group project which takes place in the designated two-week Integrated Assessment period after Easter Vacation. Students will collaborate in designing and creating a 20-minute podcast which creatively synthesises and presents some of the content of ENG 4603 and ENG 4613 in a format appropriate to the platform.

Assessment:

001 Negotiated assessment; 1,500 word equiv.; end of semester 1 30%
002 Essay; 2,500 words; mid-semester 2 50%
003 Online quizzes; pass/fail; throughout semester 1 & 2 0%
004 Integrated assessment; 20 min podcast; end of semester 2 20%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Richard Storer
Level - 4
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4YL

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