Catalog Course Description

An overview of topics and theories in language acquisition: early development of speech perception and production, word learning, generalizing linguistic structure, and differences between first language acquisition, second language acquisition, and bilingualism. We will also compare different theoretical approaches, and address the classic "nature vs. nurture" question by examining both traditional generativist approaches and more recent usage based models.

Fall Term

3 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 6 hours of Outside Work Hours per week.

Summer Term

7.5 to 8 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 15 to 14.5 hours of Outside Work Hours per week.

Spring Term

3 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 6 hours of Outside Work Hours per week.