BSc Speech and Language Therapy

This unit provides a comprehensive foundation in linguistics and typical language development, supporting students in developing essential knowledge for their clinical training. Running across both semesters, it introduces students to core linguistic concepts and analytical skills relevant to speech and language therapy.

Students will explore the structural and functional properties of English, gaining experience in linguistic analysis at lexical, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic levels.

Lecture topics will cover key aspects of communication, early lexical and morphosyntactic development, sentence structure and functions, bilingualism, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, child-directed speech, and theories of language acquisition and development.

Practical activities and tutorials will emphasise the application of linguistic terminology and analytical techniques, with a focus on their relevance to clinical practice.

This will effectively prepare students for the Clinical Linguistics unit in the second year of study. 

The unit aims to:  

• Develop students’ understanding of key theories and fundamental concepts in language development, communication, and linguistic structure.
• Provide students with opportunities to explore typical language development and interaction in social and cultural contexts, preparing them for informed observation and analysis during their clinical training.
• Equip students with foundational skills in linguistic analysis, enabling them to examine the structural and functional properties of language with an emphasis on clinical relevance. 

Learning and teaching will be delivered through a combination of tutor-led lectures, facilitated group tutorials, and asynchronous learning activities. Students will also engage in directed independent reading and study to consolidate their understanding.

To support independent study, a range of resources will be provided via the unit’s online learning environment, including lecture slides, directed reading, videos, and discussion platform for peer and tutor support. Weekly online quizzes are provided. 

• Describe milestones of typical language development using relevant linguistic terminology.
• Describe different theoretical approaches to the study of language development.
• Identify the unique characteristics which define language and set it apart from other communication systems placing language in its social and cultural context, including understanding of bilingual language development.
• Describe and illustrate syntactic categories and constituents in syntactically simple and complex English sentences.
• Describe and illustrate the verbal system in English.
• Understand the professional importance of accuracy in analysing and describing speech and language. 

• Synthesize selected evidence from the appropriate directed reading.
• Develop an appreciation of the scientific approach to the study of language.
• Develop their understanding of information provided in lectures through relevant, independent reading.
• Start making connections between their knowledge of typical development and their expectation of features of atypical development of communication.
• Apply linguistic knowledge acquired to real developmental data. 

• Analyse and describe linguistic data.  
• Analyse and describe morphological and syntactic features of linguistic systems.
• Use databases to find peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Understand the structure and layout of an academic journal article and referencing conventions. 

• Develop ability to write clearly and concisely and using appropriate terminology.
• Utilise library and electronic resources to support and extend learning. 

• An individual mark and feedback will be provided following the assignment.  
• An individual mark and whole-group feedback will be provided following the examination.
• Throughout the unit, students will have the opportunity to self-evaluate their work, skills and understanding against online model answers to quizzes, and class and peer group discussions.  
• Tutorials will provide feedback on practical opportunities to practice accuracy of the analysis of linguistic data. 

• Cruz-Ferreira, M., & Abraham, S. A. (2011). The language of language: A linguistics course for starters. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
• Hoff, E. (2014). Language development (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• McAllister, J. (2013). Introductory linguistics for speech and language therapy practice. Wiley-Blackwell.