autumn 2023
ENG-3040 First Language Acquisition - 10 ECTS

Type of course

This course is mandatory for students in the MA programme in English Acquisition and Multilingualism and elective for students in the MA programme in teacher education year 8-13 (lektorutdanninga, studieretning engelsk, jf. progresjonskrav for år 4) and students in the MA programme in Theoretical Linguistics.

This course may be taken as a single course by students who qualify for admission to the MA programme in English Acquisition and Multilingualism.


Admission requirements

A bachelor's degree (180 ECTS), or equivalent qualification, in English language, or a degree combining English language and literature (minimum 80 ECTS in English). Applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand: An average grade equivalent to C or better is required. Applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in countries other than the above mentioned region/countries: An average grade equivalent to B or better is required.

Application code: 9371 - Enkeltemner på masternivå (Nordic applicants).


Course overlap

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

HIF-3040 First Language Acquisition 10 ects

Course content

This course will look at typical first language acquisition in monolingual and simultaneous bilingual children. The main focus will be morphosyntax, in English and in a range of other languages. Attention will be paid at different factors that play a role in language development, such as input, pragmatics, general cognitive or processing abilities. The course uses a research-driven approach. The students will be engaged in a variety of tasks including project work and writing an academic paper.

Objectives of the course

The students have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student has knowledge of:

  • typical language development (with a focus on morphology and syntax) in mono and bilingual children
  • the main theories of first language acquisition and recent research findings
  • research methods used to investigate first language acquisition

Skills

The student is:

  • able to work with and analyze linguistic data from child language corpora, e.g. CHILDES
  • able to discuss contemporary first language acquisition research both orally and in writing
  • able to develop and express their ideas clearly in the form of an oral presentation
  • able to cooperate with fellow students and carry out independent project work

Language of instruction and examination

English.

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercises, seminars, and project work.

Quality assurance: All courses will be evaluated once during the period of the study program. The study programme's leader decides which courses will be evaluated by students and teacher each year.


Information to incoming exchange students

This course is open for exchange students who fulfill the admission requirements (please see the "Admission requirements" section). The course should be taken as a part of a course package.

Examination

Examination: Date: Duration: Grade scale:
Assignment 01.12.2023 14:00 (Hand in) 1 Semesters A–E, fail F

Coursework requirements:

To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements:

Short presentation Approved – not approved
Longer presentation Approved – not approved
UiT Exams homepage

More info about the coursework requirements

One short presentation in the first half of the semester based on the project work involving empirical investigation of linguistic data from child language corpora. A longer presentation at the end of the semester. The final presentation should be connected to the term paper.

More info about the assignment

Term paper (4000-5000 words).

Re-sit examination

A resit exam is arranged for students who have not passed the last ordinary exam in this course. In the event of a re-sit examination, the student is allowed to submit a revised version of his/her term paper within a given deadline.
  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 10
  • Course code: ENG-3040
  • Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet