The course aims to introduce students to linguistics for the sake of detecting specific language impairments and their linguistic correlates. The student will learn the theoretical grounds of linguistic analysis and the disciplinary juncture between linguistics and psychology. Moreover, the students will learn how to identify the linguistic cues of specific impairements to develop practical assessment and diagnosis skills. Guided reading activities of scientific articles will be proposed for the sake of developing critical comprehension of the scientific literature.

The course will be structured in two main sections (approximately 10 + 14 hours). In the first theoretical section, the students will be introduced to linguistics and its branches (phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics). The main features of the linguistic sub-disciplines at the crossroads of different research fields will be expounded, with particular attention paid to linguistics and psychology. In the second section of practical/applied interest, the course will focus on specific language impairments (state of the art, assessment) and their linguistic correlates.

• Knowledge and understanding: Basic knowledge on the main linguistics branches, on language impairements and on the linguistic correlates of other disorders.
• Applying knowledge and understanding: Applied knowledge related to assessment and diagnosis.
• Making judgements: Detection of linguistic cues related to individual impairments and disorders; proficiency in the understanding of the scientific literature.
• Communication skills: Basic proficiency in scientific terminology and its use in written production.
• Learning skills: Autonomous reading of academic literature.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Classroom-taught lessons.

Course books

Marotta, L., Caselli, M. C. (a cura di, 2014). I disturbi del linguaggio. Caratteristiche, valutazione, trattamento. Trento: Erickson - pp. 7-351.

Assessment

The assessment consists of two written exams: an applied knowledge test and a theoretical knowledge test. Students will have to pass the applied exam to be able to sign up for the theoretical exam. The applied knowledge test will have the students read a language disorder assessment excerpt and autonomously point out the potential pathological features (e.g., phonological vs. morphosyntactical nature and the type of produced error). The theoretical knowledge test will assess the student's proficiency in the textbook topics through three open-ended questions (2hrs.). Two correct answers are required to pass the theoretical knowledge exam. The two exams equally contribute to the final evaluation.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

To encourage non-attending students to compensate for what was done during the lessons, the careful exploitation of all the materials included in the blended platform (slides, exercises, supplementary material) is encouraged.

Course books

Same as attending students.

Assessment

Same as attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.