2023/24 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LING1060 Language Projects

20 creditsClass Size: 24

Module manager: Deak Kirkham
Email: d.e.a.kirkham@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

Pre-requisites

MODL1060

Language: Structure and Sound

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module develops students' skills in conducting independent language research and engaging with research papers in linguistics. The module revolves around a series of group and independent projects in which students investigate aspects of the structure and use of languages of which they have little or no prior knowledge, and communicate the results of their research in the form of verbal presentations and written reports. Students also organise a conference at which they present summaries of research papers in linguistics on topics of their choosing. The module allows students to discover for themselves how rich and varied the grammars and usage patterns of the world’s languages are, and to practice communicating research results in several different ways.

Objectives

This module aims to:
(1) introduce students to the language structures and sociolinguistics of selected languages
(2) familiarise students with variety in and differences between a selection of the world’s languages
(3) develop students' skills in analysing data from unfamiliar languages
(4) develop students' individual and group research skills
(5) develop students' group work and group presentation skills

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
(1) demonstrate an understanding of the structural and sociolinguistic characteristics of a number of the world's languages
(2) locate relevant linguistic information and synthesise this information for a target audience, both individually and as part of a group
(3) deliver clear and engaging presentations to peers
(4) organise and manage a conference event as part of a large group
(5) present a linguistically engaging argument in written form

Skills outcomes
A strong emphasis is placed on the conventions of linguistic glosses: the standard format of a three- or four-line morpho-syntactic gloss to explicate the internal structure and semantics of a language. Students are introduced to the Leipzig glossing conventions and considerable practice is developing this important skill is offered with emphasis laid on the importance of correct use of these conventions in the Projects, the Conference Presentation and, if relevant, the ILP.

Syllabus

This module consists of a lecture programme and a practical programme, running in parallel. Initial lectures cover core issues in language variety and language analysis before turning to skills input to support the practical strand. The practical strand itself has two elements. The first is a series of group presentations on grammatical and sociolinguistic aspects of certain of the world's languages; secondly, the presentation of a linguistics paper. Each group considers several different languages and delivers a presentation on each, followed by a short collaboratively produced written report. Feedback on these presentations and reports supports students’ work on an assessed ‘individual language project’. The second practical component is a collaborative presentation of a published linguistics paper at the First Year Linguistics and Phonetics Conference. The students also organise this conference.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Student-led discussion	1	2.00	2.00
Seminar	20	1.00	20.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students are expected to devote 178 hours of private study time to this module, with the following suggested breakdown:
- Preparation for group projects: (3x20=) 60 hours
- Organisation of and preparation for student-led conference: 28 hours
- Completion of individual project: 90 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Extensive formative feedback is given on the first two group projects, covering both the presentations and the written reports. This feedback is explicitly designed to inform students’ work towards their third assessed project and the individual language project reports. Students also receive formative feedback on their conference contributions; this feedback is designed to build students’ confidence in reading research papers and delivering presentations.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	1,000-word report on Group Presentation 3	25.00
Essay or Dissertation	1,500 Words	75.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

With respect to set date of the essay (called here, ILP; Independent Language Project), the assessment instructions for this are available from Week 1 and its existence is covered explicitly in Week 1 in the overview. Work is not required to start on it at that point and the module builds towards it getting going. It is not therefore ‘set’ at any particular point other than the beginning of the module. With respect to the group project, 25% (being the module amendment proposed) the dates provided are when the report is submitted. This report is preceded by the class presentation always by one week but as it is the written report that is assessed not the presentation per se, it is these dates that have been given. This information is restated in the rationale sections below.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 28/04/2023 14:41:56

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