Language and Cognitive Development – PSYC 832

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

Examination of how children’s thinking and language develop from infancy through the lifespan. Major theories and explanations for intellectual growth will be examined with application to real-world issues that pertain to children’s cognitive and language development.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The course will provide an understanding of language and cognitive development theories and research, which will augment prior knowledge and prepare students to demonstrate advanced level scholarship. Students will gain valuable knowledge and understanding of the complexities of human developmental science. This knowledge will prepare students to advance the debate and investigation of the relationship between language and cognitive development, especially in infancy and early childhood.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

 

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a discussion thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion in Modules 4 and 6. Each discussion thread must be at least 500–800 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the discussion thread, the student is required to reply to 1 other classmate’s discussion thread. The reply must be at least 250–500 words.

Reading Summary Assignments (5)

The student is expected to actively read (survey, question, read, recite, and review) all required reading materials. For Modules 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the reading summary will include an integration of selected chapter (s) from Bornstein & Lamb’s text; Hoff & Shatz’s text and journal articles related to each module. The summary will include an introduction section, the body (three paragraphs) each with a major theme supported by at least two empirical sources and the conclusion section. Each reading summary must be 1.5 - 2 pages in length.

Article Critique Assignments (3)

For Modules 2, 3 and, 5, the student will select an empirical study in a peer-reviewed journal and formulate a written 4-page critique of that article. Special attention will be given to the research methods as it relates to the study of language and cognitive development. These critique articles will equip the student to scholarly critique peer-review literature. The student will learn how to critically dissect and evaluate empirical literature which will be beneficial for the final research paper (Module 7), their dissertation, and attaining scholarship in their discipline. Hint: The student can use these assignments to select articles that will add to the literature review for the Research Paper: Final Assignment. 

Research Paper Assignment

Quiz: Research Paper - Topic

In Module 1: Week 1, the student will review the topic choices from the assignment list in Module 7: Week 7 and submit their selected topic.

Research Paper: Final

In Module 7: Week 7, the student will write a 25-page research-based paper in current APA format that evaluates the selected topic related to language and cognitive development. The paper must include at least 10 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.

Quiz: Midterm

The Quiz: Midterm will cover all contents from Module 1: Week 1 – Module 4: Week 4. This quiz will be open-book/open-notes, includes 5 essay questions, and will have a 2-hour time limit.

Quiz: Final 

The Quiz: Final will be comprehensive and open-book/open-notes. It will cover all materials covered in Module 1: Week 1 – Module 8: Week 8, includes 5 essay questions, and will have a 2-hour time limit.