Pre-requisites

None.

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Explain the value of language as a means of communicating culture and identity, and the importance of a cross-cultural worker learning the language of those whom he/she is serving.

• Confidently choose and employ a range of appropriate strategies and techniques for learning language from a native speaker

• Identify, transcribe phonetically, and reproduce a range of sounds from a variety of languages.

• Analyse and describe word and sentence structure in a variety of languages, using appropriate terminology.

Unit Description

Positive cross-cultural relationships and effective communication are essential to successful fieldwork and language learning. This unit aims to give students confidence and skills for any language situation by building conceptual knowledge of what language is and how language functions; skill in interpreting sounds and structures of language; a terminology base appropriate for language learning and language analysis; and skill in using a range of strategies and techniques for language learning.

It has three parts: (1) Language awareness, (2) Articulatory phonetics, and (3) Self-Directed language learning. Language Awareness introduces students to tools for language analysis, develops a systematic method of and the discipline for analysing new language data, and develops an understanding of key terms used in a variety of language and linguistic resources. Major topics covered include:

• basic sentence structure;
• morphology, typology and language families;
• sound and writing systems; and
• semantics, pragmatics and discourse.

Articulatory phonetics gives students the practical skills and underpinning knowledge required to recognise, produce and transcribe sounds used in language. Major topics covered include:

• operation of vocal apparatus;
• technical descriptions of vowels, consonants and other features of speech;
• use of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA); and
• practice in mimicry and production of speech sounds and other features of speech.

Self-Directed language learning gives an overview of various approaches to language learning but is based predominantly on Greg Thomson’s Growing Participator Approach which emphasises the socio-cultural and developmental nature of language learning. Major topics include:

• integration of language and culture learning;
• planning and managing a personal language learning programme;
• demonstration and practice of a variety of techniques and strategies for learning language; and
• language data collection and management.

Teaching Strategies

A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used including: lectures, discussion, data analysis exercises, interactive seminars/workshops, demonstrations, group work, tutorials, homework, coaching (both group and individual), peer tutoring, audio-visual resources, games, and computer-based teaching and learning. Students will participate in mentored small-group language learning sessions for approximately 12 hours.

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Unit offerings

SILA: (Every Year, Semester 1)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.