Pre-requisites

None.

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

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

• identify, describe and accurately produce a wide range of speech sounds from languages around the world

• apply the theory of articulatory phonetics to learning an unfamiliar language

• describe what language is and how it functions, identify word and sentence structure in a variety of language data and demonstrate application of language analysis for language learning

• plan, implement and reflect on their own language learning sessions with a nurturer (native speaker) in a culturally appropriate way using a variety of strategies and techniques

• use appropriate audio and written records of language to support their language learning

Unit Description

Positive relationships and effective communication are essential to successful cross-cultural language development work or missional ministry. The purpose of this unit is to give students confidence and skills for any language learning situation they may encounter in ministry. It gives an overview of approaches to language learning and several different strategies for the initial stages of learning a language. It explores the relationship of articulatory phonetics to the production and description of many sounds of the languages of the world’s ethnolinguistic communities. It exposes students to basic linguistic analysis terms and tools. These three aspects combine to assist the learner to communicate effectively and appropriately in cross-cultural ministry situations.

Topics

• Principles and goals of articulatory phonetics including the operation of the vocal apparatus and technical description of speech sounds and other features of speech

• Practising speech sounds - mimicry and production, transcription and reading using International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

• Investigating the sounds of a specific language

• Basic morphological and syntactic analysis including simple sentence, phrase and word structure

• Typological aspects of word classes including nouns, verbs, pronouns. The notions of person including number and inclusive/exclusive, grammatical gender (noun class), case, tense, aspect, modality/mood

• An introduction to other areas of linguistics which inform language learning, such as language families, sound and writing systems, semantics, pragmatics and discourse

• Stages and goals of language learning relevant to planning, implementing, and managing a personal language learning program (or language school experience), including the importance of self-evaluation, self-direction, and language data collection and management

• Working with a nurturer (native speaker), including the importance of personal relationships and the integration of language and culture learning

• Language learning strategies including demonstration and practice of a variety of techniques for the early stages of learning a language

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Unit offerings

SILA: (Demand based)

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.