COSD 421 1
The purpose of this 3-credit course is to explore the fundamental stages and processes of speech and language development. The components of the speech and language system (phonology, semantics, syntax, morphology, and pragmatics) and the development of each of these components will be discussed in detail.
The theories that attempt to account for speech and language acquisition will be discussed and compared. Although the primary focus will be on typical patterns of development, the development of language in special populations will also be addressed. Additionally, assessment of normal language development via language sampling will be included.
During this class, the student will have the opportunity to improve his/her skills in the following areas: critical thinking, effective written and spoken communication, information literacy, ethical and personal perspective across disciplines, between theory and application, and between college and the world of work.
The student will learn to:
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6.
Describe the stages and processes of language development in children;
Identify the major cognitive, perceptual, communicative, and social bases for language acquisition;
Delineate the differences between the major theoretical explanations of language acquisition;
Theorize about how language is acquired by articulating his/her own personal theories and comparing them to other current theories;
Understand which human abilities are necessary for language development by studying development of language in special populations;
Describe the major dialects of American English, contributing factors, and the effects of dialect on the education and socialization of children;

COSD 421 2
7.
8.
Differentiate between language disorders and language differences and to determine the effects of both on the education and socialization of children;
Analyze language samples for phonological, semantic, morphological, syntactic, and pragmatic skills to strengthen their understanding of the components of the speech and language system.
1. Attendance and Class Participation: Students are expected to attend each class —attendance will be taken. Each student is expected to read assigned material prior to class and participate in class discussions. Students may be called on to answer questions and provide opinions during discussions and quizzes will be administered frequently to assess student learning.
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Students who miss class are responsible for content. Any student who misses a class has the responsibility for obtaining copies of notes, handouts, assignments, etc (quizzes can NOT be made up). If additional assistance is still necessary, an appointment should be scheduled with the instructor.
Class time is not to be used to go over material with students who have missed class.
University poli cy dictates that students must seek the instructor’s permission to tape record class lectures.
All cell phones/pages MUST be turned off during class time.
Students are required to conduct themselves according to professional standards as discussed in class when conducting on-site observations.
Work done outside of class must be reasonably correct in mechanics (e.g. spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). Points will be deducted for inadequate work.
All typed assignments completed outside of class must be double-spaced , using Times, Times New Roman, or Arial font. All font sizes for typed assignments must be size 12. Any font size less than 12 will be returned for re-typing to required font size.
In ALL work, use person-first language to be consistent with IDEA. Emphasize the person more than the disability (i.e., a child with Down syndrome,
NOT a Down syndrome child).
Student work will be returned as promptly as possible.
Submission of work taken directly from another source (e.g. lesson plan copied from a book, the internet, or material developed by another student) will be considered plagiarism and grounds for no credit on the assignment. Students are encouraged, however, to use a variety of resources in obtaining ideas and illustrations that will help them complete assignments independently. See the APA Guide for the correct method to cite other authors’ work.
Work submitted late will receive an automatic 5-point reduction from the earned grade. Students are encouraged to submit all assignments on time.
Required:
Owens, R. (2005). Language Development: An Introduction, Sixth Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester to assist the students with their learning and the assigned projects.

COSD 421
(subject to change as content and scheduling requires)
1
08/20/07
08/22/07
08/24/07
Introduction;
Review of the Syllabus
Chapter 1:
Properties of Language;
Components of Language
2
08/27/07
Chapter 2:
Language Development
Models
3
09/03/07
Chapter 4:
Neurolinguistics
4
09/10/07
Chapter 3:
Child Development
(overview);
Infant Development in detail
_ _
To understand the difference between speech, language, and communication;
To know the five components of language and their descriptions
To understand and analyze the behavioral theory of lang. dev., psycholinguistic-model of linguistic processing, and sociolinguistic model of language development.
To demonstrate knowledge of the major brain areas responsible for linguistic processing, the major theories of brain lateralization, and the processes of language comprehension and production.
To demonstrate knowledge of the major patterns and concepts of development, the sources of speech production, and the 6 domains of development.
To demonstrate an understanding of how all of the developmental domains are integrated and directly related to language acquisition and development, particularly from birth to 3 years.
P
S
D
I
P
D
I
D
I
D
I
P- Prevention
S- Screening
D- Diagnostic
I- Intervention
PC- Prof. Conduct
R- Regulatory and Public Policy
_
_
Class discussion;
Midterm examination
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz;
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz;
Language Sample
3

COSD 421
5
09/17/07
Chapter 5:
Cognitive and Perceptual
Bases of Early Language
6
09/24/07
Chapter 6:
Social and Communicative
Bases of Early Language
7
10/01/07
Chapter 7:
Language Learning
Processes
8
10/08/07
Language sample-Practice
(Transcription)
Midterm Exam review
Midterm Examination 10/12/07
9
10/15/07
Chapter 8:
A First Language
To understand the relationship of cognition to language; the aspects of cognitive dev. that contribute to the ability to symbolize; the contribution of attention and perception to early learning.
To demonstrate knowledge of the communication behaviors of the newborn, the development of gestures, and the importance of joint reference, action, and turntaking.
To understand the relationship between comprehension, production, and cognition; the importance of play; universal language-learning principles
S
D
I
S
D
I
S
D
I
10
10/22/07
11
10/29/07
Chapter 9:
Preschool Pragmatic and
Semantic Development
Chapter 10:
Preschool Language Form
Development
12
11/05/07-
Language sample –Practice
(Analysis)
11/07/07
11/09/07 Chapter 13:
Language Differences
To understand the intentions of early vocalizations/verbalizations; the bases for early concept development; the most frequent categories in first words.
To demonstrate knowledge of conversational abilities of the preschool child, narrative development, and lexical growth.
To understand how to compute the MLU; the major characteristics of stages of syntactic development, morphological development; major phonological processes in
PS child.
D
I
P
S
D
I
P
S
D
I
D
To understand the definition of a dialect; the differences between simultaneous and successive
D
I
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz;
Observation reports
Class discussion;
Midterm examination/quiz;
Observation reports
Class discussion/quiz;
Language Sample;
Final Examination
Class discussion/quiz;
Language Sample;
Final examination;
Observation report
Class discussion/quiz;
Final examination;
Observation report;
Language Sample
Class discussion ;
Final examination
Class discussion/quiz;
Final examination
4

COSD 421 5
2 nd
-language acquisition; the educational problems encountered by dialectal/2 nd language children.
13
11/12/07
Chapter 13…continued
11/14/07 ASHA Convention-No class
11/16/07 ASHA Convention-No class
11/19/07-
11/23/07
Thanksgiving Break
14
11/26/07
15
12/03/07
Video and Discussion:
“Secret of the Wild Child”;
Catch up!
Observation Discussion;
Wrap up and Review;
Preparation for Final Exam
12/13/07 Final Exam:
Thursday, December 13 th
11:00 am-1:00 pm
1.
Examinations: Each student will complete 2 written examinations for the course. The exams will cover the lectures, discussions, and any assigned resources/readings.
2.
Treatment/Intervention Observations: a. Each student will observe 2 treatment sessions in the Radford Speech-Language and Hearing Center over the course of the semester. Either the clinical supervisor or graduate student clinician must initial each of these observations in order for you to count them toward both ASHA and course requirements. The RU Observation Log is to be used and will be provided to the students in class. This form, with signatures, must be handed in to the instructor no later than April 13th in order to receive credit for these observations. b. A written summary (Record of Observation) must be completed for each ( 2 ) of these observations. Summaries should address each of the questions asked on the COSD 421 Report of Observations, available on Blackboard (please note that there are 2 different sets of questions, depending on the due date of each observation report.

COSD 421 6
3.
Language Sample Analysis: The best way to understand language is to look at actual language as it is being used. To do this, students will need to collect the language of a child between the ages of 2:6 years old and 6 years old and analyze it. Students will need a minimum of fifty (50) utterances by the child, collected within conversation. The language sample must be transcribed (sample and transcription must be turned in with completed assignment). A list of areas to be addressed and types of analyses of the sample will be provided under separate cover. Be sure to review the handout on Developing a Written Transcript of a Child’s Language in addition to other handouts provided in class or on Blackboard.
4. Class Attendance, Participation, and Quizzes: a. Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to attend and participate in class discussions on a weekly basis. Five percent of the final grade will be determined by the students’ participation in class; participation includes answering questions, providing examples, and asking questions. The goal of class discussion in this course is not to test the students in regard to the course material, but rather to discuss and process how the material has or may apply to the real clinical setting. b. Quizzes: Short quizzes will be administered typically once per week, at the beginning of the class session, based on reading assignments and the material that was covered in class during the prior class session or within the prior chapter. Each quiz will be comprised of 5-10 simple questions and will be graded in class immediately following the completion of the quizzes. The purpose of these quizzes is to ensure that the students are keeping up with the large quantity of material that will be presented throughout the semester.
(no later than 5:00 pm)
20% On-going Attendance, Participation, and
Quizzes
Clinic Observation 1
Midterm Examination
Clinic Observation 2
Language Sample Analysis
Final Examination
10%
10%
10%
40%
10%
10/08/07
10/12/07
11/12/07/07
Part 1: 10/29/07
Part 2: 11/28/07
12/13/07

COSD 421 7
B
C
D
F
The following grading scale will be utilized for all required assignments:
A 100-90
89-80
79-70
69-60
<59
The Radford University Honor Code:
By accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand, support, and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception. This class will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code, which reads as follows:
I do hereby resolve to uphold the Honor Code of Radford University by refraining from lying, from the stealing or unauthorized possession of property and from violating the Standards of Student Academic Integrity.
Students with Disabilities:
If you are seeking classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to register with the Disability Resource
Office (DRO). The DRO is located in Room 32, Tyler Hall, telephone 831-6350. To receive academic accommodations for this class, please obtain the proper DRO forms and meet with me at the beginning of the semester.

COSD 421
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