This course provides undergraduate students with an understanding of the major theories of language acquisition, the developmental milestones in first and second language development and research-based best practice for supporting the language needs of diverse learners. Students in this course will learn about the differences and similarities between first and second language acquisition, the major theories of language acquisition, developmental benchmarks and communicative milestones, and the differences between adults and children learning a second language. Socio-cultural and cognitive approaches to language acquisition will be covered. Topics include the acquisition of grammar, vocabulary, phonology and phonetics, semantics and pragmatics, and the development of reading and writing in a second language (in particular academic writing). Students will also be able to read current research, use research to inform practice, and differentiate instruction for language learners with different needs and language backgrounds. They will be able to interpret professional practice documents relating to language acquisition, such as the curriculum documents, including but not limited to the Australian Curriculum, the Victorian EAL Developmental Continuum. Students will gain an understanding of the various developmental stages in language acquisition across the lifespan, and learn about language drawing on fields such as linguistics, sociology, education, speech pathology, audiology, and psychology.
For further information regarding the course please refer to the Course Outline found at the following link (PDF, 180kB).
* excluding students enrolled in a Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work program. For accredited program and student contribution information please visit our CSP page.
Note: Due to the Job-ready Graduates Package new funding clusters and contribution amounts will take effect in the 2021 academic year. Grandfathering arrangements will be in place for students who would see an increase in their contribution amounts. Under these arrangements, students who commenced their course of study before 1 January 2021 facing increased student contribution amounts for a unit, will instead have their student contribution and Australian Government contribution amounts remain as they were under the previous arrangements (with existing rates being indexed by CPI each year). If continuing students are enrolled in units that will see their student contribution amount lowered, their student contributions will be the lowered amount