465-313 CDS31P Language, Literacy & Numeracy

465-212 CDS22P Socialisation and Identity or equivalent

This subject provides a study of child language and symbolic development and the role of language in early literacy. The interactional processes that facilitate this development will be emphasised. Explanations of language development will be explored with reference to psychological theories such as learning theory, nativist theory, social interactional theories and their more recent modifications. A study of more alternative views of the development of number awareness and numeracy competence with reference to some important cross-cultural studies. The relationship between the development of meta-cognitive/meta-linguistic competence and literacy/numeracy competence will be explored. Topics to be covered include the child's developing phonological, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic and orthographic awareness; the role of the family in literacy development; the development of representational abilities and inter-generational literacy.

Written assignments totalling 2000 words and a 2-hour examination

• A Garton & C Pratt, Learning to be Literate: the Development of Spoken and Written Language. 2nd edn, Basil Blackwell, 1997.