Thursday, 29 September 2016

Patricia Kuhl - The linguistic genius of babies

http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_kuhl_the_linguistic_genius_of_babies

Deb Roy - The birth of a word

http://www.ted.com/talks/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word

Word Classes

Word Class: Noun



Sub-Class:  
Proper - Refer to names or places
Abstract - Refer to states, feelings and concepts that do not have a physical existence
Concrete - Refer to objects that have a physical existence



Examples:
Proper - James, England
Abstract - love, anger
Concrete - Countable (can be pluralised, e.g. cup) Non-countable (do not take a plural form, e.g. furniture)


Word Class: Verb


Sub-Class:
Material - Show actions or events
Relational - Identify properties or show states of being
Mental - Show internal processes such as thinking
Verbal - Show external processes of communicating through speech


Examples:
Material - hit, jump, wash, build
Relational - be, appear, seem, become
Mental - think, believe, wish
Verbal - say, shout, scream, whisper


Word Class: Adjectives and Adverbs


Sub-Class:
Base - The basic form of an adjective or adverb, modifying another word
Comparative - A form used to compare two instances either adding '-er' or using 'more'
Superlative - A form used to compare more than two instances, identifying a best example


Examples:
Base - big, interesting, carefully
Comparative - The parcel was bigger. That was a more interesting game. He read more carefully.
Superlative - That was the biggest parcel. The most interesting game. It was the most carefully he had ever read.


Word Class: Pronouns


Sub-Class:
Personal - Refer to people and are differentiated in terms of person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular or plural) and gender (male or female)
Demonstrative - Orientate the reader or listener towards a person, object or idea either nearby or further away
Indefinite - Refer to a person, object or idea that is non-specific


Examples:
Personal - I (first person singular), you (second person singular/plural), she (third person singular, feminine), they (third person, plural)
Demonstrative - this, these, that, those
Indefinite - someone, anybody, everything


Word Class: Determiners


Sub-Class:
Articles - Show that something is definite or indefinite
Possessives - Show ownership
Quantifiers - Show either specific or non-specific quantities of a noun


Examples:
Articles - the (definite), a/an (indefinite)
Possessives - my, your, her, our
Quantifiers - one, two (specific),some, any, a few (non-specific)


Word Class: Conjunctions


Sub-Class:
Co-ordinating - Link words or larger structures such as phrases and clauses together where they are equal
Sub-ordinating - Link clauses together to show one is dependent on another


Examples:
Co-ordinating - and, but, or, yet
Sub-ordinating - because, although, while, for


Anaphora - successive clauses beginning with the same word or set of words
Antithesis - contrasts drawn between two opposing concepts or ideas
Euphemism - something unpleasant or vulgar that might be described in less unpleasant terms
Hyperbole - exaggeration for effect  
Litotes - form of understatement by negating the negative rather than making a positive statement
Metaphor - describing something (or someone) in terms of something (or someone) else
Polysyndeton - adding conjunctions to a sentence where it might reasonably have been expected that they would have been missed out
Triadic Structure - list of three

Thursday, 22 September 2016

Frameworks Glossary

http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/AQA-7701-7702-GLOSSARY.PDF

Micheal Rosen - Word of Mouth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=michael+rosen+word+of+mouth&sa_f=search-product&scope

Child Language Development Notes

How do we learn to speak?
-Parents/Carers
-Imitation and reinforcement (copy and reproduce)
-Interactions/using language with others
-Play (different contexts)


Steven Fry Documentary - (Word of Mouth)
-Language starts at 2 years old (although continues to develop up until that point)
-Nationality doesn't matter, all children learn at the same pace
-We need human language for collaboration
-It is proven with DNA that women use language conclusively
-FOX-P-2 - medical research which identified DNA in charge of language (shows language is innate)
-There is a 'window for language development' which closes around puberty


DR DEB ROY - (origins of language)
He filmed his child up until he was 3 years old and is continuing to investigate his development now He says that at 24 months, children acquire around 10 new words each day


STEVEN PINKER - 'Children say things which they have never heard before'  - proof of DNA.


JEAN BERKO GLEASON - (the Wug Test)
Shows that different opportunities to communicate in different contexts is crucial for children


Horizon Documentary - (Why do we talk?)
-Language is exclusively human and it comes naturally
-Speech and language distinguish humans with animals
-Children learn to speak with minimal effort
-How we learn to talk remains a mystery
-Convergence - parents simplifies language to match their child's language but as the child's language develops the parents language becomes more complex (unconsciously)
-When a child is 5, they will know around 5,000 words


CATHY PRICE -
Her work is highlighting that there are key parts of the brain which is linked with language use
Children's brains responds to a mothers voice as soon as they're born and they have an innate ability to learn language


NOAM CHOMSKY -
Language is innate and we all have an LAD (Language Acquisition Device). We need to be exposed to language early on in life. The origins of language lies within our genes. Morphology can change language - it is happening presently.


Facts -
-NVC (Non Verbal Communication) is the main communication with young children, for example, lip movements, facial expressions, sounds and hand movements
-Babies hand movements, facial expressions, voice tone and lip movements are different when thei mothers are talking to them
-Mothers then respond to babies gestures as if they are real conversational partners. This is called turn-taking
-Turn-taking then turns into language between the child and parents (child-directed speech)
-Gaze, pointing, turn-taking and routines are all important in developing language
-Crying allows babies to recognise the importance of communication
-Deaf children exposed to sign language show the same stages of language development as do hearing children do with spoken language
-If a person develops his/her language after puberty, he/she will never be able to fully acquire language
-If you expose a baby to two languages at the same time, he/she will learn both
-The semantic ability of a child id higher than their phonological ability


What do children learn first?
-Nouns (mostly common and proper)
-Pro-nouns (often used as determiners) - it, her, she, me, I, there
-Responses to questions (either gestures, e.g. shaking head or simple yes or no answers)
 

Thursday, 8 September 2016

Language Investigation (2000 words)

Introduction

  • discussion of the reasons for choosing the focus of the study
  • a hypothesis or research question (where appropriate)
  • aim or aims.

Methodology

  • an account of the methodology chosen for data selection
  • problems (if any) encountered during the collection process.

Analysis

  • analysis and interpretation of data using appropriate linguistic concepts
  • critical consideration of the relevant concepts / issues surrounding the topic area
  • analysis of the effects of key contextual influences upon the data.

Conclusion / Evaluation

  • an evaluation of the success of the investigation including issues relating to methodology, interpretation of the conclusions drawn from the data and recommendations for further study (where relevant).

Bibliography

  • a list of all sources used (paper and web-based).

Appendices

Appendices - including all data collected.

Media Text

Candidates will use the broad subject focus of their language investigation to produce a media text (e.g. newspaper or magazine article) highlighting the language ideas and issues surrounding their chosen topic. This writing task will allow candidates to develop and build upon their writing and editorial skills from their AS studies, and to demonstrate a conceptualised understanding of the language ideas surrounding their chosen investigation topic. Candidates should be encouraged to use their knowledge as the starting point for their writing, producing a media text for a non-specialist audience. The media text does not have to reflect the findings of the candidate's language investigation. In addition, candidates will be required to use a bibliography to identify their preparatory reading material.
The audience and purpose of the media text will remain the same for each series:
  • an informative media text for a non-specialist audience.
Suitable media texts, based on investigation topics, could focus on:
  • Men vs. women: who talks the most?
  • How do children learn to read? A parents' guide.
  • What do your text messages reveal about you?
  • From 'perfect' to 'pukka': how the language of food writers has changed over time.
This list is not exhaustive and is intended for exemplification only: candidates should choose their focus for writing with their teacher, based on their investigation topic and their own interests and ideas. As always, centres should contact their coursework advisors if they are unsure about any writing task.
In preparation for this writing candidates should study:
  • the structures and conventions of media texts
  • the evaluation and synthesis of complex ideas and concepts from a range of specialised source materials
  • editorial skills including paraphrase and summary, the control of register and style, including tone and voice
  • the re-presentation of complex, specialised source material for a new audience, genre and purpose
  • referencing skills.

Assessment

Assessment will be by the production of a written coursework portfolio. The work will be assessed by the candidate's teacher(s) and then moderated by AQA.
  • The length of the investigation should be between 1750 and 2500 words, excluding data and appendices.
  • The length of the media text should be between 750 and 1000 words.
 The maximum mark for this unit is 80.

A2 English Language Specification

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-language-7701-7702/subject-content-a-level