[Xmca-l] Re: Psychology of Language

[Martin John Packer]

Huw,

If you click on the link I included in an earlier message you can see the contents of this typical undergraduate text. Here it is again:

<http://www.amazon.com/The-Psychology-Language-Paul-Whitney/dp/0395757509>

And here are the sections and chapter titles. Let me say that I am by no means a great fan of these themes, but there are some limits to the innovations that one can introduce at the undergraduate level, sadly. A text that adopted a sociocultural perspective on psychology and language would provide legitimacy to a course that was a bit less traditional, if you know what I mean!

Language and its functions
	The nature of language
	What language users must know
	Language in relation to other cognitive processes
	Theories of the language-thought relationship
Models of language processing
	The recognition of spoken words
	Visual word recognition
	Sentence processing
	Understanding and remembering discourse
	Language production and conversation
Language and the brain
	Language acquisition: Biological foundations
	Language acquisition in special circumstances
	Language and the localization of function
Conclusions


On Apr 24, 2014, at 11:58 AM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> wrote:

> I am puzzled and curious about what constitutes an undergraduate text for a
> rich, involving and open-ended subject.
> 
> Are you starting from the subject first, and then working out how to
> deliver it in bite size examinable chunks (if these constraints apply), and
> how are you (considering) dealing with the open-endedness of the topics...?
> 
> Is the major issue about accessibility of content?  What about compliance
> with other concepts and procedures in the course...?
> 
> How about taking one interesting text and critiquing it (in a structured
> way)?  E.g. how blind-deaf people learn to language (Meshcheryakov), or
> changes in language due to culture (Luria), or more about language itself
> and its cultural aspects.
> 
> Perhaps the text, itself, would benefit from being quite small so students
> can go and look up the references.  1st (or 2nd) hand  material is a good
> choice!
> 
> Hope this helps...
> Huw
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 24 April 2014 15:46, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Laure,
>> 
>> In general I'm also in favor of dispersed readings. In addition, in my
>> course in child development I've been writing the textbook that I need!  It
>> is (currently) titled "A Cultural Psychology of Children’s Development."
>> But this is a new course that I need to get up and running quickly, so I
>> think I need to start with an existing text. If one exists!
>> 
>> Martin
>> 
>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 8:42 AM, Laure Kloetzer <laure.kloetzer@gmail.com
>> <mailto:laure.kloetzer@gmail.com>> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Martin,
>> 
>> We are teaching a similar course here at CNAM, Paris. But in French... and
>> no textbook, we suggest and comment dispersed readings. Would you send me
>> your syllabus ? I would be very happy to compare (our plan is in French, if
>> you read French, I'll be happy to share).
>> Also interested to see if you get some answers regarding the text book.
>> If not: why wouldn't we edit this textbook that we need ?
>> Cheers
>> LK
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 2014-04-24 15:35 GMT+02:00 Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co
>> <mailto:mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>>:
>> Hi Bella,
>> 
>> Thanks, but what I'm looking for is a text on the role of language in
>> psychology. I'm teaching a course that when last taught used this text,
>> which was published in 1998. I'd like something more contemporary, and more
>> aligned with a sociocultural perspective:
>> 
>> <http://www.amazon.com/The-Psychology-Language-Paul-Whitney/dp/0395757509>
>> 
>> Martin
>> 
>> On Apr 23, 2014, at 11:55 PM, Bella Kotik-Friedgut <bella.kotik@gmail.com
>> <mailto:bella.kotik@gmail.com>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Martin, if you mean something like the following
>>> Williams, M. & Burden, R. (1997). *Psychology for Language
>>> Teachers,*Cambridge Language Library.
>>> I am teaching a course: Psychological aspects of new language learning
>> and
>>> teaching.
>>> So if you need something more specific please ask.
>>> 
>>> Sincerely yours Bella Kotik-Friedgut
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 2:39 AM, Martin John Packer <
>> mpacker@uniandes.edu.co<mailto:mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
>>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Can anyone recommend a good undergraduate textbook on Psychology and/of
>>>> Language?
>>>> 
>>>> Martin
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>