[Xmca-l] Re: Psychology of Language

[Martin John Packer]

But the efforts to teach language to non-humans are interesting, no? And they generally employ signs rather than words. I think there's general awareness that language need not be verbal.

Martin

On Apr 24, 2014, at 4:46 PM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> wrote:

> Its not entirely clear from the contents, but it looks like the author is
> reinforcing notions of language as wordiness ("Attempts to teach language
> to non-humans").  I would start by debunking that.
> 
> Best,
> Huw
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 24 April 2014 22:16, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co> wrote:
> 
>> 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
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>> 
>> 
>>