PL3DOF-Disorders of Fluency

Module Provider: Clinical Language Sciences
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: PL2CI1 Communication Impairment 1
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2020/1

Module Convenor: Dr David Ward

Email: d.ward@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This course will build and elaborate on the concepts and theories outlined in the disorders of fluency component of the Communication Impairment1 module. In particular, students will have an opportunity to explore in depth, current theories as to how stuttering and cluttering arise and develop from a number of perspectives, including those related toÌýlanguage, motoric, psychological, genetic and neurological influences. The main focus of this module is on the understanding of these perspectives, and how they might be seen to interact, but the relationship between theoretical positions and therapeutic practice will also be discussed.

Aims:
To enable students to understand the theoretical bases of stuttering and cluttering: how various theories cannot be seen as mutually exclusive, but instead may interact, and how their understanding will enhance good practice in fluency therapy.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the course is expected that students will be able to: critically evaluate theories relating stuttering to linguistic motoric, neurological, genetic and psychological variables explain how theories interact to provide a multifactorial explanation of stuttering understand the current perspectives on core components in cluttering and how these relate to therapeutic methods and procedures identify/justify the need for future research foci for stuttering and cluttering.

Additional outcomes:

Students will be able to apply theoretical knowledge to clinical situations. Students will understand how knowledge of linguistic, neurological and psychological aspects of stuttering and cluttering can enhance the client’s therapeutic experience.Students will aslo have an opportunity to develop their oral presentation skills.

Outline content:
Students will study theories on stuttering which look at neurological underpinnings including cortical and subcortical processing studies, theories about dopamine transmission and drug therapies. Linguistic perspectives will place disorders of fluency within speech and language processing models such as that of Levelt (1991), whilst motor speech perspectives on stuttering and cluttering will be examined from both acoustic and physiological perspectives. Students will also learn about a possible genetic influence in stuttering.

Factors which may be active factors as to whether stuttering persists or not will also be examined. Theories on psychological profiling and responses to auditory feedback will be examined within this context.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Teaching will combine lectures with practical analysis sessions and workshops. Some speech laboratory sessions will be included where students get hands on experience with the analysis of disfluent speech.

Contact hours:

Ìý	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		15
Practicals classes and workshops		5
Guided independent study:		80
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours by term		100
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
2,000 word essay, to be submitted in the second week of the summer term.

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at:
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:
Reassesment by September.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 4 April 2020