PST 375 Language Learning by Eye or by Ear

This one-credit course is designed to introduce the layperson to the basics of first language acquisition, focusing on sign language acquisition as the point of departure. The first few lectures of the course will provide a crash-course in linguistics for beginners, as well as provide background for the importance of studying child language development, particularly in the context of deafness and sign language. The remainder of the course is organized chronologically, from birth to 36 months, highlighting the major developmental milestones for each age and expanding to discuss current research on selected topics of interest for each age period.