Instructors
Prof. Liina Pylkkänen
liina.pylkkanen@nyu.edu
Office hours: Fri 2-3pm, 10 Wash Pl Rm 605
TA: Julia Cataldo
julia.cataldo@nyu.edu
Office hours: Fridays, 2:15-3:30pm, 10 Wash Pl Rm 603
Default Weekly Schedule:
TUES 9:30-10:45 10 WP 104
Recitation w JC. Arrive having watched the lectures and done the reading.
THU 9:30am-12:15pm 10WP 104
In class active learning and small group meetings with LP.
Course description
What are the brain bases of our ability to speak and understand language? Are some parts of the brain dedicated to language? What is it like to lose language? This course provides a state-of-the-art survey of the cognitive neuroscience of language, a rapidly developing multidisciplinary field in the intersection of Linguistics, Psycholinguistics and Neuroscience. Lectures cover all aspects of language processing in the healthy brain from early sensory perception to higher level semantic interpretation as well as a range of neurological and development language disorders, including aphasias, dyslexia and genetic language impairment. Functional neuroimaging techniques will be introduced.
Requirements
Attendance
Regular attendance in the synchronous sessions (Mon recitation and Thu discussion). Students arrive into the synchronous sessions having (i) watched the lecture-videos and (ii) done the reading, in that order. The lectures offer background for understanding the reading, which in most cases is an original research article.
Class YouTube channel
Before recitation each Tuesday, students watch the videos of that week’s topic on this YouTube channel:
Neural Bases of Language with Liina Pylkkanen – YouTube
Readings
There is no textbook. Instead, all readings are available on this website. You must be on the NYU network to access most journal articles.
In person activities: quizzes, discussion, presentations
Each class start with a short quiz to assess learning. If it reveals weak points, we will spend 10-15 mins covering them. After that, the rest of the class will consist of activities designed to deepen what you learned from the online lectures and readings. Students will be on a rotation to present research ideas to a panel consisting of the other students. The instructor and TA will serve as “area experts” for the panel to consult.
Writing
After in-class presentations of research ideas, students will write up those ideas, taking into account the feedback given in class. Although the presentations may be done as a group, each student generates their own write-up. Our focus will be on learning to ask good questions. The panel members will also write up a brief summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed project. The deadline for submitting the write-ups is Fri 5pm the day after your presentation.
Development of Research Proposals
Prior to your in-class presentation, your group will meet with LP twice to develop your proposal. The first session is brainstorming, resulting in the selection of your topic. The second is a practice of your in-class presentation. The schedule for the small group meetings is laid out here.
A midterm and a final exam
Both exams will be a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions. The final exam covers primarily, but not exclusively, post-midterm material. There will be no make-up exams. You receive a zero grade for an exam missed without a written, valid excuse acceptable to the instructor (e.g., medical reasons).
Grading
- Writing (two project proposals): 20%
- Participation (in class and recitation + panel write-ups): 15%
- Quizzes: 15%
- Midterm: 25%
- Final: 25%
Your well-being
During the semester, you may experience challenges that will affect your ability to study and do your work. The earlier you let us know about your challenges, the better our chances to help you. Do not wait until the exam to communicate if you are struggling.
Schedule and course materials:
rec = recitation; AL = active learning; SST = Science Shark Tank (topics available for SST are marked with SST)
