Overview

How does the body fit into communication? What do eye gaze and gestures contribute to spoken or signed interactions? Do we gesture differently when we are speaking with friends than with our boss or clients in a professional situation? Do speakers of different languages and with different cultural backgrounds gesture … For more content click the Read More button below. In this unit we investigate the multimodal, embodied nature of language and its implication for cognition. Multimodality characterizes any kind of communicative practice that draws on linguistic, aural, textual, spatial and visual resources to compose messages. We consider the interaction of spoken language and speech-accompanying gesture, the nature of signed languages multimodality in Aboriginal Australia, and the role of gesture and joint attention in child language acquisition, among other topics. We investigate cultural and linguistic differences in the domain of multimodality and the methodologies which are employed to study multimodal communication. You will use this knowledge to design a research proposal for analysing multimodal data and to describe the role and nature of multimodality and embodiment in communication.

Offerings

S1-01-CLAYTON-ON-CAMPUS

Rules

Enrolment Rule

Contacts

Chief Examiner(s)

Dr Anna Margetts

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Anna Margetts

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1.

Analyse the role and nature of multimodality in communication;

2.

Explain a range of theoretical and methodological approaches to studying multimodal language and cognition;

3.

Critically evaluate different approaches to representing multimodal data and apply these skills to a small data set of your own choosing;

4.

Design a research proposal, including research questions and appropriate methods for a small independent project in an area of your own choosing.

Teaching approach

Problem-based learning
Active learning

Assessment summary

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment

1 - Participation
2 - Online tests
3 - Presentation
4 - Research proposal

Scheduled and non-scheduled teaching activities

Lectures
Tutorials

Workload requirements

Workload

Learning resources

Required resources

Availability in areas of study

Linguistics and English Language