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Language and Brain

Programme(s) in which it is offered: All UG programmes

Course Category: Minor Schedule of Offering: Even

Course Credit Structure: 3 Course Code: LL173

Total Number of Hours: 45 Contact Hours Per Week: 3
Lecture: 3 Tutorial: 0
Practical: 0 Medium of Instruction: English
Date of Revision: 31-12-2020 Skill Focus: Employability
Short Name of the Course: LAB Course Stream (Only for Minor Courses): Literature
and Linguistics
Grading Method: Regular Repeatable: Credit/Audit/Non Repeatable
Course Level: Beginner

Course Description
This course will try and explore the various ways in which language is processed and
produced by the brain. It will look at the structure of the brain and also certain cognitive
aspects of language acquisition.

Course Introduction
This course looks at language processing from a biological point of view, i.e., how language
is processed in our brain. It studies the different parts of the brain, which are activated for
various language functions, thus making it possible for a person to understand the language
but unable to produce it or else, being able to produce it correctly but unable to comprehend
the language. Brain is such a fascinating subject where a lot is left unexplored. This course
aims to introduce the students to the basics of language acquisition, its processing and
memory. The final part of the paper will be looking at some such case studies, which have
contributed immensely to our knowledge about the workings of our brain.

Course Objective
1. To familiarize students with language processing in the brain.
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2. To identify the various areas of the brain, related to language processing.

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3. To identify various speech and communication disorders.

4. To know about different types of aphasias and case studies related to it.

Course Outcome
At the end of this course, learners will be able to:
1. Understand how the brain processes the various components of language, namely
production and comprehension.
2. Identify the different regions in the brain involved in specific language related functions.
3. Discuss the major speech and communication disorders that occur due to damage to
the brain.
4. Differentiate between the types of aphasias.
5. Analyse the case studies related to aphasias.

PO-CO Mapping
PO-CO Mapping Matrix
CO/PO Mapping PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6
CO1
CO2
CO3
CO4
CO5

Prerequisites

No prerequisites essential.

Pedagogy
The teaching in this course will be mostly through lectures and classroom discussions. The
instructor’s role will be primarily to introduce concepts and generate questions of interest.
Case studies would be focussed to provide a better understanding of the subject.
Presentations at the end of the discussions would also be a main component of the course.
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Suggested Reading:
1. Yule, George: The Study of Language (5th Edition) (Cambridge University Press: New
Delhi, 2014)
2. Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hyams: An introduction to language
(Wardsworth, 2014).
3. Obler, L. K., & Gjerlow, K. (1999). Language and the Brain. Cambridge University
Press.
4. Angell, C. A. (2009). Language development and disorders: A case study approach.
Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
5. Vygotsky, L. S. (1964). Thought and language. Annals of Dyslexia, 14(1), 97-98.
6. Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory and language: An overview. Journal of
communication disorders, 36(3), 189-208.
7. Anderson, J. R. (2013). Language, memory, and thought. Psychology Press.
8. Galotti, Kathleen. (2017). Cognitive Psychology. Sage Texts: New Delhi
9. Jackendoff, R., & Pinker, S. (2005). The nature of the language faculty and its
implications for evolution of language (Reply to Fitch, Hauser, and Chomsky).
Cognition, 97(2), 211-225.

Evaluation Pattern
Individual progress will be measured through assignments, presentations, quizzes and
written exams.

Evaluation Matrix
Component Weightage Total Tentative Course
Type Percentage Marks Dates Outcome
Continuous Mapping
Internal Quizzes (5x) 17 % 0f CIA Marks 10 End of each 1, 2, 3, 4
Assessment module
(CIA) Individual 17 % of CIA Marks 10 Week 7 3, 5
Components* Presentation
(1x)
Assignments 33 % of CIA Marks 20 Week 3, 2, 3, 4
(2x) Week 5
Mid-semester 33 % of CIA Marks 20 Week 4 1, 2, 3
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exam
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CIA Marks 100 % (To be 60 --- ---

converted to 60%
of course total)
ESE 40% of course total 40 End of the 1, 2, 3, 4,
Semester 5

* The assignments involved in CIA will be subject to plagiarism checks. A submission with
unexplained similarities exceeding 30% for Undergraduate courses, 20% for Postgraduate
courses and 10% for PhD courses will be reverted for resubmission. The final submission is
subject to score penalization as defined by the course instructor at the start of the course, with
a clear communication of the same to all the registered candidates.

Module Sessions

Module 1: Introduction (9 sessions) (9 hours)

• Core properties of human language
• Critical period hypothesis
• Language Acquisition stages
• Innate Hypothesis
• Sign Language
Reading:
1. Obler, L. K., & Gjerlow, K. (1999). Language and the Brain. Cambridge University
Press.
2. Pinker, S. (2003). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. Penguin
UK.
3. Yule, George: The Study of Language (5th Edition) (Cambridge University Press:
New Delhi, 2014)
4. Jackendoff, R., & Pinker, S. (2005). The nature of the language faculty and its
implications for evolution of language (Reply to Fitch, Hauser, and Chomsky).
Cognition, 97(2), 211-225
Activities:
a) Discussion 1: Stages of Language Acquisition.
b) Quiz
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Module 2: Brain (9 Hours)

• Structure and Evolution of Brain
• Phrenology
• Localization and Lateralization
• Language areas in Brain
• Plasticity
• Brain Mapping Studies

Reading:
1. Hagoort, P. (2005). On Broca, brain, and binding: a new framework. Trends in
cognitive sciences, 9(9), 416-423.
2. Friston, K. (2002). Beyond phrenology: what can neuroimaging tell us about
distributed circuitry? Annual review of neuroscience, 25(1), 221-250.
3. Franz, S. I. (1912). New phrenology. Science, 35(896), 321-328.
4. Finlay, B. L., Darlington, R. B., & Nicastro, N. (2001). Developmental structure in brain
evolution. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(2), 263-278.
5. Obler, L. K., & Gjerlow, K. (1999). Language and the Brain. Cambridge
University Press.
6. Binder, J. R., Frost, J. A., Hammeke, T. A., Cox, R. W., Rao, S. M., & Prieto, T. (1997).
Human brain language areas identified by functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Journal of Neuroscience, 17(1), 353-362.
Activities:
a) Discussion on Brain Plasticity and Language areas of Brain
b) Quiz
c) Assignment

Module 3: Language Disorders (8 Hours)

• Dyslexia
• Dysgraphia
• Speech disorders
• Communication Disorders
Reading:
1. Bernstein, D. K., Tiegerman-Farber, E., & Tiegerman-Farber, E. (1993). Language
and communication disorders in children. Merrill.
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2. Deacon, T. W. (2000). Evolutionary perspectives on language and brain plasticity.

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Journal of Communication Disorders, 33(4), 273-291.

3. Catts, H.W (1989). Defining Dyslexia as a Developmental Language Disorder.
Annals of Dyslexia. Vol.39, pp 50-64. Springer
Activities:
a) Quiz
b) Discussion on Language disorders
c) Assignment
d) Presentation

Module 4: Aphasia (8 Hours)

• Causes
• Types
• Hemispherectomy
• Case Studies
Reading:
1. Coppens, P. (2016). Aphasia and related neurogenic communication disorders.
Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
2. Clark, D. G., & Cummings, J. L. (2003). Aphasia. In Neurological Disorders (pp.
265-275). Academic Press.
3. Thulborn, K. R., Carpenter, P. A., & Just, M. A. (1999). Plasticity of
language-related brain function during recovery from stroke. Stroke, 30(4),
749-754.
Activities:
a) Quiz
b) Presentation

Module 5: Memory (7 Hours)

• Language and Memory
• Memory organization in brain
• Memory and thought
Reading:
• Galotti, Kathleen. (2017). Cognitive Psychology. Sage Texts: New Delhi
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1964). Thought and language. Annals of Dyslexia, 14(1), 97-98.
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• Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory and language: An overview. Journal of

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communication disorders, 36(3), 189-208.

• Anderson, J. R. (2013). Language, memory, and thought. Psychology Press.
Activities:
a) Quiz
b) Presentation

Module 6: Conclusion and review (4 Hours)

• Revision of Language Acquisition Studies
• Revision of Speech and Communication Disorders
• Revision of Aphasic studies
Reading:
• Obler, L. K., & Gjerlow, K. (1999). Language and the Brain. Cambridge University
Press.
Activities:
a) Discussion on Language Acquisition and processing by Brain.

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