Speech

Description

Content: This module considers theories of perception and production within a unified framework. It outlines two types of theory that link perception and production (feedback theory of speech production and motor theory of speech perception) and separate theories for speech perception and production (called autonomous accounts). As well as work on theoretical issues and practical applications. This includes  how these ideas apply to speech pathology including stuttered, aphasic and Down syndrome speech, how a cochlear implant works, accent, aging, brain plasticity and motor learning (mainly work on Mandarin tones). These practical aspects are ones that past students have found particularly interesting. Teaching delivery: This module is taught in 15 hours of in-person lectures spread over 10 teaching weeks (usually in the format of 5 2-hour sessions in one half of term and 5 1-hour lectures in the other half of term). Face-to-face seminar meetings are sometimes arranged with students during the module that go into more depth on topics on which they express interest (arranged off timetable and attendance is optional).  Indicative Topics: Indicative lecture topics – based on module content in 2024/25, subject to possible changes: Module outline and overview, Levelt’s monitoring theory, Acoustic-phonetic variability, Altered auditory feedback, Guenther's DIVA model, Autonomous production and common central mechanism theories, Linked theories: Motor theory, categorical perception, direct realism, Autonomous perception theories: feature detection theories, Stevens’ natural auditory sensitivities theory, Stuttering: Covert Repair Hypothesis, EXPLAN, Max/DIVA, Sensory and motor factors in Aphasic, stuttered and Down Syndrome speech, Speech symptoms of speech, language, hearing disorders, Kleim’s framework for neuroplasticity and application to stroke and stuttering, Kleim’s framework for neuroplasticity and application to hearing loss, Language differences: Production and perception of tones, and Perception and production of accented speech. Module Aims: The aim is for students to understand the processes of speech production and perception as they operate normally and pathologically.