Course Syllabus

Spring 2023 | ANT-2020-VO01 - Language, Culture & Communication

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

MK Dreher
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Gilberto Diaz Santos

General Education Requirements

Social Sciences

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

An introduction to the study of linguistics and communication in cultures and societies worldwide. Topics include language origins, change, and acquisition; language structure and speech behavior; sociolinguistics; the relationship between language and thought; and analysis of conversation and meaning.

Essential Objectives

1. Identify the universal characteristics and functions of human language as understood within anthropological linguistics, differentiating this from other forms of human and non-human communication.
2. Describe the physiological and cultural origins of language and examine the role of symbolic communication in the development of human adaptation and culture.
3. Explore theories of language acquisition by children, considering these in cross-cultural contexts.
4. Define key elements of language structure utilized within descriptive linguistics, distinguishing between the formal rules of language and its application in speech behavior.
5. Identify global language families and provide examples of historical and ongoing language change and differentiation, and the primary factors that influence these.
6. Describe linguistic diversity regionally and locally, demonstrating how language use varies in differing social contexts with respect to gender, class, power, age, affinity groups, etc.
7. Examine the relationship between language, thought, and culture, and the interpretation of meaning in communicative acts both linguistic and non-linguistic and across cultures.
8. Apply understanding of sociolinguistics and communication skills gained in the course to prepare a formal presentation that demonstrates proficiency using the CCV Oral Communication Rubric.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Methods

• Instructor lectures and weekly discussions
• Discussion board responses and writing assignments
• Interactive exercises
• OER resources provided

Evaluation Criteria

• Class Participation 40% of Grade
• 5 Reflective Summary Papers 30% of Grade
• Midterm Project 30% of Grade
• Final Project 30% of Grade
  
  
  
  

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

To earn full participation points for the week, students should:

• Read the assigned material and demonstrate an understanding of those resources in your assignments and posts. Readings and resources should be cited using APA format.
• Post an original response to the weekly prompt(s) before Friday at midnight (11:59 PM) and a minimum of two responses to peers before Monday at midnight (11:59 PM). You are welcome to post early and/or more frequently, as your schedule allows, but you will not receive full credit if you do not meet these minimum requirements and/or deadlines.
• Posts should be substantive and demonstrate college-level writing. A substantive post is well-developed, a minimum 150 words, and references the reading or another appropriate source. A substantive post is NOT one or two sentences of general statements or unsupported opinion.

Basic Class Expectations Also Require That You:

• Attend class regularly, on-time and for the full session
• Listen to others attentively and with an open mind
• Positively contribute to class discussions and activities
• Ask questions and seek help when you need it
• Challenge yourself to do your best work

Missing & Late Work Policy

• Late assignments can be submitted up to one week past the deadline. After a week, it will no longer be accepted for credit. Please be sure to communicate with me on any late work.
• Late work is not accepted in the discussion forum. Interacting with classmates is an essential part of online discussions and cannot be made up after the fact.
• Extensions will be granted in extenuating circumstances. If a lengthy medical problem or other emergent personal issue will result in missing weekly discussions and/or assignments, please contact your instructor as soon as possible.
• Students who know that they will not have course access for any given week should make arrangements me to complete assignments and participation requirements prior to the absence.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity