Purpose:

You will listen to (or watch) outside source material chosen from the options below. This is a chance to explore a topic that interests you in more detail and to think about course concepts in new contexts. The paper will also give you the chance to practice your academic writing skills and receive practical feedback.

Consider the source material as a springboard for your own ideas and reactions. This paper is not an exercise in simple summarizing. It is an exercise in applying and integrating your new knowledge. Try to draw connections between this source, the material we are learning in class, and your own thoughts and feelings.

for example…

“I was disturbed by Nim’s placement with a human family who knew nothing about chimpanzees or sign language. Not only was this situation risky, but it limited the researcher’s ability to provide convincing support for his hypothesis. It would have been more appropriate to observe Nim and the family in a lab setting where the influence of extraneous factors could be better controlled.”

is preferable to ….

“Researchers placed Nim with a human family in the city and studied his development to see if he could learn language. When this arrangement became too dangerous, he moved into a rural research facility with new handlers.”

Grading Criteria:

Format: (5 points/ 20) 3-4 pages, double spaced, 12 point font size, 1 inch margins Your name and page # on each page An Introduction –

orient the reader to which source you used and what to expect from the rest of the paper in the opening paragraph Body Paragraphs –

organize your reactions so that each paragraph contains one or two main ideas and links to the next paragraph with logical transitions A Conclusion –

remind the reader of the most important point or two that you want them to ‘take away’ from your paper

You will earn points for following this format and structure; however you will not be graded on grammar or writing style. (I may still offer you that kind of feedback if I can, or suggest the writing center for help)

Content: (15 points/ 20)

You will earn points by making at least three thoughtful observations with a related reaction that ties the source material to your own experience and/or to course information. A sample student paper is available upon request.

To generate thoughtful content, I suggest an initial review of the material followed by immediate ‘freewriting’ of your reactions. Later, after considering related course information and the following questions (or others you might come up with- these are only brainstorming suggestions), listen again and take notes. Then identify the main ideas that interest you most, select at least three, and organize your paper around them. Which areas of psychology does this material address? How? Did this story remind you of your own experiences? How? Was this information believable/credible? Why or why not? What questions are you left with and how might you guess at an answer? Which psychological perspectives were represented? By whom and how so? Did you recognize any of the concepts we have read about in this material?

Source Options:

The following podcasts are rich with research, applied, and human-interest psychology content and are available to listen to online or download for free. Please browse the titles and descriptions and choose one that interests you (excluding clips under 15 minutes). Sample it early to make sure you can work with this style of presentation.

Ted Radio Hour: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510298/ted-radio-hour (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Hidden Brain: https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Invisibilia: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510307/invisibilia (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. If you prefer to use an alternate source, you must email to propose it by 10/8. I will consider substantive documentaries, books, programs, and articles related to psychology topics (and can sometimes help you find something appropriate on a topic if you inquire early enough). Be sure to describe the source and why you think it is appropriate and I will email you confirmation of approval (or disapproval) within the week following your request.

Submission Guidelines:

You will submit your papers electronically on Canvas by 11:59 pm.

Rewrite/Edit Option:

I will grade your resubmission again from scratch (if you decide to resubmit) and you will receive the better of the two grades. *Please note, you must submit a first assignment to be considered for a second submission- (even if it is in very rough draft format).

  

Resources for this week discussion; 

Gleason, J. B., & Ratner, N. B. (2017). The development of language (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

· Chapter 11, “Bilingual Language Development” (pp. 285–307)

Abutalebi, J., & Clahsen, H. (2015). Bilingualism, cognition, and aging. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 18(1), 1–2. doi:10.1017/S1366728914000741.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Gardner, H. (2006). In a nutshell. In Multiple intelligences (pp. 3–24). New York, NY: Basic Books. 

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Peal, E., & Lambert, W. E. (1962). The relation of bilingualism to intelligence. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 76(27), 1–23. doi:10.1037/h0093840

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Optional Resources

Bhatia, T. K., & Ritchie, W. C. (Eds.). (2013). The handbook of bilingualism and multilingualism (2nd ed.). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons.

Note:This book is provided as a suggested resource for the week. You will access it via the Walden Library databases.

Klein, R. M. (2015). Is there a benefit of bilingualism for executive functioning? Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 18(1), 29–31. doi:10.1017/S1366728914000613

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Sampath, K. K. (2005). Effect of bilingualism on intelligence. In Proceedings of the 4th Inter. J. Cohen, K. T. McAlister, K. Rolstad, & J. MacSwan (Eds.) (pp. 2048–2056). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press. Retrieved from http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/159ISB4.PDF

Discussion: Bilingualism and Multilingualism

If you were given an intelligence test in a language you did not know well, how do you think you would perform? Unfortunately, early 20th-century research on bilingualism was often based on biased evidence from assessments such as this, leading researchers to conclude that bilingualism was cognitively harmful. Fortunately, other research since that time has more carefully protected against bias and accounted for variables (e.g., socioeconomic background) that could influence research outcomes. Newer evidence, in fact, suggests there may be many cognitive benefits to bi- or multilingualism, in addition to the social and cultural richness that it affords. 

From a practical perspective, it is not possible nor would it even be preferable for citizens of most countries to learn a large number of languages. Thus, educational planning decisions must be made, which often are based on a combination of public opinion, politics, financial resources, and research data. Some states in the United States have laws that declare that public education must be conducted in the English language. Other states have two-way immersion programs (where native English-speaking children and children from another language background learn each other’s languages, with the goal of bilingualism for all) or international schools with various languages of instruction. 

Your goal for this Discussion is not to become an expert in education models, but rather to consider bilingualism and/or multilingualism from a cognitive perspective. Imagine that you have been asked to present information regarding this topic to your local legislature to inform education policy from a psychological perspective. What are the research findings that you would present? 

To prepare:

· Search the Walden Library or other reputable academic sources and select at least two articles besides those listed in the Learning Resources related to the cognitive benefits of being bilingual or multilingual. 

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

Post an explanation of two or three research findings related to bilingualism or multilingualism that you believe the legislature should take into consideration and why. Include discussion about how multilingualism positively influences intelligence. Provide specific examples and use the articles you found to support your position.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources. Use proper APA format and citations.

TOPIC: STRESS AND ITS EFFECTS

Details:

In a Word document, provide short answers to the statements below. Each answer should be 250-300 words in length. A screening is a type of assessment tool. Describe how and when a screening is used. Describe the legal and ethical parameters related to administering and interpreting assessment tools. Identify the sanctions and educational requirements for a professional to administer and interpret assessments as governed by your state as well as the guidelines of the American Counseling Association (ACA). (Texas)

Attribution Theory and Performance

Prior to beginning this assignment, be sure to read Chapter 4: Cognition, Learning, and the Environment, and read the article “Extending Attribution Theory: Considering Students’ Perceived Control of the Attribution Process”, the Instructor Guidance, and view the following website The Critical Thinking Community (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (http://www.criticalthinking.org/).

For this written assignment, you will demonstrate your understanding of attribution theory. In essence, attribution theory states that individuals tend to make sense of (logically prescribe) situations by associating them to self, others, thoughts, feelings, or actions. This theory suggests that learners should consider why they do what they do, and what or who they are giving credit for both the victories and the failures. Further, this theory suggests that if a person believes that they are not good at something, they may attribute their unsuccessful outcomes to external factors, rather than to themselves. In contrast, if individuals have success, they more often may attribute their successes to internal factors.

Using your required resources to support, discuss the following: Describe a time where you feel you have failed and blamed someone else: the teacher, the friend, a loved one. (Failure could be academic, relational, and/or organizational – loss of a job.) Do you believe that you blamed external things to support a more stable version of your own self-image? (In other words, it could not be your mistake). If not, what other reasons might external variables be attributed for our own performance? How do think stability and controllability affect performance attributions, based on our reading this week? Why do you think that self-efficacy plays such a critical role in how we process our learning behaviors? What strategies could be applied to utilize what we know about self-perception and attributions to increase your learning performance in the future? (Minimum of two strategies.)

Suggested template.

The Attribution Theory paper Must be five to six double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must include a separate title page with the following: Title of paper Student’s name Course name and number Instructor’s name Date submitted Must use headings and sub-headings. See example. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Must use appropriate research methods (e.g. use of the Ashford library) and skeptical inquiry (http://www.criticalthinking.org/) to support the content inclusions. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement. Visit the Ashford writing Center to clarify how to create a strong thesis statement and what it helps you to accomplish. You may also use the Thesis Generator (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. For assistance with the critical thinking portion of the written assignment, please see the information included on the Critical Thinking Community website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis. The conclusion typically has two parts: the summary statement (one or two sentences that restate the thesis in a fresh way to reinforce the essay’s main idea) and the clincher (a final thought that creates a lasting impression for the reader). Must use at least one scholarly source from the Ashford University Library, in addition to the required e-book. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined i