Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have a basic understanding of the structure and functions of the brain and some of the neurological and perceptual processes which may underlie learning disabilities. Students should also have developed an appreciation of the value of neuropsychological investigations in educational assessments and diagnoses.
Synopsis This subject will provide an introduction to the structure and functions of the brain and to the neurological and perceptual processes which may underlie learning disabilities. It should be of interest to teachers, educational psychologists, and nurses and therapists interested in cognitive rehabilitation. Lectures will be based on Gaddes (1985) and will deal with such topics as the nervous system and learning; the use of neuropsychological knowledge in understanding learning disorders; perceptual disorders; sensory and motor pathways and learning; cerebral dominance, handedness and laterality; the neuropsychological basis of aphasia and dyslexia and problems in writing, spelling and arithmetic. Students will be expected to participate in regular lecture-discussions, to read widely and to complete written assignments.
Assessment Two class tests on the material covered in the lectures and set reading: 50% + Research paper on the neuropsychology of a perceptual, cognitive or motor skill or deficit (3500 words): 50%