A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Queen Margaret University

This requires quite a robust model and as the investigation is evaluating the
learning of vocabulary a single word processing model based on the cognitive
neuropsychological approach would be suitable (see section 2.7 and Figure 2i
above).
One drawback of using this model is that it is off-line or static i.e. a snapshot of
single word-processing ability at one moment in time, whereas learning is an online
or dynamic process. While computer-based connectionist models may be
more reflective of the dynamic process of learning, there is currently no
behavioural model that will capture this learning process completely. The
advantages of using the cognitive neuropsychological model however, is that
firstly, it is a single word-processing model and the current investigation aims to
facilitate the learning of single words. This model is commonly used by clinicians
and researchers in identifying impairments of single word processing ability of
people with aphasia using such assessments as the PALPA (Kay et al. 1992)
(see section 2.7). Adaptation of these assessments to the stimuli of the current
investigation will enable the assessment of each participant’s ability to
demonstrate learning of the new vocabulary. See Appendix 2.1 for an
explanation of the function of each box in the cognitive neuropsychological
model used in this investigation with an example of assessments that are
thought to target the various modules and pathways which help establish which
spoken and written language functions are impaired.
The use of this model will enable the investigator to capture not only
participants’ spoken and/or written output but also their recognition of the stimuli
and any knowledge of the word forms or meanings that they may acquire. As the
cognitive neuropsychological architecture of single word processing fulfils all
requirements for facilitating the demonstration and evaluation of the learning of
new vocabulary it will be used as a model for this investigation. The ability of the
cognitive neuropsychological model to support the training and assessment
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