Module overview
This module will introduce you to the notion of ‘Multilingualism’, how this is understood and represented in different ways, and why it matters to you. You will explore how people become multilingual, and whether it makes a difference if multilinguals are exposed to two languages at the same time or one after the other. You will also look at how multilinguals behave socially, how they interact (both face-to-face and virtually), how they construct/articulate their cultural identities, how they maintain their multilingualism and the crucial role of education and language policy in obstructing or facilitating multilingualism. In addition, you will be invited to consider the relations between English as a global language and multilingualism in the context of globalisation which situates multilingualism in a global society.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- how multilinguals interact and use multilingual practices to construct/articulate their cultural identities
- the relationship between multilingualism and migration in the context of globalisation
- The relationship between languages at different levels - e.g. global, national, local - in response to globalisation
- how language policy influences multilingual contexts
- the role of family, education and work place in maintaining and fostering multilingualism
- The notion of language and the concept of multilingualism
- how multilinguals interact in global contexts – eg virtual communication
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- appreciate and engage with key theoretical concepts in multilingualism;
- critically assess key issues and approaches to the study of multilingualism
- organise and present information in an academically appropriate way.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- demonstrate understanding of elements of psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic theory which can be applied to the study of other languages;
- present findings and ideas in a structured, coherent manner.
- apply critical thinking and problem-solving techniques in order to address new issues and new data;
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Develop an understanding of issues in the research field of multilingualism and apply the knowledge about multilingualism theories to address real life issues involving language choices and language attitudes
- Learn terms and specific language in the literature of multilingualism and apply them to academic debating
Syllabus
This module will introduce you to the notion of ‘Multilingualism’, how this is understood and represented in different ways, and why it matters to you. You will explore this subject within a psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic framework. From a psycholinguistic perspective you will investigate how people become multilingual and how they develop cognitively, and whether it makes a difference if multilinguals are exposed to two languages at the same time or one after the other.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, you will explore how multilinguals behave socially, how they interact (both face-to-face and virtually), how they construct/articulate their cultural identities, how they maintain their multilingualism and the crucial role of education and language policy in obstructing or facilitating multilingualism.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- a weekly lecture outlining a body of knowledge and concepts
- a weekly seminar in which the issues presented in the lecture will be applied to the critical analysis of empirical evidence
Ideas, concepts and theories will be introduced in the lectures. Seminars will provide the opportunity to explore particular topics in greater depth. Seminars will also encourage you to explore multilingualism on the basis of different kinds of data—linguistic, audio and visual—and will provide an occasion for you to engage with specific areas in more detail, through investigation and collaboration.
Individual reading, collaborative research, practical exercises and reflection
- Developing presentation skills through seminar preparation
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 12 |
| Wider reading or practice | 50 |
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Seminar | 12 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 12 |
| Guided independent study | 12 |
| Follow-up work | 12 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Makoni, S. and A. Pennycook (2007). Disinventing and Reconstituting Languages. Multilingual Matters.
Jasone Cenoz, Durk Gorter, and Stephen May (2017). Language awareness and multilingualism. Springer.
Marilyn Martin-Jones, Adrian Blackledge, Angela Creese (2012). The Routledge Handbook of Multilingualism. Taylor& Francis.
Jan Blommaert (2010). The sociolinguistics of globalisation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lee Carmen (2017). Multilingualism online. London; New York: Routledge.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Assessments designed to provide informal, on-module feedback
- guidance on topic choice and related literature
- discussion of written assignments (in advance and after completion)
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 70% |
| Project | 30% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Assessment tasks | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External