English as a World Language

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• better assess the implications of theoretical and practical developments in applied linguistics teaching to the education professions
• critically analyse language issues in the status quo.
• describe the roles of language in social behaviour and users’ attitudes to global language;
• make use of the relationship between academic, professional, public and user conceptions of language to clarify educational policy and practice;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• recognise principles underlying the analysis and description of language
• apply current theories of language, language learning, language in use, and language education to language in a global context.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• use information technology appropriately to support and present your research;
• identify, select and draw upon a wide range of reference resources, printed and electronic;
• critically evaluate literature and real life situation.
• develop and maintain a personal bibliography;
• take appropriate ethical issues into account in linguistic and educational work
• communicate applied linguistic and educational work in a variety of written formats;

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the diversity of English and cutting-edge approaches to English
• the history of the rise of English and the phenomenon of English in various contexts;
• possible ways of addressing concerns about the role of English in pedagogy and teaching materials, including: 1. components of teaching or teacher education programmes 2. teacher education materials 3. emancipatory and critical pedagogies.
• the impact of a range of philosophical, political, economic, and cultural arguments on the practice of English and other language teaching;
• the implications of the multilingualism in the world of English for language professionals and linguists
• major arguments for and against the use of English as an international language;

The module will explore the following topics: Personal, local, regional and world languages, English in the past: the establishment of standards, the spread of English through native and non-native speakers, English from a third world perspective, power and exploitation, language rights, features of English varieties among both native and non-native speakers, the role of literary and cultural studies, the role and the status of English as a lingua franca in the context of the globalisation, and the fluid, flexible, hybrid and complex nature of English in the contemporary world.

Teaching methods include

• Seminars;
• Lectures;
• Workshops;
• Virtual learning environment (Blackboard).

Learning activities include

• Literature searches and contributions to VLE;
• Practical data-based activities;
• Analysis of philosophical positions.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

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.