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EDUC46930: Language, Education and Power

It is possible that changes to modules or programmes might need to be made during the academic year, in response to the impact of Covid-19 and/or any further changes in public health advice.

Type Tied
Level 4
Credits 30
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap 25
Location Durham
Department Education

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To understand how language shapes identity, belonging, and intercultural communication.
  • To critically examine the relationship between languages and power structures in education, the workplace, and society.
  • To develop an understanding, and critically reflect on the tensions between minority and world languages, and how speakers of languages are positioned by others in educational and societal contexts.
  • To explore the relationship between language, linguistic diversity and social justice.

Content

  • Language, languaging, translanguaging, and interculturality.
  • The multilingual self; the invention of monolingualism; multilingualism.
  • Language, power. and the nation state; ethnographic linguistic landscapes; small/large cultures/languages.
  • Decolonising language/languaging without borders; English as a global language.
  • Language, migration, education, and minority rights.
  • Language and internationalisation in higher education: whose language, whose knowledge? (English and the international university, academic literacy).
  • Workplace communication and linguistic diversity.
  • Language policy

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Demonstrate critical understanding of the theories, approaches, and practices of languages in the contemporary world and how they impact education and society.
  • Critically evaluate and apply these theories, approaches, and practices to an investigation of languages in the contemporary world, e.g., with reference to one or more specific contexts.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Articulate and employ key terminology/concepts in the field of language, education, and society.
  • Identify and critically consider problems, issues, and challenges in contexts of languages in relation to the social and/or educational context of investigation.
  • Communicate effectively, orally and in writing in specific contexts (e.g., in the presentation, and in the essay).

Key Skills:

  • Work on ideas and issues independently and as part a group.
  • Communicate and present ideas effectively through class presentation and writing.
  • Engage reflectively and critically with research-based literatures.
  • Undertake field research and analysis.
  • Search for, summarise, and critically evaluate key research literature.
  • Apply knowledge and learning to empirical examples and research.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The modes of teaching include lectures, workshop discussions, student research assignments, presentation of readings, and group activities and discussions.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lecture/Workshop8Weekly3 hours24 
Preparation & Reading276 
Total300 

Summative Assessment

Component: EssayComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay4000 words100Yes

Formative Assessment

In-class 5-minute presentation (prepared in PowerPoint) in final workshop. This could be an individual or group presentation, depending on numbers. Tutors provide feedback, and students provide peer feedback. Content and discussion linked to essay topic.

More information

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