The book introduces a framework for examining the validity of tests that aim to assess second-language (L2) proficiency development over time and/or in relation to L2 instruction. It also reports the findings of a longitudinal study that aimed to examine the sensitivity to change of a test of L2 proficiency development. Specifically, the study examined changes over time in Progress scores and the linguistic characteristics of essays written in response to Progress by learners who took the test before, during and after a period of L2 instruction in different countries. The book furthers our understanding of the nature of L2 proficiency as it develops over time and in relation to L2 instruction and provides a framework that can be used in future endeavours to design and validate tests of L2 proficiency development. The book is intended for graduate students, test developers, and researchers doing research in applied linguistics and L2 assessment.

Global migration continues to increase, and with it comes increasing linguistic diversity. This presents obvious challenges for both healthcare provider and patient, and the chapters in this volume represent a range of international perspectives on language barriers in health care. A variety of factors influence the best ways of approaching and overcoming these language barriers, including cultural, geographical, political and practical considerations, and as a result a range of approaches and solutions are suggested and discussed. The authors in this volume discuss a wide range of countries and languages, and cover issues that will be familiar to all healthcare practitioners, including the role of informal interpreters, interpreting in a clinical setting, bilingual healthcare practitioners and working with languages with comparatively small numbers of speakers.

This book offers a systematic analysis of a wide range of questions used in censuses, national surveys and international surveys to measure language proficiency. It addresses the urgent need in language related survey research for a comprehensive examination of the large existing body of survey data in order to provide a fuller understanding of the extent to which survey results are shaped by the way language proficiency questions are worded. While census and survey language proficiency data are extensively used in a wide range of research areas, as well as in forming, implementing and monitoring government policies, there are as yet no universally accepted survey measures of language proficiency. This book will therefore provide a valuable resource for students and scholars working in sociological areas that use census or survey language data, such as sociology of language, sociology of education, politics, racial and ethnic studies, and cultural studies; as well as for policy analysts.

Integral to the tapestry of social interaction, storytelling is the focus of interest for scholars from a diverse range of academic disciplines. This volume combines the study of conversation analysis (CA) with storytelling in multilingual contexts to examine how multilingual speakers converse and manage various aspects of storytelling and how they accomplish a wide range of actions through storytelling in classroom and everyday settings. An original, book-length endeavor devoted exclusively to storytelling in multilingual contexts, this book contributes to broadening the scope of the foundational conversation analytic literature on storytelling and to further specifying the nature of second language (L2) interactional competence. Designed for pre-service and in-service second or foreign language teachers, students of applied linguistics, as well as scholars interested in storytelling, this volume explores the cross-linguistic nature of generic interactional practices, sheds light on the nature of translanguaging and learner language, and provides insights into teacher practices on managing classroom storytelling.

This text critically examines changes in Ghanaian language and literacy policy following independence in 1957 to consider its impacts on early literacy teaching. By adopting a postcolonial theoretical perspective, the text interrogates the logic behind policy changes which have prioritised English, local language, or biliteracy. It draws on data from interviews with teachers and researcher observation to demonstrate how policies have influenced teaching and learning. Dr Osseo-Asare's findings inform the development of a conceptual framework which highlights the socio-cultural factors that impact the literacy and biliteracy of young children in Ghana, offering solutions to help teachers combat the challenges of frequent policy changes. This timely monograph will prove to be an essential resource not only for researchers working on education policies, teacher education, and English-language learning in postcolonial Ghana but also for those looking to identify the thematic and methodological nuances of studying literacy and education in postcolonial contexts.

Research on academic literacy within higher education has focused almost exclusively on the development of academic literacy in English. This book is unique in showing how students use other languages when they engage with written academic content - whether in reading, discussing or writing - and how increasingly multilingual higher education campuses open up the possibility for students to exploit their multilingual repertoires in and around reading/writing for academic purposes. Chapters range from cases of informal student use of different written languages, to pedagogical, institutional and disciplinary strategies leveraging multilingual resources to develop biliteracy. They are ordered according to two dominant themes. The first includes accounts of diverse multilingual contexts where biliteracy practices emerge in response to the demands of academic reading and writing. The second theme focuses on more deliberate attempts to teach biliteracy or to teach in a way that supports biliteracy. The collection will be of interest to researchers, higher education practitioners and students of multilingual higher education and academic literacy.

Have you ever been told that raising your child to speak multiple languages will harm their development? Are teachers or other professionals suspicious of your efforts? Are you sometimes unsure if you are helping your child's language development, or are you uncertain where to start? It is increasingly recognised among researchers that, far from harming a child's development, being exposed to multiple languages from birth or early childhood can result in linguistic, creative and social advantages. The authors, all multilinguals themselves, parents of multilingual children, and researchers on language and multilingualism, aim to provide advice and inspiration for multilingual families across the world. The latest research on multilingualism and the authors' own experiences are used to provide a friendly, accessible guide to raising and nurturing happy multilingual children.

Drawing on critical and sociocultural frameworks, this volume presents narrative studies by or about Latinas in which they speak up about issues of identity and education. Using narratives, self-identification stories, and testimonios as theory, methodology, and advocacy, this volume brings together a wide range of Latinx perspectives on education identity, bilingualism, and belonging. The narratives illustrate the various ways erasure and human agency shape the lives and identities of Latinas in the United States from primary school to higher education and beyond, in their schools and communities. Contributors explore how schools and educational institutions can support student agency by adopting a transformative activist stance through curricula, learning contexts, and policies. Chapters contain implications for teaching and come together to showcase the importance of explicit activist efforts to combat erasure and engage in transformative and emancipatory education.

Drawing on critical and sociocultural frameworks, this volume presents narrative studies by or about Latinas in which they speak up about issues of identity and education. Using narratives, self-identification stories, and testimonios as theory, methodology, and advocacy, this volume brings together a wide range of Latinx perspectives on education identity, bilingualism, and belonging. The narratives illustrate the various ways erasure and human agency shape the lives and identities of Latinas in the United States from primary school to higher education and beyond, in their schools and communities. Contributors explore how schools and educational institutions can support student agency by adopting a transformative activist stance through curricula, learning contexts, and policies. Chapters contain implications for teaching and come together to showcase the importance of explicit activist efforts to combat erasure and engage in transformative and emancipatory education.

Migrationen verandern bestehende Sprach- und Kulturraume. Nur mithilfe genauerer migrationswissenschaftlicher Kenntnisse der Bedingungen des individuellen und sozialen Sprachgebrauchs koennen kleinere Sprachgemeinschaften von Migranten gegenuber konkurrierenden Nationalsprachen geschutzt werden. Die Beitrage des vorliegenden Bandes widmen sich diesem Thema aus dem Blickwinkel unterschiedlicher Lander und Fachrichtungen, darunter der Sprachkontaktforschung, der Soziolinguistik, der Bildungspolitik, der Neurophanomenologie und den Kulturwissenschaften. Migration alters existing linguistic and cultural areas. Only a more precise knowledge of the conditions that determine individual and social language use enables us to protect smaller speech communities of migrants from competing national languages. The contributions in this volume examine this range of topics from the perspective of various countries and research disciplines including language contact studies, sociolinguistics, education policy, neurophenomenology and cultural studies.

This edited volume provides an overview of current thinking and directions for further research in applied linguistics by bringing together in a single volume a range of perspectives regarding original research agendas and innovative methodological approaches. It focuses not only on the challenges that applied linguistics researchers have been facing in recent years but also on producing workable and productive research designs and on identifying ways of how alternatives to conventional research methodologies can be used. Discussions featured in the volume include the so-called 'Bilingual Advantage' in psycho- and neurolinguistics; the optimal starting age debate in foreign language learning; the growing interest among applied linguists in more nuanced and more complex (statistical) data analysis and the priority given to more descriptive and social approaches to linguistics rather than to theorising. The collection will be a useful reference and stimulus for students, researchers and professionals working in the areas of applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, second language acquisition and second language education.

This edited volume provides an overview of current thinking and directions for further research in applied linguistics by bringing together in a single volume a range of perspectives regarding original research agendas and innovative methodological approaches. It focuses not only on the challenges that applied linguistics researchers have been facing in recent years but also on producing workable and productive research designs and on identifying ways of how alternatives to conventional research methodologies can be used. Discussions featured in the volume include the so-called ‘Bilingual Advantage’ in psycho- and neurolinguistics; the optimal starting age debate in foreign language learning; the growing interest among applied linguists in more nuanced and more complex (statistical) data analysis and the priority given to more descriptive and social approaches to linguistics rather than to theorising. The collection will be a useful reference and stimulus for students, researchers and professionals working in the areas of applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, second language acquisition and second language education.

This book offers contemporary perspectives on English pronunciation teaching and research in the context of increasing multilingualism and English as an international language. It reviews current theory and practice in pronunciation pedagogy, language learning, language assessment, and technological developments, and presents an expanded view of pronunciation in communication, education, and employment. Its eight chapters provide a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of pronunciation and the linguistic and social functions it fulfils. Topics include pronunciation in first and second language acquisition; instructional approaches and factors impacting teachers' curriculum decisions; methods for assessing pronunciation; the use of technology for pronunciation teaching, learning, and testing; pronunciation issues of teachers who are second-language speakers; and applications of pronunciation research and pedagogy in L1 literacy and speech therapy, forensic linguistics, and health, workplace, and political communication. The chapters also critically examine the research base supporting specific teaching approaches and identify research gaps in need of further investigation. This rigorous work will provide an invaluable resource for teachers and teacher educators; in addition to researchers in the fields of applied linguistics, phonology and communication.

This book comprehensively analyzes the development of interculturally blended third spaces by the second language learner, beginning with the linguistic and sociocultural imprints of the first language and culture on the mind and culminating in the proposal of a phase-model of the development of intercultural competence. The foundational analysis of L1-mediated constructs is followed by an analysis of forms interaction, concepts of identity and constructs of culture/interculture, thus shifting the object of analysis from the subjective to the intersubjective levels of construction and interaction. The focus of the book is on the gradual development of interculturally blended third spaces in the mind of the learner as genuinely new bases for construction. This book takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on research in cultural psychology, linguistic anthropology, critical theory, language acquisition and second language learning and shows how culture and interculture need to be emphasized as an integral part of second language learning.

This book examines translanguaging in higher education and provides clear examples of what translanguaging looks like in practice in particular contexts around the world. While higher education has historically been seen as a monolingual space, the case studies from the international contexts included in this collection show us that institutions of higher education are often translingual spaces that reflect the multilingual environments in which they exist. Chapters demonstrate how the use of translanguaging practices within the context of global higher education, where English plays an increasingly important role, allows students and professors to build on their linguistic repertoires to more efficiently and effectively learn content. The documentation of such practices within the context of higher education will further legitimatize translanguaging practices and may lead to their increased use not only in higher education but also in both primary and secondary schools.

This book provides innovative research on the meaning and dynamics of multilingualism in the specific contexts of "micro-territories". Through the case studies of 10 micro-territories, the book offers a sociolinguistic analysis of two main types of smallness: islands such as Malta, Grenada, Sardinia, the Balearic islands and Taiwan, on the one hand, and small landlocked territories or countries such as Andorra, Aosta, Aran and Luxembourg, as well as the fragmented territory of Catalan-speaking Aragon, on the other hand. Taking into account the notion of micro-territory as a variable, language policies, language use and practices are analysed so as to offer new insights into the way multilingualism is conditioned by demographic and geographical factors. The book contains 5 chapters written in French, 5 in English, and an introduction in French.

Richard Ruiz has inspired generations of scholars in language planning and multilingual education with his unique orientations to language as a problem, a right and a resource. This volume attests to the far-reaching impact of his thinking and teaching, bringing together a selection of his published and unpublished writings on language planning orientations, bilingual and language minority education, language threat and endangerment, voice and empowerment, and even language fun, accompanied by contributions from colleagues and former students reflecting and expanding on Ruiz' ground-breaking work. This book will be of great interest to both undergraduate and postgraduate students in language planning and multilingual education, Indigenous and minority education, as well as to junior and senior researchers in those fields.

This critical ethnographic account of the Yangon deaf community in Myanmar offers unique insights into the dynamics of a vibrant linguistic and cultural minority community in the region and also sheds further light on broader questions around language policy. The book examines language policies on different scales, demonstrating how unofficial policies in the local deaf school and wider Yangon deaf community impact responses to higher level interventions, namely the 2007 government policy aimed at unifying the country's two sign languages. Foote highlights the need for a critical and interdisciplinary approach to the study of language policy, unpacking the interplay between language ideologies, power relations, political and moral interests and community conceptualisations of citizenship. The study's findings are situated within wider theoretical debates within linguistic anthropology, questioning existing paradigms on the notion of linguistic authenticity and contributing to ongoing debates on the relationship between language policy and social justice. Offering an important new contribution to critical work on language policy, the book will be of particular interest to students and scholars in sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology and language education.

Approaches to Specialized Genres provides a timely update of the field of genre studies, with 14 cutting-edge contributions split into five sections using and integrating an exceptionally wide variety of methods and perspectives (such as ESP genre research, corpus linguistics, systemic functional linguistics, ethnographic and multimodal research) to analyse genres in written, spoken, visual and auditory modes across a multiplicity of pedagogic, professional and digital settings. It highlights and illustrates the growing trend of a multiperspective and inter-theoretic approach to genre studies and demonstrates how such methodological rigour can extend our knowledge of language, in general, and genres, in particular. It also examines a rich variety of underexplored genres such as the digital genre of synchronous videoconferencing, instructional slides, video ads, engineers' training log book entries, the narrative story genres, fundraising letters and retraction notices. It demonstrates not only the prominent value of genre research, but wide applications of genre knowledge in various educational and professional domains. The book brings together experts spreading across the world, including countries in South-East Asia, Europe, America, West Africa and South America. Accordingly, it will appeal to readers of diversified socio-cultural backgrounds working in all the aforementioned inter-related fields of applied linguistics and communication studies.

Developing Notetaking Skills in a Second Language combines theoretical perspectives with an analysis of empirical classroom studies and offers a detailed discussion that increases pedagogical awareness of factors impacting second language (L2) notetaking performance and instruction. Based on original research and including descriptions of classroom practices and samples of student work, the book provides insights on a range of topics relevant to L2 notetaking. The book emphasizes the challenges that many students from different international backgrounds face when taking notes in an L2 and outlines a five-stage pedagogic cycle for notetaking that can be applied to any listening text. It also explores the dialogic potential of notes for stimulating class discussion about notetaking strategies. This book will be of great interest for teachers, academics, scholars, and postgraduate students in the fields of applied linguistics, L2 and foreign language education. It will also be a useful resource for those in charge of teacher education and postgraduate TESOL, L1, and L2 listening researchers and psycholinguists.

Through close analysis of primary source textual documents produced by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) between 1947 and 1968, this unique text reveals the undocumented influence of the FSI on K-12 language instruction and assessment in the United States. By investigating the historical development of the FSI and its attitudes and practices around language learning and bilingualism, this text provides in-depth insight into the changing value of bilingualism in the US, and highlights how the FSI's practices around language instruction and assessment continue to influence language instruction in American public schools. By mapping the development and integration of language proficiency assessments which strongly resemble those used by the FSI, historical analysis uncovers key political and economic motivations for increased promotion of language instruction in the US education system. Providing insights into issues of language instruction and assessment in public education that persist today, this book will be particularly useful to researchers and students interested in how policy formation has shaped language instruction and assessment in US public schools.

An essential companion for IELTS writing instructors and students, Developing Writing Skills for IELTS provides IELTS test-takers with the necessary skills to succeed in the two academic writing tasks in IELTS. Adopting an original exemplar-based writing instructional approach, this text offers an in-depth and reader-friendly analysis of the assessment standards of the two academic writing tasks in IELTS. Authentic exemplars written by EFL university students are included to illustrate high (Bands 8-9), average (Bands 6-7), and low (Bands 4-5) performances in IELTS writing. Key Features: * Diagrammatical representation of assessment standards of the two academic writing tasks by experienced IELTS writing examiners and instructors. * 100 writing questions modelled after the IELTS format, designed by the authors, and categorised according to question types and topics that emerge from an analysis of over 400 IELTS writing questions. * Over 100 writing exemplars by EFL university students, accompanied by guided activities and suggested answers. Designed as a classroom text, a resource for workshops and consultations, or a self-study material, Developing Writing Skills for IELTS: A Research-based Approach will support IELTS writing instructors and test-takers with a variety of writing proficiencies.

This collection brings together theory and ethnographic research from a range of national contexts to offer unique insights into the nature of agency in language policy and planning. Situated within a broader sociological framework, the book explores agentive processes at work in case studies from around the world, engaging in discussions of such key themes as language and identity, language ideologies, linguistic diversity in education, and language revitalization. Each chapter examines the ways in which decisions made at both the local and national level impact language use and in turn, the dynamic relationship between language use, policy, and practice in these contexts. Taken together, this volume advances our understanding of agency in language policy and planning and directions for future research, making this key reading for students and scholars in language and education, critical sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics.

The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Corpora is a state-of-the-art collection of cutting-edge scholarship at the intersection of second language acquisition and learner corpus research. It draws on data-driven, statistical analysis to outline the background, methods, and outcomes of language learning, with a range of global experts providing detailed guidelines and findings. The volume is organized into five sections: Methodological and theoretical contributions to the study of learner language using corpora - setting the scene Key aspects in corpus design, annotation, and analysis for SLA Corpora in SLA theory and practice SLA constructs and corpora Future directions This is a ground-breaking collection of essays offering incisive and essential reading for anyone with an interest in second language acquisition, learner corpus research, and applied linguistics.

An essential companion for IELTS writing instructors and students, Developing Writing Skills for IELTS provides IELTS test-takers with the necessary skills to succeed in the two academic writing tasks in IELTS. Adopting an original exemplar-based writing instructional approach, this text offers an in-depth and reader-friendly analysis of the assessment standards of the two academic writing tasks in IELTS. Authentic exemplars written by EFL university students are included to illustrate high (Bands 8-9), average (Bands 6-7), and low (Bands 4-5) performances in IELTS writing. Key Features: * Diagrammatical representation of assessment standards of the two academic writing tasks by experienced IELTS writing examiners and instructors. * 100 writing questions modelled after the IELTS format, designed by the authors, and categorised according to question types and topics that emerge from an analysis of over 400 IELTS writing questions. * Over 100 writing exemplars by EFL university students, accompanied by guided activities and suggested answers. Designed as a classroom text, a resource for workshops and consultations, or a self-study material, Developing Writing Skills for IELTS: A Research-based Approach will support IELTS writing instructors and test-takers with a variety of writing proficiencies.