Bilingualism

Subject LING90021 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2011.

Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 2 hour seminar per week. For students taking this subject online: 2 hours of online work related to course materials (activities, self-assessment, bulletin board discussion)
Total Time Commitment: 2 contact hours/week, 8 additional hours/week. Total of 10 hours per week.
Prerequisites: none
Corequisites: none
Recommended Background Knowledge: none
Non Allowed Subjects: Formerly available as 175-504 and as 175-443 . Students who have completed 175-504 or 175-443 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.
Core Participation Requirements: For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/
Subject Overview:

This subject examine the phenomenon of bi/multilingualism, from individual and societal perspectives. It enables students to understand the language choices made by speakers in bilingual or multilingual settings, the role of language contact in language change, the relationship between language and cognition and the psychological and societal factors influencing language acquisition, language maintenance and language loss. It also considers educational and political issues associated with bi/multilingualism, and familiarizes students with a range of institutional models whereby citizens can be encouraged to successfully learn and use two or more languages in their daily lives.

Objectives:
  • have gained an understanding of bilingualism, both as an individual and as a societal phenomenon.
  • have become familiar with linguistic, sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, educational and political issues associated with bilingualism.
  • have gained an understanding of bilingual education.
Assessment: A 3000-word essay 60% (due at the end of the semester) and two 1000-word class papers 20% each (due mid-semester and at the end of the semester).
Prescribed Texts:

Reading Pack to be provided by lecturer.

  • Bilingualism: An Advanced Resource Book (Ng Bee Chin and Wigglesworth, Gillian) Routledge (2007)
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • have developed skills in abstracting theory from practice.
  • have identified unstated assumptions determining an argument.
  • gain formed judgments from conflicting evidence.
  • have become open to new ideas and possibilities.
  • improved their oral and written communication.
Notes: Subject offered as both online and on-campus. Some restrictions on student visa holders apply. Please contact the subject coordinator for more information.
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: English Language
English Language Studies
Language Testing
Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Lingusitics and Applied Lingusitics
Lingusitics and Applied Lingusitics
TESOL
Technology in Language Learning

Download PDF version.