Language Planning in Education

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

340 hours

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 HDisability Liaison Unit websiteH: Hhttp://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/H

A study of key concepts and experiences in language and literacy policy and programming in Australia and internationally. Topics include: the activity of language planning; nations and national languages in historical and current language planning;the role of English, globalisation and population mobility in contemporary language planning; the evolution of language and literacy teaching programs in different contexts; current issues in language education policy and planning in Asia, Europe and North America; the interface between first and second language education; and the role of teachers in language policy and planning at school, region and national level.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• Understand key concepts in language planning and some of the main types of language planning;
• Understand the origins of the field of language planning and policy and especially language-in-education planning, some key writers on the subject, their main ideas and phases in thinking about the problems schools and other education bodies face in language planning work;
• Demonstrate an understanding of problems, issues and phases in language and literacy education policy and programming in Australia and in some international locations;
• Identify, describe and critically evaluate current directions in language and literacy education and their implications for teaching; and
• Evaluate the potential or actual impact of a specific policy or innovation in language and literacy education.

There are two pieces of assessment:

• 3,000-word written paper comparing and critically evaluating different interpretations of language policy and planning (30%) due mid semester;
• and an in-depth investigation of the impact of a current or past language education policy including recommendations for change, totalling 7,000 words (70 per cent) due at the end of semester.

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to demonstrate:

• An advanced understanding of the field of language education planning (in its wider context of language policy and planning) and relate this to wider questions of how innovation and change in language education can occur in general;
• An appreciation of the ways in which advanced knowledge equips the student to offer leadership in language education
• A capacity to articulate their knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations