Module EDUC40930: Bilingualism & Bilingual Education

Department: Education

EDUC40930: Bilingualism & Bilingual Education

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To have critical understanding of bilingualism and bilingual education in relation to the organisation of education.

Content

• The unit will have two sections:
• Section One: Bilingualism and the individual:
• -definitions and descriptions of bilingualism.
• -cognitive and social aspects of bilingualism.
• -the experience of the bilingual child and the bilingual learner.
• -assessing and measuring bilingualism; degrees and types of bilingualism.
• -code-switching and communicative competence.
• -second language acquisition; bilingualism and intelligence.
• Section Two: Bilingual Education:
• -models and frameworks of bilingual education; immersion programmes and other approaches.
• -bilingual educational settings; case studies.
• -literacy and biliteracy in the classroom.
• -second language teaching and teaching in a second language.
• -evaluating bilingual educational programmes.
• -national policies and planning for bilingual education - case studies.

Learning Outcomes

• Critical understanding of ideas associated with bilingualism and the individual; and bilingual education policies.

• By the end of the module students will be able to:
• - understand the nature of bilingualism and biculturalism as experienced by the individual, and the function of bilingualism in society;
• - understand the different types of bilingual education and its significance for both individuals and minority groups;
• - critically assess policies for bilingual education and research on bilingualism and bilingual education.

• Demonstrate the ability to research literature, including for example: searching, synthesising, summarising and critiquing literatures;
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate educational research;
• Use ICT when presenting assignments;
• Organise and plan;
• Formulate, analyse and solve problems;
• Learn independently.

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

• By critical analysis of the literature.
• By reflection upon students' own bilingualism
• By analysis of cases of bilingualism and bilingual education in the literature and in students' own experience.
• Through lectures and seminar teaching supported by Study Guide resources. The Study Guide includes preparation for and follow up to teaching activities. This directed independent work is an important part of the module. Lectures enable the ideas of the module to be considered. Seminar work enables students to develop their understanding of the ideas and consider them in a range of professionally relevant contexts. Activities in seminars include a variety of active learning approaches including discussion, group work, presentations, question and answer sessions, individual tasks. A Bulletin Board on DUO enables staff and students to continue their interaction between teaching sessions. Preparation for the assignment involves students in wide reading and critical reflection on ideas of the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Presentation (individually or as part of a group) of one of the seminar themes. Verbal feedback is given to students' contribution during class teaching sessions. Staff can be contacted for individual help. Written formative feedback is provided for the academic outline of the assignment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University