Finally read this paper which is very relevant to the data I'm analyzing. Findlow finds evidence in student and faculty responses of a new UAE identity which draws on local tradition and on global innovation, to some extent on Arab identity and marginally on (cultural) Islamic identity. It's interesting how she sees UAEU as oriented to the Arab-Islamic world, HCT to the West/globalization, and ZU as oriented to the UAE, within a global perspective.
The paper also made me think about the domains in which linguistic dualism is seen - e.g. in different conceptions/worldviews (look out for these terms, as they link to 'discourses') of prestige ('a good position in society' or 'getting to the top'). The 'personal' aspect of Arabic is also analyzed a bit, in terms of reference to "my dreams" and "my country".
Findlow, S. (2006). Higher Education and Linguistic Dualism in the Arab Gulf. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 27(1): 19-36.
19 May 2008
Parents' role
Well, this is an old study but relevant to social context for language learning:
Gardner, R.C. (1968). Attitudes and Motivation: Their Role in Second-Language Acquisition. TESOL Quarterly 2(3): 141-150.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3585571
Parents have an active role: "monitors the child's language learning performance, and to the extent that he plays this role he attempts to promote success. That is, the parent watches over the child and makes sure he does his homework, encourages him to do well, and in general reinforces his successes" (141).
They also have a "passive" role: "attitudes of the parent towards the community whose language the child is learning". These attitudes are important, I believe, because they influence the child's attitudes" (141).
These roles can clash and the passive one undermine the active one. Of course the same applies to other significant others.
Gardner, R.C. (1968). Attitudes and Motivation: Their Role in Second-Language Acquisition. TESOL Quarterly 2(3): 141-150.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3585571
Parents have an active role: "monitors the child's language learning performance, and to the extent that he plays this role he attempts to promote success. That is, the parent watches over the child and makes sure he does his homework, encourages him to do well, and in general reinforces his successes" (141).
They also have a "passive" role: "attitudes of the parent towards the community whose language the child is learning". These attitudes are important, I believe, because they influence the child's attitudes" (141).
These roles can clash and the passive one undermine the active one. Of course the same applies to other significant others.
27 Apr 2008
ideologies of language
Currently reading "Language Ideologies" by Woolard et al. The introduction thoroughly examines the concept of "ideology", settling on an interpretation that is distinct from culture because it involves power in some way. Interesting though that Woolard puts discussions of power within a bigger context: social positioning. So e.g identity and affiliation (community) are seen as not reducible to power.
This definition of ideology makes it more or less like the concept of "discourse" as I'm using it, but I prefer "discourse" because it links to the idea of "conversations that are around to be had" on a certain topic.
I've read one paper in the book (Mertz), which looks at Socratic dialogue in US law schools, and how it positions teacher and student. Reminds me of "The stage management of guided discovery", but more linguistically focused. Mertz shows how teachers sometimes take over the student role in this dialogue, putting words, ideas, whole discourses into students' mouths if the students can't or won't voice them themselves.
I'm interested in ideologies of language, and also ideologies of learning: discourses about learning that people hold to in ways which are linked to their social position.
This definition of ideology makes it more or less like the concept of "discourse" as I'm using it, but I prefer "discourse" because it links to the idea of "conversations that are around to be had" on a certain topic.
I've read one paper in the book (Mertz), which looks at Socratic dialogue in US law schools, and how it positions teacher and student. Reminds me of "The stage management of guided discovery", but more linguistically focused. Mertz shows how teachers sometimes take over the student role in this dialogue, putting words, ideas, whole discourses into students' mouths if the students can't or won't voice them themselves.
I'm interested in ideologies of language, and also ideologies of learning: discourses about learning that people hold to in ways which are linked to their social position.
12 Apr 2008
"From boardroom to classroom"
Read an interesting paper by Sue Nichols (reference below) about how the 6 Thinking Hats model is applied in business and primary education, and the views of thinking which it rules in and rules out.
The way she traces discourses in public media and classroom interaction resembles what I'm doing with English learning in my data. It's very clear how she traces discourses, types of discoursal site (including websites) and examples (specific webpages and classroom extracts). It's interesting how she makes the link concrete between media and classroom practice by imagining a teacher looking up materials to use from the internet.
The organization of her paper is worth noticing, too. You can only fit a fairly short section on each topic into the length of a paper: I'll put a wordcount on each section of my paper outline.
An aspect of my study of learning resources that particularly interests me is learner independence/learner autonomy as intentionally navigating a cultural landscape.
Nichols, S. (2006). From boardroom to classroom: tracing a globalised discourse on thinking through internet texts and teaching practice. In K. Pahl & J. Rowsell (Eds.), Travel notes from the New Literacy Studies: instances of practice (pp. 173-194). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
The way she traces discourses in public media and classroom interaction resembles what I'm doing with English learning in my data. It's very clear how she traces discourses, types of discoursal site (including websites) and examples (specific webpages and classroom extracts). It's interesting how she makes the link concrete between media and classroom practice by imagining a teacher looking up materials to use from the internet.
The organization of her paper is worth noticing, too. You can only fit a fairly short section on each topic into the length of a paper: I'll put a wordcount on each section of my paper outline.
An aspect of my study of learning resources that particularly interests me is learner independence/learner autonomy as intentionally navigating a cultural landscape.
Nichols, S. (2006). From boardroom to classroom: tracing a globalised discourse on thinking through internet texts and teaching practice. In K. Pahl & J. Rowsell (Eds.), Travel notes from the New Literacy Studies: instances of practice (pp. 173-194). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
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