Bilingualism LNGN 280-01

This course introduces students to the systematic study of bilingualism and provides an overview of major issues: Compound and coordinate bilingualism; attitudes toward bi- and multilingual speakers; functions of language in multilingual settings; language planning and policy in multilingual nation-states; analysis of bilingual speech; and problems of educating language minority groups in the U.S.A.

Time and Location: Mondays, Wednesdays 2:00 - 2:50 p.m. DI 170
Thursdays 2:00 - 2:50 p.m. DI280 (computer lab)

Required Texts:

Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (2nd edition). Colin Baker, Multilingual Matters, 1996.

Week of	Topic/Assignment	Book/Article
January 1 7	Introduction to the study of Bilingualism. Key concepts.	Foundations, pp. 3-16.
January 18	Setting up Distribution Lists. Using search engines to find scholarly resources. Complete exercise #1.	Exercise #1: describe your bilingual abilities and explain your attitudes toward individual and societal bilingualism. E-mail me your results.
January 22	The measurement of bilingualism: individual and societal bilingualism.	Bilingualism, pp. 17-33 and class handouts.
January 24	Assignment #1: read at least three research articles that discuss the following terms: "balanced bilingual" and "semilingualism." Are these valid constructs in research? Photocopy the first page of each article. Due: February 5.	Investigate the terms "balanced bilingual" and semilingualism (refer to Cummins, 1977; Skutnabb-Kangas, 1981; and Peal & Lambert, 1962).
January 25	Understanding the bilingual speech community.	In-class discussion: describe a bilingual speech community in your town/county.
January 29	Online assignment: Raising children bilingually.	Read online article and discuss the use of language by caretakers at home.
January 31	Code switching, Borrowing and Transfer. Bilingualism as individual and societal phenomena.	Foundations, pp. 86-91.
February 1	Do a Web search of your town's language groups. What percentage of your town is bilingual? Describe the percentage of immigrant and native American languages represented in your town/county.	Exercise #2: Immigrant and native American languages in your town/county/region.
February 5	Bilingualism and Cognition.	Foundations: pp. 117-128.
February 7	In-class discussion of bilingualism and intelligence.	Early research on bilingualism and societal misconceptions.
February 8	Assignment #2: Do study activity No.1 (p. 127). Prepare a three-page summary and attach copies of IQ tests used with bilingual children. Due: February 26. Visit government Web sites.	Consult data bases on the Web.
February 12	The bilingual brain. Where are different languages stored?	In-class discussion of the bilingual brain. Read handout.
February 14	The structure of the brain. Resources on the Web.	In-class Embedded Figures Test Exam.
February 15	Search the Linguist archives for a discussion of the July 1997 Nature article on the location of first and second languages in the brain.	Exercise #3: search the Linguist archives.
February 19	The Mind Series. Part 7.	Language and the Mind.
February 21	Languages in society: diglossia, language maintenance, language shift and death.	Foundations: pp. 34-49. In-class discussion: (1) Explain the difference between diglossia and bilingualism. (2) What are the major factors in language retention and language loss? Discuss the number of endangered languages and cases of language death.
February 22	Overview of second language learning, field dependence and field independence. Search the Linguist archives for brain locations in the brain.	Power Point presentation of Embedded Figures Test results.
February 26	Assignment #2 due. Language Revival and Reversal.	Foundations, pp. 52-74.
February 28	Critique Fishman's stages for reversing language shift. Explain the weaknesses in his model.	Discuss the number of endangered languages and cases of language death.
March 1	Search for the endangered languages of the world. Visit the National Clearinghouse on Bilingual Education. Prepare an outline of your proposed research project for bilingualism.	Working in groups of two/three, critique each other's outline. Prepare a one-page summary of your proposed project.
March 5 --11 SPRING RECESS
March 12	The Development of Bilingualism.	Read Attinasi & Pedraza's article (1981). Foundations, pp. 76-93.
March 14	Review and study questions: (i) Explain the difference between language acquisition and language learning. Give specific examples. (ii) Discuss the advantages and problems of children acting as interpreters.	Bring relevant articles to class.
March 15	First Online Exam.	Bring disk to save a copy of your exam. You may also e-mail me your answers.
March 19	Give specific examples of the 10 purposes of code switching.	Class discussion. Bring samples of code switching in poetry and literature.
March 21	University Day. Participate in University Day Events.
March 22	Investigating foreign language newsgroups on the Internet. Issues in Second Language Acquisition: Visit this online course. Optional assignment for extra credit (see guidelines).	Search for bilingual usenet groups. What is the connection between language and culture?
March 26	Second Language Acquisition. Definitions and Models.	Foundations, pp. 95-115.
March 28	Assignment #3 -- Do research on one of the following: (1) Age of arrival and second language acquisition. Do children learn faster and better than adults? Or (2) Audio- or Videotape an interview with a poor L2 learner and do the same with a successful L2 learner. What factors account for successful SLA learning strategies? (3) Audio or Videotape a child in the process of acquiring a second language. Define the stages of development, order of acquisition, and rate of achievement. See specific guidelines for this assignment.	Read Michael Long's seminal article (*Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 1991*). Find scholarly articles on successful vs. unsuccessful L2 acquisition. You will need to go to the Periodicals section and read articles in various SLA and bilingual journals.
March 29	Online search: Age or arrival and ultimate level of attainment. Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms.	Search the Web for scholarly sources.
April 2	Bilingualism and Thinking.	Foundations, pp. 129-143.
April 4	Bilingualism and Field Dependence vs. Field Independence.	Test measuring field dependence vs. field independence.
April 5	Exercise #4: Working in pairs, analyze and prepare charts summarizing the results of the field dependence vs. field independence group test.	Do your results support current research findings on field independence, analytic skills and SLA?
April 9	Cognitive Theories of Bilingualism.	Foundations, pp. 145-161.
April 11	Assignment #4: In your own words, explain the difference between BICS and CALPS. How valid is this distinction? Please give specific examples.	Class discussion. Assignment #4 due April 23.
April 12	The Politics of Bilingualism. Does Bilingual Education work?	Foundations, pp. 352-372.
April 16	In-class discussion of BICS and CALPS. How does this relate to bilingual education practices?	In-class discussion.
April 18	Read handouts for and against bilingualism. What is English PLUS?	Critique/react to handout on bilingualism.
April 19	English-only Policies. Find out which states have declared English as the Official Language. English-only policies.	Exercise #5: Based on course readings and online research, prepare an informed statement arguing for or against English as the Official Language.
April 23	Bilingual Education: Policies and Classroom Practices.	Foundations, pp. 162-198.
April 25	Review Chapters 6, 8, 9 & 18.	Overview of major concepts.
April 26	Second Online Exam.	E-mail or print your answers.
April 30	Language Development and Language Allocation in Bilingual Settings.	Foundations, pp. 200-249.
May 2	Take home exam.	Read chapters 10 and 11, and complete some of the exercises.
May 3	Reading Day. No Classes.
May 7-10	Week of finals. Exam due May 9.	How to write the Research Report.

Your grade will be calculated as follows: Attendance and classroom/cyberspace participation, 25%; completion of written (e-mail) assignments, online research and oral presentations; 35%; exams, 40%.