EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS

Education 341

Winter 2001, room 200-30M

John Baugh

 

Preface: Limited class meetings and optional guest lecture:

Due to an accident of scheduling, the first meeting of this course will take place on January 22, which coincides with the inauguration of Dean Deborah Stipek for the School of Education. I would therefore like to postpone our first meeting until after the inauguration (i.e., 5: 30 on Jan. 22).

Due to the Observance of President's Day on February 19, students enrolled in Ed. 341 are invited to attend Ed. 209 (The politics of Language Education; Speaker: Stefan Rosenzweig: Director of the San Francisco branch of the United States Office of Civil Rights (4:15 to 7PM, Room 200-30M) His lecture will focus on legal matters pertaining to the education of language minority students and African Americans throughout the United States.

 

Introduction:

The field of sociolinguistics has changed considerably during the past 40 years. Many of the studies that fall within a broad conceptualization of sociolinguistics have direct or indirect relevance to education. The goal of this course is two-fold: we offer a broad introduction to linguistic studies with educational relevance, and we tailor this discussion to student research interests.

 

Readings do not presume an extensive background in linguistics, nor do they presume extensive familiarity with language minority populations, sociology, or educational policies and practices that pertain to linguistically diverse populations of students &endash; and their teachers. Required texts for this course provide alternative perspectives into educational applications of sociolinguistics.

 

The course culminates with individual (or group) presentations and a term paper on a topic that has been selected in consultation with John Baugh. The term paper will be described in an abstract, that will also be distributed electronically to other students enrolled in the class (see schedule below). The ultimate goal is to provide graduate students with opportunities to integrate educational applications of sociolinguistics into their personal research or other professional interests.

 

Requirements and Assignments:

Individual (or group) research topics will result in additional reading that is tailored to the study in question. As such, different methods, procedures, and related literature, will vary from student-to-student, and group-to-group. However, broad dissemination of our efforts will ensure breadth of intellectual exposure while serving to advance students' personal research objectives.

 

Each of the following assignments will be discussed more fully during class meetings:

A) Term paper Abstract (1-to-2 pages) 10% of the final grade

A one-to-two page description of the term paper should include identification of the topic and a brief description of the types and sources of evidence that will inform the term paper. All papers should include implications for education and/or future research. Due February 5

 

B) Annotated Reviews (2-3 page typed) 15% of the final grade

A two-to-three page annotated review of a significant piece of sociolinguistic research that pertains to education will be completed for your term paper topic. The choice of reading should not be drawn from those assigned for this course. The review is due on February 19.

 

C) 12 - 15 page term paper 45% of the final grade

A 12-15 page term paper on a topic selected in consultation with John Baugh will be the major assignment for the course. This will be the primary topic, and one of the annotated bibliographies will correspond to the selected topic.

Due March 22.

 

D) Class Presentation 30% of the final grade

An individual (or group) presentation pertaining to the primary topic should be composed of a 20-minute lecture, followed by 5 minutes of discussion. Groups of students will be allocated additional time based on the number of participants. The oral presentation may, but need not, correspond to the term paper topic. March 5 or March 12.

 

Schedule:

Early Reading: Prior to January 22

Due to the Observance of Martin Luther King, class will not be held on January 15. Students who read this are encouraged to read two or more of the following articles that provide nontechnical insights into the relationship between language, intelligence, race, and education.

Readings:

Robert D. King. Should English be law?

William Labov: Academic Ignorance and Black Intelligence

Claude Steele: Race and the Schooling of Black Americans

Howard Gardner: Who owns Intelligence?

Barbara Wallraff: What Global Language?

 

January 22: Sociolinguistics and Education: Discuss other logistics

Mestrie:

Chapter 10 Critical Sociolinguistics: Approaches to Language and Power

Chapter 11 Sociolinguistics and Education

Chapter 12 Language Planning and Policy

 

Corson

Chapter 5 Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education

 

January 29: Gender, Language, and Education: Group formation and topic selection

Required Reading:

Corson:

Chapter 6 Gender and Discourse Norms

 

Mestrie

Chapter 7 Gender and Language Use

Optional Reading

Linn:

Chapter 18 Rudolf P. Gaudio, "Sounding Gay: Pitch Properties in the Speech of Gay and Straight Men.

Chapter 19 Jenny Cheshire, "The Relationship between language and Sex in English."

Chapter 20 Deborah Tannen, "The Relativity of Linguistic Strategies: Rethinking Power and Solidarity in Gender and Dominance

 

February 5: Language Contact (ABSRACTS DUE)

Required Reading:

Mestrie:

Chapter 9 Pidgins, Creoles, and 'New Englishes'

 

Corson

Chapter 4 Non-Standard Varieties

 

February 12: Expanding educational considerations

Required Reading:

Corson

Chapter 1 Language in Social Life and Education

Chapter 2 Language, power, and Social Justice in Education

Chapter 7 Research Methods for Language Diversity and Education

 

Mestrie:

Chapter 1 Clearing the Ground: Basic Issues, Concepts and Approaches

Chapter 5: Joan Swann, "Language Choice and Code-switching."

 

February 19->21: President's Day//Optional guest Lecture

Please note above that students enrolled in Ed. 341 may attend the lecture by Stefan Rosenzweig on February 21, which will have direct relevance to this class. Optional readings will be suggested. (4:15-7pm, Room 200- 30M).

 

February 26: Student coordination meetings

As students prepare for individual and group presentations, this gathering will allow students to discuss and coordinate final logistics for presentations that will occur on March 5 and 12. The main goal of this discussion will be to iron out specific details, but it will be conducted within the context of full class participation, thereby providing access to others who may share similar ideas, questions, or concerns.

 

March 5: Student Presentations

Students will make individual or group presentations on topics previously approved in consultation with John Baugh

 

March 12: Student Presentations

Students will make individual or group presentations on topics previously approved in consultation with John Baugh

March 22: Submit final papers to jbaugh@stanford.edu (by word file or PDF) by 5PM.

 

Assigned Texts (Required)

Corson, David. (2000) Language Diversity and Education. Lawrence Earlbaum.

Mesthrie, Rajend (et. al.) (eds). (2000) Introducing Sociolinguistics

 

Optional Text (Not required)

 

Linn, Michael. (ed.) (1998) Handbook of Dialects and Language Variation (Second Edition). San Diego: Academic Press.

 

Office Hours:

Sign-up sheets can be found outside of my office. If these times are difficult please contact me for a special appointment.

 

Monday 3:00 to 4:00 Cubberley Hall 323

Weds. 7:15 to 8:15 Cubberley Hall 323

phone: 650) 725-1249

email: jbaugh@leland Phone: 725-1249


**NOTICE FOR STUDENTS WITH DOCUMENTED DISABILITIES**

"Students with documented disabilities: Students who have a disability which may necessitate an academic accommodation or the use of auxiliary aids and services in a class must initiate the request with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend appropriate accommodations, and prepare a verification letter dated in the current academic term in which the requests being made. Please contact the DRC as soon as possible; timely notice is needed to arrange for appropriate accommodations. The DRC is located at 123 Meyer Library (phone 723-1066; TDD 725-1067)."


No incomplete grades will be given. Final course grades will be assigned based on work that is completed by the last day of the quarter.

 

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