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An A-level in linguistics?

IoE October 2005

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Who are we?

• A working group of the HEFCE Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

A Chief Examiner for A-level Eng Lang

A teacher

Linguists

Applied linguists

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The educational context

• Schools teach Knowledge About Language (KAL) at all levels:

in English

in Foreign Languages

• Linguistics is already taught at school in other countries

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KAL in English

• KAL already includes parts of linguistics:– Grammar (word, sentence, text)– Variation

• QCA’s “English 21” inquiry allows fundamental rethinking

• A-level English Language thrives

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A Level English Language

• Successful and growing• Based on:

text stylisticsworking with language datacomposition

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Course Structure AQA B

1. Introduction: data-handling and text stylistics

2. Language and Social Context3. Original Writing4. Language Investigation Project5. Editorial Writing6. Language Development (Acquisition and

Change)

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2008 Course?

1. Introduction, Text Stylistics and Language and Social Context

2. Original Writing and/or Editorial Writing

3. Language Investigation

4. Language Development

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KAL in Foreign Languages

• Increased stress on understanding– How the target language works– How to learn a language

• Explicit links to KAL in English

• 213 specialist language colleges

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Other countries

The Linguistics Olympiads flourish.

• For secondary school students (age limit: 19)

• First International Olympiad: Moscow– Based on many years of local Olympiads

• Second: Bulgaria

• Third: The Netherlands– e.g. ....

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E.g. Lithuanian diminutivesarklys arklelis horse

degtukas degtukélis match

juosta ? ribbon

merga ? girl

obuolys obuolélis apple

+ 11 more

Task 1. Fill the gaps.Task 2. What can you say about the pronunciation of uo in Lithuanian? Explain.

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The pedagogical case (1)

Linguistics combines:• analysis (e.g. Lithuanian diminutives)• frameworks (e.g. Int Phonetic Alphabet)• knowledge (e.g. how languages vary)It is:• interesting for many• challenging for the gifted• applicable for the competent

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The pedagogical case (2)

Linguistics will complement other A-level language subjects:

• Foreign languages

• English language

by focusing on:

• structure

• cross-language comparison

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2. The Modules

• Four modules – which could form an independent A level (AS

+ A2) or fit into a diploma

• Focus – active data collection and analysis, – comparing different languages. – develop a ‘toolkit’ of techniques for

investigating language– looking at a number of languages

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The Modules

1. Investigating Language

2. Structure in Language

3. Variation in Language

4. Language Research Project

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Module 1: Investigating Language

Main aims:• introduces language and language study

– what language is and ways of studying it• prepares for modules 2 and 3Topics include:• language evolution/change/families, typology,

variation, acquisition• methods, data, analysis• analytical frameworks

– sounds, word-structure, sentence-structure, meaning, lexis, texts

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Module 2: Structure in Language

Main aims:• exploring language structures• comparing structural patterns across

languagesTopics include:• typologies of: writing, sound, morphology,

syntax, meanings and texts• technical apparatus needed for each of

these areas

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Module 3: Variation in Language

Main aims:• exploring variation

– in specific languages and across languages• looking at language change and the effects of contact

– between speakers of different varieties

Topics include:• standard languages and local varieties• characteristics of contact varieties• multingualism and the status of minority languages• the doctrine of ‘correct’ language• patterns of linguistic change• register and formality

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Example Activities

Investigating linguistic behaviour:Students explore and record facts about the linguistic behaviour of themselves or people close to them, e.g. exploring how and/or why speakers switch between different varieties and issues relating to language contact

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Textual analysis and comparison:

Students look at particular texts and identify features within them which are significant in terms of what they tell us about the nature of language, or which illustrate differences between different types of language, e.g. about what counts as polite in different varieties, about differences between speech and writing, about differences between different genres

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Cross-linguistic comparison:

Students analyse a data-set from an unfamiliar language illustrating some aspect of its phonology, morphology or syntax, leading to students supplying specified translations

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Module 4: Language Research Project

Main aims:• applying methods and knowledge to a

topic and focus of their own choice• experience of research including:

– generating research questions, methodology, ethics and confidentiality, supervision and writing in academic genres

• Any topic• 2,000-4,000 word report

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Language Research Project

• Similar to the module in use in A Level English Language since 1985 (see http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/engLaB.html)

• Linguistics A Level topics are more likely to include comparisons between varieties and between languages, with a greater attention given to descriptions of language forms and structures.

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Sample topics for The Language Research Project

1. An investigation into the lexical and grammatical features of a Hong Kong Cantonese mother tongue speaker in her use of English in service encounters in a Bristol Chinese Takeaway.

2. An investigation into the reported hearing of and use of the so-called Bristol L feature among a sample of Sixth Form Students and their families.

3. An investigation of the contemporary understanding and use of the word ‘cordial’ by comparison with its dictionary-defined meanings.

4. An investigation of code switching behaviour in a bilingual Bristol Sikh family.

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4. Language in Scottish Schools: the political context

1. National Statement for Improving Attainment in Literacy in Schools, and investment in MFL teaching in Scottish primary schools

2. The 3 – 18 Curriculum for Excellence and the relationship between English and MFL

3. Increased dialogue between academics and SEED

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LiSS: the educational context

1. Scottish and UK qualifications: Standard Grades and Highers vs. GCSEs and A-levels.

2. Recent(ish) reforms: the Advanced Higher• The Advanced Higher does provide the

opportunity for a focus on linguistic issues• Uptake is very low: why is that?

– Teachers lack resources.– No embedding of this subject in earlier years.– Students aren’t interested: language is boring, and

only the study of literature matters.

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A Higher in Language?

1. A-levels: English Language ≠ Linguistics2. Higher in Language and the Scottish context

(e.g. Culture Commission report promoting An Institute for the Languages of Scotland)

3. Possible modules: How language works Language and communities in contemporary

Scotland The evolution of Scotland’s languages Analyzing Scottish texts Personal investigation/portfolio

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Initiatives: CLASS

Committee for Language Awareness in Scottish Schools

Meetings held at University of Edinburgh Made up of academics, teachers, writers,

educationalists interested in language, broadly defined

Seeking to raise the profile of KAL in Scottish schools

Teachers keen to promote KAL are vital, so we decided to host an …

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Initiatives: Information Day

… Information Day for teachers2 September 2005Widely publicised, thanks to Scottish CiLT

and The ScotsmanAround 70 delegates from all over

ScotlandSpeakers ranged from CEO of SQA to

award winning Scots novelists