A Conceptual Framework for Promoting Linguistic and Educational Change

Abstract

We provide a conceptual framework for promoting linguistic and educational change by describing partnerships that bring together linguists’ and educators’ views on language and school success. From fall 2008 through fall 2010, we held workshops based on the professional development principles of co‐constructed knowledge, experiential learning, and collaboration with approximately 200 educators. These workshops integrated sociolinguistic information into approaches to multicultural education with which educators were familiar. Fourteen educators participated in our study of how they integrated workshop material into their pedagogy and their views on language variation and education. Data collected from interviews with the participants, reflective essays, journal entries, and curricular materials revealed three themes. The educators expressed the need to view language as a key component of multicultural education, the need to bring the perspective on language awareness back to their schools and classrooms, and the realization that knowledge of language variation was critical to assessing linguistically and culturally diverse student populations. We advocate for building collaborative partnerships between educators and linguists that integrate cultural and linguistic knowledge. Such partnerships expand linguists’ and educators’ knowledge base about language and culture and enable linguists and educators to work more effectively to address educational issues facing culturally and linguistically diverse student populations.

Overview of Professional Education of Linguistics Students at Universities of Great Britain

“…We fully agree with the statement that one must build -collaborative partnerships between educators and linguists that integrate cultural and linguistic knowledge‖ (Mallinson, Hudley, Strickling, & Figa, 2011). Based on the analysed features of degree programmes in linguistics at leading British universities, it is clear that programme developers have taken into account extralingual and intralingual factors, challenges of linguistic globalisation, strategic guidelines of the information space, problems of linguistic ecology and language policy, rapid development of communication technologies in all sectors of society (Lancaster University, 2016; Manchester Metropolitan University, 2017; Newcastle University, 2017).…”

“…First of all, we have analysed the findings by such scholars as Anderson (2011), Borsley andIngham (2002), Mallinson, Hudley, Strickling andFiga (2011), Mansell (2011). Of great significance is Hudson's paper -Why education needs linguistics‖ (2004), since the author is a British leading scientist who has provided profound insights into the issue of the role of linguistics as an academic discipline.…”

Expanding our Reach and Theirs: When Linguists go to High School

“…Indeed, Hudson (2007) showed how linguistics positively affected secondary school curricula in England. In related work, Mallinson, Hudley, Strickling, and Figa (2011) emphasize the value of building partnerships with educators and helping to address educational issues specific to culturally and linguistically diverse populations of students while bringing linguistics into the education system.…”

Partnering Through Science: Developing Linguistic Insight to Address Educational Inequality for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in U.S. STEM Education

“…To achieve these research and applied goals requires sustained partnerships between linguists and STEM educators. By 'partnerships', we refer specifically to collaborations between linguists and educators working together to integrate knowledge of language, literacy, and culture into pedagogy to promote educational equality (Mallinson, Charity Hudley, Strickling and Figa 2011). Building on our previous and ongoing work with educators and as part of a 3-year research study funded by the National Science Foundation Charity Hudley 2011-2014), we have been working with K-12 STEM educators primarily in Maryland and Virginia to explore predominant norms, attitudes, and beliefs about language standards and language variation in STEM education and to determine how linguistically and educationally informed strategies can positively impact the teaching and assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students.…”