2011, Volume 5, Issue 3https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371032024-03-28T11:05:08Z2024-03-28T11:05:08ZEditorial : Multiple localities and the energizing English in language education policiesPöyhönen, SariSaarinen, Tainahttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371112018-05-17T03:34:20Z2011-12-19T09:08:52ZEditorial : Multiple localities and the energizing English in language education policies
Pöyhönen, Sari; Saarinen, Taina
2011-12-19T09:08:52ZEnglish as a lingua franca – a native-culture-free code? Language of communication vs. language of identificationFiedler, Sabinehttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371102018-05-17T03:34:18Z2011-12-19T09:03:24ZEnglish as a lingua franca – a native-culture-free code? Language of communication vs. language of identification
Fiedler, Sabine
English has become the dominant means of international communication. Its non-native
speakers now far outnumber the conventional native speakers in the UK, the USA, Canada
etc. Against this background, a number of authors have recently stressed the functions for
which foreign languages are learned. They make a distinction between a ‘language of
communication’ and a ‘language of identification’. The terms, which were coined by the
German applied linguist Werner Hüllen (1992), have recently been popularised in the
context of English as a lingua franca. English, it is said, can be used as a language of
communication without necessarily being a language of identification. As it is used for
practical communicative purposes, correctness and particular stylistic features associated
with the speech community from which it originates are of lesser importance. Recent
developments in European language policy seem to be focused in the same direction with
the proposal that the EU should advocate the idea of a “personal adoptive language”. This
language should be freely chosen by every European and it should be “different from his or
her language of identity, and also different from his or her language of international
communication” (Maalouf 2008). The paper examines the use of the terms ‘language of
communication’ and ‘language of identification’ in the literature and challenges the
existence of the dichotomy with regard to the English language as it is used today. Focusing
on phraseology (i.e. idiomatic phrases and pre-fabricated speech), the article shows a
number of language practices that are used by non-native speakers of English to display
identity.
2011-12-19T09:03:24ZLanguage Education Policy in England : Is English the elephant in the room?Lanvers, Ursulahttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371092018-05-17T03:34:22Z2011-12-19T08:57:59ZLanguage Education Policy in England : Is English the elephant in the room?
Lanvers, Ursula
This paper offers a critical review of language education policies and the state of language
education in England over the last decade (2000-2010), which has been characterised by a
bewildering array of initiatives to promote language learning, year-on-year improved
grades of school exams, and language education policies showing little coherence.
Conversely, both media and student voices on the subject of language learning in the UK
reveal high awareness of the UK’s poor performance relative to other EU countries. This
picture is interpreted within the context of Global English, proposing that a tacit
assumption that English is enough offers a coherent explanation of current practices and
policies. Citing economic, cultural and political arguments, the conclusion illustrates the
costs to the UK of this dangerous assumption and proposes some strategies that might help
to counter complacency towards language learning in the UK.
2011-12-19T08:57:59ZThe role of languages at Finnish universitiesYlönen, SabineKivelä, Marihttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371082018-05-17T03:34:14Z2011-12-19T08:52:34ZThe role of languages at Finnish universities
Ylönen, Sabine; Kivelä, Mari
The promotion of multilingualism is one of the objectives of the European Union. However,
in academic contexts, internationalisation and multilingual expertise are often understood
as using English as a medium in teaching, research, tutoring and administrative
communication. To explore the role of different languages at Finnish universities, an online
survey was conducted in November – December 2009 among their staff, with 3605
respondents across disciplines and occupational groups. In this paper, we will present some
of the results focussing on the following questions: How important are different languages
considered in a university working environment? What are the language skills and use of
the Finnish university personnel? Why languages other than English ought to be used?
The results show that 92.8 % of the respondents judged different languages as very
important or important but the majority highlighted the importance of English. English
and Finnish were used by almost all staff members, whereas Swedish was known by 92.6%
but used by only 73%. The second most important foreign language was German with
75.4% knowing but only 48.3% using it. The languages of Somalis, Thais, Iraqis and
Turks that form the largest immigrant groups were known and used very seldom. Older
staff members and higher professional groups used a greater number of languages than
younger and other occupational groups. An important argument for the use of foreign
languages other than English was their being a “resource for scientific research” in keeping
with the socio-cultural nature of science. Today, internationalisation and multilingualism
seem to contradict: the more important internationalisation has become, the more English
rules the academic world. The plurilingual potential of Finland’s university staff members
could be used to extend and intensify multilingual practices with the help of strategic
decisions, for example language policies, on the European, national, and university level.
2011-12-19T08:52:34ZSubaltern Agency and Language Education Policy: Implementing a language policy for on the groundLaoire, Muiris ÓRigg, ClareGeorgiou, Vasilikihttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371062018-05-17T03:34:16Z2011-12-19T08:37:24ZSubaltern Agency and Language Education Policy: Implementing a language policy for on the ground
Laoire, Muiris Ó; Rigg, Clare; Georgiou, Vasiliki
The focus in this paper is on the implementation of language policy in education. It explores
and discusses the notion of subaltern agency in an education organization. Recent language
policy research highlights individual and collective agency in the processes of language use,
attitudes and policies. People on the ground, charged with implementation are not the
passive receivers of policies or the vague resistors once depicted in research accounts,
referring to public body practitioners, but social actors who can exercise subaltern agency.
The aim is to show that language policies are not merely implemented, but are actually
shaped on the ground. Examples of subaltern agency from a case study of the Official
Languages Act Ireland (2003) are explored.
Keywords: language policy, agency, subaltern
2011-12-19T08:37:24ZThe National Bilingual Programme in Colombia: Imposition or Opportunity?de Mejía, Anne-Mariehttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/371042018-05-17T03:34:24Z2011-12-19T07:09:40ZThe National Bilingual Programme in Colombia: Imposition or Opportunity?
de Mejía, Anne-Marie
The National Bilingual Programme, created by the Colombian Ministry of Education in
2004, offers all students in the county the possibility of becoming bilingual in English
and Spanish as part of a vision of increased productivity in a globalised world. However,
the language and education policies promoted within this framework tend to foreground
the development of English at the expense of bilingual competence in Spanish and
English. This bilingual policy has been strongly criticised by several Colombian
academics with regard to what they consider as the imposition in the Colombian context
of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the disregard of local
knowledge and expertise in informing glocal perspectives, as well as the exclusion of other
types of bilingualism (in other foreign languages and in the indigenous and Creole
languages spoken in the country). This article will present key aspects of the ongoing
debate in Colombia. It will argue that the exclusive emphasis on one type of bilingualism
does not do justice to the many different forms of bilingualism and multilingualism
present in the country. However, in addition to being an imposition, we will maintain
that the National Bilingual Programme could be harnessed as an opportunity to promote
a more inclusive vision of bilingualism, alongside the focus on increased national
prosperity.
2011-12-19T07:09:40Z