LSMLAM: Language and Migration

Module code: LSMLAM

Module provider: English Language and Applied Linguistics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Tony Capstick, email: tony.capstick@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to equip students with the theoretical and analytical tools to analyze the role of language in different forms of migration. It enables students to reflect critically on language and power in economic migration and forced migration and encourages students to identify the role of language in broader debates about the impact of migration on national and international policies such as international development, global security and education. Students will learn how to apply their findings to the way language is used in the media and education and how this effects our understandings of asylum, immigration and social cohesion.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Develop knowledge of the key theories of sociolinguistics, education studies and discourse analysis relevant to the analysis of migration. These include linguistic ethnography, New Literacy Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis
2. Use approaches from critical multilingualism to analyse authentic texts, conversations and social practices in order to identify how migrants use language in their migration trajectories as well as how migrants are constructed in a range of settings such as in the media, in international agencies such as the EU and the UN, and on social media;
3. Conduct research on language and new migration using a variety of text based and ethnographic approaches to the ethical collection, selection and analysis of data from naturally occurring language use;
4. Apply the findings from research on language and migration to discussions and debates about the effects of migration on education and literacy, immigration and integration policy, globalisation, and social and economic equality.

Module content

The module has 10 core topics:

• Why language and migration?
• Multilingualism
• Language learning and migration
• Displacement
• Language online
• Transnationalism
• Linguistic Ethnography
• Climate change and migration
• Conducting multilingual classroom research
• Teaching English as an Additional Language

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is delivered through interactive lectures in which content delivery is interspersed with group activities on set tasks and discussions.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs