Classroom Language Policy

Wherever there is language, there are language policies. These can be as explicit as official languages of a given state, or as implicit as not, for example, swearing in front of one’s parents. The policy situation in classrooms is unique, and simultaneously enacts overt and covert policies which must be navigated by teachers and students alike. This seminar will cover how language policies are enacted in classrooms of all levels, and across contexts. It will begin with a strong theoretical background before branching off to interrogate key questions and concepts. Is it, for example, acceptable to speak one’s native language at school, if it differs from the language spoken by the rest of one’s peers? How does one go about teaching in a minority language? As these questions are not hypothetical for many people, and indeed can entirely change a student’s perception of their education, the mandatory readings and short assignments will be supplemented with guest lectures from individuals with real-life experience in local and international classroom contexts.