120226 SE MA Seminar - Focus: Applied Linguistics / Linguistics Seminar (2021S)

Title: Conformity and Creativity: Learner English and English as a Lingua Franca

There is usually a distinction made between the language that learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) produce in pedagogical contexts and that of users of English employing English as a lingua franca (ELF) as a means of communication with speakers of other languages in naturally-occurring contexts for purposes such as work, study or leisure.
In this seminar, we will explore the similarities and differences between these two 'kinds of English' as they occur in speaking and writing. Can ‘learning’ and ‘using’ English really be kept so separate, or should they be thought of as aspects of the same process of exploiting the meaning-making potential inherent in the language? We will investigate the degrees of conformity to Standard English in learner English and ELF interactions and the extent in which learners and users exploit the resources of the language in creative ways by examining specific examples. We shall make reference to various data sources (such as corpora) and consider what kinds of processes these help us investigate, and how they prompt us to reflect on the differences of orientation towards the data and the purposes we want these corpora to serve. We will also discuss potential implications of findings that emerge from research into learner English and ELF for the teaching of English and for teacher education.
Seminar participants will develop an understanding of the phenomena of learner language and lingua franca communication and theoretical approaches to studying these. They will become familiar with topics and findings of research in these areas and, above all, encouraged to critically reflect on these. By undertaking their own small-scale empirical projects, students will gain informed insights into the nature of these phenomena, use appropriate methods for investigating them, and evaluate the relevance their findings may have for their understanding of the learning and use of English in today's globalized world.
This seminar combines lecturer input, on- and offline assignments, reading-based group work and discussions, and individual research work leading to student presentations and seminar papers.
In the first phase of the seminar, we shall engage in some shared reading and discussion of key texts and get familiar with selected corpora. Participants will then be able to design their own projects, and will discuss their ideas and findings both during the weekly sessions as well as at the seminar conference. This seminar conference will be held on Friday, June 11th (14.00-20.00) & Saturday, June 12th (9.00-14.00) concurrently with that of Prof. Ritt’s. In exchange for time spent at the seminar conference a number of regular seminar sessions in May and June will not be held.