Search results for "ta612"

University language policies : How does Finnish constitutional bilingualism meet the needs for internationalisation in English?

2018

In this article, we discuss the position of Finnish constitutional bilingualism in higher education in the context of internationalisation in English, by focusing on two universities: one dominantly monolingual (Finnish), one dominantly bilingual (Finnish–Swedish); in addition, both teach in English. This article investigates how discourses around language choices (language policy documents, selected staff and student interviews) construe these universities as monolingual, bilingual or trilingual, and what these discourses say about the universities as organisations themselves. Results suggest that, although lack of clarity remains regarding language choices in many practical situations, Fi…

Introduction to the special issue: On the transgressive nature of translanguaging pedagogies

2018

As translanguaging gains traction in language education, its political and ideological implications are becoming central considerations to researchers and practitioners. In this introductory article to the special issue, “Translingual and Multilingual Pedagogies” for the EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages, we provide a conceptual point of departure on the notion of translanguaging by revisiting Li Wei’s (2011) threefold description of its prefix trans- (i.e., transcending, transformative, transdisciplinary), which we expand by adding a new definitional element, transgressive, to reflect our understanding of translanguaging as politically charged and disruptive by virt…

Perceived similarity between written Estonian and Finnish : Strings of letters or morphological units?

2017

The distance or similarity between two languages can be objective or actual, i.e. discoverable by the tools and methods of linguists, or perceived by users of the languages. In this article two methods, the Levenshtein Distance (LD), which purports to measure the objective distance, and the Index of Perceived Similarity (IPS), which quantifies language users’ perceptions, are compared. The data are the quantitative results of a test measuring conscious perceptions of similarity between Estonian and Finnish inflectional morphology by Finnish and Estonian native speakers (‘Finns’ and ‘Estonians’) with no knowledge of and exposure to the other (‘target’) language. The results show that Finns s…

Multimodal conversation analysis and CLIL classroom practices

2017

This chapter introduces multimodal Conversation Analysis (CA) as a research framework for CLIL classroom interaction. We begin by presenting key methodological principles of CA and discussing how CA has recently broadened its analytical focus to examine how modalities such as gestures and texts are used as resources for interaction. Following this, we review recent (multimodal) CA work that has investigated teaching and learning practices in classrooms involving second language users, such as in CLIL and immersion settings. To illustrate the described methodological orientation, we briefly analyse one video-recorded interaction and conclude by suggesting research areas related to CLIL class…

Emerging themes, future research directions

2017

Literacy programs efficacy for developing children’s early reading skills in familiar language in Zambia

2018

This study investigated the comparative efficacy of a phonics-based reading program and a language experience approach based literacy program to develop reading skills among Zambian early childhood school learners. The learners (n = 1 986; Grade 2 level; females = 50.1%) took either the phonics-based reading program (n = 1 593) or the alternative language experience approach based program (n = 393). They were all assessed for reading skills utilising the Early Grade Reading Assessment test (EGRA) in four languages (Cinyanja, Icibemba, Kiikaonde, and Silozi). Results suggest that learners in phonics-based literacy program were significantly better in letter-sound knowledge in all the four la…

Relationship Between the Linguistic Environments and Early Bilingual Language Development of Hearing Children in Deaf-parented Families

2013

We explored variation in the linguistic environments of hearing children of Deaf parents and how it was associated with their early bilingual language development. For that purpose we followed up the children's productive vocabulary (measured with the MCDI; MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory) and syntactic complexity (measured with the MLU10; mean length of the 10 longest utterances the child produced during videorecorded play sessions) in both Finnish Sign Language and spoken Finnish between the ages of 12 and 30 months. Additionally, we developed new methodology for describing the linguistic environments of the children (N = 10). Large variation was uncovered in both the amount…

Electrophysiological correlates of cross-linguistic semantic integration in hearing signers : N400 and LPC

2014

We explored semantic integration mechanisms in native and non-native hearing users of sign language and non-signing controls. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants performed a semantic decision task for priming lexeme pairs. Pairs were presented either within speech or across speech and sign language. Target-related ERP responses were subjected to principal component analyses (PCA), and neurocognitive basis of semantic integration processes were assessed by analyzing the N400 and the late positive complex (LPC) components in response to spoken (auditory) and signed (visual) antonymic and unrelated targets. Semantically-related effects triggered across modali…

The Lupa Romana in the Roman provinces

2014

The she-wolf with the twins, Romulus and Remus, was identified as a symbol of Rome by both the Romans themselves and nations under the Roman rule. In this essay I will discuss the Lupa Romana in Roman provincial art. I will present various visual representations of the she-wolf both in the public use and in objects related to private life, and analyze the she-wolf’s symbolic meaning.The Lupa Romana was an iconic scene that was not used randomly in provincial art. It represented in the first place the idea of romanitas, being Roman. In some cases the use of the symbol could have been in consequence of instructions from Rome itself or from provincial authorities that depended on Rome, but in …

Sylvén, L. K. (2019). Investigating Content and Language Integrated Learning. Insights from Swedish High Schools. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters

2019

This volume presents a three-year research project on Content and Language Integration in Swedish Schools (CLISS). CLISS particularly focused on sciences and economics programs in senior high schools (Grades 10-12; 245 participants), which intended to prepare students for higher education. Divided into five sections, the book explores the language, rather than content, side of CLIL. The volume starts with background information concerning CLISS and CLIL in Sweden. The following four sections of the book concern assessment and motivation (Chapters 4-5); English vocabulary, reading comprehension and exposure to English (Chapters 6-9); students’ L1 proficiency and development through CLIL (Cha…