Nearly half the world's people are bilingual, but many have no clear understanding of what--aside from being fluent in more than one language--bilingualism means. This lively introduction by linguist Penelope Gardner-Chloros covers everything a bilingual (or curious monolingual) individual might want to know. The book discusses how bilingualism…

South Africa is a country characterised by great linguistic diversity. Large indigenous languages, such as isiZulu and isiXhosa, are spoken by many millions of people, as well as the languages with European roots, such as Afrikaans and English, which are spoken by several millions and used by many more in daily life. This situation provides a…

This book offers an evidence-based guide to EAL for everyone who works with multilingual learners. It provides a concise, helpful introduction to the latest research underpinning three key areas of EAL practice: (1) How children acquire additional languages? (2) How language works across the curriculum? and (3) How you can establish outstanding…

This multidisciplinary collection examines the connections between education, migration and translation across school and higher education sectors, and a broad range of socio-geographical contexts. Organised around the themes of knowledge, language, mobility, and practice, it brings together studies from around the world to offer a timely critique…

This book calls for critical adaptations when theories of bilingual education, based on practices in the North, are applied to the countries of the global South. For example, it challenges the assumption that transitional models necessarily lead to language shift and cultural assimilation. Taking an ethnographically-based narrative on the purpose…

The fifth edition of this bestselling book provides a comprehensive introduction to bilingualism and bilingual education. In a compact and clear style, its 19 chapters cover all the crucial issues in bilingualism at individual, group and national levels. These include: (1) defining who is bilingual and multilingual; (2) testing language abilities…

Grounded in state-of-the-art research, this book explores how English language learners develop both the oral language and literacy skills necessary for school success. Chapters examine the cognitive bases of English acquisition, and how the process is different for children from alphabetic (such as Spanish) and nonalphabetic (such as Chinese)…

The theme of this book cuts across disciplines. Contributors to this volume are specialized in education and especially classroom research as well as in linguistics, most being transdisciplinary themselves. Around 65 sub-Saharan languages figure in this volume as research objects: as means of instruction, in connection with teacher training,…

This book contains 15 essays on the relation of language to ethnicity, race, and culture. Although a wide variety of topics are covered, much of the discussion is intended to contribute to an understanding of the Western "ethnic revival" of the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s and the sociology of language in general. Chapter titles are: (1) "Language,…

This introduction to sociolinguistics is presented in four parts. The first part gives an overview of this branch of language study, its scope and principles of inquiry, and its basic and key concepts. This portion is written for individuals with no prior knowledge or expertise in the subject. Topics covered in this section include: the nature of…

This edited volume covers the language situation in Nepal, Taiwan, and Sweden, explaining the linguistic diversity, the place of minorities and their languages, the historical and political contexts, and the current language situation, including language-in-education planning, the role of the media, the role of religion, and the roles of…

Six essays on the links between official languages and the economy in Canada include: "An Economic Analysis of Language" (Albert Breton); "The Economics of Language in a Virtually Integrated Global Economy" (Richard G. Harris); "Speak and Ye Shall Receive: Language Knowledge as Human Capital" (Krishna Pendakur, Ravi…

This pamphlet is a report of a study of motivation among adults learning Welsh in Wales. It is claimed that the situations in which a language is likely to be used and the linguistic aim of the learners should be taken into consideration when the nature of the vocabulary to be included in a second language course is determined. Recent research…

This study examined the problems of bilingualism among 28 Iranian students in Swedish schools, focusing on sociocultural influences of the majority culture on the minority group and their effects on the students' perceptions and educational outcomes. The students and 35 native-language teachers were observed and interviewed in their work contexts…

Starting from the perspective that bilingualism is an asset, the book describes approaches and strategies for schools to adopt that support and develop the skills of bilingual learners. A theoretical framework and research on which it is based are outlined, and suggestions are made for classroom strategies and procedures. The first chapter…