Rationale
Over the last decade the number of multilingual students within schools has risen significantly, which has major implications for the education system and education practitioners. This course will enhance students’ awareness of the impact of multilingualism in mainstream educational settings in relation to language, culture and identity, and will develop students’ knowledge of the relationship between learning English for non-native speakers and wider educational outcomes. This course aims to develop students’ understanding of multilingualism and the needs of multilingual students within educational settings in order to support and enhance classroom practice.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course students will be expected to:

i.    Identify the theoretical underpinnings of language acquisition, literacy development and learning theory, drawing upon local and international research findings.
ii.    Explore current national legislation and language policy and the impact this has on the learning opportunities for multilingual students.
iii.   Examine recent national data to ascertain the patterns of achievement for multilingual students across the curriculum.
iv.   Identify issues for multilingual students in relation to cultural and linguistic identity, both at home and at school, and examine how this may impact L2 learning and academic achievement.
v.   Apply effective strategies for the teaching and assessment of multilingual students across different educational phases.
vi.   Analyse the impact of using mother tongue in the early learning years.