Course Syllabus

 

English(es) in the World and the World in English(es): Policy, Pedagogy, and Practice

 

Instructor: Nancy Bou Ayash

Email: nbayash@uw.edu

Class Time: TTh 12:30-2:20

Class Location: LOW 216

Virtual Office Hours: Th 10:00-12:00pm and by appointment

Personal Room Link:  https://washington.zoom.us/my/bouayash

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Course Description

This course explores how and why major historical, sociopolitical, and economic developments have led to the spread of English as a world language and the subsequent emergence of new global Englishes, while simultaneously refashioningexistent local languages, and transforming communicative patterns in different parts of the world.  Drawing on a wide range of real textual artifacts, data, and examples (such as email correspondence, social media exchanges, speech transcripts, newspaper clips, hip hop lyrics, shop signs, advertisements, etc.), we will examine the complexity ofestablished and emerging Englishes in diverse geographical locations in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. By pursuing comparative explorations of various Englishes, we will closely interrogate how these unique ways of using English shape and are shaped by locally specific influences of social, political, ideological and linguistic relations.  Toward the end of the quarter, we will also examine how such issues connected to world Englishes help us to (re)conceptualize how we teach and learn English as a global language, and thereby to complicate issues related to Standard English norms and the native-English speaker (NES)/ nonnative-English speaker (NNES) dichotomy. In this sense, we will be deliberating over what constitutes best pedagogical and assessment practices that are practical for and responsive to the growing number of users and learners of English all over the world.

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Syllabus

• You can access a pdf or word doc version of the course syllabus here.

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How to navigate this Canvas site

• Find links to course readings under our course Files.
• Submit assignments using the "Assignments" link in the left sidebar
• Scroll down for resources and materials relevant to a particular week.

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WEEK 1

• Tuesday 1/3: In-class freewriting activity.

• Thursday 1/5: Class Canceled due to conflict with professional conference.

WEEK 3

• Because Monday 1/16 is a holiday, this week's conversation starter is extended until the beginning of class at 12:30 pm on Thursday 1/19 or by the end of the week if need be.

• Additional Resources (optional but not required readings): Tongue Snipping Surgery and Racist Practice of Mispronouncing Names

WEEK 4

• Please make sure you sign up for the oral presentation assignment here by Thursday 2/26 at the latest based on your preferred dates/topics. You would need to provide the names of your group members and your chosen topic.
• We will divide up into small groups and work on the following activity.

WEEK 5

• Divide up into small groups and share your work in the following Google Docs. 
• 2nd half of class, continue discussion on language, rap and authenticity. Watch music video and accompanying  lyrics.

WEEK 6

• Tuesday 2/7: Brief introduction into Appalachian English. Watch the documentary film “Appalachian Mountain Talk”.
• Reminder in preparation for the upcoming presentations scheduled for Thursday 2/9, reflect on the question(s) that one of the groups (Erika, Morgan, & Eli) has crafted (see Discussion Board "Oral Presentations").
• IMPORTANT Announcement for Thursday 2/9: Due to a family emergency, I will be moving our class to Zoom today from 12:30-2:20PM. This is the link for the meeting:

WEEK 7

• Reminder that there is no conversation starter for this week.
• Reminder that there is no class on Tuesday 2/14 and Thursday 2/16.

WEEK 8

• Tuesday 2/21: Rhetorical Analysis Activity on Public Discourses Surrounding English in Singapore.
• Tuesday 2/21: Group Discussion Activity.
• By the end of the week (by 11:59 pm on Sunday 2/26), make sure that you finalize your group assignments and topics for the course final project. You can find the Google Docs Sign-up Sheet here.

WEEK 9

• Remember that the selections from Prendergast's book Buying Into English for this week can be accessed as an Ebook format though our UW libraries.
• Tuesday 2/28:

        - We will begin collaborating on designing the Final Project Assessment Rubric.

        - Work in-class on Freewriting Activity Prompt.

WEEK 10

• T 3/7 and Th 3/9: final project oral reports: group members or those working individually will be offering a brief (3-5 minute) report on the focus of their final project and their progress.
• Reminder that your FINAL PROJECTS are due on Th 3/9 at 11:59 pm. Make sure that you consult the following document for the expectations and assessment rubric.