ALM5510 - Language Maintenance in Practice

Leader: Dr Margaret Florey

Offered

Clayton First semester 2007 (Day)
Clayton First semester 2007 (Off-campus)
Clayton Second semester 2007 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2007 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit provides students with an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge and understanding of the issues involved in language endangerment. Students will develop and implement a research project with outcomes of practical benefit in strengthening or supporting language maintenance practice within a community or organisation. Possible topics include developing curriculum for a school or community language program, documenting aspects of a previously undescribed language, preparing a sketch grammar drawing upon existing documentation or archival materials, developing language teaching and literacy materials, preparing topical wordlists in the endangered language.

Objectives

1. On completion of this unit students should be able to:
2. draw on in-depth and critical knowledge of the literature in this field to write a literature review;
3. formulate a detailed proposal to develop a language maintenance project;
4. plan the stages in carrying out research in an endangered language community or an organisational setting;
5. apply appropriate methodologies to implement research questions;
6. undertake independent research;
7. analyse primary data;
8. write a comprehensive, in-depth research paper based on original research.

Assessment

Literature review: (1500 words) 15%
Research project proposal: (1500 words) 15%
Research project write-up: (15000 words) 70%

Contact hours

2 hour seminar per fortnight

Prerequisites

ALM 4110 - General Linguistics