Language in local spaces: Using linguistic landscape (LL) to design culturally relevant curricula in Caribbean Creole environments [PowerPoint presentation]
Date
2013-07-01
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Abstract
Linguistic landscape (LL) is an emerging multi-disciplinary field that focuses on the significance of words, images and other artifacts represented and displayed in public spaces (Shohamyand Gorter, 2009). Such instances of language use in the environment are related to the people who use and interpret them, and can be the subject of useful inquiry given that LL shapes local language ecology and connects to language attitudes (Landry and Bourhis, 1997). This paper focuses on the potential of LL to raise students' awareness of language displayed in public spaces in Caribbean Creole environments as an aid to language learning. It addresses the question: How can language teachers use linguistic landscape to design culturally relevant instruction? Such an approach allows teachers to use actual and virtual public texts-words, images, sounds-to address educational issues that arise when students' vernacular differs from the official language of instruction. Further, the approach promotes the value of the indigenous as a valid source of knowledge and expression, while expanding the traditional view of language to incorporate multi-literacies as part of the process of language learning. This can encourage the development of more successful language teaching methodologies
Description
Paper presented at the Biennial Conference of The University of the West Indies Schools of Education, 23-25 April, 2013, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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Language education, Linguistic landscape, Language usage, Teaching techniques, Language teachers, Conference papers