LLED 565A-061 Special Course Subject MTFLD (A)
Topic: Language socialization across mono/bi/multilingual contexts
Winter Term 1 from Sept to Dec 2025
Thursdays, 4:30 to 7:30 PM
Instructor: Dr. Sandra Zappa-Hollman
This special-topics course is an introduction to language/literacy socialization, a theoretical perspective that foregrounds the role of interactionally-mediated activities in socializing newcomers into their respective new communities. Through readings, mini lectures, discussions and a series of in-class and take-home application tasks, you will gain an understanding of the theoretical foundations and methodological issues in language/literacy socialization research across a variety of formal and informal contexts (e.g., home, school, university, the workplace, virtual communities, among others). We examine how language practices connect with cultural knowledge and ideologies, including social roles, identities, and norms, across both local interactions and broader societal contexts (e.g., educational systems and institutional practices; media and pop culture; migration and diaspora experiences; gender norms and relations; language policies). By understanding these complex, unpredictable, multidirectional processes, you will gain insights useful for supporting diverse learners in educational settings and fostering inclusive language and literacy practices, as well as identify the potential relevance of language socialization research to your work.