Education Studies 253 - Languages Unlimited: Multilingual Education in the Past, Present, and Future

(Offered as GERM 253 and EDST 253) If the “limits of my language mean the limits of my world,” as philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein writes, then learning a second language can change our world. But what is the future of multilingual education in the face of artificial intelligence, endangered languages and language communities, and global economic and political uncertainties? Why learn languages unfamiliar to us? What are the leading approaches to teaching languages and creating learning modes that speak to diverse populations? This class introduces students to key ideas and questions in second language learning today. Our discussions will draw on lived experiences in and beyond the language classroom, bringing participants’ personal reflections into conversation with readings by scholar-educators, activists, artists, historians, policy makers, and more. We will consider best practices and how they could be applied or adapted to different materials and instructional settings that students may encounter in classes and careers afterwards. We will learn from both the page and the people in our local and extended educational networks, as we work to develop concrete initiatives that can support, advance, and celebrate multilingual learning in all its forms at the Five Colleges.

How to handle overenrollment: German majors or by instructor permission

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students enrolling in this class must have completed or be enrolled in a language class or course taught in a language other than English. Participants should expect to interact with other students, teachers, staff, and practitioners independently as part of the course structure.