HYTS1000 Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in Language Education Policies: Intersectionality and Capabilities (3 cr)

The BIP training school will focus on intersectionality (the interplay of multiple social factors at once) and capability theory (a borrowing from economics with great potential for language education policies - see e.g. recent publications here and here) as they apply to language education policies.

Methods: preparatory reading before the BIP; lectures with interactive group work; pecha kuchas from trainees; follow-up virtual component; written assignments linking the preparatory readings to the in-person content.

Learning outcomes: application of capability theory to students’ areas of research (elaborated under learning outcomes).

Trainees will be conducting research into language policy, but they do not need any prior experience of the above headline concepts. The objective of the BIP is to help them understand their relevance to their research.

Through the use of trainee pecha kucha presentations, the BIP will also give trainees opportunities to showcase their own work and learn about each other’s research. A followup virtual exercise will facilitate further dialogue – requiring participants to link taught lecture content to the content of each other’s pecha kuchas, in a collaborative online discussion forum. Altogether this in turn will increase their presenting and networking skills.