Language Learning and Identity

For the past two decades, identity has been recognised as one of the key constructs in applied linguistics, and has taken a central role in different second language learning contexts (Block 2007). Following the poststructuralist paradigm, in contrast to essentialist and structuralist perspectives, identity is seen as a dynamic process, constructed discursively in language use (De Fina et al. 2006). Since identity and language are inseparable (Tabouret-Keller 2000), studying speakers’ identity in second language learning is of great significance, especially in the case of heritage language. Not only does knowing another language change the speakers’ view of the world (Burck 2008), in case of heritage language it also has a specific influence on constructing individual and group identity/ies. In this paper I will discuss the relationship between language competence and identity construction of heritage learners and speakers of Croatian. Heritage language learners differ greatly from other language learners in terms of their language needs and motivation (Cvikić et al. 2010). Hence studying the fragmented, complex, and dynamic quality of identity is crucial for understanding the process of language learning and identity construction of heritage language learners, as well as understanding the fluidity of personal and group identity/ies, positioning, and belonging.
Key words:  identity, heritage language, identity construction, Croatian as a heritage language

Unazad dvadesetak godina, identitet se u primijenjenoj lingvistici počeo promatrati kao jedan od ključnih konstrukta i kao takav je zauzeo važno mjesto u različitim kontekstima učenja stranog jezika (Block 2007). Slijedeći poststrukturalitsičku paradigmu, za razliku od esencijalističke i strukturalističke perspektive, identitet se poima kao dinamičan proces uvijek nanovo diskurzivno konstruiran u jezičnoj uporabi (De Fina et al. 2006). Budući da su identitet i jezik neodvojivi (Tabouret-Keller 2000), u kontekstu ovladavanja drugim ili stranim jezikom proučavanje je identiteta govornika neizostavno, a osobito je to važno u slučaju nasljednog jezika. Osim što ovladavanje novim jezikom utječe na poimanje svijeta (Burck 2008), u slučaju nasljednog jezika ono na specifičan način utječe i na konstrukciju individualnog/ih i grupnog/ih identiteta. U ovom radu bavim se pitanjem utjecaja razine jezične kompetencije na konstruiranje identiteta nasljednih govornika hrvatskog jezika. Nasljedni govornici ili učenici nasljednog jezika po svojim se specifičnim jezičnim potrebama i motivaciji razlikuju od ostalih učenika stranih jezika (Cvikić et al. 2010) stoga je proučavanje rascjepkanosti, složenosti i dinamičnosti identiteta ključno za razumijevanje procesa učenja nasljednog jezika i konstruiranja identiteta nasljednih govornika, kao i za shvaćanje fluidnosti osobnog/ih i grupnog/ih identiteta, pozicioniranja i osjećaja pripadnosti.
Ključne riječi: nasljedni jezik, identitet, konstruiranje identiteta, hrvatski kao nasljedni jezik

This training session for teachers with multicultural classes shows how to get pupils to appreciate and relate to other cultures as 'mind sets'.

Questo resoconto di un seminario per insegnanti con classi multietniche, mostra come far capire e condividere la cultura come categorie mentali.
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The present ethnographic action research study examines the construction and negotiation of English learners’ agency and identity situated in the development of vocational English (VE) materials in which both teachers and students were involved in design processes: planning, enacting, and evaluating. The present study looks
specifically at (1) to what extent teacher-learner driven ESP materials development helps students construct and negotiate their agency and identity and (2) in what ways the students respond to negotiated and participatory learning as the outcome of the school-level ESP materials development project. Findings shed some lights
on students’ agency exercise and identity enactment as the students participated in the development processes. From agency and identity perspectives, ESP materials development is a socially complex, multi-layered, and fluid process, representing students’ interests and roles. The contribution of the present study is to provide
empirical evidence regarding how student capacity and social roles contribute to teacher-student driven ESP materials development. Further ethnographic action research is needed to investigate how both teachers’ and students’ agencies and identities are constructed and negotiated in language curriculum development in general and in language materials development in particular.

Each culture has its own relation to history. This relation is marked through what I call a particular culture of communication. It is useful to emphasise the term 'culture of communication' in order to reflect on the role of language in representing as well as in making history. The culture of the Arab world, in so far as it can be talked about in the plural, is an illustrative case in point. In that, the relationship between language and history is marked in the expressive realms of daily life as the past is palpably present in current discourses. These discourses, while they draw on similar sources including that of Islamic history and literary heritage, they do so in different ways, embodying various ideologies and strands of thought. In this paper, I draw on different ideological traditions and experiences from the Arab world to demonstrate the points in question. In particular, I refer to the discourses of two prominent Palestinian movements, namely Fatah and Hamas. The two movements are locked in political disputes masking differences of thought and self-knowledge and subject formation. For Hamas, ' Islam' is a source of knowledge, action and legitimacy, while for Fatah Islam, where it appears, seems to function as a source of metaphorical inspiration; it is not at the forefront of its discourse or a driving force behind its actions. These different ways of using Islam, and Islamic history and sources more specifically, represent a culture of communication, which in general is echoed throughout the Arab world. The Arab world is united by one language and includes shared historical references, yet its political and cultural forces differ sharply in terms of their present and future visions and trajectories.

This study used peer-led focus groups to investigate heritage language (HL) and second language (L2) students' language ideologies and identities in "mixed" Spanish courses. We analyzed students' perceptions of themselves and each other, their understandings of fairness in mixed classes, and the relationship of such perceptions to language ideologies and broader educational discourses of belonging in Spanish language education. Our analysis revealed that L2 participants reproduced the standard language ideology as well as an essentialist ideology that frames Spanish as being natural and easy for HL students. HL participants largely resisted these ideologies while also portraying L2 students as deficient speakers who "artificially" slow the class, thus challenging the dominant construction of L2 students as the default student type. Participants deployed competing conceptions of fairness to construct and perform identities as hard working students. Our findings highlight the need to incorporate the critical analysis of ideologies in mixed HL/L2 settings and beyond.

Utilizing an ecological perspective of heritage language learner (HLL) identity (Hornberger & Wang, 2008), this study investigates how an underexamined group within HLL studies-language learners with diverse ties to the Arabic language-perceive the label of HLL and how they position themselves and their classmates relative to this label during interviews and in an advanced Arabic language classroom. I draw on interview, observational, and videotaped classroom interaction data collected as part of a larger ethnographic study of this classroom community and show how a priori educational labels assigned to these students did not always match with their self-concepts and ignored the nuances of their relationship to the umbrella term "Arabic." These labels also affected students' classroom roles, self-esteem, and participation in the classroom. I examine the implications of educational classifications and assigned identities that are constructed by stakeholders such as researchers, teachers, or administrators, rather than negotiated by the language learners themselves, and critique Arabic HLL as an identity and educational classification. Finally, I offer some suggestions for how to engage language learners (HLLs if they choose to identify themselves as such) in critical discussions about their relationship with the language of study.

A lively and thought-provoking conversation with a seminal figure in the field of intercultural communication, on the notion of cultural identity and on the advisability of acquiring a “new, complementary identity” in view of long-term contacts with culturally-diverse people, for example living abroad.

Una conversazione animata e approfondita con un storico “guru” della comunicazione interculturale sulla nozione dell'identità culturale e sull'opportunità o meno di acquisire una "nuova identità complementare" da parte di chi avrà rapporti non-occasionali con persone culturalmente diverse, ad es. soggiornando all'estero.
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In this paper we aim to explore the complexities of contemporary identity practices in superdiverse societies today. We opt for a realistic, anti-essentialist approach to studying identity practices as discursive orientations towards sets of features that are (or can be) seen as emblematic of particular identities. We draw on the theory of identity in a context of superdiversity proposed by Blommaert and Varis (2013, 2015) to answer the question how authenticity is manufactured by blending a variety of semiotic resources, some of which are sufficient ('enough') to produce a particular targeted authentic identity, and consequently enable others to identify us as 'real', 'authentic' members of social groups. We do so by looking into experiences of foreign language teachers teaching abroad (FLTTA) a specific type of glomads or professionals who live and work abroad, frequently transgressing social, linguistic, and cultural spaces and borders (Podboj & Lujić, 2020). We build on our previous research about Croatian and French FLTTAs, where we investigated how various ideologies and other social aspects of the fragmented spaces they navigate affect their agency and their positioning as multilingual teachers, speakers and learners of certain languages. We expand our findings by looking into the dynamic nature of the concept of enoughness. Our data consists of two segments: personal narratives about FLTTAs professional identity experiences elicited via semi-structured interviews, and open-ended questionnaires, where we specifically focused on the concept of enoughness. The data is analyzed qualitatively and presented as several mini case-studies, with illustrative examples that are thematically related to enoughess. The aim of our analysis was to identify features for ‘being admitted into and being recognized as’ a FLTTA. More specifically, what makes these individuals being perceived as ‘having enough’ of FLTTAs’ features, or recognized as ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ members of this social group? Additionally, do they perceive themselves as authentic enough?

A limited ability to pursue postsecondary education often leaves English language learners (ELLs) with a gamut of negative emotional experiences. Using an emotionally oriented framework to guide our study, this article focuses on the experiences of two female South Asian students who graduated from different U.S. high schools. We explored what emotions they encountered during their college preparation process and what factors shaped such emotions. Findings from our in-depth interviews revealed that our participants encountered negative emotions such as worry, discourage- ment, indignation, envy, confusion, and intimidation that were related to their ELL identity. We also demonstrate that it is not only their limited proficiency in English that hinders the ELLs from attending four-year col- leges but also their families’ economic status, a lack of awareness of college preparation courses, and a lack of assistance with their test preparation that contribute to the emergence of negative emotions.

This study works against heteronormativity, which is prevalent in the SLA field, adding queer perspectives to the growing body of research which is questioning a narrower, one-dimensional view of the language learner. There is a common belief that learning an additional language (L2) while surrounded by the L2 in a naturalistic setting is best. Theories of identity and language learning have destabilized this notion, pointing to the effects of ongoing identity construction on learning. While forming identities in the L2, a learner invests in certain groups of speakers (often imagined communities), leading them to seek out such speakers. Access to speakers in real naturalistic settings is not guaranteed, and social marginalization often prevents learning. This qualitative study explores the naturalistic language-learning experiences of three Korean gay men, whose marginalized sexual identities assist them with access while articulating with other aspects of their identities (race, nationality) as well as sexual desire.

Contact between culturally distinct human groups in the contemporary ‘glocal’  -global and local- world is much greater than at any point in history. The challenge we face is the identification of the most convenient ways to organise the coexistence of different human language groups in order that we might promote their solidarity as members of the same culturally developed biological species in the globalization era.

Processes of economic and political integration currently in motion are seeing increasing numbers of people seeking to become polyglots. Thus, English is establishing itself as the usual world supra-language, although it coexists with other lingua francas that are widely used in certain parts of the globe.

All this communicative reorganization of the human species may very well pose new problems and aggravate existing tensions as regards language and identity. It would seem that these processes comprise at least four major conceptual dimensions which must be taken into account above all else, as they are both widespread and, left unaddressed, may lead to significant social instability. These dimensions concern linguistic recognition, communicability, sustainability and integration.

While accepting the utility of having an inter-national language, the keystone of the system is clearly that it must ensure the linguistic sustainability of each group. The basic principle is likely to be functional subsidiarity, i.e., whatever can be done by the local language should not be done by another one which is more global. As in the quote from Paracelsus  --“the dose alone makes the poison”-- contact between languages is not ‘poisonous’ per se, but when the correct dose is exceeded it can prove harmful to the language whose position is weaker. A multilingual and communicated humanity is possible.

Fang, S., & Duff, P. (2018). Constructing identities and negotiating ideologies with Chinese popular culture in adult Mandarin learning. Global Chinese, 4(1), 37-61.

Despite the emergence of Chinese as a global language, little research has been done to explore how learners of Chinese as an Additional Language (CAL), and Mandarin specifically, utilize semiotic resources in Chinese popular culture to negotiate their own and others' language ideologies and identities. Based on Luke (2005), Blommaert (2006), and others' work, this study argues that popular culture is a rich site for ideological and identity work in which four sorts of questions can be explored: (1) Which language(s)? (2) Whose language? (3) Which texts and discourses? (4) What social implications? Employing this framework, this study draws on three focal adult participants' reported experiences of engaging with Chinese popular culture as a means of improving their Mandarin proficiency. We discuss such themes as gender and heritage learner identity, and political ideologies and dispositions arising from the study. We conclude, briefly, with some implications for Chinese language education and for future research on this topic.

The Second Vatican Council cautioned regarding the increasing secularization of Western societies that the greatest error of our age is the separation between faith and life. Through its history of the kingdoms of Buddhism and Hinduism, 350 years o f Western colonization and growth o f Islam, Indonesia claims to place religion in high regard. Citizens are obligated to proclaim one of the six recognized religions. All schools allocate four hours o f religious teaching weekly. Critics doubt that the teaching of religion in schools will help solve problems. Corruption is rampant and ethnic-religious conflicts are increasing despite the people's claim as a religious nation. The challenge, then, is to integrate religious and character education into the core as well as hidden curriculum and teach students to nurture their faith and moral sense throughout their schooling. This essay explores how religious and character education in the school curriculum endeavors to prepare young people to enhance their intellectual capabilities and form them to be people o f faith and character. INDONESIA AT A CROSSROADS T wenty-five years is a brief time in the history of human civilization. Yet, as the Journal o f Interdisciplinary Studies finds it worthy to be thinking of the next 25 years, for Indonesia, too, the next 25 years are crucial. This is a critical period to stand at the right time in history as Indonesia approaches its centenary in 2045, preparing to play a stronger global role economically and politically, and providing a model of harmony between Islam and democracy. With income per capita expected to reach $5,000 by 2014 (ca. $10,000 by 2020), a model for democracy and moderate Islam, an annual U.S. $60 billion rate of economic growth, and more important, a foreign policy that promotes stability, prosperity, and justice,

Despite the accumulating body of research on teacher cognition and teacher learning in the field of second language (L2) teacher education over the past 2 decades, few studies have followed novice L2 teachers' development over time, and still fewer have focused specifically on teacher identity development. This study begins to fill this gap by examining how novice English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers learn to teach and how this learning-in-practice experience shapes their identities as teachers. For 1 academic year, we followed 2 graduate students in a Master of Arts for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages program at a U.S. university as they taught their own ESL classes for the first time. In analyzing the 2 case studies from a situated learning perspective, we show an intertwined relationship between novice teachers' identity development and their changing classroom practice. Based on our findings, we argue for the need to include a deeper understanding of teacher identity development in the knowledge base of L2 teacher education.

Exchanges conducted in a foreign language can more easily be win-win if the actors have acquired culturally the language used.

In interazioni in lingua straniera, un esito “win/win” (favorevole a tutti gli interagenti) si raggiunge più facilmente se essi hanno acquisito culturalmente la lingua utilizzata in comune.
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While accommodation generally improves intercultural communication, there are situations in which one can over accommodate. How to strike the right balance?

In linea di principio, l'accomodamento migliora la comunicazione interculturale. Ma può anche diventare eccessivo. Come trovare l'equilibrio?

NOTE: The present text also served as the basis for a presentation at the 6th ABC European Convention, "Business communication worldwide: strategies and perspectives", held at the Catholic University of Milan on May 20-22, 2004.  The slides for the presentation are viewable here: www.boylan.it/patrick/text/boylan25.htm

o credible claims can be made that the role of Malay has been entirely
overlooked by those studying conflict dynamics in South Thailand.
Nevertheless, those concerned with religious factors dwarf the number of studies
interrogating issues related to language. Without suggesting that language
represents some sort of silver bullet solution to this complex conflict, I argue
that anyone pursuing peaceful, political resolutions to Thailand’s southern
impasse must be more informed about language policy, linguistic justice, and how
linguistic repertoires are linked to inequality. My interests in this paper are
theoretical (rather than empirical). The first of this paper’s two substantive
sections describes the nature of Thailand's (diverse) linguistic landscape and
how the language policies pursued by Bangkok resemble those of other states
between South and Southeast Asia. In light of Bangkok’s policies towards
southern Malays resemble those that impacted Lao and Khmer-speaking
Buddhists in the northeast provinces, I suggest that some dynamics in South
Thailand need to be de-exceptionalized. In the section the follows, I interact
with theoretical treatments of language and religion in ethno-nationalism,
and linguistic injustice. My argument is that anyone seeking peaceful political
resolutions in South Thailand – where a nation linguistic minority is connected to
the Malay cosmopolis – must address the politically sensitive issue of Thailand’s
discriminatory language policy that has led to widespread language loss.

Norton (2000) argues that investment in L2 acquisition is also an investment in learner identity, which changes in the context of time and space-a notion that also has relevance for heritage learners. As such, the purpose of this study is to examine investment in language learning among HL Spanish speakers and the role of identity in their learning experiences. This study comprises of ten participants enrolled in an HL Spanish course. These participants completed a background questionnaire, interviews and writing prompts detailing their linguistic and cultural background, as well as their reflections on their heritage identity, HL exposure, and their investment, experiences and progress in their HL course. Results show that participants demonstrate varying degrees of investment in the HL, and heritage identity plays a role in this variance.

This study was conducted in order to demonstrate the validity of language identity research in EFL contexts through quantitative research in the South Korean EFL context. A questionnaire was administered to 101 South Korean university students actively enrolled in a required university English course. Specific attention was given to verification of the existence of a language identity and its extent, the investigation of possible differences in learner language identity changes between students that have spent time studying English abroad and those that have not, and an exploration as to the possible impact of student perceptions of their own English proficiency on language identity and its extent. Six constructs for measuring self-identity change were adopted from Gao, Jia, and Zhou (2015). Results indicated that student perceptions of their English proficiency did have an impact on negative self-confidence with beginner-level proficiency students demonstrating the highest level of negative self-confidence change.

When dealing with culturally-diverse interlocutors, how much should one adapt one's language and ways? Five interactional modes are described, along with a way of learning the one judged most effective.

Nel trattare con interlocutori di diversa cultura, quanto bisogna adattare espressione e comportamento? Vengono indicate cinque modalità interazionali e un metodo per imparare quella giudicata più efficace.
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U ovom radu analiziraju se biografski narativi polaznika ljetnog programa jidiša organiziranoga 2014. godine od strane YIVO Instituta za židovska istraživanja u New Yorku. Rekonstrukcijom jezičnih biografija dolazimo do zaključaka koji motivacijski faktori su presudni u odabiru jidiša kao predmeta izučavanja, koja je uloga emocija u
učenju jidiša, koje stavove polaznici imaju o istočnoj Europi kao mjestu gdje je nakada govoren ovaj jezik, te koji su stavovi njihove okoline prema učenju jezika.

This article has been developed from a keynote address given at the June 2015 Faces of English conference held at the University of Hong Kong. The article examines the trajectory of Bonny Norton's research on identity and language learning, highlighting her construct of investment, developed as a sociological complement to the psychological construct of motivation (Norton, 2013). An important focus of the paper is the expanded 2015 model of investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015), which responds to the changing communicative landscape of an increasingly digital world, and locates investment at the intersection of identity, capital, and ideology. Norton exemplifies her theories with data drawn from her collaborative research on English language learning in Canada, Pakistan, Uganda, and Iran. With reference to digital storytelling as a promising classroom practice, she argues that the challenge for English language teachers internationally is to promote learner investment in the language and literacy practices of classrooms by increasing the range of identities available to English language learners.

How to teach the relativity of the concept of 'English', the relationship between language and 'thought', and strategies for adapting one's 'English' to the mind set of one's interlocutor.

La relatività del concetto di "inglese", il rapporto tra linguaggio e "pensiero", nonché, in virtù di ciò, le strategie per meglio adattare ai propri interlocutori il proprio modo di parlare in inglese.
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A language is only superficially a semiotic system based on lexis and syntax: in its essence it is a culturally determined volitional matrix. This Humboltian view of languages dethrones grammar in language courses, centered instead on provoking a transformation of consciousness.

Una lingua è solo in superficie un sistema semiotico composto di lessico e sintassi; essenzialmente è una matrice volitiva, culturalmente determinata. Questa visione humboldtiana delle lingue detronizza la grammatica nei corsi di lingua viva e mette invece in primo piano la transformation of consciousness.
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When dealing with culturally-diverse interlocutors, how much should one adapt one's language and ways? Five interactional modes are described, along with a way of learning the one judged most effective.

Nel trattare con interlocutori di diversa cultura, quanto bisogna adattare espressione e comportamento? Vengono indicate cinque modalità interazionali e un metodo per imparare quella giudicata più efficace.
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Interlanguage pragmatic learning strategies (IPLS) as particularly tailored language learning strategies for acquiring L2 pragmatic knowledge have been recently paid paramount attention in the pragmatics literature. These strategies are, therefore, related to some other social variables which are central to pragmatic development such as L2 social identity. Because of the importance of the IPLS and the rarity of research about the relationship between IPLS and with L2 social identity as a highly pragmatic-oriented variable, the current study tried to investigate the contribution of various forms of IPLS to L2 social identity among a randomly selected sample of 125 upper-intermediate to advanced EFL learners at a state university in Iran. During the two-phased data collection procedure, first, the participants filled out Locastro's (2001) L2 social identity questionnaire, and then Malmir and Tajeddin's (2015) IPLS inventory in two subsequent sessions. Data analysis using multiple regression revealed that all types of IPLS were significant contributors to L2 social identity except for the memory IPLS. Among the other five types of IPLS, social IPLS was a significant and strong contributor to L2 social identity. Affective and compensatory IPLS were significant moderate contributors to L2 social identity; however, metacognitive and cognitive interlanguage pragmatic learning strategies were weak albeit significant predictors of Iranian EFL learners' social identity in English as an L2. The results of this study imply that L2 teachers can enhance social identity among the learners by fostering the knowledge of various forms of IPLS.

Narrative analysis in applied linguistics has been a useful tool in looking at how immigrants (re)negotiate and (re)construct their identities in the new environment in which they navigate themselves (Pavlenko, 2007). The main goal of this paper is to report on a positioning analysis of a young Filipino immigrant’s stories of transitioning in his new communities in Hawaii. As Bamberg (2001) espoused, positioning analysis is done by looking at the content and characters in the story, how the storyteller positions himself to the audience or the storytelling world, and how the narrator positions himself in and is positioned by the bigger discourses or the macro-context. The analysis reveals that KC, the participant interviewee, being an immigrant, consistently positioned himself as a newcomer, a reticent student, and a fairly competent (or illegitimate) user of the English language. At the same time, KC demonstrates agency by becoming ‘investigator’ in his attempt to comprehend his classmates’ behavior of ‘othering’ him once they knew he was immigrant. Inadvertently, my identity as Filipino researcher-interviewer also helped KC’s identity (re)construction. In other words, my questions and different roles as a supporter, listener, and sympathizer, helped KC’s own sense making of his own life history. The analysis also reveals that KC’s identity as a young Filipino immigrant positions him within the greater discourse of Filipino immigration in Hawaii, one which is enmeshed in Hawaii’s long history of uneducated, abused, and unskilled Filipino plantation workers (Jubilado, 2013). Because of these marginalizing discourses, KC shows great investment in the English language and perceives high proficiency in it as his ticket towards asserting (or maintaining) legitimate membership in his new communities.

This book presents the narratives of four Taiwanese young women, all proficient in English, set against the background of the dynamics of multilingualism in Taiwan. It chronicles their strategies and struggles when utilizing cultural goods-in this case their linguistic resources-to differentiate themselves within Taiwanese society.

ABSTRACT
This article applies sociocultural theorizing as a tool to analyze children’s collaborative cooking practices through the key sociocultural concepts of social interaction and collaboration within a school cooking club. The “everyday” activity of cooking is examined using field notes gathered through participant observations, diary entries, and semistructured inter- views with child and adult participants. The fieldwork sample included 18 participants age 9 to 11 years and two adult participants. The sociocultural nature of the children’s learning during cooking practices was tracked over a 14-week period. Observed incidences of situated learning, legitimate peripheral participation, and guided participation were tracked throughout the fieldwork period. The analysis identifies the processes through which participants are able to contribute to and distribute shared knowledge. Through tracking the collaborative learning processes and the contrasting pedagogical practices, the research identified the learning trajectory of the “newbies” via legitimate peripheral participation (as observers and silent contributors), and explored how, through fractionally increasing participa- tion, the newbies become main members (masters) of this community of practice. The findings confirm children’s collaborative cooking practices as a lens through which social interaction and collaboration can be examined, while also highlighting the complexity of opposing pedagogical practices.

One way learners can transition from previous, lived experiences to the academy is through fostering the formation of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) by embedding reflective writing within courses. Although there is some evidence of reflective writing within the field of English for academic purposes (Granville & Dison, 2005) there is still much room for research into understanding the benefits of reflective writing in EAP regarding learner identity and transition. Reflective writing can be ‘treated as part of the writing process’ (Felix, 2011:46) rather than extraneous, and reflective writing can, over time, evidence to learners and teaching staff the development of the learners’ learner identity from a course’s start to finish while developing their metacognitive abilities (Moon, 2006). Reflective writing can also help learners improve their understanding of who they are as learners by developing a consciousness of their identity through their own voices (Moon, 2006), which in the context of EAP, can empower learners in transitioning from, for example, a learner on a pre-sessional or pre-Masters course to one on an undergraduate or masters-level course. Finally, reflective writing can allow learners to construct a common ground informed by their personal, lived experiences. Some of these are likely shared with their peer ‘novice-learners’ (Wenger, 1998), and other experiences are likely to assist learners in supporting each other’s learning and transitioning. In this process, tutors act as ‘expert-learners’ (Wenger, 1998) who engage with the learners’ narratives to encourage learners to analyse their reflections to approximate a deeper understanding of themselves as learners and their feelings regarding their performance on a course (Felix, 2011:46) in order to engage better within a community of practice (the academy) and become a member thereof.

"Nur wenige Jahre (1807–1813) bestand das Königreich Westphalen unter der Regierung von Jérôme Bonaparte. Die Beherrschung der französischen Sprache erhielt dort einen ganz besonderen Stellenwert. Trotz gelegentlich heftiger Thematisierung der Sprachbarriere verlief die Kommunikation zwischen Deutsch- und Französischsprachigen offenbar so ›normal‹, dass ihre Überlieferung eher zufällig ist. Claudie Paye untersucht, wer in Westphalen »der französischen Sprache mächtig« war und wie die Zeitgenossen mit Überwachung und Zensur umgingen. Sie rekonstruiert anhand von Polizeiakten die Mediennutzung der Westphalen, die über die gängigen Druckmedien weit hinausging und auch Mimik, Gerüchte, Briefe, Druckgrafiken, Karikaturen und symbolische Handlungen einbezog. Sie führt so in die westphälische Alltagswirklichkeit ein und veranschaulicht die Politisierung breiterer Gesellschaftsschichten.
Le royaume de Westphalie, gouverné par Jérôme Bonaparte, ne fut pas de longue durée (1807–1813). La maîtrise de la langue française y prit une valeur bien particulière. Malgré la mise en avant occasionnelle da la barrière linguistique, la communication entre les citoyens de langue française et ceux de langue allemande semble y avoir été si ›normale‹ qu’il est difficile de la reconstruire en détail. Claudie Paye étudie qui, dans ce contexte, était »maître de la langue française« et comment les contemporains se déjouaient du contrôle policier et de la censure. Elle reconstruit sur la base des archives policières l’utilisation des médias par les Westphaliens, allant au-delà des médias imprimés pour prendre en considération les mimiques, les rumeurs, les lettres, les gravures, les caricatures et les actions symboliques. Elle introduit ainsi dans le quotidien westphalien et montre la politisation de larges couches sociales de cette société. "

The global spread of English has led to a myriad of speculations as to
whether the language affects learners’ identities and, if so, whether the
consequences are positive or negative. Thus, the two hypotheses leading
this paper assert that the Serbian element of Belgrade high school
students’ networks of identities is unshaken, but that their English
teachers have a central role in shaping their identities. The data was
compiled using two research methods – a questionnaire completed by
the students and an interview done with their English teachers. The
study incorporated 158 third- and fourth-grade students from the Sixth
and Fifth Belgrade High School and three teachers. The analysis of the
responses confirms the hypotheses, with special emphasis on the fact
that the teachers are responsible for the formation of the students’
identities. However, the data also reveals the existence of a small but
distinct and vociferous minority of students who identify themselves
with the English speech community. Therefore, not only should ELT
practitioners in Serbia work on developing the learners’ critical thinking
skills and introducing world Englishes into the classroom, but they
should also attune their approach to students with both instrumental
and integrative motivation.

Os seis artigos que apresentamos neste número especial da revista Cadernos de Linguagem e Sociedade (v.21, n.1) - escritos por docentes e discentes do Programa de Pós-graduação em Linguística da Universidade de Brasília – tratam da língua portuguesa e as outras quatro dimensões citadas acima (gênero, sexualidade, deficiência e classe social) sob a perspectiva da Análise de Discurso Critica (ADC).

Hippo Family Club is an international language-study organization with hundreds of local chapters around Japan, as well as several in the United States, Korea, and Mexico. The group also partners with other organizations in various countries to operate study-abroad and other foreign exchange programs. Hippo's primary activity, though, is the self-directed study of multiple foreign languages. The organization sells audio recordings that relate stories in multiple languages. Club members believe that by listening to these stories and repeating their content, attending weekly chapter meetings where they practice speaking, and participating with the club's exchange programs they can acquire the ability to speak many foreign languages.

This dissertation presents an ethnographic study of Hippo Family Club practices in Japan and the United States. The analysis presented here is based on ethnographic field work in several sites, including Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures in Japan and Massachusetts in the United States, between 2005 and 2009. During this time I participated as a member of Karagoku Family, a Hippo Family Club chapter in Osaka prefecture. I also participated on various occasions with several other chapters, interviewed members of the various chapters, and recorded interactions at weekly meetings. The study combines ethnography with discourse analysis.

I argue that club members in Japan and the USA view the learning of multiple languages as a means to build a form of cosmopolitan citizenship. Cosmopolitan citizenship is a view of personal identity formed not within the nation-state but as a member of a transnational group. Club members view themselves as part of a global community of fellow club members and language learners. This view of identity freed from national or ethnic groups and instead tied to an international organization is seen as a break from Japanese tradition. In contrast, even though club chapters in the United States use the same learning materials and express ideas about language learning that appear very similar to those expressed in Japan, American members do not experience the same break from tradition.  Given the differences in US and Japanese ideologies of language learning, American members view Hippo as an addition to traditional practices.

Europe can become "united in diversity" only by helping its citizens internalize experientially their composite cultural identity; experiential language teaching can help.

Europa può diventare “unita nella diversità” solo se promuove tra i suoi cittadini l'internalizzazione esperienziale delle loro identità culturali composite; un mezzo è l'insegnamento esperienziale delle lingue.
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