Arguing against a common sense view of bilingualism as the co-existence of two linguistic systems, this volume develops a critical perspective which approaches bilingualism as a wide variety of sets of sociolinguistic practices connected to the construction of social difference and of social inequality under specific historical conditions.

Introducing Multilingualism is a brand new, comprehensive and user-friendly introduction to the dynamic field of multilingualism. Adopting a compelling social and critical approach, Jean-Jacques Weber and Kristine Horner guide readers through the established theories about multilingualism. The book covers language as a social construct, language contact and variation, language and identity and the differences between individual and societal multilingualism. The authors also provide an alternative approach to studying multilingualism, introducing innovative concepts such as flexible multilingualism and literacy bridge in order to encourage students to critically question dominant discourses on topics such as integration, heritage and language testing. This highly practical textbook incorporates a wide range of engaging activities and encourages students to think critically about important social and educational issues. Throughout, the theoretical content is explored through a wide range of case studies from around the world. Clearly argued and widely applicable, this book is essential reading for undergraduate students and postgraduate students new to studying multilingualism.

Winner of the British Association of Applied Linguistics Book Prize 2014 This book addresses how the new linguistic concept of 'Translanguaging' has contributed to our understandings of language, bilingualism and education, with potential to transform not only semiotic systems and speaker subjectivities, but also social structures.

An anthology of articles on ethnic bilingualism and bilingual education from a sociolinguistic perspective. It covers theoretical paradigms (primarily structural-functionalism and group conflict theory and the problem formulations in BE typical of the paradigms), practical research methodology and a number of exemplificatory case studies.

This volume explores how educators conceptualized and implemented critical approaches to systemic functional linguistics that support bilingual students in appropriating and challenging dominant knowledge domains in K-16 contexts. The researchers exhibit a shared commitment to enacting a culturally sustaining SFL praxis that validates multilingual meaning making, pushes against social inequity, and fosters creative re-mixing of available semiotic resources. It should prove a valuable resource for students, teachers and researchers interested in applied linguistics, education and critical theory.

This updated and revised edition of Hamers and Blanc's successful textbook presents state-of-the-art knowledge about languages in contact from individual bilingualism (or bilinguality) to societal bilingualism. It is both multi- and interdisciplinary in approach, and analyses bilingualism at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. Linguistic, cognitive and sociocultural aspects of bilingual development are explored, as are problems such as bilingual memory and polyglot aphasia. Hamers and Blanc analyse the relationship between culture, identity, and language behaviour in multicultural settings, as well as the communication strategies in interpersonal and intergroup relations. They also propose theoretical models of language processing and development, which are then applied to bilingual behaviour. Other topics reviewed include language shift, pidgins and creoles, language planning and bilingual education. This book will be invaluable to students, teachers and scholars interested in languages in contact in a range of disciplines including psycholinguistics, linguistics, the social sciences, education and language planning.

This book looks at how families can support and increase bilingualism through planned strategies. One such strategy is the one person-one language approach, where each parent speaks his or her language. Over a hundred families from around the world were questioned and thirty families were interviewed in-depth about how they pass on their language in bilingual or trilingual families.