To make students aware of the interactive relationship between language and society. To familiarise students with variation in the use of language. To provide students with experience in conducting their own small scale sociolinguistic research.

(LO1) Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the social dimension of language and its implication for applied areas, including language education and policy.

(LO2) Students will demonstrate the ability to critically compare and evaluate relevant theoretical concepts within the field of sociolinguistics.

(LO3) Students will demonstrate an understanding of basic principles of sociolinguistic methodology that allows students to collect language data and to analyse this data from a sociolinguistic perspective.

(LO4) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scope of sociolinguistics in relation to other linguistic disciplines.

(S1) Investigative skills: searching out and synthesising information stored on paper, electronically or visually; developing skills of independent investigation, interacting with colleagues

(S2) Problem-solving skills: formulating problems (factual, empirical, theoretical) in precise terms, identifying key issues, developing the confidence to address challenging problems using a variety of different approaches

(S3) Communication/ verbal skills: developing the ability to listen carefully, to present complex information in a clear, concise and sophisticated manner both in writing and by oral presentation, and to present a discussion based on information collected from various sources and coherently synthesised, using appropriate referencing conventions

(S4) Thinking/ intellectual skills: developing the ability to interpret and present data, critically address complex ideas, construct logical arguments, and use technical language correctly

(S5) Personal Organisation skills: developing the ability to undertake self-directed study and learning, manage their time efficiently, and to plan, design and accomplish a significant piece of research or an inquiry, either independently or as a member of a team

(S6) Self – development skills: developing the ability to work independently, to use their initiative, to organise their time properly and to interact constructively with others

(S7) Information Technology: developing the ability to use their computing and IT skills to help find, store and interpret information, to produce electronic documents and to use appropriate software confidently

Topics covered typically include: Introduction. Variation in language (social, regional and functional variation). Variation and style. Language attitudes. Being polite as a variable in speech. Gender. Social networks and communities of practice. Language contact. Multilingualism and language choice. Data collection and interpretation. Sociolinguistics and education.

Teaching Method 1 - Whole cohort session 2 x 1 hour workshops
Description: Whole cohort sessions, are used to survey general approaches to sociolinguistic theory and methodology or to consider some aspect of the field of sociolinguistics in detail.
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: Whole cohort sessions are used to survey general approaches to sociolinguistic theory and methodology or to consider some aspect of the field of sociolinguistics in detail.

Teaching Method 2 -Small group sessions 1 x 1 hour tutorials
Description: Small group sessions are typically oriented towards group critical discussion and analytical tasks as a basis for exploring the issues raised in the whole cohort sessions.
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: Small group sessions are typically oriented towards group critical discussion and analytical tasks as a basis for exploring the issues raised in the lectures.