Authors: Jūratė Ruzaitė, Violeta Kalėdaitė

1. Open Studies for
“Language and Society”
at Vytautas Magnus University
Jūratė Ruzaitė
Violeta Kalėdaitė

2. Designed for self-learning
• A possibility to ask for an agreed number of contact hours
(e.g. 2 acad. hours) with course leading teacher or
consultant.
• Synchronous meetings
• Planned online, using videoconferencing tools
• The learner (link to the request form) indicates the
preferred time for the synchronous meeting.

3. What is this course like?
• Crash course for an interdisciplinary
programme designed for students with
different backgrounds
• Main aim: equip future students with the
basics of linguistics and also “shape” their
expectations
• Individual work only
• Fully online

4. Course learning outcomes
• Define the most basic linguistic terms
• Explain the intricate links between language and
society
• Analyse sociolinguistic phenomena such as language
variation, change and death, standardization,
multilingualism.
• Apply the knowledge of sociolinguistic theory, research
methods, main concepts and terminology in data
analysis

5. General information (1)
Target group Applicants to the joint-degree study programme “Sociolinguistics and
multilingualism” who have no background in linguistics
Course language English
Formal entry requirements English language proficiency at Level B2
Course delivery Self-learning
Course duration 4 weeks

6. General information (2)
Assessment strategy Quizzes, tests, research projects, research paper review
Certification Tests, quizzes, research project
Credentialisation Digital badge OR Certificate
Link of the course with the
formal curricular
Introduction to Sociolinguistics
(English Philology Programme, VMU)
Type of Creative Commons
license for the course
Creative Commons License

7. Pedagogical approach and interactivity
• Learning activities: discussions, forums, short quizzes, peer review
• Online discussions in synchronous on-line communication

8. Assessment strategy
Assignments Weight Total weight
4 practical assignments (individual) 10 % each 40 %
4 self-assessment tests 5 % each 20 %
Final assignment (project/test/...) 40 % 40 %
TOTAL: 100 %

9. Course topics, schedule, and assignments
Topic Learning
week
Contact hours for
synchronous meetings
Assignment for individual learning
1. Language as an object of scientific
study and the social functions of
language. Key areas in sociolinguistics
1 2 hours Assignment 1: Concept map
Self-evaluation test 1
2. Discourse analysis and Conversation
Analysis
2 2 hours Assignment 2: Application of CDA in
media discourse analysis.
Self-evaluation test 2
3. Language and culture 3 2 hours Assignment 3: Review of a research
article.
Self-evaluation test 3
4. Language policy and planning 4 2 hours Assignment 4: Document analysis.
Self-evaluation test 4
Final assignment/exam 5 2018/07/15
19.00 – 20:30
Written report on a research project

10. Thank you