As Norton (2013) stated, "language teaching is not a neutral practice, but a highly political one" (p. 47). One such politicized practice is the teaching of the target language's 'standard' variety, which often promotes language practices valued by the dominant group but does not reflect speaker diversity and linguistic reality (Blyth & Dalola, 2019). Focusing on the prescribed 'standard' and the monolingual native speaker model also limits the acceptable outcome of L2 learning (Kramsch, 2009; van Compernolle, 2016). This presentation explores how a multiliteracies-inspired (Cope & Kalantzis, 2015; New London Group, 1996) and sociolinguistically-oriented advanced French course confronted this process of normalization in the L2 classroom by emphasizing the sociolinguistic diversity of the French-speaking world and encouraging students to explore their own diversity as L2 and multilingual speakers of French.
The course, which was taught at a large American university, drew on the concept of indexicality in language. It was designed to have students experiment with sociolinguistic variation in French through self-inspired fictional characters in order to develop their L2 identities. Exploring these identities through written and oral semi-autobiographical narratives, the learners reflected on the process in two metapragmatic reflections. Content and thematic analysis of the reflections reveals that students benefitted from this approach that highlights linguistic variation and speaker identity. First, presenting non-standard and non-native varieties of French provided them with relatable models and relevant linguistic tools that helped them express their L2 selves. Second, they greatly appreciated the freedom to explore their languacultural identities in ways they had never experienced before in an instructed environment. Lastly, they reframed their understanding of legitimate L2 speakership to be inclusive of more voices, including their own. In these ways, the course promoted diversity and inclusion by (re)habilitating silenced voices in traditional L2 education and encouraging learners to explore and cultivate their diversity and uniqueness as legitimate members of the French-speaking world. In doing so, the course also supported the development of students' critical language awareness (Alim, 2010).
References
Alim, H. S. (2010). Critical language awareness. Sociolinguistics and Language Education, 18, 205-231.
Blyth, C. S., & Dalola, A. (2020). Redefining speakership: Implications for language program direction. Second Language Research & Practice, 1(1), 99-123.
Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2015). The things you do to know: An introduction to the pedagogy of multiliteracies. In B. Cope & M. Kalantzis (Eds.), A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Learning by design (pp. 1-36). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review, 66(1), 60-92.
Norton, P. B. (2013). Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
van Compernolle, R. A. (2016). Sociolinguistic authenticity and L2 learners: Production, perception, and metapragmatics. In R.A. van Compernolle & J. McGregor (Eds.), Authenticity, language, and interaction in second language contexts (pp. 61-81). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
