The group’s language-related research is informed by a social view of languages, discourses and literacies and it is characterised by considerable inter-disciplinarity, drawing on recent developments in Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics, Applied Linguistics, Linguistic Ethnography and Social Theory. It includes empirical work and theory-building research on multilingualism in schools and societies, and on youth work policy and practice.

The research activity of the group currently encompasses six broad themes:

Theme 1: Ethnographic research on classroom interaction, teacher collaboration, language for teaching and learning, bilingualism and English as an Additional Language.

Theme 2: Ethnographic research on literacy in schools, Further Education colleges, workplaces and in local neighbourhoods and life worlds.

Theme 3: Ethnographic and discourse analytic research on language and the construction of gendered identities.

Theme 4: Qualitative research related to initial teacher education and teacher development and related to pedagogies, knowledge-building and language curricula. The development of critical, interpretive research methods and new theory-building in language-related inquiry in education.

Theme 5: Research on youth work policy and practice in multi-ethnic urban neighbourhoods and rural contexts, including research on gender, faith, Islam, migration, diasporic experiences and the construction of racialised identities.

Theme 6: Research on the discursive construction and negotiation of identities in multilingual contexts.

Engagement with users

Members of the research group are active in using their research to shape educational policy and provision.

Policy related to language in education

• invitations to attend meetings with the Ethnic Minority Achievement Project, DfES.
• invitations to the DfES Aiming High Conferences in 2005
• keynote presentations at meetings convened by professional associations such as NALDIC[1] (2000 – 2005) and NASSEA[2] (2000 – 2006).
• ESRC-funded research on complementary schooling has been presented to government at ministerial level.
• invitations from CiLT, the National Centre for Languages, to offer specialist perspectives on community language provision in England.

Youth work policy and practice

• two national conferences organised by members of the group have led to the establishment of a National Youth Work organisation and, for the first time, a National Strategy for Muslim Youth Work.
• new approaches to public policy-making in this area have been developed, in close collaboration with the National Youth Agency and the DfES. This development has significant implications for youth work practice with young Muslim women and men and for the relationship between young Muslims, their immediate communities and the British state.

[1] National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC)

[2] Northern Association of Support Services for Equality and Achievement

For further information, please contact Professor Marilyn Martin-Jones (Group Lead)