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Language Awareness in Multilinguals: Theoretical Trends

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Book cover Language Awareness and Multilingualism

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

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Abstract

Interest in language awareness or knowledge about language has grown over the last 20 years, mainly stimulated by the language awareness movement in the UK. A literature survey reveals considerable discrepancies in definition and terminology (language awareness, metalinguistic awareness, linguistic awareness, etc.), and the reasons seem to be linked to the vast theoretical scope of the field with studies stemming from linguistics, developmental psychology, and education. The growing interest in multilingualism has given rise to a wave of research emphasis on the role of language awareness in multilingual learning and education.

In the following sections, the various strands of research, from their beginnings to their current works, and problems in the field – with regard to terminological confusion and various dichotomies in relation to the consciousness debate – will be discussed. In the final section, challenges for future studies on language awareness in multilingualism will be presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. English Department, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52/III, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Ulrike Jessner

  2. Department of Hungarian and Applied Linguistics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem str. 10., 8200, Veszprém, Hungary

    Ulrike Jessner

Authors
  1. Ulrike Jessner
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Correspondence to Ulrike Jessner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept Res Methods Education, University of the Basque Country Dept Res Methods Education, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

    Jasone Cenoz

  2. UPV/EHU - IKERBASCQUE, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU - IKERBASCQUE, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

    Durk Gorter

  3. Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, School of Critic, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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Jessner, U. (2015). Language Awareness in Multilinguals: Theoretical Trends. In: Cenoz, J., Gorter, D., May, S. (eds) Language Awareness and Multilingualism. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_28-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_28-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02325-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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