UNIVERSIDAD DEL TOLIMA

FACULTAD DE EDUCACION
DEPARTAMENTO DE ESPAOL E INGLS
LICENCIATURA EN INGLS

FINAL ESSAY: GENERAL LINGUISTICS

Due date: Week 16

Word length: 2500 3000 words

Description:
You are required to write a 2500 - 3000 word essay answering one of the questions below.
Please specify which question you are answering at the top of the essay. If you have a
question that you would like to pursue that is not on the list, negotiate the question with
your teacher by week 12 at the latest. This essay requires a minimum of 5 non-reading list
references and all references must be made using APA 6.

Questions:

1. Would changing Englishs orthographic system make it easier to learn/teach? What

changes should be made? Justify your answer referring to phonology, orthography and
language acquisition.

2. How has the feminist movement changed public discourse in terms of

gender/sexuality? Justify your answer in terms of linguistic items.

3. How can knowledge of morphology/phonetics/phonology/semantics assist in second

language teaching?

4. How should second language education be managed in terms of language policy and
planning as to respect local languages? Justify and gives examples.

5. Should second language teachers teach one of the major English dialects (General
American English/Received Pronunciation) or is there a case for teaching less known
accents (Australian/New Zealand/Indian etc.), regional accents (e.g. Texan) or New
English varieties (e.g. Singaporean)?

6. Argue for or against one of the current linguistic (e.g. Chomskys minimalism, socio-
cultural theory).

7. What constitutes inclusive/exclusive discourse within a classroom? How can this

discourse be managed?