Study Guide

Objective

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

1) understand the history and development of the English language from Indo-European beginnings, through standardization, to the lingua franca it is today
2) clearly recognize the major varieties of English, including the phonetic and phonological features of their accents, grammar, vocabulary, slang and colloquialisms
3) recognize to a satisfactory extent the minor varieties of English, including non-native varieties
4) make predictions for the future of English based on historical language drift and modern influences.

Content

The course covers the wide topic of English and its varieties and dialects across the globe. Starting with the origins of the language, we travel through time to witness the development of English across millennia, ending with English as a modern lingua franca. We examine in detail the features of the major English varieties and, in lesser detail, the minor varieties.

Location and time

All of the course materials are available online through a third-party site that students are invited to by the teacher. There is no requirement to be online at a specific time, and there are no face-to-face meetings. Students are free to complete the coursework at their own pace.

Materials

All of the materials are provided by the teacher.

Teaching methods

The course is 100% online, with no scheduled lessons or lectures, and no face-to-face meetings. The content is available for the entire academic year, and students are free to complete the coursework at their own pace.

Further information

A degree student attending the Lapland University of Applied Sciences can register free of charge for LUC studies offered by the University of Lapland, if the studies can be linked to their own degree.
Enrollment takes place through: https://hakeutuminen-lay.peppi4.lapit.csc.fi/web/hakijan-tyopoyta/opiskeluhaku

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Grades 1-2: The student has met the learning outcomes only partially. The student demonstrates a foundational understanding of English language history and development. the student can identify the major varieties of English. The tasks submitted follow the given guidelines only partially.

Fail: The student has not met the requirements for the course or the tasks submitted do not follow the given guidelines. The student has not met the learning outcomes of the course.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Grades 3-4: The student has met the learning outcomes. The student demonstrates a good understanding of English language history and development. The student can identify major and minor varieties of English. The tasks submitted follow the given guidelines, although minor shortcomings may be detected.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Grade 5: The student has met the learning outcomes extremely well. The student demonstrates nuanced understanding of English language history and development. The student can identify and analyze major and minor varieties of English. The tasks submitted follow the given guidelines extremely well.