Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2025 - EDUC 856 G031

Sociocultural Perspectives on Education and Identity (5)

Class Number: 3705

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 10:30 a.m.–3:20 p.m.
    Location: TBA

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Course activities will be structured for participants to consider recent formulations of learners as agents as well as subjects of culturally constructed, socially imposed worlds. Participants will examine a number of ethnographic descriptions of the experiences of learners in a variety of communities, noting in particular their use of diverse mediations/tools, including language. Participants will consider these ideas in relation to their own educational communities and develop plans for research activity in those sites. Equivalent Courses: EDUC713

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is restricted to students in a Community MEd cohort program.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

• Become familiar with and develop perspectives on sociocultural and identity topics in language education

• Develop a critical awareness of teachers’ and students’ identity negotiation/formation and its relationship to language teaching/learning

• Apply theory and research on sociocultural and identity-related aspects of language education to our own past, present, and/or future teaching and learning contexts.

Grading

  • Active learning/participation 10%
  • Reading responses 20%
  • Discussion facilitation 25%
  • Major paper (in stages) 45%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Block, D. (2021). Innovations and Challenges in Identity Research (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.4324/9780429356186 


ISBN: 978-0-429-35618-6

RECOMMENDED READING:

Block, D. (2014). Second Language Identities. Bloomsbury.


ISBN: 9781472526045

Norton, B. (2013). Identity and Language Learning: Extending the Conversation (2nd ed.). Multilingual Matters.


ISBN: 978-1783090549

Toohey, K. (2018) Learning English at School: Identity, Socio-material Relations and Classroom Practice. Multilingual Matters, 2018. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788920094


ISBN: 9781788920070

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.