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Towards a Multilingual Future: the Ecology of Language at a University in Eastern Ukraine

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Towards a Multilingual Future: the Ecology of Language at a University in Eastern Ukraine University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2013 Towards a Multilingual Future: The Ecology of Language at a University in Eastern Ukraine Bridget A. Goodman University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Eastern European Studies Commons, European Languages and Societies Commons, and the Slavic Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Goodman, Bridget A., "Towards a Multilingual Future: The Ecology of Language at a University in Eastern Ukraine" (2013). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 756. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/756 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/756 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Towards a Multilingual Future: The Ecology of Language at a University in Eastern Ukraine Abstract In Ukraine, the Russian and Ukrainian languages have historically alternated in policy and practice in their official status and social estige.pr As in many areas of the world, English is emerging in Ukraine as a language of economic value, social prestige, and education though it is not a language of wider communication. The goal of the research was to explore the ecology of language at a university which is implementing English as a medium of instruction in all subjects for multiple groups of students in Dnipropetrovs&rsquok, Ukraine. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted vo er the 2010-2011 academic year to answer the following questions: 1) What are the discourses about English language instruction at the university? 2) What is the day-to-day reality of English language instruction at the university? 3) How are English and English-language classroom practices situated in or reflective of the larger language ecology of the university? and 4) How is English language education practically and discursively connected with: Ukrainian language policy, international education policy, and goals of economic development or integration, especially integration with the European Union? Data were interpreted through the lenses of ethnography of communication, discourse analysis, and Conversation Analysis (CA). It was found that English is a source of prestige and achievement for the university, and is an attempt to recruit students by offering a &ldquoEuropean&rdquo level of education. Using English as a medium of instruction poses the challenge of finding teachers and textbooks and equirr es adjustments to classroom management, but also affords opportunities to learn academic content and language. Russian is the predominant native language used to support learning in EFL and English-medium classes. Ukrainian appears to be most prevalent in the written domains of use regardless of the medium of instruction, and in formal spoken situations. Russian was a predominant spoken language. English occupies spaces that Russian or Ukrainian do not, but is not seen as a threat to Russian or Ukrainian because it is a foreign language. Additional languages are used in and out of class in more limited ways, but are seen as equally important as English, Russian and Ukrainian for securing an economic future. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Education First Advisor Nancy H. Hornberger Keywords bilingualism and multilingualism, Bologna Process, English as a medium of instruction, language policy, Russian and Ukrainian, Ukraine Subject Categories Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Eastern European Studies | Education | European Languages and Societies | Slavic Languages and Societies This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/756 TOWARDS A MULTILINGUAL FUTURE: THE ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE AT A UNIVESRITY IN EASTERN UKRAINE COPYRIGHT 2013 Bridget Ann Goodman In memory of Eli and Miriam Freeman, whose journey from Russia to America made this dissertation possible and worthwhile. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It has been said it takes a village to raise a child, but it has taken a cadre of academic and personal support from seven cities on two continents to give rise to this dissertation. On the academic side, I must give thanks to Nancy Hornberger at the University of Pennsylvania and Oleg Tarnopolsky at Alfred Nobel University, without whom this dissertation would not have been possible. Nancy not only introduced me to her theoretical frameworks which shaped the scope of the dissertation, she gave me the freedom and encouragement to apply those frameworks to the case of Alfred Nobel University. She also provided invaluable feedback that helped the dissertation, in my opinion, be more than simply a “done” dissertation. Oleg Tarnopolsky ensured I had open access to classes, teachers, students, administrators, and school events. Thanks to him, that part of the experience was easier than I ever could have imagined or hoped for. In addition, he gave me a broad understanding of the workings of Alfred Nobel University and cultural norms in interaction. On a personal note, with the help of his wife, Valentina, all of my basic needs were met. I had a roof over my head near the university. I knew which bread could be trusted at the supermarket. I experienced Russian language and culture through movies, theatrical performances, excursions, and New Year’s celebrations. Most of all, I laughed at the wickedest jokes I’ve ever heard a full professor tell. Ogromnoe spasibo. On the academic side in the United States, I thank my committee members, Laada Bilaniuk of the University of Washington and Yuko Butler of the University of Pennsylvania. Laada’s keen insights into the nuances of language politics in Ukraine, and her passion for sharing those insights, made it a pleasure to talk with her no matter iv how fleeting the opportunity. Yuko pointed me to a plethora of knowledge about English as a medium of instruction and the role of additional foreign languages worldwide, and gave me informal encouragement in my work as we passed each other in halls of GSE. Although she did not live to see this dissertation come to fruition, Tere Pica laid a strong foundation for me. Observing her teach a class in 1998 inspired me to come to Penn for a Master’s in TESOL, which laid the foundation for my return as a doctoral student. As my academic advisor for my first three years of doctoral study (a relationship built upon two years as a Master’s student), she worked with me on class choices and the development of my qualifying exams papers. She also gave me time and space to work on my own research and dissertation proposal. In her characteristically loving and generous style she gave unconditional positive support and anything in her house she thought I might find useful, including the office chair in which I have done most of the dissertation writing. Thank you, Tere. In addition to academic advisors, I have had a cabinet of people whose support has been invaluable. Before I even began the Ph.D. program, my former Master’s program classmates Junko Hondo and Manami Suzuki were encouraging me by words and by example to participate in scholarly conferences and pursue a Ph.D. At each stage of the process, they cheered as I reached a milestone and gave practical insights based on their own experiences. Domo arigato. In Ukraine before, during, and after fieldwork, English teachers Alexander Malygin of Kryvyi Rih and Elena Ivanishena of Khmel’nyts’kyi spent countless hours on the phone, over email, and in person with me helping comprehend the words uttered in Russian and Ukrainian and the meanings behind them. Duzhe Diakuiu. Back in Philadelphia, Penny Creedon, Lorraine Hightower, Mary v Schlesinger, and Suzanne Oh have been stalwarts in the Educational Linguistics Division. They have helped me navigate the GSE system and work-related tasks, giving 110 percent every moment. Master’s students Hanna Schlosser and Li Bai browsed nearly 200 Ukrainian university Web sites, ensuring that my case study had a clear national context in which to situate the findings at Alfred Nobel University. Classmates in the 2009, 2011 and 2012 Dissertation Seminars at GSE gave invaluable feedback that helped me shape the proposal and the final dissertation. Among them, I offer special thanks to Haley de Korne, Rachel Throop, Ming-Hsuan Wu, and Jamie Schissel. You are inspirational and it was a privilege to be in your company. Jiyoon Lee did not participate in these classes, but she has also been a sounding board for me. As we coped together with the loss of Tere she felt more like an academic cousin. Kamsa Hamnida. I must next thank family and friends who are like family to me. My mother has endured talking or being with me at times when I’ve been cranky and irritable from “dissertation hormones”, gladly borne the shamed requests for financial help when funds were low, delighted in proofreading chapters, and shared the joy of watching the table of contents grow. My father and his wife, Janet, have been a great spiritual support, steadfastly praying that I have everything I need to complete the dissertation “right down to the paper clips”. My brother, Phillip, sent the best care packages a sister could ask for to keep my freezer and cookie jar fully stocked. Love you all. I am grateful for my dear friend Peter Scheubel, who knows firsthand the joys and sufferings of both EFL teaching and thesis writing and was able to share insights in both areas that pushed the dissertation forward. He also helped me remember once in a while to stop, breathe, and laugh. Tausend Dank. vi On a financial note, I thank GSE for three years of full support, and the Fulbright- Hays Dissertation Research Abroad grant which made it possible for me to focus completely on collecting data during my year in Ukraine. I am equally grateful for two years of campus employment which developed my ability to be a responsible multitasker, co-organizer of major events, supervisor, advisor, teaching mentor, and occasional instructor.
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