Students

LING3386 – Multilingualism

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor & lecturer
Xin Wang
x.wang1@mq.edu.au
Alice Wu
xufang.wu@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
50cp at 2000 level or above including 10cp of LING units at 2000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on many issues concerning bilingualism and multilingualism including: patterns of acquiring and losing bilingualism; bilingual language processing in both adults and children; linguistic/cognitive consequences of bilingualism/multilingualism; bilingualism/multilingualism in Australia, and Australian language policies and planning. The focus is on discussion of current controversies - for example, the critical age theory; input theories and 'competency'; and the cognitive advantage of bilingualism - based on readings and participants' experiences. It also includes workshopping of bilingual data. This unit is useful for students familiar with bilingual or multilingual situations, or who have experience or plans to be involved in teaching, learning or using a second language, or working in a multicultural workplace.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify, discuss and critique complex issues surrounding bilingual individuals, states, and education.
  • ULO2: Identify and explain the different cognitive accounts of bilingual language processing
  • ULO3: Critically evaluate literature, theories and methodologies used in bilingual studies
  • ULO4: Explain the impact learning/speaking two or multiple languages can have across one's life span

General Assessment Information

General information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenors.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.  

 For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours) 

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100

-

75

0

Late submissions for an assessment task will not be accepted once that assessment task has been marked and returned to students.

Late submission of time sensitive tasks, such as timetabled tests/exams, scheduled performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs, will be addressed by the Unit Convenors in a Special Consideration application.

Use of Generative AI

Please refer to instructions from your Unit Convenors on the use and acknowledgement of use of Generative AI in your submitted assignments.

Special Consideration

If you are unable to complete an assessment task on or by the specified date due circumstances that are unexpected, unavoidable, significantly disruptive and beyond your control, you may apply for special consideration in accordance with the special consideration policy. Applications for special consideration must be supported by appropriate evidence and submitted via ask.mq.edu.au.

1. You should only attempt an exam if you are well enough to do so. Note: Special Consideration is not normally granted if an exam has already been attempted. If you are unfit/unable to attempt the exam due to an eligible disruption, please do not attempt the exam. For information regarding Special Consideration and how attempting an exam will impact your application, refer to the Special Consideration webpage

2. In the event of illness or significant disruptions during an examination, you must promptly cease your work. If the incident occurs in an invigilated exam setting, you must inform the supervisor or invigilator immediately. If the disruption takes place outside an invigilated setting (e.g. non-invigilated timed assessment), it should be reported immediately to the appropriate course authority. Subsequently, you should promptly consult the Special Consideration webpage to review the FAQs and eligibility requirements and follow the steps to apply.

3. If you attempt an exam or timed assessment without reporting any issues during the assessment process to the supervisor or invigilator (in the case of invigilated exam) or appropriate course authority (unit convenor for example in the case of non-invigilated exam) and then apply for Special Consideration based on illness during the exam, the application will generally not be considered.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Critical review of literature 30% No 29/08/2025
Term Essay 35% No 24/10/2025
Final Exam 35% No Exam period (TBD)

Critical review of literature

Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 29/08/2025
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will read a research article and write a review based on a set of questions.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, discuss and critique complex issues surrounding bilingual individuals, states, and education.
  • Critically evaluate literature, theories and methodologies used in bilingual studies

Term Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 43 hours
Due: 24/10/2025
Weighting: 35%

 

Students need to choose a topic in Bilingualism/Multilingualism and write an essay about it.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, discuss and critique complex issues surrounding bilingual individuals, states, and education.
  • Identify and explain the different cognitive accounts of bilingual language processing
  • Critically evaluate literature, theories and methodologies used in bilingual studies
  • Explain the impact learning/speaking two or multiple languages can have across one's life span

Final Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Exam period (TBD)
Weighting: 35%

 

Students will be tested on topics covered by the unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, discuss and critique complex issues surrounding bilingual individuals, states, and education.
  • Identify and explain the different cognitive accounts of bilingual language processing
  • Critically evaluate literature, theories and methodologies used in bilingual studies
  • Explain the impact learning/speaking two or multiple languages can have across one's life span

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

LING3386 is delivered through a weekly two-hour lecture-seminar on campus. These lectures are also live streamed and recorded on Echo360.  

It is essential to attend the weekly classes OR engage with the class recording each week. If you are unwell or unable to get to the campus in a particular week, please follow the live stream on Echo360 (if it is possible to do so) or listen to the recording at a time that is convenient for you.

In most weeks, students will be asked to complete some reading to accompany the topics that we are studying. Details of weekly reading and links to the relevant articles and chapters can be found on the Leganto block on the LING3386 iLearn site. There is no set textbook for this unit.

The class time and venue (room) can be found on the University timetable.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook