Fiona Willans
Biographic Data
| ID | 162286 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Fiona Willans |
| GIVEN NAMES | Fiona |
| FAMILY NAME | Willans |
| SIGNATURE | WILLANS F |
| AFFILIATIONS | School of Language, Arts & Media, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5456-5897 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 13 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
The scramble for EMI
While more and more universities in traditionally non-Anglophone countries are moving towards English medium instruction (EMI), those of the nominally Anglophone postcolonial world are carrying on with business as usual. Higher education in many postcolonial countries has typically only ever been available through the language of the former colonisers, so many institutions in former British colonies now find themselves ahead of the global trend. …
Digicel! Topap long ples ia! An international telecommunications company making itself at home in the urban landscapes of Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga
Mobile phone usage has increased at an unprecedented rate across the Pacific over the past 10–15 years, radically transforming the way communication takes place. The catalyst for this transformation is generally attributed to the breakdown of monopolies previously held by national telecom corporations over their own domestic markets, and the entrance of one particular new provider, Digicel. This paper examines the strategies through which Digicel…
From Hindustani to (Fiji) Hindi and Back to Fiji Baat? Metalinguistic Reconstructions of the National Variety of Hindi in Fiji
One factor that has united Fijians of Indian descent is the language of Fiji Hindi, or Fiji Baat. Developed on the plantations of the indenture period, it is now the mother tongue of virtually all Indo-Fijians, distinct from the Standard Hindi that is taught in schools. This paper examines the way these two varieties of Hindi have been metalinguistically reconstructed from the early colonial period to the present day, focusing particularly on the…
Signs of multilingualism in the urban linguistic landscapes of Fiji and Vanuatu
This paper examines the visibility of different languages within the landscapes of two capital cities, Suva (Fiji) and Port Vila (Vanuatu), as an exploration of symbolic constructions of national identity. Data from digital photographs is analysed from four different angles: the languages that appear to be used to serve and sell to the multilingual public of each city; the languages that are found on top-down official signage; the presence or abs…
Grassroots talk back on social media
This paper analyses the participatory space for political debate opened up by social media in Vanuatu with reference to the implementation of a recent language-in-education policy, jointly funded by the governments of Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand. Although Vanuatu appears to have been debating the same language issues for several decades, what is new is the level of participatory engagement in political matters, with the Facebook group Yumi…
Another early-exit transitional model doomed to fail? Or is this the wrong model at the right time in Vanuatu
Language-in-education policies are developed and implemented within contexts of great complexity. Where policies appear less than perfect on paper, this presents a valuable opportunity to examine the contextual factors that have led to their development, helping policymakers to understand the conditions under which policy change must take place. This paper considers an early-exit transitional model of multilingual education that has recently been…
How far can the language ecology metaphor take us
In this response to Mufwene's (2017) target article we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of extending the ecology metaphor into studies of language vitality, focusing on contexts from the South Pacific. We show that an ecological perspective allows us to focus on the local and particular and can help us to avoid a simplistic reliance on broad phenomena such as ‘globalization’ to account for language endangerment and loss (LEL). However, we c…
Carving out institutional space for multilingualism in the world’s most multilingual region
The University of the South Pacific is a regional university catering for 12 countries. Its location situates it within unparalleled linguistic diversity, and its regional structure creates a highly multilingual body of staff and students interacting either face-to-face on the major campuses or remotely via e-learning and satellite communications. On the surface, it is an exciting place to be engaging with matters of language and linguistic diver…
Empirical foundations for medium of instruction policies
With global attention currently focused on the challenge of providing Education for All (UNESCO 2000), we must ensure that the language of teaching and learning remains a topic on the agenda towards making sure that the education being provided is effective. This is therefore a critical time to review medium of instruction debates, and to reassess what empirical evidence exists to guide policymaking that is both appropriate and achievable. Contri…
Traces of globalised discourses within and around spaces for multilingualism
This paper examines the way language-in-education policy-making in Vanuatu has dealt with multilingualism at three points in the nation's short history: in 1980, as the country gained its independence from Britain and France; in 1999, during a period of intense change across government departments following the Comprehensive Reform Programme (CRP); and in 2010, as Vanuatu looked back on 30 years of independence. At each of these points in time, t…
The position of English globally and nationally
This paper investigates language ideologies relevant to medium of instruction policy within two postcolonial countries: Cameroon and Vanuatu. Each country experienced British and French rule, and has retained both English and French as official languages and media of instruction. However, since Independence, there has been a difference in the way the two languages are perceived in each country, due to the numerical imbalance between those who are…
The Engineering of Plurilingualism Following a Blueprint for Multilingualism
This article examines recent proposals in Vanuatu for a new, plurilingual education system. The article discusses these proposals with reference to three principles of plurilingualism upon which the proposals are ostensibly based: the need to value the linguistic repertoires with which children start school, the development of further linguistic resources to enhance individual potential, and the holistic integration of these resources within ling…
Classroom code-switching in a Vanuatu secondary school
English and French have been retained by Vanuatu's education system as the two media of instruction. Other languages are ignored and often explicitly banned by school policies. However, code-switching between the official and other languages is common, with particularly frequent use of Bislama, the national dialect of Melanesian Pidgin. While it is commonly thought that Bislama is only used in classrooms to compensate for inadequate levels of Eng…
Signs of multilingualism in the urban linguistic landscapes of Fiji and Vanuatu
This paper examines the visibility of different languages within the landscapes of two capital cities, Suva (Fiji) and Port Vila (Vanuatu), as an exploration of symbolic constructions of national identity. Data from digital photographs is analysed from four different angles: the languages that appear to be used to serve and sell to the multilingual public of each city; the languages that are found on top-down official signage; the presence or abs…
Grassroots talk back on social media
This paper analyses the participatory space for political debate opened up by social media in Vanuatu with reference to the implementation of a recent language-in-education policy, jointly funded by the governments of Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand. Although Vanuatu appears to have been debating the same language issues for several decades, what is new is the level of participatory engagement in political matters, with the Facebook group Yumi…
Traces of globalised discourses within and around spaces for multilingualism
This paper examines the way language-in-education policy-making in Vanuatu has dealt with multilingualism at three points in the nation's short history: in 1980, as the country gained its independence from Britain and France; in 1999, during a period of intense change across government departments following the Comprehensive Reform Programme (CRP); and in 2010, as Vanuatu looked back on 30 years of independence. At each of these points in time, t…
Carving out institutional space for multilingualism in the world’s most multilingual region
The University of the South Pacific is a regional university catering for 12 countries. Its location situates it within unparalleled linguistic diversity, and its regional structure creates a highly multilingual body of staff and students interacting either face-to-face on the major campuses or remotely via e-learning and satellite communications. On the surface, it is an exciting place to be engaging with matters of language and linguistic diver…
The Engineering of Plurilingualism Following a Blueprint for Multilingualism
This article examines recent proposals in Vanuatu for a new, plurilingual education system. The article discusses these proposals with reference to three principles of plurilingualism upon which the proposals are ostensibly based: the need to value the linguistic repertoires with which children start school, the development of further linguistic resources to enhance individual potential, and the holistic integration of these resources within ling…
Another early-exit transitional model doomed to fail? Or is this the wrong model at the right time in Vanuatu
Language-in-education policies are developed and implemented within contexts of great complexity. Where policies appear less than perfect on paper, this presents a valuable opportunity to examine the contextual factors that have led to their development, helping policymakers to understand the conditions under which policy change must take place. This paper considers an early-exit transitional model of multilingual education that has recently been…
The position of English globally and nationally
This paper investigates language ideologies relevant to medium of instruction policy within two postcolonial countries: Cameroon and Vanuatu. Each country experienced British and French rule, and has retained both English and French as official languages and media of instruction. However, since Independence, there has been a difference in the way the two languages are perceived in each country, due to the numerical imbalance between those who are…
Classroom code-switching in a Vanuatu secondary school
English and French have been retained by Vanuatu's education system as the two media of instruction. Other languages are ignored and often explicitly banned by school policies. However, code-switching between the official and other languages is common, with particularly frequent use of Bislama, the national dialect of Melanesian Pidgin. While it is commonly thought that Bislama is only used in classrooms to compensate for inadequate levels of Eng…
The position of English globally and nationally
This paper investigates language ideologies relevant to medium of instruction policy within two postcolonial countries: Cameroon and Vanuatu. Each country experienced British and French rule, and has retained both English and French as official languages and media of instruction. However, since Independence, there has been a difference in the way the two languages are perceived in each country, due to the numerical imbalance between those who are…
The Engineering of Plurilingualism Following a Blueprint for Multilingualism
This article examines recent proposals in Vanuatu for a new, plurilingual education system. The article discusses these proposals with reference to three principles of plurilingualism upon which the proposals are ostensibly based: the need to value the linguistic repertoires with which children start school, the development of further linguistic resources to enhance individual potential, and the holistic integration of these resources within ling…
Traces of globalised discourses within and around spaces for multilingualism
This paper examines the way language-in-education policy-making in Vanuatu has dealt with multilingualism at three points in the nation's short history: in 1980, as the country gained its independence from Britain and France; in 1999, during a period of intense change across government departments following the Comprehensive Reform Programme (CRP); and in 2010, as Vanuatu looked back on 30 years of independence. At each of these points in time, t…
Carving out institutional space for multilingualism in the world’s most multilingual region
The University of the South Pacific is a regional university catering for 12 countries. Its location situates it within unparalleled linguistic diversity, and its regional structure creates a highly multilingual body of staff and students interacting either face-to-face on the major campuses or remotely via e-learning and satellite communications. On the surface, it is an exciting place to be engaging with matters of language and linguistic diver…
Empirical foundations for medium of instruction policies
With global attention currently focused on the challenge of providing Education for All (UNESCO 2000), we must ensure that the language of teaching and learning remains a topic on the agenda towards making sure that the education being provided is effective. This is therefore a critical time to review medium of instruction debates, and to reassess what empirical evidence exists to guide policymaking that is both appropriate and achievable. Contri…
Grassroots talk back on social media
This paper analyses the participatory space for political debate opened up by social media in Vanuatu with reference to the implementation of a recent language-in-education policy, jointly funded by the governments of Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand. Although Vanuatu appears to have been debating the same language issues for several decades, what is new is the level of participatory engagement in political matters, with the Facebook group Yumi…
Another early-exit transitional model doomed to fail? Or is this the wrong model at the right time in Vanuatu
Language-in-education policies are developed and implemented within contexts of great complexity. Where policies appear less than perfect on paper, this presents a valuable opportunity to examine the contextual factors that have led to their development, helping policymakers to understand the conditions under which policy change must take place. This paper considers an early-exit transitional model of multilingual education that has recently been…
How far can the language ecology metaphor take us
In this response to Mufwene's (2017) target article we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of extending the ecology metaphor into studies of language vitality, focusing on contexts from the South Pacific. We show that an ecological perspective allows us to focus on the local and particular and can help us to avoid a simplistic reliance on broad phenomena such as ‘globalization’ to account for language endangerment and loss (LEL). However, we c…
Signs of multilingualism in the urban linguistic landscapes of Fiji and Vanuatu
This paper examines the visibility of different languages within the landscapes of two capital cities, Suva (Fiji) and Port Vila (Vanuatu), as an exploration of symbolic constructions of national identity. Data from digital photographs is analysed from four different angles: the languages that appear to be used to serve and sell to the multilingual public of each city; the languages that are found on top-down official signage; the presence or abs…
From Hindustani to (Fiji) Hindi and Back to Fiji Baat? Metalinguistic Reconstructions of the National Variety of Hindi in Fiji
One factor that has united Fijians of Indian descent is the language of Fiji Hindi, or Fiji Baat. Developed on the plantations of the indenture period, it is now the mother tongue of virtually all Indo-Fijians, distinct from the Standard Hindi that is taught in schools. This paper examines the way these two varieties of Hindi have been metalinguistically reconstructed from the early colonial period to the present day, focusing particularly on the…
The scramble for EMI
While more and more universities in traditionally non-Anglophone countries are moving towards English medium instruction (EMI), those of the nominally Anglophone postcolonial world are carrying on with business as usual. Higher education in many postcolonial countries has typically only ever been available through the language of the former colonisers, so many institutions in former British colonies now find themselves ahead of the global trend. …
Digicel! Topap long ples ia! An international telecommunications company making itself at home in the urban landscapes of Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga
Mobile phone usage has increased at an unprecedented rate across the Pacific over the past 10–15 years, radically transforming the way communication takes place. The catalyst for this transformation is generally attributed to the breakdown of monopolies previously held by national telecom corporations over their own domestic markets, and the entrance of one particular new provider, Digicel. This paper examines the strategies through which Digicel…
Multilingual Education and Policy (12 works) · Political science (11 works) · Sociology (11 works) · Linguistics (10 works) · Second Language Learning and Teaching (9 works) · Law (7 works) · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning (6 works) · Pedagogy (6 works) · Politics (5 works) · Computer Science (4 works)