Chinese students’ engagement with linguistic landscapes during a summer school in Scotland

Abstract

This article examines visiting Chinese undergraduate students’ engagement with the linguistic landscape (LL) in the city of Edinburgh as they participated in a University summer school. A pedagogical approach was taken involving capturing LL on display during a ‘camera safari’; reflecting on questions through dialogic discussion and in writing and sharing results through oral group presentations. The article begins with a discussion of the LL literature associated with different dimensions of education, followed by a description of the multilingual research site and the LL pedagogical intervention activities. The evidence suggests the LL project supports claims of the importance of LL as a pedagogical tool for students to gain new understandings and reflect on their own learning in an increasingly globalised world. Finally, a critical examination is given of the effectiveness of LL as a pedagogical tool in educational settings.