This courses explores the nature of language: its rule-governed structure, its variety and its universal characteristics, the way it is acquired by native speakers and additional language learners, its role in society, its role in creating, sustaining, and enhancing power, and its role in informal and institutional education. The aim of the course is to consider (i) language awareness and use in first, second, and foreign language education; (ii) the special need for language awareness in L2 contexts; and (iii) the role of language awareness in teacher development and program administration. Students will relate course concepts to their own language learning and teaching experiences, and will carry out observational/empirical tasks to apply their learning to the real world.