Dr Alessia Cogo
Staff details
Alessia is a senior lecturer in applied linguistics/sociolinguistics at Goldsmiths and is director of the MA in Multilingualism, Linguistics and Education.
Her research concerns the diversity of English, especially transcultural and transnational phenomena like English as a Lingua Franca and translanguaging. She focuses on the tensions between the use of different linguistic resources and the impact of attitudes, identities and ideologies on linguistic practices. She is currently working on super-diversity and internationalization in migration and business contexts, as well as pedagogical applications and implications.
She is Editor-in-Chief of the ELT Journal, founder and co-convenor of the AILA Research Network on English as a Lingua Franca
Alessia is the Programme Convenor and Admission Tutor for the MA in Multilingualism, Linguistics and Education
Current projects:
ELF and critical language pedagogy among language teachers in Brazil
This project aims to explore the connections between English as a Lingua Franca and critical language pedagogy among pre-service and in-service language teachers in Brazil. The project is partly funded by Erasmus + and UK Research Agency. A preliminary study, which provided the foundations for this project, was published in Englishes in Practice 2017, vol 4/3
English as a Lingua Franca in The Year's Work in English Studies
This project aims to review research on English as a Lingua Franca produced every year as part of the yearly publication The Year's Work in English Studies. The team includes PhD students in this area who regularly take on the leading role to edit the research and section of the YWES. For more information: https://academic.oup.com/ywes
EMI in Brazilian Higher Education Institutions from a lingua franca perspective: a study with two state-funded universities
In this project, in collaboration with Universidade Estadual de Londrina & Universidade Estadual de Maringá, we investigate the English-Medium Instruction (EMI) provision and compare the situation in these two institutions from an ELF perspective. The project is funded by British Council Brazil until August 2019 and dissemination is undergoing.
Alessia teaches on the following modules:
- EN52230A Varieties of English
- EN52296A Language Learning and Teaching
- EN71078B English in a Multilingual World
- EN71097A English as a Lingua Franca and Language Teaching
Areas of supervision
- English as a Lingua Franca (ELF pragmatics, attitudes and identity)
- Multilingualism and translanguaging
- ELF and critical pedagogy
- Internationalization and English-Medium Instruction in higher education
Featured work
If you’d like to know more about Alessia’s work on English as a Lingua Franca, you can read an introductory paper on ELF here:
You can watch the short video on Alessia's work on ELF and teacher education here: ELF, multilingualism and pedagogy
- Invited plenary speaker at the University of Évora (Portugal) 39th Conference of the Portuguese Association for Anglo-American Studies (APEAA), 26-28 April 2018. “Why Should We Engage with ELF as a Field of Research? Language, Culture and Pedagogy”
- Invited plenary speaker at The 30th IATEFL BESIG Annual Conference 10 - 12 November 2017 (Malta) “Evidence-based practices: what the data tell us about business English”.
- Invited colloquium contribution at Lleida university (Spain) for the 9th International conference on “Framing English within multilingual policies and practices”, June 27-29, 2016. “Repertoires and boundaries: questioning multilingualism in ELF”.
- Special Keynote speaker at the International Workshop on English as a Lingua Franca, Waseda University (Japan), 13-14 November 2015. "Conceptualizing the multilingual approach to ELF: a corpus-driven investigation".
- Invited keynote speaker at the University of Verona (Italy), 4 November 2014. “Super-diversity and ELF: a focus on multilingual practices”.
- Invited plenary speaker at the Sixth International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca, University of Roma tre (Italy), 4-7 September 2013. “Fluidity and repertoires: the superdiversity of ELF in professional contexts”.
- Invited plenary speaker at the Third International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca, May 2010, University of Vienna (Austria). “Constructing and negotiating understanding in ELF”.
Research Interests
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
I am interested in ELF sociolinguistic description and conceptualisation, as well as the language ideologies and identities intercultural users construct in different contexts. I have done empirical work on the communication processes and strategies that intercultural speakers use in different contexts, especially accommodation and multilingual resources. I am now developing this across different communication areas, especially workplace, migration and educational contexts.
I have worked on the attitudes towards the notion of ELF, ELF communication and speakers, the links with language ideologies and identities, and their implications for language policy and language learning. At the moment I am also working on the discursive construction of identities in ELF professional and migration contexts, especially translanguaging and the construction of professional identity in naturally occurring conversation, interviews and focus groups.
I am co-founder and co-coordinator, with Marie-Luise Pitzl from the University of Vienna, of the AILA Research Network on ELF (for more information see the ReN on ELF website).
Multilingualism and Translanguaging
Multilingualism from a sociocultural and sociolinguistic perspective. I am particularly interested in translanguaging practices in spontaneous talk and the speakers’ construction of identities through these practices. I have worked on the interface between English as a Lingua Franca and multilingualism from various perspectives. From 2008 to 2010 I worked on a European FP7 project on multilingualism, LINEE (Languages in a Network of European Excellence) and investigated English in Europe, especially the learning, use, and perception of ‘multicompetence’ and ‘English as a lingua franca’ in educational contexts.
Internationalization and EMI
I am interested in the processes and practices of internationalization at university from a linguistic and critical perspective. I am conducting a project concerning internationalization of the curriculum and teaching/assessment practices.
I am also interested in the broader internationalization agenda in higher education institutions across the world and the phenomenon of English Medium Instruction (EMI).
Publications and research outputs
Book
Cogo, Alessia and Dewey, Martin. 2012. Analysing English as a Lingua Franca: a Corpus-driven Investigation. London: Continuum. ISBN 9781441154965
Edited Book
Bowles, Hugo and Cogo, Alessia, eds. 2015. International Perspectives on English as a Lingua Franca: pedagogical insights. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137398079
Archibald, Alasdair; Cogo, Alessia and Jenkins, Jennifer, eds. 2011. Latest Trends in ELF Research. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4438-3299-1
Edited Journal
Cogo, Alessia and Vettorel, Paola, eds. 2019. Special Section: Negotiating Meaning in Business English as a Lingua Franca, Iperstoria, 13.
Book Section
Ting, Sum Pok and Cogo, Alessia. 2022. Repetition and Rephrasing in English as a Lingua Franca Medical Consultations in Hong Kong. In: M. Gregory Tweedie and Robert C. Johnson, eds. Perspectives on Medical English as a Lingua Franca. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 1-26. ISBN 9781527584808
Cogo, Alessia. 2022. From global English to Global Englishes: questioning current approaches to ELT materials. In: Julie Norton and Heather Buchanan, eds. Routledge Handbook of Materials Development for Language Teaching. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 93-108. ISBN 9780815382577
Cogo, Alessia. 2020. The role of translanguaging in ELF advice sessions for asylum seekers. In: Anna Mauranen and Svetlana Vetchinnikova, eds. Language Change: The Impact of English as a Lingua Franca. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 336-355. ISBN 9781108675000
Cogo, Alessia. 2020. ELF and Translanguaging: Covert and Overt Resources in a Transnational Workplace. In: Kumiko Murata, ed. ELF Research Methods and Approaches to Data and Analyses: Theoretical and Methodological Underpinnings. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 38-54. ISBN 9780367898793
Cogo, Alessia and Yanaprasart, Patchareerat. 2018. “English is the language of business”: An exploration of language ideologies in two European corporate contexts. In: Tamah Sherman and Jiri Nekvapil, eds. English in Business and Commerce: Interactions and Policies. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 96-116. ISBN 9781501515538
Cogo, Alessia. 2018. Cultural Elements in English as a Lingua Franca. In: John I. Liontas, ed. The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching. Hoboken: Wiley. ISBN 9781118784228
Cogo, Alessia. 2018. ELF and multilingualism. In: Jennifer Jenkins; Will Baker and Martin Dewey, eds. The Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 357-368. ISBN 9781138855328
Cogo, Alessia and House, Juliane. 2018. The pragmatics of ELF. In: Jennifer Jenkins; Will Baker and Martin Dewey, eds. The Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 210-223. ISBN 9781138855328
Cogo, Alessia. 2016. Visibility and absence: ideologies of ‘diversity’ in BELF. In: Marie-Luise Pitzl and Ruth Osimk-Teasdale, eds. English as a Lingua Franca: Perspectives and Prospects. Contributions in Honour of Barbara Seidlhofer. 24 Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 39-48. ISBN 978-1-5015-0317-7
Cogo, Alessia. 2016. English as a Lingua Franca in Europe. In: Andrew Linn, ed. Investigating English in Europe. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 79-89. ISBN 978-1-61451-890-7
Cogo, Alessia. 2016. “They all take the risk and make the effort”: Intercultural accommodation and multilingualism in a BELF community of practice. In: L. Lopriore and E. Grazzi, eds. Intercultural Communication: New Perspectives from ELF. Roma: Roma TrE-Press, pp. 365-383. ISBN 9788897524632
Cogo, Alessia. 2015. English as a Lingua Franca: descriptions, domains and applications. In: Hugo Bowles and Alessia Cogo, eds. International Perspectives on English as a Lingua Franca: Pedagogical Insights. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-12. ISBN 978-1-137-39809-3
Cogo, Alessia. 2012. ‘French is French, English is English’: standard language ideology in ELF debates. In: Patrick Studer and Iwar Werlen, eds. Linguistic Diversity in Europe. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 233-256. ISBN 978-3-11-027088-4
Cogo, Alessia. 2011. L’ identità e appartenenza nella pragmatica dell’ inglese come lingua franca (ELF). In: R. Bombi; M. D’Agostino; S. Dal Negro and M. Franceschini, eds. Lingue e culture in contatto. Atti del X Congresso dell’AItLA (Bolzano, 18-19 febbraio 2010). Perugia: Guerra edizioni, pp. 105-123.
Cogo, Alessia. 2009. Accommodating difference in ELF Conversations: A study of pragmatic strategies. In: Anna Mauranen and Elina Ranta, eds. English as a Lingua Franca: Studies and Findings. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 254-273. ISBN 978-1-4438-1296-2
Cogo, Alessia; Dewey; Althehenger-Smith; Suzuki and Philips. 2006. Symposium on Intercultural Communication. In: Briony Beaven, ed. IATEFL 2006 Harrogate Conference Selections. IATEFL. ISBN 978-1901095098
Article
Calvo, Luciana; Cogo, Alessia; El Kadri, Michele and Gimenez, Telma. 2023. “English gradually” and multilingual support in EMI: insights from lecturers in two Brazilian universities. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, ISSN 2191-9216
Cogo, Alessia; Fang, Fan; Kordia, Stefania; Sifakis, Nicos and Siqueira, Sávio. 2022. Developing ELF Research for Critical Language Education. AILA Review, 34(2), pp. 187-211. ISSN 1461-0213
Cogo, Alessia; Gan, Tian and Ida, Parise. 2017. English Language: English as a Lingua Franca. The Year's Work in English Studies, 96(1), pp. 1-163. ISSN 0084-4144
Cogo, Alessia and Siqueira, Savio. 2017. “Emancipating myself, the students and the language”: Brazilian teachers’ attitudes towards ELF and the diversity of English. Englishes in Practice, 4(3), pp. 50-78.
Cogo, Alessia. 2016. Conceptualizing ELF as a translanguaging phenomenon: Covert and overt resources in a transnational workplace. Waseda Working papers in ELF, 5, pp. 61-77. ISSN 2187-994X
Cogo, Alessia and Pitzl, Marie-Luise. 2016. Pre-empting and signalling non-understanding in ELF. ELT journal, 70(3), pp. 339-345. ISSN 0951-0893
Cogo, Alessia. 2015. Complexity, negotiability and ideologies: A response to Zhu, Pitzl and Kankaanranta et al. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 4(1), pp. 149-155. ISSN 2191-9216
Cogo, Alessia. 2015. Complexity, negotiability and ideologies: a response to Zhu, Pitzl, and Kankaanranta et al. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 4(1), pp. 149-155. ISSN 2191-933X
Cogo, Alessia. 2012. ELF and super-diversity: a case study of ELF multilingual practices from a business context. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 1(2), pp. 287-313. ISSN 2191-933X
Cogo, Alessia. 2012. English as a Lingua Franca: concepts, use, and implications. ELT journal, 66(1), pp. 97-105. ISSN 0951-0893
Jenkins, Jennifer; Cogo, Alessia and Dewey, Martin. 2011. Review of developments in research into English as a lingua franca. Language Teaching, 44(3), pp. 281-315. ISSN 0261-4448
Wingate, Ursula; Andon, Nick and Cogo, Alessia. 2011. Embedding academic writing instruction into subject teaching: A case study. Active Learning in Higher Education, 12(1), pp. 69-81. ISSN 1469-7874
Cogo, Alessia. 2010. Strategic use and Perceptions of English as a Lingua Franca. Poznán Studies in Contemporary Linguistics, 46(3), pp. 295-312. ISSN 0137-2459
Cogo, Alessia and Jenkins, Jennifer. 2010. English as a lingua franca in Europe: A mismatch between policy and practice. European Journal of Language Policy, 2(2), pp. 271-293. ISSN 1757-6822
Dewey, Martin and Cogo, Alessia. 2009. Adopting an ELF perspective in ELT. IATEFL Voices(199), ISSN 1814-3830
Cogo, Alessia. 2008. English as a Lingua Franca: form follows function. English Today, 24(3), pp. 58-61. ISSN 0266-0784
Cogo, Alessia and Dewey, Martin. 2006. Efficiency in ELF Communication: From Pragmatic Motives to Lexico-grammatical Innovation. Nordic Journal of English Studies, 5(2), pp. 59-93. ISSN 1502-7694
Report
Cogo, Alessia; Inman, Sally; McCormack, Pip and Rogers, Maggie. 2018. Beneath the Surface: how asylum seekers understand and evaluate their well-being.. Project Report.
