Second and additional language education is an important area of scholarship and practice—locally, nationally, and internationally. As such, this concentration in Language Acquisition, Culture and Society, with a focus on Second or Additional Language Acquisition and Instruction, advances the development of critical scholarly knowledge and pedagogical skills that will enhance teaching practices in second or additional language acquisition and promote a deeper understanding of language learners in linguistically and culturally diverse Canada as well as in the globalized and interdependent world.

The new concentration aims to prepare teachers to teach in linguistically and culturally diverse schools that recognize the need for a more robust sense of cultural and linguistic responsiveness. It also aims to encourage international and interdisciplinary collaborations in teaching and research.