This page was developed in accordance with the values and mission statement articulated in the LSA's Long Range Strategic Plan (2019-2023) and the LSA Statement on Race, which examines how theories of race and previous work on race are operationalized in linguistics. We recognize that teaching is never socially neutral, that language is dynamic and variation is normal, that languages are inseparable from communities, and that linguistics teaching can promote social justice. Nevertheless, the field of linguistics emerged from a Western scientific tradition that has privileged certain languages, communities, cultures, and epistemologies over others, and that continues to support certain scholars and students over others. Inclusivity in the field cannot be achieved without a concerted shift towards inclusivity in teaching. The two are inextricably tied: exclusive structures are easily replicated and likely will be replicated unless people actively change them.
<aside> ➡️ We recommend that you start by reading about structuring linguistics education to promote social justice. Then, incorporate evidence-based practices into your courses or access resources for remote teaching.
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Drawing on the principles and the LSA statements referenced above, we encourage consideration of how the selection and presentation of languages and language examples can both reproduce and work against racism, colonialism, sexism, and a host of additional -isms. Below, we provide a few specific examples of possible (often covert) social effects of linguistics education. As the actual effects will vary based on the intersections of the backgrounds and identities of the instructor(s) with the backgrounds and identities of the student(s), we offer these recommendations with the caveat that they always be considered and implemented in light of the particular context in which linguistics education is occurring.
A scholarly teacher takes an informed and reflective approach to improving their teaching practices with the goal of enhancing student learning.
Learn about some best practices in teaching by reading about the topics below. After introducing the topic, each page includes one or two suggestions that we think can make a big difference in your courses. When you're ready to explore the topic more, you'll find additional advice and resources to help you learn about contemporary best practices in teaching.
Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment
Thoughtful course design, which requires using evidence-based and inclusive teaching practices, can be time-consuming and, for many, overwhelming. Using backward design, instructors begin by articulating their learning objective (statements about what they want students to be able to know and do by the end of the course), and design assessments and content that align with these objectives. We offer the following resource as a starting point for thinking about how to (re)design a course using backward design principles, with the vision of using this in future semesters.
<aside> ➡️ Get started with a Primer on Course Design
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We first recommend (re-)acquainting yourself with our scholarly teaching resources. Problems that appear to be symptoms of moving online are often covert problems in face-to-face courses too. A well-designed, accessible, and inclusive course goes a long way to addressing many common teaching problems, regardless of modality.
Learn about tips for the transition to teaching remotely and online during the pandemic:
Quick start guide to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT)
There are many tools and resources available online for use in linguistics courses. We have curated and linked a set of robust listings of online tools, online content, corpora and archives below.
Online tools for the linguistics classroom
<aside> ➡️ Suggest additional resources! Know of a resource we could add to these lists? Let us know by filling out this form.
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A spring 2020 LSA survey suggested such a resource would be useful, especially given the additional focus on effective and scholarly teaching that has emerged due to COVID-19 and the switch to remote learning.
Note: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1924593. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.