Imparting knowledge

Imparting knowledge: Workshop on the teaching of English linguistics

Workshop organizer: Kristin Bech (University of Oslo)

Traditionally, research has been at the core of career opportunities at university level. In recent years, however, the focus on teaching has become much stronger, to the effect that securing a university position now also requires a good teaching portfolio and demonstrably good teaching skills. Universites are expected to produce graduates that have the necessary transferable skills for life in employment after graduation. Students therefore quite rightly both need and expect good instructors and courses.

We therefore think it timely to introduce a teaching workshop into our regular academic conference, and it will be led by ISLE’s Vice-President for Teaching, Kristin Bech (https://www.hf.uio.no/ilos/english/people/aca/krisbec/index.html). The workshop focuses on best practices in the teaching English linguistics in all its facets, so we welcome contributions in the following areas:

1)         Teaching syntax and morphology

2)         Teaching phonetics and phonology

3)         Teaching the history of English

4)         Teaching the sociolinguistics of English and its role as a global language

We are especially interested in contributions dealing with teaching at undergraduate level, i.e.  for new university students. How do you approach this cohort who perhaps have never heard of linguistics and how it can be applied in all its facets to English? How do you draw them into the field? What do your courses look like and how are they examined? What works in teaching, and what does not? Should students be involved in our research and what does research-led teaching mean exactly? How do we focus on skills while at the same time retaining the traditional values of the humanities? How can we best convey to new students what is expected of them in the university system?

Abstracts

Click here for the book of abstracts.

Programme:

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome, introductions
10:15 – 10:45 Robert Daugs, and Berit Johannsen

Getting used to usage: On the benefits of teaching usage-based linguistics early on

10:45 – 11:15 Marina Dossena

Stairways to HEL. Or, learning by doing in the digital age

11:15 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:15 Marcus Callies

Teaching World Englishes at the interface of linguistics, language education and classroom practice

12:15 – 12:45 Beck Sinar

A Game of Tongues? Engaging diverse student types in sociolinguistics

12:45 – 2:00 Break
2:00 – 2:30 Ilka Mindt

Teaching English linguistics in different undergraduate study programs

2:30 – 3:00 Maria Freddi

English linguistics for the non-native millennial: grammar teaching in Modern Languages undergraduate degrees

3:00 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:00 Kristin Bech

Teaching English grammar pre and post (and during) covid

4:00 – 4:30 Plenary discussion

Online teaching – the work of the devil or a stairway to heaven?