Shari Kendall Teaching Language and Gender

Texas A&M University
227 Blocker Building
4227 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843
kendall@tamu.edu
http://www-english.tamu.edu/pers/fac/Kendall/index.html

About Shari Kendall

A committed teacher, Kendall will offer ideas useful to new and experienced instructors alike. In her research, she has used interactional sociolinguistics to examine how women strategically draw on sociocultural conceptions of the roles associated with mothers in their interactions with the family and in the workplace. She has shown that there are striking parallels in both domains, but also striking asymmetries in the roles invoked; students find the real-world implications of this research particularly compelling.

Abstract

This workshop will explore approaches to teaching language and gender as a course and as a unit within courses dealing with language, society, and culture. The workshop will be theoretical and pragmatic, addressing the questions, What are the major theoretical and methodological issues in the field? How do we best approach these issues in the classroom? We will begin by considering the conference theme and its implications for teaching language and gender: "How is the relationship between language and gender perceived and realized, both by speakers and by researchers themselves?" The theme reflects a shift in emphasis from identifying differences in how women and men speak to a view of language and gender as embedded in ideologies and social practice. It also entails a critical look at how researchers (and teachers) approach gender and language, encouraging critical examinations that go beyond commonly-held perceptions and stereotypes. How do we incorporate these issues and perspectives in the classroom? In addition, the workshop will include suggestions for possible units, covering traditional topics (e.g. linguistic representations of gender in media, sexist language) and more recent developments and/or less commonly taught topics (e.g. sexuality, language and gender in a global perspective). Materials will include recommendations for readings and videos, sample discussion questions, exercises, and assignments. Workshop participants with previous experience will be encouraged to share successful lesson plans and/or syllabi in advance to share with other workshop participants. The workshop will benefit both new and experienced instructors, specialists and nonspecialists.



Workshop Materials

Coming soon!



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