Talking the Talk: Techniques from Language Classrooms for Teaching Academic Jargon

Talking the Talk: Techniques from Language Classrooms for Teaching Academic Jargon

Academic environments often seem to have a language all their own. What if we taught our disciplinary jargons to students as though they were a second language? While technical vocabulary, abstract concepts, and academic style can be intimidating for students, they are also powerful tools for analyzing course material and articulating ideas within and across disciplines.

This workshop will equip instructors with pedagogical techniques based on research in second language acquisition, giving them a range of tools to empower students to engage fearlessly with new ideas, improve their comprehension of academic discourse, and articulate their own thoughts in this specialized language.

Facilitators:

Matthew Brauer (French)

Grace Overbeke (Theatre and Drama)