Linguistics in K–12 Education

Schedule and Readings

Session 1: Introductions | Rationale for Linguistics in K–12 Education 

• Chomsky, Noam. 1984. “Noam Chomsky Writes to Mrs. Davis about Grammar and Education.” English Education, 16(3): 165–166.
• Hale, Ken. 1975. Appendix A: Excerpt from Navajo Linguistics. Unpublished manuscript, MIT.
• Hale, Ken. 1981. “Linguistics and Local Languages in a Science Curriculum for Bilingual/Bicultural Programs.” Paper presented at the 6^th Annual Congress of the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia. Canberra, Australia. 
• Honda, Maya, Wayne O’Neil, and David Pippin. 2010. “On Promoting Linguistics Literacy: Bringing Language Science to the English Classroom.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 175–188. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Linguistic Society of America April 2021 Member Spotlight: Amy Plackowski.

Session 2: Linguistics in Secondary Education | Understanding by Design (UbD) 

• Hudson, Richard and Neil Sheldon. 2013. “Linguistics at School: The UK Linguistics Olympiad.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12010
• Lidz, Jeffrey and Yakov Kronrod. 2014. “Expanding Our Reach and Theirs: When Linguists Go to High School.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 8(10). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12094
• Loosen, Suzanne. 2014. “High School Linguistics: A Secondary School Elective Course.” Language: Teaching Linguistics, 90(4): e258–e273. https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.2014.0072
• Mulder, Jean. 2010. “Envisioning Linguistics in Secondary Education: An Australian Exemplar.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 62–75. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Plackowski, Amy L. 2020. “Using Understanding by Design to Build a High School Linguistics Course.” American Speech, 95(2): 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1215/00031283-8501379
• Wiggins, Grant. 2012. “What is UbD? Grant Wiggins Answers, with Cases.” YouTube. 
• Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe. 2011. Introduction and modules A–D. In The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Session 3: Introductory Linguistics: Desired Results | UbD, continued 

• Larson, Richard. 2023. “Rethinking Introductory Linguistics.” Unpublished manuscript (revision 2). 
• Spring, Cari L., Michael J. Flynn, Brian D. Joseph, Rae Moses, Susan Steele, and Charlotte Webb. 2000. “The Successful Introductory Course: Bridging the Gap for the Nonmajor.” Language, 76(1): 110–122. https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.2000.0124  
• Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe. 2011. Modules E–H. In The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
• Essential Questions Overview. (YouTube). 
• Linguistics teaching materials to be assigned for review. 

Session 4: Introductory Linguistics: Evidence of Understanding and Learning Plan | UbD, continued | Designing a Lesson for Spring Spark 

Due: Proposal for Design and Teaching Experience II (UbD template) 

Please upload your proposal to the class website by 10 pm the night before session 5. Proposals will be        
discussed in class. 

Session 5: “Impact with Intention” Workshop | Sharing Lesson Proposals | Refining the Spring Spark Lesson 

Mary Cate Gustafson-Quiett, Curriculum Design Manager at the Scheller Teacher Education Program (STEP) Lab and Manager of the Undergraduate Teacher Opportunities Partnership (UTOP) at MIT, will lead the “Impact with Intention” workshop. 

STEP/UTOP videos to be assigned. 

Session 6: Designing a Unit on Expressions and Expression Building | Practicing the Spring Spark Lesson 

March 18, 19 Spring Spark!

Reminder: Plan to meet with me before session 7 to discuss your ideas about the final project. 

Due: Reflection Essay about Design and Teaching Experience I 

Please upload your reflection essay (300–500 words) to the class website by 10 pm the night before session 7. Reflections will be discussed in class. 

Session 7: Reflecting on Spring Spark | Linguistics in Primary Education | Designing a Unit on Expressions and Expression Building, continued 

• Fabb, Nigel. 1985. “Linguistics for Ten-Year-Olds.” MIT Working Papers in Linguistics, 6: 45–61.
• Denham, Kristin. 2010. “Linguistics in a Primary School.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (Eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 189–203. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  
• Goodluck, Helen. 1991. “More Linguistics for 10-Year-Olds.” Innovations in Linguistic Education, 5(2): 35–41.
• Keyser, Samuel Jay. 1970. “The Role of Linguistics in the Elementary School Curriculum.” Elementary English, 47: 39–45.  
• Oppenheimer, Kathleen, Lauren K. Salig, Craig A. Thorburn, and Erika L. Exton. 2022. “Taking Language Science to Zoom School: Virtual Outreach to Elementary School Students.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 16(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12471 

Session 8: Standards in K–12 Education | Designing a Unit on Externalization 

• Lord, Carol and Sharon Klein. (2010). “Linguistics and Educational Standards: The California Experience.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 76–90. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  
• Reaser, Jeffrey. (2010). “Developing Sociolinguistic Curricula that Help Teachers Meet Standards.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (Eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 91–105. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Session 9: Designing a Unit on Interpretation

• [no assigned readings] 

Session 10: Linguistics Out of School | Designing a Unit on Language Growth and Development 

• Farris-Trimble, Ashley and Danica Reid. 2019. “Little Linguists: A Model for Engaging University Students and Elementary Schoolers in a Day Camp Setting.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12342  
• McGory, Julia Tevis and Jefferson Barlew. 2020. “Linguistics for High Schoolers: A Summer Camp Model.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 14(11). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12397  
• Wagner, Laura, Shari R. Speer, Leslie C. Moore, Elizabeth A. McCullough, Kiwako Ito, Cynthia G. Clopper, and Kathryn Campbell-Kibler. 2015. “Linguistics in a Science Museum: Integrating Research, Teaching, and Outreach at the Language Sciences Research Lab.” Language and Linguistics Compass, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12164  

Session 11: Reflecting on Teaching Linguistically | Designing a Unit on Language Variation  

• Carlson, Deirdre. 2010. “A Primary Teacher’s Linguistic Journey.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education,  244–250. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Fields-Carey, Leatha and Suzanne Sweat. 2010. “Using the Voices of North Carolina Curriculum.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 272–276. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• McNulty, Athena. 2010. “Language Lessons in an American Middle School.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 257–263. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Pippin, David. 2010. “The Diary of Opal Whiteley: A Literary and Linguistic Mystery.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 264–271. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Thomas, Caroline and Sara Weaver. 2010. “Why do VCE English Language?” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 251–256. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Due: Reflection Essay about Design and Teaching Experience II 

Please upload your reflection essay (500–700 words) to the class website by 10 pm on the night before session 12.        
Reflections will be discussed in class. 

Session 12: Reflecting on Teaching Experience II | Designing a Unit on Language Change 

• Lobeck, Ann. 2010. “Educating Linguists: How Partner Teaching Enriches Linguistics.” In Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck (eds.), Linguistics at School: Language Awareness in Primary and Secondary Education, 204–212. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Session 13: Class Poster Presentations | Reflecting on Our Work 

Due: Final Project Paper: A Linguistics Unit 

Please upload your final project paper to the class website by 5 pm on Wednesday of the week after session 13.