Faculty Focus Group: What Undergraduate Materials Do We Need? (with pizza and drinks)

What Undergraduate Materials Do We Need?

A Discussion as We Prepare to Launch a New Series of Linguistics Texts Designed for Undergraduates

Anne H. Charity Hudley, University of California, Santa Barbara, Series Editor

Susan Tamasi, Emory University, Associate Series editor

Jessi Grieser, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Assistant Series editor

Maryam Bakht, University of Tampa, discussant

Thursday July 20th, 2017

5:00-6:45pm (pizza and drinks will be served)

2017 Linguistic Institute

Location at University of Kentucky: TBD

Discussion summary:

Linguistics is growing as an articulated discipline and yet is fundamentally interdisciplinary.  The maintenance of this balance has led to the greater need for materials for undergraduates that both reflect the broader scope of linguistics and reflect trends within areas and subfields. Join us on Thursday July 20th from 5-6:45pm (location TBD) for a discussion about the need for undergraduate materials in linguistics as we prepare for the launch of a new book series designed for the undergraduate audience.

The undergraduate audience for materials is robust not just in linguistics but across the undergraduate curriculum because linguistics epitomizes the liberal arts. The series can be used in courses across subject areas to infuse information about the role of language and communication across the curriculum, which in turn over time will further grow the scope of linguistics and related fields.

Writing for undergraduates is the pinnacle of inclusion:

If linguistics is to become more inclusive in the future, we need to prepare students at the undergraduate level to join our conversations. These books will not replace the innovative approaches that linguists have devised to teach students but will give students, particularly those who are newer to the academy, anchors on which to scaffold their learning.

The aims of the series are to:

1. Introduce the study of linguistics to undergraduates
2. Introduce key concepts that are important in linguistics or other disciplines
3. Teach critical thinking to undergraduates by having them approach topics in an discussion and problem based learning model
4. Give students practical ideas about how they may use the specific information in their education and in their lives

For more information, contact Anne H. Charity Hudley at acharityhudley@gmail.com.