From Theory to Practice: Advancing Gender-Inclusive Language Pedagogy

Our Second Annual Conference on Gender-Inclusive Language Pedagogy will take place on April 5, 2024 online.

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This conference emerges from the expanding awareness among educators about the importance of gender diversity and inclusion in the classroom. As the need to cultivate safe and respectful spaces for discussing a range of experiences and identities becomes more evident, there’s an escalating demand for effective methods to incorporate gender-inclusive language in teaching.

The conference “From Theory to Practice: Advancing Gender-Inclusive Language Pedagogy” seeks to unify researchers, practitioners, and members of LGBTQI+ communities in a collaborative and inclusive effort. Together, we aim to discover and disseminate best practices for fostering inclusive spaces in languages both with and without grammatical gender distinctions.

Given the unique grammatical gender constructs, linguistic norms, and cultural considerations inherent to many languages, these factors can deeply influence the implementation of gender-inclusive language methods. Therefore, a key feature of our conference will be language-specific roundtable discussions (organized based on submissions) tailored to address the distinctive challenges and subtleties of each language. Educators focusing on the same language will have a dedicated forum to discuss issues inherent to their linguistic area. Attendees will be equipped with practical techniques that are both rooted in theory and adapted to the diverse linguistic landscapes.

To that end, we welcome submissions addressing the following topics: 

  • best practices for affirming gender diversity and incorporating themes of gender inclusivity in the classroom 
  • research-based gender-inclusive methodologies and pedagogies
  • methods and practices for incorporating gender-inclusive forms in specific languages
  • the broader sensitivities and experiences of LGBTQ+ students in the language classroom

Submission guidelines

Paper proposals should be in English, up to 500 words in length excluding references, and should be submitted by January 8, 2024.

Submit proposal

We encourage submissions addressing all languages and levels of education.

Notifications of acceptance will be emailed by February 12, 2024.

 

Certificates of Attendance and Digital Badges will be emailed to all participants who attend on Zoom.

Keynote Speaker: Wes Chernin

Elevating the Why: Unpacking the Imperative of Gender-Inclusive Language
 
In an ever-evolving landscape of linguistic discourse and societal change, the importance of gender-inclusive language has become increasingly evident. In this talk, we will engage in a timely dialogue that not only addresses the use of gender-inclusive language instruction but explores its profound social and psychological implications. Setting the tone for the conference, this opening session seeks to bridge the principles of gender-inclusive language instruction with the heart of its application, advocating for a humanistic approach to language pedagogy. Throughout the session, we’ll delve into the ethical, cultural, and social underpinnings of gender-inclusive language, guided by a seasoned speech-language pathologist, transgender educator, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and belonging consultant. Prepare for a transformative learning experience as we navigate the ‘why’ of gender-inclusive language in academia, the classroom, and the broader world. Together, we’ll tap into the very core of crafting inclusive linguistic environments that value and cherish the diverse identities and experiences of individuals.

Wes Chernin (he/him) is an award winning transgender speaker, consultant, educator, and speech-language pathologist (SLP). He partners with schools, healthcare clinics, businesses, and communities in order to support queer & trans belonging.

1st Annual Conference

Watch recorded panels of our first conference that took place in April 2023

Conference Organizing Committee

María Mercedes Fages Agudo, Master Lecturer in Spanish, USC

Evgeny Dengub, Professor (teaching) of Russian, Director of the Center for Languages and Cultures, USC

Katherine Guevara, K-12 STEM Center Assistant Director, Viterbi School of Engineering, USC

Yi-Hsien Liu, Associate Professor (teaching) of Chinese, USC

Ben Papadopoulos, Ph.D Candidate, University of California Berkeley

 

Conference Sponsors

USC Center for Languages and Cultures

Levan Institute for the Humanities

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures

Department of French and Italian

German Studies Program

Questions?

With general questions, email us at clc@dornsife.usc.edu

With questions regarding paper submission, email bpapadopoulos@berkeley.edu

Gender-Inclusive Language Teaching Resources

Check out our collection of resources for gender-inclusive language classroom

Gender-Inclusive Teaching Resources