From Theory to Practice: Advancing Gender-Inclusive Language Pedagogy
Our Second Annual International Conference on Gender-Inclusive Language Instruction took place on April 5, 2024 online.
Conference Schedule and Recordings
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.
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.
Keynote Speaker: Kiki Kosnick
Gender-Just In(ter)ventions in the Language Classroom
Language educators are uniquely positioned to establish our classrooms as spaces of belonging, affirmation, and expansiveness for students of all genders. From staying tuned in to developments in the languages we teach (e.g., the proliferation of non-standard forms) to exercising our abilities to work within—and against—the constraints of conventional grammars and academic vocabularies, our work is ongoing, evolving, reflective, and collaborative. Certainly, we must support our students’ gender journeys and right to creativity in their self-articulation, and yet we must also ensure that full engagement in our courses is not contingent on students disclosing their pronouns/gender identities. This talk addresses the shared responsibility of language educators to foster increasingly gender-just learning environments while, at the same time, preparing our students to encounter and adapt to the challenges of potentially less inclusive contexts. We will explore approaches to scaffolding, reorienting assignments, and incorporating queer cultural productions at various levels of the curriculum.
Kiki Kosnick (they/them or ki/ki’s) is Associate Professor of French and women, gender, and sexuality studies at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. Ki’s work centers queer and feminist linguistic in(ter)ventions with a focus on language pedagogy and literary studies.
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
all at the University of Southern California
Center for Languages and Cultures
Levan Institute for the Humanities
Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures
Department of French and Italian
Equity Research Institute
Center for Feminist Research
Questions?
With general questions, email us at clc@dornsife.usc.edu
Gender-Inclusive Language Teaching Resources
Check out our collection of resources for gender-inclusive language classroom