What happens when college instructors put language at the center of their approach to diversity? In addressing “the intersections of race, gender, age, and self-driven learning,” how do we recognize language diversity as essential in our approach to individualized education? The presenters are currently co-leading a Center for Teaching and Learning seminar entitled “Language Across the Curriculum” with faculty members at their home institution, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY, in Queens, NY. Like the seminar, this 75-minute workshop will offer a cross-disciplinary recognition of and a theoretically grounded approach to the importance of language, an essential element of identity formation, social diversity, and academic success.

Workshop Objectives and Activities

Reflect on your linguistic background and how it shapes your academic voice through a language mapping activity that will bring the idea of language diversity to the center.
Discuss translanguaging pedagogy in the college classroom through analysis of student samples and lesson plans that consider the language needs of our students.

Throughout the seminar, we will build on research and practices in language acquisition and translanguaging. We request that participants bring samples of student work that offer insights into their linguistic diversity and pose a pedagogical challenge.