Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2024
In language education, limited attention to issues of gender and sexual diversity is often common... more In language education, limited attention to issues of gender and sexual diversity is often commonplace. In particular, rural contexts are often absent from such conversations even though place influences perceptions and practice. While rural language educators can serve as agents of change and can therefore experience increased emotional labor and burnout as well as marginalization, it is essential to understand the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ language educators in such contexts. This mixed methods study, then, sought to understand the intersections between LGBTQIA+ language educators gender, sexual, and professional identities in the rural Southeastern United States. Findings draw attention to the negotiations between heteronormative discourses, their identities, and their practice. Implications for this study address the interconnectedness of place, gender, and sexual identities in confronting cisheteronormativity in contexts that are not always amenable to LGBTQIA+ identities
In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), engagement with queer th... more In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), engagement with queer thinking (Nelson, 2020) has resulted in a proliferation of scholastic and pedagogical endeavors which seek, as part of their project, to destabilize the (re) production of cisheteronormativity. In world language (WL) education, however, there has been limited, yet increasing engagement with the insights of queer theories and pedagogies. As queer theories, pedagogies, and thinking have much to offer Spanish language education (Coda, 2018), we might be inclined to ask: how can we foster a Spanish language education that troubles commonly accepted knowledges and practices, especially in contexts in which LGBTQIA+ identities may be at stake? As such, we draw attention to the ways in which queer thinking has been engaged in Spanish language education with implications for how to extend these insights going forward.
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2024
Cisgender and heterosexual norms permeate every level of language classrooms, from textbooks to c... more Cisgender and heterosexual norms permeate every level of language classrooms, from textbooks to classroom discourse to teachers' actions, constraining queer/trans learners' ability to be themselves. Yet queer/trans and non-queer/trans learners alike may challenge cisheteronormativity within the language classroom and create new possibilities. We investigate the possibilities of queer/trans learners' agency within these normative structures by bringing together three cases from larger separate projects, examining the context and actions of learners in each setting as they attempt to queer their classrooms to make them habitable. Drawing from Ahmed's queer phenomenology, we analyze the devices that orient students to classroom cisheteronormativity, actions that students and their accomplices may take to breach these norms, and the reactions to and potential of such breaches within the L2 classroom context. We find that orienting devices, including curricular representation, language use, and grading practices, convey implicit and explicit messaging that can limit expressions of gender and sexuality. Yet queer breaches, when not subject to straightening, can lead to new classroom possibilities for expression, playfulness, and identity validation. We conclude by considering the implications of this analysis for practice.
In the contexts of the Southeastern U.S. and globally, the ascendance of parental rights bills ha... more In the contexts of the Southeastern U.S. and globally, the ascendance of parental rights bills has sought to limit what can be discussed in the classroom related to gender and sexuality as well as limiting access to healthcare for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals (HRC, 2023). In language education, scholastic and pedagogical pursuits related to the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ students in classrooms and educators have emphasized consideration of the interconnectedness between language teachers' identities, pedagogical decisions, and place (Coda, 2021; Fogle & Moser, 2017). In rural spaces, language educators can experience increased emotional labor and marginalization (Acheson et al., 2016; Moser & Wei, 2021); however, there is limited attention to rural LGBTQIA+ language educators in contexts such as the Southeastern U.S. Drawing from a larger mixed methods study of LGBTQIA+ rural language educators in the Southeastern U.S., this study centers on one focal participant, Mariana, a cisgender, pansexual ESL educator. Utilizing Butler's (1990) theory of gender performativity and Crenshaw's (1989) intersectionality, findings draw attention to the intersections between Mariana's gender and sexual identities, rurality, and ethnicity, highlighting the tensions and contradictions related to identity performance, pedagogy decisions, and allyship efforts.
This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with 10 K–12 Spanis... more This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with 10 K–12 Spanish-language educators who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer from the Southeastern United States to examine their school/classroom experiences as well as their approaches to issues of gender and sexual diversity in the classroom. Findings indicate that these teachers utilized the Spanish language and cultures to problematize heteronormativity, inviting queer thinking (Nelson, 2020). Implications for this study address how the target languages and cultures of world language education can offer opportunities to destabilize heteronormativity and foster more inclusive classrooms.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challeng... more School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challenging environments for those with non-normative sexual and gender identities. Thus, this study sought to understand the experiences of LGBTQ-identified world language (WL) educators in the classroom as well as the intersections of their gender and sexual identities. Drawing upon Butler’s theory of gender performativity and arts-based approaches to research, specifically ethnodrama and performance, this article describes a researcher’s process of working through contradictions in research and representation. Through arts-based approaches to qualitative inquiry, the author maintains how such approaches can provide different mediums for exploring and conveying participants’ lived experiences that are often not possible through traditional qualitative methods of representation.
In book: Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning, 2021
To round out the volume, the editors discuss how their understandings of intersectionality have e... more To round out the volume, the editors discuss how their understandings of intersectionality have evolved during this project to help the reader begin to parse the dense and varied work that has been carried out in this volume. Moreover, they tie together the disparate themes that emerged in this book. Finally, this chapter shares what the authors hope the future holds for intersectional approaches to LGBTQ+ issues in the field and calling on our professional peers to ensure that space is maintained in our public professional spaces for marginalized minority voices, whether they be so based on race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, or neurotypicalness.
In book: Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning, 2021
The Southeastern U.S. is often a socially and politically conservative environment that can be ch... more The Southeastern U.S. is often a socially and politically conservative environment that can be challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) teachers in the classroom. Language teachers’ identities are central to language teaching and learning, wielding influence on pedagogical decisions (Fogle & Moser, 2017), yet LGBTQ-identified teachers’ identities and experiences have often been absent in research (Nelson, 2009). This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with ten lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) Spanish teachers from the Southeastern U.S. to examine their school/classroom experiences. Findings and implications address the intersectional nature of place, sexuality, and gender in language teaching and learning.
ABSTRACT
The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, langu... more ABSTRACT The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, language, and power, but instructional approaches often center upon discrete aspects of grammar and vocabulary. Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) disavows such approaches, instead utilizing personalized questions and co-created stories. Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics interrogate the linguistic manifestation of heteronormativity. This paper draws upon both Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics in analysis of participant observation of two adult Mandarin TPRS classes and one adult Spanish class. As such, we seek to understand how language educators and students of TPRS experience and understand normativity related to gender/sexuality and language in the classroom. Findings indicate that TPRS can potentially both reify and challenge heteronormativity, thereby illustrating the potential that unscripted and queer approaches can bring to the classroom.
In book: A Transdisciplinary Approach to International Teaching Assistants: Perspectives from Applied Linguistics, 2019
This chapter reviews how higher education institutions in the US and other Anglophone countries c... more This chapter reviews how higher education institutions in the US and other Anglophone countries came to cultivate and actively recruit international student enrollments to internationalize campuses and also as a source of income. We show how the increasing ITA presence on US college campuses has been intertwined with the growing worldwide scholarly dominance of English and TESOL. Additionally, we explore historical and current trends in the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors driving growth in inter- national flows from and to the US and contextualize them in education policy in the US and abroad. Furthermore, we explore how these push and pull factors have evolved over time in tandem with demand in global labor markets (Institute of International Education, 2016). The chapter will conclude by pointing out recent trends in US and international economic, immigration and higher education policy and speculate as to future prospects for ITAs at American universities. For example, we address possible effects of slowing economies, increased nativism and increasing concerns over visas and international student reception in western industrialized democracies, decreasing state and federal funding for graduate assistants both at US universities and by sponsoring foreign governments.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2019
School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challeng... more School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challenging environments for those with non-normative sexual and gender identities. Thus, this study sought to understand the experiences of LGBTQ-identified world language (WL) educators in the classroom as well as the intersections of their gender and sexual identities. Drawing upon Butler’s theory of gender performativity and arts-based approaches to research, specifically ethnodrama and performance, this article describes a researcher’s process of working through contradictions in research and representation. Through arts-based approaches to qualitative inquiry, the author maintains how such approaches can provide different mediums for exploring and conveying participants’ lived experiences that are often not possible through traditional qualitative methods of representation.
Queer theory problematizes societal norms related to sex,
gender, and sexuality, while resisting ... more Queer theory problematizes societal norms related to sex, gender, and sexuality, while resisting normalcy. The authors utilize a queer theoretical approach in analysis of participant observation in adult Spanish and Mandarin classes as well as interviews with world language teachers. Analysis of interview data reveals how educators and adult language learners experience gender/sexuality norms in conventional classroom and school contexts. Classroom observations and analysis of classroom discourse identify moments when these norms may be “troubled” or upheld in contexts using a progressive new approach called Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). Findings suggest that the improvisational nature of TPRS raises complex questions about heteronormativity in language learning and the creative work in which educators and students can engage in dialogic classrooms.
World language education (WLE) offers students the opportunity to explore the linguistic and cult... more World language education (WLE) offers students the opportunity to explore the linguistic and cultural identities of the target language. However, critical issues, such as the diverse sexual identities found within the target cultures and of the language learners themselves are too often overlooked within the language learning experience. Also implicated are discourse and knowledge/power, which serve to erase certain students’ identities from the curriculum. Queer theory/pedagogy, which resists normal (Jagose, 1996), has much to offer WLE related to addressing heteronormativity. Thus, this article explores the myriad ways in which queer theory/pedagogy could potentially be useful in WLE to challenge normative societal assumptions and provide different ways of thinking about WLE practice to include all students’ identities.
For adult English language learners, the
English language classroom provides a space for
students... more For adult English language learners, the English language classroom provides a space for students to examine cultural as well other identities. However, discussions often center on racial, rather than sexual identities. In addition, attention to how adult English language instructors engage in classroom practices that focus on sexual identities is often limited. This article examines how adult educators in English language classrooms feel regarding the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer (LGBQ) topics and materials into their curriculum and instruction. Through a web-based survey, teachers described their beliefs, practices, and challenges in creating lessons and responding to student questions in ways that broke down heteronormativity in the adult English language classroom. Findings add to the limited knowledge of how teachers in post-secondary, English language classrooms create and support a culturally responsive learning environment regarding sexual identities.
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2024
In language education, limited attention to issues of gender and sexual diversity is often common... more In language education, limited attention to issues of gender and sexual diversity is often commonplace. In particular, rural contexts are often absent from such conversations even though place influences perceptions and practice. While rural language educators can serve as agents of change and can therefore experience increased emotional labor and burnout as well as marginalization, it is essential to understand the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ language educators in such contexts. This mixed methods study, then, sought to understand the intersections between LGBTQIA+ language educators gender, sexual, and professional identities in the rural Southeastern United States. Findings draw attention to the negotiations between heteronormative discourses, their identities, and their practice. Implications for this study address the interconnectedness of place, gender, and sexual identities in confronting cisheteronormativity in contexts that are not always amenable to LGBTQIA+ identities
In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), engagement with queer th... more In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), engagement with queer thinking (Nelson, 2020) has resulted in a proliferation of scholastic and pedagogical endeavors which seek, as part of their project, to destabilize the (re) production of cisheteronormativity. In world language (WL) education, however, there has been limited, yet increasing engagement with the insights of queer theories and pedagogies. As queer theories, pedagogies, and thinking have much to offer Spanish language education (Coda, 2018), we might be inclined to ask: how can we foster a Spanish language education that troubles commonly accepted knowledges and practices, especially in contexts in which LGBTQIA+ identities may be at stake? As such, we draw attention to the ways in which queer thinking has been engaged in Spanish language education with implications for how to extend these insights going forward.
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2024
Cisgender and heterosexual norms permeate every level of language classrooms, from textbooks to c... more Cisgender and heterosexual norms permeate every level of language classrooms, from textbooks to classroom discourse to teachers' actions, constraining queer/trans learners' ability to be themselves. Yet queer/trans and non-queer/trans learners alike may challenge cisheteronormativity within the language classroom and create new possibilities. We investigate the possibilities of queer/trans learners' agency within these normative structures by bringing together three cases from larger separate projects, examining the context and actions of learners in each setting as they attempt to queer their classrooms to make them habitable. Drawing from Ahmed's queer phenomenology, we analyze the devices that orient students to classroom cisheteronormativity, actions that students and their accomplices may take to breach these norms, and the reactions to and potential of such breaches within the L2 classroom context. We find that orienting devices, including curricular representation, language use, and grading practices, convey implicit and explicit messaging that can limit expressions of gender and sexuality. Yet queer breaches, when not subject to straightening, can lead to new classroom possibilities for expression, playfulness, and identity validation. We conclude by considering the implications of this analysis for practice.
In the contexts of the Southeastern U.S. and globally, the ascendance of parental rights bills ha... more In the contexts of the Southeastern U.S. and globally, the ascendance of parental rights bills has sought to limit what can be discussed in the classroom related to gender and sexuality as well as limiting access to healthcare for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals (HRC, 2023). In language education, scholastic and pedagogical pursuits related to the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ students in classrooms and educators have emphasized consideration of the interconnectedness between language teachers' identities, pedagogical decisions, and place (Coda, 2021; Fogle & Moser, 2017). In rural spaces, language educators can experience increased emotional labor and marginalization (Acheson et al., 2016; Moser & Wei, 2021); however, there is limited attention to rural LGBTQIA+ language educators in contexts such as the Southeastern U.S. Drawing from a larger mixed methods study of LGBTQIA+ rural language educators in the Southeastern U.S., this study centers on one focal participant, Mariana, a cisgender, pansexual ESL educator. Utilizing Butler's (1990) theory of gender performativity and Crenshaw's (1989) intersectionality, findings draw attention to the intersections between Mariana's gender and sexual identities, rurality, and ethnicity, highlighting the tensions and contradictions related to identity performance, pedagogy decisions, and allyship efforts.
This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with 10 K–12 Spanis... more This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with 10 K–12 Spanish-language educators who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer from the Southeastern United States to examine their school/classroom experiences as well as their approaches to issues of gender and sexual diversity in the classroom. Findings indicate that these teachers utilized the Spanish language and cultures to problematize heteronormativity, inviting queer thinking (Nelson, 2020). Implications for this study address how the target languages and cultures of world language education can offer opportunities to destabilize heteronormativity and foster more inclusive classrooms.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challeng... more School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challenging environments for those with non-normative sexual and gender identities. Thus, this study sought to understand the experiences of LGBTQ-identified world language (WL) educators in the classroom as well as the intersections of their gender and sexual identities. Drawing upon Butler’s theory of gender performativity and arts-based approaches to research, specifically ethnodrama and performance, this article describes a researcher’s process of working through contradictions in research and representation. Through arts-based approaches to qualitative inquiry, the author maintains how such approaches can provide different mediums for exploring and conveying participants’ lived experiences that are often not possible through traditional qualitative methods of representation.
In book: Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning, 2021
To round out the volume, the editors discuss how their understandings of intersectionality have e... more To round out the volume, the editors discuss how their understandings of intersectionality have evolved during this project to help the reader begin to parse the dense and varied work that has been carried out in this volume. Moreover, they tie together the disparate themes that emerged in this book. Finally, this chapter shares what the authors hope the future holds for intersectional approaches to LGBTQ+ issues in the field and calling on our professional peers to ensure that space is maintained in our public professional spaces for marginalized minority voices, whether they be so based on race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, or neurotypicalness.
In book: Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning, 2021
The Southeastern U.S. is often a socially and politically conservative environment that can be ch... more The Southeastern U.S. is often a socially and politically conservative environment that can be challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) teachers in the classroom. Language teachers’ identities are central to language teaching and learning, wielding influence on pedagogical decisions (Fogle & Moser, 2017), yet LGBTQ-identified teachers’ identities and experiences have often been absent in research (Nelson, 2009). This study utilized a queer theoretical perspective in analysis of interviews with ten lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) Spanish teachers from the Southeastern U.S. to examine their school/classroom experiences. Findings and implications address the intersectional nature of place, sexuality, and gender in language teaching and learning.
ABSTRACT
The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, langu... more ABSTRACT The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, language, and power, but instructional approaches often center upon discrete aspects of grammar and vocabulary. Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) disavows such approaches, instead utilizing personalized questions and co-created stories. Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics interrogate the linguistic manifestation of heteronormativity. This paper draws upon both Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics in analysis of participant observation of two adult Mandarin TPRS classes and one adult Spanish class. As such, we seek to understand how language educators and students of TPRS experience and understand normativity related to gender/sexuality and language in the classroom. Findings indicate that TPRS can potentially both reify and challenge heteronormativity, thereby illustrating the potential that unscripted and queer approaches can bring to the classroom.
In book: A Transdisciplinary Approach to International Teaching Assistants: Perspectives from Applied Linguistics, 2019
This chapter reviews how higher education institutions in the US and other Anglophone countries c... more This chapter reviews how higher education institutions in the US and other Anglophone countries came to cultivate and actively recruit international student enrollments to internationalize campuses and also as a source of income. We show how the increasing ITA presence on US college campuses has been intertwined with the growing worldwide scholarly dominance of English and TESOL. Additionally, we explore historical and current trends in the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors driving growth in inter- national flows from and to the US and contextualize them in education policy in the US and abroad. Furthermore, we explore how these push and pull factors have evolved over time in tandem with demand in global labor markets (Institute of International Education, 2016). The chapter will conclude by pointing out recent trends in US and international economic, immigration and higher education policy and speculate as to future prospects for ITAs at American universities. For example, we address possible effects of slowing economies, increased nativism and increasing concerns over visas and international student reception in western industrialized democracies, decreasing state and federal funding for graduate assistants both at US universities and by sponsoring foreign governments.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2019
School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challeng... more School and work climate studies of LGBTQ-identified students and educators often reflect challenging environments for those with non-normative sexual and gender identities. Thus, this study sought to understand the experiences of LGBTQ-identified world language (WL) educators in the classroom as well as the intersections of their gender and sexual identities. Drawing upon Butler’s theory of gender performativity and arts-based approaches to research, specifically ethnodrama and performance, this article describes a researcher’s process of working through contradictions in research and representation. Through arts-based approaches to qualitative inquiry, the author maintains how such approaches can provide different mediums for exploring and conveying participants’ lived experiences that are often not possible through traditional qualitative methods of representation.
Queer theory problematizes societal norms related to sex,
gender, and sexuality, while resisting ... more Queer theory problematizes societal norms related to sex, gender, and sexuality, while resisting normalcy. The authors utilize a queer theoretical approach in analysis of participant observation in adult Spanish and Mandarin classes as well as interviews with world language teachers. Analysis of interview data reveals how educators and adult language learners experience gender/sexuality norms in conventional classroom and school contexts. Classroom observations and analysis of classroom discourse identify moments when these norms may be “troubled” or upheld in contexts using a progressive new approach called Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). Findings suggest that the improvisational nature of TPRS raises complex questions about heteronormativity in language learning and the creative work in which educators and students can engage in dialogic classrooms.
World language education (WLE) offers students the opportunity to explore the linguistic and cult... more World language education (WLE) offers students the opportunity to explore the linguistic and cultural identities of the target language. However, critical issues, such as the diverse sexual identities found within the target cultures and of the language learners themselves are too often overlooked within the language learning experience. Also implicated are discourse and knowledge/power, which serve to erase certain students’ identities from the curriculum. Queer theory/pedagogy, which resists normal (Jagose, 1996), has much to offer WLE related to addressing heteronormativity. Thus, this article explores the myriad ways in which queer theory/pedagogy could potentially be useful in WLE to challenge normative societal assumptions and provide different ways of thinking about WLE practice to include all students’ identities.
For adult English language learners, the
English language classroom provides a space for
students... more For adult English language learners, the English language classroom provides a space for students to examine cultural as well other identities. However, discussions often center on racial, rather than sexual identities. In addition, attention to how adult English language instructors engage in classroom practices that focus on sexual identities is often limited. This article examines how adult educators in English language classrooms feel regarding the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer (LGBQ) topics and materials into their curriculum and instruction. Through a web-based survey, teachers described their beliefs, practices, and challenges in creating lessons and responding to student questions in ways that broke down heteronormativity in the adult English language classroom. Findings add to the limited knowledge of how teachers in post-secondary, English language classrooms create and support a culturally responsive learning environment regarding sexual identities.
Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning, 2021
This edited book examines how sexuality and sexual identity intersect and interact with other ide... more This edited book examines how sexuality and sexual identity intersect and interact with other identities and subjectivities – including but not limited to race, religion, gender, social class, ableness, and immigrant or refugee status – to form reinforcing webs of privilege and oppression that can have significant implications for language teaching and learning processes. The authors explore how these intersections may influence the teaching of different languages and how pedagogies can be devised to increase equitable access to language learning spaces. They seek to open the conversation on intersectional issues as they relate to sexuality and language teaching and learning, and provide a conversational space where readers can engage with the notion of intersectionality. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of applied linguistics and language education, gender and LGBTQ+ studies, and sociolinguistics, outlining possible future directions for intersectional research.
In this edited book, we seek proposals on critical queer theory and pedagogy within ELT. Specific... more In this edited book, we seek proposals on critical queer theory and pedagogy within ELT. Specifically, we want to expand what Trinh (2022) urged the practitioners, theorists, and researchers “to first become the thinkers of how to ‘mess’ and play with fixed knowledge, turn them upside down, and ask, What else can I do differently to benefit the students?” (p. 221) and then offered the three queer considerations. These considerations are: acknowledging students’ identities, adding the discourse of difference, and dropping knowledge through communities-based projects. We would like to further explore how these three considerations connect with building queer allyship in different schoolings, spaces, times, societies, cultures, and belief systems and welcome global queer perspectives on how to suggest different queer considerations in teaching and learning in ELT. Therefore, we are looking for proposals that expand and/or delve deeper into such relationships from multiple perspectives all over the world.
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the intersections between LGBTQIA+ language educators gender, sexual, and professional identities in the rural Southeastern United States. Findings draw attention to the negotiations between heteronormative discourses, their identities, and their practice. Implications for this study address the interconnectedness of place, gender, and sexual identities in confronting cisheteronormativity in contexts that are not always amenable to LGBTQIA+ identities
The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, language, and power, but instructional approaches often center upon discrete aspects of grammar and vocabulary. Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) disavows such approaches, instead utilizing personalized questions and co-created stories. Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics interrogate the linguistic manifestation of heteronormativity. This paper draws upon both Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics in analysis of participant observation of two adult Mandarin TPRS classes and one adult Spanish class. As such, we seek to understand how language educators and students of TPRS experience and understand normativity related to gender/sexuality and language in the classroom. Findings indicate that TPRS can potentially both reify and challenge heteronormativity,
thereby illustrating the potential that unscripted and queer approaches can bring to the classroom.
gender, and sexuality, while resisting normalcy. The authors
utilize a queer theoretical approach in analysis of participant
observation in adult Spanish and Mandarin classes as well as
interviews with world language teachers. Analysis of interview
data reveals how educators and adult language learners
experience gender/sexuality norms in conventional classroom
and school contexts. Classroom observations and analysis of
classroom discourse identify moments when these norms
may be “troubled” or upheld in contexts using a progressive
new approach called Teaching Proficiency through Reading
and Storytelling (TPRS). Findings suggest that the improvisational
nature of TPRS raises complex questions about heteronormativity
in language learning and the creative work in
which educators and students can engage in dialogic
classrooms.
English language classroom provides a space for
students to examine cultural as well other identities.
However, discussions often center on racial, rather
than sexual identities. In addition, attention to
how adult English language instructors engage in
classroom practices that focus on sexual identities
is often limited. This article examines how adult
educators in English language classrooms feel
regarding the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Queer (LGBQ) topics and materials into their
curriculum and instruction. Through a web-based
survey, teachers described their beliefs, practices,
and challenges in creating lessons and responding
to student questions in ways that broke down
heteronormativity in the adult English language
classroom. Findings add to the limited knowledge
of how teachers in post-secondary, English
language classrooms create and support a culturally
responsive learning environment regarding sexual
identities.
the intersections between LGBTQIA+ language educators gender, sexual, and professional identities in the rural Southeastern United States. Findings draw attention to the negotiations between heteronormative discourses, their identities, and their practice. Implications for this study address the interconnectedness of place, gender, and sexual identities in confronting cisheteronormativity in contexts that are not always amenable to LGBTQIA+ identities
The foreign language classroom affords conversations related to heteronormativity, language, and power, but instructional approaches often center upon discrete aspects of grammar and vocabulary. Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) disavows such approaches, instead utilizing personalized questions and co-created stories. Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics interrogate the linguistic manifestation of heteronormativity. This paper draws upon both Queer Theory and Queer Linguistics in analysis of participant observation of two adult Mandarin TPRS classes and one adult Spanish class. As such, we seek to understand how language educators and students of TPRS experience and understand normativity related to gender/sexuality and language in the classroom. Findings indicate that TPRS can potentially both reify and challenge heteronormativity,
thereby illustrating the potential that unscripted and queer approaches can bring to the classroom.
gender, and sexuality, while resisting normalcy. The authors
utilize a queer theoretical approach in analysis of participant
observation in adult Spanish and Mandarin classes as well as
interviews with world language teachers. Analysis of interview
data reveals how educators and adult language learners
experience gender/sexuality norms in conventional classroom
and school contexts. Classroom observations and analysis of
classroom discourse identify moments when these norms
may be “troubled” or upheld in contexts using a progressive
new approach called Teaching Proficiency through Reading
and Storytelling (TPRS). Findings suggest that the improvisational
nature of TPRS raises complex questions about heteronormativity
in language learning and the creative work in
which educators and students can engage in dialogic
classrooms.
English language classroom provides a space for
students to examine cultural as well other identities.
However, discussions often center on racial, rather
than sexual identities. In addition, attention to
how adult English language instructors engage in
classroom practices that focus on sexual identities
is often limited. This article examines how adult
educators in English language classrooms feel
regarding the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Queer (LGBQ) topics and materials into their
curriculum and instruction. Through a web-based
survey, teachers described their beliefs, practices,
and challenges in creating lessons and responding
to student questions in ways that broke down
heteronormativity in the adult English language
classroom. Findings add to the limited knowledge
of how teachers in post-secondary, English
language classrooms create and support a culturally
responsive learning environment regarding sexual
identities.