Use it to keep track of what we've done and where we're going.
[01] M Aug 18
- Covered today: Intro to this course
[outline]
- Handout - Course information and policies
- Audio clip -
Naomi Oreskes on "Why should we believe in science"? (TED Radio Hour)
- Click on big ▶ in blue box for NPR radio episode/podcast (video is full TED Talk)
- Audio transcript
- To read for W Aug 20: Kaplan, ch 1, Introduction
- Also: Read the "Course information and policies" handout (above); bring any questions next time
- Use our class Padlet board to share questions or comments
- Prep questions: 08.20, due W Aug 20 by 11:00am
[02] W Aug 20
- Covered today: Language myths and linguistics
[outline]
[Padlet]
- Blog post - "An invented statistic returns" | Mark Liberman at Language Log, Feb 22, 2013
- To read for F Aug 22: Kaplan, ch 2, 'A dialect is a collection of mistakes'
- On Friday, we will discuss sec 2.1 and 2.2
- Prep questions: 08.22, due F Aug 22 by 11:00am
[03] F Aug 22
- Covered today: Dialects, mental grammar, language attitudes; African-American English (AAE)
[outline]
[Padlet]
- See Online course materials for additional resources
- To read for M Aug 25: Kaplan, ch 2, 'A dialect is a collection of mistakes'
- Read sec 2.3 and prepare to discuss Kaplan's case studies (focus on Österberg 1961 and Yiakoumetti 2006)
- Be prepared to discuss the research results: see last slide from today's outline
- Prep questions: 08.25, due M Aug 25 by 11:00am
[04] M Aug 25
- Covered today: Case studies (sec 2.3): "What is the best way to teach the standard dialect...?" [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for W Aug 27: Kaplan, Appendix, through the end of sec A.2
- Prep questions: 08.27, due W Aug 27 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
[05] W Aug 27
- Covered today: Statistics; data graphics (part 1) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for F Aug 29: Kaplan, Appendix, sec A.3
- Prep questions: 08.29, due F Aug 29 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
[06] F Aug 29
- Covered today: Statistics; data graphics (part 2);
experiment design[outline] [Padlet] - Reminder: Please fill out the background & interests survey if you haven't yet (link via Canvas Announcement)
M Sept 1
-
Labor Day — no class
[07] W Sept 3
- Covered today: Research questions; experiment design; research papers [outline] [Padlet]
- Prep questions: 09.05,
due F Sept 5 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
- Includes topic/group preferences survey for case-study presentations!
[08] F Sept 5
- Covered today: Finding and evaluating research articles; parsing and interpreting data graphics [outline] [Padlet]
- Prepare: Go back over the objectives for each class meeting (at the beginning of the discussion slides)
- This will prepare you for the prep questions (see below) and Monday's discussion
- Feel free to post (anonymous?) questions or discussion requests on the Padlet board, too!
- Prep questions: 09.08,
due M Sept 8 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
- Name a topic from the course so far that you would like to review/discuss on Monday
- Write your own review question on a topic covered so far
- Includes a redo of the topic/group preferences survey for case-study presentations (with names)!
[09] M Sept 8
- Covered today: Review and discussion — Basic course concepts [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for W Sept 10: Kaplan, ch 3, 'Sign language is skilled charades'
- Prep questions: 09.10, due W Sept 10 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
[10] W Sept 10
- Covered today: Signed languages and iconicity (Kaplan Ch 3 | Group 1) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for F Sept 12: Kaplan, ch 4, 'Chimpanzees can talk to us'
- Prep questions: 09.12, due F Sept 12 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
[11] F Sept 12
- Covered today: Non-humans and language(?) (Kaplan Ch 4 | Group 2) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for W Sept 17: Kaplan, ch 5, 'Children have to be taught language'
- Prep questions: 09.17, due W Sept 17 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
M Sept 15
-
Well-being day — no class
[12] W Sept 17
- Covered today: Caregivers' input in child language acquisition (Kaplan Ch 5 | Group 3) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for F Sept 19: Kaplan, ch 6, 'Adults can't learn a new language'
- In-class discussion will focus on sec 6.0, 6.1, 6.2.5, 6.3
- Sec 6.2 is the case-study section, but 6.2.5 is a useful set-up for 6.3
- Prep questions: 09.19, due F Sept 19 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
- Upcoming: Preview the case-study presentation assignment overview before Friday's class
[13] F Sept 19
- Covered today: Adult second-language learning (Kaplan Ch 6 | Group 4) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for M Sept 22: Kaplan, ch 7, 'Being bilingual makes you smarter (or dumber)'
- Prep questions: (no prep questions due Monday - look over the upcoming assignment instead)
- Upcoming:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Groups 1-4 on F Sept 26
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview
[14] M Sept 22
- Covered today: Biligualism (Kaplan Ch 7 | Group 5) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for W Sept 24: Kaplan, ch 8, 'Women talk more than men'
- Prep questions: 09.24, due W Sept 24 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
- Upcoming:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Groups 1-4 on F Sept 26, 11:59pm
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (11:59pm) (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview [updated!]
[15] W Sept 24
- Covered today: Language and gender (Kaplan Ch 8 | Group 6) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for F Sept 26: Kaplan, ch 9, 'Texting makes you illiterate'
- Prep questions: (no prep questions due)
- Assignment:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Groups 1-4 on F Sept 26, 11:59pm
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (11:59pm) (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview
- See also: Groups and topics list (link via Canvas)
[16] F Sept 26
- Covered today: Language and technology (Kaplan Ch 9 | Group 7) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for M Sept 29: Kaplan, ch 10, 'The most beautiful language is French' [temporary link if publisher's website is down]
- Prep questions: (no prep questions due)
- Assignment:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Groups 1-4 on F Sept 26, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 5 on M Sept 29, 11:59pm
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (11:59pm) (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview
- See also: Groups and topics list (link via Canvas)
[17] M Sept 29
- Covered today: Perceptual dialectology and 'beautiful' languages (Kaplan Ch 10 | Group 8) [outline] [Padlet]
- To read for W Oct 1: Kaplan, ch 11, 'My language limits my thoughts' [temporary link if publisher's website is down]
- Prep questions: (no prep questions due)
- Assignment:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Group 5 on M Sept 29, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 6 on W Oct 1, 11:59pm
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (11:59pm) (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview
- See also: Groups and topics list (link via Canvas)
[18] W Oct 1
- Covered today: Language and thought (Kaplan Ch 11 | Group 9) [outline] [Padlet]
- To prepare for F Oct 3: Read the
case-study presentation details handout
and prepare for workshop time with your group in class on Friday:
- Groups will submit their article choice & two backup options (during class on Friday)
- Groups will decide who takes which roles in the presentation (during class on Friday)
- Groups will work together to understand the chosen data set/data graphic and relate it to research questions and the Kaplan chapter myth (to be continued in workshop time on Monday)
- Prep questions: 10.03,
due F Oct 3 by 11:00am in Canvas Assignments
- You will be asked to provide bibliographic citations for three research papers, ideally 2015 or later, related to the chapter your case-study group is presenting for
- You will be asked to include what search terms you used to look for relevant papers (no right/wrong answer)
- You may talk to your group to brainstorm search terms or strategies, but find and report the three articles on your own
- Assignment:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Group 6 on W Oct 1, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 7 on F Oct 3, 11:59pm
- Due for remaining groups 3 class days after your topic's background chapter discussion (11:59pm) (see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- See also: Case-study presentation assignment overview
- See also: All case-study presentation assignment handouts
[19] F Oct 3
- Covered today: Workshop time - Case-study presentation articles and data graphics
[Padlet]
- All case-study presentation assignment handouts
- Goals for today:
- Choose your group's case-study article
- Assign roles in the group
- Work together to choose or create a data graphic
- To prepare for M Oct 6:
- If your group hasn't finished creating or discussing your data graphic, work on this (individually or together) and prepare to finalize your group discussion on Monday
- Work on a draft of your individual slides that you can bring to class on Monday (or share with your group ahead of time)
- Upcoming: Individual slides (for group presentation) due for Groups 1, 2, 3 on M Oct 6, 5pm
- Assignment:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
(see Canvas "Assignment" for specifics)
- Due for Group 7 on F Oct 3, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 8 on M Oct 6, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 9 on W Oct 8, 11:59pm
- See also: All case-study presentation assignment handouts
[20] M Oct 6
- Covered today: Workshop time - Case-study presentation data graphics and slides
[assignment handouts]
[Padlet]
- Goals for today:
- Work together to understand the data graphic deeply
- Work together to understand how the data graphic (Role 3) relates to the myth and research questions (Role 1) and the experiment design (Role 2)
- Give each other feedback on individual slides
- Decide on the slides template/style/skin (formatting) so that everyone is coordinated
- If time: Start brainstorming as a group about possible exam questions (Role 4) at both the short-answer and big-ideas levels
- Goals for today:
- To prepare for W Oct 8:
- Groups 1, 2, and 3: Submit individual slides (due M 5pm), watch for slides feedback from me (by Tu 11am at the latest), and prepare the group slides (due W 11:30am)
- Non-presenters: Prepare to attend class and fill out a comments form about how well each presentation communicates myth, RQs, methodology, results, and implications
- Current and upcoming assignments:
- Due dates for individual slides (but early submission = early feedback!)
- Groups 1, 2, 3 due M Oct 6, 5pm
- Groups 4, 5, 6 due W Oct 8, 5pm
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due F Oct 10, 5pm
- Due dates for group slides:
- Groups 1, 2, 3 due W Oct 8, 11:30am
- Groups 4, 5, 6 due F Oct 10, 11:30am
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due M Oct 13, 11:30am
- Due dates for self & peer feedback:
- New: Due for all groups on M Oct 20, 11:59pm
- DG/RQ preview:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Group 8 on M Oct 6, 11:59pm
- Due for Group 9 on W Oct 8, 11:59pm (but early submission = early feedback!)
- Due dates for individual slides (but early submission = early feedback!)
[21] W Oct 8
- Covered today: Case-study presentations - Groups 1, 2, 3 [Padlet]
- To prepare for F Oct 10:
- Groups 4, 5, and 6: Submit individual slides (due W 5pm), watch for slides feedback from me (by Th 11am at the latest), and prepare the group slides (due F 11:30am)
- Non-presenters: Prepare to attend class and fill out a comments form about how well each presentation communicates myth, RQs, methodology, results, and implications
- Current and upcoming assignments:
- Due dates for individual slides (but early submission may mean early feedback!)
- Groups 4, 5, 6 due W Oct 8, 5pm
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due F Oct 10, 5pm
- Due dates for group slides:
- Groups 4, 5, 6 due F Oct 10, 11:30am
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due M Oct 13, 11:30am
- Due dates for self & peer feedback:
- New: Due for all groups on M Oct 20, 11:59pm
- DG/RQ preview:
Data graphic and research question preview assignment
- Due for Group 9 on W Oct 8, 11:59pm
- Due dates for individual slides (but early submission may mean early feedback!)
- FYI: Role 4 (exam question) information available here by
Th eveningF morning
[21] F Oct 10
- Covered today: Case-study presentations - Groups 4, 5, 6 [Padlet]
- To prepare for M Oct 13:
- Groups 7, 8, and 9: Submit individual slides (due F 5pm), watch for slides feedback from me (by Sa 11am at the latest), and prepare the group slides (due M 11:30am)
- Non-presenters: Prepare to attend class and fill out a comments form about how well each presentation communicates myth, RQs, methodology, results, and implications
- Current and upcoming assignments:
- Due dates for individual slides
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due F Oct 10, 5pm
- Due dates for group slides:
- Groups 7, 8, 9 due M Oct 13, 11:30am
- Due dates for self & peer feedback:
- New: Due for all groups on M Oct 20, 11:59pm
- Info and due dates for exam question presentation:
Assignment handout (Role 4 presenters)
- Submit individual slides (due M 11:59pm)
- Slides feedback from me (by Tu noon)
- (optional) Submit revised slides (due W 11:30am; use "Individual slides" Assignment for the revision)
- Due dates for individual slides
[22] M Oct 13
- Covered today: Case-study presentations - Groups 7, 8, 9 [Padlet]
- To prepare for W Oct 15:
- Role 4 presenters, all groups:
- Individual slides due M Oct 13, 11:59pm in Canvas Assignments: "Presentation exam questions" (assignment handout, updated)
- Slides feedback from me will be posted by Tu noon
- Revised slides (optional) due W Oct 15, 11:30am (use same Canvas Assignment for the revision)
- Non-presenters: Prepare to attend class, try out the exam questions, and fill out a comments form
- Role 4 presenters, all groups:
- Current and upcoming assignments:
- Due dates for self & peer feedback:
- Due for all groups on M Oct 20, 11:59pm
- Info and due dates for exam question presentation:
Assignment handout, updated
- See above for deadline reminders
- Due dates for self & peer feedback:
- FYI: Spring 2026 courses in linguistics
- List of all courses
- Posters for selected courses [still under construction]
- Note 203 (Language Acquisition), 230 (Constructed Languages), 335 (Structure of AAE)
- Covered today: Presentation exam questions
[Padlet]
- Slides for all presentations will be linked here (via Canvas) later today (only visible to our class)
- Exam-question slides and discussion will be linked here (via Canvas) later today
- Plan for M Oct 20 (no preparation needed):
- General debriefing about the presentation content and process
- Goal-setting for the "novice" presentation coming up in a few weeks
- Information about the midterm exam on F Oct 24
- Upcoming: Self & peer feedback due for all groups on M Oct 20, 11:59pm in Canvas Assignments
- FYI: English native speakers sought for a 5-10 minute sentence-judgment experiment
- See details and link in this Canvas Announcement