This is an introductory course to simultaneous interpretation (i.e., the translation of speech or discourse from one language to another while listening to the speaker) and consecutive interpretation (i.e., the translation of speech or discourse after the speaker has finished saying it) in various communication situations. Graduate-level requirements include the length and difficulty of assignments, homework and testing.

This course will introduce the study of French from a linguistic point of view. The area to be covered will be chosen from: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, dialect and social variation, pragmatics, discourse analysis.

This course is designed to prepare ESL teachers professionally and will cover topics such as job hunting, interviewing, writing a CV, conferences, observations, assembling a portfolio, and conducting and presenting action research. Students will participate in 10 hours observing ESL in at least two community and university contexts. Requirements include a report of an action research project, a poster presentation of the project, and a portfolio which may be used for securing jobs.

Specific Spring 2026 Semester Topic: Global Englishes

English has been referred to as a lingua franca, a global language, a commodity, and a tyrannosaurus rex. Though exact estimates of English users vary, native English speakers are most certainly outnumbered by English as an additional language (EAL) users today. This online course is an introduction to the paradigm of Global Englishes, including the study of World Englishes (WE), English as a lingua franca (ELF), English as an international language (EIL), and the implications of English’s worldwide reach. In our study of Global Englishes, we will also consider related issues, such as language variation, globalization, linguistic bias, the “native speaker” construct, language policy, and language teaching. Although our focus is primarily on English use and instruction, class participants are welcome to explore implications for learning and teaching other languages through their individual projects.

This course is designed to present an overview of the field of second language acquisition, the study of how second and foreign languages are learned after a first language has already been acquired, and the cognitive, psychological and social factors that impact acquisition, learning and language use.

Spring 2026 Semester Topic: Curriculum/Materials Development and Assessment

This advanced-level teaching methods course addresses major components of teaching English an additional language with an emphasis on curriculum development and assessment. Students will explore foundational concepts in ESL/EFL curriculum development, including needs and context analysis, goals and objectives, pedagogical approaches, sequencing and scaffolding, materials development, and student and course assessment. Students will gain practice in applying these concepts in context-sensitive ways through an individual, semester-long course design project. We will also examine curriculum and assessment practices from a sociopolitical perspective throughout the course.

This course is a descriptive overview of English grammar, surveying English grammatical structures and major patterns of language use, and developing skill in grammatical analysis. We will analyze both written and spoken English grammar in the context of discourse and register characteristics, and will also discuss pedagogical implications and applications. Students will complete a final project related to their own interests in applying the knowledge learned in the course (e.g., to ESL instruction).

The course is designed to:
1. develop your understanding of English structures and functions;
2. give you practice with analytical techniques used in grammatical studies and with applying those techniques to authentic language;
3. increase your understanding of concepts and terminology for your own research and reading the research of others;
4. help you develop a better understanding and analysis of the functions of grammatical features of English in various discourse contexts (e.g., across registers);
5. introduce you to corpus-linguistic research on grammar for application to research and teaching;
6. discuss the teaching of grammar in ESL/EFL contexts, both theoretically and practically.

English 598 connects composition theory to praxis. Through a number of activities, we will think carefully about our inclinations, actions and reactions as teachers in the writing classroom. Required of all graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in their first year of teaching in the Writing Program, preceptorship provides a brief introduction to theory in writing studies and pedagogy as well as embedded support for classroom management. During the course, you will be asked to reflect on the teaching of first-year writing, and we encourage collaboration as we develop our teaching philosophies and approaches to first-year writing. A major objective of 598 is to embed support within your first year of teaching. You will meet twice weekly with your Mentor, who will provide practical support for your teaching of English 101 and 102. These mentor sessions should be a safe space to reflect on and discuss your experiences with teaching.. It is in these sessions that you will respond to any immediate questions or concerns teaching English 101 and 102. One of the major tasks of mentor groups is arranging a mentor class visit.

This course surveys quantitative and qualitative methods in composition and rhetoric in order to introduce students to different communities of inquiry and basic questions about the nature of research.

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

Spring 2026 Semester Topic: Discourse Analysis
This course will introduce students to theories and methods for the analysis of discourse. This is primarily a research methodology class focusing specifically on discourse analysis, so it is an excellent course for students who want to learn about or improve their qualitative research and/or classroom-based research skills. Students conduct a small-scale research study in this class. The goal is to equip students with knowledge and exposure to a range of discourse analysis traditions, approaches, and techniques so that students can gain a comprehensive understanding of the field and draw from one or more of those to conduct discourse analysis on their own. Students will also be provided with multiple opportunities and hands-on practice to analyze and interpret different types of discourse data. The course, however, will focus particularly on spoken data in face-to-face interactions in L2 (ESL) learning/teaching contexts or classroom settings. Each class session will include lecture/discussion of course readings and time to engage in practical discussion or use of methodological tools/issues (including data collection and data analysis).