Teaching Linguistics

The mission of the Teaching Linguistics section of Language is to publish high-quality peer reviewed articles in the area of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Publications in the section focus not only on issues that relate to the direct teaching of linguistics, but also to the application of linguistic concepts and theories and the insight it provides about teaching and education more broadly. 

The Associate Editors of this section strive to facilitate conversations leading to a critical examination of teaching practices in our field. Through the publications in this section, they are also committed to supporting linguists in seeing their role as advocates in their communities and institutions for addressing issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI).

Submissions may focus on the teaching of any area of linguistics at any level or may offer a broader perspective on teaching linguistics within higher education or the K-12 curriculum. Articles may be submitted by clicking on the “Make a Submission” button on the right.

Manuscripts should follow the general guidelines for contributors to Language as found in the Notes to Contributors section.

Evaluation Criteria

Contributors are invited to meet virtually with the Associate Editors of this section to discuss manuscript ideas prior to submission. This conversation can help avoid the need for major revisions prior to sending the manuscript out for review. Additionally, contributors are highly encouraged to take into account the following evaluation criteria:

1. Does the article address the teaching of linguistics or the use of linguistic concepts/theory in teaching?
2. How clearly does the author describe the pedagogical issue under investigation?
3. Does the author explain their positionality and institutional context and how that influences their approach to the pedagogical issue? How well does the author discuss the applicability of this approach outside of their own context?
4. How well does the review of the literature situate the article in a broader pedagogical context, both within the field of linguistics as well as more broadly in the scholarship of teaching and learning?
5. How well does the author provide support or evidence for their proposed approach to the pedagogical issue?
6. How are issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) discussed and addressed throughout the article, as an integral aspect of the criteria above, when relevant?

Article Types

To allow for a broader range of perspectives on teaching in our field, there are currently three article types in our section: research articles, innovations in teaching linguistics articles, and textbook reviews. As our understanding of SoTL grows in the field, the Associate Editors are actively looking for new article types and new venues for sharing pedagogical materials and scholarship. For all article types, authors should explain how ethical practices were used in the collection of any data (e.g. assessment data, course surveys, interviews or focus groups). 

Research

An original, empirical contribution that helps us understand and enhance teaching and learning via evidence-based conclusions. These manuscripts should not exceed 10,000 words (not including references, appendices, and supplemental materials). 

Innovations in Teaching Linguistics

An article that describes an innovative pedagogical approach. Innovations may encompass (1) novel topics in linguistics not traditionally included in the curriculum, (2) the implementation of novel pedagogical techniques in the linguistics classroom, or (3) novel collaborations for introducing linguistics in the K-16 curriculum. The purpose of this article type is to quickly and broadly share new approaches that can be adopted throughout the discipline. As such, these manuscripts tend to be shorter than research articles (10,000 words maximum) and include supplemental materials to allow readers to further explore the innovation. Detailed guidelines can be found here.

Textbook Reviews

A review of a book (published within the last three years) that the author(s) have used in the classroom and that addresses pedagogical issues related to the use of the book. Authors are encouraged to collaborate with a former student who was enrolled in the course in which the text was used. While this collaboration is not a requirement, including a student's perspective is an important element of these book reviews. Textbook reviews should not exceed 2,500 words (not including references, appendices, and supplemental materials).

In order to avoid multiple reviews of the same text, potential authors should email the Associate Editors to express their intent. Authors will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, and allotted six months to submit their review. Guidelines for preparing a textbook review can be found here.

Supplementary Materials

Papers in Teaching Linguistics are meant to serve as a useful pedagogical resource for linguists. As such, it is an expectation that contributors include relevant supplemental materials with their manuscripts. Supplemental materials are made available whenever possible, using the guidelines of the Creative Commons license chosen by the authors. Supplemental materials should follow best practices for accessibility. For more information on creating accessible documents, please see this link.

Associate Editors for Teaching Linguistics

For more information about submitting to Teaching Linguistics, contact the section Associate Editors Kazuko Hiramatsu & Michal Temkin Martinez. You may also find the Associate Editors’ note on Publishing in the Teaching Linguistics section of Language useful.