Rigor and accessibility: Attitudes towards syntax pedagogy in higher education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v9i1.5694

Keywords:

syntax, higher education, pedagogy, discipline of linguistics

Abstract

We report on early stages of a large study on syntax pedagogy, and particularly on perceptions of “gatekeeping”. We present the results of a pilot study to explore this theme and others that arose, such as inequality and discrimination in the classroom, as well as the results of an ongoing program survey. Together, these results show that there are widespread experiences of bias in syntax classrooms, that syntax occupies a privileged space within linguistics, and that syntax is perceived to be a particularly difficult subject which some people have an innate talent for and others do not. The findings, especially in the context of current work on social justice in linguistics, have serious implications for inclusivity in the field and on how we as syntax educators can make changes for the benefit of future syntax scholars.

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Published

2024-05-15

How to Cite

Bjorkman, Bronwyn, Laura Bailey, Caitl Light, and Kirby Conrod. 2024. “Rigor and Accessibility: Attitudes towards Syntax Pedagogy in Higher Education”. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America 9 (1): 5694. https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v9i1.5694.