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1: Studying Linguistic Diversity

  • Page ID
    316246
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    In this unit, you will study language by closely observing and analyzing how people change the way they speak to fit their context. After keeping a language observation journal for several days, you will write a report with your findings. A detailed introduction to this unit is included with the readings and video.

    Course Outcomes Addressed in this Unit:

    • Develop voice, tone, audience, and purpose
    • Identify and incorporate relevant supporting evidence
    • Synthesize personal, social, and textual connections
    • Apply appropriate language
    • Expand vocabulary

    • 1.1: Studying Different Linguistic Communities--Readings and Videos
      This part of the module provides an introduction to how speakers (and writers) change their language based on context and audience. The spoken word TED talk "3-Ways to Speak English" is included along with discussion questions and the TED talk transcript. Instructors may want to print the TED talk transcript (also attached) so students can annotate it.
    • 1.2: Classroom and At-Home Activity- Studying Language Variation
      This page includes questions for peer/class discussion as well as the Language Observation Journal activity, which students will complete outside of class over the course of several days. After completing the journal, students will share their notes.
    • 1.3: Linguistic Diversity Report (Assignment)
      In this assignment, students will use their language journal to write about two different ways they (or others they observed) speak, using rich details to describe each context and the speech patterns utilized within that context.


    1: Studying Linguistic Diversity is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 1.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.