BIS: SLHS, Linguistics and TESL If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world. Because the limits of my language mean the limits of my world. ~Ludwig Wittgenstein This quote from the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein sums up my fascination of language since the day I discovered people could communicate in languages other than English. It is quite a miracle that a combination of airflow and mouth movement can persuade, inspire, solve problems, and build relationships. Not only does it involve speakers and listeners, but this purely auditory communication can be translated orthographically and keep people connected through the ages with books and also across oceans via letters, emails, and texts. We all speak a language, maybe a couple languages. How does speaking a certain language influence how we interact with the world around us, and what do all languages have in common? These are the questions that have driven me to pursue a Bachelor of Individualized Studies. I began my studies at the U of M in the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. These three areas seemed to match exactly with the interests that I had in how humans produce and comprehend language. After taking many of these classes, I realized that there was a similarity between the classes that I really found interesting and engaging, and the ones I simply took to check off my major requirements. I was fascinated with Speech Science and Phonetics, because those classes detailed the sounds of languages, how they are produced, and all of the complicated mechanics that go into making a simple sound. These are things that seem inherent to us now; we can talk for hours without once thinking about how we are moving our lips, or where to position our tongue in our mouths to make a certain sound. However, the classes I took in SLHS that were more specific to a future career in speech pathology or audiology were not as inspiring to me. At this point I started thinking about the linguistics field. Once I found out more about the major, I realized that combining the scientific study of language
and its structure with the more practical applications of the SLHS classes would give me a broader understanding of communication and how people use language to interpret their surroundings and convey information to one another. The field of linguistics attracts me in many ways. The problem solving skills required for the coursework not only aligns with my strengths, but also challenges me. Lastly, my concentration area of Teaching English as a Second Language is highly relevant to the skills I need after graduation. I would like to pursue a teaching position abroad after I graduate, and these studies will give me the preparation to lead a classroom, prepare curriculum, and manage students behaviors. Teaching abroad combines my love of learning about new cultures, and becoming even more familiar with the intricacies of the English language by teaching it to others. Teaching English as a Second Language Courses in the Teaching Language as a Second Language department (now under the umbrella of Curriculum and Instruction) serve to prepare students for positions teaching or tutoring non-native speakers of English, whether abroad or in the United States. For example, LING 3001: Introduction to Linguistics provided the necessary framework for the scientific study of languages. This course introduced me to the International Phonetic Alphabet, and instilled in me a fascination of the structure of other languages. This will give me background information needed to understand students native language interferences in learning English. CI 3613: Practical Language Learning for International Communication will prepare me to live and adapt to living in diverse cultures. This understanding of cultures and cross-cultural communication will help in teaching abroad, so that I can create an inclusive and comfortable learning environment for my students. CI 3611W: Basics in Teaching Language as a Second Language will allow me to practice teaching, tutoring, and curriculum development in a community of adult learners of English. This course will have a service learning internship where I can practice these skills and prepare for my own teaching. CI 3612: Introduction to Pronunciation and Grammar for ESL Teachers gave specific instruction on leading classroom activities, tutoring ESL students, and developing curriculum for teaching the pronunciation and grammar of English. I gained
teaching tips from the instructor and fellow students, critically analyzed textbooks, developed my own curriculum for a class period, and tutored an ESL student on his pronunciation and grammar. Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences The classes I chose to take in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences field contributed to my understanding of how language is acquired, produced, and interpreted. This field prepares students for clinical and academic careers in speech-language pathology and audiology. Not necessarily exclusive to a career in these areas, these courses lead to an understanding of human communication across cultures, and the effects of difficulties in communication in everyday life. SLHS 3305W: Speech Science gave me an understanding of sound waves, and the physiological and psychological interpretation of those waves. The course also covered the difference between the scientific measures that identify sound and how it s perceived by our ears and brain. SLHS 3303: Language Acquisition Science taught the development process of a child s acquisition of language. This course also lent interesting perspective on learning second languages, and will be helpful in teaching English. SLHS 3304: Phonetics was certainly my favorite course in the department, because we practiced the International Phonetic Alphabet extensively. This system allows us to disregard the arbitrary assignments of letters to sounds and creates an almost perfect system, where one sound correlates to one letter only, and vice versa. I can use this method in teaching English to identify the pronunciations of words. SLHS 3302: Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanisms was helpful in identifying the process in which we use the respiratory, articulatory, and auditory systems, along with many others, to communicate. This knowledge will be helpful in explaining to students exactly how to make sounds that are not included in their native language. SLHS 3401: Communication Differences and Disorders defined the boundaries of normal speech, and how to classify deviations from that as either a simple difference or a disorder that inhibits communication. As a teacher who will be working closely with the speech of students, I will be in a good position to have an idea of whether the student is having difficulties learning a certain sound, or if it could be something that a speech pathologist could help with. SLHS 4301: Introduction to the Neuroscience of
Human Communication was a class that challenged me to think about language through the lens of psychological processes. I value this knowledge in many ways. From a linguistic standpoint, it is helpful to know how the brain understands languages, because then one can study and postulate on theories such as Chomsky s language acquisition device and theory of universal grammar. From a teaching standpoint, it adds another way of understanding how my students process and understand language information. Linguistics In my third concentration, Linguistics, I have the opportunity to pursue my passion of language, and study language structure, form, and use cross-culturally. This area allows me to apply critical thinking skills and problem solving, when deciphering a language s grammar, meaning, sounds, and orthography. LING 3601: Historical Linguistics will show the change of languages over time, as well as the relationship between languages and language families. It will be fascinating to learn how Old English was transformed and evolved into the language we use today. In addition, comparing language families helps to understand why two languages have shared words, or cognates. LING 3101W: Languages of the World extends this historical study to languages across the world. The course discusses language loss and language death and the implications that has for cultural and linguistic knowledge. For example, other languages help us to illuminate different ways of understanding time, space, math, and relationships to other people. LING 4302W: Phonology I uses problem solving to analyze phonological patterns of languages. Again, these analytical and critical thinking skills will translate well to any kind of learning and challenges that present themselves in my future career. LING 4201: Syntax emphasizes language structure, and the similarities and differences across languages. This course teaches the skill of keeping an open mind to differences, in this case, different grammars across cultures. LING 4002:Linguistic Analysis allowed me to practice analyzing language data and generalizing rules for the language structure. This is helpful not only in linguistics field research, but also lends itself to hypothesizing rules about various subjects, testing those hypotheses, and justifying the conclusions with supporting data. Finally, LING 5462: Field Research in Spoken Language, will explore verbal and nonverbal communication in everyday
life. In this course I will have a chance to use transcription, software programs, and video analysis to find the role of gestures, prosody, body posture, and other cues in communication across cultures and languages. I can see this being helpful in many ways. For example, teaching in another culture, I need to be aware of nonverbal cues that differ from ones I am used to in my own culture. This will also give me hands-on practice in field research of language, if that s something I decide to go into in the future. The Bachelor of Individualized Studies is an ideal fit for me, because I get to combine three of my interest areas to create a degree that includes problem solving, critical thinking, depth of study, diversity, communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and skills for lifelong learning. I believe that shaping my own degree to fit my own passions will serve me better than adapting to the molds set by one discipline. By creating this unique combination, I not only set myself apart from other graduates, but I also prepare for my future plans. With a background in Teaching English as a Second Language, I will be qualified and prepared to teach English to students abroad. After gaining experience in the classroom, and learning more about myself and what I want to pursue for a long-term career, I can return to grad school. At that point, I will either continue a path in teaching or research in linguistics. The most exciting part of this degree, to me, is that it opens the door to studying language through multiple lenses, whether it is physiologically, psychologically, structurally, culturally, or educationally.
BIS/IDIM Program Course Worksheet Name: ID#: IDIM Title: Total number of credits in proposed program: 51 Total number 3/4/5xxx level credits in proposed program: Total credits in program left to complete: Title: Concentration One Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) SLHS 3305W Speech Science 3 SLHS 3303 Language Acquisition Science 3 SLHS 3304 Phonetics 3 SLHS 3302 Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing 3 SLHS 3401 Comm Differences and Disorders 3 SLHS 4301 Intro Neuro of Human Comm 3 TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: Total credits in area (IDIM only): 18 Not Complete: Credits (Term) Title: Concentration Two Linguistics Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) LING 4002 Linguistic Analysis 3 LING 3101W Languages of the World 3 LING 4201 Syntax I 3 LING 3601 Historical Linguistics 3 LING 4302W Phonology I 3 LING 5462 Res/Spoken Lang 3 TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: Total credits in area (IDIM only): 18 Not Complete: Credits (Term) Title: Concentration Three Teaching English as a Second Language Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) LING 3001 Intro Linguistics 4 SLS 3401 Pronunciation/Grammar, ESL Teachers 4 CI 3613 Language for Intl Comm 3 CI 3611W Teaching ESL 4 TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: Total credits in area (IDIM only): 15 Not Complete: Credits (Term)