Goals


Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

How can you achieve success in this introductory linguistics course?

It's important to ask ourselves what success looks like.

Successful students will use assignments and other assessments (e.g., projects, quizzes, tests) as opportunities to:

    • Reflect on our class discussions and come up with their own questions.

    • Draw upon personal experiences and insights to suggest alternative ways of approaching course materials, and/or interpreting key data, that help us analyze and understand.

Assignments and other assessments are designed to build your ability to creatively connect, explain, and apply core concepts. These goals are also described by our specific Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes.

    • Let's work together to build your confidence!

Click the image above to discover the story of Kiana Gonzalez '17, a linguistics major at the University of Vermont.

  • The hearing daughter of two Deaf parents, Kiana grew up in Puerto Rico as a speaker of Spanish Sign Language, before moving with her family to New York at the age of 6.

  • She will use her linguistics training to become a UN interpreter.

What are our Specific Course Goals?

1. Approach the systematic study of language through a discourse-functional perspective.

    • Creatively center the communicative function of language.

2. Become familiar with styles of writing & methods of research employed by linguists.

    • Gain experience with research articles, popular prose, & investigative techniques.

3. Appreciate the linguistic diversity of our campus community.

    • Value a variety of communicative styles & purposes in use at Santa Monica College.

    • Have fun expanding curiosity with multilingualism, language learning, & new media.

4. Understand the contribution of linguistics to society.

    • Explore connections to other fields of study, professions, & everyday concerns.

    • You may or may not become a linguist, but this course will help you critically evaluate your own uses of language, and the importance of language in other arenas of interest.

What's a Student Learning Outcome?

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) describe the knowledge, skills, and understanding we hope you will gain through this course. These are established as part of our official Course Outline, and guide our activity, assignments, and discussion.

Upon completing this course successfully, the Student Learning Outcomes state that you should be able to:

1. ...exhibit strong academic behaviors: regular attendance, timeliness, participation in class activities, perseverance, and adherence to the College Honor Code. (Institutional Learning Outcome - ILO 1)

2. ...demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of linguistics and its role in various fields, e.g., education, criminology, anthropology, history, political science, and communications technology. (ILO 2)

3. ...identify and define the three dimensions of language structure: phonetics/phonology, morphology, and syntax and analyze their role in semantics. (ILO 2)

4. ...demonstrate knowledge of the role of language and its interconnectedness with peoples, societies, and cultures and explain the importance of language in global citizenship. (ILO 3)

When I submit grades at the end of the semester, I will also submit a description of whether you adequately achieved each of our four Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). I look forward to supporting your successes and achievements!