Knisely, K. (November, 2022). Gender-just and trans-informed approaches to language education: From proactive planning to taking action. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Research Invited Pre-Convention Workshop. Boston, MA. (Online).
Abstract: This workshop will provide a frame in which educators can establish and/or deepen their understandings of what it means to ethically, equitably, and robustly engaged with trans knowledges and linguistic practices in sites of language teaching and learning. As such, the workshop presenter will begin with an overview of gender-just language pedagogies, including their ethical imperative and positive relationship to the development of myriad critical competencies. Participants will leverage this background knowledge and several Open Educations Resources (OERs) to begin/continue to plan for gender justice and resistance thereto in their own specific sites of language teaching and learning.
Publications: Please see the publications page to view and request copies of my written work for your personal, private use. I look forward to adding the forthcoming volume I am co-editing with Eric Russell (UC-Davis) Redoing linguistic worlds: Unmaking gender binaries, remaking gender pluralities, which includes work on French, German, Italian, and Spanish and other work in press that treats many of these languages. I would particularly draw your attention to the below:
Published:
Knisely, K. (2022). Gender-just language teaching and linguistic competence development. Foreign Language Annals. 55(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12641
Knisely, K. (2022). Teaching trans knowledges: Situating expansive possibilities in an intermediate French course. In S. Bouamer & L. Bourdeau (Eds.) Diversity and Decolonization in French Studies: New Approaches to Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan. 165-180. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95357-7_11 Available open access at: https://rdcu.be/cKP37
Knisely, K. (2022). A Starter Kit for Rethinking Trans Representation and Inclusion in French L2 Classrooms. In E.N. Meyer & E. Hoft-March (Eds.) Teaching Diversity and Inclusion: Examples from a French-Speaking Classroom. Routledge. 22-33. https://bit.ly/3oZRsbM
Knisely, K. (2021). L/G/B and T: Queer Excisions, Entailments, and Intersections. In J. M. Paiz & J. E. Coda (Eds.) Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning. Palgrave Macmillan. 153-182. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76779-2_6
Knisely, K. and Paiz, J.M. (2021) Bringing Trans, Non-binary, and Queer Understandings to Bear in Language Education. Critical Multilingualism Studies. 9(1), 23-45. https://cms.arizona.edu/index.php/multilingual/article/view/237
Knisely, K. (2020). Le français non-binaire: linguistic forms used by non-binary speakers of French. Foreign Language Annals. 53(4), 850-876. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12500
Forthcoming:
Knisely, K. (2022). Gender-justice and the development of intersectional thinking: Evidence from an intermediate French course. CFC Intersections. 1(1), 147-160. https://doi.org/10.3828/cfci.2022.11
Knisely, K. (2022). Gender-just language pedagogies. In F. Henshaw & K. Potowski (Eds.) Honing our craft: World language teaching in the U.S.. Klett.
Knisely, K. (2023). Not another binary: gender modality, languaging, and language learning in French. In Knisely, K. and Russell, E. (Eds.). Redoing linguistic worlds: Unmaking gender binaries, remaking gender pluralities. Multilingual Matters.
Knisely, K. & Russell, E. (2023). Redoing Linguistic Worlds: An Introduction. In Knisely, K. and Russell, E. (Eds.). Redoing linguistic worlds: Unmaking gender binaries, remaking gender pluralities. Multilingual Matters.
Resources for educators: Please see the resources for educators page for numerous other resources, including but not limited to the below infographics.
Additional recommended publications, authors, and organizations can be found on the partners & colleagues page. In addition to my own work, below are a few resources from colleagues that I would particularly like to highlight for you:
Conrod, K. (2022). Variation in English Gendered Pronouns: analysis and recommendations for ethics in linguistics. Special issue: THEY 2019 Proceedings. Journal of Language and Sexuality 11(2), 141-164. https://doi.org/10.1075/jls.20026.con
Disclosure (2020 documentary, available on Netflix): http://www.disclosurethemovie.com/about This is not directly about teaching, but it can help create a different awareness of trans lives. I recommend this documentary in particular because it has a 100% trans cast, a trans director, and a majority trans crew. In this way it tells stories of trans lives via the voices/perspectives of actual trans people.
Diversity, Decolonization, and the French Curriculum collective https://ddfccollective.weebly.com/
DDFC. (2021) Joint Statement and Call to Action in Support of Trans and Nonbinary People. https://ddfccollective.weebly.com/statements-of-supportcalls-for-action.html
Diversity, Decolonization, and the German Curriculum collective https://diversityingermancurriculum.weebly.com/
Gallagher, M. O., Abel, B., Djavadghazaryans, A., Pfleger, S., Stewart, F., & Young, A. (2023). Gender Plurality in the German-Language Classroom: Constructing Linguistic and Cultural Identities beyond the Binary. In K. Knisely & E. Russell (Eds.) Redoing linguistic worlds: Unmaking gender binaries, remaking gender pluralities. Multilingual Matters.
Heger, I. A. (2020). Pronouns like Xier and Sier: Translating singular they into German. https://www.annaheger.de/pronouns/
Jourian, T.J. & Nicolazzo, Z. (2019). Not another gender binary: A call for complexity over cis-readability. Retrieved 1 January 2020 from https://medium.com/national-center-for-institutional-diversity/not-another-gender-binary-a-call-for-complexity-over-cis-readability-d9eaefdcefc2
Keenan, H., & Hot Mess, L. M. (2020). Drag pedagogy: The playful practice of queer imagination in early childhood. Curriculum Inquiry, 50(5), 440-461.
Keenan, H. B., Nicolazzo, Z., & Kumashiro, K. (2021). 17,300+ Educators to President Biden: Support Trans Youth. https://www.kevinkumashiro.com/supporttransyouth
Kosnick, K., & Phipps, V. (n.d.). Proper Pronouns. https://properpronouns.com/
López, Á. (2019). Tú, yo, elle y el lenguaje no binario. La Linterna del Traductor, 19, 142-150. http://www.lalinternadeltraductor.org/n19/traducirlenguaje-no-binario.html In English: https://ataspd.org/2020/10/07/you-me-hir-and-non-binary-language/ See also: https://www.queerterpreter.com/
LSA (2021). Linguistic Society of America Statement and Guidelines Against Linguistic Misgendering. Retrieved 2 July 2021 from https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/lsa-statement-against-linguistic-misgendering See also: https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/guidelines-avoiding-misgendering-professional-communications
Paiz, J. M. (2020). Queering the English language classroom: A practical guide for teachers. Sheffield, UK: Equinox Publishing.
Paiz, J. M. & Coda, J. (Eds.) (2021) Intersectional Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues in Modern Language Teaching and Learning. Palgrave.
Papadopoulos, B. (Ed.). (2022). Gender in language project. https://www.genderinlanguage.com
Spade, D. (2011). Some very basic tips for making higher education more accessible to trans students and rethinking how we talk about gendered bodies. Radical Teacher, 92(1), 57-62. This article is generally about teaching to trans students. Link to PDF: https://bit.ly/3abFXKA
Zimman, L. (2021). Beyond the cis gays' cis gaze: the need for a trans linguistics. Gender & Language, 15(3).
Infographics: See examples below and visit the resources for educators page to download PDF versions for free. Additional infographics are available via The Gender-Just Language Education Project.
Handout: For term definitions, TAQIBP slide text, examples of inclusive, gender-avoidant and nonbinary language in English, French, Spanish, and German, sample syllabus language, sample webquest activity, and other resources and materials mentioned during the talk, please download the handout above.
