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Men need trust and women need connection: Troubling heteronormativity in the language classroom
Keywords
Queer Theory, Language Education
Session Abstract
In the adult English language classroom, heteronormativity is pervasive in the research, curriculum, materials, and practice (Nelson, 2006). Drawing on queer theory, attendees will learn about ways to challenge heteronormativity so as to cultivate a critical language education that values all identities in the classroom.
Session Description
In the language classroom, students are able to explore the linguistic and cultural identities of the target languages and cultures. However, there is often limited attention to gender and sexual diversity in the curriculum, textbooks, research, and practice (Nelson, 2006, 2009; Paiz, 2015). To address the lack of attention to issues of gender and sexual diversity, scholars and practitioners in language education have drawn upon queer theory as a way to challenge normative conceptions of gender and sexuality. Queer theory and pedagogy, drawing largely on Butler’s (1990) theory of performativity and Foucault’s (1978) work related to the discursive production of sexualities, approaches all identities as performatively and discursively (re)produced. As the classroom discourse and tasks often uphold, rather than challenge heteronormativity (Liddicoat, 2009; Morgan & Clarke, 2011), it is thereby essential that language educators problematize gender and sexual normativity in their practice. The purpose of this session, then, is to provide practitioners with strategies for destabilizing heteronormativity so that the classroom is inclusive of all identities.