Global Literacy and Languages for Specific Purposes
The Research Cluster on "Global Literacy and Languages for Specific Purposes: Curricular design for building transferable skills" unites faculty from a range of disciplines to discuss and define shared goals and best practices to provide students with global perspectives and transferable skills aligned with skills employers seek in the contemporary workplace. The cluster explores ways in which the department of World Languages and Literatures can facilitate the design and implementation of interdisciplinary, context-specific programs that respond to employer needs and promote cross-cultural communication skills. Topics of discussion include curricular innovation, academic and corporate partnerships for internships and field work abroad and at home, and the assessment of SMU’s Common Curriculum requirements, with a focus on the integration of world languages and cultures for professional purposes across the curriculum.
Please contact the cluster organizers if you would like to join the group, or collaborate on a workshop:
Paola Buckley, Senior Lecturer of French, director of SMU-in-France
Aria Cabot, World Languages and Literatures Teaching and Technology Center Director, co-director of SMU-in-Tuscany
FALL 2024:
Event #1 (August 2024): Global Seal of Biliteracy Planning Meeting. Cluster members will also use this opportunity to discuss 2024-25 plans for concluding their pilot study (co-funded by a President’s Partners Grant)
Event #2 (November 2024): World Languages Internship/Job Fair and Showcase. Will consist of a poster session featuring current internships in World Languages and an internship/job fair co-sponsored by and featuring various cultural organizations and international corporations, such as the Alliance Française, French Consulate, Italian Consulate, Peruvian Consulate, European American Chamber of Commerce. Attendees will consist of SMU faculty, SMU internship partner institutions, and undergraduate students enrolled in LSP courses or intermediate language courses with a strong community engagement component.
SPRING 2025:
Event #1 (February 2025): Lunch & Learn. Guest speaker Mary Travis (TBC) will present the IRB approval process for research projects at SMU. Open to faculty and current graduate and undergraduate students interested in conducting research. Lunch provided by cluster.
Event # 2 (March 2025): “Putting Your Languages to Work: 4th Annual Alumni Panel.” This has become a favorite event among students and recent alumni, and we look forward to hosting this event for the fourth year in a row.
Event #3 (April 2025): Spring poster session. Will consist of a poster session featuring current internships in World Languages; attendees will consist of SMU faculty, SMU internship partner institutions, and undergraduate students enrolled in LSP courses or intermediate language courses with a strong community engagement component.
Event #4 (May 2025): Global Seal of Biliteracy Focus Group. The cluster will invite student participants from the 2024-25 pilot study on the Global Seal of Biliteracy to discuss their experiences participating in the study and how the Global Seal could be brought to the SMU campus.