Lecturer in Language and Translation Studies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (2016 - 2018)
Semantics & Pragmatics, with Laia Mayol (Master's students in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics): the semantics part of this course (taught by L. Mayol) offers an introduction to first-order logic, and covers topics in semantics such as modality and quantification. The pragmatics part (taught by me) examines context sensitivity, introducing topics such as indexicality, presupposition, implicature, and discourse structure.
Meaning in Language (third year students in Applied Languages): an introduction to compositional semantics and basic problems at the semantics-pragmatics interface.
English Grammar (first year undergraduate students in Translation): aimed at students with an advanced level of English, this class reexamines tense and aspect, NP-modification, and conditionals (in English) with a special focus on difficult cases and the influence of context on these phenomena.
Semantics & Pragmatics, with Laia Mayol (Master's students in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics): the semantics part of this course (taught by L. Mayol) offers an introduction to first-order logic, and covers topics in semantics such as modality and quantification. The pragmatics part (taught by me) examines context sensitivity, introducing topics such as indexicality, presupposition, implicature, and discourse structure.
Meaning in Language (third year students in Applied Languages): an introduction to compositional semantics and basic problems at the semantics-pragmatics interface.
English Grammar (first year undergraduate students in Translation): aimed at students with an advanced level of English, this class reexamines tense and aspect, NP-modification, and conditionals (in English) with a special focus on difficult cases and the influence of context on these phenomena.
ESSLLI Summer School (2017)
Situated Discourse, with Nicholas Asher: Our class examines different ways in which the extra-linguistic context influences the interpretation of the things that we say and explores different ways for modelling this influence. We begin with a discussion of deixis and standard models of it and then take a look at various kinds of gesture (demonstrative, co-verbal, iconic) as well as examples of extra-linguistic context-sensitivity involving neither deixis nor gesture. After examining the limitations of standard theories of extra-linguistic context dependency in terms of giving us a holistic picture of the role of extra-linguistic information in semantics and argue for a model that more fully integrates extra-linguistic and linguistic information. Finally, we present an annotated corpus that is useful for constructing a more general account of the sort that we envision and discuss the limits of this corpus as well as its usefulness as a stepping stone for future work on situated dialogue.
NASSLLI Summer School (2016)
Situated Dialogue, with Nicholas Asher: this class examines different ways in which the extra-linguistic context influences the interpretation of the things that we say. We begin with a discussion of deixis and gesture and a look at standard models for these phenomena. We also discuss, and emphasize, examples in which the extra-linguistic context is relevant even in the absence of deictic expressions or gestures. We argue that the standard theories of extra-linguistic context dependency do not give us a holistic picture of the role of extra-linguistic information in semantics and argue for a model that more fully integrates extra-linguistic and linguistic information. Finally, we present an annotated corpus that is useful for constructing a more general account of the sort that we envision and discuss the limits of this corpus as well as its usefulness as a stepping stone for future work on situated dialogue.
Meeting 1 slides
Meeting 2 slides
Meeting 3 slides
For more information on references from the slides, please write to me
Situated Dialogue, with Nicholas Asher: this class examines different ways in which the extra-linguistic context influences the interpretation of the things that we say. We begin with a discussion of deixis and gesture and a look at standard models for these phenomena. We also discuss, and emphasize, examples in which the extra-linguistic context is relevant even in the absence of deictic expressions or gestures. We argue that the standard theories of extra-linguistic context dependency do not give us a holistic picture of the role of extra-linguistic information in semantics and argue for a model that more fully integrates extra-linguistic and linguistic information. Finally, we present an annotated corpus that is useful for constructing a more general account of the sort that we envision and discuss the limits of this corpus as well as its usefulness as a stepping stone for future work on situated dialogue.
Meeting 1 slides
Meeting 2 slides
Meeting 3 slides
For more information on references from the slides, please write to me
Lecturer in English, Centre Universitaire Jean François Champollion (2012 - 2013)
English Phonetics and Phonology (third year undergraduate): in this course, students learn about the distinguishing phonetic and phonological characteristics of selected native English accents (selected based largely on votes by the students). For each accent, I create a handout that details the accent characteristics that we will study. I then use audio documents from the International Dialects of English Archive to illustrate the characteristics, as well as youtube clips to show the accents in context. The framework for the course is based on the text that I chose for the course: Accents of English (vol. I-III) by John C. Wells.
English Phonetics and Phonology (second year undergraduate): this is an introductory course to English phonetics and phonology. In the first part of the course we study the vowels and consonants of English; in the second part we study word stress and intonation. The text that I chose for the course is Peter Roach's English Phonetics and Phonology.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (second and third year undergraduate): these courses aim to improve the students' ability to communicate in English. Each student is responsible for a long presentation on a topic of his or her choice and is expected to elicit discussion on the topic afterwards. Students are graded on the content and level of English in their presentation as well as on their interaction in the discussions of their fellow students' presentations.Depending on the semester, the students are required to do a short presentation as well. Free discussion and audio/video documents selected by me or by the students fill in the gaps.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (first year undergraduate): this class is more structured than the second and third year courses in that the students are given topics to discuss. We alternate between listening comprehension days, which involve listening to podcasts (delivered in different English accents and chosen by me) and then discussing these podcasts, and oral expression days, which involve planning and acting out role play activities either in small groups or individually on topics chosen by me.
English Grammar (first year undergraduate): this course provides an in-depth review of certain constructions that are, in general, particularly problematic for French speakers, such as the English continuous, gerunds, the like/as distinction, and certain prepositions like since, during, for, at, and to. Topics are chosen by student request and and based on an assessment of short writing assignments. Students spend class time trying to correct grammatical errors in examples that I provide (based on examples from student work) and attempting to provide an explanation to justify the correct answer(s). Grades are based on two tests, one homework assignment and participation in class.
English Phonetics and Phonology (third year undergraduate): in this course, students learn about the distinguishing phonetic and phonological characteristics of selected native English accents (selected based largely on votes by the students). For each accent, I create a handout that details the accent characteristics that we will study. I then use audio documents from the International Dialects of English Archive to illustrate the characteristics, as well as youtube clips to show the accents in context. The framework for the course is based on the text that I chose for the course: Accents of English (vol. I-III) by John C. Wells.
English Phonetics and Phonology (second year undergraduate): this is an introductory course to English phonetics and phonology. In the first part of the course we study the vowels and consonants of English; in the second part we study word stress and intonation. The text that I chose for the course is Peter Roach's English Phonetics and Phonology.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (second and third year undergraduate): these courses aim to improve the students' ability to communicate in English. Each student is responsible for a long presentation on a topic of his or her choice and is expected to elicit discussion on the topic afterwards. Students are graded on the content and level of English in their presentation as well as on their interaction in the discussions of their fellow students' presentations.Depending on the semester, the students are required to do a short presentation as well. Free discussion and audio/video documents selected by me or by the students fill in the gaps.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (first year undergraduate): this class is more structured than the second and third year courses in that the students are given topics to discuss. We alternate between listening comprehension days, which involve listening to podcasts (delivered in different English accents and chosen by me) and then discussing these podcasts, and oral expression days, which involve planning and acting out role play activities either in small groups or individually on topics chosen by me.
English Grammar (first year undergraduate): this course provides an in-depth review of certain constructions that are, in general, particularly problematic for French speakers, such as the English continuous, gerunds, the like/as distinction, and certain prepositions like since, during, for, at, and to. Topics are chosen by student request and and based on an assessment of short writing assignments. Students spend class time trying to correct grammatical errors in examples that I provide (based on examples from student work) and attempting to provide an explanation to justify the correct answer(s). Grades are based on two tests, one homework assignment and participation in class.
Maître de Langue, English, Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (2011 - 2012)
English Phonetics and Phonology (second year undergraduate): this two-semester course introduced second-year English students to the basics of English phonetics and phonology, following somewhat closely Michel Ginésy's Mémento de Phonétique Anglaise. The first semester focused on the phonetic and phonological properties of English vowels and consonants, while in the second semester students were introduced to word stress and intonation. The students had a final exam each semester as well as homework assignments on transcription.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (third year undergraduate): this course focused on current events discussed in anglophone news sources (both written and oral). Students were expected to listen and understand the news reports, or read the written sources out loud, and to discuss their content. Comprehension was tested through in-class written or oral assignments as well as through participation in discussion.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (first year undergraduate): in the first part of this course, students planned and acted out debates in class; in the second part, the students watched a film (The Grapes of Wrath, chosen because the students learned about the novel, and read a short excerpt from it, in their literature class) and were tested on their comprehension of the film. Finally, students paired up to present a novel, chosen from a short list of works given to them by the department at the beginning of the semester.
American Literature (first year undergraduate): this TD was designed to supplement a lecture course on American literature taught by my colleague Anne Combarnous. Students were assigned short excerpts from 8 works (a mixture of novels and poetry) and I led a discussion one excerpt per week. The students were tested based on their participation in class and on their performance on two written exams.
English Phonetics and Phonology (second year undergraduate): this two-semester course introduced second-year English students to the basics of English phonetics and phonology, following somewhat closely Michel Ginésy's Mémento de Phonétique Anglaise. The first semester focused on the phonetic and phonological properties of English vowels and consonants, while in the second semester students were introduced to word stress and intonation. The students had a final exam each semester as well as homework assignments on transcription.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (third year undergraduate): this course focused on current events discussed in anglophone news sources (both written and oral). Students were expected to listen and understand the news reports, or read the written sources out loud, and to discuss their content. Comprehension was tested through in-class written or oral assignments as well as through participation in discussion.
Oral Expression and Comprehension (first year undergraduate): in the first part of this course, students planned and acted out debates in class; in the second part, the students watched a film (The Grapes of Wrath, chosen because the students learned about the novel, and read a short excerpt from it, in their literature class) and were tested on their comprehension of the film. Finally, students paired up to present a novel, chosen from a short list of works given to them by the department at the beginning of the semester.
American Literature (first year undergraduate): this TD was designed to supplement a lecture course on American literature taught by my colleague Anne Combarnous. Students were assigned short excerpts from 8 works (a mixture of novels and poetry) and I led a discussion one excerpt per week. The students were tested based on their participation in class and on their performance on two written exams.
Teaching Assistant, Department of Philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin (2004 - 2009)
Early Modern Philosophy: this course, taught by Dr. Herbert Hochberg, introduced students to the history of philosophy during the Early Modern period, focusing on work by Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.
Ideas of the 20th Century: this course was designed and taught by Dr. Daniel Bonevac for first-year undergraduates of all majors. It served as a general introduction to major thinkers and artists in the 19th and 20th centuries who heavily influenced the culture of the 20th century. Figures studied ranged from Marx and Freud to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Einstein.
Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind: taught by Dr. Michael Tye, this course introduced students to core topics in the philosophy of mind, such as consciousness and personal identity, as well as to well known theories of mind such as behaviorism and functionalism.
Logic, Sets and Functions: designed for lower-division computer science, philosophy, and math students, this course, taught by Dr. Robert Causey, introduced students to propositional logical, first-order logic, functions and induction.
Introduction to Philosophy: a general introduction to basic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and mind.