Using the Language Around Us: Teaching Spanish Linguistics with Urban Signage

Using the Language Around Us: Teaching Spanish Linguistics with Urban Signage
Hiring signs at Pappy’s Grill & Sports Bar in Berkeley, CA. Photo: Bronwyn Harris

As a BLC Fellow during the Spring of 2020, I worked on the development of a new, upper-division course regarding the presence of Spanish in urban signage. In this report, I will share the advances made in the process of designing the class. I will begin with a brief introduction to the field of Linguistic Landscape Studies and then provide an overview of the course goals and its four modules. After this general outline, we will delve into a more detailed description of the final module on social justice and the linguistic landscape, reviewing learning objectives, instructional materials, class activities, and excursions. Finally, I will comment on challenges and next steps in the development of the course.