Linguistics matters: Resistance and relevance in teacher education

This article emphasizes the importance and benefits of showing college students, especially those in teacher education programs, how the material in introductory linguistics courses is relevant to K-12 language arts education. It offers four specific examples of course activities and assignments that can help connect material about the structure of English, language change, and linguistic diversity to the teaching of 'English', language arts, and writing at all levels. Framing these examples is a discussion of potential student and public resistance that instructors should bear in mind when designing course syllabi and activities.