Welcome to the SLAC Lab!
The primary mission of SLAC is to rethink and redesign assessment and curricula to meet the needs of all language learners in an equitable, socially just, and inclusive classroom. The wider mission of the Lab is to better understand SLA theories and processes, and to better understand how additional languages can be optimally learned and evaluated. Students in the lab work on their degree milestones (qualifying papers, theses, and dissertations). They also focus on creating measurement instruments for their data collection projects that adhere to sound measurement design principles. The Lab is open to consulting or helping others on their curricular innovations and assessment needs. Email us!
This lab is a space to explore assessment and curricular innovations. Work in the SLAC Lab focuses on task-based language assessment, methods for sustaining and growing students’ (bi)multi-lingual cultural knowledge and language skills, performance-based assessment, as well as social justice and fairness in the classroom and in assessment. Curricular work includes research on methods that best unify attention to learner-oriented assessment and individual differences in the classroom. We work to leverage assessment and curricular innovations and support learner (bi)multi-lingualism experiences when teaching languages and academic content. The goal is to provide full, equitable access to educational opportunities for (bi)multilingual learners of all ages and backgrounds, including exceptional learners.
We are proud to promote Lab members’ outreach, public service, and open-science practices. As part of Lab on-boarding, members receive mentorship on establishing persistent digital identifiers, such as ORCID, establishing a strong and healthy online presence, and logging and registering research projects and components within the Open Science Framework (OSF). The Lab provides space for the collection and analyses of data. Students also are provided opportunities to discuss their work and interests, and to give practice talks before presenting at conferences.
Meeting Times for Fall 2023
Fridays, 9 to 10 AM, in B407 Wells Hall, except for these dates:
- Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving Break)