Linguistics for Language Learners - Thicket
Linguistics for Language Learners
Literature & Language

Linguistics for Language Learners

Have you ever wanted to learn another language but felt like it just didn’t click for you? Does learning the grammar of a new language fill you with dread? Do you wish that languages made more “sense”? If you want to understand how languages work and build a practical toolkit for language learning, this course is for you. By exploring the core concepts in linguistics–how sounds are physically made, how words are built, and how sentences are structured–you will see that every language has an inner logic. Linguistics offers a key to unlocking the secret patterns within and across languages.
Jul 8-Aug 12 (6 Lessons)
Wed, 8:00-9:00pm UTC

Your Instructor

Aleksandra Kasztalska
Aleksandra Kasztalska

PhD in Linguistics
Boston University

I’m an educator and linguist who loves teaching and empowering learners. I have a Ph.D. in linguistics from Purdue University and for 15 years I have been teaching classes in linguistics, writing, English as a second language, and foreign language pedagogy. I currently work as Senior Lecturer at Boston University, where I teach courses for international and multilingual students and conduct research that explores the intersections of language, identity, and technology. I have worked, lived, and studied in four countries, and I’m fluent in three languages and always learning new ones.

linguisticslanguage pedagogywriting

What you'll learn

Explore the main subfields of linguistics, including phonetics, morphology, syntax, and semantics

Manipulate the vocal tract to accurately produce unfamiliar sounds in various languages

Break down complex vocabulary and grammar rules into manageable patterns

Examine the role of culture and context in shaping meaning and everyday communication

Apply linguistic principles to become a more efficient and confident language learner

Course Schedule

Our first lesson will introduce linguistics as a scientific field. We will learn that each language has a structure that can be described and analyzed in terms of its sound system, grammar, and other properties. We will also see that languages can be divided into families and subfamilies that share history and common features. Finally, we will reflect on our own experiences in learning languages and share our goals for this course.

What You Get

Live interactive sessions

Engage in real-time discussions with expert instructors

Small discussion groups

Maximum 15 students for personalized attention

Session recordings

Review and revisit class content anytime

Dedicated platform

Track progress and organize your schedule

Frequently asked questions