Resources and Strategies for Gender-expansive Language Education: An Open Access e-book for Teachers of Gendered Languages

As language teachers, we are aware of the impact of learning a new language in shaping identities, and its implications when it comes to set, reinforce or resist gender norms. In our role, we can promote a use of language that is respectful and inclusive of all our diverse students. However, when teaching gendered languages – such as French, Italian or Spanish - it can become challenging to open up opportunities for inclusive and gender-just linguistic practices in languages that are linguistically marked with binary systems.

In this interactive workshop, we will launch and explore a new Open Educational Resource (e-book). Together with participants, we will share and discuss views, experiences, and strategies for expanding the linguistic options available to acknowledge and value all gender identities in the teaching of gendered languages.

The e-book is divided into three sections:

• Section I introduces key terminology and connects theory with the structure of the Australian Curriculum.
• Section II explores why gender-just language matters and offers foundational frameworks for making inclusive decisions in the classroom.
• Section III provides examples, activities, and discussion prompts organised around real questions teachers may face in the classroom.

During the workshop, participants will be invited to engage with selected activities from the e-book, exchange ideas with colleagues, and reflect on how these strategies can be adapted to their own classroom context. The workshop will serve both as a launch of this project and as a collaborative space for teachers to experiment with and adapt gender-expansive approaches.