Slang—a Surprising Key to Literacy and Student Success

Is children’s use of slang good or bad for literacy and student success? Often referred to as dialects by language scientists and professionals who work with children, forms of slang spark strong and often conflicting opinions, not all of which are grounded in scientific evidence. Join Science Café for an engaging discussion on children’s use of Louisiana dialects and what research actually reveals about different types of slang and their relationship to literacy development and student success.

About the Speaker

Janna Oetting, professor in the LSU Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, studies children’s development of several Louisiana dialects of English, with the goal to help parents and professionals better understand how to tell if a child is struggling to learn language as compared to siblings, friends, and classmates. With literacy heavily tied to oral language ability and 44% of children enrolled in K-3 reading below grade level, understanding what is and is not an oral language impairment within all dialects of English—including dialects perceived to include slang—is needed to identify and support weak learners before they experience reading failure.

LSU Science Café is presented in partnership with Campus Federal Credit Union and WRKF.

Registration & Attendance Information

The event is open to the public, and advance registration through Eventbrite is recommended.

LSU Science Café is in-person only (i.e., no live feed) but will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel.

Please print your registration ticket or have it readily available on your electronic device upon arrival.

Doors open at 5 PM. Event begins at 6 PM.

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Host or Publisher LSU Office of Research & Economic Development