Slaying Slang: Harnessing the Use of Slang to Bridge the Communication Gap to GenZ Students

Keywords: Slang, classroom communication, student engagement

Abstract: Have you slipped slang words or phrases into your classroom communication in an attempt to better connect with your students? Was it on point or cringe? In this roundtable, we will bring together faculty interested in thinking through the positive and negative consequences of using slang in their classrooms. We will give a high-level overview of the research in this area and facilitate a brainstorming session about the strategies, ideas, and concerns regarding the use of slang in the college classroom. The discussion will broadly consider the implications of proactively utilizing slang to increase student engagement and classroom climate.