Strategies, challenges and opportunities for gender-expansive pedagogies in the beginner language classroom

Abstract

Although grammatical gender is typically introduced early in the curriculum in the teaching of gendered languages, students are often expected to align with binary gender categories when referring to themselves, an approach that marginalizes gender-nonconforming learners. This article explores how linguistic forms beyond the binary can be integrated into second language curricula, with particular attention to beginner-level courses. It starts by discussing the importance of embedding gender-expansive language into pedagogical practices and then offers practical strategies for increasing the visibility of underrepresented groups or for neutralizing gender references. The article goes on to identify key factors that educators should consider when implementing gender-expansive approaches, examining how these can influence the uptake of gender-expansive pedagogies. Drawing on examples from Italian, the paper concludes with hands-on suggestions for introducing linguistic forms beyond the binary and facilitating discussions on gender justice from the earliest stages of language instruction while keeping content manageable for learners.