Reframing Our Language Experience (ROLE) Collective Workshop

Welcome to the Reframing Our Language Experience (ROLE) Collective Workshop!

Date: June 10th, 2025

Location: Donostia-San Sebastian

In the language and cognitive sciences, a longstanding challenge is accurately describing the varied language experiences and abilities of real-world speakers. One of the most pervasive yet arguably least critically examined labels is that of the "native speaker/signer." While this term appears straightforward, it rests on undertheorized essentialist assumptions that treat "nativeness" as monolithic and unchanging. These assumptions overlook the inherently diverse, fluid, and context-dependent ways individuals acquire and use languages in the real world (Coulmas, 1981; Cheng et al., 2021; Dewaele et al., 2022; Rajagopalan, 1997; Canagarajah, 2013).

Typically, the concept of the "native speaker/signer" is associated with a range of characteristics, often implicitly (or explicitly) linked to a monolingual language user who was exposed to the language from birth—at home, in their surrounding community, and, frequently, in school (Cheng et al., 2021; Dewaele et al., 2022). In some cases, a speaker's classification as "native" is also influenced by how closely their linguistic behavior aligns with a local or global standard variety, regardless of their actual acquisition profile (e.g., Rothman & Treffers-Daller, 2014; Kutlu et al., 2021; López, Luque, Piña-Watson, 2023). When linguistic research relies on essentialist constructs, the intuitions, behavior, and knowledge of "native speakers/signers" are often treated as normative (Coulmas, 1981), despite the widespread prevalence of bilingual and multilingual experiences across the globe. This raises critical questions: What is a native language? Who speaks/signs natively? How do we define what it means to be a (non-)native speaker/signer? These questions have sparked ongoing debates among scholars (see, among others, Ortega, 2020; Putnam & Sánchez, 2013; Zorzi et al., 2022; Costello et al., 2006; Tiv et al., 2021).

Workshop Format and Goals

This workshop will intentionally bridge theory and practice by bringing together scholars to present their own data and interpretations regarding the limitations of "native-speaker" (or "native-speakerist") ideologies. It will also explore ways to advance bilingualism research beyond these approaches and frameworks. The workshop format will be open and interactive: facilitators Kutlu and Luque will begin by providing examples of how to move away from native-speaker-based frameworks. Attendees will then engage in a dialogue about potential solutions, ranging from research design and teaching methods to clinical assessment and community engagement.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be better equipped to challenge essentialist conceptions of "native" speakers and foster more nuanced, inclusive, and accurate understandings of language use in diverse bi/multilingual contexts. Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond native-speakerist ideologies toward more flexible and representative perspectives on language and cognition.

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