Message from the Chair

A very warm welcome to all of our new students – undergraduate, graduate, and Certificate! On behalf of all my colleagues in the Dept. of Applied Linguistics (DALS), I want to welcome you to Brock and tell you how delighted we are that you are joining us in DALS this year.

This is, of course, a different start to your studies than you will have anticipated. I want to assure you that we are all working very hard to prepare so that your first term, while different, still provides you with the engaging, rewarding, stimulating experience you are seeking in your studies. Faculty and instructors are busy transitioning courses to online formats and our Teaching Assistants are taking workshops to help them best support you in your learning activities.

We know that there is more to the university experience than what takes place in the classroom. Our student club, Lingnet, has always provided students with an array of educational programming, outreach activities and fun, social events. They are preparing now so they can reach out to you in an online format this fall. Stay tuned for more information from them.

We hope you will take advantage of all of the virtual orientation and welcome events available to you. These provide you with a great opportunity to learn more about Brock, the Faculty of Social Sciences, and your department. I encourage you to participate in BU4U, the university’s online orientation program: https://brocku.ca/bu4u/. Graduate students there’s a program for you to: https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/professional-development/orientation/

Also, be sure to review the slide show you’ll find below for a brief introduction to DALS. Finally, we hope you will attend one of the virtual Meet & Greet events we are hosting on Tuesday September 8 from 1-2pm for undergraduate students and from 3-4pm for graduate and certificate students. You’ll meet some of your instructors, classmates, and representatives of our student club –  Lingnet. We’ll share some information about your new program and provide a brief Q&A period. The winner of our virtual scavenger hunt will be also be announced (watch your email for more information on how to participate!) Please save the date and watch for an invitation to the Teams meeting in your Brock email.

As you await the start of your Brock studies, I encourage you to stay up-to-date with what is happening in our department by:

1. following us on twitter @BrockUDALS
2. watching our webpage: https://brocku.ca/social-sciences/applied-linguistics/
3. checking out Lingnet on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/167486719985866/

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact me at ldempsey@brocku.ca or reach out to our Administrative Assistant Arlene Arch at applied.linguistics@brocku.ca. Graduate students may contact our Graduate Program Assistant Mae Leong at gradapplingtesl@brocku.ca.

I wish you all the very best for a successful academic year.

Lynn Dempsey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Chair
Department of Applied Linguistics