Graduate students from NC State’s World Languages & Cultures program recently took the stage at the TESOL & Applied Linguistics Graduate Student Conference (TALGS) at Greensboro College, showcasing their research and insights in the fields of linguistics and ESL instruction. Hosted annually by Greensboro College and East Carolina University, TALGS provides a platform for graduate students and professionals to explore key topics in teaching English as a second or foreign language.
The day kicked off with an NC State student panel featuring Paula Dechima, Meghanne Brunsink, and Sabria Johnson, who presented their research, Connecting with Multilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Students Project: Identifying Students’ Community Cultural Wealth. Drawing from their volunteer experiences in English language learning settings, they discussed the valuable lessons they gained and the broader implications for supporting multilingual newcomer communities.
Later in the morning, Catherine Larsen presented Filling the Gaps: A Role for Community-Based Organizations in the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program. Based on her firsthand work with Mexican temporary migrant workers, Catherine proposed a community-driven model focusing on organizational support, English instruction, and cultural exchange to empower this often-overlooked workforce in North Carolina.
In the third session, Nell Pietri took a creative approach with her presentation, It’s a Piece of Cake. She explored the French pastry community through the lens of discourse analysis, using John Swales’ framework to define and investigate specialized language groups. Her research provided a model for linguistics students interested in analyzing discourse communities.
Throughout the conference, NC State’s TESOL students embodied the university’s Think and Do philosophy, applying research to real-world linguistic and cultural challenges. Reflecting on the experience, Meghanne Brunsink shared, “Attending the TALGS Conference was incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally. It was inspiring to hear from fellow students and educators, and it was a fantastic opportunity to connect with the broader TESOL community in North Carolina. I’m already looking forward to next year’s conference!”
Click here for more information on TESOL programs in World Languages & Cultures.
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