New academics' perceptions of the language of teaching and learning: identifying and overcoming linguistic barriers

Seventy-seven new academics - 59 at a large, public university in the UK and 18 at a medium-sized, private comprehensive university in the USA - were asked to read an extract of an article on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and mark the text according to categories of difficulty or dislike. Analysis of the data revealed six main linguistic barriers in the text: specialist vocabulary, passive constructions, pronouns, figurative language, derivations and poor editorial standards. These barriers were similar at both institutions, suggesting they apply across different contexts. Contrary to expectations, no conclusive disciplinary-based distinctions were detected. Implications for both readers and writers are explored and proposals are made for developing a literary style in SoTL literature that is simultaneously accessible and credible.