Orientation Interview – Dr Sally Dixon (LING101)

Kim and Ben were fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Dr Sally Dixon to both reassure first-year students of what to expect in her unit, as well as discuss a little of her academic background.

Dr Dixon is a Lecturer in language studies and her research interest is focused on descriptive linguistic outcomes of individual multilingualism, language practices in broader regions, and contact varieties. Dr Dixon is particularly interested in the linguistic and social implications for minoritised varieties and their speakers in contexts of language contact. Fascinatingly, Dr Dixon also lived in Germany for more than three years teaching linguistics in the English department of Friedrich Schiller University and Erfurt University.

This impressive linguistic background and lifetime of experience means she is fully equipped to be the Unit Coordinator of LING101 – Introduction to Linguistics, a unit that provides an introductory overview of the basic structural features of language and the techniques used by linguists to analyse the sounds, words, and grammar of any language. This basic unit is a fantastic introduction for first-year students embarking on a Bachelor of Languages. More information about the unit can be found here.

This interview is part of a series of Orientation Interviews, designed to make first-year students feel more at ease and reassured about what they can expect at UNE. Starting out at University can be highly overwhelming and we want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that students feel as comfortable as possible.

Dr Dixon is fully understanding of the fears and apprehension that can come as a result of starting tertiary student and implores any student with questions or concerns to contact her directly via email at sally.dixon@une.edu.au or by phone at 02 6773 1963. Her full history can be found here.