Other courses she teaches include introductory linguistics, phonetics, phonology, syntax, language acquisition, linguistic anthropology and courses about Indigenous languages.
Suzanne’s research interests are focused on community-based Indigenous language revitalization in several areas: language policy and language rights; program evaluation and fluency assessment; and latent speakers (receptive bilingualism).
In addition to teaching, she contributes to language revitalization in British Columbia through her work with First Peoples' Cultural Council (http://www.fpcc.ca/). Her research is grounded in a community-development approach with the goal of ensuring that research and revitalization strategies result in concrete language revitalization results.
Suzanne has had the privilege of working with speakers of Dene (Athabascan) languages, especially Dakelh (also known as Carrier), a language spoken in central interior British Columbia. She has studied the phonology and phonetics of the stress and tone system of Dakelh, as well as issues in Dakelh morphosyntax including relative clauses, causatives, direct and indirect discourse complements, and wh- questions. She has an ongoing online dictionary project of the Lheidli dialect of Dakelh, with collaborators Bill Poser (UBC) and Chris Coey (UVic).
Recent Publications and Manuscripts
Virtue, H., S. Gessner & Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre. To appear. Cree in the workplace: A guide to using master-apprentice language learning at work. Saskatoon: Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre.
Virtue, H., S. Gessner & Xway’Waat (D. Daniels). 2012. B.C.’s master-apprentice language program. Brentwood Bay, BC: First Peoples’ Cultural Council. http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/MAP_HANDBOOK_2012.pdf
Gessner, S. & T. Herbert. 2011. First Nations language education: The rights of our youth to reclaim their culture and identity. Submission to Students first! National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education. Ms., First Peoples’ Cultural Council. http://firstnationeducation.ca/2011/12/09/first-nations-language-education-the-rights-of-ou
Gessner, S. & T. Herbert. 2011. A guide to language policy for BC First Nations Communities. Ms., First Peoples’ Cultural Council.
Gessner, S. & T. Herbert. 2010. Information and recommendations for legislation on BC languages. Ms., First Peoples’ Cultural Council.
Amhrein, H., S. Gessner, T. Herbert, Xway’Waat (D. Daniels), M. Lappi, D. Hamilton- Evans & A. Wadsworth. 2010.
Report on the status of B.C.’s First Nations’ languages 2010. Brentwood Bay, BC: First Peoples’ Cultural Council.
http://www.fpcc.ca/language/status-report/
Recent Presentations
Virtue, H. & S. Gessner. 2012. BC’s language authority and language plan development. Paper presented at the 19th Annual Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium (SILS), Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, May 17-19, 2012.
Rorick, L., S. Gessner & H. Virtue. 2012. Master apprentice based language learning. Paper presented at Joining Hands with Open Minds, First Nations Schools Association 16th Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC, April 20-21, 2012.
Michel, S., H. Virtue & S. Gessner. 2012. Preschool language nests: First Nations language immersion for the very young. Paper presented at Joining Hands with Open Minds, First Nations Schools Association 16th Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC, April 20-21, 2012.
Virtue, H. & S. Gessner 2012. First Peoples’ Council preschool language nest program. Guest presentation at Predictions of Indigenous Language Regeneration. 12th Annual Chief Atahm School Aboriginal Language Conference, Kamloops, BC, February 24-25, 2012.
Michel, S. & S. Gessner. 2011. Preschool language nests in BC: Promoting language immersion in a preschool setting. Paper presented at Embracing Our Children’s Spirit, BC Aboriginal Child Care Society 14th Annual Provincial Training Conference, Richmond, BC, November 10-12, 2011.
Xway’Waat (D. Daniels) & S. Gessner. 2011. (1) BC language collaboration model: The language authority program, and (2) The master-apprentice program in BC. Papers presented at Our Languages Our Future, First Nations Languages Conference, Vancouver, BC, July 10-11, 2011.
Xway’Waat (D. Daniels) & S. Gessner. 2010. The master-apprentice program: The BC experience. Paper presented at the 17th Annual Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium (SILS), University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, June 25-27, 2010.
Suzanne Gessner has a B.A. in French and Linguistics from the University of Regina and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of British Columbia. She first came to the University of Victoria as a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow (2003-2006), and continued with a limited term position in Syntax and First Nations languages (2006-2007). Currently, she teaches courses in UVic’s Indigenous language revitalization programs.