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Dr. Clive ForresterContinuing Lecturer
AddressOffice: 141 Hagey Hall, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo, ON.
Email icon[email protected]
Website cliveforrester.com
Linkedin iconhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cliveforrester/
Profile

Experienced linguist, academic writing instructor, and researcher with over 12 years of experience in the academic setting teaching a wide variety of courses in the humanities. Dept. profile.

Education
Ph.D. Applied Linguistics, University of the West Indies, Mona
2005 – 2012

Title: “Modeling Time Reference in Judge’s Summation: A Study in Time Reference Management in a Creole Continuum Courtroom”

Supervisor: Hubert Devonish, Professor of Linguistics, University of the West Indies, Mona

MPhil. Linguistics, University of the West Indies, Mona
2002 – 2005

Converted to PhD program 

B.A. Linguistics, University of the West Indies, Mona
1999 – 2002
Professional Experience
  • Teaching undergraduate courses in academic writing
  • Re-designed course content to target students from the math and engineering faculties
  • Designed new course for Black studies diploma
  • Introduced product modeling for technical writing students 
  • Managed online version of Introduction to Academic writing 
  • Co-coordinated awards ceremony for the department 
  • Definite Term Lecturer, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Waterloo
    2016 – 2021 | Waterloo, Canada
  • Designed and launched three courses on the structure and usage of Jamaican Creole.
  • Coordinated undergraduate major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
  • Served on a hiring committee for administrative assistant.
  • Served as adjudicator for graduate student scholarship
  • Part-time Lecturer, Dept. of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy, University of the West Indies, Mona
    2005 – 2008 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
  • Redesigned several undergraduate courses in linguistics to add professional relevance 
  • Served on the strategic planning committee for the department 
  • Served as the graduate student representative on faculty council 
  • Lecturer, Dept. of Liberal Studies, University of Technology
    2005 – 2008 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
  • Coordinated team-taught course in academic writing.
  • Taught a range of courses in oral and business communication designed for students of engineering and business administration
  • Courses Taught
    University of Waterloo, ENGL408B - The Discourse of Advertising

    This course examines the linguistic and rhetorical tools involved in the language of advertising. Participants are introduced to a brief history of the discourse of advertising and how the rhetoric in that communicative genre has evolved across space and time (focusing primarily on the mid 20th century to the present). Additionally, the course utilizes various analytical methods grounded in rhetorical theory and applied linguistics in exploring the principles of advertising language. Finally, participants are engaged in the dissection and creation of original advertising copy. 

    University of Waterloo, ENGL306A - Introduction to Linguistics

    This course introduces students to the foundational areas in the field of linguistics. Linguists study the quintessential human trait - language - and situate this study within areas of study as diverse as human cognition and development, language learning and teaching, and critical theory. This course is designed to give participants a brief overview of the structural components of language (such as the sounds, syntax, and how meaning is assigned to units of language) as well as how language shapes and impacts on our world in dynamic and interesting ways. 

    University of Waterloo, ENGL210J - Technical Editing

    This course is intended to introduce participants to the principles and procedures of technical editing. We will draw on examples from manufacturing, the sciences, and the legal field in an effort to build competence and proficiency in the different levels of editing. Material for editing will be drawn both from real-world cases as well as originally created by class participants with the goal of engaging in professional editing techniques. Participants will finally be introduced to the basics of working with editing software. 

    University of Waterloo, BLKST210 - Language, Life, and Literature in the Caribbean

    This course introduces students to the ways in which language shapes and sustains various forms of cultural expression in the Caribbean region. Participants will use the creative output of storytellers, poets, DJs, and playwrights as a lens to investigate and trace the evolution of a distinctly Caribbean identity from the post-colonial period (the 1960s) up to the present. Participants are also introduced to the socio-political dynamics of Creole language use in the Caribbean and an exploration of the ways in which these languages are implicated in diverse cultural art forms.

    University of Waterloo, ENGL119 - Communication for Math and Computer Science

    Educators at the high school level are describing the current declining math scores in Ontario as a “crisis.” Some attribute this to a general fear and discomfort with the subject, but also to intimidating and unengaging methods of communicating topics in mathematics. This course hopes to address the latter problem - how experts and practitioners of math communicate core principles in the subject area without alienating the layperson. We will draw on a variety of communication techniques, ranging from report writing to group presentations and podcasting in an effort to develop a skill set needed to strengthen math enthusiasts as competent and effective communicators.

    University of Waterloo, ENGL109 - Introduction to Academic Writing

    ENGL 109 serves as an introductory course to the foundations and principles of the genre of writing expected at the university level. Participants will be exposed to three styles of academic essays - the expository, narrative and argumentative essay - and instructed how each style fits into the larger goals of the institution as well as to the world outside the classroom. Since good writing is a social and indeed collaborative activity, participants will receive ongoing feedback on their own writing, as well as learn how to give constructive criticisms to the writing of their peers. 

    York University, JC1000 - Introduction to Jamaican Creole

    This course introduces participants to the basic elements of the grammar and use of Jamaican Creole (“Patwa/Patois”). It is designed specifically for persons with no prior knowledge of the language and/or persons who have knowledge of the language but would like to learn the grammar and writing system formally. In addition to the grammar of Jamaican, different aspects of Jamaican culture will be explored, such as literature, film and theatre, and music. 

    Teaching Portfolio
    University of Waterloo Teaching samples, https://padlet.com/clive_forrester/2oc4iisedgz8b03r

    A teaching portfolio to showcase adjustments to courses during the transition to remote teaching in the pandemic. It displays a collection of syllabi, class exercises, and excerpts from classroom discussions. 

    Articles (Refereed)
    Forrester, C. (2013). “Ethics, Conscience and Just Desert: The Linguistic Performance of Sentencing in the Jamaican Courtroom.” In C. Brown Blake and D. Walicek (eds.), Sargasso: Language Rights and Language Policy in the Caribbean, Vol. II. https://dloc.com/UF00096005/00039/83x
    2013
    Book Chapters (Refereed)
    Farquharson, J. T., Forrester, C., & Hollington, A. "The linguistics of Jamaican swearing: Forms, background and adaptations". In Nassenstein, N., & Storch, A. (Eds.), Swearing and Cursing. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501511202-007
    2020
    Forthcoming
    Forrester, C. (ed). "Language and Social Justice in the Caribbean Context" edited volume. Studies in Caribbean Language, Language Science Press. Expected 2023.
    Forrester, C. & Dawkins, Nickesha (eds). "Sounds of Advocacy, Language, and Liberation: Papers in Honour of Hubert Devonish" edited volume with Nickesha Dawkins. University of the West Indies Press. Expected 2023.
    UWaterloo Service
    Faculty of Arts, Ujima Black History Month @UW
    02/2021 – 05/2021

    Core planning committee for the Black History Month event in the Faculty of Arts

    FAUW Equity Committee, Member of equity committee for the Faculty Association
    01/2021 – present

    Planned and executed equity initiatives for faculty at the university.

    Black Faculty Collective, Coordinator
    2021 – present

    Managing and directing action items for the BFC

    Department Brown Bag research series, Research Workshops for Dept. of English Language and Literature
    2021 – present

    A research series for faculty members to share their research and provide feedback for others

    Department Teaching Squares, Anti-racist teaching Squares for the Dept. of English Language and Literature
    2020 – 2021

    A forum for faculty members to share and implement ideas in their courses centred on anti-racist initiatives.

    Department Chair Search Committee, Member of Chair search committee for Dept. of English Language and Literature
    10/2021 – 05/2022
    Assoc. Vice President Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism, Core hiring committee for Equity Specialist
    12/2021 – 02/2022
    Dept. of English Language & Literature Anti-racism task force, Anti-racist committee for the Dept. of English
    01/2021 – 11/2021
    Faculty of Arts, Core Hiring Committee, Arts First DTL
    04/2021 – 06/2021

    Reviewed candidate files and created a shortlist for interviews, then assisted in interviewing candidates

    Faculty of Arts, Dept. of English representative at OUF (Ontario Universities Fair)
    09/2018 – 09/2019
    Department of English Language and Literature Awards Ceremony, Department Awards Coordinator
    11/2016 – 05/2018

    Assisted in organizing the annual English Awards Ceremony in recognition of student achievement.

    Professional Affiliations
    Society for Caribbean Linguistics, President
    08/2022 – present | Trinidad and Tobago
    2012 – 08/2022 | Trinidad and Tobago
    Consultancies
    Director of Court Interpretation, Ministry of Attn. General, Toronto, Verified courtroom transcript of Jamaican speech
    06/2014 – 09/2014 | Canada

    Analyzed court transcript in mistrial case

    Chair, Peel English Creole Language Program steering committee, Brampton, Consultant for heritage language program
    07/2009 – 07/2011 | Canada

    Designed material for teachers on the English Creole heritage language program

    "Project Coral" Criminal Defence Team, Toronto, Consultant to criminal defence team
    06/2009 – 07/2009 | Toronto, Canada

    Analyzed wiretap evidence containing Jamaican speech

    Expert Witness Activity
    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Omar Lewis, 1st degree murder., Provided translation of wiretap evidence and speaker voice match
    08/2022 | Pennsylvania, USA

    Attorney: Law Offices of George S. Yacoubian, Jr., LLC

    George S. Yacoubian, Jr., Ph.D., LL.M., S.J.D., M.S.

    150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Suite F200

    Radnor, PA 19087

    610.768.8988 - Office

    R. v. Hayles-Wilson, 1st-degree murder, Canada, Toronto., Testified on behalf of defence
    07/2018 | Toronto, Canada

    Gave testimony on the interpretation of Jamaican language idioms heard on wiretap evidence.

    Attorney: Paul J.I. Alexander

    Barrister

    55 University Avenue, Suite 1100

    Toronto, ON M5J 2H7

    Tel (416) 960-3000

    Invited Talks
    “From Plantation to Parliament: The Journey to the Recognition of Jamaican as an Official Language.", Panel discussion on the Centennary of Hon. Mrs. Louise Bennette-Coverly, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community, and Diaspora at York University.
    2019 | Toronto, Canada
    “La evolución y el estado de los criollos Caribeños en el hogar y en la diáspora” (The evolution and status of Caribbean Creoles at home and in the diaspora)., Plenary lecture, Central American Linguistics Assoc. 10th Biennial Conference. National University of Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica.
    2019 | Heredia, Costa Rica
    "Jamaican Language from the Plantation to the Academy and Beyond", Public lecture for Jamaica Association of Montreal
    2019 | Montreal, Canada
    "Language, Identity, and Race in the Jamaican Context", Guest lecture, University of Puerto Rico (UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico.
    2019 | Heredia, Costa Rica
    "What is the Value of an Arts Degree?", Panelist, Waterloo County English Awards Day. Renison University College. Waterloo, ON.
    2018 | Waterloo, Canada
    "Where are all the Black Faculty?", Panelist, Black History Month event, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. Toronto, ON.
    2016 | Toronto, Canada
    Downtrodden but not Defeated: The Journey of Caribbean Creole Languages", Guest speaker, Black History Month event, Environment Canada. Toronto, ON.
    2014 | Toronto, Canada
    "How is Black Identity performed in Canada?", Panelist, Welcome reception panel discussion for Dr. Erna Brodber, Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC), York University. Toronto, ON.
    "A Waagwaan? Jamaican Language, Culture, and Identity at the Crossroads", Guest speaker, Welcome to Jamrock lecture series, Accents on Eglinton Bookstore. Toronto, ON.
    2011 | Toronto, Canada
    "Groundings with my Brothers", Panelist, Black History Month event, Chinguacousy Secondary School. Brampton, ON.
    2009 | Brampton, Canada
    "Transcreolisation; Changing Attitudes towards an Indigenous Creole Language - Evidence from Jamaica", Caribbean Studies Graduate Network (CSGN) workshop. University of Toronto. Toronto, ON.
    2009 | Toronto, Canada
    Graduate Examination Activites
    "Fifty Shades of Day: The Varied and Incomplete Meanings of Marketing Capabilities" PhD Defence for Gregory Tanguay., Internal-External Examiner, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Wilfird Laurier University.
    2018 | Waterloo, Canada
    "Defining a Prime Minister - A critical discourse analysis of newspaper editorials in Trinidad and Tobago" PhD Defence for Rajendra Shepherd, External examiner, Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine.
    2017 | St. Augustine, Trinidad
    "A Rhetorical and Gender Interpretation of Advertisements by Banks Breweries, Barbados" MA Dissertation for Alyssa Harewood, External examiner, Department of Caribbean Studies, University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill.
    2017 | Cave Hill, Canada
    LIN6307: Introduction to Sociology of Language for Graduate Students. Graduate course in linguistics, External evaluator, Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.
    2017 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Conference Presentations
    #problematic: English as the Social Justice Lingua Franca in Creole Speaking Societies., The Many Facets of Mervyn. University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. Jamaica.
    08/2019 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Using Lego in the Classroom: Experimenting with Kinesthetic Learning in an English class., UW Teaching and Learning Conference. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
    05/2019 | Waterloo, Canada
    Language Rights in the Right Language: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Feedback to Creole-Related Articles in Jamaican Newspapers., 22nd Biennial Society for Caribbean Linguistics, San Jose & Limon, Costa Rica.
    08/2018 | Heredia, Costa Rica
    "Don't Say a Word": Interpreting Jamaican Idioms in a Toronto Murder Case., Sounds of Advocacy, Language, and Liberation, Mona, Jamaica
    2018 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Jamaican Creole Language Issues Inside Ontario Courtrooms: The Dynamics of Linguistic Consultancies., Society for Caribbean Linguistics 21st Biennial Conference, Mona, Jamaica.
    2016 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Students On Air: Using Internet Radio as a Presentation Platform., Teaching in Focus 2016 Conference, Toronto, Canada.
    07/2016 | Toronto, Canada
    Social Media and the Rise of Secularism in Jamaica., Social Media and Implications for Politics, Religion and Gender, 2nd Annual Social Media Conference, Toronto, Canada
    05/2014 | Toronto, Canada
    The Role of the Linguist in the Interrogation of Caribbean ‘Hate Speech', Society for Caribbean Linguistics 20th Biennial Conference, Oranjestad, Aruba
    08/2014 | Orenjestad, Aruba
    Reflective Writing and Affective Assessment in a Language Classroom: The Case of Jamaican Creole at York University, Society for Caribbean Linguistics 19th Biennial Conference, Nassau, Bahamas.
    08/2012 | Nassau, Bahamas
    Language in the Jamaican Diaspora: The Case of Patwa at York University, Dept. of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy Research Day, Mona, Jamaica.
    05/2010 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Interpretation on Trial: Linguistic Issues inside the Jamaican Courtroom., Dept of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics lecture series, York University, Toronto, Canada.
    10/2009 | Toronto, Canada
    Conversation Analysis and its Application to Jamaican Sign Language: Towards an Understanding of Discourse Styles and Strategies in an Indigenous Signed Language, 2nd Annual Post Graduate Research Day, Mona, Jamaica
    05/2007 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Court Transcripts as a Source of Forensic Linguistic Analysis: Teaching Jamaican Courtroom Reporters a New Orthography, 4th Annual International Conference on Arts and Humanities, Honolulu, USA.
    01/2006 | Honolulu, USA
    The Discourse of Time in the Jamaican Courtroom: English Speaking Counsel Meets Creole Speaking Witness, 50th Annual International Linguistic Association Conference, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, USA.
    06/2005 | New York, USA
    Jamaican Courtroom Discourse: Some Implications of Cross-Linguistic Interaction, Inaugural Graduate Students Conference, UWI Mona, Jamaica.
    05/2004 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    Ethical Issues of Negotiation: A Jamaican Perspective, 3rd Colloquium on Business Ethics, Department of Management Studies, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica.
    10/2003 | St. Andrew, Jamaica
    The Survival of Marroon Creole in the Caribbean, Society for Caribbean Linguistics 13th Biennial Conference. University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
    08/2002 | St. Augustine, Trinidad
    Media Mentions
    "Dominica fights to save Creole forged by Slaves in Caribbean", AP (Associated Press)
    07/2021 | Waterloo, Canada

    https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/07/02/dominica-fights-to-save-creole-forged-by-slaves-in-caribbean-2/

    "Jamaican Creole Coveted Everywhere", b/dscvrd Podcast
    2020 | Waterloo, Canada

    https://bdscvrd.com/blog/boasty-ep-5-jamaican-creole-coveted-everywhere

    "[email protected]: The Way Must be Tried", Omni TV
    2010 | Toronto, Canada

    https://www.omnitv.ca/on/en/videos/2863992221001/

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