For as many years as English professor James Berry has been teaching, he is also still a scholar of teaching. It has been his own passion for improvement, and for learning all that he can to impact the learning environment, that reveals the kind of educator he strives to be.
In composition and linguistics classes, Berry leads thought-provoking discussions. Professor Berry’s students consistently rank him highly for his commitment to their success. They receive regular feedback and are encouraged to experiment with writing and critical thinking. His goal is to ensure students feel supported from the introductory level all the way through their capstone courses.
One of the newest programs Berry developed in 2024 is the Linguistics minor. In its second year, the minor enrolled over 20 students including Andrew Bryant, an English major in the Writing, Editing, and Publishing option.
“Professor Berry’s classes have elevated my appreciation for linguistics and the English language to a level I never thought it could reach. He makes complexities of the language easy to understand and engaging,” Bryant said. “I feel welcome to express when I am uncomfortable with my understanding of a concept because I know I will get a concise and effective answer.”
Dr. Berry has developed three new courses in linguistics: Languages and Dialects of the United States, Invented Languages, and Language, Gender, and Sexuality. He was the driving force behind the Linguistics and Language Study Interdisciplinary Certificate, launched in 2018.
Serving on eight committees in his time with UWSP Shared Governance, Berry adeptly and calmly navigates the challenges of University service. For the past three years he has served on the University Common Council Executive Committee and Common Council. He has been able to gain institutional knowledge on a number of standing committees serving on the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Committee and chairing the Staff Gender-Sexuality Alliance. He valued the opportunity to serve as chair of the Curriculum Committee, knowing that the work would benefit students and build opportunities for them.
While Berry is adept at the strategic work involved in helping to review the curriculum, Common Council Chair Kristi Roth, a professor in the School of Education, said she has been impressed by Berry’s ongoing commitment and rigorous focus on doing the best he can for people, especially in meeting students’ needs.
“He makes everyone feel valued and continues to see a great value of giving to the university,” said Roth. “Berry is a natural leader.”
At the System level, Berry has been an item writer for the Wisconsin English Placement Test since 2018. In 2022, Dr. Berry was selected for the year-long Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars (WTFS) initiative at the urging of his colleague in the School of Humanities and Global Studies, Valerie Barske. He said the year he spent as a Wisconsin Teaching Scholar was transformative for him. It led him to introduce a semester-long project that involved students choosing an indigenous language and investigating it in parallel to their classroom discussions. He would go on to present more in-depth workshops on his work at the WTFS Summer Institute in June 2024 and for the ISSOTL conference later that fall.
Recognizing that the impacts of Berry’s teaching span from his classroom, across campus into college classrooms across the U.S., he was honored this spring with the University Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service Award.
Berry said he has been able to balance his teaching time with the engaging work in service and scholarship because of his supportive Department of English faculty members. He said he will keep responding to their enthusiasm and continue to take his teaching in new directions.
Mentors, peers, and even the students he teaches serve as powerful catalysts for inspiring innovative teaching practices that enhance student success.
“I get a lot of thoughtful students in all levels. Students are often engaging with me, sharing meaningful responses on things I can improve and change in my classes.”