(1) Find Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics (available online through our library) and pick a chapter from Part I that is focused on a topic that you have an interest in thinking through in relation to your own lived experience. Read that chapter. https://www-taylorfrancis-com.proxy.library.upenn.edu/books/edit/10.4324/9781003082644/routledge-handbook-applied-linguistics-li-wei-zhu-hua-james-simpson

(2) Create a new post here on Padlet and answer the following:

(a) Chapter number and title you selected

(b) Major topic area you are interested in contributing to-- what's the area of research you want to contribute to?

(c) How do you hope to contribute to this area?

(3) THIS PART DOES NOT GO IN YOUR POST HERE - SUBMIT THIS ON CANVAS

Write a 1-2 page response paper that includes (1) A summary of at least 1 major academic debate that exists in the literature that you hope to further explore in your autoethnography, (2) what previous research has found in relation to this debate, (3) what you hope to contribute to this conversation and (4) a possible research question that you seek to answer through your autoethnography. This assignment will only be graded for completion but you are expected to incorporate my feedback into your work on this project moving forward. 

I would like to focus on the obstacles caused by cultural differences in the language learning process and how to promote language acquisition and cross-cultural adaptation through cultural understanding. I hope to focus this on language socialization research in applied linguistics, especially second language acquisition, to explore how learners integrate into the target culture through language practice and analyze the specific impact of cultural factors on language development.

I want to make practical contributions to language education, such as designing teaching methods incorporating cultural dimensions, helping learners overcome cultural barriers, improving their ability to use language for cultural practice, and supporting the inclusiveness of multilingual communities.

(b) Having the roles of a first generation of college student in my family and an international grad student in the US has enabled myself to not only explore the academic path but also find my identities within the multicultural contexts. Thus, I’d like to tap into language ideology as a bilingual and challenge the assumption of native speakerism in EFL teaching and learning context.

(c) I’d like to discuss my ideology formation by unearthing the influence of my home culture and the immersed culture in the States. When language is closely tied with culture, storytelling the process of my identity shift and cultural awareness becomes a theme that I am able to contribute to.

(b) Area of Research: Equity and Ethics in Technology

I’m interested in how new technologies like AI and large language models (LLMs) are changing the landscape of language testing, especially in terms of fairness, accessibility, and bias.

This chapter raised important concerns about automated scoring systems, transparency in decision-making, and the risks of bias in training data—issues that are becoming more urgent as we move toward more technology-driven assessment environments.

(c) My Contribution:

I hope to contribute to this area by researching how language tests can be designed to minimize bias and maximize inclusivity. I remembered my friends telling me about how she was being rated unreasonably and differently in several TOEFL speaking tests, and I want to interview her again about this. I want to investigate how we can balance using AI and human to do the evaluations for the language tests and how to build languageg testing practices that integrate localization and cultural context. I’m also interested in developing ways to make auto-scoring systems more transparent so that test-takers and educators can understand and trust how scores are produced.

Chapter 18: “Literacy”

(b)

I am interested in contributing to the field of literacy research, mainly because it is not just a fixed skill, but a dynamic process influenced by culture, identity, and context. I would like to focus on how multilingual students develop literacy skills in different languages ​​and education systems.

(c)

As an international student, I would like to contribute by sharing my experiences adjusting to literacy practices. For example, moving from the rote reading and writing methods of China to the analytical requirements of academic writing in the United States is a big transition.

(b) I'd like to explore the effect of globalization and digital advancement on the decreasing differences between cultures and the linguistic recolonization of these digital spaces.

(c) I will attempt to contribute to this area by reflecting back on my time working overseas and witnessing the assimilation of trending slang words into a new country and how these terms have had cultural impacts. Additionally, my time at a start-up in a global content team that utilized social media and AI may be able to guide this exploration and help investigate how these developing systems have directly impacted the way businesses take advantage of these tools for their own gain, further reinforcing these linguistic and cultural "hierarchies."

(a) Chapter 1 “Conceptualizing language education”

(b)

• Language Instruction & Teaching Approaches: I want to explore how to balance traditional, structural, and communicative approaches in language teaching.

• Teacher Agency & Role: I believe teachers should be facilitators of authentic language use, not just controllers of learning.

• Teacher Competency: I want to challenge the idea that being fluent in a language automatically makes someone a good teacher.

• In-Service vs. Pre-Service Training: I’m interested in how ongoing in-service training impacts the effectiveness of language teaching.

(c) I aim to contribute to bridging the gap between language instruction research and practical classroom applications by advocating for a balanced approach that combines explicit instruction with meaningful, real-life language use. I believe in redefining teacher competency by emphasizing the importance of pedagogical training beyond language proficiency and highlighting the role of ongoing in-service training in effective language teaching. Additionally, I want to encourage learner-centered approaches that empower students to actively engage with language, fostering an environment where both teachers and students thrive.

(b) The area of research I want to contribute to is the challenges of bilingualism in classroom discourse, particularly concerning cognitive demands, communicative difficulties, and identity negotiation. My research focuses on how bilingual students in multilingual learning environments deal with difficulties in language processing, participate in discourse, and perceive themselves. 

(c) By investigating the cognitive and communicative challenges bilingual students experience in classroom interactions, I hope to help educators better understand the mental stress of managing multiple languages and identify the support these students need to create more effective teaching plans. I also hope to offer insights on enhancing student participation and inclusion in multicultural classrooms, areas that are often overlooked in traditional teaching methods.

b) I am interested in contributing to language classrooms by promoting intercultural communicative competence and ensuring an inclusive and engaging environment where all individuals, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds and identities, can thrive and connect. I would like to focus on incorporating multilingual knowledge and culture in language education.

c) my contribution

Navigating the complexities of diverse environments, each brimming with distinct cultural backgrounds, presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to uncovering the nuances behind individuals' interactions. These cultural barriers—despite our shared context—often obscure the underlying motivations and meanings that shape our communications.

I aspire to develop innovative teaching strategies aimed at enhancing communicative competence among students.

My goal is to empower learners to engage fully with the often-unspoken ideologies that are interwoven within their identities. It is particularly important to support students from minority groups, enabling them to actively contribute to language learning. By encouraging them to share their invaluable insights and experiences, we can foster a richer cultural understanding. This approach emphasizes the depth of communication without being limited to traditional notions of native and non-native speaker characteristics, allowing for a more inclusive and holistic exploration of language in its myriad forms.

b. The topic area I am interested in contributing to is language socialization (LS), specifically the intersection of language and culture in the acquisition and development of languages. My focus is on how context—spanning social, educational, and cultural settings—shapes linguistic and communicative competence, particularly in the context of acquiring multiple languages (Muong, Vietnamese, and English) across distinct cultures. I am also interested in extending this research to broader contemporary issues, such as the digital revolution, global migrations, and the inclusion of marginalized populations in multicultural societies.

c. I hope to contribute to this area through my autoethnography, which will provide a detailed, personal account of my linguistic journey as I navigated childhood to adulthood across three cultures. By exploring how cross-cultural interactions and contexts influenced my acquisition of Muong, Vietnamese, and English, I aim to offer insights into the role of language socialization in developing communicative competence. I intend to examine whether these cultural influences outweighed formal classroom instruction in my language development, potentially offering generalizable findings for others undergoing similar transitions. Additionally, by sharing both the struggles and triumphs of my journey toward becoming a TESOL teacher, I hope to provide transferable insights that could benefit research and practice in language acquisition, particularly in increasingly globalized and diverse societies.

(b) Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and its cultural adaptability, specifically examining the limitations of CLT in exam-oriented educational systems and the ongoing debate about whether it requires adaptation for different cultural contexts.

(c) I aim to contribute by proposing a hybrid teaching model that combines CLT's communicative focus with structured accuracy practice. Drawing from my personal experience transitioning between Chinese and Western teaching systems, I will demonstrate how balancing fluency and accuracy can create more effective language learning in exam-driven environments while maintaining CLT's core principles. My research will provide practical classroom strategies for teachers navigating these methodological tensions.

(b) I want to focus on how digital community participation can be used to facilitate language learning, particularly learning in the virtual environment. My research will explore how educators can effectively integrate these technologies to support diverse learners, including students with special needs and those seeking to develop specific language skills.

(c) As a multimedia artist and educator, I hope to reflect on both my creative design experience and pedagogical knowledge to explore the practical applications of virtual tools in language learning. I believe implementing perspectives from a user, a designer, and an educator would help me better analyze the common functions and affordances of virtual environments and provide practical insights about how digital community participation can be used to create engaging, accessible, and effective language learning experiences.

I am interested in contributing to the field of bilingual and multilingual education, particularly to the discussion of how educators/teachers’ own language identities influence teaching philosophies and classrooms. As a bilingual educator who has experience teaching in two language communities, I can share my experiences to reflect on how my language background and learning experiences influence my support and perspectives on students’ multilingual development in the classroom and teaching.

(a) Chapter 6: Curriculum and Materials: Decolonization and Inclusivity by John Gray.

(b) The major topic area I am interested in contributing to is the implementation of effective bilingual education and a culturally responsive curriculum for English as a second language learners. In other words, the particular area of research I aim to contribute to is the development of metapragmatic awareness in the classroom both for students and teachers.

(c) I hope to contribute to this research area by proposing a bilingual education model with an emphasis on cultural inclusion. To achieve this, I plan to conduct interviews with students and teachers to gain insight into their perspectives on bilingual education and cultural inclusion in the classroom. After the interviews, I will collaborate with both students and teachers to design a curriculum that aligns with their speech communities and cultural contexts. Additionally, I aim to contribute to this conversation by exploring different strategies to address the hidden curriculum in multilingual classrooms. For example, I plan to suggest different themes to incorporate a culturally responsive curriculum that cultivates metapragmatic awareness for both students and teachers. In particular, I believe it is essential as a teacher to integrate intercultural elements to support students as they acquire English as a second language. Therefore, one approach to achieving this area of research will be introducing different themes to students such as historical context, values, beliefs, and traditions to enrich students’ learning experiences.

B)    I’m interesting in understanding the role of technology in language acquisition and socialization. I want to better understand how the medium we use to communicate can shape how we think about and use language to express ourselves.

C)    I think I can contribute to this area by talking about my specific experience of using social media like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat in two languages (English and French) in high school, participating in social media of two online cultures, at the same time I was attending a bilingual school. I think this could be a way really interesting way of talking about the role that social media plays in language socialization.