Dissertation title: Corpus-based Materials Implementation in Writing Classrooms: Teachers' Experiences, Perceptions, and Training Initiatives 

Dissertation committee: Dr. Shelley Staples (Chair), Dr. Jon Reinhardt, Dr. Christine Tardy, Dr. Gail Shuck (Special Committee Member - Boise State University)

Dissertation abstract: Corpus linguistics has transformed language education by enabling teachers and learners to engage directly with authentic language data. Data-driven learning (DDL), also known as the direct use of corpora in language teaching (DDL; Johns, 1991), supports second language writing (SLW) instruction by fostering genre awareness and rhetorical decision-making (Boulton & Cobb, 2017). While research affirms the benefits of corpus-based instruction, most studies have centered on expert-driven models, limiting insights into how instructors without advanced corpus training learn to adopt these tools (Chambers, 2019). Moreover, many teachers receive little sustained support in integrating corpus methods into their instructional contexts (Farr, 2008; Poole, 2022). This dissertation investigates how teachers learn to design and implement corpus-based pedagogy in SLW instruction. Organized as a three-article study, it addresses gaps in teacher training, corpus-based materials design and implementation, and long-term engagement with DDL. Article 1 presents a systematic review of 33 empirical studies, identifying trends and gaps in DDL teacher education. Article 2 analyzes classroom data from 14 instructors implementing ready-made corpus-based materials, using the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) to explore pedagogical decision-making. Article 3 examines a 10-week collaborative workshop in which 6 in-service SLW instructors engaged in co-design, peer feedback, and reflective dialogue around corpus pedagogy, highlighting how collaboration support teacher learning of corpus-based instruction. Together, these studies offer a multi-dimensional view of DDL integration and propose practical, collaborative, and context-responsive approaches to help teachers meaningfully incorporate corpus tools into SLW pedagogy.

This will be a private defense. Please email GIDP-SLAT@arizona.edu with any questions.

Join us for the annual GIDP Student Research Showcase, on Thursday, December 11th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm in the Bear Down Gym! For those who have never attended one of these showcases, this is a great event that includes student research poster presentations from each of the 21 GIDP programs. SLAT has 4 amazing students who will be presenting their research posters - please come support them! 

In addition to spotlighting GIDP research, we are also showcasing undergraduate research from students in the AWARDSS and UROC programs.  Guests will include faculty, staff, students, mentors, family members, alumni, community partners, and other stakeholders. The event creates space to engage in meaningful conversations about the research and problem-solving mechanism that these students are developing to address real-world problems. We are grateful to faculty, students, alumni, and staff for their commitment to improving conditions in so many important areas that are relevant worldwide.

 RSVP now! 

Dissertation Proposal Title: Navigating Identities: Multilingual International Students’ Experiences in L2 Writing Classrooms

Dissertation Committee: Dr. Hayriye Kayi-Aydar (Chair), Dr. Christine Tardy, Dr. M'Balia Thomas, Dr. Deina Rabie

This will be a private proposal presentation. Thank you in advance for respecting the student's privacy.

Abstract: The experiences of multilingual international students (MISs) in higher education have been extensively explored; however, much of this research remains limited to their linguistic identities and language-related challenges (e.g., Tavares, 2021; Sung, 2024). This limited approach oversimplifies the challenges that MISs face. More recent research, however, points out the complexity associated with identities and  experiences of MISs (e.g., Cui & De Costa, 2021; Noor, 2024). 

This dissertation addresses these gaps by employing an intersectional identity  framework (Crenshaw, 1989; Collins & Bilge, 2016) to examine how MISs negotiate their multiple identities within U.S. college-level second language (L2) writing classrooms. Although existing research highlights how intersecting identities influence language learning (e.g., Park, 2009; Cui & De Costa, 2021), its application to L2 writing remains limited. L2 writing classrooms– spaces uniquely shaped by the linguistic and cultural plurality of its learners– often reflect dominant linguistic and cultural norms (e.g., Starfield, 2002; Canagarajah, 2004; Seloni, 2014). 

This qualitative study focuses on a foundation writing course at a large public research university and draws on classroom observations, interviews with students and instructors, student writing, and course materials. The research is guided by four questions: 1)How do identities of MISs affect their experiences in L2 writing courses? 2) How do identities of L2 writing instructors affect MISs’ experiences in L2 writing courses? and 3) In what ways do classrooms influence MISs' identity negotiations?, A multi-layered intersectional analytical framework (Lutz, 2015; Collins & Bilge, 2016; Misra et al., 2021) and tools from ethnographic discourse analysis (Roth-Gordon, 2020) guide the study and capture structural, interactional, and experiential dimensions of identity. By situating MISs within an intersectional identity framework and highlighting the instructor’s role in shaping classroom dynamics, this study contributes to understandings of identity in academic writing contexts that will guide pedagogical practices and policies.