Dr Isobel Kai-Hui Wang

Programme Director: MSc TESOL / Lecturer in Language Education

Moray House School of Education and Sport, ILE
University of Edinburgh

Tel: +44 (0)131 651 6232
Email: isobel.wang@ed.ac.uk

Street: Moray House School of Education and Sport, CH 505
City: University of Edinburgh (Holyrood Campus)
Post code: EH8 8AQ

Biography

Background

My research and teaching expertise lies in the areas of language learner strategies, second language vocabulary learning and teaching, intercultural communication, and language learner/teacher psychology.

I joined the University of Edinburgh in August 2021. Previously, I was Senior Research Fellow at the University of Graz (Austria) and undertook teacher training. I had also lectured in Applied Linguistics at the University of Nankai (China). Regarding my experience in English language teaching, I have taught English as a foreign or second language in China and Canada.

I have a longstanding interest in international students’ intercultural experiences and strategy use for building vocabulary. My book (2018), Learning Vocabulary Strategically in a Study Abroad Context (published by Palgrave Macmillan) applies a close-up lens to the process of strategic vocabulary learning in study abroad contexts and offers novel insights into the flexibility and adaptability of strategy use within and across situations. I work with my colleague Andrew Cohen on a series of projects on the functions of language learner strategies, strategies for vocabulary fine-tuning, and vocabulary strategy instruction for academic writing.

I am currently developing new interests in the psychological dimension of language learning and teaching, especially learner engagement, self-regulation, and teacher wellbeing. Additionally, working with my colleagues at the University of Graz and partners in the UK, Netherlands, Italy and Germany, I was involved in an Erasmus⁺-funded project about the integration of global citizenship and plurilingual pedagogies. I have been invited to review book proposals for Routledge and Springer and articles for journals, such as System, Language and Intercultural Communication, and Teaching and Teacher Education.

Qualifications

Ph.D in Applied Linguistics (2010-2013), University of Warwick.
MA in English Language Teaching (2009-2010), University of Warwick.
BA in History, Heritage and Education (2006-2009), University of Birmingham.

Teaching & PhD supervision

Postgraduate teaching

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Areas of interest for supervision

Topics of interest: vocabulary learning strategies, language learner strategies, strategy-based instruction, vocabulary learning and teaching.

Current PhD students supervised

Yurou Wei: Using storytelling for EFL learners to develop writing skills

Huixin Wang: L2 teacher motivation & direct motivational currents.

Siyan Chen: Vocabulary learning strategies & emotions

Clark Wang: Metacognitive strategies for learning and using vocabulary

Research

Research summary

Language learner strategies
Second language vocabulary learning and teaching
Intercultural adjustment
Study abroad
Learner engagement
Teacher wellbeing
ELT materials adaptation

Current research interests

I am currently exploring a) learner engagement in vocabulary strategy instruction for academic writing and b) language teachers' intercultural adjustment and professional wellbeing.

Projects

Project activity

Erasmus+ , 2020. Project title: The Global Citizenship and Multilingual Competences (GCMC) toolkit (€364k) - Project partner

Current research projects

Self-access strategy instruction for vocabulary learning
EFL Teachers’ actions regarding coursebook use

Current project grants

RKEI Innovation Fund, 2023. Project title: Strategy Instruction from the Providers’ and the Recipients’ Perspective (£3,203) - Principal investigator

Publications

Tangible insights on the strategizing of language learners and users (20 pages) 20 Apr 2023 In: Language Teaching: Surveys and Studies, pp. 1-20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444823000046
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)
Self-access strategy instruction for academic writing vocabulary: What learners actually do (35 pages) 29 Oct 2022 In: Applied Linguistics, pp. 1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amac056
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)
Toward an ecological understanding of transnational Chinese language teachers’ professional wellbeing in the United Kingdom (16 pages) 26 Apr 2022 In: Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.877289
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Self-regulation in psychology (13 pages) 11 Nov 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429321498
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published)
Investigating learner engagement in strategy instruction focused on vocabulary for academic writing: A case study (17 pages) Jul 2021 In: System, vol. 99
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102501
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Conceptualizing willingness to engage in L2 learning beyond the classroom 2 Dec 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788923613-017
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published)
Fake or real engagement–looks can be deceiving 2 Dec 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788923613-011
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published)
Fine-tuning word meanings through mobile app and online resources: A case study of strategy use by a hyperpolyglot (16 pages) Oct 2019 In: System, vol. 85
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102106
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Fluctuation in the functions of language learner strategies Jun 2018 In: System, vol. 74, pp. 169-182
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.03.011
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Long-term Chinese students' transitional experiences in UK higher education: A particular focus on their academic adjustment (14 pages) 31 Jan 2018 In: International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, vol. 30, pp. 12-25
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Learning Vocabulary Strategically in a Study Abroad Context (294 pages) 4 Dec 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65963-3
Research output: › Book (Published)
The use of dialogic strategy clusters for vocabulary learning by Chinese students in the UK (14 pages) Jul 2015 In: System, vol. 51, pp. 51-64
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2015.04.004
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)

View all 13 publications on Research Explorer

Conferences

Conference details

Tangible insights from current and future research in the strategizing of language learners and users; Meta-reflections on the development of the field (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | A Symposium for the 4th Conference on the Situating Strategy Use: Strategic Learning in an Uncertain World | 23-24 November, 2022

Strategizing – Investigating the Dynamic Use of Strategies (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | A Symposium for the 4th Conference on the Psychology of Language Learning | 23-25 June 2022

How strategies actually combine in the performance of language tasks (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | A Symposium for the AILA virtual conference | 15-21 August, 2021

How learners actually process strategy instruction (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | Poster presentation| AAAL virtual conference | 20-23 March, 2021

Training teachers for global citizenship education and plurilingual pedagogies: Teacher educators' insights (together with Prof. Sarah Mercer, Sonja Babic, and Johanna Gruber) | Presentation | Multilingualism on My Mind | University of Bergen| 18-19 March, 2021

Fine-tuning word meanings through online and mobile app technologies (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | Presentation | 3^rd SSU conference |Osaka, Japan | 14 October, 2019

Research by teachers for teachers | Workshop| Doctoral School | Strobl, Austria | 09 June, 2019

Fluctuation in the functions of vocabulary strategies (together with Prof. Andrew Cohen) | Presentation | AAAL conference |Chicago | 24-27 March, 2018

International Chinese students’ cross-cultural experiences in UK higher education

Presentation | 15^th IALIC Conference | University of Peking, China |28 December, 2015

Dialogic strategy clusters for vocabulary learning

Presentation | SSU conference | Alpen-Adria University, Austria | 16 October, 2015

Invited speaker