hku applied linguistics phd

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Research Postgraduate - Linguistics

Linguistics http://www.linguistics.hku.hk Major Research Areas Phonetics; phonology; morphology; syntax; language typology; linguistic variation; computational linguistics; sociolinguistics; language contact; pidgins and creoles; bilingualism; language and literacy; psycholinguistics; neurolinguistics; language areas: China (especially Cantonese, minority languages of China), South Asia (especially Tibeto-Burman languages), Africa and South East Asian languages. Requirement The research proposal for the MPhil should be around 1,000 words and for the PhD around 1,500 words.  

Postgraduate Admissions Advisor

Tel: 3917 8603 Fax: 2546 7477 Email: [email protected]

UNDERGRADUATE   •    POSTGRADUATE   •    OTHER LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Postgraduate 

Applications   •   course description   •  research areas, master of philosophy ( mphil ) / doctor of philosophy ( phd ).

Mode of Study

Full Time / Part Time

Normal Study Period

2 - 4 years

Applications

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures offers Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and 3-year and 4-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) research degree programmes in both full-time and part-time study modes.

Applicants need to complete the graduate School Administrative requirements for eligibility and scholarships. They should also connect with a potential supervisor in the School to locate a suitable willing supervisor for their proposed thesis.

Applicants should bear in mind that the allocation of higher degree places in the University of Hong Kong is a very competitive process. Applicants need an excellent undergraduate record – at the very least an Upper Second Honours – to even be considered. If you come from a university that does not have an Honours system you will need to be in the top 20 percent of students to be considered.

Graduate School requirements

Applications should be submitted to the Graduate School via the Online Application System . Applicants for admission to the full-time MPhil and PhD programmes can also apply for the postgraduate studentship.

Prospective students may also find it useful to consult the step-by-step explanation provided by the Graduate School .

School of Modern Languages and Cultures requirements

You will need to demonstrate to the selection committee processing applications that you are hard-working and have initiative.

This means that you must design a research proposal that will indicate to the committee that you have already started thinking seriously about your topic.

The research proposal should be between 3-5 pages, and it should illustrate that you are familiar with the basic literature and positions in the field. [MPhil 3-4 pages; PhD 4-5 pages].

Details of research proposal requirements for both MPhil and PhD are found under the Faculty of Arts headings on the Graduate School website.

These are research degrees that require the ability to work independently. You demonstrate initiative and your suitability for the programme by writing this proposal on your own. Do not expect your potential supervisor to design the proposed topic for you.

Contact the appropriate supervisor in your proposed field of research to see if they are willing and able to serve as your supervisor. 

Postgraduate Admissions Advisor

Prof.   Stefan Auer Tel: 3917 2911 Fax: 2548 0487 Email: [email protected]

Current areas of staff interest:

Stefan Auer European History (with a particular focus on the politics of memory); Enlargement of the European Union; Eurozone crisis; German post-1945 History and Politics; Nationalism in Central Europe; Political Theory and Political Philosophy (i.e. Hannah Arendt, Edmund Burke, Jürgen Habermas and Carl Schmitt); The self-limiting revolutions of 1989 in Central Europe; the Geopolitics of EU-Russia relations and Ukraine.

Samson Bezabeh

Dr. Bezabeh’s research interests include diaspora studies, state- society interaction, colonialism, religion (Islam and Orthodox Christianity) as well as issues of citizenship, ethnicity, and class in Africa.

Paul S. Cha History of Korea, 19th century to present; Religion and Nationalism; Christianity in Asia; Colonial Modernity; Postcolonialism

Bárbara Fernández Melleda Latin American Studies (cultural theory, visual arts, material culture); Literary Studies (focus on poetry, narratives, self-referential writing); Southern Cone literatures and cultures (dictatorship and post-dictatorship contexts); Latin American gender studies and activism; Latin American Boom.

James Fichter European studies; American studies; Maritime and business history; Histories of the following: English and other East India Companies, British and French imperialism, early modern Atlantic, colonial America, United States, US in the world, US-China relations, whaling, coal and commodities.

Tim Gruenewald Memory Studies (with a focus on collective memory of traumatic past in the United States); Cinematic Virtual Reality; VR film theory; U.S. cinema and television; U.S. graphic narrative; Visual Studies.

Loretta Kim History of China and Inner Asia, 1600-present; Ethnic minorities and ethnic policies in China; Borderlands and frontiers; Histories of indigenous peoples; Chinese ethnic minority languages and literatures (including Manchu and Mongolian).

Su Yun Kim Modern Korean literature & culture; Modern Korean cultural history; Japanese empire & race, gender and sexuality; Popular narrative.

Social and religious history of late imperial and modern China; History of Christianity in China; History of women and gender

Edwin Michielsen Modern Japanese Literature, Modern Japanese Cultural History, Modern Japanese and East Asian Literary Exchange, East Asian Proletarian Literature.

Daniel Poch Modern and early modern Japanese literature and culture; Gender and sexuality; Theories of emotionality and affect; Japanese literature in transcultural and comparative perspective (China-Japan-Europe).

Monica Lee Steinberg Visual culture, art, new media, and law and politics of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, with a specific focus on fictional attribution, legal studies, and activist humor in a global context.

Roland Vogt European politics, foreign policy, and political economy; International Relations (incl. IR theory); Democratization and political culture; Sino-European relations; Latin American and African politics.

Dixon Heung Wah Wong Anthropology of Japanese companies; Comparative management studies; Comparative study of popular cultures in Hong Kong and Japan; Comparative kinship studies; Anthropology of colonisation and decolonization.

John D. Wong Transnational business history; Social, cultural and economic history of the Pearl River Delta and Southeast Asia.

Course Description

The MPhil Degree is 24 months (full time) or 36 months (part time) beginning on September 1 or January 1.  

The 3-year PhD Degree is 36 months (full time) or 54 months (part time).  

The 4-year PhD Degree is 48 months (full time) or 72 months (part time).

During their candidature students undertake coursework and a thesis.

For students admitted after September 2021

Students must complete:

Module 1: GRSC6100 Doing Research @ HKU (2 hours) Module 2: GRSC6106 / GRSC6104 Introduction to Qualitative/Quantitative Research Methods (Humanities) (3 hours) Module 3: GRSC6120 / GRSC6140 Introduction to Thesis Writing (3 hours) Module 4: GRSC6101 Responsible Conduct of Research (3 hours) Module 5: GRSC6102 Stream-based Responsible Conduct of Research (3 hours) Module 6: GRSC6108   / GRSC6138 Professional Development Training (12 hours) SMLC7002 : Research Colloquium I SMLC7021 : Research Colloquium II

* Students may take SMLC7003 : Research Methods (The Humanities and the Area Studies) in lieu of GS compulsory Module 2 when it is offered.

See full details of GRSC courses on Graduate School’swebsite:  https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/coursework/general_coursework_requirements

These courses are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

For Students registered between September 2013 and August 2021

Student must complete:

SMLC7002: Research Colloquium I SMLC7003: Research Methods (The Humanities and the Area Studies) GRSC6020: Introduction to Thesis Writing (The Humanities and Related Disciplines) GRSC6008: Transferrable Skills SMLC7021: Research Colloquium II GRSC6030: Research Ethics for Graduate Students (Faculties of Arts and Architecture)

Students may also take up to two further courses from another School, if given permission by their supervisor and the Chair of the DRPC. However, passing such additional courses does not form part of the coursework requirement of the School.

Students may elect to replace the following courses taught in the Graduate School with SMLC7003 when offered:

GRSC6034 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (The Humanities and Related Disciplines)

GRSC6036 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (The Humanities and Related Disciplines)

MPhil students complete a thesis that is normally around 50,000 words long under the guidance of their supervisors. PhD students complete a thesis that is normally around 90,000 words long under the guidance of their supervisors.

Research Areas

Our postgraduate students conduct research on a wide variety of topics. The list below outlines the research of our graduates in recent years.

2023 Graduates

2022 Graduates

2021 Graduates

2020 Graduates

2019 Graduates

2018  Graduates

2017  Graduates

2016  Graduates

2015  Graduates

2014  Graduates

2013  Graduates

2012  Graduates

• Programme Information
• Faculty of Arts

Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

The Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics [MA(AppliedLinguistics)] is designed for people who are currently teaching, or who want to teach, English at tertiary level. The focus of the programme is therefore on issues relating to the teaching, learning and use of English as a medium of tertiary academic and professional education. Some courses in the programme contribute to an understanding of English in all contexts, while others relate more specifically to the learning context in Hong Kong. The programme is offered on a part-time basis over two years and on a full-time basis over one year.

Students will be given ample opportunities to explore the theoretical implications and practical applications of English language studies. The strong empirical focus of our programme will be exemplified in various courses and assessments, particularly the capstone project.

We strongly encourage applicants to apply as early as possible and in the main round. Places are limited and offers are made on a rolling basis.

Mode of Attendance

Full Time (one year)

Part Time (two years)

Medium of Instruction

Programme entrance requirements.

1.  A good bachelor's degree of this University, or equivalent qualifications.

2.  Candidates may be invited to take a writing test and/or attend an interview.

Programme Admissions Advisor(s)

List of Programmes

Application deadline.

Round 1 (Main): 12:00 noon (GMT +8), December 27, 2024

Round 2 (Clearing): 12:00 noon (GMT +8), February 19, 2025

Round 2 (Clearing): 12:00 noon (GMT +8), March 19, 2025

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Professor TAI, Kevin W. H.

Professor Kevin W. H. Tai PhD (UCL), FHEA, FRSA

Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy Education Co-Director, Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE) Chair, Special Interest Group for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education, CAISE

Honorary Research Fellow, IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London Editor, The Language Learning Journal (Routledge) Assistant Editor, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (Routledge) Executive Guest Editor (Special Issue), Learning and Instruction (Elsevier) The World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Scientist (Languages and Linguistics), Stanford University 2024 (Elsevier)

Assistant Professor

Academic Unit of Language and Literacy Education

BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature (First Class Honours and Top of the Cohort), Newcastle University, UK MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (Distinction in Dissertation), University of Oxford, UK PhD in Applied Linguistics (Pass without Corrections), Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), UK Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), Cambridge Assessment English Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), UK Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Advanced HE, UK

(852) 3917 6107

Room 653, Meng Wah Complex

Areas Translanguaging Practices Conversation Analysis for Second Language Acquisition Classroom Discourse Multilingual Education Language Policy and Medium of Instruction Policy Content and Language Integrated Learning English Medium Instruction Qualitative Research Methods Research Expertise

• Bilingualism and Multilingualism
• English Language Education
• Research Methods and Methodologies
• Equity, Equality and Social Justice in Education
• Literacies and Languages

Prospective PhD/ EdD/ MPhil Applications

I am available to supervise PhD/MPhil students and would welcome enquiries for supervision.

• UCL Research Profile
• HKU Scholars Hub
• Google Scholar
• Research Gate

Areas of Expertise

Professor Kevin W. H. Tai  ( 戴維軒教授 )  is Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy Education  and  Co-Director of the Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE)  at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU). He also holds the positions of Chair of the Working Group for Research in the Academic Unit of Language and Literacy Education at HKU and Chair of the Special Interest Group for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education in CAISE at HKU. Additionally, he is Honorary Research Fellow at IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society in University College London (UCL). Professor Tai was awarded the RGC Early Career Award (ECA) in 2023/24 from the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, the University Research Output Prize , the Faculty Outstanding Young Researcher Award and the Faculty Early Career Research Output Award from The University of Hong Kong for recognising his excellent achievements in research. Professor Kevin Tai was listed among the World's Top 2% Most-Cited Scientists in the field of Languages and Linguistics by Stanford University in 2024.

In relation to his editorial positions, Professor Kevin Tai is Editor   of  The Language Learning Journal  (ESCI-listed Journal; Routledge),  Assistant Editor   of the  International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism  (SSCI-listed Journal; Routledge) and Executive Guest Editor of Learning and Instruction (SSCI-listed Journal; Elsevier). Professor Kevin Tai has a PhD in Applied Linguistics from UCL and his doctoral research was fully funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). He completed his doctoral coursework in Educational Research at the University of Cambridge, where he was Hughes Hall Hong Kong Alumni Scholar. He holds an MSc degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from the University of Oxford and a BA (Hons) degree in English Language and Literature with First Class Honours (top of the cohort) from Newcastle University, UK.

Professor Tai is CELTA-qualified and his research interests include: translanguaging in multilingual contexts, language education policy, classroom discourse, and qualitative research methods (particularly Multimodal Conversation Analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Linguistic Ethnography). His research has appeared in international peer-reviewed journals, including  Classroom Discourse, Language and Education, Linguistics and Education, System, Applied Linguistics, International Journal of Science Education, Language Teaching Research, Applied Linguistics Review, Research in Science Education, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism,  International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, TESOL Quarterly,  and Learning and Instruction .  In a recent bibliometric analysis of research trends in multilingualism in English Medium Instruction, published in the International Journal of Multilingualism (SSCI), the study identifies Professor Kevin W. H. Tai as the top prolific author in terms of both productivity and impact , as reflected by the m-index, h-index and g-index scores and the total number of publications ( Zhu and Wang, 2024 ).

Professor Tai is a Fellow   of the Royal Society of Arts   (FRSA) and a  Fellow   of the Higher Education Academy  (FHEA) . 

Academic Background  

• BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature (First Class Honours and ranked 1st in the cohort), School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, Newcastle University, UK 
• MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (Distinction in Dissertation), Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
• PhD (Coursework) in Second Language Education , Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK
• PhD in Applied Linguistics (Pass without Corrections), IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London (UCL), UK [Principal Supervisor: Professor Li Wei; Internal and External Examiners: Professor Steve Walsh and Professor John Gray].
• Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) , Cambridge Assessment English
• Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DELTA) Module One , Cambridge Assessment English

Editorial Positions

• Editor , The Language Learning Journal (Routledge, ESCI-listed Journal)
• Assistant Editor ,   International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (Routledge, SSCI-listed Journal) 
• Executive Guest Editor , Learning and Instruction (Elsevier, SSCI-listed Journal) [Special Issue: “The Role of Multilingualism in Content and Language Integrated Learning Classroom Context”]
• Editorial Board Member , System (Elsevier, SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Editorial Board Member , Discover Education (Springer) 
• Review Panel Member , Journal of Education, Language, and Ideology
• Research Advisor ,  Cambridge Educational Research E-Journal  (Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge)
• Editorial Board Member , Language Teaching Research Quarterly (European Knowledge Development)

Teaching Summary

To this point in his career, Professor Kevin Tai has had the opportunity to teach a diverse group of students in a wide range of educational contexts: adult English to Speakers of Other Languages students (a community centre in the United Kingdom), junior and senior secondary students (a Hong Kong English Medium Instruction school), primary students (a Hong Kong international school), undergraduates (English Language Education and Linguistics majors) and postgraduates (MA in English Language Studies, MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, MEd in Content and Language Integrated Learning and PhD/EdD in Education). Professor Tai was awarded the status of Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2021 and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in 2023 for recognising his teaching and learning support activity in higher education. 

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Teaching Undergraduate Course

• School of Arts and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
• Teaching Assistant for LANGA339F Pragmatics (Undergraduate course for students pursuing BEd (Hons) in English Language Teaching, Bachelor of English Language Studies (with Honours) and BA (Hons) in Language Studies and Translation)

Postgraduate Courses

• Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• MA Subject Coordinator and Lecturer for ENGL542 Language Development and Use (Postgraduate taught course for students pursuing an MA in English Language Studies or an MA in English Language Arts)
• IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London
• Course Tutor for IOE MPhil/PhD Core Course  
• Course Tutor for Qualitative Data Analysis: An Overview (Qualitative Research Methods Course for PhD/EdD students)
• Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
• Course Coordinator, MAES7109 Intercultural Communication (Postgraduate taught course for students pursuing an MA in TESOL) [2022-Present]
• Course Coordinator, MEDD8845 Principles and Practice: Bridging Pedagogy in Content and Language Integrated Learning (Postgraduate taught course for students pursuing an MEd in Content and Language Integrated Learning, CLIL) [2022-Present]
• Course Coordinator, EDUR7117  Understanding Language and Social Interaction: An Introduction to Multimodal Conversation Analysis (Specialised Courses in Research Methods to MPhil/PhD/EdD Students) [2023-2024] *Conceived and developed a new course*
• Course Coordinator, EDUR7119 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Unveiling Insights of Individuals’ Lived Experiences (Specialised Courses in Research Methods to MPhil/PhD/EdD Students) [2024-2025] *Conceived and developed a new course*
• Course Teacher, EDUC6760 Educational Inquiry (Postgraduate taught course for Postgraduate Diploma in Education, PGDE, Students) [2024-2025]
•  Course Teacher, EDUC6750 Collaborative Lesson Inquiry (Postgraduate taught course for Postgraduate Diploma in Education, PGDE, Students) [2024-2025]
• Specialism Teacher, MEDD8001 Educational Issues and Research (Tutorials for MEd CLIL students) [2022]
• Supervisor, MAES7200    MA TESOL Project by Independent Study [2023]
• Supervisor, MEDD8008 MEd Research Project [2023-Present]

Postgraduate Supervision At present, Professor Kevin Tai is supervising eight postgraduate research students:

• Principal Supervisor
• Xinyi Wang , PhD Student (as Principal Supervisor, with Professor Chin-Hsi Lin as Co-Supervisor), "Advancing Second Language Acquisition: A Translanguaging Perspective in AI-Enhanced Chinese Language Classroom Environment" [Awardee of Postgraduate Scholarship]
• Karen Choi , PhD Student (as Principal Supervisor, with Professor Hamid Mirhosseini as Co-Supervisor), "A translanguaging perspective on using digital technology to deliver synchronous online multimodal feedback in Hong Kong higher education setting" [Awardee of Postgraduate Scholarship]
• Co-Supervisor
• Suiling Zuo , PhD Student (as Co-Supervisor, with Professor Hamid Mirhosseini), "Who am I as a language user here?: Language identity trajectories of Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong Universities" [Awardee of Postgraduate Scholarship]
• Renxiang Tian , PhD Candidate (as Co-Supervisor, with Professor Nutsa Kobakhidze), “Reshaping the ecosystem of education: An ethnographic study of teachers’, students’ and parents’ experience after China’s Double Reduction Policy”
• Rachel Zuhui Chen , PhD Candidate (as Co-Supervisor, with Professor Steve Walsh), “Chinese high school teachers’ classroom interactional competence in synchronous online lessons—A CL/CA approach”
• Xiaochen Yu , EdD Candidate (as Co-Supervisor, with Professor George Lianjiang Jiang), “Effectiveness of digital multimodal composing on Chinese EFL learners’ collaborative learning and academic writing: A quasi-experimental study”
• Wen Zhang , PhD Student (as Co-Supervisor, with Professor Hamid Mirhosseini), “Native-speakerism in ELT: Attitudes of Secondary School Teachers, Students, and Parents in East China”
• External Faculty Member of PhD Dissertation Committee

1.     Neal Monroe , Doctoral Student and Graduate Teaching Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States (Committee Members: Professors Clara Lee Brown, James Coda, Bernard Issa, Kevin W. H. Tai)

To date, Prof. Tai has supervised 12 MEd CLIL dissertation projects and 4 MA TESOL dissertation projects. At the moment, he is supervising 7 MEd CLIL and 3 MEd English Language Education dissertation projects. 

Internal Examiner in PhD Thesis Examinations

• Tang, Darren Wai Pong . 2023. Consonant Cluster Variations in Hong Kong English: An Attitudinal Study . PhD Thesis, The University of Hong Kong.
•   Lok, Pedro Wai Yi . 2023. Unravelling Kongish: Endonormativity and Language Ideologies among Insiders . PhD Thesis, The University of Hong Kong.
• Siu, Phoebe Lok Yi . 2024. Heterglossic Co-becoming in CLIL: The Multimodalities-Entextualisation Cycle in Public Relations Writing . EdD Thesis, The University of Hong Kong. 

Professor Tai welcomes informal enquiries from prospective doctoral students interested in any of the primary research areas outlined above and is typically able to take on one (or occasionally two) new doctoral student(s) each year. Prospective students should aim to contact Prof. Kevin W. H. Tai with a CV and draft proposal in the autumn term (September-November) before the intended start date. Additional information for applicants (including deadlines for funding) can be found here . Due to the high number of applications received, prospective students are strongly advised to apply in advance of the funding deadline (typically early December).

Awards, Honours and Funding

• The World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Scientist (Languages and Linguistics) , Stanford University Ranking 2024 (Elsevier) 
• Honorary Research Fellow , IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) , The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, United Kingdom 
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) , Advanced HE, United Kingdom
• RGC Early Career Award  ( 傑出青年學者獎 ), Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong
• University Research Output Prize , The University of Hong Kong (HKD $120,000)
• Faculty Outstanding Young Researcher Award , Faculty of Education (HKD $20,000)
• Faculty Early Career Research Output Award , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
• Award of Yearly Pay Adjustment 2023/24 , The University of Hong Kong 
• GRF/ECS Success Award 2023/24 , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKD $20,000)
• Early Career Scheme (ECS) , Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Scheme (HKD $898,200)
• Seed Fund for Basic Research for New Staff , University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong (HKD $150,000)
• Faculty Start-Up Fund , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKD $ 275,000)
• Faculty Research Fund , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKD $ 60,000)
• Conference Support for Teaching Staff , University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong (Total HKD $34,500)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) +3 Doctoral Award , ESRC UCL, Bloomsbury and East London (UBEL) Doctoral Training Partnership (Grant Reference: ES/P000592/1) (Approximately GBP £72,860; tuition fees and living stipends)
• ESRC Research Training Support Grant , ESRC UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership (GBP £2250)
• ESRC Overseas Institutional Visit Grant , ESRC UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership (GBP £2810)
• ESRC Overseas Fieldwork Grant , ESRC UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership (GBP £2560)
• Visiting Colleague (Virtual) , Department of Second Language Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa
• Full Conference Scholarship for Attending the 55th RELC International Conference , University College London (SGD $107)
• Learning Opportunity Fund , University College London (GBP £250)
• Edwin Leong Travel Grant , Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge (GBP £250)
• Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship , Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge (GBP £2500)
• Travel Bursary , Warwick ESRC Doctoral Training Centre, The University of Warwick (GBP £40.90)
• MSc Student Research Grant , Department of Education, University of Oxford (GBP £100)
• Travel and Research Fund , St Cross College, University of Oxford (GBP £150)
• Barbara Strang Best Performance in Language and Linguistics , Newcastle University (GBP £150)
• Barbara Strang Runner-up Best Dissertation in Language and Linguistics , Newcastle University (GBP £100)
• University Research Scholarship , Newcastle University (GBP £1200)  

Professor Kevin Tai has been a Principal Investigator of several funded projects amounting to a total of nearly HKD $2,200,000 (equivalent to £220,000), leading a team of research assistants.

Professor Kevin Tai was awarded the RGC   Early Career Award in 2023/24 from the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong in recognition of the exceptional quality of his research submitted to the Early Career Scheme (ECS) grant bid. The Early Career Award is an honorary title that includes an additional HKD $100,000 for awardees whose research proposal received an outstanding rating (full score 5.0) and whose education plan was rated as satisfactory. Out of 525 applications from all University Grants Committee (UGC) funded universities (187 projects funded by the ECS), only seven early-career scholars from all academic disciplines received the Early Career Awards, and Professor Tai is one of them . Professor Tai was also the only professoriate staff at HKU who received the RGC Early Career Award in 2023/24. 

Principal Investiagtor

“The Affordance of an Emotionally Safe Translanguaging Space for Supporting Hong Kong Ethnic Minority Students in Managing Second Language Classroom Anxiety: A Study of Chinese as an Additional Language Classrooms”. Early Career Scheme (ECS), Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. (Project Number: 27616923) (HKD $898,200 from RGC and HKD $20,000 from Faculty of Education, HKU) (2023-2025)  [ Received the Highest Overall Rating and Awarded the Honorary Title of “Early Career Award” from RGC and GRF/ECS Success Award 2023/24 from HKU Faculty of Education ]  [Collaborators: Prof. Li Wei (University College London), Dr. Yi Wang (Cardiff University), Prof. James Simpson (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)]

"Mediating English Language Learning in Synchronous Online Lessons: A Virtual Ethnography", Principal Investigator, Seed Fund for Basic Research for New Staff (HKD 150,000), University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong (January 2023 - January 2025) 

“Constructing a Translanguaging Space for Supporting Hong Kong Ethnic Minority Students in Managing Second Language Classroom Anxiety: A Pilot Study of English as a Second Language Classrooms”, Principal Investigator, Faculty Research Fund (HKD $60,000), Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (September 2022 - Present) 

Faculty Start-Up Fund, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKD $ 275,000)

• "Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Classrooms: A Linguistic Ethnographic Study of Classroom Interaction and Teachers' Reflection", Principal Investigator, +3 ESRC Doctoral Award, ESRC Overseas Fieldwork Grant, ESRC Overseas Institutional Visit Grant and ESRC Research Training Support Grant (approx. £80,480), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (Grant Reference: ES/P000592/1) (September 2019 - July 2021)
• "Literacy Education for Immigrant Adults: Materials and Teacher Training", Principal Investigator, University Research Scholarship (£1,200), Newcastle University (2016)

Supervision of Research Assistants At present, Professor Kevin Tai is supervising the following Research Assistants:

• Xinyi Wang , PhD Student in Language and Literacy Education, HKU Faculty of Education
• Karen Chung Ki Choi , PhD Student in Language and Literacy Education, HKU Faculty of Education 
• Melitta Somphrattana Von Pflug , Full Time Research Assistant 1, HKU Faculty of Education 
• Sabrina Yiu Yiu Choi , BA Student, HKU Faculty of Arts

Special Interest Group for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education, CAISE, The University of Hong Kong

The Special Interest Group (SIG) for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education under the Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE), Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong has been officially launched. Professor Kevin Tai is the Chair of the SIG . The Special Interest Group aims to build up a community of researchers and practitioners who share an interest in promoting translanguaging as an inclusive pedagogical approach in teaching and learning. If you have a passion for translanguaging and inclusive education and would like to stay updated on our activities and discussions, please feel free to join our email list. By subscribing, you will have the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals who are committed to promoting inclusivity in education. 

To register for our email list, please follow the Google link provided below:

https://groups.google.com/g/sig-tie/about

The purposes of the SIG are:

• Advance research and knowledge exchange on Translanguaging as an inclusive pedagogical approach that encourages teachers and students to value students’ linguistic and cultural repertoires, challenge the standard and named language ideologies and promote equitable learning, social inclusion and justice.
• Provide a platform for emergent and experienced scholars, as well as in-service and pre-service teachers, to engage in academic exchange on Translanguaging research and pedagogies.
• Provide occasional seminars and practical workshop sessions for students, teachers and researchers.

Publications

Publications 

(* indicates Corresponding Author)

( # indicates PhD Supervisee/Research Assistant)

Book Tai, K. W. H. 2023. Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: A Methodological Framework for Researching Translanguaging in Multilingual Classrooms . London: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003351047  

Book Reviews by:

• Mutiaraningrum, I. 2024. ‘Book review: Multimodal conversation analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis: A methodological framework for researching translanguaging in multilingual classrooms’. Multimodality & Society . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1177/26349795241252536
• Ningsih, Y. D. R. & Bram, B. 2023. ‘Multimodal conversation analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis: A methodological framework for researching translanguaging in multilingual classrooms’.   Language and Education 1-4. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2023.2222025
• Vivancos Sánchez, A. 2023. ‘Book review Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: A Methodological Framework for Researching Translanguaging in Multilingual Classrooms’. Language Value 16 (2): 146–151. DOI: 10.6035/languagev.7793
• Amansyah, F. and Anas, I. 2023. ‘Analyzing the Translanguaging Strategies in Educational Setting: A Book Review of Multimodal Conversational Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis’. The Qualitative Report 28 (6): 1851-1854. DOI: 10.46743/2160-3715/2022.6473

International Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

• Tai, K. W. H.  2024. ‘Transpositioning in English Medium Instruction Classroom Discourse: Insights from a Translanguaging Perspective’. Language and Education . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2024.2382748 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. and Wang, X. #  2024. ‘Exploring Ethnic Minority Students’ Perspectives on Anxiety in Learning Chinese as an Additional Language: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis’. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development . Epub ahead of Print. DOI:  10.1080/01434632.2024.2368053  (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2024. ‘A Translanguaging Perspective on Teacher Contingency in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction History Classrooms’. Applied Linguistics 45 (2): 207–248. DOI: 10.1093/applin/amac039 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2024. ‘The Affordances of iPad for Constructing a Technology-Mediated Space in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms: A Translanguaging View’. Language Teaching Research  28 (4): 1501-1551. DOI: 10.1177/13621688211027851 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. and Zuo, M. 2024. ‘The Development of an ESL Teacher’s Ability in Constructing a Virtual Translanguaging Space in Synchronous Online Language Tutorials’. Linguistics and Education 83: 1-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.linged.2024.101311 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. and Chung, E. 2024. ‘ESL Teacher’s Experiences of Engaging with Published Research Findings: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis’. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/17501229.2024.2315091 (SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Li, J. and Tai, K. W. H. 2024. ‘Examining the Effects of L2 Self-Guides on Chinese University EFL Learners’ Attitudes Towards Classroom Language Choice’. English Teaching & Learning. Epub ahead of Print.   DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-024-00175-y   (Invitation to Special Issue – ‘Motivation in the English Language Classroom’). (ESCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.  2024. ‘Transcending the Boundaries of Mode in Online Language Teaching: A Translanguaging Perspective on ESL Teachers’ Synchronous Small Group Online Tutorials’. System . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2023.103185 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2024. ‘Classroom Interactional Competence in an English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classroom: A Creation of a Technology-Mediated Translanguaging Space’. Learning and Instruction . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2023.101849 (Invitation to Special Issue – ‘ The Role of Multilingualism in Content and Language Integrated Learning Classroom Contexts ’) (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2023. ‘Documenting Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Second Language Knowledge: A Translanguaging Analysis of Classroom Interactions in a Primary English as a Second Language Classroom for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students’. Applied Linguistics Review . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1515/applirev-2023-0181 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2023. ‘Funds of Knowledge for Synchronous Online Language Teaching: A Translanguaging View on an ESL Teacher’s Pedagogical Practices’. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1515/iral-2023-0096 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.  2023. ‘Creating Translanguaging Spaces in a Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classroom: A Comparative Analysis of Classroom Interactions with and without the Use of iPad’. Linguistics and Education  78: 1-26. DOI: 10.1016/j.linged.2023.101227 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2023. ‘Engaging Students in Learning and Creating Different Translanguaging Sub-Spaces in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction History Classrooms’. Language and Education . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2023.2248958 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.  2023. ‘Shaping Student Responses into Academic Expressions: Analysing an English Medium Instruction History Classroom from a Translanguaging Perspective’. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2023.2232089 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Mendoza, A., Hamman-Ortiz, L., Tian, Z., Rajendram, S., Tai, K. W. H. , Ho, W. Y. J., and Sah, P. 2023. ‘Sustaining Critical Approaches to Translanguaging in Education: A Contextual Framework’. TESOL Quarterly . Epub ahead of Print. DOI:  10.1002/tesq.3240  (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Wong, C. Y. and Tai, K. W. H.  2023. “I made many discoveries for myself”: The Development of a Teacher Candidate’s Pedagogical Knowledge of Translanguaging”. System  116: 1-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2023.103058  (SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2023. ‘Embodied Enactment of a Hypothetical Scenario in an English Medium Instruction Secondary Mathematics Classroom: A Translanguaging Approach’. Language Teaching Research . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1177/13621688231152858 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2023. ‘Cross-Curricular Connection in an English Medium Instruction Western History Classroom: A Translanguaging View’. Language and Education  38 (3): 435-464. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2023.2174379 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]  [ This paper was selected as the most read article published in 2023 by Language and Education .]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Dai, D. 2023. ‘Observing a Teacher’s Interactional Competence in an ESOL Classroom: A Translanguaging Perspective’. Applied Linguistics Review . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1515/applirev-2022-0173 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.  2023. ‘Managing Classroom Misbehaviours in the Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms: A Translanguaging Perspective’. System 113: 1-35. DOI:  10.1016/j.system.2022.102959 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Wong, C. Y. 2023. ‘Empowering Students Through the Construction of a Translanguaging Space in an English as a First Language Classroom’. Applied Linguistics  44 (6): 1100–1151.   DOI: 10.1093/applin/amac069 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access] [ Awarded the Faculty Early Career Research Output Award (FECROA) from HKU Faculty of Education and the 2023 University Research Output Prize (ROP) from HKU for the excellent journal publication. ]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Zhao, V. Y. 2022. ‘Success Factors for English as a Second Language University Students’ Attainment in Academic English Language Proficiency: Exploring the Roles of Secondary School Medium-of-Instruction, Motivation and Language Learning Strategies’. Applied Linguistics Review . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1515/applirev-2022-0049 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Bui, G. and Tai, K. W. H. 2022. ‘Revisiting Functional Adequacy and Task-based Language Teaching in the GBA: Insights from Translanguaging’. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education  7 (40): 1-14. DOI: 10.1186/s40862-022-00160-7 (Invitation to Special Issue – ‘Rethinking Language Policy and Planning in the Greater Bay Area of China: Insights from Translanguaging theory’). (ESCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H. 2022. ‘Translanguaging as Inclusive Pedagogical Practices in English Medium Instruction Science and Mathematics Classrooms for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students’. Research in Science Education 52 (3): 975 - 1012. DOI: 10.1007/s11165-021-10018-6 (Invitation to Special Issue – ‘Multiple Representations and Social Semiotics’) (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Ho, W. Y. J. and Tai, K. W. H. 2021. ‘Translanguaging in Digital Learning: The Making of Translanguaging Spaces in Online English Teaching Videos’. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2021.2001427 (Invitation to Special Issue – ‘Trans(language)ing in Language Education: Meaning-Making past the Traditional Boundaries of Language(s)’) (SSCI-indexed Journal) [ This paper was selected as the most cited article published in the last 3 years (from 2020-2023) by the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism .]
• Cheung, K. K. C. and Tai, K. W. H. 2021. ‘The Use of Intercoder Reliability in Qualitative Interview Data Analysis in Science Education’. Research in Science and Technological Education . Epub ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1080/02635143.2021.1993179 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2021. ‘Constructing Playful Talk through Translanguaging in the English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classrooms’. Applied Linguistics 42 (4): 607-640. DOI: 10.1093/applin/amaa043 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [Open Access] [ Oxford University Press Linguistic Society of America 2022 Reading List has selected this paper as one of the most-read research articles that were published in “Applied Linguistics” in 2021 .]
• Pun, J. and Tai, K. W. H.* 2021. ‘Doing Science through Translanguaging: A Study of Translanguaging Practices in Secondary English as a Medium of Instruction Science Laboratory Sessions’. International Journal of Science Education 43 (7): 1112-1139. DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2021.1902015 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [ This paper was selected as the most cited article published in the last 3 years (from 2020-2023) by the International Journal of Science Education .]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2021. ‘Co-Learning in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Mathematics Secondary Classrooms: A Translanguaging Perspective’. Language and Education 35 (3): 241-267. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2020.1837860 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [ This paper was selected as the most cited article published in the last 3 years (from 2020-2023) by Language and Education .]
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Li, Wei. 2020. ‘Bringing the Outside In: Connecting Students’ Out-of-School Knowledge and Experience through Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classes’. System 95: 1-32. DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2020.102364 (SSCI-indexed Journal) [ This paper was selected as the most cited article published in the past 3 years (from 2020-2023) by System .]
• Ho, W. Y. J. and Tai, K. W. H. 2020. ‘Doing Expertise Multilingually and Multimodally in Online English Teaching Videos’. System 94: 1-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2020.102340 (SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Khabbazbashi, N. 2019. ‘Vocabulary Explanations in Beginning-level Adult ESOL Classroom Interactions: A Conversation Analysis Perspective’. Linguistics and Education 52: 61-77. DOI: 10.1016/j.linged.2019.06.006 (SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Khabbazbashi, N. 2019. ‘The Mediation and Organisation of Gestures in Vocabulary Instructions: A Microgenetic Analysis of Interactions in a Beginning-level Adult ESOL Classroom’. Language and Education 33 (5): 445-468. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2019.1596122 (SSCI-indexed Journal)
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Brandt, A. 2018. ‘Creating an Imaginary Context: Teacher’s Use of Embodied Enactments in Addressing a Learner’s Initiatives in a Beginner-Level Adult ESOL Classroom’. Classroom Discourse 9 (3): 244-266. DOI: 10.1080/19463014.2018.1496345 . (ESCI-indexed Journal) [ This paper was selected as one of the most cited articles of all time by Classroom Discourse .]

Invited Working Papers and Book Chapters

• Tai, K. W. H.  Accepted, Forthcoming. ‘Translanguaging in Multilingual Education’. The Encyclopaedia of Applied Linguistics . (Invitation to contribute an Article by the Editors).
• Tai, K. W. H. 2021. ‘Researching Translanguaging in EMI Classrooms’. In J. Pun and S. Curle (eds.) Research Methods for English Medium Instruction . London: Routledge. 119-132. DOI: 10.4324/9781003025115-9 
• Tai, K. W. H.* and Poon, B. L. M. 2016. ‘A Conversation Analysis of Teacher's Feedback and Students' Uptake in an Intermediate English as a Second Language Classroom at INTO Newcastle University’. Annual Review of Education, Communication and Language Sciences (ARECLS) 13: 15-43. ( EBSCO-indexed Journal ) [Open Access]

Newsletter Tai, K. W. H. 2021. ‘Publishing During Your Doctoral Studies’. The AAAL Graduate Student Council Newsletter 6 (1): 16-18. https://www.aaal-gsc.org/newsletter-fall-2021  

• Tai, K. W. H. 2021. Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Classrooms: An Ethnomethodologically Informed Study of Classroom Interaction and Teachers’ Reflection . PhD Thesis , University College London, U.K. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2018. Vocabulary Explanations and Second Language Development in Adult Beginner-Level ESOL Classroom Interaction: A Conversation Analysis Perspective . MSc Dissertation . University of Oxford, U.K. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2017. A Conversation Analysis of Learner-Initiated Responses in a Beginning-Level English as a Second Language Classroom for Adults . BA Honours Dissertation. Newcastle University, U.K. 

Conference Presentations and Posters

• Tai, K. W. H. 2024. August. Embodied Enactment of a Hypothetical Scenario in an English Medium Instruction Secondary Mathematics Classroom: Translanguaging and Transpositioning Perspectives. Paper will be presented at the 21st AILA World Congress, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Invited Symposium: “Expanding the understanding of communicative competence for EMI teaching and learning: From academic English centrism to repertoire assemblage”.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2024, August. Creating Translanguaging Spaces in a Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classroom: A Comparative Analysis of Classroom Interactions with and without the Use of iPad. Paper will be presented at the 21st AILA World Congress, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2024, March. Transcending the Boundaries of Modes: A Translanguaging Perspective on ESL Teachers’ Synchronous Online Lessons. Paper presented at the 2024 American Association for Applied Linguistics in Houston, Texas, USA. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2023, July. Transforming Students' Learning Through the Creation of a Translanguaging Space in an English as a First Language Classroom . Paper presented at the 2023 Hong Kong Association of Applied Linguistics Conference, Invited Symposium: “Translanguaging as theory and method: Implications for language planning and classroom practice”.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2023, March. A Translanguaging Perspective on Teacher Contingency in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction History Classrooms . Paper presented at the 2023 American Association for Applied Linguistics in Portland, Oregon, USA.
• Tai, K. W. H. and Wong, C. 2023, March. Developing students’ appreciation of linguistic diversity through creating a translanguaging space in a monolingual classroom . Paper presented at the 2023 American Association for Applied Linguistics in Portland, Oregon, USA.
• Wong, C. and Tai, K. W. H. 2023, March. The Development of an ESOL Teacher Candidate’s Knowledge of Translanguaging . Paper presented at the TESOL 2023 International Convention & English Language Expo in Portland, Oregon, USA.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2021, May. Playful Talk through Translanguaging in the English Medium Instruction Classrooms in Hong Kong: A Sociolinguistic Ethnography . Paper presented at the e-Sociolinguistics Symposium 23 in Hong Kong.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2021, February. Connecting Students’ Out-of-School Knowledge and Experience through Translanguaging in Hong Kong EMI Classes . Paper presented at the 2021 Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Invited Colloquium: “Translanguaging as multisensory and multimodal: Transcending linguistic and non-linguistic divide for complex knowledge-construction”.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2020, November. Translanguaging Practices in a Linguistically Diverse English Medium Instruction Mathematics Secondary Classroom in Hong Kong . Data presented at Multimodal-Analysis Research Group (MARG). Data Session, Newcastle University, U.K. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2020, October. Translanguaging in a Hong Kong EMI Mathematics Secondary Classroom . Conversation Analysis Data Session, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2020, February. Translanguaging Practices in EMI classes in Hong Kong . EMI Doctorial Webinar, Teaching English & Teaching in English in Global Contexts. Available at here .
• Chan, D., Tai, K. W. H. , and Naroden, A. 2019, June.  Do Cantonese-English bilinguals construe motion events differently from monolingual controls? Language production data from an eye-tracking study . Poster presented at The 12th International Symposium on Bilingualism (ISB12) in Canada. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2019, June. Embodied Enactment as a Form of Translanguaging: A Conversation Analysis of Beginning-level Adult ESOL Classroom Interactions. Paper presented at the 16th International Pragmatics Conference (IPrA) in Hong Kong. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2018, May. Vocabulary Explanations in Adult Beginner-Level ESOL Classroom Interaction: A Conversation Analysis Perspective . Paper presented at Kaleidoscope Conference 2018, The Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2018, May. Explaining Vocabulary in an Adult ESOL Classroom in the United States . Data presented at Multimodal-Analysis Research Group (MARG). Data Session, Newcastle University, U.K.
• Tai, K. W. H. 2018, February. Vocabulary Explanations in Adults’ Beginner-Level ESOL Classrooms . Data presented at Multimodal-Analysis Research Group (MARG). Data Session, Newcastle University, U.K. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2018, January. Creating an Imaginary Context: Teacher’s Use of Embodied Enactments in Addressing Learner Initiatives in a Beginner-Level Adult ESOL Classroom . Paper presented at Oxford University Hong Kong Scholars Association: Research Symposium 2018, University of Oxford. Available at here .
• Tai, K. W. H. 2017, October. Teacher's Feedback and Students' Uptake in an Intermediate English as a Second Language Classroom at a British University: A Conversation-Analytic Study . Paper presented at Oxford Educational Cloud Conference, University of Oxford. Available at here . 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2017, February. Beginner-level ESOL Classroom Interaction in USA . Data presented at Multimodal-Analysis Research Group (MARG). Data Session, Newcastle University, U.K. 
• Tai, K. W. H. 2016, November. Literacy Education for Immigrant Adults: Materials and Teacher Training . Poster presented at Newcastle University Research Scholarships 2016 Presentation Evening, Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
• Naroden, A., Tai, K. W. H.* , Chan, H. L. 2016, August. Linguistic Relativity Effects on Eye Gaze and Tense and Aspect Production in Cantonese and American English L1 and L2 Speakers. Poster presented at The Chinese University of Hong Kong Summer Undergraduate Research End-of-Programme Poster Presentation, Hong Kong.

Professional Community Services

Editorial Positions  

• Editor ,  The Language Learning Journal  (Routledge, ESCI-listed Journal)
• Assistant Editor ,  International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism  (Routledge, SSCI-listed Journal) 
• Editorial Board Member , Discover Education (Springer)
• Research Advisor , Cambridge Educational Research E-Journal (Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge)

Peer Reviewer for Conference Proposals

• Strand Coordinator of the Analysis of Discourse and Interaction Strand, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)

Grants Assessor

• External Reviewer ,  Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) (RGC Competitive Research Funding Scheme for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector), Research Grants Council of Hong Kong
• Reviewer , Education Research Funding Programme Research Grants , Ministry of Education, Singapore, and the Education Research Funding Programme Office

External Positions / Other Major Offices

School Manager , Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo), Hong Kong

School Manager , Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo No. 2 College), Hong Kong

Academic Host

• Sponsoring Faculty Member , Hung Leung Hau Ling Distinguished Visiting Professorship in the Humanities and Social Sciences for Professor Li Wei (University College London) to visit the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong for 16 days (2023-24). Value of Award: HKD $220,000.
• Sponsoring Faculty Member , Short-term Speaker Scheme for Professor Fan Fang (Shantou University) to visit the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong for 3 days (2023-24). Value of Award: HKD $1,000 (per-diem allowance) and hotel accommodation.

Professional Memberships

• Life Fellow , Royal Society of Arts, UK (2021-Present)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy , Advanced HE, UK (2023-Present)
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy , Advanced HE, UK (2021-2023)
• Alumni Mentor and Alumni Member  St Cross College, University of Oxford (2017-Present)
• Member , Committee on Conference Connections, American Association for Applied Linguistics (2024-Present)
• Member , American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) (2022-Present)
• Member , Bilin Academy Parent-to-Teacher Advisory Committee (2024-Present)
• Life Member , The Oxford Union (2017-Present)
• Alumni Member , Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge (2018-Present)
• Alumni Member , Goodenough College (2019-Present)
• Member , East-West Center Association, Hawaii (2021-Present)

Invited Peer Reviewer Professor Kevin Tai has acted as a reviewer for submissions to the following publishers and international journals:

• Routledge (Publisher for Linguistics)
• Applied Linguistics (SSCI-listed Journal)
• The Modern Language Journal (SSCI-listed Journal) 
• International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (SSCI-listed Journal)
• TESOL Quarterly (SSCI-listed Journal)
• System (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Language and Education (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Linguistics and Education (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Applied Linguistics Review (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Text and Talk (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Journal of English for Academic Purposes (SSCI-listed Journal)
• RELC Journal (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Classroom Discourse (ESCI-listed Journal)
• The Language Learning Journal (ESCI-listed Journal)
• Asian Englishes (ESCI-listed Journal)
• European Journal of Applied Linguistics (ESCI-listed Journal)
• TESOL Journal (ESCI-listed Journal)
• Asian Journal of English Language Teaching
• Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices
• ZDM – Mathematics Education (SSCI-listed Journal) 
• Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development (SSCI-listed Journal) 
• Language, Culture and Curriculum (SSCI-listed Journal)
• The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (SSCI-listed Journal) 
• Pedagogies: An International Journal (ESCI-listed Journal)
• Teaching and Teacher Education (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Global Chinese 
• Review of Educational Research (SSCI-listed Journal)
• Journal of English-Medium Instruction 
• ReCALL (SSCI-listed Journal) 
• International Journal of Social Research Methodology  

Knowledge Exchange: Invited Keynotes / Talks

Keynote Speaker , International Conference on Language Education in Multilingual Contexts, The English & Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India (27th of July 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Combining Multimodal Conversation Analysis with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Researching Translanguaging in Classroom Discourse”.

Keynote Speaker , The 9th Maritime Forum for Young Scholars in Language Research (第九屆語言研究青年學者海上論壇), Fudan University, Shanghai, China (5th of July 2024 – 7th of July 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Translanguaging for Inclusion and Social Justice in Multilingual Classrooms”.

Invited Speaker , Faculty Seminar, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford, UK (13th of June 2024)

• Being invited to present a seminar for graduate students on the topic of “Researching Translanguaging”. 

Invited Speake r, Professional Teaching Development Workshop, Shek Kip Mei Nursery School, Hong Kong (27th of May 2024)

Being invited to deliver a talk on the following topic: “Translanguaging Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education”

Distinguished Guest Speaker , Guest Lecture, College of Liberal Arts Shantou University, China (24th of May 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a talk on the following topic: “Conceptualising Translanguaging Sub-Spaces in English Medium Instruction Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a talk on the following topic: “From a Synergetic Research Agenda to Research Grants and Awards”

Invited Speaker , Parent Webinar Session, Bilin Academy, United States (20th of April 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Bilingual Bridges: Navigating the Future of Language Learning and Translanguaging”.
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afw2z2ElJQI 

Plenary Speaker , Center for Language Education 2024 Conference, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (13th of April 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a talk on the following topic: “Uncovering Multiple Translanguaging Sub-Spaces in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Classrooms”

Invited Speaker , Linguistics Program, Department of World Languages and Cultures, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States (21st of Mar 2024)

• Being invited to deliver a Spring Lecture to undergraduate students on the following topic: “Promoting Social Inclusion and Justice through Translanguaging and Co-Learning: A Case Study of an English as a First Language Classroom in the United States”

Newsletter, Education Matters , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (23rd of Jan 2024)

• A featured article in a practitioner-oriented magazine highlighted my groundbreaking research on translanguaging in multilingual classrooms.
• Title of the Article: “Translanguaging” in a Classroom of Native English Speakers
• Link: https://web.edu.hku.hk/newsletters/vol-20 

Chair, Advanced Multimodal Conversation Analysis Reading Group , Special Interest Group for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (January 2024 to February 2024) 

• The Advanced Multimodal Conversation Analysis Reading Group is a platform designed for PhD students to engage in discussions about the methodological aspects of Multimodal Conversation Analysis.
• Being invited to deliver a departmental research seminar on the following topic: “Engaging Students in Learning and Creating Different Translanguaging Sub-Spaces in English Medium Instruction Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Creating a Translanguaging Space for Promoting Social Inclusion and Justice in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Classrooms”
• YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyH1AqnlPE&t=2589s  
• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Drama and Teaching: From Stanislavski to Vygotsky”
• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Translanguaging for Inclusion and Social Justice in English Medium Instruction Classrooms”.
• Being invited to deliver a port talk on the following topic: “Academic Writing for International Publication: Preparing Manuscripts and Responding to Decisions”
• Port Talk is a distinguished speaker series at Goodenough College, which features business leaders, current and former Government officials and best-in-field cultural practitioners. Previous Port Talk speakers include the Chief Justice of the UK Supreme Court, the Ambassador of Japan to the Court of St James, and Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse.
• Organised a book launch at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong to critically reflect on the methodological implications of translanguaging research. 
• Invited Professor Li Wei and Professor James Simpson as Guest Speakers at the book launch.

Plenary Speaker , Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education (ICLHE) East Asia Symposium 2023 (22nd of April 2023)

• Being invited to deliver a plenary talk on the following topic: “Cross-curricular connection in an English Medium Instruction Western History classroom: A translanguaging view”

News Coverage , published by St Cross College, University of Oxford (14th of April 2023)

• A college news article which mentioned my single-authored book on translanguaging. 
• Title of the Article: “Translanguaging: A New Way to Communicate in Classrooms?”
• Link: https://www.stx.ox.ac.uk/article/translanguaging-a-new-way-to-communicate-in-classrooms
• Being invited to film a short video on the following topic: “雙語教育如何幫助中學生提升英語水平? How does Bilingual Education enhance English Proficiency of Secondary School Students?” 
• YouTube Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVFjL18ymJI

Mentor , American Association for Applied Linguistics 2023 Conference Connections Programme (17th of March to 21st of March, 2023)

• Being invited to mentor two PhD candidates in Applied Linguistics (Woongsik Choi and Disi Ai) who are interested in having more focused mentorship aimed at advanced professional development.

Invited Speaker , Faculty of Education Research Students' Association (FERSA), Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge (7th of March 2023)

• Being invited to deliver an academic writing and publishing workshop to graduate students at the University of Cambridge
• Being invited to deliver an academic writing workshop to graduate students at the University of Oxford
• YouTube Link:  https://youtu.be/uViDYcBjYG4
• Being invited to deliver a webinar on the following topic: “A Translanguaging Perspective on Teacher Contingency in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction History Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a keynote speech on the following topic: “Translanguaging: Transforming Language, Multilingualism and English Medium Instruction Education”
• Being invited to deliver a workshop to English Medium Instruction teachers in the Chinese context: “Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction (EMI) Secondary Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a seminar to MPhil and PhD students at Cambridge on the following topic: “Abstract Writing and Peer Review Process”
• Being invited to deliver a research seminar to the faculty members on the following topic: “Constructing Playful Talk through Translanguaging in the English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a research seminar to the faculty members on the following topic: “Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Analysing Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms”
• Being invited to deliver a seminar to PhD/EdD students on the following topic: “Publishing in international peer-reviewed Journals during PhD Studies” 

Invited Speaker , Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (24th of Feb 2022)

Invited Speaker , Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (21st of Feb 2022)

• Being invited to deliver a research seminar to the faculty members on the following topic: “Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Analysing Translanguaging in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms

Invited Speaker , EduKeeners Society, University College London, UK (20th of Feb 2022)

• Being invited to deliver a seminar to undergraduate students on the following topic: “Translanguaging: Transforming Language, Multilingualism and Second Language Education”.

Invited Speaker , UCL CA Research Seminar, UCL Conversation Analysis PhD Network, University College London, UK (15th of Feb 2022)

• Being invited to deliver a seminar to faculty members and PhD students on the following topic: “Researching Translanguaging in English Medium Instruction Classrooms: Combining Multimodal Conversation Analysis with Inoperative Phenomenological Analysis 

Guest Lecturer , Division of Humanities, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology MILE5107 Introduction to Research Methods in Language Education (Course Coordinator: Dr. James Simpson) (1st of Nov 2021)

• Master’s level Course (Guest Lecture on “Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Qualitative Research Methods for Analysing Translanguaging”)

Invited Speaker , Department of Culture, Communication and Media, IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK (19th of Oct 2021)

• Being invited to deliver a seminar at the Discourse, Society and Culture CCM Seminar on the following topic: “Classroom Interactions in Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms: A Translanguaging View”. 

Invited Speaker , School of Education, University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus) (18th of June 2021)

• Being invited to deliver a lecture at the Alternative Research Lounge session on the following topic: “Researching Translanguaging in English Medium Instruction Classrooms: Insights from a Linguistic Ethnography”.

Invited Speaker , Dr Xu Gazing at Academia (17th of June 2021)

• Being interviewed by Dr. Cora Xu (Assistant Professor of Education, Durham University) to discuss tips for publishing research papers in top-tier international peer-reviewed journals. 

Guest Lecturer , School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne, Australia LING90003 Research in Applied Linguistics (Course Coordinator: Dr. Helen Zhao) (22nd of April 2021)

• Master’s level Course (Guest Lecture on “Researching Translanguaging: Insights from Linguistic Ethnography in English Medium Instruction Classrooms”)

Invited Speaker , Department of English, Lingnan University, Hong Kong (22nd of March 2021)

• Being invited to deliver a departmental online seminar on the following topic: “What is Translanguaging? A Case Study from Hong Kong English Medium Instruction Secondary Classrooms”.

Guest Lecturer , UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics, IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK (5th of Feb 2021) IOEF0021: Researching Second Language Learning (Module Leader: Dr. Jim McKinley)

• MA-level TESOL Pre-Service Module (Guest Lecture on “Researching English Language Teaching: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis”)

Invited Speaker , School of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (8th of Nov 2020)

• Invited guest speaker on the following topic: “Translanguaging as a Theory of Language: Implications for English Medium Instruction Classrooms”.

Guest Lecturer , Department of Linguistics, The University of Hong Kong (9th of April 2020) LING2040 Languages in Contact (Course Coordinator: Professor Stephen Matthews)

• Undergraduate Advanced Linguistics Course (Guest Lecture on “Translanguaging as a Theory of Language”)
• Co-Director , Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE) (July 2023 - June 2025)
• Chair , Special Interest Group for Translanguaging and Inclusive Education, CAISE (Oct 2023 - Present)
• Chair , Working Group for Research, Academic Unit of Language and Literacy Education (Feb 2024 – Present)
• Elected Member , Faculty Research Committee (September 2023 - August 2025)
• Elected Member , Faculty Teaching and Learning Quality Committee (September 2023 - August 2025)
• Reviewer , Application for Re-Appointment of Beyond Retirement Age as Lecturer (September 2023)
• Internal Examiner ,   PhD Thesis Committee (September 2023 and Jan 2024)
• Interview Panel Member , BA and BEd in Language Education (English Language Education) JUPAS Admission Interview (2023-2024)
• Interview Panel Member , MEd in English Language Education and MEd in Content and Language Integrated Learning (2023)
• Convenor,  Supervisory Panel for Confirmation of PhD Candidature (Jan 2023 - Present)
• Member,  Board of the Faculty of Education (2022-Present)
• Member of the Selection Committee , HKU-Cambridge Hughes Hall Scholarships Scheme (2024)
• Member of the Selection Committee , Hong Kong Jockey Club Undergraduate Scholarship (2024) 
• Member of the Selection Committee , HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship (2023)
• Academic and Career Tutor (December 2022 - June 2024)
• Member , Postgraduate Programme Committee (2020-2021)
• Member , Board of Examiners for MA English Studies for the Professions (2020-2021)
• Course Representative for MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition  (2017-2018)
• Member ,   Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition Course Committee (2017-2018)
• School Representative   for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Degrees , School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (SELLL) (2015-2017)
• Member,  Undergraduate Board of Studies, School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (2015-2017)
• Member , Undergraduate Student-Staff Committee, School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (2014-2017)
• Member , Faculty Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (2015-2017)
• Member , Postgraduate Board of Studies, School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (2015-2016)
• Chair , Undergraduate Student-Staff Committee (UGSSC), School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (2015-2016)  
• Member , Learning and Teaching Review Committees (Education, Marketing, Marine Science), Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) (2015-2016)
• Member , Module and Stage Evaluation Steering Group, Learning and Teaching Development Service (2014-2015)
• Course Representative for   BA Honours in English Language and Literature , School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics (2014-2015)

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King's College London

Language, discourse & communication, option of joint phd with hku/nus, key information.

The Centre for Language, Discourse & Communication (LDC ) welcomes applications for the MPhil/PhD in Language, Discourse & Communication. The MPhil/PhD programme offers you the chance to undertake a piece of research that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to your field of study.

The Centre is housed in the School of Education, Communication & Society (ECS) at King’s College London and is a globally influential centre for language research with exceptional strengths in discourse studies and sociolinguistics. The over-arching research theme in the Centre is ‘Identities and Mobilities’, which reflects its core strength in research on (multingual) identities in a variety of everyday, institutional and mediated contexts.

Doctoral students are members of and supervised by academic staff in the LDC . We recommend that prospective students read through the LDC webpages to find their preferred area of research and potential supervisors.

Course Description

The MPhil/PhD in Language, Discourse & Communication aims to foster your scholarly and career interests and to prepare you for the world of academic research.

The Centre offers extensive research training and supervision on a range of (socio)linguistic methods and frameworks, including: cognitive linguistics, conversation analysis, corpus-assisted discourse studies, discourse & sociolinguistic approaches to social media communication, identities-in-interaction, narrative analysis and small stories research. We are looking for outstanding candidates to join a supportive and dynamic research community.

We welcome proposals on topics within the following broad areas: - Discourse, interaction & identity - Health Communication - Language and mind - Language education - Language, ethnicity and social class - Social media and digital text

Head of group/division

Professor Alexandra Georgakopoulou-Nunes and Professor Beatrice Szczepek Reed

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £6,540 per year

Part time tuition fees: £3,270 per year

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £24,360 per year

Part time tuition fees: £12,180 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £6,936 per year

Part time tuition fees: £3,468 per year

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £26,070 per year

Part time tuition fees: £13,035 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

• Study environment

Base campus

Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Study Environment

The School is located on the Waterloo Campus right in the heart of London, next to London's South Bank Centre which includes the British Film Institute (BFI), Hayward Gallery, and the National Theatre. The Waterloo campus is home to the Franklin Wilkins library, with the Strand campus and the Maughan Library only a short walk away across the river.

The School offers a supportive, lively and outward-looking intellectual environment. There are plenty of opportunities for informal interaction and designated study rooms for doctoral students. As part of the Faculty of Public Policy and Social Sciences, students also have the opportunity to build ties across the social sciences and humanities, as well as active cross-institutional links.

Postgraduate training

Our extensive research training for MPhil/PhD students consists of an initial foundation training programme which covers different approaches, assumptions and philosophies and introduces a range of tools, techniques and methods used in empirical work.

You will be allocated two supervisors who will work with you throughout your studies. The LDC prides itself in a supportive and vibrant research culture which always includes, and is often led by, PhD students. Regular events include: - The LDC Doctoral Lab, in which research students present and debate their work with staff and peers; - The Language and Popular Culture Lab, where Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD students select artistic and media events for linguistic analysis; - The Micro Discourse Analysis data sessions, where staff and PhD students working on interactional data bring data extracts for joint analysis; - The Communication Lab, where staff and students working on communication research present and discuss their work; - The Media and Culture workshops organized by King’s students as part the LISS DTP.

In addition, there are regular seminar series in Corpus Linguistics, ‘Language, Mind & Society’, and the Language Teaching Forum. LDC also organizes a range of regular collaborative research events with other institutions, such as the Cross-London Sociolinguistics Seminar.

Students are encouraged to participate in the training provided by the College's Centre for Doctoral Studies and the London Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Training Partnership (LISS-DTP) supported by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council.

• Entry requirements

Find a supervisor

Search through a list of available supervisors.

For more information regarding our courses please contact us using the details below

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

Connect with a King’s Advisor

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Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

MAAL7001 Applied corpus linguistics

• Curriculum Structure
• Graduates’ Testimonials
• Fees and Scholarships

COURSE TEACHER : Dr.  Lisa Cheung Email:  [email protected]    

Corpus linguistics allows us to see how language is used today and in different contexts, enabling us to teach language more effectively. By introducing the principles of corpus linguistics, this course will help students to understand various corpus approaches and tools that can be applied to language teaching and learning. 

The practical focus of the course encourages students to consider how to construct, annotate and derive statistical trends from large collections of both native and learner language data, either currently existing collections or of the student’s own collection. Students will receive hands-on training in corpus building and annotation software, and learn about automated techniques for dealing with large data. There will also be a focus on how corpora can be used in the English language classroom for the purposes of data-driven learning.  

This course introduces students to a variety of applications of corpus linguistics, including phraseology, lexicogrammar,  register, English for Specific Purpose, and curriculum design.  

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES   

By the end of the course, students will be expected to:  

• Understand the basic principles of corpus linguistics;
• Understand and evaluate current trends in applied corpus research;  
• Develop the methodological capabilities to conduct small to large scale corpus research projects using existing and self-built corpora; and  
• Identify and test how and when language corpora can be used for pedagogical purposes.  

SCHEDULE   

KEY REFERENCES   

Core Reading

Hunston , S. (2002).  Corpora in applied linguistics . Cambridge University Press.  

Suggested Readings  

Anderson, W. & Corbett, J. (2009).  Explaining English with online corpora: an introduction . China: Palgrave.  

McEnery, T., Xiao, R. &  Tono , Y. (2006).  Corpus-based language studies: An advanced resource book . Routledge.  

O’Keeffe, A., McCarthy, M., & Carter, R. (2007).  From corpus to classroom.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  

Teubert , W., &  Cermakova , A. (2004).  Corpus linguistics: A short introduction . London.  New York: Continuum.  

ASSESSMENT  

You have to submit a  2500-word  written assignment (individual).

An assignment on a topic negotiated with the course teacher which will be related to the planning for and the integration of corpus in a language teaching context. The corpus-based materials shall be included in appendices.

Produce a small-scale research project to build, annotate and extract meaningful results from a self-built corpus (e.g. a corpus of your students’ written essays) or an existing corpus (e.g. a publicly accessible corpus like BNC). The assignment will be an analytical discussion of the corpus findings in relation to lexis, grammar, phraseology, or register/discourse.

Master of Arts in Linguistics programme

Modern linguistics is the study of human languages in all aspects, ranging from structural to social, cognitive and educational concerns. Our MA in Linguistics degree for graduate students aims to provide postgraduate training for potential research students, in-service teachers and other language-related professionals such as editors and speech therapists. The programme provides an important forum for staff and postgraduates to keep abreast of the latest trends in the field and to contribute to its advancement.

HKU Linguistics graduates are well-rounded linguists who combine a scientific approach to language with the humanities and social sciences. Whether you want to pursue a career in linguistic research, engage professionally with the language processing, computation or publishing, or aim for leading roles in education management, you will find our program an excellent platform to gain state-of-the art knowledge of the field. Our approach encourages participation in exciting debates with peers and senior researchers alike.

The objectives of the programme are: 1) to engage students in the field of linguistics, including its scientific, social and human aspects; 2) to offer postgraduate level education to those who wish to engage as professionals in the study of languages, bilingualism and multilingualism; and 3) to train postgraduate students to conduct research on human language, its theories, empirical methods and applications.

This is achieved by completion of taught courses, and experience with independent research in linguistics.

More information about the programme can be found on this website.

Programme Learning Outcomes

The programme strives to provide an outstanding student-centred learning experience. Our curriculum, course contents, pedagogy, and assessment method are designed to develop students’ capabilities in life-long learning, critical intellectual enquiry and professional excellence. As a language-related discipline, the programme emphasizes communication and collaboration. Having completed the programme, students will be able to:- 1) demonstrate a critical understanding of the role of language in human society 2) demonstrate a thorough understanding of the theories and methods of linguistic research and teaching 3) demonstrate ability to apply linguistic theories to new problems 4) demonstrate ability to engage in the discourse of linguistic diversity in its social, education, and political dimensions 5) understand the importance of integrity, creativity and originality in research 6) develop skills in teamwork as well as independent research