Dr. AHN So-Yeon

So-Yeon Ahn studied English interpretation and translation at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea, and obtained a MS.Ed degree in TESOL at the University of Pennsylvania. She gained her doctoral degree in Foreign and Second Language Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo. 

She conducts research on language teacher and learner identity, language play and language awareness, translanguaging, intercultural communication, and social and cultural approaches to language learning. She is particularly interested in the multimodal analysis of language teacher and language learner identity construction and societal ideologies. Her recent work has appeared in Language Awareness, Journal of Language and Intercultural Communication, and Humor-International Journal of Humor Research. 

Publications

Ahn, S.-Y. (2017). Cultural representations as a medium of instruction in an ESL classroom. Korean Journal of Applied Linguistics, 33(4), 27-45. doi:10.17154/kjal.2017.12.33.4.27    

Ahn, S.-Y., & West, G. B. (2017). Young learners’ portrayals of ‘good English teacher’ identities in South Korea. Applied Linguistics Review. doi: 10.1515/applirev-2016-1064    

Ahn, S.-Y., & Kang, H.-S. (2017). South Korean university students’ perceptions of different English varieties and their contribution to the learning of English as a foreign language. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38(8), 712-725. doi: 10.1080/01434632.2016.1242595    

Shin, H., Ahn, S.-Y., & Kim, Y. (2017). A policy analysis on the process-based evaluation: Focusing on middle school teachers in Seoul. The Journal of Curriculum and Evaluation, 20(2), 135-162.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2016). Bridging notions of language play and language awareness. HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research, 25(4), 539-554. doi: 10.1515/humor-2016-0004    

Ahn, S.-Y., & West, G. B. (2016). Unmasking young learners’ perceptions of good language teacher identity. English Teaching, 71(1), 73-95. doi: 10.15858/engtea.71.1.201603.73    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2016). Exploring language awareness through students' engagement in language play. Journal of Language Awareness, 25(1-2), 40-54. doi: 10.1080/09658416.2015.1122020    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2015). Criticality for global citizenship in Korean English immersion camps. Journal of Language and Intercultural Communication, 15(4), 533-549. doi: 10.1080/14708477.2015.1049612    

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2014). Preschool world language learners’ engagement with language: what are the possibilities? Journal of Language Awareness, 23(4), 319-333. doi: 10.1080/09658416.2013.804831    

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2013). Awakening to world languages: Intercultural awareness in very young learners. Learning Languages, 18(2), 44-48.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2013, March 20). From study to residence abroad [Review of the book Intercultural journeys: From study to residence abroad, by J. Jackson]. Journal of Language and Intercultural Communication, 13, 245-248. doi: 10.1080/14708477.2013.771516  

Conference Papers and Colloquia

Ahn, S.-Y. (2017, July). Language play as a site for exploring learners’ language awareness. Paper presented at the Korea Association of Teachers of English (KATE) 2017 International Conference, Seoul, South Korea.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2017, June). Examining culturally-based gender identities of marriage immigrants in South Korea: A multimodal textbook analysis. Paper presented at the International Society for Language Studies (ISLS), Honolulu, Hawaii.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2017, June). Negotiating imagined adult English learner identity in globalization. Paper presented at the International Society for Language Studies (ISLS), Honolulu, Hawaii.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2017, March). Investigating English learner identity in transformation: A multimodal analysis. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2017 Conference, Portland, Oregon.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2016, August). Unraveling English learner identity through a multimodal lens: From ‘past/current’ to ‘future’. Colloquium paper presented at the Psychology of Language Learning II, Jyväskylä, Finland.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2016, July). From ‘past/current’ to ‘imagined’ English learner identity in the intercultural context. Paper presented at the 13th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness, Vienna, Austria.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & Kang, H.-S. (2016, July). Uncovering Korean EFL Learners’ Awareness of and Attitude towards World Englishes. Paper presented at the 13th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness, Vienna, Austria.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2016, July). Examining English teacher’s use of culture for awareness raising. Paper presented at the Korea Association of Teachers of English (KATE) 2016 International Conference, Seoul, South Korea.    

Lee, K., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2016, April). Promoting intercultural communicative competence in higher education. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2016 Conference, Orlando, Florida.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2015, November). Learners' play with language and language awareness. Paper presented at the English Linguistic Society of Korea (ELSOK), Seoul, South Korea.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2015, November). Envisioning the concept of “good language teacher” (GLT) identity: The case of public documents and interview data. Colloquium paper presented at the 114th American Anthropological Association (AAA) Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2015, September). Decoding cultural representation in English learning. Paper presented at the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK), Seoul, South Korea.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & West, G. (2015, September). Imagining ‘good English teacher’ identities in Korea. Paper presented at the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK), Seoul, South Korea.      

Ahn, S.-Y. (2015, August). Examining the notion of criticality for the shaping of global citizens in Korean English immersion camps. Paper presented at the 7th World Congress of International American Studies Association, Seoul, South Korea.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & West, G. (2015, March). Envisioning “good” English teacher identity in South Korea: Student and teacher multimodal constructions. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics 2015 Conference, Toronto, Canada.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & West, G. (2014, October). Imagining ‘good English teacher’ identities in Korea. Paper presented at the 2014 Joint KOTESOL-KAFLE International Conference, Seoul, South Korea.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2014, July). Exploring language awareness through students’ engagement in language play. Paper presented at the 12th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness 2014, Hamar, Norway.    

Kearney, E., Ahn, S.-Y., & Zhai, L. (2014, July). Novice teachers developing a concept of language awareness and exploring its pedagogical potential. Paper presented at the 12th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness 2014, Hamar, Norway.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2014, March). Globalization and good language teacher (GLT) identity: The case of promotional websites, recruitment materials and policy documents in South Korea. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics 2014, Portland, Oregon.    

Ahn, S.-Y. (2013, June). Decoding the concept of “good language teacher” (GLT) identity: The case of publicly available documents in South Korea. Paper presented at the International Society for Language Studies, San Juan, Puerto Rico.    

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2013, June). Pre-school foreign language learning in the U.S.: A site for shifting language ideologies and promoting social justice. Paper presented at the International Society for Language Studies (ISLS), San Juan, Puerto Rico.    

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2013, April). Disrupting dominant language ideologies through very early “foreign” language education in the U.S. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association, San Francisco, California.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & Kearney, E. (2013, March). Developing critical cultural awareness through very early foreign language learning. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics 2013 Conference, Dallas, Texas.    

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2012, October). Cultivating language awareness among pre-school foreign language learners. Paper presented at the 31st Annual Second Language Research Forum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.    

Ahn, S.-Y., Hu, T.-C., & Oh, H.-J. (2012, January). Exploring the dynamics of intercultural spaces in an ESL class. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence, Tucson, Arizona.    

Ahn, S.-Y., & Kearney, E. (2011, August). Preparing foreign language teachers in the state of New York for the cultural dimensions of their practice. Paper presented at the Sixteenth AILA World Congress of Applied Linguistics, Beijing, China.  

Ahn, S.-Y., & Kearney, E. (2011, May). Re-Examining the foreign language methods course: Interviews with teacher educators. Paper presented at CARLA's Seventh International Conference on Language Teacher Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota.      

Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2011, May). Enhancing study abroad design to better support language teachers' development. Paper presented at CARLA's Seventh International Conference on Language Teacher Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota.