Letter from the Editors
Svetlana Koltovskaia, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, OK, USA
Sidury Christiansen and Michael Mauricio, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
Dear SLWIS members,
It is with great pleasure that we present to you the Spring edition of the SLW News. We would like to thank each and every contributor who has played a pivotal role in the success of this newsletter.
Our journey through this issue begins with a reflective piece from our outgoing chair, Sidury Christiansen. In her letter, Sidury elaborates on the numerous initiatives she spearheaded during her term, setting a solid foundation for future endeavors. Following this, we invite you to delve into the incoming chair letter by Svetlana Koltovskaia, who outlines her vision for building upon the groundwork laid by the outgoing chair, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained progress.
A highlight of this issue is the Technology-Enhanced Language Learning submission, where students from the University of Arizona present two innovative, gamified corpus-based activities designed to teach evaluative adjectives in foundational second language (L2) writing classes. These activities were created to boost student engagement, motivation, and collaboration, enriching the learning experience.
Furthermore, we are proud to feature an Advice From Practitioners submission. In this insightful piece, a student from the University of Arizona shares valuable pedagogical activities and materials. These resources, rooted in critical language pedagogy, are tailored for L2 writing instructors seeking to cultivate an inclusive, diverse classroom environment that emphasizes critical thinking and awareness of global issues.
Do not miss out on an inspiring interview in our Meet the Experts section, where we had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Svetlana Suchkova. Dr. Suchkova offers a fascinating glimpse into her entry into the field of SLW, her research interests, and more, alongside invaluable advice for those aspiring to develop expertise in SLW.
We hope you find this issue not only enlightening but also instrumental in furthering your contributions to the field of second language writing. Thank you for your continued support and engagement with the SLWIS community.
Warm regards,
Svetlana Koltovskaia
Sidury Christiansen
Michael Mauricio
Svetlana Koltovskaia is an Assistant Professor of English and Director of the ESL Academy at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Her research centers around L2 writing, computer-assisted language learning, and L2 assessment. She had her works published in journals like Assessing Writing, ReCall, JALT CALL, and TESL-EJ.
Sidury Christiansen is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is a Fulbright Scholar and English Language Specialist. Her research centers around issues of digital literacies, sociolinguistics, and transnationality in online spaces. Her publications have appeared in the journals such as Written Communication and TESOL Quarterly. She promotes technology for the enhancement of teaching and learning, especially of second language writing.
Michael Mauricio is a multilingual teacher of English with nine years of teaching experience. He earned his Master of Arts in Education degree with specialization in English Language Teaching from Philippine Normal University, The National Center for Teacher Education, Manila, Philippines. His research interests include language policy and planning, language in STEM education, teacher education, and multilingualism. He is currently doing a Ph.D. in Culture, Literacy and Language at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).