Li-Shih Huang

Professor

Applied Linguistics, SLLC

Contact:: Office: CLE D367 lshuang@uvic.ca 250-472-4665

Credentials:: PhD (University of Toronto)

Area(s) of expertise:: Applied linguistics

Related links:

Website

Li-Shih Huang is a Professor in the Applied Linguistics section of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures at the University of Victoria.

Bio

Li-Shih Huang completed her Ph.D. at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). Prior to joining the University of Victoria in 2006, she was a full-time faculty member at the School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto. Her academic training encompasses specialized study of organizational psychology, international business and marketing, education, and applied linguistics. Currently, she is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Victoria.

Prior to pursuing a doctoral degree, Li-Shih spent over six years in management positions with multinational corporations. Since her first language-teaching job in 1992, Li-Shih has garnered extensive experiences in instruction and curriculum design in English language teaching (ELT) for general, academic, and business purposes at the undergraduate and graduate levels in Canada and overseas. Her creativity in designing pedagogical materials has been recognized by the largest international professional association in the field, TESOL, which awarded her the Mary Finocchiaro Award for Excellence in the Development of Pedagogical Materials. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Humanities Teaching Excellence Award and the 2017 TESOL Award for an Outstanding Paper on NNEST Issues.

Li-Shih's interests in research and scholarly dissemination extend quite broadly, including areas such as needs and outcomes assessment, corpus-aided teaching and learning, learner strategies in language learning and language testing, EAP assessment literacy, and reflective learning. She has received numerous internal research grants for her work in those areas (funded under the Internal Research Grant, Learning and Teaching Development Grant, and Learning and Teaching Centre Grant programs) and external research support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) (funded under the Partnership Development Grant, Standard Research Grant, Strategic Research Grant, and Insight Grant programs), the Educational Testing Service (ETS®), and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS™).

Li-Shih is also multilingual, with her translation competency accredited by national authorities in Australia (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) and Canada (the federal government’s Translation Bureau).

Visit Li-Shih’s website for additional information about her recent research projects and publications.

Courses

Selected publications

Huang, L.-S., Khatri, R., & Alhemaid, A. (2023). Enhancing learning through formative assessment: Evidence-based strategies for implementing learner reflection in higher education (pp. 59-73). Global perspectives on higher education: From crisis to opportunity. Springer.

Huang, L.-S. (forthcoming). Activities for building teachers’ toolkit and implementing action research. In Coombe, C., & Hiasat, L. (Eds.), Getting English language teachers research ready. Springer.

Huang, L.-S. (2021). Improving learner reflection for TESOL: Pedagogical strategies to support reflective learning. Routledge. (ISBNs: 978-0-36-737138-8; 978-0-42-935283-6)

Huang, L.-S. (2021). Learner strategies. In H. Mohebbi, H. & C. Coombe (Eds.), Research questions in language education and applied linguistics: A reference guide. Springer. (ISBN: 978-3-030-79142-1)

Huang, L.-S. (2021). Needs analysis. In H. Mohebbi, H. & C. Coombe (Eds.), Research questions in language education and applied linguistics: A reference guide. Springer. (ISBN: 978-3-030-79142-1)

Huang, L.-S. (2021). Chapter 6: (Mis)use of high-stakes standardized tests for multiple purposes in Canada? A call for an evidence-based approach to language testing and realignment of instruction. In Lanteigne, B., Coombe, C., & D. Brown (Eds.), Challenges in language testing around the world: Insights for language test users. Springer.

Huang, L.-S. (Ed.). (2018). Special Issue: The shifting landscape of professional self-development for ELT professionals. TESL Canada Journal, 35(2), i-193.

Huang, L.-S. (2018). Using corpora in teaching spoken grammar. In C. Rylance & A, Kevech (Eds.), New ways of teaching grammar. TESOL Press.

Huang, L.-S. (2018). Tasks for teaching pronunciation to advanced learners. TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching. Wiley.

Huang, L.-S. (2018). Teaching speaking to adult learners. TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching. Wiley.

Huang, L.-S. (2018). Corpus-based instruction. TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching. Wiley.

Huang, L.-S. (2013). Chapter 8: What can we learn from certified ski instructors about teaching academic speaking skills? In C. Stillwell (Ed.), Language teaching insights from other fields: Sports, arts, design, and more (pp. 77-87). TESOL Press.

Huang, L.-S. (2011). Language learners as language researchers: The acquisition of English grammar through a corpus-aided discovery learning approach mediated by intra- and inter-personal dialogues. In J. Newman, S. Rice, & H. Baayen (Eds.), Corpus-based studies in language documentation, use, and learning (pp. 91-122). Rodopi Press.

Huang, L.-S. (2010). Academic communication skills: Conversation strategies for international graduate students. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Pp. 128. (ISBN 978-0-7618-5280-3)

Huang, L.-S. (2009). Raising awareness of strategy use in speaking: An exploration of advanced adult second language learners’ reported strategy use and oral language production. Pp. 192. (ISBN 978-3-8383-0303-1)

Huang, L.-S. (2000). Chapter Three: Is native-like competency an attainable goal? – An investigation of an exceptionally accomplished adult foreign language learner. In J. Hung, V. Berry, V. Crew, & Davison, C. (Eds.). Discourses and developing in language education (pp. 29-45). The Chinese University of Hong Kong, vii+234. (ISBN 926-86103-1-7)

Selected presentations / talks / workshops

Huang, L.-S. (2025, March). Canadian Stakeholders and the Use of High-stakes Standardized Tests: Evidence-based Language Testing for Multiple Purposes. American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL 2025), Denver, CO.

Huang, L.-S. (2023, March). Supporting refugee learners of English for employment purposes: Empirical evidence and pedagogical opportunities. American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL 2023), Portland, OR.

Huang, L.-S. (accepted/2022, March). Strategies for supporting refugee learners of English for employment purposes. TESOL 2022 Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Huang, L.-S. (2020/21, August). Breading down barrier: A task-based approach to teaching learners with refugee experience. World Congress of Applied Linguistics (AILA 2021), Groningen, the Netherlands. (Virtual)

Huang, L.-S. (2021, March). "I have big, big, BIG dream!": Realigning instruction with the language-learning needs of Syrian refugees. American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL 2021). (Virtual)

Huang, L.-S. (2019, November). A game-based approach to teaching Chinese. ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) 2019, Washington, DC.

Huang, L.-S. (2019, October). A game-based approach to teaching beginner Chinese. BCATML Conference, Victoria, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2019, June). No one-size-fits-all? The language-learning needs of learners with refugee experience. ACLA-CAAL 2019, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Vancouver, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2018, March). A call for critical dialogue: EAP assessment from the practitioner’s perspective in Canada. The AAAL 2018 Conference, Chicago, IL.

Douglas, S. R., Anderson, T., Huang, L.-S., Zappa-Hollman, S., & Murphy, M. (2017, May). Panel: Canadian research perspectives on EAL teaching, learning, and assessment. The 50th BC-TEAL Annual Conference. Vancouver, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2017, May). EAP Assessment Practices from the Practitioners’ Perspective: Issues, discoveries, challenges, and opportunities. Colloquium: Mapping the Landscape: Language in the Canadian University. Vancouver, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2017, March). Reappraising the use of learners’ own-languages in English-language teaching. TESOL 2017 Convention, Seattle, WA.

Hartse, J. H., Huang, L.-S., Kielstra, N., Marr, J. W. (2016, April). Panel: Approaches to supporting second language writers across BC university contexts. The 48th BC-TEAL Annual Conference, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC.

Huang, L.-S., & Qian, X. (2016, April). Reappraising the use of translation/learners' L1s in English-language teaching. The 48th BC-TEAL Annual Conference, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2015, May). Program evaluation: Are we having the effect we want? 2015 BC-TEAL Annual Conference, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.

Stille, S., Huang, L.-S., Roumi, I., Bruce, R., Willians, J., Missere-Mihas, T., & Kinnear, P.(2015). Colloquium: English for academic purposes across disciplines in the Canadian university. TESOL 2015, Toronto, ON, March 2015.

Huang, L.-S. (2015, March). Assessing graduate English-as-an-additional-language students’ academic language-learning needs across disciplines. AAAL 2015, Toronto, ON.

Botelho, C., Alkutbi, D., & Huang, L.-S. (2015, February). Assessing EAL needs. BC-TEAL Regional Conference 2015, Victoria, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2014, August). Academic English is no one’s mother tongue: Students’ academic-communication challenges and pedagogical strategies for addressing them. Let’s Talk About Teaching 2014, University of Victoria.

Huang, L.-S. (2013, June). Organized Paper Session: Reflect for the best: Best practices for fostering learners’ reflection across disciplines. Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education 2013, Victoria, BC.

Huang, L.-S., Hill, C., Zhou, J., Guo, X, Qian, X., & Cai, K., (2013, June). Research Symposium: Researching strategies in speaking, reading, writing, translation, and vocabulary-learning: Issues, discoveries, challenges, and opportunities. Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics conference (CAAL 2013), Victoria, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2013, April). Cognitive processes involved in second-language speaking: Respondents’ strategic behaviours in testing and non-testing contexts. AERA (American Educational Research Association) 2013, San Francisco, CA.

Huang, L.-S. (2012, April). A multi-component approach to conducting outcomes assessments of English language-support units. AERA 2012, Vancouver, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2012, March). Second-language oral production and strategic behaviours mediated by spoken reflection. AAAL 2012, Boston, MA.

Huang, L.-S., Hannigan, P., & X. Guo. (2012, March). Researching L2 speaking and writing strategies: Issues, challenges, and opportunities. TESOL 2012 Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Huang, L.-S. (2012, March). Field-tested strategies for teaching small talk to graduate students. TESOL 2012 Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Huang, L.-S. (2011, March). Are we having the effect we want? Implementing outcomes assessment in an academic English language-support unit using a multi-component approach. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL 2011) Conference, Chicago, IL.

Huang, L.-S. (2009, October). The acquisition of grammatical knowledge and usage using a corpus-aided discovery approach. Paper presented at the American Association of Corpus Linguistics (AACL 2009) Conference, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.

Huang, L.-S. (2009, March). Academic communication needs of graduate and undergraduate students. Paper presented at the 43rd Annual TESOL Convention, Denver, CO.

Huang, L.-S. (2009, March). Languaging grammatical concepts using a corpus-based approach. Paper presented at the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL 2009) Conference, Denver, CO.

Huang, L-S., & Steffanick, A. (2008, June). Do different modalities of reflection matter? The effects of awareness raising on adult second-language learners’ oral production and strategy use. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics conference (CAAL 2008), Vancouver, BC.

Huang, L.-S. (2007, April). The Next Generation TOEFL® Academic Speaking Test: Test-Takers' Strategic Behaviours. Paper presented at 2007 AAAL Conference, Costa Mesa, CA.

Huang, L.-S. (2006, April). Facilitating success in academic writing and speaking through research-based pedagogy. Paper presented at the Teaching and the Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto: A Conference on Scholarship, Leadership, and Innovation, Toronto, ON. (co-presenters: J. Freeman and A. Clifford)

Huang, L.-S. (2005, November). Destablizing the construct of competence. Paper presented at the TESL Ontario Conference, Toronto, ON. (co-presenter: J. Freeman)

Huang, L.-S. (2004, March). Raising learners’ awareness of strategy use: Is it enough? Paper presented at TESOL 2004, Long Beach, CA.

Huang, L.-S. (2003, June). Integrating sociocultural theory and systemic functional linguistics in the investigation of adult second language learners' development of oral discourse and strategy use. Paper presented at 2003 CAAL, Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities, Halifax, NS.

Huang, L.-S. (2003, May). (Co-presenter). Fostering self-regulated learning: Technologies for improving the writing/speaking of non-native speakers of English. Paper presented at The Nexus Conference: Connecting Teaching, Technology and Inclusive Learning. Toronto, ON.

Huang, L.-S. (2002, October). Examining the effects of heightening awareness of strategy use. Paper presented at the Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) 2002, Toronto, ON.

Huang, L.-S. (2002, September). Don’t know what to say? Aristotle will help! Demonstration session presented at the First International Congress on Teaching English at the University Level, The Benemirita Universidad Autsnoma de Puebla, Mexico.

Huang, L.-S. (2002, September). Teaching speaking for academic purposes at the graduate level. Paper presented at the First International Congress on Teaching English at the University Level, The Benemirita Universidad Autsnoma de Puebla, Mexico.

Huang, L.-S. (2002, May). Self-reflection, strategy use, and individual adult learners’ development in language learning. Paper presented at the Annual UWO Applied Linguistics Conference, London, ON.

Huang, L.-S. (2001, December). Pathway to oral communication competence. Paper presented at the 2001 International Language in Education Conference (ILEC), The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, PRC.

Huang, L.-S. (2000, December). Computer-mediated learning activity. Paper presented at the 16th annual International Language in Education Conference (ILEC), The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC.

Huang, L.-S. (2000, June). An investigation of learners' and instructors' approaches to lexical learning and instruction in a Chinese as a foreign language classroom. Paper presented at the 12th North American Conference on Chinese Linguistics (NACCL), San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.

Huang, L.-S. (1999, December). Is native-like competency an attainable goal? Paper presented at the 1999 International Language in Education Conference (ILEC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC.

Current research projects / information

Current Research Projects:

SSHRC Insight Grant (2021 - present): Canadian stakeholders and the use of high-stakes standardized tests: Evidence-based language testing for citizenship, academic, and professional purposes (Role: PI)
SSHRC Insight Grant (2017 - 2022): Breaking down barriers: A own-language task-based approach to teaching learners with refugee experience (Role: PI) (extended to 2022)
SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (2018 - 2021): Hul'q'umi'num' phonetic structures: Exploring paths towards fluent pronunciation (Application: Co-Investigator, PIs: S. Bird and D. Gerdts)
SSHRC Partnership Grant (2017 - present): NEȾOLṈEW: one mind, one people working to understand and enhance indigenous adults' contributions to reviving indigenous languages in Canada (Application: Collaborator; PIs: O. McIvor, UVic and P. Jacobs, SFU)

* SSHRC = Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Completed Projects:

Funded by SSHRC Connection Grant (completed in 2018): Mapping the landscape: Colloquium on language in the Canadian university (Role: Co-Investigator; PI: S. Van Viegen, SFU; Co-Investigators: S. Zappa-Hollman, UBC; P. Kinnear, U of T)
Funded by the University of Victoria’s Internal Research Grant (completed in 2017): Assessing English for academic purposes: A rarely evaluated means to carelessly examined ends? (Role: PI)
Funded by SSHRC* Partnership Development Grant (completed in 2016): Netolnew: one mind, one people working to understand and enhance indigenous adults' contributions to reviving indigenous languages in Canada (Role: Collaborator; PIs: O. McIvor and P. Jacobs)
Funded by SSHRC* Strategic Research Grant (Research Development Initiatives Program) (completed in 2013): Assessing graduate English-as-an-additional-language students’ academic language-learning needs across disciplines: Questionnaire development, implementation, and validation (Role: PI)
Funded by the University of Victoria’s Internal Research Grant (completed in 2013): Use of iReflect in facilitating graduate English-as-an-additional-language students’ oral language production (Role: PI)
Funded by IELTS™ (The International English Language Testing System) Australia (completed in 2012): Cognitive processes involved in performing the IELTS™ Speaking Test: Respondents’ reported strategic behaviours in testing and non-testing contexts (*Jointly supported by the British Council and IELTS™ Australia with support from the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations) (Role: PI)
Funded by SSHRC* Insight Development Grant (2011 - 2014): Picking up the strands: Weaving together multimedia documentation in developing corpora for Salish and Wakashan language and music (Role: Collaborator; PI: S. Urbanczyk)

Funded by SSHRC* Standard Research Grant (completed in 2012): Do the ways learners reflect matter: Modalities of reflection and their relationship to adult second-language learners’ reported strategic behaviours and oral language production (Role: PI)
Funded by the University of Toronto’s Community Teaching Project Research Award (completed in 2001): Pathway to communicative competence (Role: PI)
Funded by the Educational Testing Service (completed in 2008): The speaking section of the TOEFL® iBT (SSTiBT): Test-takers’ reported strategic behaviours (Role: Co-principal investigator, PI: M. Swain)
Funded by SSHRC Internal Research Grant and Faculty Research Grant (completed in 2007): Awareness raising and modalities of reflection on advanced adult second-language learners’ development of strategy use and oral production (Role: PI)

Funded by the Learning and Teaching Development Grant (completed in 2008): Coming-to-know-while-talking-it-through: Languaging grammatical concepts (Role: PI)
Funded by the Learning and Teaching Centre Grant (completed in 2009): Academic language-learning needs across disciplines (Role: PI)
Funded by the University of Victoria’s Internal Research Grant (completed in 2010): Language learners as language researchers: Corpus-aided discovery learning using peer-peer discussion sessions (Role: PI)
Funded by the Learning and Teaching Centre (completed in 2010): Progress/Outcomes assessment of the Learning and Teaching Centre’s Writing Centre (Role: PI)