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  Elizabeth Specker, Ph.D.


curriculum vitae

updated 03/15/09


teaching experience
teacher training
ESL classes taught
selected publications
intn'l & nat'l presentations
invited speaker
professional memberships & Services
research interests and training
grants & scholarships
video production & materials
computer knowledge
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EDUCATION:
Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary studies in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT),
          August 2008, University of Arizona

dissertation title: "L1/L2 eye movment reading of closed captioning: A multimodal analysis of multimodal use
chairs: Linda Waugh, Tom Bever, Yetta Goodman

M.A., Applied Linguistics, TESOL concentrate, May 2000, Ohio University
thesis title: “Pay attention: How does closed captioning affect the learner’s retention?”
advisor: Scott Jarvis

B.A., Anthropology, (Spanish minor, Business minor), May 1993, State University of New York at Plattsburgh

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TEACHING:

includes:
undergraduate
graduate
K-12 (ESL)
IEP (ESL)
EFL
ITA

Assistant Professor, English as a Second Language, American River College, Sacramento, CA                                
August 2008 - present

Instructor, Graduate College, University of Arizona                           
697E  English Pronunciation for International Teaching Assistants     Spring 2008                   

Graduate Teaching Associate for the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program
University of Arizona, School of Architecture,  Spring 2008 TRAD 104: Sonora

Instructor, Graduate Teaching Assistant/Associate position in English Composition
University of Arizona, English Department, Writing Program
English 101, 102, 108, 393, 101 +
August 2002 - Fall 2007

Coordinator Writing Center of the University of Arizona,  academic years 2005-2007

Lecturer Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), University of Arizona
Teen Program July – August 2003, 2004, 2005
Intensive English Program June - August 2006, 2007
Medical Students June - August 2008

Invited Lecturer,  EL/L MA Program    English 406, Modern English Grammar
"Patterns in English Syntax", "The Lexicon:  Meaning and Dictionaries"                
Fall 2007

Instructor, Evening Program Intermediate General English Program, CESL
University of Arizona                        
September – December 2004

Instructor, Full time Intern position, American Language Program,
The Ohio State University  
August 2000 – August 2002

Orientation Trainer – Fulbright scholars
Ohio University, August 2000

TA Ohio Program of Intensive English, Ohio University
June 1999 – May 2000

TA East Elementary School, Athens, Ohio     grades 1 & 4
ESL classroom     September 1998 – June 1999

Teacher, EFL, grades 4-8, Vaslui, Romania (Peace Corps)
September 1996 – June 1998

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
AREAS OF INTEREST, STUDY AND RESEARCH:
  • Linguistics and the study of literature, semiotics and language, metaphor/metonymy, discourse analysis, multimodality, closed captioning, contrastive analysis
  • Psycholinguistics (multilingualism, bilingualism, code-switching, lexical access, sentence processing and comprehension, speech perception)
  • Media Arts: theory and criticism, appropriation & remediation on the internet
TEACHER TRAINING:









Coordinator, Korean National University of Education, for the Center of English as a Second Language, University of Arizona, 12/2005 – 2/2006.

Instructor: SEI (Sheltered English Instruction) teacher training at Lincoln Elementary School, Nogales, AZ. 
Topic: “Content as Language”. April 16, 2005.

Instructor: SEI workshop: TEFL Certificate workshop for Center of English as a Second Language, University of Arizona. Topic: “Applied Activities”, March 4 & 11, 2005.


PUBLICATIONS & BOOK REVIEWS:

Specker, E. (2008). The use of bilingual pragmatic markers: Identity in mediated learning. Arizona Working
Papers, vol. 15.
Second Language Acquisition and Teaching, University of Arizona

Specker, E. (forthcoming). Review: “Political Discourse in the Media” (A. Fetzer & G. Lauerbach, Eds.). (2007/8). Johns Benjamins Publ.. Linguist List.

Specker, E. (2006). Review: “El subtitulado cinematográfico: Fusión de palabra, gesto y movimiento escénico” (González Rodríguez, M. J.). (2006). Linguistlist, (17, 2792). http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2792.html  

Specker, E. & Askildson, L. (2006). (Eds.). Arizona Working Papers, 13. Second Language Acquisition and Teaching. University of Arizona.

Specker, Elizabeth (2005).  Review: “Metalanguage: Social and ideological perspective.” (Jaworski, J., Coupland, N., & Galasinski, D., Eds.) (2004).  Linguistlist, (16, 1939). http://linguistlist.org/issues/16/16-1939.html.

Beckman-Brito, K. & Specker, E. (2005). (Eds). Arizona Working Papers, 12. Second Language Acquisition and Teaching, University of Arizona.

Waugh, L., Barletta, N., Smith, S., Specker, E., Steinhart, S., & Wang, J., (2005). “Peircean Theory, Diagrammatic Iconicity and Academic Texts: Global Structure, Abstracts, and The Role of Narrative”. Invited article for: Logos and Language. Journal of General Linguistics and Language Theory, V:1.

Specker, E. (2000). First Aid in the ESL/EFL classroom. TESOL Journal, (9) 1.

Specker, E. (1999). Dave Sperling’s ESL Café. Ohio TESOL Newsletter, (21) 3.


(in progress) "Metonymy and Metaphor in the media: Conceptual Change and Conventionalization”

(in progress) "The use of bilingual pragmatic markers: Identity in mediated learning"

(in progress) "Turn the captions on: Language learning and literacy"

(in progress) "Moving text vs Static text: L1/L2 eye movement reading patterns"

SAMPLE of PRE-UNIVERSITY ESL CLASSES TAUGHT:
Beginner: grammar, reading/writing, listening/speaking
Intermediate/high: grammar, reading/writing, listening/speaking
English Composition 151//108: writing for matriculated international university students
Electives: public speaking, conversation, academic speaking, film, American Humor in Sitcoms, pronunciation

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PRESENTATIONS:
National & International

Specker, Elizabeth (2009). "Use the CC: Helping your students improve reading" presented at CATESOL 2009, Pasadena, California. April 18, 2009.

Specker, Elizabeth (2009). "Masking it: Revealing the multifaceted underlying writer" presented at CATESOL 2009, Pasadena, California. April 17, 2009.

Specker, Elizabeth (2009). "Multimodal language learning environments: Reading dynamic texts" poster presented at AAAL Conference, Denver, Colorado. March 23, 2009.

Waugh, Linda, Elizabeth Specker, & Jun Zhao (2007). “Metaphor and Metonymy in Spontaneous, Co-Speech Gestures” presented at the 14th Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning Research Working Conference, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.  October 27th, 2007

Specker, Elizabeth (2007). “Code-switching discourse markers as indicators of social relationships: bilingual characters in the educational entertainment show Maya and Miguel”. Poster session at AAAL, Costa Mesa, California. April 21-24, 2007.


Specker, Elizabeth. (2007). “Discourse markers in code-switching: Social relationships in Maya & Miguel”.  Paper presented at 17th International Conference on Pragmatics & Language Learning (PLL), University of Hawai’i at Manoa. March 26-28, 2007.


Specker, Elizabeth. (2006). “Metonymy in the Media: Conceptual change and conventionalization” in the panel presentation: “Metaphors of Power: Critical inquiries into constructing metonymous others”
Presented at the RaAM 6 Conference (Research and Applying Metaphor), Leeds, England, April 10-12 2006.

Specker, Elizabeth (2006) “Code-switching of discourse markers in ‘Maya & Miguel’. Colloque des Estudiants  Cherchuers en Didactique des Langues et en Linguistique, July 2006, Grenoble, France (did not attend).


Zhao, J., Smith Hallak, M., & Specker, E. (2006, March). “Media as a medium for learning gestures”. Presented at TESOL 2006, Tampa, FL


Johnson, Neil H. & Specker, Elizabeth. (2004, March). “Metaphorical frameworks for enhancing video and film”. Presented at TESOL 2004, Long Beach, CA.


Specker, Elizabeth (2002, April). Closed Captioning enhances different types of learning.  Presented at TESOL 2002, Salt Lake City, UT.

Specker, Elizabeth, & Bruehler, Anne. (2001, February). Making Video into Web Projects Using Non-Scary Technology. Project presented at TESOL 2001 Internet Fair, St. Louis, MO.


PRESENTATIONS:
Regional

       Obrien Ramirez, Kathleen & Elizabeth Specker (2008). “Eye fixation in Multilingual Reading”. Presented at the Language, Reading & Culture Colloquy, Tucson, AZ, Feb. 28, 200


Specker, Elizabeth. (2007). “Choice of Modalities: comprehension strategies in L1 & L2” poster session at SLAT Roundtable, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, March 3, 2007.

Specker, Elizabeth. (2006). “Metonymic terrorism in the media”. Presented at the New Directions Conference, University of Arizona, April 8, 2006.

Beckman-Brito, K., Johnson, N., Specker, E., & Steinhart, S. (2004, March). “Respecting Voice: identity, contrastive rhetoric, diversity, and the role of negotiation”.  Presented at Language at the Borders Spring Conference 2004, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

Specker, Elizabeth (2003, January). ESL students and American Sitcoms. Presented at AZTESOL mini-conference, Tucson, AZ.

Specker, Elizabeth. (2001, October).  ESL students and American Humor in Sitcoms.  Presented at OTESOL Fall Conference 2001, Columbus, OH.

Specker, Elizabeth, & Sandholdt, Lori. (2001, April). Poster Sessions for high & low level students: the process and the products. Presented at OTESOL Spring Conference 2001, Athens, OH.

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INVITED SPEAKER:

Moving text vs Static text: L1/L2 eye movement reading patterns”, SLAT colloquium. (Feb. 08, 2008)

“ESL/EFL CALL in/out of the classroom”, ENGL 613 Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Professor Suzanne Panferov (November 13, 2007).

“Metonymy in the Media: Conceptual change and conventionalization”, SLAT colloquium. (April 21, 2006).

“Using Media in the EFL classroom”, Korean National University for English (KNUE) teacher training program, Center for English as a Second Language, University of Arizona. (Feb. 18, 2006). 

“Contrastive analysis & semiological analysis in Harry Potter”, Honors English Composition 103h class, instructor: Jennifer Jacovitch. (Sept. 08, 2004).

“Metaphorical frameworks for enhancing video and film” SLAT colloquium (April, 09, 2004). (with Neil H. Johnson).

“Metaphorical frameworks and the ESL classroom” (with Neil H. Johnson) for CESL Outreach and Professional Development, coordinated by Al Stover. (March 11, 2004)



GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS:

$500.00            Winner of GIDP Student Poster Contest, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching                                                                                           December 7, 2006

$1000.00 grant                                                  March, 2006
Professional Opportunity and Development Grant, Graduate Professional & Student Council.  Awarded for use with the dissemination of information for the Metaphor & Metonymy Group

$1000.00 grant                                                 March, 2005
Professional Opportunity and Development Grant, Graduate Professional & Student Council.  Awarded for use with the Arizona Working Papers, vol. 12.

GRS (Graduate Registration Scholarships) awarded by SLAT for use to cover tuition costs                                                      2002, 2003, 2005

GRS (Graduate Registration Scholarships) awarded by the English Department
2006, 2007

Travel Awards for presentations include: SLAT, English Graduate Union, GPSC      ($220-$375 each occurrence)


PROFESSIONAL SERVICES:

ARC Community Lecture & Concert Series Committee   2008 - present

Arizona Working Papers Editor                                2004 – 2006
Co-Editor of the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Journal of Working Papers, in print and on CD. (online at: http://w3.coh.arizona.edu/AWP/)
 
Graduate and Professional Student Council,            2005-2006
GIDP representative (interdisciplinary programs representative)
Served on the Finances/Grants Committee
 
EXCO representative, SLAT                                    Spring & Fall 2006, Spring 2007
   
SLAT Roundtable                                                      2004, 2005, 2006
Program editor for conferences
Committee member responsible for organization
 
SLATCOM listserv manager                                    2003-2004

Second Language Research Forum (SLRF)
Organizational Committee Member for 2003 Conference,
Program Editor for conference
 
Ohio TESOL Newsletter-
Layout editor –                                                             2001-2002
Column Editor  of “ESL & Technology”                        2001
 
Ohio TESOL Board member                                     2001 – 2002


PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: CATESOL: 2008 - 2010
MLA (Modern Language Association) Member 2008
AAAL
(American Association of Applied Linguists) Member  2007
TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Member 1998-2004, 2006
Ohio TESOL: Member 1998-2002

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VIDEO MATERIAL
PRODUCTION: for teacher development
Director & Editor, AILDI informational video: 
American Indian Language Development Institute: “Microteaching”, (5/2006).

Director & Editor, Informational video for International Graduate Assistants in Teaching for the Writing Program of the English Department at the University of Arizona: "International TAs: Welcome to the Writing Program", (Summer 2005).

STUDY ABROAD
Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (1/1991 – 5/1991), AFS: Costa Rica
WORK ABROAD
Vaslui, Romania: Peace Corps (1996-1998)
PLACES TRAVELED
Costa Rica, Western/Eastern Europe, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey, Canada, USA, Mexico
LANGUAGES
Spanish, Romanian (ACTFL – intermediate high)
COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE
APPLE & PC: MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Final Cut Pro, PRAAT, D2L (online classroom management software)
IEP COURSES DEVELOPED
American Humor in Sitcoms elective, restructured Academic Speaking elective

~ references available upon request ~




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