Curriculum Vitae

Affiliations

• TCLRA (Taiwan Children's Literature Research Association)
• ISSN (International Society for the Study of Narrative)
• ChLA (Children's Literature Association)
• ETA-ROC ( English Teachers' Association, R. O. C.)

Teaching

Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Associate Professor, English Department, 2007 - present
Lecturer, English Department, 1998 - 2006

• Literature classes
  • Children's Literature and Narrative Theory (Graduate)
  • The Bible as Literature (for Juniors)
  • Introduction to Children's Literature (for Sophomores)
  • Traditions in Children's Literature
  • Contemporary Trends in Children's Literature
• Langauge skills classes
  • Freshman Writing
  • Freshman English Reading and Conversation
  • Freshman English Reading
  • Rhetoric and Composition (for Seniors)
  • Freshman English Listening Lab
  • Freshman English Conversation
  • Situational English Conversation
  • Discourse on Current Affairs
  • Senior Debate

National Taipei College of Business, Taipei, Taiwan
Guest Professor, Department of Applied Languages, 2009-2010.
Ministry of Education Special Project directed by Professor Lee, Hsing-Chin.

• “Swallows and Amazons.” Developed and taught experimental class based on a British children’s novel. 3 hours per week, 16 weeks, 2009.
• “English Literature and Conversation.” Developed and taught a second experimental class based on six modern adolescent novels, 3 hours per week, 16 weeks, 2010.

Illinois State University
Graduate Instructor, 8/03 - 12/06

• Foundations in Literature for Children, ENG 170 (5 sections)
• Writing for Business and Government, ENG 145.13 (1 section)
• Language and Composition I for remedial students ENG 101.10 (2 sections)
• Language and Composition I, ENG 101 (6 sections)

Ming Chuan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Lecturer, English Language Center, 1994 - 1998

• Senior English Conversation for Non-English Majors
• Junior English Conversation for Non-English Majors
• Sophomore English Conversation for Non-English Majors
• Freshman English Conversation for Non-English Majors
• Freshman English, Pilot class (integrated skills)
• English Honors for Juniors
• Spanish One

National Chengchi University , Center for Public and Business Administration Education, Taipei, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Part-time Instructor, 1996 - 2003

• Grammar & Pronunciation
• Basic English
• Topic Discussion
• High Intermediate English for Government Employees

Taipei City Government, Taipei, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Instructor, Summer 1999

• English Pronunciation for Elementary School Teachers (Intensive classes)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan government, Taipei , Taiwan , R. O. C.
Part-time Instructor, January - June 1997 and January - June 1999

• Language training course for entry level diplomats

Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Instructor, 1992 - 1993

• Freshman English Conversation

The American Language and Culture Institute, California State University at Chico
Part-time Instructor, February - March 1994 and July - August 1992
Intensive English programs for Japanese students

• American Culture
• English Conversation

Instituto Logos, Guadalajara , México
Part-time Instructor, July 1988 to May 1989

• Intensive English conversation for beginning to intermediate students

Service

Soochow University , Taipei , Taiwan , R. O. C.

• English Department Chair, 2010 - present
• Faculty Review Committee, 2009 - present
• Teacher Training Assistance Program Committee, 2008
• Oral English Training Group Coordinator, 2007 - present
• Reading Coordinator, 2002 - 2003
• Curriculum committee, 2001 - 2003, 2007 - present
• Class advisor, 1999 - 2003, 2007 - present
• Advisor for the English Club, 2000 - 2001
• Transfer Exam Committee, 2001, 2007 - present

Illinois State University

• Graduate Ombudsman, 8/05 to 12/06

Ming Chuan University , Taipei , Taiwan , R. O. C.

• Curriculum design committee, 1994 - 1998
• Testing committee, 1994 - 1996
• Advisor for three Senior theses, 1996 - 1997
• Hiring committee, 1997 - 1998

Education

Ph.D. English Studies, Specialization in Children's Literature, Dec 2006.
Illinois State University, Normal
Dissertation: Narrative Distancing in Literature for Youth

M.A. in Education: Emphasis in Second/Foreign Language Education, 1994.
California State University at Chico
Thesis: The Language Learning Strategies of Freshman English Students in Taiwan: A Case Study

Second Major, Latin American Studies, 1994.
California State University at Chico

Certificate of Achievement, 1991
Universidad de Valladolid, Spain
Intensive summer program with coursework in Advanced Spanish Grammar, Composition and Literature

B.A. Spanish. 1991
California State University at Chico

A.A. in Forestry, 1984
Lassen Community College, California

Publications

• "Authentic Wounds?" The Ethics of Representation in Two Recent Adolescent Novels."
• Editor. The Wounded Body in Literature: Selected Papers from the 2010 International Conference on Comparative Literature at Soochow University. Bookman Books: Taipei. 2012.
• Catching On A & B. Ming Shin Publishing Company, Taipei. 1996. (English conversation textbooks with workbooks designed for Freshmen non-English majors at Ming Chuan University.)
• Taking Care of Business A & B. Ming Shin Publishing Company, Taipei. 1996. (English conversation textbooks with workbooks designed for Junior non-English majors at Ming Chuan University.)
• Editor. TOEFL Success: Book One and TOEFL Success: Book Two. Harvard Foreign Study Publishing Co., Taipei. (Two volumes of listening comprehension questions for the TOEFL exam.)

Professional Presentations

• “The Terrifying Ability of Storytelling: Celebrating Worthlessness in Chang Ta-chun’s Wild Kids.” Thirty-eighth Annual International Children’s Literature Association Conference. Roanoke, Virginia. June 23-25, 2011.
• “Who Speaks and How: Narrative Voices in Children’s Literature.” Invited Speech. Tzu Chi University. Department of English Language and Literature, Tzu Chi University. Hualien, Taiwan. May 20, 2011.
• “Authentic Wounds?: The Ethics of Representation in Recent Adolescent Fiction.” International Conference on Comparative Literature: The Wounded Body in Literature. Soochow University. Taipei, Taiwan. Nov 20, 2010.
• “The Moral of the Story or the Story of the Moral: An Ethical Approach to Children’s Literature.” Invited Speech. 2nd Annual Christian English Teachers Association Symposium and Book Fair, Christ’s College. Guandu, Taiwan. Oct 24, 2010.
• “Exploring ‘The Islands of Our Minds’ in Swallows and Amazons on a MOE Subsidized English Enhancing Program.” 2010 Asian EFL Journal Conference. Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan. April 23, 2010.
• "Manipulated Innocence: Appropriating the Child’s Story in Young Adult Literature." 2010 Conference of the International Society for the Study of Narrative. Cleveland, Ohio. April 8-11, 2010.
• "Idealized Interpretations: The Paratextual Picturebooks of Max Vanderberg within Markus Zusak's The Book Thief." First Conference on Children's Literature Children's Literature and Visual Arts. Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan May 16, 2009.
• "Captain Underpants to the Rescue: Authoring Authors in Children's Literature." The Seventeenth International Symposium and Book Fair on English Teaching . Taipei, Taiwan. Nov 14-16, 2008.
• "Anything but Normal: Narrative Control in Markus Zusack's The Book Thief." Thirty-fifth Annual International Children's Literature Association Conference. Bloomington-Normal, IL June 12-14, 2008.
• "Transforming Readers: Tensions between Distancing and Engaging Narration in Adolescent Fiction." Thirty-third Annual International Children's Literature Association Conference. Manhattan Beach, CA. June 8-10, 2006.
• "The Way it Looks is Not the Way it Is: Irony and Desire Adolescent Literature." Sigma Tau Delta Spring Graduate Symposium. Illinois State University. April 20, 2006.
• "Establishing Ethical Reading Positions through Polyphony in Adolescent Literature." Children's literature roundtable. Illinois State University. April 28, 2006.
• "The Story of Little Black Sambo and Its Derivatives." Banned Book Reading. Illinois State University. September 26, 2005.
• "Performing Pirate: Long John Silver as Narrator of Peter Pan. " Thirty-second Annual International Children's Literature Association Conference. Winnipeg, MB, Canada. June 9-11, 2005.
• "Killing the Other: Death in Peter Pan." First Annual Graduate Symposium on Critical Approaches to Children's Literature. Illinois State University, Normal, IL. April 29, 2005.
• "Identity and Agency in Adolescent Metafictions: Breaktime and The Gospel According to Larry ." Sixth Biennial Conference on Modern Critical Approaches to Children's Literature. Nashville, TN. March 31- April 2, 2005.
• "Humor and Hopelessness in Feed , by M. T. Anderson." Thirty-first Annual International Children's Literature Association Conference. Fresno, CA. June 10-12, 2004.
• "Adolescent Literature in English Studies." Ewing English Studies Symposium: Texts and Discourse. Normal, IL. April 8, 2004.
• "The Language Learning Strategies of Freshman English Students in Taiwan." Third International Symposium and Book Fair on English Teaching. Taipei, Taiwan. November 18-20, 1994.

Professional Activities

• “The Child in Western Children’s Literature." College of Foreign Languages Children’s Literature Workshop. Soochow University. Dec 29, 2010.
• "Applications of Children's Literature for EFL College Teaching." Departmental Teaching Workshop. Soochow University English Department, June 6, 2007.
• Invited judge, Children's English Speech Competition, sponsored by Mass Mutual Mercuries Life, June 6, 2007.
• Invited judge, Elementary School Children's English Reading Competition, sponsored by Taipei City Municipal Library, October 12, 2002.
• Invited speaker and judge, International Affairs Seminar sponsored by the China Youth Core. Delivered speeches and led workshops on debate. Judged debate and speech competitions. February 2-8, 1997, February 4-10, 1998 and February 3-9, 1999.
• Invited speaker, National Taiwan University Toastmasters. Delivered speech and led workshop of debate, January 30, 1999.

Awards

• Excellent Teacher Award for 2010-2-11 (99) school year, Soochow University.
• Outstanding Teacher Award for 2009-2010 (98) school year, Soochow University.
• Excellent Teaching Website Award. Soochow University. Spring 2009.
• National Science Council Travel Grant. Spring 2008.
• Friends of Soochow Publication Award, Soochow University , 2008
• Taimi Ranta Children's Literature Award. Illinois State University, 2005.
• Illinois State University Foundation Fellowship, 2004
• Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) Graduate Scholarship, (2003-2006)
• Outstanding Teacher, National Chengchi University, Center for Public and Business Administration Education, 2001
• National Science Council Research Grant, Executive Yuan, Taiwan Government, 1996
• Outstanding Thesis Finalist; Nominated for Outstanding Thesis by the College of Communication and Education; California State University, Chico (1994-1995). The Language Learning Strategies of Freshman English Students in Taiwan: A Case Study
• Deans' list: Every semester of undergraduate and graduate level work

Languages

• Spanish (proficient speaking, listening, reading and writing)
• Modern Mandarin Chinese (intermediate speaking and listening)