Dr. Kyungja Ahn – Featured Speaker @ KOTESOL 2026
Featured Session
Second Language Teacher Education: Bridging Theory, Practice, and Research
How can second language teacher education meaningfully connect theory, practice, and research? This featured presentation argues that the bridge among them is not a fixed method, but a design principle – one that is built when teachers are supported in moving thoughtfully between conceptual understandings, the lived realities of classroom practice, and evidence from research, including inquiry rooted in their own teaching contexts. Drawing on this perspective, the talk presents several practical bridge structures for teacher education: practice-based learning cycles, mentoring and collaborative inquiry, and alignment with curriculum and assessment. Together, these structures can help transform teacher learning from abstract discussion into sustained professional growth grounded in everyday work. By reimagining the relationship among theory, practice, and research, this session invites participants to consider how teacher education can become more coherent, reflective, and responsive to the rapidly evolving educational landscape shaped by AI and other transformative changes in language teaching today.
Biosketch
Kyungja Ahn is a professor in the Department of English Education at Seoul National University of Education (SNUE), Korea. She currently serves as the 20th president (2025–2026) of the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK), which is affiliated with the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA).
Dr. Ahn’s research interests include second language teacher education, teaching and assessing L2 learners, L2 curriculum and education policy, and technology-mediated L2 learning and teaching. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and conducted workshops and seminars for both pre- and in-service English teachers. Dr. Ahn has participated in the development of the National English Curriculum and English language textbooks for primary and secondary school students in Korea. She has also published numerous books and journal articles, made conference presentations, and carried out research projects on English education and teacher education.
Web Link
Dr. Ahn’s Personal Website: https://sites.google.com/cloud.snue.ac.kr/kyungja-ahn
Recent Publications
Koh, S., & Ahn, K. (2025). The effects of revision activities using machine translation on elementary English learners’ writing ability, self-directed learning, and perceptions. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 25, 1232–1256. https://doi.org/10.15738/kjell.25..202508.1232
Kim, E., & Ahn, K. (2024). Development and implementation of an elementary English writing program using image-generative AI. English Teaching, 79(4), 311–336. https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.79.4.202412.311
Ahn, K. (2024). Exploring novice elementary English teachers’ perceptions of teacher expertise and their professional development. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 24, 589–615. https://doi.org/10.15738/kjell.24..202404.277
Kim, E., & Ahn, K. (2023). Exploring the potential of utilizing ChatGPT in elementary English lesson planning and English language teaching. Primary English Education, 29(4), 59–87. https://doi.org/10.25231/pee.2023.29.4.59
Ahn, K. (2020). The changes in English teacher-researchers’ motivations towards teaching and research and their instigating factors. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 21, 228–256. https://doi.org/10.15738/kjell.22..202203.300
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