Contact details +6469517445
Dr Karen Ashton BA, BCA, MA, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Linguistics
Doctoral Mentor Supervisor School of Humanities Media and Creative CommKaren is a Senior Lecturer (Applied Linguistics, Language Education), and doctoral coordinator for TESOL & Applied Linguistics.
She has expertise and has published in the areas of language teaching, learning and assessment; effective pedagogy; teacher agency; teacher professional development; language education policy; and the 'borrowing' and use of western pedagogical approaches in non-Western contexts.
Karen has a PhD in language assessment (Cambridge) and a MA in Forensic Linguistics (Cardiff). At Cambridge she worked on Asset Languages and was Project Manager for the European Survey on Language Competences.
Karen is immediate past President of ALANZ (Applied Linguistics in Aotearoa New Zealand).
Professional
Contact details
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Location: SGP 4.20, Sir Geoffrey Peren Building
Campus: Turitea
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts - Victoria University (1997)
- Bachelor of Commerce and Administration - Victoria University (1998)
- Master of Arts (Distinction) - University of Wales (2004)
- Doctor of Philosophy - University of Cambridge (2009)
Certifications and Registrations
- Licence, Mentor Supervisor, Ƶ
Research Expertise
Research Interests
- Language learning and teaching
- Diverse learners and contexts
- Language education policy
- Language assessment (particularly classroom-based assessment, large-scale assessment development projects)
- Policy borrowing and learning (particularly Western pedagogical and assessment practices in Asian cultures)
- Teacher agency
- Teacher professional development
- Forensic linguistics
Karen has published and presented widely in this field including on the following areas: teacher agency, multi-level language teaching, refugee learner experiences, classroom-based assessment, policy borrowing and learning, comparability of language assessments, alignment of assessments to the CEFR, assessment of non-Latin script and community languages, cross-language comparison of learner reading strategies.
Karen is a member of the Editorial Board for the following journals:
Projects
- MURF funded project titled Court interpreting: Lost in translation [2021]
- Massey Strategic Research Excellence Fund project titled Accomodating diversity of New Zealand language learners [2020-2021]
- MURF funded project titled Multi-level languages classrooms: What are the challenges and how do teachers cope? [2016]
- Project titled A case study of the Japanese programme at Ƶ: enrolment patterns and concomitant environmental factors. [2015]
- A New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) funded project titled Investing in Educational Success model: Critical Evidence review. [2014-2015]
- A Sasakawa Fellowship Foundation project titled Japanese language education in New Zealand: An evaluative literature review of the decline in students since 2005. [2012-2013]
- Project Manager for the European Survey on Language Competences (UK), (initiated and funded by the European Commission), which tested the language skills of 55,000 secondary school pupils in 14 European countries. [2008-2012]
- Research lead for Asset Languages, a multilingual assessment project (UK) derived from the UK's National Languages Strategy. Her role included test validation and managing a research agenda including cross-language and framework comparability. [2004-2008]
Thematics
21st Century Citizenship
Area of Expertise
Field of research codes
Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics (200401):
Comparative and Cross-Cultural Education (130302):
Curriculum and Pedagogy (130200):
Education (130000):
Education Systems (130100):
Languages, Communication And Culture (200000):
Linguistics (200400):
LOTE, ESL and TESOL Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. Maori) (130207):
Specialist Studies in Education (130300):
Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators (130313)
Keywords
Teaching pedagogy
Language Learning and Teaching
Language Assessment
Teacher Agency
Research Outputs
Journal
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K., Kearney, A.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K., Carusi Jr, F., Rawlins, P.
[Book Review]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Book Review]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Journal article]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Book
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Chapter]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Report
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K., Hartnett, M., Rawlins, P.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K., Carusi Jr, F., Rawlins, P.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Conference
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K., Qi, Y.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K., Qi, Y.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K., Qi, Y.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Poster]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Poster]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Other
[Other]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Internet publication]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Thesis
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Ashton, K.
[Masters Thesis]Authored by: Ashton, K.
Teaching and Supervision
Teaching Statement
I teach and contribute to a range of applied linguistics, language education and TESOL courses. I also contribute my expertise to tailored programmes for international groups.
In my teaching, I aim to build a respectful, friendly, inclusive, and supportive learning community which engages all students, and where students feel both supported and challenged to achieve to the best of their ability. Theory and practice are combined in my course design and approach to teaching where I aim to provide a safe space for students to reflect on their learning and practice together. I believe in the importance of providing effective scaffolding to support students in becoming more confident and autonomous with their learning over time.
I enjoy all kinds of teaching whether it is with small groups of students in a face-to-face format or large groups of learners in an online environment. As a reflective practitioner, I am always keen to learn more about teaching and ways to improve my practice.
Graduate Supervision Statement
As an experienced postgraduate supervisor at both Masters and PhD level, my goal is to support students in developing the skills needed to become autonomous and independent researchers. I enjoy the process of working with students to pursue an area they are passionate about and supporting them with refining their research ideas and designing their projects. The most rewarding part of supervising students is seeing them develop their confidence and research skills across the research journey, and becoming experts in their topic.
The concept of ako, reciprocity between the teaching and learning process, and between teacher and student, is an important part of my teaching and supervision philosophy and is evident in the way I work with students.
Dr Karen Ashton is available for Masters and Doctorial supervision.
Summary of Doctoral Supervision
Position | Current | Completed |
---|---|---|
Main Supervisor | 3 | 1 |
Co-supervisor | 3 | 4 |
Current Doctoral Supervision
Main Supervisor of:
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Nailul Pamungkas
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Doctor of Philosophy
EFL Teacher Agency in Navigating Changes in Formative Assessment Practices in the Indonesian Secondary School Context -
~ Yuliandri
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Doctor of Philosophy
Secondary school English Language teacher agency in the aftermath of COVID 19 Crises: a study from a West Sumatran region, Indonesia -
Jingwen Gu
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Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring Primary School Teacher Perceptions and Practices Integrating Technology in a Chinese EFL Context
Co-supervisor of:
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Fangshu Wang
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Doctor of Philosophy
Miao Language, Culture and Identity Maintenance in Rural Families: Case Studies in Guizhou Province, China -
Vicky Liu
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Doctor of Philosophy
Perceptions and Practices of Second Language Teachers and Learners Using Digital Technologies for Communicative Language Teaching and Learning -
Kanokphan Tongpong
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Doctor of Philosophy
Language Teacher Agency in English for Medical Purposes in the Thai Tertiary Context
Completed Doctoral Supervision
Main Supervisor of:
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2020
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Ong-Art Namwong
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Doctor of Philosophy
Learner-centred Approaches in Teaching English in Thailand
Co-supervisor of:
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2023
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Hong Nguyen
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Doctor of Philosophy
Positive emotions in English language learning in the Vietnamese tertiary contexts -
2022
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Timu-O-Te-Rangi Niwa
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Doctor of Education
Problematizing Māori Achievement in Education Policy: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Ƶ on Teacher Enactment of Ka Hikitia -
2019
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Thi Dang
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Doctor of Philosophy
Changes in beliefs of pre-service teachers in an ESP teacher education program in Vietnam -
2017
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Fareeha Javed
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Doctor of Philosophy
Pakistani Learners' Transition into University
Media and Links
Media
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30 Jun 2012 - Newspaper
Call to make learning languages compulsory
Article for the Manwatu Standard -
20 Jul 2012 - Other
Ƶ encourages early language lessons for kiwis
Ƶ news story -
20 Aug 2016 - Magazine
Language learning: Speak to me
The Listener -
17 May 2016 - Radio
Maths, science and global competence?
Radio New Zealand -
07 May 2015 - Online
NZ policy silent on language learning
Ƶ news story - view more...
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02 Jul 2012 - Newspaper
Broaden kids horizons by learning languages
Newspaper column for The Tribune -
01 May 2014 - Newspaper
Going places with languages
Newspaper column for The Tribune - view less...