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Dr Liz Ellis

Liz Ellis

Senior Lecturer, School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences

Qualifications

BA (Syd), MEd (Woll), Dip RSA, Cert RSA (UCLA), Dip Spanish (DELE) (Salamanca), PhD (Griffith)

Contact

Email:
Room: Arts (E11) 159
Phone: 02 6773 3639 (or +61 2 6773 3639 overseas)

Liz Ellis has extensive experience in teaching applied linguistics and English as a Second and Foreign Language, and in educating language teachers. Her research interests are in bilingualism, especially bilingual teacher cognition and bilingual family language practices, and sociolinguistic perspectives on monolingualism. Before joining UNE in 2004 she taught linguistics at Batchelor Institute in Alice Springs, and was before that a lecturer in language and literacy  at the University of Wollongong and the University of Technology, Sydney. She has taught and trained language and literacy teachers in Laos, Indonesia, Uruguay, Brazil, France, Portugal and Spain as well as in Britain and Australia, and has an interest in cross-cultural teacher development. She is a fluent speaker of Spanish and has learnt several other languages. She has been active in the TESOL profession as a NEAS assessor, an examiner of overseas medical professionals’ language skills, a former editor of the English Australia Journal and was the founder of the national ELICOS Association Conference.

She serves as a reviewer for the Journal of English for Specific Purposes and for TESL-EJ. She is Deputy Director of the Centre for Applied Research in the Social Sciences at UNE.

Research interests

Liz Ellis’ research interests are in the intersection of bilingual and multilingual studies and teacher cognition, in family bilingualism and in critical approaches to TESOL.

Current research projects

ACTAE
The impact of Aboriginal English (or Torres Strait Creole) on learning outcomes for indigenous children in ACT preschools and preschool programs. Funded by the ACT Department of Education and Training.

Second Language Acquisition Twin Study (SLATS) with Prof. Brian Byrne, Dr Will Coventry and Dr Ines Anton-Mendez
Investigating genetic and environmental effects on second language acquisition.

Topics supervised include:

  •  “Learners’ experience of long-term Chinese language learning in distance mode” (PhD)
  • “Professional standards and certification for Indonesian teachers of EFL” (PhD)
  • “Re-establishing vitality, strength and relevance for Aboriginal peoples in Ontario: The potential for bilingual and bi-cultural education programs” (Honours)
  • “First and second language learning in Arnhemland” (PhD)
  • “The impact of bilingualism and prior language learning on performance in language aptitude tests” (MA)

Potential topics for research students include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The role of L1 in the learning of L2
  • Language practices in bilingual/multilingual families
  • The impact of bi/multilingualism on the beliefs and practices of professionals (eg teachers, politicians, health professionals, lawyers)
  • Monolingualism as a sociolinguistic phenomenon
  • Language maintenance practices in familial settings
  • Metalinguistic awareness in teachers, students and professionals who deal with culturally diverse clients
  • The effect of bi/multilingualism on third and subsequent language learning
  • Language policy in education

Publications

  • William Coventry*, Inés Antón-Méndez, Elizabeth Ellis, Christina Levisen, Brian Byrne, Victor van Daal, and Nick Ellis (in press) The etiology of individual differences in second language acquisition in Australian school students: A behaviour genetic study. Language Learning
  • Bilbatua, L. and Ellis, E.M. (in press) Triunfos y tribulaciones de una bilingüe en Australia. Voces Hispanas
  • Ellis, E.M, Gogolin, I., Clyne, M. (2010). The Janus face of monolingualism: a comparison of German and Australian language education policies. Current Issues in Language Planning Vol. 11, No. 4, 1–22
  • Ellis, E.M., Brooks, M. and Edwards, H. with Eades, D. (2010)
  • The impact of Aboriginal English (or Torres Strait Creole) on learning outcomes for Indigenous children in ACT preschools and preschool programs. CARSS, University of New England. Report commissioned by the ACT Dept of Education and Training. 141pp.
  • Ellis, E.M. (2009) Commissioned review of Borg, Simon (2006) Teacher cognition in language education: research and practice. London, Continuum. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
  • Ellis, E.M. (2008) Defining and investigating monolingualism. In Ellis, E.M. (ed) Monolingualism. London, Equinox. Special issue of the international journal Sociolinguistic Studies, vol. 2 (3)
  • Ellis, E.M. (ed) (2008) Monolingualism. London, Equinox. Special issue of the international journal Sociolinguistic Studies, vol. 2 (3)
  • Ellis, E.M. 2007 Discourses of L1 and bilingual teaching in adult ESL. TESOL in Context 16 (2): 5 - 11
  • Ellis, E.M. 2007 Review of Luria, H, Seymour D. and Smoke, T. (Eds) 2006 Language and linguistics in context: reading and applications for teachers. Language Teaching Research 11 (2) pp 246 - 250
  • Ellis, E.M. 2006 Monolingualism: the unmarked case. Estudios de Sociolingüistica 7 (2) December 2006P 173 - 196
  • Ellis, E.M. 2006    Language learning experience as a contributor to ESL teacher cognition. TESL-EJ Volume 10, Number 1. Available online at http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/
  • Ellis, E.M. 2006   Second language experience as a contributor to the professional knowledge and beliefs of teachers of ESOL to adults. TESOL Research Newsletter 13 (1) March 2006
  • Ellis, L. 2005  Bilingual students – monolingual teacher. Refereed proceedings of the International Symposium on Bilingualism, Vigo, Spain October 2002.
  • Ellis, E.M. 2004 The invisible multilingual teacher. International Journal of Multilingualism 1 (2) 90 - 108
  • Ellis, L. 2004 Language background and professional competencies in teaching ESOL. English Australia Journal 21 (2) 55-71
  • Ellis, L. 2003 Tongues tied by strangeness. Higher Education, The Australian newspaper September 24th 2003 p.29
  • Ellis, L. 2002 Teaching from experience: a new perspective on the non-native teacher in adult ESL. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, Vol 25 no. 1
  • Saunders, S. Sampson J. and Lee, A. with Kate Collier, Liz Ellis, et al 1998.
  • Writing along New Lines. Proceedings of the Conference Winds of Change - Women and the Culture of Universities, UTS Australia 1998
  • Ellis, L. & Kelly, S. 1997 Cross-Cultural TESOL Teacher Education - the Lao ExperienceProceedings of the 3rd International Language in Development Conference, Langkawi, Malaysia July 1997
  • Ellis, L. 1995 Report on the establishment of a Diploma in TEFL at the University of Wollongong. Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong June 1995
  • Ellis, L. 1994 Preparing Tertiary Teachers Overview Vol. 3 1994
  • Ellis, L. & Willcoxson, L. 1994 In the Learner's Shoes, Research and Development in Higher Education, Vol. 16
  • Ellis, L. & Willcoxson, L. 1994 The Cultural Context of Teaching and Learning, Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 16

Conference Papers and Seminars

  • 2010 Clyne, M., Ellis, E.M. and Gogolin, I. (2010) Foreign languages and migrant languages: what can Germany and Australia learn from each other? Paper and panel discussion at DAAD alumni meeting: Tackling the future: environmental challenges and their impact on academic cooperation, economy and culture. 26 - 28 March 2010, Sydney.
  • 2008 Linguistic awareness of monolingual and bilingual teachers of EFL/ESL Association for Language Awareness (ALA), 9th International conference 26- 29 June 2008, University of Hong Kong.
  • 2008 Monolingualism: social and cognitive approaches. Invited keynote address given at the 2nd International Free Linguistics conference, 11th October, University of Sydney.
  • 2007 The representation of bilinguality in TESOL. Paper delivered at the XXV International Conference of the Asociacion Española de Linguistica Aplicada, Murcia, Spain April 2007
  • 2007 Teaching phonology: a practical approach to integrating new theory. Explorations in online learning in applied linguistics. Papers delivered at the University of Granada, May 2007
  • 2006 Constructing discourses of L1 in adult ESOL. Paper delivered at the ALAA National Congress, University of Queensland July 2006.
  • 2006 Organiser of and presenter at Colloquium: The role of L1 in second language learning.
    ATESOL/ACTA national conference. Education for the whole person: The TESOL response. Sydney, April 2006.
  • 2006 Bringing up Bilingual Kids - Two workshops for Parents. Umina, NSW DET - Families First project / Benevolent Society
  • 2005 Monolingualism the unmarked case. Paper delivered at the ALAA National Congress, University of Melbourne, Sept. 2005
  • 2005 Joint organiser and presenter of Colloquium Beliefs about Language Learning at the ALAA National Congress University of Melbourne Sept. 2005
  • 2004 Mapping language biographies. Paper and workshop delivered at the TESOL on the Beach conference, Coffs Harbour, September 2004
  • 2004 Silenced bilinguals: the misrepresentation of bilinguality in the adult ESL profession
  • Paper delivered at the ALAA Annual Congress, Adelaide, July 15-17 2004
  • 2003 Multilingualism – a rich resource or an irrelevancy for adult ESL teachers? Paper delivered at the ALAA conference, Brisbane, July 2003.
  • 2002 Bilingual students – monolingual teacher. Paper delivered at the 2nd International Symposium on Bilingualism, Vigo, Spain, 22 – 26 October 2002 – accepted for refereed proceedings
  • 2001 Bringing Up Kids Bilingually - Seminar for parents through Adult Education Bega Valley, NSW October 2001
  • 2001 Adult literacy and ESL – Training course for Volunteer Literacy Tutors, Bega TAFE, May and October 2001
  • 2001 What does the non-native speaker teacher bring to the ESL classroom? Paper delivered at the TESOL@2001 conference, Sydney January 2001
  • 1997 Cross-Cultural TESOL Teacher Education - the Lao Experience. Paper delivered, with Sheilagh Kelly at 3rd International Language in Development Conference, Langkawi, Malaysia July 1997
  • 1997 Issues and Values in the Cross-Cultural Delivery of Teacher Education Programs. Paper delivered, with Sheilagh Kelly, at the 1997 ACTA/ATESOL National Conference, Sydney, 19 - 23rd January.
  • 1996 Cultural Learning Styles - another Stereotype? Paper accepted for the ERA/AARE conference, Singapore, Nov. 25-29th
  • 1996 Phonology and Its Role in the Spoken Language. Invited keynote address, Cleveland St. Intensive English Centre annual conference, 1st November.   
  • 1996 Pronunciation Teaching - the Cinderella of TESOL Teacher Education? Paper delivered at the 9th ELICOS Association Educational Conference, Sydney, 26-29th SeptembeR
  • 1995 Learning There, Learning Here: Approaches to Learning of Indonesian Graduates Preparing in Indonesia for Study Abroad. Paper presented to the International LERN Conference, Townsville, June 1995