Dr. Sandra Zappa-Hollman
Assistant Professor
Language & Literacy Education
Faculty of Education
Research Themes: Language, Sustainability and Transnationalism
Director of Academic English Program, Vantage College
Sandra Zappa-Hollman is an applied linguist with a special interest in teaching English for academic purposes (EAP) and researching academic (English) discourse socialization in higher education. Other related areas of interest include language and content integration (CBI/CLIL), second language teaching methodology, intercultural competence, feedback on L2 writing, teacher training, curriculum and materials design, and language program evaluation. Her work draws on socio-cultural theory (particularly Second Language Socialization), Social Network Theory, and the notion of Communities of Practice. More recently, her research as well as materials design and teaching has been informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics (following Halliday’s work on Register).
Sandra’s published research focuses primarily on the academic discourse socialization of (international) English language learners in higher education, examining the literacy socialization trajectories and the role of their individual networks of practice in becoming aware of the host culture values and expectations. Her research agenda also includes projects examining the intercultural competence development of foreign language teachers studying abroad; foreign language-learning through peer exchange programs; academic English coaching for university-level English language learners; collaboration between language and subject specialists; and student perceptions of academic English language development in CBI courses.
For the past decade Sandra has also been involved in academic program development and administration. Since 2014, she has been the director of the Academic English Program at UBC Vantage College, a recently launched first year university program for international students at the University of British Columbia.
Research Interests
English for academic purposes (EAP); academic (English) discourse socialization in higher education; language and content integration (CBI/CLIL); second language teaching methodology; intercultural competence; feedback on L2 writing; teacher training; curriculum and materials design; and language program evaluation.