Jennifer Liu Appointed FAS Professor of the Practice of Language Pedagogy

November 20, 2015

Professor Jennifer Liu

Professor Jennifer Liu, Director of the Chinese Language Program, has been appointed to Professor of the Practice of Language Pedagogy, in which she will play a leading role in shaping language instruction across FAS. Dean of Arts and Humanities Diana Sorensen announced the news earlier in November, writing, "A highly-regarded leader in her profession, [Professor Liu's] work has had a transformative impact on her field and here at Harvard." Professor Liu will advise Dean Sorensen and FAS Dean Michael D. Smith "on matters related to language programs and language instruction." She will also assume the ongoing role of Chair of the Foreign Language Advisory Group (FLAG), and will coordinate Linguistics 200, the FAS-wide language pedagogy course. Professor Liu will remain Director of the Chinese Language Program and will continue to facilitate and oversee instruction of Chinese language courses in EALC.

Jennifer Liu came to Harvard in 2011 as the Director of the Chinese Language Program. With a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Oregon, her research is centered on pedagogical and curricular issues, particularly in teacher training, program development, and instructional design. She is the author of “Interactions I-II: A Cognitive Approach to Beginning Chinese” (Indiana, 1998), “Connections I-II: A Cognitive Approach to Intermediate Chinese” (Indiana, 2004), and “Encounters I-II: A Cognitive Approach to Advanced Chinese” (Indiana, 2010). During the summer, she directs the renowned summer intensive program, Harvard Beijing Academy (HBA). Prior to Harvard, she was a tenured full professor at Indiana University (1992-2011) and also a founding director of its Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy and Chinese Flagship Center, receiving about $3 million in funding during 2008-2011. She was the president of the Chinese Language Teachers Association during 2006-2007, and is currently chair of the SAT Chinese Test Development Committee. She received an All-University Distinguished Teaching Award from Indiana University in 1999. Within EALC, Professor Liu has launched events celebrating Chinese language, such as the Biennial Chinese Language Poetry Recitation Contest, and established Harvard ICCP (the Harvard International Conference on Chinese Pedagogy) in September 2014. As Director of the Chinese Language Program, she is responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising about 24 teachers who offer 20-22 language courses annually to approximately 700 students.

See also: Chinese