John Plews


Faculty of Arts
Modern Languages and Classics

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Faculty Member Information

Office Location: 431
Office Building: McNally North
Telephone: (902) 420-5813
E-Mail: John.Plews@smu.ca

Interests

Study abroad / international education & professional development for second languages Second language curriculum, teaching & learning Teaching German as a foreign language & foreign culture Teaching English as a second/foreign language Critical (poststructural) and interpretive (narrative) approaches to research in Education

Education

Ph.D., Secondary Education (Second Language Education), University of Alberta, 2010
Ph.D., German Literatures, Languages, & Linguistics, University of Alberta, 2001
M.A., German Literature, University of Alberta, 1992
B.A., B.A. Double Honours Modern Languages (French, German), University of Manchester, 1991

Membership

2015 - Present, German Studies Association (GSA)
2012 - Present, Association of Language Awareness (ALA)
2012 - Present, International Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies (IAACS)
2006 - Present, Canadian Association of Applied Linguists (CAAL/ACLA)
2005 - Present, Atlantic Council of Teachers of German (ACTG)
2004 - Present, Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (CACS)
2004 - Present, Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE)
1994 - Present, Canadian Association of University Teachers of German (CAUTG)

Honours

Award for Best PhD Dissertation Canadian Association of University Teachers of German - 2002

Teaching: Course / Program Development

2014/01 - 2014/01, EDSE XXX International Professional Development for Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers of German
2014/01 - 2014/01, GCRD 6356.18 Special Topics in Curriculum Studies: Second Language Acquisition
2009/01 - 2012/01, Teaching in Canadian Summer School in Germany (Kassel) / University of Alberta
2006/01 - 2015/01, Teaching at Mount Saint Vincent University
2005/01 - Present, Teaching at Saint Mary's University
2004/01 - 2005/01, Institute for Diversity in Teacher Education
2004/01 - 2004/01, Korean Teachers Internship Program
2003/01 - 2004/01, Hokkaido (Japan) Teachers of English Program
2003/01 - 2003/01, International & Heritage Language Association
2002/01 - 2002/01, Teaching at University of Calgary
2001/01 - 2002/01, Teaching at University of Calgary
1994/01 - 2003/01, Teaching University of Alberta

Scholarly Contributions

Book Reviews

Plew J.L, Plews John. (2005)"Physiognomy and the Artist Community Eduard Morik's Maler Nolten", Physiognomy in Profile: Lavater's Impact on European Culture n/a, 121-136

Book Chapters

Plews John, Schmenk B.. (2012). "Traditions and transitions: On broadening the visibility and scope of curriculum inquiry for German studies", Traditions and transitions: Curricula for German studies , 1-20
Plews John. (2012). "Postsecondary Germanistik, or German as a foreign language in Canada from a postcolonial perspective", Traditions and transitions: Curricula for German studies, 49-67

Journal Articles

Plews John, Breckenridge Y., Cambre M.-C., Fernandes G.. "Mexican English teachers’ experiences of international professional development in Canada: A narrative sequel", e-FLT 11:1 (Spring - 2013), 52-75
Plews John. "“Can anyone recommend a good German grammar?”: An analysis of a popular North American German grammar", Forum Deutsch 21:1 (Spring - 2012), 40pp
Plews John, Zhao K.. "Tinkering with tasks knows no bounds: ESL teachers’ adaptations of task-based language teaching", TESL Canada 28:1 (Spring - 2009), 41-59
Plews John, Breckenridge Y., Cambre M.-C.. "Mexican English teachers’ experiences of international professional development in Canada: A narrative analysis", e-FLT 7:1 (Spring - 2009), 5-20
C. Beaudoin-Lietz, Plews John. "Co-occurring attributive adjectives in German: Presenting a special case of alternations of strong and weak inflections", Forum Deutsch 18:1 (Spring - 2009), 20pp

Presentation

Plews John. "'Our characters … their voices …': On Avatars, Agency, and Second Language Identity", Wilga Rivers Foreign Language Colloquium, American Association for Applied Linguistics and Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics joint annual conference (Spring - 2014)
Plews John. "Verstehen Sie Spaβ im Unterricht? Keynote Address", Canadian Association of Teachers of German annual meeting (Spring - 2014)
Plews John. "Adapting communicative activities using a task-based language teaching approach", Nova Scotia Language Teachers Association Conference (Spring - 2013)
Plews John, Misfeldt K.. "Study abroad students’ awareness of teaching approaches, or problems in domestic classrooms", Association of Language Awareness 12th Conference (Spring - 2013)
Plews John, Fernandes G.. "The virtues of Vokis, or using avatars to perform German-second-language selves", Performative Teaching, Learning, and Research, University College Cork, Ireland (Spring - 2013)
Todd-Colby L. E., Plews John. "Teaching grammar to postsecondary learners of French as a second language using task-based learning: What students notice", Canadian Society for the Study of Education annual meeting (Spring - 2013)
Plews John, Fernandes G.. "The virtues of Vokis, or using avatars to perform German-second-language selves", Canadian Association of University Teachers of German Learned Society annual meeting (Spring - 2013)
Plews John. "“Exposure”: Theory and practice in foreign language study abroad. Sloganizations in language education discourse", Invited lecture at Humboldt-Universität Berlin (Spring - 2013)
Fernandes G., Plews John. "Ensino de Alemão por meio de tecnologias digitais? Que história é essa? (Teaching German with digital technologies? What’s the story?) ", Simpósio Nacional de Estudos Filológicos e Linguísticos (Spring - 2013)
Plews John, Todd-Colby L.E.. "). Ensino de Alemão por meio de tecnologias digitais? Que história é essa? (Teaching German with digital technologies?)", Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters annual conference (Spring - 2013)
Plews John. "Amerikaner, separatists, Gypsies, and lumberjacks: The unwished-for identities of Canadians on foreign language study abroad", Conditioned Identities—Wished-for and Unwished-for Identities (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "Curriculum as mourning. European Conference on Curriculum Studies: Future Directions: Uncertainty and Possibility", The First Conference of the European Association of Curriculum Studies (Euro-ACS) (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "Taking study abroad to task: Issues and choices in syllabus design and enactment", The Fifth Biennial International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "“Woki mit deim Voki” and other webtools: Taking technology to task in a textbook-driven German syllabus", Atlantic Council of Teachers of German (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "The more-or-less Canadians after foreign language study abroad", Residence Abroad, Social Networks, and Second Language Learning, Centre for Applied Language Research (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "Looking for interculturality in study abroad research data", Department of Languages & Literatures Invited Lecture (Spring - 2012)
Plews John. "The more-or-less Canadians after foreign language study abroad", Perverse Identities—Identities in Conflict, Institut de Recerca en Identitats i Societat (Spring - 2011)
Plews John. "Intercultural self-awareness in study abroad, or the “to-and-fro-and-across” of multilingual subject positions", Association of Language Awareness 11th Conference (Spring - 2011)
Plews John. "Tricksters, exiles, nomads, artists, and novelists: Theorizing curriculum for foreign language learners as multilingual subjects", 4th World Curriculum Studies Conference (Spring - 2011)
Plews John. "On the human subject of second language teaching and learning in research and teaching", Faculty of Education invited lecture (Spring - 2011)
Plews John. "Teaching German in the students’ contexts: Theories, principles, practices", Atlantic Council of Teachers of German (Spring - 2010)
Plews John. "Developing and understanding an ethnographic study as a project-length task on a German study abroad program", Atlantic Council of Teachers of German (Spring - 2009)
Plews John. "On reading the German curriculum through a postcolonial analysis of stakeholder identities", German curricula: Traditions and transitions (Spring - 2009)
Plews J., Breckenridge Y., Cambre C.. "Mirando al norte: The Narrative Employment of a Mexican English Teacher Professional Development/Spanish Language Monitor Program in Canada", Joint Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics and the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (Spring - 2005)
Plews J.L. "On the Core, the Outside, and the Borders: A Critical/Postcolonial Response to Postsecondary Foreign Language Education in Canada", Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, Canadian Society for Secondary Education Learned Society Annual Meeting (Spring - 2005)
Johnston I., Richardson G., Plews J., Donald D., Kim M., Syed K. "A Bridge Too Far? Reflecting on the Tensions of Engaging with Diversity in a University Collaborative Action Teacher Education Initiative. ", Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, Canadian Society for Secondary Education Learned Society Annual Meeting (Spring - 2005)
Johnston I., Richardson G., Carson T., Donald D., Kim M., Plews J., Syed K. "Creating a curriculum of cross-cultural understanding: Reflections on a collaborative action project in teacher education. Working for change in the public interest: Cases of successful activism and curriculum. Education research in the public interest.", American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting (Spring - 2004)
Plews J., Ellis Y., Cambre C. "Experiencing a Mexican Language Teacher Professional Development Program in Canada. Voice and Vision in Language Teacher Education", Fourth International Conference on Language Teacher Education (Spring - 2004)
Plews J.L. "A Brief Review of German at a Canadian University Now: Including Canadian Student Voices in Thinking about the Curriculum", Canadian Association of University Teachers of German Learned Society Annual Meeting (Spring - 2004)
Johnston I., Richardson G., Plews J., Donald D., Kim M., Syed K. "Creating a Curriculum of Cross-Cultural Understanding: Lessons from a Collaborative Action Research Project in Teacher Education", Canadian Society for Secondary Education Learned Society Annual Meeting (Spring - 2004)

Editorial Work

Plews John, Schmenk B.. (Ed.) (2013) Traditions and transitions: Curricula for German studies. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier Press

Service: Institutional Committees

Faculty of Arts Engagement Committee, Participation in Open House events (Mar. 6, 2015), 2014/01 - None (375)
Union Observer (designate) for the University Review Committee & University Appointments Committee, 2013/01 - None (376)
Saint Mary’s University Faculty Union Social Benefits Committee, 2012/01 - None (377)
Linguistics Program Planning Committee, 2012/01 - None (378)
Intercultural Studies Committee, Dept. of Modern Languages & Classics, 2012/01 - 2013/01 (379)
Graduate Programs Admission Committee (GPAC), the governing body of the Inter-University MA Program in Women’s and Gender Studies, 2007/01 - 2010/01 (380)
Linguistics Program Planning Committee, 2006/01 - None (381)

Service: Professional or Disciplinary

Research Ambassador, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) 2014/01 - Present
Founding member, Halifax Languages Consortium 2014/01 - Present
Peer Reviewer, CELT [Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching] 2014/01 - 2015/01
Organizer of The Culture of Study Abroad, The Culture of Study Abroad 2014/01 - 2014/03
Limited-term adjunct member, Graduate Program in Education, Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University 2013/01 - Present
Limited-term member, Graduate Program in Education, School of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies, University of Western Ontario 2013/01 - Present
Vice President, Canadian Association of University Teachers of German 2013/01 - Present
Editorial board member, Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education [John Benjamins Publishing Company] 2013/01 - Present
Editorial board member (area editor), CELT [Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching] 2013/01 - 2014/03
Peer Reviewer, Language, Identity and Education 2013/01 - 2014/03
Peer Reviewer, TESL Canada 2013/01 - 2013/03
Founding member, AInGLE (Atlantic Initiative for German Language Education) 2012/01 - Present
Chair of Graduate Theses Awards Committee, Canadian Association of University Teachers of German 2012/01 - 2014/03
Peer Reviewer, Language, Culture and Curriculum 2012/01 - 2012/03
Member of the conference planning committee of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) 2013 Conference, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) 2012/01 - 2012/03
Local coordinator , the annual conference of the Atlantic Council of Teachers of German, Saint Mary’s University 2012/01 - 2012/03
Acting Co-Director, Canadian Summer School in Germany, Kassel, Germany 2011/01 - 2011/03
Peer Reviewer, Canadian Association of University Teachers of German 2011/01 - 2012/03
Peer Reviewer, Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics 2011/01 - 2011/03
Peer Reviewer, Canadian Association of Teachers of German 2010/01 - 2011/03
Peer Reviewer, Space & Culture 2010/01 - 2010/03
Committee Member, Best Canadian Doctoral Dissertation Award Committee, Canadian Association of University Teachers of German 2009/01 - 2012/03
Peer Reviewer, Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching (e-FLT) 2009/01 - 2010/03
Peer Reviewer, Pearson Education Canada 2009/01 - 2009/03
Co-organizer , German curricula: Traditions and transitions 2009/01 - 2009/03
Editorial board member, Forum Deutsch [Journal of the Canadian Association of Teachers of German] 2006/01 - Present
Peer Reviewer, Forum Deutsch 2006/01 - 2013/03
Peer Reviewer, Seminar 1998/01 - 2008/03