Oguzhan Tekin

Currently working on his Ph.D. in Education (with a specialization in Applied Linguistics) at Concordia University, Montréal, Oguzhan (he/him) holds an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from Northern Arizona University, USA, where he developed a strong interest in sociolinguistics. His current research interests mainly focus on international students, prejudice, linguicism and linguistic justice, critical language awareness and second language writing, and language and identity. His dissertation aims to shed light on the social and linguistic challenges that international students experience in their host communities and to tease apart potential causes of prejudice between international students and locals. His research has been published in various journals (e.g., System, Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, and Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Canadian Modern Language Review) and he has presented his work at various professional conferences (e.g., Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching, TESOL).

Before joining the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, Oguzhan taught Critical Reading and Writing courses to first-year university students from various ethnolinguistic backgrounds in the U.S., which sparked his interest in writing as a tool to contemplate, explore, share, and empower. Prior to this, he helped undergraduate students in Turkey develop academic reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Positioning himself as a multilingual and -cultural world citizen, Oguzhan prides himself on his intercultural communication and empathy skills, particularly when it comes to working with learners from language backgrounds other than English. In his classes, Oguzhan always dedicates himself to forming a community of learners based on mutual trust and respect and driven by diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. In line with his learner-centred approach, he extremely values his students’ active engagement in the classroom through peer and group work, so that they are constantly encouraged to be critical thinkers and makers of knowledge.

If he is not “leisurely” picking up a new language, in his free time, Oguzhan likes to practice mindfulness, hike, and swim.