Speaker
Description
English learning presents unique challenges to Asian learners due to significant differences between their mother tongues and English. Additionally, ineffective teaching methods in the classroom and limited exposure to English outside of it also contribute to unsatisfactory learning outcomes. To address these issues, it is essential to explore the intricate relationships among various factors influencing self-regulated learning (SRL), particularly motivation and classroom environments. In this presentation, the author will first provide a brief overview of his research regarding key motivational factors (e.g., self-efficacy, interest and growth mindset), classroom environmental factors (e.g., teacher support and peer support) and self-regulated learning (e.g., goal-setting and planning, monitoring and self-evaluation) from a variable-centered approach. Following this, he shares insights from his most recent studies conducted using a person-centered approach, highlighting unique findings from both approaches. Most importantly, he will explore the application of his findings to classroom practices. He will also share practical methods to enhance different dimensions of English learners’ motivation, optimize the classroom environment, and improve their use of SRL strategies. Participants will have opportunities to consider how to conceptualize classroom-based research and also reflect on their teaching practices.
Biography
Barry Bai is an associate professor at the Department of Curriculum and the director of Centre for Language Education and Multiliteracies Research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 2023 and 2024, he was recognized as a top 2% most cited researcher in languages and linguistics worldwide by Stanford University. Additionally, he was named a Highly Ranked Scholar (Lifetime - top 0.05%, #20 and Prior 5 Years – top 0.05%, #3) in the specialty of primary school in 2024 by ScholarGPS. Currently, he serves as the president of Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL) and is an associate editor of European Journal of Education and Asia Pacific Journal of Education. He is a recipient of 2014/2015 Faculty Exemplary Teaching Award and has secured highly competitive research funds, Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Schemes (GRF/ECS) for 2018/2019 and 2022/2023. He has conducted multiple projects on English teachers’ continuing professional development funded by Quality Education Fund (QEF) and Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) of the Hong Kong Education Bureau and the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a total funding amount of over HK$ 35 million. His work appears in leading education journals, including Computers & Education, Teaching and Teacher Education, Social Psychology of Education, Research Papers in Education, Cambridge Journal of Education, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Studies in Educational Evaluation, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Language Teaching Research, Applied Linguistics Review, TESOL Quarterly and System.
