- Professor, Multilingual Education and Associate Dean, Research, York University, Canada
Teaching positions:
1/99 - present: Faculty of Education, York University: Associate Professor - Professor - Associate Dean
1/96-12/98 Lecturer and Executive Director, Language and Society Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
9/89-12/95 Lecturer & Senior Lecturer, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Visiting positions:
2017 Gordon and Jean Southam Fellow held as University Associate, Curtin University, Australia
2016-2017 Massey-York Scholar, Toronto
2014 Visiting Professor, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
2014; 2013; 2009 Visiting research fellow, King's College, London
2011 Visiting Professor, Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg
Awards:
2018-2019 Dean’s Research Impact Award
2016-2017 York University Research Leader
2012 People for Education’s inaugural Researcher of the Month
2010 Toronto District School Board Award for program/project excellence to the York University–Joyce Public School partnership
2006 Semifinalist (top 30) in Ontario’s Best Lecturer Competition, TVOntario
Experience
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2008–presentProfessor, Multilingual Education
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2017–presentAssociate dean, Research
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1999–2008Associate professor, Multilingual Education
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1996–1998Executive Director, Language and Society Centre
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1996–1998Lecturer, Linguistics
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1992–1995Senior lecturer, Education
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1989–1992Lecturer, Education
Education
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1989OISE/ University of Toronto, PhD: Applied Linguistics in Education
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1983University of Lancaster, MA: Linguistics for English Language Learning
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1977Carleton University, Cert. TESL
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1973University of New Brunswick, BA: English, Spanish
Publications
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2019A multimodal analysis of a children's plurilingual talking book: Understanding Imagine a world, Text & Talk
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2018Mobile language learning: The medium is ^not the message., L2 Journal
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2017Teaching young learners in a superdiverse world: Multimodal perspectives and approaches. , Routledge
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2017Post-modernizing school learning: An evolving playbook to re-read/write language and literacy education for civic engagement., Language and literacy
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2013Creating third spaces in the linguistically heterogeneous classroom for the advancement of plurilingualism. , TESOL Quarterly
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2011Teaching multimodal and digital literacy in L2 settings: New literacies, new basics, new pedagogies., Annual Review of Applied Linguistics
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2011Pedagogy of multiliteracies: Rewriting Goldilocks, Routledge
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2009Glocalization, representation and literacy education, e-Learning and Digital Media
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2009Multilingualism in cyberspace: Conceptualizing the virtual linguistic landscape, International Journal of Multilingualism
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2008Successful Kids from Immigrant Families: An Investigation of the Complex Multilingual Worlds of 10-year-old Gifted Writers in Suburban Toronto, International Journal of Multilingualism
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2008Project-based community language learning: Three narratives of multilingual storytelling in early childhood education. , Canadian Modern Language Review
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2006Rewriting Goldilocks in the urban, multicultural elementary school, The Reading Teacher
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2004What four skills? Redefining language and literacy skills in the digital era., TESL Canada Journal
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2004How to chat in English and Chinese: Emerging digital language conventions., ReCALL
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2003Emergent metaliteracies: What the Xbox has to offer the EQAO, Linguistics and Education
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2002Canada: Factors contributing to teachers’ successful implementation of information technology. , Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
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2001A tale of four teachers: A study of an Australian late-entry content-based program in two Asian languages. , International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
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2000What’s bilingual education all about? A guide to language learning in today’s schools, Language Australia
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1998Trends and tensions in post-colonial language education in the South Pacific., International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
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1996A consideration of the portability and supportability of immersion education: A critical look at English immersion in Melanesia, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
Grants and Contracts
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2019Production pedagogies for language learning in mobile digital environments
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2018Effects of mobile digital access on language forms and functions
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- SSHRC
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2014Lifelogging new communication practices: A pilot project
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2013Posthuman Literacies: Exploring the Cognitive, Cultural and Social Upload and Download of Reading and Writing the Digital World
- Role:
- Co-investigator
- Funding Source:
- SSHRC
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2011How does Twitter create community? Mapping discourse in a research community through Tweets
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2008Researching new literacies in the multicultural classroom: Developing a ludic approach to linguistic challenges in elementary education
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2007Revising the EQAO: An exploration of contemporary teenagers’ digital literacies
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2006A Study of Classroom Use of Educational Games and Simulations for Literacy Skills Development
- Role:
- Collaborator
- Funding Source:
- Canadian Council on Learning
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2005Evaluation of the Learning Connections online professional development community for literacy and numeracy
- Role:
- Collaborator
- Funding Source:
- Ministry of Education, Ontario
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2005Emergent multiliteracies in theory and practice: Multicultural literacy development at elementary school.
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2003Rewriting Goldilocks: Emergent transliteracies
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2002Observing multiliteracies in action
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
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2000Factors that contribute to innovative teaching with technology
- Role:
- Collaborator
- Funding Source:
- Telelearning, OECD
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1998Literacy development in secondary immersion students
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Language Australia
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1998Raising Children Bilingually
- Role:
- Co-investigator
- Funding Source:
- :anguage Australia
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1997Biliteracy at home and at school
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- Language Australia
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1996Use of electronic media for maintenance of LOTES
- Role:
- Principal investigator
- Funding Source:
- National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia
Professional Memberships
- Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée
- American Association of Applied Linguistics
- Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics
- American Educational Research Association
- The Canadian Society for the Study of Education
- Language and Literacy Researchers of Canada
- Literacy Research Association
- International Association for the Development of the Information Society
Contact Heather for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
- Website
- X (formerly Twitter): @HLotherington
- Article Feed
- Joined