Faculty
Xiaohong ‘Sharon’ Wen, Ph.D.
Professor, Applied Linguistics and Chinese Language Acquisition
Director, Chinese Studies
664 Agnes Arnold HallPhone: 713.743.3072 
Email: xswen@central.uh.edu
View CV
Xiaohong ‘Sharon’ Wen is a professor of applied linguistics and Chinese language acquisition. She has been the director of Chinese Studies at UH since 1994. She has founded and built the Chinese Studies program from one elementary Chinese course into an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts program and a minor in Chinese studies. In addition to the degree programs, Chinese Studies also offers a faculty-led Summer Study Abroad Program and annual scholarships for study abroad and excellence in Chinese Studies at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Wen has conducted a series of empirical studies from both the quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Her publications address L2 learning motivation, L2 Chinese acquisition of Chinese, interlanguage pragmatics, heritage language and research-based instruction. Her L2 Chinese motivation instruments have been widely adopted in L2 research, including English, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese languages. Her empirical studies have been reprinted and translated into Korean and Chinese. She is the principal investigator for several major federal and internal grants. Practically, her research findings bear on issues such as learner factors, learning processes and strategies, and methods to connect research with classroom instruction.
Wen’s research publications include more than 40 articles, mostly in peer-reviewed journals. Her recent books are: "The Acquisition of Chinese as a First and Second Language" (2021); "Studies on Learning and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language" (2019); "Teaching Chinese as a Second Language: Curriculum Design and Instruction" (2015); "Studies of Chinese Language Acquisition by English Speakers" (2012); and "Chinese as a Second Language Acquisition and Instruction" (2008).
Wen is a guest professor at four prestigious universities in China and Taiwan. She has received awards including the Sydney B. Karofsky Teaching Prize from Bowdoin College, the Lence Award for Teaching Excellence and the Global Faculty Award from the University of Houston. She is an AP Chinese Consultant for the College Board and is currently the co-chair on the AP Chinese Development Committee. She has served and is serving on the editorial boards of JCLTA and CASLAR (Chinese as Second Language Research), Journal of Chinese Language Studies 汉语教学学刊, International Chinese Language Education 国际汉语教育, and national and international boards of directors for academic associations including CLTA-US, IACL (International Association of Chinese Linguistics) and the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching (世汉教学学会).
Selected Publications
A. Books
2021. "The Acquisition of Chinese as a First and Second Language" Editor & Author. MDPI SwitzerlandISBN 978-3-03943-270-7 (Hbk); ISBN 978-3-03943-271-4 (PDF)
© 2021 by the authors; CC BY license
Links:
Chapter 1: The Acquisition of Chinese as a First and Second Language. The Acquisition of Chinese as a 1st&2nd Lang Wen's Article
2019. "Studies on Learning and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language". Editor & Author. London, UK: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN: 978-0-8153-8232-4 (hbk), 978-0-8153-8240-9 (pbk)
Links:2019 New Book Studies on CSL Wen
Chpt1 Intro. Studies on L2 Chinese Wen
2015. "Teaching Chinese as a Second Language: Curriculum Design and Instruction", Chief Editor & Author. The Press of Beijing Language and Culture University. Beijing, China. Chicago, USA. ISBN: 978-1-62575-017-4. 364 pages.
2012. 《汉语作为第二语言的习得与教学》"Chinese as a Second Language Acquisition and Instruction". 384 pages. 北京大学出版社 The Peking University Press. Beijing, China. ISBN 978-7-301-21446-6/H 3162.
2008.《汉语作为外语的习得研究: 理论基础与课堂实践》 "Studies of Chinese Language Acquisition by English Speakers: from Theories to Practice", 375 pages. 北京大学出版社 The Peking University Press. Beijing, China. The book was reprinted in 2010.
Link:
2008 汉语作为外语的习得研究 Wen
B. Selected Journal Articles & Book Chapters
2024. Chinese heritage language motivation: a study of motivation development in a multicultural context. Journal, Frontiers in Psychology, pp 1-12. Front. Psychol. 15:1452547. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1452547
2023. Challenges and opportunities: a case study from a Chinese studies program at a university in the USA 发展与挑战: 从一个大学的中文项目看美国 中文教育的发展. CASLAR (Journal, Chinese as Second Language Research by de Gruyter) pp 259-278, Chinese as a Second Language Research (degruyter.com)
2022. Chinese language learning motivation: a study of individual-contextual interactions, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, DOI:10.1080/01434632.2022.2044340. pp. 1-18. Taylor & Francis Group.
2020. Motivational profiles and learning experience across Chinese language proficiency levels. First author - coauthored with M. Piao. System 90, 102216. pp. 1-13. Elsevier.
2020. The acquisition of Chinese as first and second language. Languages, 5, 32; pp. 1-11. doi:10.3390/languages5030032. https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/5/3/32
2019. Research in second language acquisition of Chinese: An introduction. "Studies on Learning and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language", 1-14. Ed. X. Wen & X. Jiang. London, UK: Routledge.
2019. Requests in Chinese by heritage and foreign language learners."Studies on Learning and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language", 38-64. Ed. X. Wen & X. Jiang. London, UK: Routledge.
2018. Motivation and Chinese second language acquisition. In "Routledge Handbook of Chinese Second Language Acquisition", 352-372. Ed. C. Ke. London, UK: Routledge.
2018. Chinese learning motivation and research-based instruction in "Explorations in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language", 59-74. Ed. X. Yang & W. Ka. Cheng & Tsui publishing.
2017. Chinese language development in the US: students, curriculum, and teachers. 美国的汉语国际传播：学生、课程、教师. "Studies on Chinese Language International Development"《汉语国际传播研究》2, 11-25. The Commercial Press, China.
2015. Theme-based curriculum and research-based instruction: an introduction. In X. Wen and N. Bi, "Teaching Chinese as a Second Language: Curriculum Design and Instruction", I-XXII. The Press of Beijing Language and Culture University. Chicago, USA; Beijing, China.2014. CLTA 2012 Survey of College-Level Chinese Language Programs in North America (Co-authored with Yu and Xie). Journal of Chinese Language Teachers Association. 1, 1-49.
2014. Pragmatic Development: An Exploratory Study of Requests by Learners of Chinese. A book chapter in Z. Han (Ed.) "Second Language Acquisition of Chinese: A Series of Empirical Studies". PP. 30-57, Multilingual Matters.
2013. 语言的输入、输出与课堂的互动设计 Input, Output, and Design of Interactive Class Activities. 汉语学习 "Chinese Language Learning". 2 86-94
2013. 汉语为外语的学习情感态度、动机研究A Study of Chinese Language Learning Attitudes and Motivation. 世界汉语教学 "Chinese Teaching in the World". 4. The Press of the Beijing Language and Culture University. 73-85.
2012. A daunting task: The acquisition of the Chinese Ba-construction by non-native speakers of Chinese. Journal of Chinese Linguistics. 216-240. The Chinese University Press of Hong Kong.
2011. Chinese language learning motivation: A comparative study of heritage and non-heritage learners. Heritage Language Journal, 8(3), 41-66.
2011. 美国中文教学面临的挑战与对应策略 Challenges and Changes in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language in the USA. 世界汉语教学 "Chinese Teaching in the World". 4. The Press of the Beijing Language and Culture University. 538-553.
2011. 语言习得与汉语课任务的设计 Language acquisition and design of task-based instruction in a Chinese classroom. 国际汉语 "Chinese Language in the World", 1 (Journal’s Initial Issue). 中山大学出版社The Sun Yatsen University Press, China. 20-28.
2010. Acquisition of the displacement Ba-construction by English-speaking learners of Chinese. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association. 45:2, 73-99.
2009. Teaching listening and speaking: An interactive approach. In M. Everson and Y. Xiao (Eds.) Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language: Theories and Applications. pp. 131-150. Cheng & Cui Publishing, Boston.
2008. 语言习得与语法教学 Language acquisition and Grammar teaching. 汉语学习 "Chinese Language Learning". 2, 76-84.
2008. Bridging language and culture: a study of Chinese Guanyongyu compounds. Journal of Chinese Linguistics. The Chinese University Press of Hong Kong. 36:2, 249-273.
2007. 教学输入与学习者的语言输出Instructional input and learner’s output. "Chinese Teaching in the World", (A special issue to celebrate the journal’s 20th anniversary 世界汉语教学：创刊20周年纪念专号). 3 , 108-119. The Press of the Beijing Language and Culture University, China.
2007. 对外汉语教学：语言习得的理论基础 Theoretical foundations of research in Chinese language acquisition. In 崔希亮 (Ed.) Chinese Language Education: International Interactions. pp. 83-106. 商务出版社 The Commercial Press, Beijing, China.
2006. 语言习得与教学内容 Language acquisition and teaching contents. Journal of Chinese Language Studies, 2. 48-67. 北京大学出版社 The Peking University Press, China.
2006. Acquisition sequence of three constructions: An analysis of the Interlanguage of learners of Chinese as a foreign language. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association. 41:3, 89-114.
2001. Chinese language articulation: A report on the CLTA Board project, Co-authors: C. Ke, X. Wen, & C. Kotenbeutel, Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association. 36:3, 25-60.
2000. 汉语习得偏误及改错的效益 Error in Chinese language acquisition and effect of feedback. 第六届国际汉语教学论文选 Selected Articles of the Sixth International Symposium Chinese Language Teaching. Eds 胡明扬，鲁健冀，张德鑫. pp. 195-203. Beijing: Beijing University Press.
1999. Error and corrective feedback. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association. 34:3,1-22.
1999. Chinese learning motivation: a comparative study of different ethnic groups. In Chu, M. (Ed.) "Mapping the Course of the Chinese Language Field". pp. 121-150. The Chinese Language Teachers Association Monograph Series, Vol. III.
1998. Improving reading strategies through an understanding of culture and language. Educational Resources Information Center ( ERIC) on Language and Linguistics. ED 427 540, FL 025 736.
1997. Motivation and language learning with students of Chinese. Foreign Language Annals. 30:2, 235-252.
1997. Acquisition of Chinese Aspect: An analysis of the Interlanguage of Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language. I.T.L. Review of Applied Linguistics. 115-116: 1-26.
1996. Multimedia contextual cues and listening comprehension: the interactive multimedia listening comprehension program. Educational Resources Information Center ( ERIC) on Language and Linguistics. ED 406 835, FL 024 491.
1995. Second language acquisition of the Chinese particle le . International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 5:1, 45-62.
1995. Chinese language learning Motivation. Educational Resources Information Center ( ERIC) on Language and Linguistics. ED391 373.
1995. Chinese and English language processing strategies within individuals. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association. 30:2, 127-145.
1994. Topic prominence in the acquisition of Chinese existential sentences by English-speakers. International Journal of Psycholinguistics. 10:2, 127-145.
1992. Comparison of first and second language acquisition. Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies. 3: 49-65. The Press of Beijing Language Institute, China.
1992. Survey of current theories of second language acquisition. Chinese Teaching in the World. No.1, pp. 45-48; No.2, pp. 147-153. Co-author with J. Zhang. The Press of Beijing Language and Culture University, China.
1989. Chinese passives: transformational or lexical? Co-author with J. Zhang. Linguistic Analysis. 17: 3-4, 200-216.
C. Translated and Selected Articles
2006. 主题突出与汉语存在句习得研究 Topic prominence in the acquisition of Chinese existential sentences by English-speakers. In 王建勤 (Ed.) "Studies on Acquisition of Chinese as a Second Language". pp. 295-310. 商务出版社The Commercial Press, Beijing, China.
2005. Acquisition of Chinese aspect: An analysis of the interlanguage of learners of Chinese as a foreign language, in the book "Linguistic Research in Teaching Modern Chinese". pp. 67-101. Korea Education Commission. (The article was translated and reprinted in Korean).
2005. Second language acquisition of the Chinese particle le, in the book: "Linguistic Research in Teaching Modern Chinese". pp. 105-139. Korea Education Commission. (The article was translated and reprinted in Korean).
1995. The acquisition of Chinese existential sentences. "Chinese Teaching in the World". 32:2, 52-59. The Beijing Language Institute Press, China. (The article was translated in Chinese).
1993. An abstract of “Comparison of first and second language acquisition”. The Almanac of Chinese Linguistic,中国语言学年鉴. p.218. In李行键 (Ed.), 语文出版社Yuwen Press.