Department of Second Language Studies at University of Hawaii

10/07/2026

We're hiring!

The Department of Second Language Studies seeks to hire a scholar who conducts research on multilingualism in professional/vocational/employment contexts. The person filling this vital role will contribute to the scholarly mission of the department through research, teaching, and service focused on how languages are used in workplaces and institutions outside of formal education and how people are prepared for a multilingual workforce. Ideal candidates will have (a) a background in sociolinguistics, language for specific or vocational purposes, forensic linguistics, or language policy and (b) interest in networking with local services, such as the state Office of Language Access or court interpreter services, in order to build capacity for language access for all residents of the state.

The department is committed to serving the educational and social needs of the highly diverse and multilingual State of Hawai‘i as well as to being a world leader in the study of second, foreign, and heritage language learning, teaching, use, and analysis. The Department of Second Language Studies offers a BA, an MA and a PhD in Second Language Studies as well as an Advanced Graduate Certificate. The University of Hawai‘i is a Carnegie very high research activity university with a strong orientation to the Asia-Pacific region. The University supports interdisciplinary initiatives within and across departments and colleges and places high value on extramural funding. It also values research that addresses locally-relevant issues and local populations in Hawai‘i.

For more information and to apply, please follow this link:

Title: Assistant Professor (Applied Linguistics in Multilingual Workplaces)Position: 0083008 Hiring Unit: College of Arts, Languages & Letters/Department of Second Language StudiesLocation: University of Hawaii at ManoaDate Posted: 10/06/2026Closing Date: Continuous - application review begins Nove...

09/30/2026

Aloha kākou,

Please mark your calendars for these events featuring our Chaudron invited speaker, Dr. Pia Lane!
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Tuesday, October 6 (1-2:30 pm) Native Hawaiian Student Services, QLCSS 113
Language Trajectory Drawings: Becoming a Speaker

This participatory workshop, developed at the University of Oslo, guides participants to understand how individual and social factors influence the experiences of people involved in Indigenous language reclamation over time. Participants will create and discuss drawings to help visualize the different languages and ways of speaking that have been present in their lives. Learners and speakers of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and all other languages are warmly welcomed. RSVP required: Register at https://go.hawaii.edu/FwR

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Tuesday, October 6 (4-6 pm) BUSAD A102
Film Screening of The Secret Language, a 45 minute documentary about revitalizing and reclaiming the Kven language in Norway (co-produced by Dr. Pia Lane). Followed by a panel discussion about language learning and language revitalization with Dr. Lane, Dr. Haʻalilio Solomon (Assistant Professor, Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, UH-Mānoa), and several students of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi at UH-Mānoa.

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Thursday, October 8 (12-1:15 pm), Moore 258 and on Zoom
From Silencing to Reclamation: Indigenous Language Revitalisation after Historical Trauma
Dr. Pia Lane, University of Oslo
Chaudron Lecture, Department of Second Language Studies

09/29/2026

Starting the new week with some good news! 🔥

We’re excited to celebrate Ayano's newly published research - a project that began as a class assignment and grew into a published piece of research.

What is the article about?

This article originated from her final project for SLS 675: Second Language Qualitative Research and was further developed through EALL 750: Language and the Body. Drawing on multimodal CA, this study examines how an English-speaking teacher employs the culturally relevant Japanese “gassho” gesture 🙏- placing both palms together - in an ESL classroom. The study contributes to classroom research on recipient-designed gestures by highlighting the significance of cultural relevance.

Why is this interesting?

A project that started as a class assignment grew into a published piece of research - making this one a particularly meaningful milestone in her graduate journey.

Once again, congratulations! 🎉

The article can be found here:
Kawasaki, A. (2026). Recipient designed gestures: Teacher’s orientation to students’ cultural membership. Classroom Discourse, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/19463014.2026.2708337

See also Ayano's website: https://ayanokawasaki.weebly.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayano-kawasaki-928in2010/

09/09/2026

PhD Student Recruitment (Fall 2027)

Dr. Hakyung Sung (Department of Second Language Studies, UH Mānoa, https://manoa.hawaii.edu/sls/directory/people/hakyung-sung/profile.php) is looking to work with one PhD student beginning in Fall 2027. Potential research topics include, but are not limited to:

• Corpus-based analysis of learner language
• Multilingual research on NLP and language models
• Usage-based approaches to second language development

Candidates with a master’s degree in a language-related field and some training in quantitative research methods would be a good fit for this position. If you are considering applying and would like to discuss research fit, please feel free to contact Dr. Sung (sungh[at]hawaii[dot]edu).

• Position: 4 years of support (through a Graduate Assistantship)
• Start date: August 2027
• Application deadline: January 1, 2027
• More info: UH Mānoa SLS Graduate Program
https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/second-language-studies/

UH Mānoa’s Second Language Studies program offers an Advanced Graduate Certificate, MA, and PhD focusing on language learning, teaching, and use. The AGC provides specialized expertise, the MA develops practitioner-researchers, and the PhD produces scholars for leadership in multilingual contexts...

08/28/2026

🎉 NEW PUBLICATION 🎉

✨ Congratulations SLS PhD student Alexander F. Tang and SLS Professor Dr. Betsy Gilliland on their recently published article in the International Journal of Applied Linguistics, which comes from Alex’s first qualifying paper written about the teacher research conducted during the 2024 SLS Thailand practicum.

➡️ Drawing on interpretive phenomenological analysis, this article explores how four teacher-learners developed and sustained translanguaging pedagogies by reflecting on their teaching practices, identities, and relationships with learners in the Thai EFL context.

The article can be found here:

Tang, A. F., & Gilliland, B. (2026). Sustaining translanguaging pedagogies: Teacher-learners' approaches towards L2 motivational development in the Thai EFL context. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.70309

08/25/2026

Mahalo to the Second Language Studies Social Association (SLSSA) for organizing the Welcome Cooler for Fall 2026!

Following the Department orientation, SLSSA welcomed and honored our new students, visiting faculty, and new assistant professor, Dr. Hakyung Sung. Students, faculty, and staff enjoyed the chance to relax, mingle, and celebrate the start of the academic year together over light refreshments. We're looking forward to a great year ahead!

07/31/2026

✨Attention UH students: we are hiring for a new undergraduate or graduate student interested in working with our SLS Department to help run our social media and website!

🌺 A candidate who is currently enrolled at UH Mānoa as an SLS major/grad student would be preferred, but other majors with relevant communications and media experience may apply!

💻 Please see the job posting for our “Communications and Social Media Associate” position on SECE # 273109! 🌈🤙🏼

07/30/2026

🤔 Hey Undergrad students! Still looking for a class to take in Fall ‘26 at UH Mānoa?

✍🏼 Interested in exploring your own and othersʻ wellbeing through the lens of language and culture?

✨ Register now for SLS 250 to learn more about how multilingual individuals navigate material, physical, emotional, cognitive, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing!

🔗 Registration is on STAR, seats are still available!

07/30/2026

🤔 Hey Grad students! Still looking for a class to take in Fall ‘26 at UH Mānoa?

✍🏼 Interested in theories and practice related to the teaching and learning of writing, especially for second language learners?

✨ Register now for SLS 614 to learn more about approaches to teaching writing in second and foreign languages, response to student writing, assessment of writing, and research on second language writing!

🔗 Registration is on STAR, seats are still available!