- Webinars
- Delivery of TIRF services that involve mentoring
- Staying connected with other awardees
Introduction
The TIRF DDG Fellows Network fosters a global, collaborative community of Doctoral Dissertation Grant (DDG) awardees dedicated to supporting research and professional development and amplifying the impact of TIRF’s mission worldwide. By connecting DDG awardees across cohorts and regions, we aim to promote effective English language education and research in multilingual contexts through mentoring, networking, and outreach.
Overview
The TIRF DDG Fellows Network is an initiative designed to connect past, present, and potential recipients of the TIRF Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDG). Rooted in TIRF’s commitment to empowering English language educators and researchers globally, the network provides a platform for sustained engagement and community-building among DDG awardees.
Structured around a small leadership team and interest-based working groups, the network focuses on three core areas: mentoring, networking, and outreach. Fellows support TIRF’s mission through activities such as mentoring prospective DDG applicants, networking at professional conferences, and contributing to webinars and social media campaigns that raise awareness of TIRF’s work. Quarterly meetings and annual reflection sessions help guide strategic growth and keep projects aligned with the Foundation’s values. By fostering an inclusive and engaged community, the TIRF DDG Fellows Network contributes to the professional and scholarly growth of its members and helps extend the reach and relevance of TIRF’s global mission.
What We Do
- Professional conferences, events
- Promoting TIRF events
- Developing social media campaigns to increase awareness of TIRF’s programs
- Raising awareness of TIRF’s programs in underserved contexts
DDG Fellows
Maryland English Institute
–
Director
Jon Malone has a varied background in Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, and TESOL. His research centers on how L1 background, individual differences among learners, and input modality influence processing and learning new information during and from reading. More specifically, he examines how multiple input modalities may provide processing and learning advantages over traditional input, especially in mapping sound to spelling among struggling and LX English readers. He is the Director at Maryland English Institute, and holds a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition from the University of Maryland, College Park.
University of Texas at San Antonio
–
Professor
Bedrettin Yazan is a scholar of identity and critical autoethnography focusing on educator preparation at the nexus of ideologies, emotions, and agency. He is professor in the department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has experience teaching English in Türkiye and preparing teachers to work with English language learners in the US. He has served TESOL and AAAL in various roles (e.g., Public Affairs and Engagement Committee, conference strand coordinator, Nominating Committee, Interest Section Chair, Conference Connections Committee). His research focuses on language teacher learning and identity, collaboration between ESL and content-area teachers, language policy and planning, and world Englishes. Methodologically he is interested in critical autoethnography, narrative inquiry, and qualitative case study. He is currently serving as the co-editor of TESOL Journal and associate editor of International Multilingual Research Journal and Second Language Teacher Education. He also has a book series with Bloomsbury Academic called Critical Approaches and Innovations in Language Teacher Education. To learn more about Bedrettin, click here. ORCiD: 0000-0002-1888-1120
Binghamton University
–
Associate Professor & Director, TESOL K-12 Program
Beth Clark-Gareca (DDG recipient, Language Assessment, 2012) is Associate Professor and Director of the TESOL K-12 program at Binghamton University where she teaches at the graduate level. Her research interests relate to teacher preparation, high-stakes and school-based assessment, and educational access and equity for multilingual learners in the U.S. She has worked as a Fulbright Scholar and Specialist, as well as an English Language Specialist through the US Department of State in Argentina, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, and Bahrain; she has also collaborated with teachers and scholars in English programs in China, Cuba, Malawi, and the Dominican Republic.
American University
–
Faculty Member, TESOL Program
Tabitha Kidwell is a faculty member in the TESOL Program at American University, where she teaches applied linguistics and language teaching methods courses. She received the TIRF Doctoral Dissertation Grant in 2017 to support research on the role of culture in English teaching in Indonesia, funded under TIRF’s Language Teacher Education research priority. Her current scholarship and service focus on intercultural language teaching, teacher development, and innovative teaching methods. She has taught French, Spanish, and English to students ranging from pre-schoolers to adults, and has conducted professional development for language teachers around the world. In her free time, Tabitha enjoys running, yoga, and spending time with her two young children.
To learn more about Tabitha, click here.
Boyce College
–
Associate Professor, English & Linguistics
Alisha Biler is Associate Professor of English and Linguistics at Boyce College in Louisville, KY. Her research focuses on second language reading and writing, with particular emphasis on pedagogical applications of reading research and assessment development. She has served as a teacher trainer in North Africa, Europe, Asia, and in several US cities to support the development of community-based ESL programs.
Showing Slide 1 of 6