We are pleased to announce the 2025 TIRF Kathleen M. Bailey Teacher-Research Award (TIRF Bailey Award) recipients!

The TIRF Bailey Award honors Dr. Kathleen M. Bailey, who served as TIRF’s President and Chair of the Board of Trustees for over a decade, from 2009 to 2022. The award is meant to recognize Dr. Bailey’s research, her lifelong commitment to teaching, and her desire to support and encourage research carried out by practicing English language teachers, as well as honor her commitment to TIRF.

The purpose of the TIRF Bailey Award is to encourage, support, and recognize research conducted by teachers. It also serves as a vehicle for the creation of new knowledge about language teaching and learning as well as the development of research skills for both new and experienced teachers. Simultaneously, the TIRF Bailey Award was designed to be inclusive of people around the world, regardless of length of service as a teacher, the applicants’ level of educational attainment, their professional affiliations, or their experience as researchers, among other areas that sometimes prevent people from applying for professional development opportunities.

We are pleased to announce the 2025 TIRF Bailey Awards below. In two instances, awards were provided to teams of researchers; the other studies funded are being carried out by individual researchers. Their names, bio statements, home countries, project titles, and the TIRF Research Topics investigated are shared below.

2025 TIRF Bailey Award Recipients

	Name & Bio: Junghee Byun is a visiting researcher at Iowa State University and a high school English teacher in South Korea with 25 years of teaching experience. She earned her PhD in Applied Linguistics from Seoul National University and an MA in TESOL from New York University. Her research focuses on technology-enhanced second language teaching and assessment and project-based language instruction. Hometown: Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea Project Title: Measuring Jagged Vocabulary Acquisition of Secondary School EFL Learners: Investigating the Potential of AI-Based Adaptive Test Application TIRF Research Topics Investigated: (1) Language Assessment, (2) Digital Technology in Language Education
	Names & Bios: 1. Mary Hillis is an English language instructor at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. She also has experience coordinating university writing centers. She currently serves as Chair of TESOL’s Membership Professional Council and the Japan Association for Language Teaching’s Awards and Recognition Committee. Her research interests are teacher professional development and literature in language teaching. 2. Jane Hoelker teaches writing at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. She is included in Marquis Who’s Who 2023 biography of English Language Educators. She has taught at universities in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. She served on the TESOL Board of Directors and as President of TESOL Arabia. She conducted teacher training workshops as a U.S. State Department English Language Specialist. 3. Monica Baker is an English language educator at Webutuck Central School District in New York. She has served as President of New York State TESOL and chair of the TESOL Membership Professional Council. 4. Anastasia Khawaja is an assistant professor of English, teacher trainer, and curriculum developer in Ramallah, Palestine. She is an active member and leader in TESOL and several affiliates. Her research focuses on implementing the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) framework alongside intersectional practices, with a focus on addressing systemic barriers and fostering inclusivity, particularly in Palestine. Hometowns: 1. Hirakata, Japan 2. Astana, Kazakhstan 3. Amenia, New York, USA 4. Ramallah, Palestine Project Title: Collaborative Teacher Research on Spaced Repetition in Language Classrooms Across Contexts TIRF Research Topics Investigated: (1) Content-Based Instruction, (2) Language Teacher Education
	Names & Bios: 1. Dr. Rodrigo A. Rodríguez-Fuentes is an Assistant Professor at Universidad del Norte, Colombia. He specializes in EFL teaching, teacher training, assessment, technology-enhanced pedagogy, and the symbolic power of English in the Global South. He has taught at K-12 and higher education levels in Colombia and trained instructors internationally.  2. Qiusi Zhang is a Testing Coordinator and ESL Lecturer in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She received her PhD (English) and MS (Statistics) from Purdue University. Her research interests include L2 acquisition/development, language testing and assessment, L2 speaking/writing, World Englishes, and corpus linguistics. Hometowns: 1. Valledupar, Colombia 2. Urbana, Illinois, USA Project Title: Development of Fluency in English as a Foreign Language Learners TIRF Research Topics Investigated: (1) Digital Technology in Language Education, (2) Language Assessment, (3) English for Specific Purposes
	Name & Bio: Syafaruddin Marpaung, SPd, MHum, is an English teacher and Head of the English Department at SMA Negeri 2 Tanjungbalai, Indonesia. Currently a doctoral candidate in English Studies at Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara, his research focuses on integrating digital tools and educational games in English language teaching. He is passionate about enhancing student engagement, motivation, and proficiency in resource-limited classrooms. Hometown: Tanjungbalai, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia Project Title: Utilizing Digital Technology and Educational Games to Enhance English Language Skills in High School Students TIRF Research Topics Investigated: (1) Digital Technology in Language Education, (2) Language Teacher Education, (3) Individual Learner Differences and Effective Language Education
	Name & Bio: Yingzhao Chen received her PhD in Second Language Studies from Michigan State University. She is currently a Lecturer at the Centre for English Language Communication at National University of Singapore. Her research interests include technology-enhanced language learning, vocabulary learning, and lexical processing. Her research has appeared in journals such as Studies in Second Language Acquisition, TESOL Quarterly, and System.  Hometown: Guangzhou, China Project Title: AI vs. Human Feedback: Focus, Student Engagement, and Effects on Writing TIRF Research Topic Investigated: Digital Technology in Language Education

We intend on opening the 2026 TIRF Bailey Award program early next year, with an anticipated application deadline in mid-June 2026. Please continue to follow our updates by signing up for our newsletter if you have not already done so.

Please join us in congratulating the TIRF Bailey Award recipients!