ABOUT ME
I grew up in Connecticut, just north of New York City, in a family with two brothers and two sisters. I am the youngest. I grew up enjoying the winter weather, reading books on colder winter days, and hiking with my father and siblings in the woods around our house in fall and spring. Summers were spent at the beach in Rhode Island with my grandmother and my 17 cousins. As I grew older, I developed a love of cooking (and eating) as well as a love of language learning. Nowadays, I enjoy cooking a big meal for my friends, drinking wine and chatting about topics on linguistics, politics, and world events. What I like best about my job at Lehigh University is that I get a chance to do what I think I am good at—that is, developing and administering English programs—to make a difference in students’ lives. That is truly rewarding for me.
Education
Ph.D., Educational Linguistics: May 2004
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
M.Ed., Language Education: December 1997
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
B.A., English: May 1995
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Philosophy of Teaching
In my teaching, I try to facilitate learning by providing students with: (a) a linguistically rich environment; (b) opportunities to negotiate in/through authentic tasks/genres; (c) necessary scaffolding to support achievement of measurable learning objectives; and, (d) systematic assessment of and feedback on task outcomes. In practice, my teaching often involves presenting key concepts or skills, facilitating collaborative practice in student pairs/groups, ongoing assessment through observation of these activities, and then debriefing on learner progress.
Professional Interests
Second Language Curriculum Design & Assessment, Academic/Professional Discourse & Issues Related to Identity and Plagiarism, TESOL Professional Development & Teacher Training.
Selected Publications
Ouellette, M. A. (2010). “Interactional Entanglements: A Frame Analysis of Negotiated Identities in Ethnographic Research on the Language Classroom." Working Papers in Linguistics, 3, 25-42. Department of Linguistics & TESOL, The University of Texas at Arlington.
Ouellette, M. A. (2008). Voices on the Landscape: Plagiarism, Voice Appropriation, and Academic Competence in ESL Freshman Composition. Berlin: VDM Verlag.
Ouellette, M. A. (2008). “Weaving Strands of Writer Identity: Self-as-Author and the NNES ‘Plagiarist.’” Journal of Second Language Writing, 17(4), 255-273.
Ouellette, M. A. (2002). “It's Really Not that Bad: Hedges and Indirect Complaints in ‘Troubles-Talk’ Narratives.” Working Papers in Educational Linguistics, 18 (1), 107-126. Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania. (Spring 2002).
Selected Presentations
Ouellette, M.A., & S. Burger. (2018). "E-portfolios, University Pathway Programs, and Strategic Partnerships: Addressing Multilple Stakeholders' Needs." Paper Presented at the Conference for Higher Education: 100,000 Strong, Partners of the Americas, Bogota, Colombia. (September 26, 2018).
Ouellette, M. A., & I. Nichols. (2012). “Teaching English Tenses in Discourse Using Authentic Recordings.” Paper presented at the PennTESOL East Conference: Penn State University Abington. (November 3, 2012).
Ouellette, M.A. (2006). “Off the Record: Reflections on Frames and Ethnographic Field Roles in an Educational Setting.” Paper presented at the Urban Ethnography Forum: Philadelphia, PA. (February 24, 2006).
Ouellette, M. A. (2006). “Telling Stories about ‘Us’: Narrative Construction and National Identity in U.S. History Textbooks.” Paper presented at the American Association of Applied Linguistics Conference: Montreal, QC. (June 20, 2006).
Ouellette, M. A. (2005). “Balancing Act: Dealing with Content and Form in the Language Classroom.” Paper presented at the Regional TexTESOL V Conference: Hurst, TX. (November 2, 2005).
Ouellette, M. A., & C. Theodoropulos. (2005). “Constructing Social Positions in ITA Written Feedback.” Paper presented at the TESOL Conference: San Antonio, TX. (April 1, 2005).
Ouellette, M.A. (2013). “An Integrated Pedagogy for Authorship and Plagiarism.” Talk at the PennTESOL East Spring Conference: Community College of Philadelphia (April 13, 2013).
Ouellette, M.A. (2012) “Understanding Plagiarism, Authorship, and Identity in ESL Composition: An Academic Literacies Model.” Talk at the School of Education, Temple University. (November 14, 2012).
Ouellette, M. A. (2009). “The Discourse Construction of Academic Identities: In, On, and Around Text.” Invited Talk at the Department of Applied Linguistics, The Pennsylvania State University. (January 19, 2009).
Languages Spoken
English (native proficiency); Spanish (CEFR B1)