Dr. Asmaa Shehata is a dedicated language scholar.
Research Interests
Dr. Asmaa Shehata's research encompasses three main areas: second language (L2) phonology and pronunciation instruction, the acquisition of literacy language skills, and the examination of gender in relation to religion. In the realm of L2 phonology, she investigates how L2 learners perceive and produce novel contrastive sounds that differ from those of their native language, focusing on how these sound contrasts affect accentedness, comprehensibility, and intelligibility. Her work delves into creative methods for teaching pronunciation, pinpointing successful strategies that help learners tackle phonetic difficulties and express themselves more clearly.
Dr. Shehata’s research also focuses on how feedback affects learning outcomes and the growth of literacy language skills, such as reading and writing. Her goal is to improve feedback techniques so that language learners can develop their abilities in a balanced manner and increase their retention. Moreover, her interdisciplinary research on the intersection of gender and religion delves into how religious convictions impact gender roles and identity in cultural contexts.
Biography
Dr. Asmaa Shehata is an Assistant Professor of Arabic at the University of Mississippi. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics at Ohio University and the University of Utah. She is currently a member of the Mississippi Arabic Flagship Program and has previously held positions at esteemed North American universities, including the University of Notre Dame and the University of Calgary. Her research interests include second language acquisition with a focus on second language phonology and pronunciation. Dr. Shehata reviews manuscripts for many academic journals like Foreign Language Annals (FLA) and Language Learning and Technology (LLT). She is also a certified Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) tester of Arabic through the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
Books
2023 “Women’s rights in Islam: A critique of Nawal El Saadawi’s writing,”Berlin: De Gruyter.
2016 “When Variability Matters in Second Language Word Learning,” Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.
Peer-Reviewed Articles and Chapters
2023 “Corrective Feedback on Arabic Pronunciation: Teacher Beliefs and Practices,” in R.I. Thomson, T. M. Derwing, J. M. Levis, & K. Hiebert (Eds.), Proceedings of the 13th Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, held June 2022 at Brock University, St.Catharines, ON. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/psllt.15714.
2021 “Short vowels and context effects: The case of English speakers reading Arabic,” International Education Studies, 14(8), 93–103.
2018 “Native English Speakers’ Perception and Production of Arabic Consonants,” in M. T. Alhawary (Ed.), Handbook of Arabic Second Language Acquisition (pp. 56–69). New York, NY: Routledge.
2017 “Teaching Arabic pronunciation to non-natives: Cognition, practice, and outcomes,” in M.O’Brian & J. Levis (Eds). Proceedings of the 8th Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, ISSN 2380-9566, Calgary, AB, August 2016 (pp. 110–120). Ames, IA: Iowa State University.
2015 “Talker Variability and Second Language Word Recognition: A new training study,” Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching, 6(2), 209-230.
2015 “Problematic Arabic consonants for native English speakers: learners’ perspectives,” The International Journal of Educational Investigations, 2(9), 24-47.
2015 [co-authored with Alla Zareva] “At the intersection of L1 congruence and L2 exposure: Collocational knowledge of advanced Arab users of English," International Journal of Arabic-English Studies (IJAES), 15, 89-115.
Courses Taught
- Arab 111 Intensive Elementary Arabic I
- Arab 112 Intensive Elementary Arabic II
- Arab 211 Intensive Elementary Arabic III
- Arab 212 Intensive Elementary Arabic IV
- Arab 311 Intensive Elementary Arabic V
- Arab 312 Intensive Elementary Arabic VI
- Arab 317 Egyptian Arabic I
- Arab 318 Egyptian Arabic II
- Arab 361 Arabic Language Through Cinema
- Arab 411 Media Arabic
- Arab 417 Egyptian Arabic III
- Arab 418 Egyptian Arabic IV
- Arab 511 Introduction to Arabic Literature
- Arab 514 Arabic Literature
Education
M.A. Linguistics, Ohio University Main Campus (2008)
Ph.D. Linguistics, University of Utah (2013)
M.A. Religious Studies, University of Ottawa (2021)
Recognitions
- Teaching and Learning Grants, University of Calgary, 2015, 2016
- Award for Excellence in Linguistics, University of Utah, 2012
- The Middle East Center Language Award in Hebrew, University of Utah, 2011