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Vance Schaefer

Associate Professor of Modern Languages

Vance Schaefer

Dr. Vance Schaefer is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL in the Department of Modern Languages at the University of Mississippi. He teaches linguistics, applied linguistics, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) courses.

Research Interests

Dr. Schaefer's research expertise includes the influence of the first language (L1) phonology on the naïve (=non-learner) and L2 (=learned) perception of a non-native phonology. He extends this research to the teaching of pronunciation (pedagogical phonology) to English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) and Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) learners by focusing on the influence of their L1 on their perception and production of suprasegmentals such as English stress or Japanese pitch accent at the level of the word, phrase, and rhetoric. 

Dr. Schaefer is also interested in the variety of accents in English and Japanese examined within the framework of L2 phonology theory (cf., "second dialect"). The scope of his interest in L2 phonology includes the role of accent exposure in boosting learners' awareness and perception of L2 pronunciation. By extension, his work also examines how language variation (regional dialects; politeness registers; sociolects of gender, generation, socioeconomic status, LGBTQIA+ sexuality, etc.; codeswitching/codemixing/styleshifting/translanguaging) can be taught/learned in TESOL and LOTE courses, in particular Japanese as an additional language, (e.g., methods, techniques, activities) to enhance L2 communicative competence and promote the development of an L2 identity. He also explores the translation of speech styles [(im)politeness registers, regional dialects, sociolects], particularly accent, between Japanese and English.

Biography

Dr. Vance Schaefer earned his Ph.D. in Second Language Studies from Indiana University - Bloomington. He is an applied linguist who works on pronunciation pedagogy, the teaching of language variation, and translation. His training is in second language (L2) phonology, second language acquisition, World Englishes, TESOL, and foreign language pedagogy (i.e., LOTE=Languages Other Than English). He works with primarily English, Japanese, Thai, and Mandarin. He has lived, studied, and/or worked in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Germany, Morocco, and the United States.

Publications

Schaefer, V., & Warhol, T. (2024). Educating ELTs on LGBTQIA+S language variation and play for allyship in language courses. In E. Trinh, J. Coda, & K. Reynolds (Eds.), Teaching Pride Forward: Global LGBTQ+ Allyship in ELT (pp. 143-162). Alexandria, VA: TESOL Press.

Schaefer, V., & Warhol, T. (2023). Out of challenges come opportunities: Innovative collaboration in teaching East Asian languages. In E. Heidrich Uebel, A. Kraemer, & L. Giupponi (Eds.), Sharing Less Commonly Taught Languages in Higher Education: Collaboration and Innovation (pp. 121-135). New York: Routledge.

Schaefer, V. & Darcy, I. (2022). Speak locally, listen globally: Training listeners to understand the diverse accents of Englishes around the world. In M. D. Devereaux, & C. C. Palmer (Eds.), Teaching English Language Variation in the Global Classroom: Models and Lessons from Around the World (pp. 113-122). New York: Routledge.

Schaefer, V., & Darcy, I. (2020). Applying a newly learned second language dimension to the unknown: The influence of second language Mandarin tones on the naïve perception of Thai tones. Psychology of Language and Communication, 24(1), 90-123.

Schaefer, V., & Darcy, I. (2019). Fried persimmons and dried oysters or why teaching pitch accent matters: A practical guide for teachers of Japanese as a foreign language. The Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, 26, 127-159.

Education

Ph.D. Linguistics, Indiana University-Bloomington (2015)

M.A. Japanese, Indiana University-Bloomington (2009)

M.A. Teaching English as a Second Language, Indiana University-Bloomington

M.A. International Studies, Kobe University