Sonia Shiri

Interests

Research

Applied Linguistics; Teaching Arabic as a Foreign/Heritage Language; Computer-Assisted Language Learning; Distance and Hybrid Learning; Linguistic/Semiotic Landscapes; Language Contact and Language Conflict

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Shiri, S. (2018). Shiri. S. (2018). Subverting Power and Banal Nationalism in the Linguistic Landscape: Multimodal discourses of protest in Tunisia.. In In Y. Mendel and A. AlNajjar (Eds.) Between the Lines: Language, Politics and Society in the Middle East. Edinburgh, U.K.: Edinburgh University Press..
• Shiri, S. (2017). Shiri, S. and Joukhadar, C. (2017). Arabic Diglossic Speaking without Mixing: Practices and Outcomes from a Beginning Level.. In Mahmoud Al-Batal (Ed.), Arabic as One Language: Integrating Colloquial in the Arabic Curriculum. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press..
• Shiri, S. (2015). Co-constructing Dissent in the Transient Linguistic Landscape: Multilingual Protest Signs of the Tunisian Revolution. In Conflict, Exclusion and Dissent in the Linguistic Landscape. Palgrave Macmillan.
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  ABSTRACT Shiri examines protest signs, one of the subversive genres of expression that Tunisian protesters used to co-construct dissent during the January 2011 revolution that led to the ousting of their long-term president. This study traces the chronology and language choice of protest signs in this transient linguistic landscape while analyzing their discourse strategies drawing on the frameworks of interpellation (Althusser, 1970), intertextuality (Kristeva, 1980) and dialogism (Bakhtin, 1981). An examination of protest photos and videos reveals a shift from monolingual signage in Arabic to signage that draws on Tunisia’s full multilingual linguistic repertoire. Signs dialogically engaged with the evolving issues, intertextually referenced other struggles and discourses, while interpellating local and distant audiences in Modern Standard Arabic, Tunisian Arabic, French, English and bilingual messages.
• Shiri, S. (2013). (First Published 2002) Speak Arabic Please!: Tunisian Arabic Speakers’ Linguistic Accommodation to Middle Easterners. In Language Contact and Language Conflict in Arabic Variations on a Sociolinguistic Theme. New York: Routledge Curzon Press.
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  2013 (First Published 2002). ‘Speak Arabic Please!: Tunisian Arabic Speakers’ Linguistic Accommodation to Middle Easterners. In A. Rouchdy (Ed.), Language Contact and Language Conflict in Arabic Variations on a Sociolinguistic Theme. New York: Routledge Curzon Press.
• Shiri, S. (2010). Arabic in the United States: Shift or maintenance?. In Linguistic Diversity in the United States(pp 206-222). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.

Journals/Publications

• Shiri, S. (2015). Intercultural Communicative Competence Development during and after Language Study Abroad: Insights from Arabic.. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 541-569. doi:10.1111/flan.12162
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  IntroductionThe study abroad experience affords rich opportunities for advancing language proficiency as well as intercultural competence among language learners. Among the record high 289,000 students who studied abroad during the academic year of 2012-2013 (Institute of International Education, 2014), about 2% spent time in the Middle East and North Africa, many in pursuit of cultural understanding of a region that is often perceived to be in conflict with the United States (Lane-Toomey & Lane, 2012, p. 5). While students stand to gain a great deal from developing intercultural competence while overseas, research dedicated to understanding such learning during study abroad and to measuring learning outcomes has yielded mixed results (Kinginger, 2009, 2011). Moreover, although study abroad programs have, with much greater regularity and validity, begun measuring language gains during studyabroadusing various standardized as well as qualitative tools, measuring student learning outcomes in the domain of intercultural communicative competence (ICC)continuestobechallenging and isthus rarely systematically undertaken (Schulz, 2007; Watson, Siska, & Wolfel, 2013). In particular, data-driven evidence on the impact of study abroad on the development of ICC for students who complete programs located in Arab countries is almost nonexistent (Shiri, 2015). The current study explored the implementation of a newly developed tool for measuring intercultural competence among American language learners during study abroad. The assessment tool emphasizes the communicative and reflective aspects of ICC and is closely tied to the language proficiency scales found through the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) and ACTFL (ACTFL, 2012a; ILR, n.d.). Furthermore, the study examined the role of the vernacular variety of Arabic, also referred to as "dialect," in promoting the development of ICC as well as the way in which students' intercultural competence was manifested and sustained upon their reintegration in the home society, two other areas of investigation that are underrepresented in the literature.BackgroundArabic Learning and the Issue of Vernacular VarietiesThe case for teaching Arabic dialects alongside Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) to college learners of Arabic as a foreign language is more frequently and more strongly being expressed. Studies focusing on students taking Arabic in the United States have indicated that the primary reasons for pursuing this language are traveling to the Arab world (Husseinali, 2006; Kuntz & Belnap, 2001), conversing with Arabic speakers (Husseinali, 2006; Kuntz & Belnap, 2001), and learning "how to socialize with Arabs" (Abuhakema, 2004). Learning about other cultures (Husseinali, 2006) and understanding the politics of the Middle East (Husseinali, 2006) are next in terms of importance for these students. A more recent study by Lane-Toomey and Lane (2012) focusing on nontraditional study abroad destinations indicated that American sojourners in the Middle East choose that region not only in anticipation of careers in government or international relations and to promote a deeper understanding of this region but also in search of a unique experience " off the beaten path."However, Arabic language programs that prepare students for study abroad and eventual careers have been characterized mostly by what Ryding (2006) called "reverse privileging." This is the phenomenon whereby students learn MSA when they take Arabic classes at their home university, while a vernacular variety may be introduced later and is likely to be allocated disproportionately less instructional time and learned much less fluently. In this approach, the vernacular language of the "primary discourses of familiarity" is postponed or minimalized, while the language of secondary, formal discourse (i.e., MSA) is made central (Ryding, 2006, p. 16). Ryding (2006) argued that it is discouraging and limiting for students to be denied early access to the vernacular skills necessary to informally interact with Arabic speakers. …
• Shiri, S. (2015). Intercultural Communicative Competence During and After Study Abroad: Insights from Arabic. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 541–569. doi:10.1111/flan.12162
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  This study explored the development and maintenance of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among 352 American learners of Arabic who completed summer intensive language programs in five Arab countries. Data were collected through a survey that was based on the 2007 draft of the Culture Proficiency Guidelines (Lampe, 2007; later adopted by the Interagency Language Roundtable in 2012) that was designed to measure ICC development and was administered upon students' return to the United States. The survey also investigated which components of the intensive study abroad program fostered the development of particular components of ICC. Data indicated that although students mostly developed ICC at the Intermediate level (completing daily activities), they also progressed into higher levels, e.g., by identifying, comparing, and contrasting traditions, history, and politics or by participating in low-frequency social occasions. Data showed that the structured and the unstructured components of the program and the diglossic learning of Arabic both supported, to various degrees, students' development of ICC. Data also suggested that students sustained their developing levels of ICC upon their return to the United States, as demonstrated by their ability to shift perspectives, their increased compassion toward different populations, and their sensitivity to stereotyping.
• Shiri, S. (2015). The Homestay in Intensive Language Study Abroad: Social Networks, Language Socialization, and Developing Intercultural Competence. Foreign Language Annals, 48(1), 5–25. doi:doi:10.1111/flan.12127
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  AbstractThis study investigated the composition of the social network that the homestay offers learners in an intensive summer Arabic language program in diglossic and multilingual Tunisia and examined the types of language socialization as well as the overall linguistic and intercultural competence such opportunities present. The study specifically investigated patterns of student interaction with members of the host families and explored the degree to which students took advantage of this rich learning environment. A survey was completed by 73 students upon their return to the United States at the end of the summers of 2010–2012. Results showed that, although the social network often involved extended family members, the host mother remained the primary locus of interaction. Data also showed that the homestay offered a breadth and depth of experiences that affected students' linguistic, sociolinguistic, and cultural gains and that, postprogram, students maintained their connection to this social network via social media.
• Shiri, S. (2014). Arabic Language Learner Attitudes in Study Abroad. Foreign Language Annals.
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  AbstractThis study explored the impact of short-term study abroad on the language attitudes of college-level learners of Arabic in the United States. It investigated students' destination preferences in various Arabic-speaking countries, their attitudes toward learning Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and regional dialects, and the factors that they perceived as influencing their attitudes. Survey responses from 371 participants indicated that learning Arabic in the Arab world favorably impacted students' attitudes toward dialect learning and sociolinguistic awareness. Students in this sample rejected learning MSA exclusively, believed that learning any dialect was important, and they became open to learning multiple dialects, including those that are less commonly taught. Respondents attributed this attitude shift to the change in their learning context, i.e., learning Arabic in an Arab country.
• Shiri, S. (2013). Learners' attitudes toward regional dialects and destination preferences in study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 46(4), 565-587. doi:10.1111/flan.12058
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  This study explored the impact of short-term study abroad on the language attitudes of college-level learners of Arabic in the United States. It investigated students' destination preferences in various Arabic-speaking countries, their attitudes toward learning Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and regional dialects, and the factors that they perceived as influencing their attitudes. Survey responses from 371 participants indicated that learning Arabic in the Arab world favorably impacted students' attitudes toward dialect learning and sociolinguistic awareness. Students in this sample rejected learning MSA exclusively, believed that learning any dialect was important, and they became open to learning multiple dialects, including those that are less commonly taught. Respondents attributed this attitude shift to the change in their learning context, i.e., learning Arabic in an Arab country.
• Shiri, S., & Blake, R. (2012). Online Arabic Language Learning: What happens after?. L2 Journal.

Presentations

• Shiri, S. (2021).

  Trainer: One-day workshop on “Virtual Engagement and Immersive Language Learning” and “Promoting Research-based Effective Language Self-study” for 22 participants from Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Koran and Russian

  . Language Training Center Workshop Series, L2TReC, University of Utah.
• Shiri, S. (2021).

  Study Abroad at Home

                                     

  . Berkeley Language Center Colloquium, UC BerkeleyUC Berkeley Language Center.
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  Panel: Study Abroad During COVID And Beyond, organized by Robert Blake (Spanish, UC Davis). Panelists: Dan Davidson (Russian, American Councils for International Education), Glenn Levine (German, UC Irvine), Cristina Sanz and Gorka Santiso (Spanish, Georgetown University), Vivian-Lee Nyitray (Chinese, UC, Riverside and UC Education Abroad Programs), and Kim Morris (Spanish, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse)
• Shiri, S. (2022).

  Learning Arabic with the Multilingual and Multidialectal Host Family During Study Abroad

                                      

  . American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Webinar SeriesAAAL.
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  Panel: Multidialectal and Multilingual Practices in L2 Arabic Learning Contexts, organized by Khaled Almasaeed (Carnegie Mellon University). Other Panelists: Emma Trentman (University of New Mexico), Lama Nassif (Williams College).
• Shiri, S. (2022).

  A Place-Based Approach to Enhancing Intercultural Learning Pre-Study Abroad.

  . ACTFL Annual Convention and Expo, Boston, MA.
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  Co-Presenter with Naiyi Fincham, University of Hawaii, Manoa and Abdessamad Mbarki, University of Arizona 
• Shiri, S. (2022).

  Host Community Engagement through Project-Based Language Learning During Study Abroad: Hybrid Internships Abroad

  . Panel: Sonia Shiri (UA), Julio Rodriquez and Naiyi Fincham (University of Hawaii, Manoa), Abdessamad Mbarki, (University of Arizona), Ahmed Hanafy (University of Maryland), and Attia Youssef (Indiana University, Bloomington). Middle East Studies Association.
• Shiri, S. (2023).

                                      

  Assessing Advanced Learners in National Language Programs: Successes and Challenges        

  . Language Assessment: Theory, Practice and AspirationsSalman Global Academy for Arabic Language, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Shiri, S. (2024).

  Accessibility and Inclusivity through World Language Learning.
  

  . Institute of International Education: IIE Network Virtual Roundtable. Other Panelists: Sam Eisen, Director of Programs at Defense Language and National Security Education Office; Diana Murphy, Director of the Language Institute at the University of Wisconsin; Heidi Manley, Chief, USA Study Abroad at U.S. Department of State.
• Shiri, S. (2017, March). Students' Perceptions and Expectations of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development during Study Abroad in Europe and North Africa/Middle East: A Comparative Study. American Association of Applied Linguistics Conference. Portland, Oregon.
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  American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, Portland, Oregon, with Peter Ecke, Department of German, UA Presentation on Students' Perceptions and Expectations of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development during Study Abroad in Europe and North Africa/Middle East: A Comparative Study
• Shiri, S. (2017, May). Workshop co-presenter: Technology for Building Multiple Literacies and Intercultural Communicative Competence. CALICO Conference (Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium), Michigan State University.
• Shiri, S. (2017, May20-24). Discussions, Award Presenter at Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs (27 programs; 25 campuses). Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs. Bloomington, Indiana.
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  Served as Chair of Language Flagship Council for 2016-2017 (27 universities) and Arabic Flagship Council Chair (2017)Arabic Best-Practices DiscussionPresented Distinguished Leadership Award as Chair of CouncilServed on Assessment Group (Flagship directors and representatives from assessment organizations and funder)
• Shiri, S. (2016, April 1-3). Plenary Speaker: Developing Multiple Literacies Through Web-based Learning. Western Consortium Middle East Language Pedagogy Workshop. University of Arizona.
• Shiri, S. (2016, April 1-3). Workshop co-presenter: Effective Technology Tools for Developing Intercultural Competence. Western Consortium Middle East Language Pedagogy Workshop.
• Shiri, S. (2016, January). Panel organizer and presenter: Intercultural Communicative Competence Development and Measurement (with two SLAT/MENAS graduate students). CERCLL Conference on Intercultural Communicative Competence, University of Arizona.
• Shiri, S. (2016, January). Workshop co-presenter (3 hours): Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence and Multiple Literacies. CERCLL Conference on Intercultural Communicative Competence, University of Arizona.
• Shiri, S. (2016, July 26-29). Four-day workshop Trainer on Interpretive Mode and IPA (Integrated Performance Assessment) at Language Flagship Professional Development Workshop. Language Flagship Workshop on Addressing the Need to Reach Advanced Levels of Language Proficiency: A Comprehensive Workshop Utilizing All Three Modes of Communication and the Integrated Performance Assessment. University of Utah, The Second Language Teaching and Research Center.
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  Professional Development for faculty in languages in Flagship and Project GO programs
• Shiri, S. (2016, March 16-17). Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center, Design Thinking Symposium, San Francisco. Third in a series of invitation-only symposia; 50 participants from academia, business, technology, and government to advance innovation in language learning and teaching.
• Shiri, S. (2016, May 21-24). Discussions, Reports, Presentations: Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs (27 programs; 25 campuses). Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs (27 programs; 25 campuses). Madison, Wisconsin.
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  Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs (27 programs; 25 campuses), University of Wisconsin, MadisonServed on Assessment Group (Flagship directors and representatives from assessment organizations and funder), Arabic Flagship Council (5 campuses) Language Flagship Council (27 programs); Nominated as Chair of Language Flagship Council for 2016-2017
• Shiri, S. (2016, November). Panel organizer and presenter: Developing and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence (with two SLAT/MENAS graduate students and a lecturer). MESA Conference, Boston.
• Shiri, S. (2015, March 11-12). Science & Technology for Blended Adaptive Language & Culture Training, Arlington, VA. Symposium on Science and Technology.
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  Science & Technology for Blended Adaptive Language & Culture Training, Arlington, VA20 participants from academia, business, technology, and government. Organized by Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO) in collaboration with the Human Performance, Training, and BioSystems Directorate, and Human Systems Community of Interest (HS COI), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
• Shiri, S. (2015, May 26-June 5). Innovative Technologies for Advanced Language and Culture Learning. Two-week Professional Development Workshop for 33 faculty from 20 Language Flagship and Project GO institutions. UA: Language Flagship.
• Shiri, S. (2015, May). A Vision for Technology Innovation for Flagship and Project GO. Language Flagship Annual Meeting (27 universities, Institute of International Education, Language Flagship, and American Councils). University of Oklahoma.
• Shiri, S. (2015, November). Roundtable on Study Abroad in the Arab World. Middle East Studies Association (MESA). Denver, CO.
• Shiri, S. (2014, April). Arabic Learners’ Attitudes toward Regional Dialects during Study Abroad in the Arab World. MENAS Colloquium Series.
• Shiri, S. (2014, August 15). Science & Technology for Blended Adaptive Language & Culture Training Planning Session. Science & Technology for Blended Adaptive Language & Culture Training.
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  Science & Technology for Blended Adaptive Language & Culture Training Planning Session. Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), Arlington, VA12 participants from academia, business and government. Organized by DLNSEO and Human Performance, Training, and BioSystems Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
• Shiri, S. (2014, February). Keynote Lecture: Diglossic Language Gains and Intercultural Competence Development. Jil Jadid conference, at UT Austin, Graduate scholars from around the U.S. in the fields of linguistics and literature.
• Shiri, S. (2014, February). The Language of the Tunisian Revolution: From the Streets to Facebook. U Texas Arabic Flagship Program.
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  Presented in Arabic
• Shiri, S. (2014, July). Technology-enhanced Language Learning for Advanced Proficiency. Professional Development Workshop. Meknes, Morocco: Arabic Overseas Program, The Language Flagship.
• Shiri, S. (2014, May). Developing Arabic Multiple Literacies Through e-Learning. Annual Meeting of Flagship Programs (27 universities). UCLA: The Language Flagship, Washington DC.
• Shiri, S. (2014, November 7). Multimodal Discourses of Dissent in Multilingual Graffiti and Social Media. English Department Convergences Lecture Series on WarEnglish Department.
• Shiri, S. (2014, November). Integrating Dialects into the Arabic Curriculum. MESA Conference.
• Shiri, S., Tamimi, M., & Warner, C. (2014, January). Hypermedia Texts in the Classroom. CERCLL 2014 Conference on Intercultural Communicative Competence. University of Arizona: CERCLL.
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  Three-hour workshop
• Shiri, S. (2013, March). American Association of Applied Linguistics conference, March 16-19, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. AAAL Conference.
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  Attended the American Association of Applied Linguistics conference, March 16-19, 2013 in Dallas, Texas.
• Shiri, S. -. (2013, October 31-November 2). Invited participant in summit on Maximizing Student Performance during Intensive Arabic Study. Second Language Research Forum Conference (SLRF), BYU.
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  ;Full Citation: Sociolinguistic Attitudes and Intercultural Competence in Study Abroad Intensive Programs to be submitted to Applied Linguistics, published by Oxford University Press;Status: Paper in Preparation;
• Shiri, S. -. (2012, 2012-03-01). Subversive Multimodal Discourses in Multilingual Contexts. SLATSA Roundtable. UA.
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  Plenary talk at the SLAT Student Association two-day roundtable event. Keynote speaker: Steve Thorne.;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: Invited/Plenary Speaker;
• Shiri, S. -. (2012, 2012-09-01). Revolutionary Multimodal Discourses in Multilingual Contexts. SLAT Colloquium. UA.
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  ;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: Invited/Plenary Speaker;
• Shiri, S. -. (2012, January). Embracing Linguistic and Cultural Variation in CLS Arabic. Intercultural Competence Conference, CERCLL. UA.
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  Presented at a panel that I organized: "Embracing Linguistic and Cultural Variation, Developing Advanced Proficiency: Arabic CLS Programs." Panel presenters from Princeton University and University of California, San Diego
• Shiri, S. -. (2012, November). Effective language and Culture Learning in Immersive Environments. MESA Conference. Denver, Colorado.
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  Presented at a panel that I organized; speakers were from George Mason University, University of California, San Diego, and the University of Arizona
• Shiri, S. -. (2011, 2011-02-01). "The Language of the Tunisian Revolution: Slogans, Tweets and Facebook Posts". Job Talk, MENAS. U of A.
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  ;Type of Presentation: University;
• Shiri, S. -. (2011, January). Measuring Cultural Proficiency in Critical Language Scholarship Summer Intensive Institutes. Intercultural Communicative Competence Conference0.
• Shiri, S. -. (2011, November). The Language of Protest: Tunisian Signs, Tweets and Facebook Posts. MESA. D.C..
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, 2010-11-01). Arabic learners' Language Attitudes and Intercultural Competence in Study Abroad Intensive Programs. MESA. San Diego, CA.
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  ;Submitted: Yes;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference;
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, March). CALL in Intensive Study Abroad: A novel Application of Arabic Without Walls. UC Consortium for Language Learning and Teaching Biannual Conference on Second Language Acquisition. UC San Diego.
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, March). The Heritage Arabic Speaker: Between a Rock and Language Ideology. National Heritage Language Resource Center First International Symposium, UCLA,. UCLA.
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, May). Exploring Pedagogical and Technological Models of Hybrid and Distance Language Education. Eastern Consortium for Language Teaching and Leaning Conference. Yale University.
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  ;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: Invited/Plenary Speaker;
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, November). Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Acceleration, Creativity and Collaboration. MESA, AATA Annual Panel: Research Methods in Arabic. San Diego.
• Shiri, S. -. (2009, 2009-03-01). Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language. CLS Tunis Teacher Training Workshop. Tunisia.
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  Led four-day Teacher Training and Program Development Workshop of the Critical Language Scholarship Tunis Arabic program, TunisiaAmong topics addressed: Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language to American StudentsIntegrating Language and Culture teachingTechnology-Assisted Language LearningAdvancing up the ACTFL Scale in Speaking;Invited: Yes;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference/Workshop;

Others

• Shiri, S. (2017, November). Chair of Arabic Language Flagship Council Meeting; Oral report about site visit to Meknes Program, Morocco. MESA Conference, Washington D.C..
• Shiri, S. -. (2010, Fall). Arabic learners' Language Attitudes and Intercultural Competence in Study Abroad Intensive Programs. MESA Conference.
• Shiri, S. -. (2009, April). The Heritage Arabic Speaker: Between a Rock and Language Ideology. AAAL Conference.