Dr. ZHANG Lian, professor and associate dean of the School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. She is one of the deputy directors of the National Research Center for Language Materials (Key Research Base for FL Materials Development across Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Education). She concurrently serves as Deputy Secretary-General of the Foreign Language Teaching Advisory Board under China’s Ministry of Education, and executive vice chair of the National Committee on Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development under the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese. Her research focuses on applied linguistics and she publishes extensively on language teacher cognition and development, classroom discourse analysis, second language writing, and L2 materials evaluation. TITLE/POSITION: Professor, associate dean
EMAIL: zhanglian@bfsu.edu.cn
DEGREES • PhD March 2005, applied linguistics, Beijing Foreign Studies University; • MA March 2000, linguistics and applied linguistics, Beijing Foreign Studies University; • BA July 1990, English language and literature, Shanghai International Studies University
ACADEMIC POSITIONS • Sept. 2014 professor • Sept. 2006 associate professor
OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE • 2016 China-Canada Scholar Exchange program at the University of Toronto, Canada; • 2008 Academic visit, Lancaster University, Britain; • 2007 Academic training, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
TEACHING • Undergraduate level: English academic writing, English argumentative Writing, English Intensive Reading; • Graduate level: Applied linguistics: Theory and Practice, Research Methods (qualitative), Academic Writing in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
RESEARCH INTERESTS • Applied linguistics (history of applied linguistics development, teacher cognition and development, classroom discourse analysis, L2 writing, L2 materials evaluation, L2 curriculum development and implementation)
RESEARCH PROJECTS • Principal Investigator, General Project of the Ministry of Education Planning Fund: Research on Evaluation Criteria for English Materials in China (Ref. No. 2023GH-YB-ZH-Y-02), 2023–present. • Principal Investigator, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Double First-Class Major Flagship Project: A History of Applied Linguistics with Chinese Characteristics (ongoing). • Principal Investigator, MOE’s First Batch of Virtual Teaching & Research Section Pilot Programs: Virtual Conference for Teaching College English Critically, 2022–present. • Principal Investigator, National Social Science Fund’s Academic Translation Project: Translation of " Thoughts from a Higher Realm: The Rise of China and the Remaking of the Global Order " (by Yun-han Chu) (Ref.No.21WGJB002), China Renmin University Press, 2021–present. • Principal Investigator, National Social Science Fund General Project: Classroom Discourse Research and Teacher Development in Foreign Language Education (Ref.No. 07BYY036) (completed). • Principal Investigator, Beijing Municipal & Central Government Talent Development Joint Project*: Constructing the Knowledge Base for Foreign Language Teachers in Higher Education* (2017–2018) (completed). • Subproject Leader, MOE Major Special Project: Integrating the Party’s Innovative Theory into the Knowledge System of Foreign Languages and Literature Studies (Ref.No.19JZDZ024, 2019–2021) (completed). • Subproject Leader, National Social Science Fund Key Project: Interpretation and Application Research on "National Teaching Quality Standards for Undergraduate Foreign Language Programs" (Ref.No. 18AYY011, 2018–2021)(completed). • PI, BFSU Double First-Class Major Project: Critical Thinking-Oriented English Teaching: Research and Development (ongoing).
ACADEMIC SERVICES • Deputy Secretary-General, MOE Foreign Language and Literature Teaching Advisory Board; • Executive Deputy Director, Committee on Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development, China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese; • International Committee Member, Research Network (ReN) on Language and Education, International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA) (2017–2021) • Member of BFSU Academic Committee
SCHOLARLY WORKS • Books: - Wang, Q., Zhang, L., & Gu, P. (2022). Research on foreign language teacher education and development in China. Beijing: Tsinghua University Press. - Zhang, L. (2011). Exploring EFL Teachers’ Personal Theories: A Reconceptualization of Language Teacher Education. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. - Wu, Y., & Zhang, L. (2011). Cultural construction and professional development of foreign language teachers. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. • Materials Writing: - Zhang, L. (Ed.). (2017). Critical thinking English coursebook: Writing 4 – Academic writing. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. - Zhang, L. (Ed.). (2016). Critical thinking English coursebook: Writing 3 – Argumentative writing. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. • Papers (2019-2025): - Li, D., & Zhang, L*. (2025). Exploring EFL learners’ academic literacy development: An ecological perspective. TESOL Quarterly, (59)1:486-517. - Zhang, L., & Sun, S. (2024). Constructing and interpreting evaluation criteria for foreign language materials. Frontiers of Foreign Language Education, 6, 33–40. - Zhang, L., & Gao, S. (2024). A case study on the construction and development mechanisms of foreign language teachers’ knowledge base from a sociocultural theory perspective. Foreign Languages in China, (6), 76–84.
- Zhang, L. (2024). Exploring the application of large language models in foreign language teacher education and development research. Foreign Language World, 5, 25–32. - Sun, Y., Zhang, L., & Chen, F. (2024). Ideological and political education in foreign language and literature programs: Objectives, principles, and approaches. Foreign Language World, 2, 2–6. - Li, D. & Zhang*, L. (2023). Exploring EFL learners’ cognitive/emotional dissonance in content-based foreign language instruction: An ecological perspective. System, doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103019 - Zhang, L. (2023). Principles for designing undergraduate specialization courses in foreign language and literature programs. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 55(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.19923/j.cnki.fltr.2023.01.007 - Zhang, L., & Zuo, D. (2023). The mediating role of past emotional experiences in constructing professional identity: A narrative study of university foreign language teachers. Foreign Language Education, 44(1), 59–66. https://doi.org/10.16362/j.cnki.cn61-1023/h.2023.01.016 - Du, X., & Zhang, L. (2023). Promoting students’ cognitive development through dialogic inquiry: A case study in an English major intensive reading class. Frontiers of Foreign Language Education, 6(3), 46–53. - Du, X., & Zhang*, L. (2022). Investigating EFL learners’ perceptions of critical thinking learning affordances: Voices from Chinese university English majors. Sage Open. doi.org/10.1177/21582440221094584 - Zhang, L. (2022). Theoretical paradigm shifts in second language teacher education and development: A historical perspective. In Y. Kimura, L. Yang, T-Y. Kim & Nakata, Y. (Eds.). Language Teacher Motivation, Autonomy, and Development in East Asia (pp. 55-74). Cham: Springer. - Li, D., & Zhang*, L. (2022). Contextualizing feedback in L2 writing: The role of teacher scaffolding. Language Awareness, 31(3): 328-350. doi:10.1080/0965 8416.20 21.1931261. - Li, D., & Zhang*, L. (2022). Exploring teacher scaffolding in a CLIL-framed EFL intensive reading class: A classroom discourse analysis approach. Language Teaching Research, 26(3): 333-360. doi:10.1177/1362168820903340. - Li, T., & Zhang, L. (2022). The relationship between university English teachers’ beliefs and practices in technology integration. Technology Enhanced Foreign Language Education, (6), 39–45+51. - Li, D., & Zhang, L. (2022). Conflicts and tensions in academic writing learning: An activity theory perspective on English major undergraduates. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages, 45(5), 77–84. - Du, X., & Zhang, L. (2022). Scaffolding students’ cognitive development through teacher discourse in foreign language classroom interaction. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 289(5), 101–108. - Lu, J., & Zhang, L. (2021). Conflicts in university English teachers’ identity transformation: An activity theory perspective. Foreign Language World, (4), 62–70. - Zhang, L. (2019). A phenomenographic analysis of the knowledge base and developmental trajectories of foreign language teachers in higher education. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages, (5), 40–48. - Zhang, L., & Li, D. (2019). Synergistic development of language, critical thinking, and disciplinary competence in CLIL frameworks. Frontiers of Foreign Language Education, 2, 16–24. - Zhang, L., & Gao, S. (2019). Forty years of research on foreign language teacher education and development in China: Retrospect and prospects. Frontiers of Foreign Language Education, 1, 3–12+87. - Zhang, L., Hou, Y., Chang, Y., et al. (2019). Lesson planning: Purposes, methods, and challenges. English Language Learning, (6), 18–34.
AWARDS & HONOURS • Honors & Awards - Second Prize, National-level Higher Education Teaching Achievement Award for "Exploring and Practicing an Innovative Talent Development Model for English Majors in the New Era", awarded by the Ministry of Education, China, July 21, 2023. (Ranked 2nd contributor) - First Prize, Beijing Higher Education Teaching Achievement Award for "Exploring and Practicing an Innovative Talent Development Model for English Majors in the New Era" (Ranked 2nd contributor), September 13, 2022. - Member, National "Huang Danian-Style" Teaching Team (第二批全国黄大年式教学团队), January 27, 2022. (Team Rank: Listed) • Curriculum & Course Design - National First-Class Undergraduate Course Designation (第二批国家级一流本科课程) for "Academic Writing in English (Language-related studies)", May 2023. (Ministry of Education Endorsement) - MOE "Curriculum Ideology and Politics" Model Course & Distinguished Educator (for Applied Linguistics), May 28, 2021. - National First-Class Undergraduate Course (Online) (首批国家级一流本科课程) (Ranked 2nd), November 24, 2020. - Beijing Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Team (Ranked 2nd), November 26, 2020. - Beijing "High-Quality Undergraduate Textbook" Award (Editor-in-Chief), October 2020. • Student Supervision - Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Advisor Award (2025), awarded by the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), June 11, 2025. - Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Advisor Award (2023), Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, BFSU, June 21, 2023. - Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Advisor Award (for supervising student Fan Liuyi), Beijing Municipal Education Commission, December 2020. • University and school-Level Honors - Graduate Education Excellence Award (Teaching), BFSU, June 2021. - First Prize, Graduate Teaching Excellence Award (for 1 course), School of English and International Studies, BFSU, February 2022. - First Prize, BFSU Teaching Achievement Award for "Innovative Talent Development Model for English Majors" (Ranked 2nd), December 2021. - First Prize, Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, School of English and International Studies, BFSU, September 2021. - Second Prize, Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, School of English and International Studies, BFSU, September 2021. - First Prize, Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, School of English and International Studies, BFSU, February 16, 2023.
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