Youngjoo Yi

Youngjoo Yi is a Professor in Multilingual Language Education in the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University. As an applied linguist and qualitative researcher, her work explores how adolescent multilingual students engage in multilingual, digital, and multimodal learning across informal and formal contexts and negotiate their identities through multiple language and literacy practices.

Her teaching has revolved around middle and secondary students’ English language learning in the United States and Asia, K-16 world/heritage language instruction and graduate-level courses in TESOL and literacy education.

Most recently, her research has focused on digital and multimodal literacy practices of multilingual children and families. Her work has appeared in Applied Linguistics, Journal of Second Language Writing, TESOL Quarterly, Canadian Modern Language Review, Computers and Composition, and Foreign Language Annals, among other journals. She is a former co-editor for TESOL Journal and a former Chair for the AERA Second Language Research-SIG.

• PhD, Foreign and Second Language Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2005
• MA, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1998
• BA, History Education (Minor: English Education), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea, 1995

• Literacy
  • Digital and multimodal literacy practice
  • Literacy practice in formal and informal contexts, literacy and identity construction
• Second Language Learning
  • Adolescent multilingual students' language learning
• Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
  • Teacher education for second and world language teachers

• Co-editor of TESOL Journal (2019-2022)
• Guest co-editor of a special issue on multilingual composing in multilingual learning and teaching contexts for the Journal of Second Language Writing (2020)
• Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Second Language Writing, TESOL Quarterly, Written Communication, Literacy Research and Instruction, and English Teaching.
• Plenary talk on bilingual education in the glocal era at 2024 Korea Glocal Education Fair (2024)
• Strand Coordinator of Text Analysis and Written Discourse Strand, American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) (2020-2025)
• Swiss National Science Foundation grant proposal reviewer (2023)
• Spencer research grant proposal reviewer (2022)
• Chair for American Educational Research Association (AERA), Second Language Research-SIG (2011-2013)
• E-Discussion manager for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Second Language Writing-Interest Section (SLW-IS)
• Designing and teaching a digital storytelling class for Rising 8th Graders in a summer program at the Latin American Association, Atlanta, Georgia, Summer 2012

Books

• Yi, Y. (2021). Reconceptualizing the Writing Practices of Multilingual Youth: Toward a Symbiotic Approach to In- and Out-of-School Writing. New York: Routledge.
• Shin, D. S., Cimasko, T., & Yi, Y. (Eds.). (2021). Multimodal Composing in K-16 ESL and EFL Education: Multilingual Perspectives. Singapore: Springer.

Special Issues for Journals

• Yi, Y., Shin, D. S., & Cimasko, T. (2020). Multimodal composing in multilingual learning and teaching contexts. [Monograph/Special Issue] Journal of Second Language Writing, 47(1).
• Yi, Y., & Hirvela, A. (2009). Biliterate Asian students' literacy practices in North America. [Monograph/Special Issue] Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 19(1).

Selected Journal Articles and Book Chapters

• Yang, R. & Yi., Y. (2026). Cultivating Critical AI Literacy in an ESL Academic Writing Classroom: A Reflective Inquiry. Language Teacher Education Research, 4, 43-50. https://doi.org/10.32038/lter.2026.04.03
• Kang, J., & Yi., Y. (2026). Negotiating Tensions in Literacy Instruction in a Korean Heritage Classroom. Journal of Education for Multilingualism,
• Shin, D., Yi., Y., & Cimasko, T. (2026) Responsible Use of Generative AI. TESOL Quarterly.
• Yi, Y. & Park, E. (2024). EFL writing teacher education to prepare for post COVID-19 education: Voices from teacher educators. In Ene, E., Gilliland, B., Henderson Lee, S., Saenkhum, T., & Seloni, L. (Eds.), EFL Writing Teacher Education and Professional Development (pp.37-44). Multilingual Matters.
• Yi, Y. & Cho. S. (2024). From multilingual writers to multilingual leaders in the publishing communities of TESOL: Autoethnographic accounts. In Trinh, E., de Oliveira, L., Selvi, A. F. (Eds.). Multilingual leadership in TESOL (pp. 192-204). Routledge.
• Kang, J. & Yi., Y. (2023). Beyond ChatGPT: Multimodal-generative AI for L2 writers. Journal of Second Language Writing, 61, 1-6.
• Yi, Y., Cho, S., & Jang, J. (2022). Methodological innovations in examining digital literacies in applied linguistics research. TESOL Quarterly, 56(2), 1052-1062.
• Yi, Y., Shin, D. S., Cimasko, T., & †Chen, K. (2021). Methodological approaches to examining multimodal composing. In D. S. Shin, T. Cimasko, & Y. Yi (Eds.), Multimodal composing in K-16 ESL and EFL education: Multilingual perspectives (pp. 17-31). Singapore: Springer.
• Yi, Y., & †Jang, J. (2020). Koryoin children's translingual practices for learning English: A case study of Russian-Korean children in South Korea. In P. Vinogradova & J. K. Shin (Eds.), Contemporary foundations for teaching English as an additional language: Pedagogical approaches and classroom applications (pp. 141-149). New York: Routledge.
• Yi, Y., & †Jang, J. (2020). Envisioning possibilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications from English language teaching in South Korea. TESOL Journal, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.543
• Cho, S., & Yi, Y. (2019). Funds of knowledge and cultural capital: Working toward the diversity and equity of knowledges. Applied Linguistics, doi:10.1093/applin/amy062
• Yi, Y., Shin, D. S., & Cimasko, T. (2019, invited) Multimodal literacies in teaching and learning English. In L. C. de Oliveira (Ed.), Handbook of TESOL in K-12 (pp. 163-178). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
• Yi, Y. (2017). Establishing multimodal literacy research in the field of L2 writing: Let's move the field forward. Journal of Second Language Writing, 38, 90-91.
• Yi, Y., King, N., & †Safriani, A. (2017). Re-conceptualizing assessment of digital multimodal literacy. TESOL Journal, 8(4), 878-885.
• Yi, Y., & Angay-Crowder, T. (2016). Multimodal pedagogies for teacher education in TESOL. TESOL Quarterly, 50(4), 988-999.
• Yi, Y., & Choi, J. (2015). Teachers' views of multimodal practices in K-12 classrooms: Voices from teachers in the United States. TESOL Quarterly, 49(4), 838-847.
• Yi, Y. (2014). Possibilities and challenges of multimodal literacies in the learning and teaching of second and world languages. Language and Linguistics Compass, 8(4), 158-169.
• Yi, Y. (2014). Becoming a multilingual writer, researcher, and educator. In G. Tinker Sachs & G. Verma. (Eds.), Critical mass in the academy: Symbiosis and diversity (pp. 50-61). Champaign, IL: Common Ground.
• Yi, Y. (2013). ESOL teachers as writing teachers: From the voices of pre-service teachers. In L. C. de Oliveira & T. Silva. (Eds.), Second language writing in the secondary classroom: Experiences, issues, and perspectives (pp. 133-148). New York: Routledge.
• Yi, Y. (2013). Adolescent multilingual writer's negotiation of multiple identities and access to academic writing: A case study of a Jogi Yuhak student in an American high school. Canadian Modern Language Review, 69(2), 207-231.
• Yi, Y. (2010). Adolescent multilingual writer's transitions between in- and out-of- school writing practices. Journal of Second Language Writing, 19, 17-32.
• Yi, Y. (2010). Identity matters: Theories that help explore adolescent multilingual writers and their identities. In M. Cox, J. Jordan, C. Ortmeier-Hooper & G. Schwartz (Eds.), Reinventing identities in second language (pp. 303-324). Urbana Champaign, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
• Yi, Y. (2009). Adolescent literacy and identity construction among 1.5 Generation students from a transnational perspective. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 19(1), 100-129.
• Yi, Y. (2008). Relay writing in an adolescent online community. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 51, 670-680.
• Yi, Y. (2008). Voluntary writing in heritage language: A study of biliterate Korean-heritage adolescents in the U.S. The Heritage Language Journal, 6(2), 72-93.
• Yi, Y. (2007). Engaging literacy: A biliterate student's composing practices beyond school. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16, 23-39.