معرفی
Abby Dings is an Associate Professor of Spanish at Southwestern University, specializing in second language acquisition and sociolinguistics. With a PhD in Spanish Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin, she has dedicated her career to understanding interactional competence in study abroad settings and advancing pedagogical approaches in medical Spanish.
- PhD in Spanish Linguistics (2007), University of Texas at Austin
- M.A. in Spanish (1995), University of Wisconsin at Madison
- B.A. in Spanish (1992), Binghamton University
Her research bridges sociolinguistic theory with practical applications, focusing on:
- Development of interactional competence in immersive language environments
- Standard language ideologies in Spanish classrooms
- Cultural humility in medical Spanish curricula
- Heritage speaker experiences in study abroad programs
- Humanities-based approaches to language learning
Abby's scholarly contributions include key publications in Foreign Language Annals and Modern Language Journal, with recent work exploring virtual exchanges in language education. She actively presents at major conferences like AATSP and ACTFL, advocating for innovative pedagogic strategies.
Abby has played a pivotal role in developing Southwestern's new Spanish for Healthcare Professions certificate program and consistently emphasizes real-world language applications through her research on medical Spanish curricula and cross-cultural communication. Her work integrates field experiences from living in Mexico and Spain, as well as professional work in diverse settings including English language schools and study abroad companies.
