Betsy Gilliland

Betsy Gilliland is a Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa. She holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on multilingual adolescents' academic language and writing development, language teachers' professional learning through classroom action research, and the impact of educational policies on curriculum and teacher preparation. She has conducted extensive studies on teacher research methodologies, particularly in international practicum settings such as Thailand and Hawaiʻi.

Her work emphasizes marginalized student populations, including migrant youth and Pacific Islanders, exploring their transitions into mainstream and college writing contexts. She also investigates how state and national policies influence second language writing curricula. Key areas include language teacher education, ethnographic discourse analysis, and language policy advocacy.

Dr. Gilliland has co-authored or edited influential publications like Empowering the Community College First Year Composition Teacher (2021) and contributed to volumes on innovative practicum designs and action research in TESOL education. Her recent research analyzes teacher-generated action research studies from international practicum experiences, highlighting ethical considerations and contextual influences in applied linguistics research.

Her advising and grants include supervising graduate students in action research projects and international practicum initiatives. She collaborates with institutions in Thailand through SLS practicum programs, focusing on teacher development and cross-cultural pedagogy. Current projects examine policy impacts on educational continuity and teacher professional growth mechanisms.