Joe LeTexier

Joe LeTexier serves as Professor of TESOL/Linguistics in the School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry at Columbia International University (CIU), where he has been a faculty member since 1996. Fluent in Spanish, he conducts extensive linguistic research on the Spanish language and is committed to applying linguistic theory to second language teaching.

His educational qualifications include:

• PhD in Linguistics from the University of South Carolina
• Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Columbia International University
• MA in Linguistics from Columbia International University
• BA from Crown College

Dr. LeTexier's research centers on second language acquisition, particularly in the Spanish language, with a focus on cognitive linguistics and instructional methodologies. He explores how working memory capacity interacts with different teaching approaches for polysemous spatial prepositions in Spanish, aiming to enhance language teaching practices for cross-cultural contexts while integrating faith-based perspectives.

His scholarly work is exemplified by a 2019 publication examining cognitive linguistics-based and translation-based instructional treatments in the acquisition of L2 Spanish spatial prepositions, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach bridging linguistics, cognitive science, and pedagogy.

Among his recognitions is the University of South Carolina Graduate Student Research Award received in 2015.

Dr. LeTexier is deeply invested in student development, mentoring them both inside and outside the classroom through informal gatherings such as meals and coffee meetings, and guiding them to become effective educators and cross-cultural workers within faith-based ministry contexts.