Staff Profile | Education, Communication and Language Sciences

Background

I joined the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences (ECLS) in December 2024 as a Lecturer in Applied Linguistics and TESOL. I work within the Applied Linguistics and Communication subject area. I am a Multimodal Conversation Analyst, and I teach and research in the areas of classroom interaction and Applied Linguistics in TESOL. Currently, I am currently module leader for TESOL for Young Learners, drawing on my expertise and teaching experiences in local primary schools in my home country, Chile, and in the South of the UK (Bourne End and Marlowe, in Buckinghamshire). I also collaborate in ALC8020 Research Methods along with other colleagues.

Prior to joining Newcastle, I worked at Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) at Instituto de Lingüística y Literatura (Teaching Fellow 2009-2014, then Lecturer (2014-2020), and Assistant Professor (2020). I was also Programme Director for the BA in Humanities and Social Sciences and Member of the Executive Board of the MA in Communication.

I am currently in the final stage of my Initiation in Research Project (funded by the Chilean Agency for Research ANID – Fondecyt de Iniciación 11230986). I am exploring ways to do teacher training through Conversation Analysis to enhance the interactional awareness of Pre-Service Teachers in the South and Extreme South of Chile.

I became a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and BA in Humanities and Social Sciences in 2009 (Universidad Austral de Chile, UACh). In my UG Dissertation I explored practices to enhance students’ communicative competence in public Chilean EFL classrooms. I then went on to obtain my MA in Communication in the same institution and my MA Thesis continued to develop my interest in embodied practices and how we use language and our bodies to communicate. I decided to pursue my PhD on this topic, so I moved to the UK to do my PhD in Language and Communication at the University of York, UK. I conducted a study of Chilean public secondary EFL teachers’ verbal end embodied practices to mobilise participation. Part of this study was published in the Classroom Discourse Journal. At York I also completed the YLTA training and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).

Qualifications

2014 – 2019 PhD Language and Communication, University of York, UK. “Multimodal elicitations in Chilean secondary EFL classrooms”. Supervisors: Dr Heather Marsden (Linguistics) and Dr Darren Reed (Sociology). External Examiner: Dr Spencer Hazel, Newcastle University.

2016 – 2017 Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), York Learning and Teaching Award (YLTA).

2010 – 2013 MA in Communication, UACh. “Exploration of embodied practices in student-actors of the TESOL UGT Programme”. Maximum Distinction.

2005 – 2009 Professional Degree of English as a Foreign Language Teacher (TESOL), BA in Humanities and Social Sciences, UACh. Maximum Distinction.

Memberships

International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, Member. I also actively participate in the Teacher Training and Education (TtEd) Special Interest Group (SIG) and the Research SIG.
International Society for Conversation Analysis (ICCA), Member.
British Association for Applied Linguistics, Member.
International Society for Conversation Analysis, Member and Newsletter Editor.
Chilean Network of Teacher Trainers
Red de Investigadores Chilenos en ELT (RICELT), Member.

Peer Review Experience

I have peer reviewed submissions to the following academic journals:

· 2024-Encyclopaedia of Applied Linguistics 2nd Edition, Wiley

· 2023-Learning, culture and social interaction, Elsevier

· 2022- Linguistics and Education, Wiley

· 2019- Classroom Discourse Journal, TANDF

· 2023- Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas

· 2014-Language Learning, Wiley

· Grant review for FONDECYT: Initiation in Research Gants, Senior Research Grants

· Conference proposals review: events in Latin America and the UK.

Research

Areas of Research Interest

Classroom interaction
Multimodal practices in the classroom
Conversation analysis
Teacher training
Personal Narratives of Teachers’ Professional/Identity Development
Reflective practices for teacher training
Decolonial Education: Ventana, meaning Window in Spanish, is a network I funded while a PhD student at York. Its goal is to connect researchers who are currently exploring decolonial studies in Latin America and Africa. Our current goal is to explore how we can work towards a decolonial education for the future. I am keen to explore this topic further, especially how we can reimagine knowledge production by centring the body as a vital source of learning and resistance to established colonial.

Supervision of Dissertations and Theses

UG Dissertation supervision: TESOL Programme, Universidad Austral de Chile.

Aichele, C., & Parra, K. (2024). Observational and Reflective Practices as Tools for Pre-service Teachers' Continuous Professional Development: Interactional Awareness in the EFL Classroom. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Mansilla, D. & Rodriguez, G. (2024). Oral presentation skill: Improving Business Administration in Tourism Students’ awareness of verbal and embodied practices. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Bórquez, B., & Vargas, C. (2024). Exploring students’ Interactional Resources in Chilean EFL Classrooms through Conversation Analysis. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Pacheco, R. (2023). Techniques to deal with Panic Attacks inside the classroom. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Bernhardt, C. (2022). Building Tolerance in the EFL classroom: The use of social media to develop intercultural competence. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Salas, A., Monasterio, M. (2022). The Use of Role-Play to Foster 10th-grade Students’ Speaking Skills in the Chilean EFL Classroom. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Schmidlin, C. & Farías, D. (2022). Fully Aware: A Mindfulness Based Booklet for Adolescents Inside the EFL Classroom. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Fuentes, F. & Sanchez, L. (2018). Embodied Resources in Oral Presentations: Identifying guidelines for improving EFL learners’ delivery. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Arriagada, J. (2016). The role of embodied behaviour and classroom management in instances of Co-Teaching Practice Sessions at the EFL Teacher Training Programme at Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh). Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Torres, C. (2016). Teacher and student-centered education: The cases of Chile and China. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Pinuer, N. & Velásquez, C. (2016). Co-teaching practice sessions: EFL trainee teachers' classroom interactional competence and reflective practices through SETT at UACh. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Ortiz, G. (2014). Reading comprehension for twelve graders: Using reading comprehension techniques to foster vocabulary acquisition using "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2011). Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Bravo, H. & Villarroel, F. (2013). National teacher evaluation system: A case study on its effects in the well-being of teachers of English from Osorno's PIAP network. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.
Lovera, S. & Vera, E. (2013). Sociocultural approach: The inclusion of alternative oral assessment in second-year language courses of the ELT training program at UACh. Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa. Universidad Austral de Chile. UG Thesis Supervisor.

PG Thesis supervision and examining:

Veliz, C. (2024). La Discapacidad intelectual al Des-cubierto: Sentir y sentido de las Madres cuidadoras. Magíster en Comunicación. Universidad Austral de Chile. MA Thesis Supervisor.

Angulo, C. (2024). Análisis de la evolución del programa radial Fuego Violeta. Aportes desde la comunicación comunitaria a la Educación Sexual Integral y Educación no Sexista en la región de Los Ríos. Magíster en Comunicación. Universidad Austral de Chile. MA Internal Examiner.

Padilla, V. (2024). Ruidos interculturales: Representación de inmigrantes latinoamericanos y pueblos originarios. Análisis crítico del discurso en noticias de diarios digitales chilenos. Magíster en Comunicación. Universidad Austral de Chile. MA Internal Examiner.

San Martín, C. (2023). Representación visual de la mujer en Instagram: Análisis de los estereotipos de género presentes en la publicidad de moda infantil y juvenil. Magíster en Comunicación. Universidad Austral de Chile. MA Internal Examiner.

Guarda, M. (2022). Training Non-verbal communication through drama techniques. Magíster en Comunicación. Universidad Austral de Chile. MA Internal Examiner.

Jenzelewski, P. (2023). Interactive Listening & Interactional Competence in Oral Exams: A CA Approach. Masterarbeit, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany. MA External Co-Advisor.

PhD Thesis examining:

2021, 2022 PhD, University of Newcastle, UK. School of Education, Communication, and Language Sciences. PhD External Examiner.
2022 Doutorado no Programa de Pos-Gradua o em Linguistica Aplicada, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brazil (UNISINOS). PhD Viva External Examiner.
2021 Doutorado no Programa de Pos-Gradua o em Linguistica Aplicada, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brazil (UNISINOS). PhD Candidacy Exam, External Examiner.

Research Projects and Grants

Currently I am working on a project to promote TESOL Pre-Service Teachers' interactional awareness:

2023-2025 ANID/FONDECYT Chilean Research Agency: Initiation in Research Grant 11230986: "A Multimodal Conversation Analytic study of Pre-Service Teachers' Turns to Promote Interaction in Chilean Public and Subsidised EFL classrooms”. Principal Investigator.

Past projects:

2021-2022 Research Project: Pedagogical material for the development of oral communication skills of students in the initial stage of Teacher Training at UACh. National Funding Agent ANID/UACh. Principal Investigator.
2020 Collaborative International Learning (COIL) Virtual Exchange (VE) Partnership Project with University of Göttingen and Instituto Ivoti, Brazil. Training by Florida International University & Learn Chile. Lecturer and Transnational Partner.
2016 University of York Humanities Research Centre (HRC): Collaborative Project Grant to host the first Ventana Conference: A Window onto Latin America. Lead Applicant and Funder.
2014 – 2015 DID-S-2014-22. “Oral Verbal and Nonverbal Communicative Competence of the Students of the English Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh”. Research Development Unit, UACh. Research Assistant.
2009 – 2010 DID S-2009-16: “English: Acting Out Language. Methodological Approaches to create a favourable climate in the EFL classroom”. Undergraduate Research Assistant.

Esteem Indicators

2024 Invited Data Session: “Classroom Interaction: Chilean English Language Pre-Service teachers’ verbal and embodied resources to promote interaction.” Stockholm University Research Forum for Interaction and Learning (ReFIL). Invited by Dr Ali Reza Majlesi.
2024 Visiting Lecturer: Universidad de Guadalajara. Jan-Feb 2024. UG module: “Applying Multimodal Conversation Analysis in TESOL: Examples of interactional competences and oral assessment instruments”. PGR module: “Multimodal CA’s methodological approach: how to design, execute and complete a social interaction research project”. Data sessions. Mexico.
2023 Invited Plenary speaker. IV Encontro da Análise da Conversa Etnometodológica (EnACe): Multimodalidade na interação humana. CA in the classroom: Interactional Practices in the language teaching-learning process. UNIFESP & Unisinos, 22-24 March 2023. Brazil.
2022 Invited speaker. Introduction to Conversation Analysis. PhD in Language Studies and Applied Linguistics. Universidad Veracruzana, México. 27 Oct. 2022. Online.
2022 Research visit: Data Collection, project with Dr Chris Leyland. Newcastle, UK.
2022 Research visit: Data session with ILLM group. University of York, UK. August 2022
2022 Promoting participation in Chilean secondary EFL classrooms; an insight into teachers’ verbal and embodied practices. Ciclo de charlas online Universidad Central de Santiago.
2021 How to Thrive and Survive in your PhD. Research Development, University of York, UK.
2021 Conversation Analysis in the exploration of classroom interaction. Seminario Permanente de la Conversación (SPAC). Research group network CA in Latin-America. Online.
2021 Applied Linguistics and Communication Seminar Series, Newcastle University. Using Conversation Analysis to explore teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ interactional resources in Chilean classrooms. Invitation by Dr Spencer Hazel. Newcastle, UK.
2020 Multimodal resources in mobilising and pursuing responses in Chilean secondary EFL classrooms. Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo, Brazil. Online.

Outreach

2023- Classroom interaction workshops for TESOL Pre-Service Teachers in the south and extreme south of Chile: Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Montt, Coyhaique and Punta Arenas.
2023- Well-being sessions for students and staff (mindfulness, reiki, stress management).
2023- Classroom interaction workshop for state-run school teachers.
2022 Encounter and collaboration among TESOL trainers in HE. Colloquia organiser.
2019 Communicating with Female Scientists: presenter. Outreach Ministry of Education.
2019 Project evaluator: School science fair project evaluator: XVI Regional School Congress of Science and Technology. Explora. Ministry of Education regional office.
2010-13 Spanglish Theatre en tu Colegio project co-director (2012) and director (2013). Implementing drama techniques at schools in the city.

Conference Organisation

2022 and 23 Ventana 4 and 5: A conference on Latin America. Co-organiser. Univ. of York, UK.
2021 Encounter and collaboration among TESOL trainers in HE.. Co-organiser.
2016 A Window on Latin America I: A conference on Latin America at York. Founder, Chair.
2014 PARLAY: Postgraduate Academic Researchers in Linguistics at York. Co-chair.
2011, 2013 Regional conference organiser TESOL and IATEFL Chile organisations. Co-chair.

Teaching

Current teaching

At Newcastle, I currently teach on the MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL:

ALC8029 TESOL for Young Learners. Module Leader
ALC 8020 Research Methods. Collaborator

Previous teaching experience

At Universidad Austral, taught a wide range of courses in TESOL, Applied Linguistics and Communication.

Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching courses:

5th year UG, Understanding Classroom Interaction (ILIN 290): CA elective.
4th year UG, Educational Linguistics (ILIN 173): Teaching Approaches, Classroom Interaction and Language Assessment.
2nd year UG, Language & Education (ILIN 085): Language Teaching Methods and Theories.
UG. TESOL for Young Learners (ILLI 195). Nursery Teacher Training Programme, 4th year. 2023-2024. Collaborator.
UG A.L strand convenor, module leader, curriculum design, teaching, assessment.

Research Methodology courses:

UG. TESOL, 5^th year. Research Project Seminar (ILIN 296): Research methods and projects.
UG. TESOL, 5^th year. Research Paper Seminar (ILIN 298): Dissertation project guidance.
UG Research Methods strand convenor, module leader, course design, co-teaching, assessment, theses supervisor.
PG. MA in Communication, 2^nd year. Research Seminar (ICOM 398): preparing MA Theses. Module leader, teaching, assessment, theses supervisor.

Writing courses:

3^rdyear UG, Academic Writing I: Texts, Styles and Registers (ILIN 127).
4^th year UG, Academic Writing II: Vocabulary, References and Themes (ILIN 165)
4th year UG. Academic Writing III: Research Writing (ILIN 176).
1st year UG, Developing Writing Skills I and II (PLAC 069, PLAC 077): general writing courses.
Strand convenor, course design, teaching, assessment, personal tutoring, module leader.

Other Scholarship activities:

PG. MA in Communication, 1^st year. Communication and Culture through CA (ICOM 365). 2023,24. Collaborator,
PG. Análisis de la Conversación (ICOM 311). Faculty MA and PhD programmes. 2016-24. Module leader.
First year UG Tutor. Pedagogical project Research and Development Unit. Personal tutor.
Conversation Analysis and Teacher Training. Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico.

Publications

Articles
- Walper K, Reed D, Marsden H. Designedly incomplete elicitations: verbal and embodied practices to mobilise student-next action in Chilean secondary EFL classrooms. Classroom Discourse 2023, 14(1), 24-44.
- Walper K. From Communicative Competence to Interactional Competence: Conversation analysis to explore teacher talk in language classrooms. CALR Linguistics Journal 2022, Special Issue on Teacher Talk(13).
- Lizasoain A, Walper K, Ortiz de Zárate A, Sepúlveda J, Catripán E. Relevancia de la comunicación ‘no verbal’ en el aula de ILE: ¿cómo hablan las manos en una lengua extranjera?. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal (CALJ) 2021.
- Sandoval-Obando E, Dona AM, Walper K, Martinez DL, Bertone MS. Pedagogical Strategies to Promote Mediated Learning Experiences in Vulnerable Contexts. Universitas Psychologica 2018, 17(5), 1-13.
- Ortíz de Zárate A, Walper K, Siebert F, Aros P, Hidalgo D, Rojas-Mora J. El papel de la interacción significativa y las técnicas dramáticas en la educación de estudiantes con discapacidad visual en la UACh. Columbian Journal of Applied Linguistics 2014, 16(2).
- Lizasoain A, Ortiz de zarate A, Walper K, Yilorm Y. Estudio descriptivo y exploratorio de un taller de introducción a las técnicas teatrales para la enseñanza/aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera. Revista de Estudios Pedagógicos 2012, XXXVII(2), 123 - 133.
Book Chapters
- Ortiz A, Walper K. Literature class projects in Chilean teacher training: Diagnosing trainees’ classroom interactional competences in collaborative simulated co-teaching sessions. In: [Abukaker, F]., et al, ed. International Perspectives on Literature in ELT. Palgrave, 2025. In Press.
- Walper K, Pinuer N, Velásquez C. Developing Chilean EFL Pre-service teachers’ professional oracy in simulated co-teaching practice sessions. In: Reckermann, J. Siepmann, P., & Matz, F, ed. Oracy in English Language Education: Insights from Practice-Oriented Research. Springer, 2024, pp.189–212.
- Walper K. Reparación en el aula de lengua extranjera: Perspectivas desde el Análisis Conversacional Multimodal. In: Vázquez-Carranza, A, ed. Sociolingüística para la Enseñanza de Lenguas. Universidad de Guadalajara, 2022, pp.385-435.
- Walper K. An exploration of Chilean EFL teachers’ interactional practices in feedback provision. In: Galhano, I.; Galvão, E.; Cruz, A, ed. Recent perspectives on gesture and multimodality. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019, pp.19-30.
- Walper K, Ortiz de Zárate A. Relaciones Post-Género: Masculinidades y Feminidades en crisis en Cloud Nine (1978) de Caryl Churchill. En. In: Spíndola, J; Huerta, N; añez, C, ed. Conocimientos y saberes ¿para quién? Conflictos sociales y universidad. Serifa Editores, 2017.
Report
- Walper K. Questions with Gestures: examples from Chilean EFL classrooms. IATEFL, 2019. IATEFL Voices.

Dr Katherina Walper

Lecturer in Applied Linguistics