Christa

de Kleine

School of Education

Education

• Ph.D in Linguistics, Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY)
• M.Phil in Linguistics, Graduate Center of the City University of New York
• M.A. in Linguistics, Graduate Center of the City University of New York
• M.A. in English Language and Linguistics, University of Groningen, the Netherlands

Bio

Dr. de Kleine joined the faculty at Notre Dame of Maryland University in 1998. She developed Notre Dame’s M.A in TESOL program in the late 1990s and has served as its coordinator ever since. Dr. de Kleine teaches various courses on topics related to language acquisition and linguistic diversity in the MA in TESOL program and the Ph.D program for Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations. She also chairs doctoral dissertation committees of Ph.D students whose research focuses on language or dialectal diversity in educational settings.

Dr. de Kleine’s research encompasses several strands. Her Ph.D dissertation research analyzed the unique variety of Dutch spoken in Suriname, South America, with special focus on the formative influence of the local English-lexifier creole language, Sranan, on Surinamese Dutch. In subsequent US-based research, she applied her knowledge of creole linguistics to the study of the writing skills of students who are speakers of English-lexifier creole languages from West Africa and the Caribbean enrolled in ESL programs. She has conducted numerous national and international presentations on effective language instruction for these unique ‘World English’ speaking students.

More recently, Dr. de Kleine has extended the scope of her research to challenges of linguistically diverse students at the community college level. Together with Dr. Rachele Lawton, Dr. de Kleine has analyzed how the written language of long-term resident ESL (‘Generation 1.5’) students differs from monolingual and international ESL students; at present, they are conducting a study that examines the attitudes and practices of community college instructors regarding linguistically diverse student populations.

In addition, Dr. de Kleine is the principal investigator on a grant-funded research project that studies the knowledge and beliefs regarding second language learning and teaching among English language instructors in Panama, a country where she has taught TESOL courses as visiting professor on and off since 2008. This research project examines local English teaching approaches at the university level, including the ways in which instructors’ knowledge, beliefs and practices are influenced by the postcolonial history and current status of the English language in Panama.

Recent Publications

• Lawton, R., & de Kleine, C. (2020). The need to dismantle “standard” language ideology at the community college: An analysis of writing and literacy instructor attitudes. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 50(4), 197-219.
• de Kleine, C. & Lawton, R. (2018). An analysis of grammatical patterns in generation 1.5, L1 and L2 students’ writings: A replication study. Journal of Second Language Writing, 42, (pp.12-24).
• de Kleine, C. & Lawton, R. (2018). Linguistically diverse students. In R. Flippo & T. Bean (Eds.), Handbook of college reading and study strategy research (3rd edition). New York: Routledge. (pp. 215-226.)
• de Kleine, C. (2015). Learning and negotiating Standard English in the US classroom: Overlooked challenges of Creole English speakers. International Journal of Literacies 23(1), 31-39.
• de Kleine, C. & Lawton, R. (2015). Meeting the needs of linguistically diverse students at the college level. White paper (commissioned) for the College Reading and Language Association (CRLA). Available at: https://www.crla.net/images/whitepaper/Meeting_Needs_of_Diverse_Students.pdf
• de Kleine, C. (2013). Dutch in Suriname. In F. Hinskens & J. Taeldeman. (Eds.), Language and Space. An international handbook of linguistic variation: Vol. 3: Dutch. Berlin: de Gruyter Mouton. (pp. 821-840)
• de Kleine, C. (2009). Sierra Leonean and Liberian students in ESL Programs in the US: The Role of Creole English. In J. Kleifgen & G. Bond (Eds.), The languages of Africa and the diaspora: Educating for language awareness. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. (pp.178-198)
• de Kleine, C. (2007). Surinamese Dutch: The development of a unique Germanic language variety. In S. Elspaß, N. Langer, J. Scharloth & W. Vandenbussche (Eds.), Germanic Language Histories ‘from Below’ (1700-2000). New York/Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. (pp. 207-220)
• de Kleine, C. (2007). Negerhollands (Creole Dutch). In J. Holm & P. Patrick, (Eds.), Comparative creole syntax: Parallel outlines of 18 creole grammars. London: Battlebridge Publications. (pp. 255-272)
• de Kleine, C. (2007). A morphosyntactic analysis of Surinamese Dutch. Munich, Germany: Lincom Europa. ISBN 978-3-89586-388-2.
• de Kleine, C. (2006). West African World English speakers in US classrooms: The role of West African Pidgin English. In S. Nero (Ed.), Dialects, Englishes, Creoles, and Education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. (pp. 205-232)

Selected Presentations

• de Kleine, C.&  R. Lawton. (2021). Exploring instructor attitudes towards standard and nonstandard Englishes at the community college: the pervasive effects of standard language ideology. Paper presented at the annual National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) conference, virtual, November 18-21.
• de Kleine, C. & R. Lawton. (2021) Contesting standard language ideology at the community college: An analysis of writing and literacy instructor attitudes. Paper presented at the National Conference on Acceleration in Developmental Education (CADE), virtual, June 11.
• de Kleine, C. & R. Lawton. (2020). Grammatical patterns in long-term resident L2 student writings: the overlooked role of age of arrival.  Paper at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference in Denver, CO, March 28-31 (conference cancelled).
• de Kleine, C. (2020). The role of African American English in the “achievement” gap. Presentation at Bowie State University, School Psychology Program, Department of Counseling, virtual, April 16.
• de Kleine, C. (2019) Featured panelist on linguistic diversity at the Mid-Atlantic Teaching & Learning Summit Conference on Acceleration in Developmental Education (CADE), The Community College of Baltimore County, November 8.
• de Kleine, C. & R. Lawton (2019). Accelerating policies, practices and pedagogy to support linguistic diversity. Workshop conducted at the Conference on Acceleration in Developmental Education (CADE), The Community College of Baltimore County, November 8.
• de Kleine, C.  (2019) Applying L2 acquisition theory in English language teaching at the university level in panama: Challenges. Paper presented at the University of Panama, Panama City, Panama. September 26.   
• de Kleine & R. Acosta. (2019) Second language acquisition theory and its implementation at Panamanian universities. Paper presented at the Annual Congress of the Panama TESOL organization, Panama City, Panama, September 27.
• de Kleine, C. (2018). Generation 1.5 at the college level: The role of age of arrival. Board-invited Spotlight Session. Annual Maryland TESOL conference, Notre Dame of Maryland University, November 10.
• de Kleine, C., Doolan, S., Lawton, R., DiGennaro, K. & Bunch, G. (2017). Resident L2 learners in post-secondary writing: Toward profession-wide rethinking of persistent challenges. Colloquium at the American Association for Applied Linguistics Conference in Portland, OR, March18-22. (Colloquium organizer with S. Doolan).
• de Kleine, C. (2017). Lessons learned in TESOL over the past 20+ years. Invited SIG session. Annual Maryland TESOL conference, Laurel, MD. November 11.
• de Kleine, C. (2016). Research-based principles for effective EFL teaching. Keynote address, 30th Annual Congress of the Panama TESOL organization, Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Panama City, Panama, September 17.
• de Kleine, C. & Triculescu, A. (2016). The role of personality factors in second language acquisition: Preliminary research results from a local Panamanian secondary school program. Paper presented at the 30th Annual Congress of the Panama TESOL organization, Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Panama City, Panama, September 17.
• de Kleine, C. (2016). Second language learning and teaching: Why theory matters for EFL teachers. Invited lecture at the University of Louisville, Panama City, Panama, August 12.
• de Kleine, C. (2015). Current developments in second language acquisition theory: Relevance for the EFL classroom. Keynote address, 29th Annual Congress of the Panama TESOL organization, Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Panama City, Panama, September 18.
• de Kleine, C. & Sulivan, E. (2016). Mainstream teachers’ language-related knowledge and linguistically responsive teaching practices for English Language Learners. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, D.C., April 8-12.
• de Kleine, C. & Lawton, R. (2015). Meeting the needs of linguistically diverse students at the college level. Paper presented at the 48th Annual College Reading and Language Association Conference, Portland, OR. November 5-8.
• de Kleine, C. & Lawton, R. (2015). Innovative approaches to support Generation 1.5 students’ college-level writing achievement. Paper presented at the 48th Annual College Reading and Language Association Conference, Portland, OR. November 5-8.
• de Kleine, C., Lawton, R. & Woo, M. (2015). Patterns in Generation 1.5 Students’ Writings: Implications for ESL Teachers. Paper presented at the International TESOL Convention, Toronto, Canada, March 25-28.

Honors and Awards

• Teacher of the Year 2020 in Higher Education, awarded by the Maryland TESOL association.
• Faculty Research and Development Award, Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2016. Principal investigator. (“EFL Instructor Beliefs, Knowledge and Classroom Applications of Second Language Acquisition Theory in Postsecondary Education at Four Universities in Panama”)
• Maryland TESOL Professional Development Award, 2014. ("The Writings of 1.5 Generation Students at the Community College Level”, with Dr. Rachele Lawton and Minah Woo)
• Faculty Research and Development Award, Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2013. Principal investigator. ("The Writings of 1.5 Generation Students at the Community College Level”)
• Research grant awarded by the Office of Research Development at the College of Notre Dame in collaboration with NIH, 2007. Principal investigator. (“Grammatical Interference and Its Psycholinguistic Causes: The Case of West African Pidgin and Creole English-speaking ESL Students in US Secondary Schools”)
• Research grant awarded by the Sociological Initiatives Foundation (Boston, MA), 2004. Principal investigator. (“Improving the Writing Skills of Creole English-speaking Students from West Africa”).