Dr Christina Gkonou
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Email
cgkono@essex.ac.uk -
Location
3.306, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Please email me to arrange a meeting
Profile
Biography
I received my PhD in English Language Teaching and MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the Department of Language and Linguistics at the University of Essex. I also hold a CELTA qualification at Pass Grade A and a BA in English Language and Literature from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. I have also completed studies in French-Greek translation at Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III, France. At Essex, I lead the MA TESOL programme and teach across a range of modules related to language teacher education and the psychology of language learning and teaching. Under the Erasmus+ scheme, I have taught undergraduate and postgraduate students at universities overseas including the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), University of Bremen (Germany), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, and Freie Universität Berlin (Germany). I am also Visiting Professor at Vizja University in Warsaw, Poland. My research focuses on the affective dimensions of language learning and teaching, particularly language learner anxiety, language teacher emotions, emotional labour, emotion regulation, and wellbeing in TESOL and EMI contexts. I have worked closely with Cambridge University Press on projects relating to emotional skills, anxiety, and psychological wellbeing as part of the Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies in Education. My work has attracted international recognition, and I am regularly invited to deliver plenary and keynote talks, workshops, and guest lectures internationally, including in Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Slovakia, South Korea, Turkey, and the UAE. I have extensive experience supervising doctoral students and have examined over 40 PhD/EdD theses as Internal and External Examiner across the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Pakistan, and Malaysia. I currently serve as Associate Editor of TESOL Quarterly, Co-editor of the Multilingual Matters book series on the Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching, and Editorial Board Member of Language Awareness. I have also served as External Examiner for TESOL and Applied Linguistics postgraduate programmes at the Universities of Birmingham, Kent, and Leeds, and currently oversee the entire provision for the Faculty of Language Studies at the Arab Open University across all branches as Chief External Examiner. In addition, I have reviewed grant proposals for organisations including the ESRC, the National Science Centre of Poland, and the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, and serve on the expert panel for the PhD in Education and ICT programme at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. In 2013 I was shortlisted for a British Council ELTons Award for Innovative Writing, and in 2015 I received a British Council English Language Teaching Research Award for a collaborative project on teachers’ emotional and social intelligence. In 2017 I received a Celebrating Excellence Award from the Faculty of Social Sciences for innovation and for promoting the department’s TESOL programmes.
Qualifications
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BA Hons (Aristotle University)
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MA (Essex)
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RSA Cambridge CELTA
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PhD Essex
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Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) Advance HE,
Appointments
University of Essex
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Deputy Head of Department, Language and Linguistics, University of Essex (1/8/2021 - present)
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MA TESOL Course Director, University of Essex (1/9/2017 - present)
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Deputy Director of Education (Linguistics), University of Essex (1/9/2017 - 30/7/2021)
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GTA Coordinator, University of Essex (1/8/2018 - 30/7/2021)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Psychology of foreign language learning and teaching
Language teacher emotions, emotional labour and emotional capital
Language teacher agency and identity
Affective and meta-affective strategies for language learning
Language teacher education
Social and emotional learning
Language learner and teacher wellbeing
Current research
Emotional self-regulation in language classrooms
Caring, emotional labour and teacher professional identity
Critical incidents in language teaching
The language of emotion
Cognition and emotion in language teacher self-reflection
Conferences and presentations
Understanding language teachers' experiences of happiness and caring
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, 3rd International Conference on Psychology for Language Teachers and Learners (ICPLTL-2024), Istanbul, Turkey, 26/10/2024
Understanding visual deficits and emotions in dyslexia: A study of L2 reading fluency
57th Annual Conference of the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) on ‘Applied linguistics in contemporary contexts: Practices, approaches and future directions’, Colchester, United Kingdom, 6/9/2024
Learning from experienced teachers: How and when belonging matters
Second Language Teacher Education Conference (SLTED 2024), Brno, Czech Republic, 5/9/2024
Semantics of emotion concepts: Understanding emotions in language education
Invited presentation, Warsaw, Poland, 20/5/2024
Collaborative and relational dimensions of emotion regulation in language teaching
5th International Conference for the Psychology of Language Learning (PLL5), Madrid, Spain, 17/5/2024
Understanding critical incidents in teaching
Keynote presentation, 28th TESOL Macedonia-Thrace Annual International Conference on ‘To TESOL or not to TESOL? Teachers at the helm of CPD’., 1/4/2023
Sustaining and supporting teacher wellbeing
Invited presentation, Global Schools Festival, World of Better Learning, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 25/11/2022
Understanding life competencies in language education
Invited presentation, 5th TESOL Colombia Annual International Conference on ‘Ready for Phygital ELT era? Thriving in disruptive education’ [online], Bogota, Colombia, 19/8/2022
Prioritizing wellbeing in the language classroom
Keynote presentation, Cambridge English Schools Colombia Conference, Bogota, Colombia, 17/8/2022
Language learner anxiety: Implications for language teaching and assessment
Invited presentation, ESRC/AHRC UK-South Korea Symposium on ‘Meeting future challenges in language teaching and testing: Building teams, setting goals’, Coventry, United Kingdom, 25/7/2022
Understanding language teacher emotions
Keynote presentation, 13th Turkish Education Association ELT Conference on ‘From reflection to re-imagination: In the maze of ELT’ [online], Ankara, Turkey, 28/5/2022
Cultivating teacher wellbeing
Keynote presentation, 4th TESOL Turkey International ELT Conference [online], Ankara, Turkey, 18/3/2022
Sustaining and protecting language teacher wellbeing
Keynote presentation, 26th TESOL Arabia International Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 12/3/2022
Happiness and frustration in language teaching practice
Invited presentation, 26th TESOL Arabia International Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 11/3/2022
Leading school recovery through promoting wellbeing
Keynote presentation, British Council Partner Schools Conference [online], Colombia, Bogota, 10/3/2022
Socio-emotional competencies in 21st century language classrooms
Keynote presentation, International Conference on Literature, Linguistics, Translation Studies and Faculty Development (ICLLTSFD 2021) on ‘21st Century Innovative Trends and Future Perspectives in English Literature, Linguistics and Faculty Development’ [online], Lahore, Pakistan, 7/12/2021
Reflections and new perspectives on language teacher emotions
Keynote presentation, JALT2021: Reflections and New Perspectives International Conference of the Japan Association for Language Teaching [online], 14/11/2021
Developing resilience in response to critical incidents in teaching
Keynote presentation, 10th ELT Malta Conference on ‘Celebrating resilience’ [online], Valletta, Malta, 8/10/2021
Student emotions and coping during the pandemic
Invited presentation, Cambridge University Press Ecuador [online], Quito, Ecuador, 25/8/2021
Managing emotions for learner autonomy
Keynote presentation, Independent Learning Association and IATEFL Learner Autonomy SIG Conference on ‘Developing learner autonomy in language learning’ [online], Mexico City, Mexico, 28/6/2021
Building compassionate school cultures to support teacher wellbeing
Invited presentation, 54th Annual International IATEFL Conference and Exhibition [online], Harrogate, United Kingdom, 21/6/2021
Narrative analysis of critical incidents in language teacher practice
Keynote presentation, 32nd International Conference on Foreign and Second Language Acquisition on ‘Narratives of success and failure: Stories from FL teachers and learners’ [online], Katowice, Poland, 22/5/2021
Rethinking support for language teacher wellbeing
Keynote presentation, 2nd International Congress on Languages, Linguistics and Translation [online], Mexico City, Mexico, 11/3/2021
Caring for teachers and their wellbeing
Keynote presentation, Effective Teaching of Foreign Languages (Virtual Conference), Poznań, Poland, 21/11/2020
Series of online lectures on: The emotional rollercoaster of language teaching, and The psychology of language learning
Invited presentation, Changchun, China, 28/10/2020
The emotional rollercoaster of language teaching
Keynote presentation, FEL Internacional – El Foro De Estudios En Lenguas 2020 (Virtual Conference), Chetumal, Mexico, 7/10/2020
The ups and downs of language learning
Keynote presentation, The Asian Conference on Language (ACL2020) (Virtual Conference), The Asian Conference on Language (ACL2020), Tokyo, Japan, 26/3/2020
Teaching high: Wellbeing in the making (The James E. Alatis Honorary Plenary for Outstanding Service to the ELT Field)
Keynote presentation, TESOL Greece 41st Annual International Convention on ‘Teaching high: Embracing versatility’, Athens, Greece, 7/3/2020
Language teacher emotions, motivation and the craft of qualitative interviewing
Keynote presentation, Forum on Language Learning Motivation: Celebrating methodological diversity in the research community, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 19/2/2020
Exploring the teaching heart: A critical incident analysis of language teacher emotions
Invited presentation, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 18/2/2020
Cultivating wellbeing in English language teaching: Supporting teachers to flourish and thrive
Invited presentation, Better Learning Conference, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 3/7/2019
Series of lectures on: Researching language learner anxiety and other emotions, Research methods for teacher identities and emotions, Researching language learning and teaching as social and relational practices, and Doing research in applied linguistics and TESOL - topics, methods, concerns and solutions
Invited presentation, Changchun, China, 24/6/2019
Identities and emotions in language teaching practice
Invited presentation, Seoul, South Korea, 1/4/2019
Understanding shifts in language teacher identities and emotions
Invited presentation, JALT Teacher Development SIG Workshop on 'Teacher Identity and Emotions', Tokyo, Japan, 20/3/2019
Rethinking the language learner: What can the psychology of language learning offer?
Keynote presentation, 7th Bremen Symposium on Language Learning and Teaching at Universities, Bremen, Germany, 1/3/2019
Emotional and social intelligence: Examples from foreign language education
Invited presentation, Scientific Colloquium of the Department of Greek Philology, Komotini, Greece, 16/1/2019
Foreign language learner anxiety: Causes, consequences and classroom cures
Invited presentation, Language Acts and World Making workshop on 'The role of emotions in foreign language learning and teaching', London, United Kingdom, 24/11/2018
Current trends in qualitative research into language teaching
Invited presentation, Beijing, China, 15/6/2018
Critical incidents in language teaching
Invited presentation, Beijing, China, 11/6/2018
Storying language teacher selves: Emotionality in reflections on critical incidents in past teaching
Keynote presentation, Teacher Journeys 2018, Tokyo, Japan, 3/6/2018
Anxiety-free exam preparation for young learners
Invited presentation, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 17/5/2018
Anxious learners, caring teachers and the emotional labour of teaching
Invited presentation, Manchester, United Kingdom, 1/5/2018
Teacher emotions and teacher education for TESOL
Invited presentation, Canterbury, United Kingdom, 21/3/2018
Emotions and foreign language education
Invited presentation, Thessaloniki, Greece, 19/12/2017
Exploring English language teachers’ emotions
Invited presentation, Leicester, United Kingdom, 1/3/2017
The dynamic interplay between learner agency and language anxiety
Invited presentation, Leeds, United Kingdom, 3/2/2016
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Introduction to embedding sustainability in TEFL / TESOL (LG470)
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Initial Teaching Practice (LG666)
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MA Dissertation (LG981)
Current supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/12/2025
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 1/8/2023
Degree subject: English Language Teaching
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 29/6/2023
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 24/4/2023
Degree subject: English Language Teaching
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 24/3/2023
Degree subject: English Language Teaching
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 8/12/2022
Degree subject: English Language Teaching
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 11/2/2022
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 24/6/2020
Degree subject: English Language Teaching
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 25/2/2020
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 13/5/2019
Degree type: Occasional Postgraduate Study
Awarded date: 14/1/2018
Publications
Journal articles (18)
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., Learning to Feel: Emotion Regulation as Language Teacher Knowledge. Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning
Miller, ER. and Gkonou, C., (2024). Investigating Entanglements in Experienced Language Teachers’ Sense of Belonging and What Belonging Does. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 35 (3), 977-986
Hillman, S., Li, W., Şahan, Ö., Sahan, K., Liyanage, I., Zhang, T., Yuan, R., Hopkyns, S., Gkonou, C. and Sah, PK., (2023). Forum on “The emotional landscape of English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education”. Linguistics and Education. 75, 101181-101181
Hopkyns, S. and Gkonou, C., (2023). Sites of belonging: Fluctuating and entangled emotions at a UAE English-medium university. Linguistics and Education. 75 (101148), 101148-101148
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., (2023). Relationality in language teacher emotion regulation: Regulating emotions through, with and for others. System. 115, 103046-103046
Miller, ER. and Gkonou, C., (2023). Exploring Teacher Caring as a “Happy Object” in Language Teacher Accounts of Happiness. Applied Linguistics. 44 (2), 328-346
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., (2021). An Exploration of Language Teacher Reflection, Emotion Labor and Emotional Capital. TESOL Quarterly. 55 (1), 134-155
Costley, T., Gkonou, C., Myles, F., Roehr-Brackin, K. and Tellier, A., (2020). Multilingual and monolingual children in the primary-level language classroom: individual differences and perceptions of foreign language learning. The Language Learning Journal. 48 (5), 643-655
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., (2019). Caring and emotional labour: Language teachers’ engagement with anxious learners in private language school classrooms. Language Teaching Research. 23 (3), 372-387
Gkonou, C., Mercer, S. and Daubney, M., (2018). Teacher perspectives on language learning psychology. Language Learning Journal. 46 (4), 501-513
Miller, ER. and Gkonou, C., (2018). Language teacher agency, emotion labor and emotional rewards in tertiary-level English language programs. System. 79, 49-59
Oxford, RL. and Gkonou, C., (2018). Interwoven: Culture, language, and learning strategies. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. 8 (2), 403-426
Gkonou, C., (2017). Emerging Self-Identities and Emotion in Foreign Language Learning: A Narrative-Oriented Approach. ELT Journal. 71 (3), 381-383
Gkonou, C., (2014). The Sociolinguistic Parameters of L2 Speaking Anxiety. Second Language Learning and Teaching. 17, 15-32
Gkonou, C., (2013). A diary study on the causes of English language classroom anxiety. International Journal of English Studies. 13 (1), 51-51
Gkonou, C., (2013). Tap into the World of News: Week in Pictures in the EFL Classroom. English Teaching Professional. 89, 56-57
Gkonou, C., (2013). Some Methodological Issues in Using Learner Diaries to Investigate Classroom Anxiety. ELT Research (28), 4-6
Gkonou, C., (2011). Anxiety over EFL speaking and writing: A view from language classrooms. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. 1 (2), 267-267
Books (4)
Brierton, K. and Gkonou, C., (2022). Cultivating Teacher Wellbeing Paperback Supporting Teachers to Flourish and Thrive. Cambridge University Press. 110893286X. 9781108932868
Gkonou, C., Dewaele, J-M. and King, J., (2020). The Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching. Multilingual Matters. 9781788928335
Gkonou, C., Daubney, M. and Dewaele, J., (2017). New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications. Multilingual Matters. 9781783097708
Gkonou, C., Tatzl, D. and Mercer, S., (2016). New Directions in Language Learning Psychology. Springer. 978-3-319-23490-8
Book chapters (24)
Gkonou, C., Teacher wellbeing. In: The Better Learning Research Review. Editors: Watkins, P., . Cambridge University Press
King, S. and Gkonou, C., (2024). Teacher emotional development and action research. In: The Routledge Handbook of Language Teacher Action Research. Routledge. 255- 266
Karavas, E. and Gkonou, C., (2021). Preparation of Teachers of EAL in Greece: Research, Policy, Curriculum, and Practice. In: Preparation of teachers of English as an Additional Language (EAL) around the world: research, policy, curriculum, and practice. Editors: Polat, N., Kayi-Aydar, H. and Mahalingappa, L., . Multilingual Matters. 92- 113. 9781788926157
Gkonou, C., (2021). Teacher-Learner Relationships. In: Routledge Handbook of the Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching. 275- 284
Gkonou, C., (2020). Identities and emotions in online language teacher education programs. In: Online Education for Teachers of English as a Global Language. Editors: Kang, H-S., Shin, D-S. and Cimasko, T., . Routledge. 152- 166. 9780429264900
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., (2020). Critical incidents in language teachers’ narratives of emotional experience. In: The emotional rollercoaster of language teaching. Editors: Gkonou, C., Dewaele, J-M. and King, J., . Multilingual Matters. 131- 149. 9781788928328
Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2020). Relationships and the good language teacher. In: Lessons from good language teachers. Editors: Griffiths, C., . Cambridge University Press. 164- 174. 9781108489263
Gkonou, C. and Oxford, RL., (2020). Working with the complexity of language learners’ emotions and emotion regulation strategies. In: Complexity perspectives on researching language learner and teacher psychology. Editors: Sampson, RJ. and Pinner, R., . 52- 67. 9781788923552
(2020). 1. Introduction to the Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching. In: The Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching. Multilingual Matters. 1- 12
(2020). 16. Concluding Thoughts on the Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching. In: The Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching. Multilingual Matters. 288- 295
Gkonou, C., Olivero, MM. and Oxford, RL., (2020). Empowering Language Teachers to Be Influential Peacebuilders: Knowledge, Competencies and Activities. In: Peacebuilding in Language Education Innovations in Theory and Practice. 29- 42
Gkonou, C. and Miller, ER., (2019). Emotions in language teacher education and practice. In: Qualitative research topics in language teacher education. Editors: Barkhuizen, G., . Routledge. 56- 62. 9781138618121
Gkonou, C. and Oxford, RL., (2019). Teacher Education: Formative Assessment, Reflection and Affective Strategy Instruction. In: Learning strategies instruction in the language classroom: Issues and implementation. Editors: Chamot, AU. and Harris, V., . Multilingual Matters. 213- 226. 9781788923408
Dewaele, JM., Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2018). Do ESL/EFL teachers’ emotional intelligence, teaching experience, proficiency and gender affect their classroom practice?. In: Emotions in Second Language Teaching: Theory, Research and Teacher Education. Editors: Martínez Agudo, J., . Springer. 125- 141. 9783319754383
Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2018). The relational beliefs and practices of highly socioemotionally competent language teachers. In: Language teacher psychology. Editors: Mercer, S. and Kostoulas, A., . Multilingual Matters. 158- 177. 9781783099443
Gkonou, C., (2018). Listening to Highly Anxious EFL Learners through the Use of Narrative: Metacognitive and Affective Strategies for Learner Self-Regulation. In: Language Learning Strategies and Individual Learner Characteristics Situating Strategy Use in Diverse Contexts. Bloomsbury Academic. 79- 97. 9781350005044
Gkonou, C., (2017). Towards an Ecological Understanding of Language Anxiety. In: New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications. Editors: Gkonou, C., Daubney, M. and Dewaele, J., . Multilingual Matters. 135- 155. 9781783097715
Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2017). Teaching with Heart and Soul. In: Innovative Practices in Language Teacher Education Spanning the Spectrum from Intra- to Inter-personal Professional Development. Editors: Gregersen, T. and MacIntyre, P., . Springer. 103- 124. 3319517880. 9783319517889
Gkonou, C., Dewaele, J-M. and Daubney, M., (2017). 12. Conclusion. In: New Insights into Language Anxiety. Multilingual Matters. 217- 223
Tatzl, D., Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2016). Introduction: New Directions in Language Learning Psychology. In: Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer International Publishing. 1- 6. 9783319234908
Gkonou, C., Tatzl, D. and Mercer, S., (2016). Conclusion. In: Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer International Publishing. 249- 255. 9783319234908
Gkonou, C., (2014). Agency, anxiety and activity: Understanding the classroom behavior of EFL learners. In: Theorizing and Analyzing Agency in Second Language Learning: Interdisciplinary Approaches. Editors: Deters, P., Gao, X., Miller, ER. and Vitanova, G., . Multilingual Matters. 195- 212. 9781783092901
Gkonou, C. and Rocha, C., (2014). Learner autonomy in academic speaking contexts. In: Autonomy in language learning: Tools, tasks and environments. Editors: Mynard, J. and Ludwig, C., . IATEFL
Gkonou, C., (2010). Pair Work and Group Work as Facilitators: reducing students' anxiety in the EFL Classroom. In: Issues in Languages, Linguistics and Translation. Editors: Karlowicz-Budzik, J. and Lewkowicz, J., . Higher School of Linguistics Press. 147- 154. 978-83-926356-8-0
Reports and Papers (2)
Gkonou, C., Miller, ER. and Gadella Kamstra, L., (2020). The positive influence of teacher reflection on gaining emotional capital. OASIS Summary of Gkonou, C. & Miller, E.R. (2020) in TESOL Quarterly.
Gkonou, C. and Mercer, S., (2017). Understanding emotional and social intelligence among English language teachers
Grants and funding
2019
A Pilot Study on the Effectiveness of a Technology Based Self-Study Programme for the Development of Academic Writing Skills
University of Essex (GCRF)
2015
A Global Study on EFL teachers' emotional and social intelligence
British Council
Contact
Academic support hours:
Please email me to arrange a meeting