Presentations & Publications

Conference Presentations

Did you say 'Content Templates with Flipcards and Knowledge Checks?' D2L Fusion 2022. Boston, USA, July 2022. Co-presented with Susan Halick. Presentation slides and content templates.

Consistent Course Design Matters - Start with a Ready-Made Course Template. Spring Conference on Teaching, Learning, and Student Success. Michigan State University, USA, May 2021. Co-presented with Susan Halick and Cholani Weebadde.

Authenticity and Technology: Variation in French Textbook Packages. 17th World Congress of the International Association of Applied Linguistics. Brisbane, Australia, August 2014.

Adventures on Easter Island: Representations of Rapanui in Franco-Belgian Bandes Dessinées. New Zealand Studies Association: Across the Pacific conference. Oslo, Norway, June 2014.

The Representation of Francophone Cultures in French Language Textbooks. International Doctoral Seminar on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures. Paris, France, June 2014.

Formality and Francophonie: Stylistic and geographic variation in university textbooks of French. Applied Linguistics Association of Australia & Applied Linguistics Association of New Zealand conference. Wellington, New Zealand, November 2013.

The Vocabulary Coverage of French Textbooks. Federation of Associations of Teachers of French in Australia conference. Perth, Australia, April 2012.

Tutors, Training and Border Crossings: Beyond the Textual Relationship. European Writing Centers Association conference. Freiburg, Germany, June 2008. Co-presented with Martha Jerrim.

Collaboratively establishing high school writing centers to support the improvement of students' writing skills. East Central Writing Centers Association conference. Pennsylvania, USA, April 2004. Co-presented with Robert Barnett, Bradley Woodruff, and Jennie Graham.

Other Talks

Informal and Spoken French in University Textbook Packages. Research Centre for Languages and Cultures Seminar, University of South Australia. Adelaide, Australia, May 2015.

Rapanui in Franco-Belgian Comics. Pacifica Gods: Easter Island: A Cultural Symposium. Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre. Sydney, Australia, October 2014.

Doctoral Dissertation/Thesis

Vocabulary, Variation, and Culture in American University Textbooks of French [PDF file; 4.6 MB]

Abstract: This study investigated language and culture in American university textbooks of French (and their audio-visual components) used in first and second year courses. The thesis provides a critical account of the amount, type, and range of vocabulary offered by the textbooks and the treatment of stylistic and geographical variation. The ways the textbooks presented information about French-speaking cultures were also examined. The results indicated a strong emphasis on teaching the standard written language of France as well as a focus on France in the cultural content - even though this was contrary to the stated objectives of the textbooks which claimed a broader approach. Accordingly, pedagogical recommendations were offered to overcome these limitations using authentic samples of French usage. (Corpus text files are also available to download.)

Books: Author

Wagner, J. (2012). Great French Short Stories of the Twentieth Century: A Dual-Language Book. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

Wagner, J. (2011). Say it in French: New Edition . Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

Books: Assistant Editor

Conrich, I. and Mückler, H. (2016). Rapa Nui - Easter Island: Cultural and Historical Perspectives. Vienna: Frank and Timme.

Book Chapters

Wagner, J. (2016). Adventures on Easter Island: Representations of Rapanui in French-language Comic Books. In I. Conrich and H. Mückler (Eds.) Rapa Nui - Easter Island: Cultural and Historical Perspectives. Vienna: Frank and Timme, 83-100.

Journal Articles

Wagner, J. (2017a). Regional Variation in the Vocabulary of French Textbooks. Folio, 17(2), 21-25.

Abstract: Many textbooks make the claim to present the French language as it is used in the French-speaking world. The term Francophone is also frequently found in the title of textbooks to indicate a focus on French-speaking regions rather than solely on France. This study examines the comparison between these intended goals and the reality of what is actually in the textbooks with respect to regional variation in the lexicon. The findings reveal that variation is not addressed systematically in the textbooks. Most striking, however, is the overall lack of regional variants in the majority of the textbooks, even those which include Francophone in the title.

Wagner, J. (2017b). A Frequency Analysis of Vocabulary Words in University Textbooks of French. Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching, 8(1). [Open Access]

Abstract: Frequency as a principle for vocabulary selection is now commonly used in the creation of English textbooks; however, it is unclear whether frequency has played a role in the creation of French textbooks. In this study, the vocabulary of twelve first-year and six second-year university textbooks published in the United States was compared to a frequency dictionary of contemporary French. The analysis yielded how many high frequency words were found in the textbooks, in addition to which high frequency words were excluded from the textbooks and which low frequency words were included in the textbooks. The results indicate that the textbooks did not provide enough high frequency words needed for basic communication in French.

Book Reviews

Wagner, J. (2016). Language Contact in the Early Colonial Pacific: Maritime Polynesian Pidgin before Pidgin English by Emanuel J. Drechsel, Journal of New Zealand & Pacific Studies, 4(1).

Exhibition Catalogues

Conrich, I. with R. Smith, M. Harris, J. Wagner, F. Wahl and D. Bendrups. (2014). Moai Culture: Easter Island & Popular Imagination. Sydney: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.

Exhibition Reports

Wagner, J. (2015). Moai Culture: Easter Island & Popular Imagination. Journal of New Zealand & Pacific Studies, (3)1.