Wan Wan is Associate Professor of English at the College of Foreign Languages, Huaqiao University. Her main teaching responsibilities lie in EFL writing, Applied Linguistics, Intercultural Communication and MA supervision for students working in the areas of metaphor analysis in educational discourse, language learners’ and teachers’ beliefs, college mentoring and academic literacy. She was awarded "Distinguished Young Scholars in Higher Education of Fujian Province".
Her current research interests are Multimodal metaphor in discourse analysis, Metaphor in health communication, Metaphor in relation to belief formation and change, Second language writing and Language teacher research. Prospective students are encouraged to consider the research themes outlined above before making contact.
Educational Experiences
2008.09–2013.01 PhD in Educational Linguistics University of York, UK
2006.09–2008.03 MA in TESOL (Distinction) University of York, UK
2002.09–2006.07 BA in Business English (First Class) Zhengzhou University
Research Projects
Employing metaphor to examine reflective learning of ESL writing, funded by National Social Science Foundation of China（国家社会科学基金青年项目)
Metaphor and Reflective Writing, sponsored by Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, Ministry of Education, China（教育部回国人员科研启动基金资助）
Exploring reflective academic writing process through elicited metaphor-oriented intervention, sponsored by the Social Science Research Foundation of Fujian Province（福建省社科规划项目）
Constructing learners’ writing knowledge through multimodal metaphor, supported by the Department oif Education of Fujian Province（福建省高校杰出青年科研人才培育项目）
Developing critical thinking in academic writing through elicited metaphor-oriented activities, supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China（中央高校基本科研业务费专项)
Developing theoretical framework of metaphor analysis in cognitive research on L2 writing, funded by Foundation for Distinguished Talents of Huaqiao University, China（华侨大学高层次人才科研启动项目）
Metaphorical conceptualisations of ESL students' writing at postgraduate level, supported by the Specialised fund of high-level publications in humanities and social science disciplines, Huaqiao University（华侨大学高水平论文论著资助项目）
Skilled migration and global English: Language, development and the African professional (PI: Dr. Paul Roberts), funded by WUN (World Universities Network). The project aims to find out the extent to which the English language is an influencing factor in Skilled Migrants motivations, movements and success（国际大学联盟资助项目，特聘研究员）
Selected Research Publication
Journal Articles
Deng, Y., Yang, J., & Wan, W. (2021). Embodied metaphor in communication about lived experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China. Plos one, 16(12), e0261968. (SCI, Q2)
Wan, W., & Turner, S. (2018). Applying metaphor analysis to academic literacy research: A critical review over 30 years, Metaphor and the Social World, 8(2), 286-311. （SCI, Q4)
Jing, Li, & Wan, W. (2018). The effect of teachers' comments types on students' revision in EFL writing classes.Journal of Xi''an International Studies University, 26(03):68-73 (CSSCI)
Wan, W. (2014). Constructing and Developing ESL Students' Beliefs about Writing through Metaphor: A Longitudinal Exploratory Study. Journal of second language writing, 23, 53-73 (SSCI, Q1)
Wan, W., Low, G., & Miao, L. (2011). From Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives: Metaphorical Conceptualisations of EFL Teachers’ Roles. System 39(3), 403–415. (SSCI, Q1)
Wan, W. (2011). An examination of the validity of metaphor analysis studies: Problems with metaphor elicitation techniques. Metaphor and the Social World,1(2), 262–288
Monograph
Wan, W., & Amstrong, S. L. (proposal submitted, on-going). Multimodal metaphor in academic literacy.
Wan, W. (2022). Exploring the use of metaphor in reflective learning of academic writing. Xiamen: Xiamen University Press.
Edited book
Wan, W. & G. Low (Eds.) (2015). Elicited metaphor analysis in Educational Discourse. Amsterdam: John Benjamins (ISBN 9789027202079)
Conference papers
Elicit and Run’ Metaphor Research to Develop Critical Thinking in Academic Writing. Paper presented at The 12th Conference of the Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor, HK, June, 2018 (第12届国际隐喻研究与应用年会, 香港)
Constructing the Development of Learners’ Writing Knowledge through Elicited Written and Pictorial Metaphor. Paper presented at The 11th Conference of the Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor, Berlin, 1-4 July, 2016（第11届国际隐喻研究与应用年会,德国)
What Metaphors and Gestures Reveal about the Development of ESL students’ Concepts for Writing. Paper presented at The 13th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference. Newcastle, UK. July 20-25, 2015（第13届国际认知语言学会议, 英国）
Developing critical thinking in academic writing through elicited metaphor-oriented activities. Paper presented at The 7th International Conference on English Language Teaching, Nanjing University, 23-23 October, 2014（第7届国际英语教学会议, 南京）
Using metaphor to develop critical thinking in academic writing. Paper presented at The 10th Conference of the Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor, University of Cagliari, Italy, 20-23 June, 2014（第10届国际隐喻研究与应用年会意大利）
Improving ESL students’ writing by discussing personal writing metaphors. Paper presented at The 46th Annual Meeting of the British Association for Applied Linguistics, Edinburgh, UK, 4-7 September, 2013（第46届英国应用语言学年会, 英国）
Using metaphor analysis to uncover the development of Chinese postgraduate students’ conceptualisations of academic English writing in one-year Master’s degree programme”. Paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Researching and Applying Metaphor, Lancaster University, UK, 4-7 July, 2012（第9届国际隐喻研究与应用年会, 英国）
Conceptualisations of EFL students’ academic writing. Paper presented at The 44th Annual Meeting of the British Association for Applied Linguistics, Bristol, UK, 3 September, 2011（第44届英国应用语言学年会, 英国）
Discussion of Personal Metaphors of Academic Writing. Paper presented at the Seminar organised by International Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor, Almagro, Spain, 4-7 May 2011（国际隐喻研究与应用协会专题研讨会, 西班牙）
Construct and Develop EFL Students’ Writing through Metaphors. Paper presented at The 8th International Conference on Researching and Applying Metaphor. VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 30 June, 2010.（第8届国际隐喻研究与应用年会, 荷兰）
Journal Reviewer
Journal of Language, identity & Education
System
Metaphor and the Social World
Classroom Discourse
Teaching and Teacher Education
