Liu Honggang Professor

PhD in sociolinguistics, 2008-2012, Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Peking University (PKU), P. R. C.

MA in English Education, 2002-2005, Department of Foreign Languages, Southwest Petroleum University (SWPU), P. R. C.

BA in English Education, 1997-2001, School of Foreign Languages, Shenyang University, P. R. C.

External PhD supervisor, Griffith University, Australia.

Professor, 2022, 7-   , Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Soochow University

Professor, 2019, 7-2022.6, Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Northeast Normal University

Visiting Fellow in applied linguistics (2018, 7-8/2019, 7-8), Department of Languages and Linguistics, University of Essex, UK.

Visiting Scholar in applied linguistics (2016, 8 – 2017, 8), Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK.

Associate Professor, 2014, 7 —2019,6，Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Northeast Normal University

Lecturer, July, 2012—2014, Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Northeast Normal

Honggang Liu earned his PhD in sociolinguistics at Peking University in 2012. Currently, he serves as Professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Soochow University, China, and heads the Research Institute for Foreign Language Education and Teacher Development at the same institution.

Professor Liu holds editorial positions at several high-impact journals, including Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching (associate editor)and European Journal of Education (associate editor), and serves as consulting editor for Journal of Psychology in Africa (SSCI Q4). He previously held associate editorships at Heliyon (educational section) (2023-2024), Frontiers in Psychology (SSCI) and Frontiers in Education (2020–2024) . His expertise is further recognized through his membership on the editorial boards of prestigious SSCI journals such as SYSTEM (Q1), Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (Q1, A&HCI), and Journal of Education for Teaching (Q3), as well as ESCI-indexed journals like Journal of Further & Higher Education and International Journal of Adolescence and Youth.

Professor Liu’s research centers on the psychology of language learning and teaching (motivation, strategies, emotion, agency), language teacher education, and the intersection of social class and foreign language acquisition. He has authored four academic books and over 30 peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals, including SYSTEM, Teaching and Teacher Education, Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Applied Linguistics Review, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, and IRAL.

His scholarly contributions are supported by significant research funding, including a completed project funded by China’s Ministry of Education and the China Philosophy and Social Sciences Foundation. Currently, he leads a major project on teacher resilience (2021–2025) under the same foundation.

With over two decades of experience, Professor Liu has held academic and leadership roles at Tianjin Foreign Studies University (2005–2008) and Northeast Normal University (2012–2022), where he was appointed Executive Dean of the China Center for Research in Primary and Secondary Foreign Language Education (2021–2022). His international engagement includes visiting scholar appointments at Tilburg University (2011), the University of Cambridge (2016–2017), and the University of Essex (2018–2019), underscoring his global influence in applied linguistics and teacher education.

Language learning psychology (individual differences in SLA), especially language learning motivation;

Language teacher education, especially language teacher psychology (e.g. teacher motivation).

Social class and English education

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (PhD Students, MA Students and Undergraduates)

Foreign Language Learning Theories (TESOL students)

Psychology of Language Learning (Undergraduates)

Qualitative Research Methods in TESOL (MA Students)

Principal investigator, Research on the EFL Teacher Resilience: The Ecology of Human Development Perspective (Grant No. 21BYY120), The National Social Science Fund of China. (2021-2024)

Principal investigator, The Construction and Development of Excellent High School English Teachers’ Professional Capacities: The Ecological System Perspective, Project of The Social Science Fund of Education Bureau of Jilin Province (Grant No. JJKH20211322SK)

Co-Investigator, Research on the Social-Psychological factors in Basic English Education, part of the project of the Discipline Innovation and Advancement (PODIA) - Foreign Language Education Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University (Grant No. 2020SYLZDXM011) (2020-2023);

Principal investigator, Research on the Construction and Development of Excellent High School English Teachers’ Professional Capacities in Rural Areas: A Bronfenbrenner Perspective (Grant No. JSJY20180105) . Key Project of Teacher Development funded by the Academy for Research in Teacher Education, Northeast Normal University (2018-2021).

Principal investigator, Research on the Development of Excellent High School English Teachers’ Professional Capacities in U-G-S System（Grant No.131005009）, Project of Teacher Development funded by the Academy for Research in Teacher Education, Northeast Normal University (2017-2019).

Principal investigator, Research on the construction of ecological model of university foreign languages teachers’ motivations for professional development and relevant influencing factors (Grant No.15BYY099), The National Social Science Fund of China (2015-2020).

Principal investigator, Research on junior high school students’ demotivation to learn English in Jilin Province (Grant No. 2014B040), Funding of Department of Education of Jilin Province (2014-2017).

Principal investigator, Research on junior high school students’ demotivation to learn English in rural areas of China (Grant No. EHA120375), Funding of National Education Science Planning (2012-2014).

Refereed Articles and Chapters (By topic)

Special Column/Issue (Guest Editor)

1.       Passy., R & Liu, H. (2022). Learning from COVID-19: continuity or change in teacher education?, Journal of Education for Teaching (SSCI, Special Issue)

2.       Ryan., S. & Liu, H. (2021). Positive Psychology in Applied Linguistics: Asian Perspectives in Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics,45(1): 3-68.

3.       Liu, H. (2016). Guest of Special Report “To carry out the micro-projects via the collaboration between university and high schools”, English Learning (Teacher Edition), (7): 28-45.

4.       Liu, H. (2015). Guest of Special Report “Demotivation in Basic English Education”, English Learning (Teacher Edition), (8): 25-39

Psychology of Language Learning

SSCI (First author)

1.       Liu. H. (2024). Demystifying the Relationship between Parental Investment in Learners’ English Learning and Learners’ L2 Motivational Self System in the Chinese Context: A Bourdieusian capital perspective. International Journal of Education Development, 104, 102973, 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102973.

2.       Liu, H., Zhong, Y., Chen, H., & Wang, Y. (2023). The mediating roles of resilience and motivation in the relationship between students’ English learning burnout on engagement: A conservation-of-resources perspective. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, DOI: 10.1515/iral-2023-0089.

3.       Liu, H., Li, X., & Y. Yan (2023) Demystifying the predictive role of students’ perceived foreign language teacher support in foreign language anxiety: the mediating role of L2 grit. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2223171.

4.       Liu, H. & Li, X. (2023). Unravelling students’ perceived EFL teacher support. System. 115, 103048, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103048.

5.       Liu, H., Li. J., & Fang. F. (2022). Examining the complexity between boredom and engagement in English learning: Evidence from the Chinese students. Sustainability. 14, 16920: 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416920

6.       Liu, H. & Zhong, Y. (2022) English learning burnout: Scale validation in the Chinese context. Frontiers in Psychology. 13:1054356, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1054356

7.       Liu, H. & Song, X. (2021). Exploring “Flow” in young Chinese EFL learners’ online English learning activities. SYSTEM, 96, 102425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102425.

SSCI (Corresponding author)

1.       Duan, S., Han, X. & Liu, H. (2024). Unveiling Student Academic Resilience in English Learning, BMC Psychology, 12 (177): 1-12, 10.1186/s40359-024-01665-1.

2.       Wang, X. & Liu, H. (2024). Exploring the moderation roles of emotions, attitudes, environment, and teachers on the impact of motivation on learning behaviors in students’ English learning. Psychological Reports, ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0559-6072.

3.       Chu, W., Yan, Y., Wang, H., & Liu, H. (2024). Visiting the studies of resilience in language learning: From concepts to themes. Acta Psychologica, 244, 104208, 1-11. http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104208

4.       Yu, S., & Liu, H. (2023). Longitudinal detection of directed motivational currents in L2 learning: motivated behaviours and emotional responses. Current Psychology, 1-14, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04945-y

5.       Li, X., Duan, S., & Liu, H. (2023). Unveiling the predictive effect of students’ perceived EFL teacher support on academic achievement: The mediating role of academic buoyancy. Sustainability, 15, 10205. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310205

6.       Bi, P., & Liu, H. (2022). Effects of value and interest intervention on EFL student teachers' research motivation. Frontiers in Psychology. 13:1039473, 1-9, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1039473.

7.       Gao, L., & Liu, H. (2022). Revisiting students’ foreign language learning demotivation: From concepts to themes. Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 1030634, 1-18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1030634.

8.       Wang, Y. & Liu. H. (2022). The mediating roles of boredom and buoyancy in the relationship between autonomous motivation and engagement among Chinese senior high school EFL learners. Frontiers in Psychology. 13:992279, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992279

9.       Gao, L., Liu, H., & Liu, X. (2022). Exploring senior high school students’ demotivation in English learning, Frontiers in Psychology.13:822276, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.822276.

Language Teacher Education

SSCI (First author)

1.       Liu, H., Duan, S., Li, X., & Chu, W. (2024). Measuring teacher resilience: Evidence from the scale development and validation of EFL teachers, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, (under review)

2.       Liu, H., Chen, B. & Li, X. (2024). Exploring the predictive role of self-efficacy on engagement among EFL teachers in online teaching: the mediation of buoyancy, Asian Pacific Education Researcher, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-024-00820-x

3.       Liu, H., Li, H., & Fang. F. (2023). “Behind the Screen, I Still Care about my Students!”: exploring the emotional labour of English language teachers in online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, DOI: 10.1111/ijal.12501

4.       Liu, H. & Chu, W. (2023). Uncovering English as a foreign language teacher resilience: a structural equation modeling approach. Applied Linguistics Review. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0172.

5.       Liu, H., Duan, S., & Chu, W. (2023). Unravelling the EFL teacher buoyancy in online teaching: An ecological perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023, 20, 613, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010613.

6.       Liu H, Zhang LJ and Greenier V (2022) Editorial: Language teacher psychology: New perspectives in multilingual contexts. Frontiers in Psychology,13:1109726, 1-6.doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1109726

7.       Liu, H., McGarr, O., Murray, J., & Passy, R., (2022). Learning from Covid 19 continuity or change in teacher education, Journal of Education for Teaching, 48(4): 389-392. doi: 10.1080/02607476.2022.2101823

8.       Liu, H. & Chu, W. (2022). Exploring EFL teacher resilience in the Chinese context, System, 105:102752, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2022.102752.  

9.       Liu, H., Yan. C. & Fu, J. (2022). Exploring livestream English teaching anxiety in the Chinese context：An ecological perspective, Teaching and Teacher Education, 111, 103620, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103620.

10.    Liu, H., Chu, W., Fang, F., & Elyas, T. (2021). Examining the professional quality of experienced EFL teachers for their sustainable career trajectories in rural areas in China. Sustainability, 2021, 13, 10054: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810054

11.    Liu, H., Chu, W., & Wang, Y. (2021). Unpacking EFL teacher self-efficacy in livestream teaching in the Chinese context. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 717129. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717129.

12.    Liu, H., Gao, L., & Fang, F. (2020). Exploring and sustaining language teacher motivation for being a visiting scholar in higher education: An Empirical Study in the Chinese Context. Sustainability, 12(15), 6040. doi: 10.3390/su12156040

SSCI (Corresponding author)

1.       Wu, X., & Liu, H. (2024). Unpacking in-service EFL Teachers’ professional learning in a study abroad teacher education programme: An ecological perspective. Asian Pacific Journal of Education. (under review).

2.       Duan, S., Chu, W., & Liu, H. (2023). “Seeking Resilience, Sustaining Development”: A self-narrative study of early career English teacher resilience from an ecological perspective. Sustainability, 15,12386, 1-19, https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612386

3.       Liu, H., Li, Y., & Liu, B. (2023). Exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and emotion regulation: Evidence from junior high school English teachers in China. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 5(2): 1641, 1-11.

4.       Wang, L., & Liu, H. (2022). Chinese as a foreign language teachers' professional identity construction in teaching online: The interactive and reflexive positionings perspective. Frontiers in Psychology,

5.       Li, C., Yi. T., Zhang. S., Ma C., & Liu. H. Developing and validating a scale for measuring pre-service Chinese as an additional language teacher beliefs, Frontiers in Psychology, 13:989581: 1-16, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989581

6.       McGarr, O., Passy, R., Murray, J., & Liu, H. (2022). Continuity, change and challenge: unearthing the (fr)agility of teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 48(4): 490-504, doi: 10.1080/02607476.2022.2100249.

7.       Chu, W. & Liu, H. (2022). A mixed-methods study on senior high school English EFL teacher resilience in China. Frontiers in Psychology,13:865599, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.865599.

8.       Li, H. & Liu, H. (2021) Beginning EFL teachers' emotional labor strategies in the Chinese context. Frontiers in Psychology. 12:737746. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737746.

9.       Chu, W., Liu, H., & Fang, F. (2021). A tale of three excellent Chinese EFL teachers: Unpacking teacher professional qualities for their sustainable career trajectories from an ecological perspective. Sustainability, 13, 6721. http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126721.

Sociolinguistics/Pragmatics

1.       Liu, H., Zhang, X., & Fang, F. (2023). Young English learners’ attitudes towards China English: Unpacking their identity construction with implications for secondary level language education in China, Asian-Pacific Journal of Education, 43 (1): 283-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2021.1908228.

2.       Li, H., Liu, H., & Liu, D. (2022). Gender/power relationships in fictional conflict talk at the workplace: Analyzing television dramatic dialogue in The Newsroom. Journal of Pragmatics, 187, 58-71. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.10.030. （SSCI Q1）

Book Chapters

1.       Liu, H. & Li. Z. (2020). High school teacher retention: Solutions in the Chinese context . In Ovenden-Hope, T. & Passy. R. (eds), Exploring teacher recruitment and retention: contextual challenges from international perspectives (pp. 176-184). London: Routledge.

2.       Liu, H. (2020). Language teacher motivation. In Jiang L. & Zhang. L. J (ed.), Encyclopedia of language teacher education, Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1179-6_124-1

Liu, H. (ed) (2019b). Research on the Major Issues of Learner Variables in Basic English Education. Changchun: Northeast Normal University Press.

Liu, H. (ed) (2019a). Research Methods in Basic English Education. Changchun: Northeast Normal University Press.

Liu, H. (2017). Empirical Research on Students’ English Learning Motivation: A Social Class Perspective. Beijing: Higher Education Press.

Liu, H. (2014). Research on Junior High School Students’ English Learning Demotivation: Evidence from Middle and Western China. Guangzhou: World Publishing House.

1.Boosteel Education National Award (2018)

2.1^st Prize for Excellent Academic Books on Education of Jilin Province (2017)

3.3^rd Prize for Excellent Academic Papers on Education of Jilin Province (2017)

4.Excellence in Postgraduate Thesis Supervision of Jilin Province (2015, 2016, 2017，2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)

a)EdMA student Miss. Zhang Zhenxia (Dissertation Title: A Comparative Study of Urban and Rural Senior High School Students’ English Listening Strategies)

5.1^st Prize for Excellent Academic Papers on Education of Jilin Province (2015)

6.2^nd Prize for Excellent Academic Books on Education of Jilin Province (2015)

7.ACS (Association of Chinese Sociolinguistics) Young Scholars Award (2014)

8.The Award-Winning Papers Selection on ELT by Northeastern Association branch to CELEA (2014)

9.ACS (Association of Chinese Sociolinguistics) Young Scholars Award (2012)

10.Excellent Graduate of Beijing City (2012)

11.Excellent Graduate of Peking University (2012)

12.The Award-Winning Papers Selection on ELT in China, 2010,(Liu, H.,& Li Yan, Research on senior high school students’ autonomy in English learning, Curriculum. Teaching Material and Method (CSSCI), 2008 (12): 47-52. ) held by China English Language Education Association.

13.“CASIO Scholarship” of Peking University, 2010

14.“Pingan lizhi Scholarship” of Peking University, 2010

15.May 4^th Scholarship of Peking University, 2009

16.The Award for Academic Creativity of Peking University, 2009

17.The Award for Excellent Academic Performance of PKU School of Foreign Languages, 2009

MA students in TESOL/Applied Linguistics/Second Language Acquisition/EFL Teacher Education