Carnegie Mellon University
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Sue-mei Wu

Sue-mei Wu

Teaching Professor of Chinese Studies

Address
341 Posner Hall
Department of Modern Languages
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Education: Ph.D. The Ohio State University, Chinese Linguistics, Language and Culture Pedagogy, M.A. The Ohio State University, B.A. National Tsing Hua University, 國立清華大學, Hsin Chu, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Bio

My goal is to help students learn Chinese language and culture, and to make the learning process enjoyable for them. My research interests, which are closely aligned with my teaching, include application of linguistics to materials design and development, technology-enhanced language and culture learning, and Chinese folk performance traditions and pop culture.

From my teaching career, I have gained a well-rounded perspective on the challenges of language teaching and learning, which has motivated me to contribute to the Chinese studies program through the development of new courses and textbooks at all levels, and the integration of online materials into the curriculum. I am the lead author of the Chinese Link 中文天地 series (Pearson); co-author of Classical Chinese Primer 古文入門 (Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press); author of several Chinese language and culture online learning materials; and the PI for various online projects including the OLI Chinese Online courses (supported by NSF through PSLC).

I have also been active in professional service. I currently serve as the Executive Director (2019-2023) of the national Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) and the founding president (2014-present) of the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania (CLTA-WPA). I have also served on the Editorial Boards of FLA (Foreign Language Annals) and CSL (Chinese as Second Language).

  • Modern and Classical Chinese Syntax & Language Learning
  • Chinese Folk Performance Traditions and Pop Culture
  • Puppetry and Opera in China and Taiwan
  • Technology-enhanced Language and Culture Learning
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning
  • Undergraduate Language Courses
    • Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Levels Courses
    • OLI Chinese Online Program
  • Undergraduate Culture Courses (in English)
    • Chinese Language, Culture and Society: My Stage, My Learning
    • Chinese Learning Through Cultural Practices and Community Engagement
  • Graduate Level
    • Cultural Studies Elective I & II
    • Topics in Applied SLA: Chinese Foreign Language Teaching
    • Guided Research
  •  May 2016-2018 Andrew W. Mellon Seed Grant for TEL. Dietrich College, CMU. "Intermediate Chinese Online: Bridging Chinese Pedagogy, Research and Technology"
  • 2016 Finalist for the Inaugural University Innovative Teaching Award, CMU.
  • 2015- 2018, the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation. Project: "Weathering the Storm: Hand Puppet Theater (布袋戲) and Taiwanese Opera 歌仔戲) amid Social Change in Taiwan."
  • 2015 Nominated for the national Pearson Cite 2015 Excellence Award for online education.
  • 2014 The national CLTA- Cengage Learning Award for Innovative Excellence in CFL Teaching.
  • 2023 - Present: Coordinator of Chinese Studies Program
  • Co-Director, Masters in Applied Second Language Acquisition, Department of Modern Languages, CMU
  • 2019-2023: Executive Director, Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA-USA). The premier national Chinese language teachers association.
  • 2014-present: Founder, President and Board of Directors member of Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania (CLTA-WPA).
  • 2015-present: Member of Editorial Board for Chinese as Second Language Teaching (CSL): Journal of Chinese Language Teachers Association (JCLTA).
  • 2010-2017: Member of the Editorial Board for Foreign Language Annals (FLA).
  • 2022. "Chinese Online Teaching and Learning: The CMU OLI Chinese Online Program" Journal of Technology and Chinese Language Teaching (JTCLT). JTCLT Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 64-77. December 2022
  • 2022. "Conversational Style and Omissions in Classical Chinese and Their Implications for Classical Chinese Grammar Pedagogy" CLTA Monograph VI: Pedagogical Grammar and Grammar Pedagogy in L2 Chinese. Edited by Yuan, F., He, B. & Hu, W. Routledge
  • 2022. "Glory Comes from the Hands: Language and Culture Instruction Through Hand Puppetry" (掌中出功名-布袋戏的语言及文化教学), in Liu, G. and Wang, H. ed. Tradition and Transition: Teaching Chinese Culture Overseas. Beijing University Press
  • Wu, S. (2018). "Book Review for Difficult Grammar Knots Unravelled, 对外汉语教学语法: 疑难解析" Chinese as a Second Language 漢語教學研究—美國中文教師學會學報 53:2 (2018), pp. 193–197. John Benjamins Publishing Company
  • Wu, S. (2018). "A Preliminary Study of Local People’s Views on Taiwan Hand Puppet Theater in the Context of Its Modern Evolution" (在地人對臺灣布袋戲的看法及布袋戲的現代進化之初探). (lead author, co-author with Sandi Ward), Art Vision Journal (藝見學刊) 第十五期。 pp. 1-16, April 2018. Taichung, Taiwan. R.O.C.
  • Wu, S. (2016). "Chinese Online as an Open Educational Resource: Opportunities, Content and Challenges." Chinese Language Teaching and Computer Usages. pp.1-22. Taipei: Wunan Publisher. 
  • Wu, S. (2015). "Teaching Taiwanese Opera (歌仔戲) With CALL: A CFL Content-based Course" ICICE9 Thesis Collection. Taipei: Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission.

Department Member Since 2000