Wonguk, a third-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Linguistics Department, recently presented at AAAL 2025 in Denver, CO. In his individual paper, “The Policy-Practice Divide: Misalignment Between State-Level Language Policies and Classroom Practice in MA,” he shared findings from his pilot study, which explored how the statewide language policy, the LOOK Act, is interpreted and implemented in classrooms, often revealing a disconnect between policy and practice. Wonguk also participated in a one-hour colloquium with a presentation titled “Boston’s Multiple Chinatowns: The Linguistic Landscape of the Past, Present, and Future,” part of a broader project called “Voices of Boston: Language Diversity, Ideologies, and Politics in the Sociolinguistic Landscape.” Drawing on photographic data and interviews with residents, he examined how Boston’s traditional Chinatown has transformed from an ethnic town into a marketized, downtown-like area that now functions as a communal podium. He also spotlighted the City of Quincy as an emerging destination for Chinese migrants, discussing how linguistic barriers, questions of social belonging, and complex identities contribute to the growing superdiversity among Chinese”s” in the area.

Congratulations, Wonguk, on these 2 presentations!