About
Mission
Shifting Voices, through the information presented on this website and stories shared through its podcast, aims to raise awareness and promote curiosity regarding L2 identity, imagined communities and the ideal L2 self in the EFL classroom.
The Story So Far
Shifting Voices was created by Kyle Undem as part of the MA-TESOL program at Hamline University. This website is based on the sociolinguistic concepts of the ideal L2 self and imagined communities. This space is for current and future language teachers to engage with material in regards to language learning and its relationship to the identities and imagined communities of our learners.
Within these pages, you will discover:
-
A brief background of L2 identity research.
-
An explanation of imagined communities as they pertain to language learning.
-
How the ideal L2 self coincides with imagined communities.
-
Practical classroom applications and lesson ideas to assist teachers in creating a space for learners to help discover, assess, and thrive in their imagined communities.
Podcast
The Shifting Voices Podcast serves as a resource to share language learners’ stories. The podcast aims to promote equity among all language learners and to continue to share the many joys and challenges that we face when learning a second or additional language.
Kyle Undem
As a former participant of the JET Programme (2010-2012), I have lived and taught in Japan for nine years. I completed my MA-TESOL at Hamline University (2021) and my BA-Communication at the University of Minnesota Duluth (2003). I currently teach in the Center for Education in General Studies at Konan University in Kobe, Japan. In my role at Konan University, I teach English as a second language to various faculty across a variety of skills and content-based courses, including reading and writing, speaking, presentation, global topics, and TOEFL preparation courses. In this same role, I also serve in Konan’s Language Loft, which is part of the university’s self-access learning center. In this role, I work with learners from various faculty to assist them with their conversational use of English through weekly discussion groups. Outside of Konan, I have also taught two semesters at Kindai University as well as one semester at Osaka YMCA International College. Currently, I serve as Publicity Co-Chair for Kobe JALT.
My research interests include L2 identity, L2 motivational systems, systemic functional linguistics, and equal opportunity for all learners of English. I also enjoy photography, running, learning Japanese, and writing songs for various projects, including Arthur Conrad, Kyle & Komo, and The Boundary Waters.
