
Dr. Guofang Li
Professor
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair
she / her / hers
Bilingual/multilingual education
English as an additional language
International issues/perspectives
Language education technologies
Language Planning and Policy
Modern language and heritage language education
Second language reading and writing
Teacher Education
Biography
Dr. Guofang Li is Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Transnational and Global Perspectives of Language and Literacy Education of Children and Youth at the University of British Columbia. Her research examines the language and literacy development of multilingual children and youth in transnational and immigrant contexts. She focuses on bilingualism, biliteracy, digital literacies, technology-supported language instruction, and equity-oriented teacher education through longitudinal and cross-cultural studies. Dr. Li has published widely in both English and Chinese, with numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters. Her scholarship has been shared broadly through keynote and invited presentations at academic, professional, and policy venues around the world. Her work has received national and international recognition from leading scholarly organizations. She was named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in 2025 and is a recipient of the AERA Early Career Award (2010), Division G Early Career Award (2008), and Second Language Research SIG Mid-Career Award (2016). She has also received the Edward Fry Book Award from the Literacy Research Association twice (2013, 2006) and the International Citation of Merit from the International Literacy Association in 2025. In 2023 and 2024, she was ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited researchers in education and the social sciences by Stanford University and Elsevier.
Media
Interviews:
Interviewed on Aug. 21, 2022 by Weekend Mornings with Raji Sohal on linguistic diversity.
Interviewed on August 17, 2022 by Nathan Griffiths, Vancouver Sun, on Linguistic Diversity, https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/five-most-commonly-spoken-languages-bc
Interviewed on August 17, 2022 by Oscar Li, Fairchild Radio, Census Results Shows Linguistic Diversity.
Asian Heritage Month celebrates culture, but also combats racism. Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun.
Interviewed on Oct. 6, 2021 by Johna Baylon on how Filipino-Canadian families are passing on their heritage language. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-for-many-filipino-canadian-families-preserving-their-language-happens/
Interviewed on June 9, 2021 by Sarah L. Grochowski Provincial reporter for Black Press Media on COVID-19 pandemic impact on reading. https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/parents-will-need-to-fight-covid-learning-slump-over-summer-b-c-literacy-experts/
Interviewed on April 9, 2021 by Dr. Evan Ortlieb as one of the 25 literacy experts for 2020 What’s Hot in Literacy Survey. Article released Dec. 30, 2021. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19388071.2021.2011236
Parents will need to fight ‘COVID learning slump’ over summer: B.C. literacy experts. BC Local News.
Speak for yourself: How Rye students are relearning their mother tongues. The Eyeopener.
Centering AAPI Students in the Classroom: An Expert Interview. Facing Today.
Some parents are ditching their child’s homeschool lessons, and experts say that’s OK. CTV News.
Parenting Amid Pandemic. CTV News.
Big Questions Unanswered in Government’s Child-Care Plans. The Tyee.
Richmond Chinese-speaking students’ English grades fall behind. The Thunderbird.
The Lost Art of Play: Crossing cultures to build connections. CBC.
Newcomers to Canada Session 1 | Spotlight on Community. Moksha Canada Foundation
Projects
Li, G. (PI) & Gunderson, L. (Co-PI, 2025-2030).
Investigating the Relationship between First Language Proficiency and English Reading Comprehension among Multilingual Learners in Upper Elementary Years in BC, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), $385,683.00.
Lai, C., Jin, T., Li, G. F., Wang, Q. & Zheng, C. P. (2025-2026).
Bridging Digital Inequalities in Informal English Learning among Rural and Urban Secondary School Students: A Self-Regulated Learning Intervention. Hong Kong RGC GRF grant. HK$1,181,264.00.
Sah, P., Li, G., Gu, M., & Thapa, C. (2025-2026).
Fostering Racial Equity and Inclusion: Community-based Participatory Research on Linguistic Citizenship among Hong Kong’s Ethnic Minority Youths. Early Career Scheme (ECS) Grant / Research Grants Council of the Government of Hong Kong SAR, HK$1,007,300.00.
Li, G. (2025).
The ABCs of Language Development: Discover Language with your Child Workshop. Literacy Grant, BC Literacy Council of International Literacy Association, $500.
Nelson, R., Verma, M., & Li, G. (2024).
Racing Readers, TELUS Future Friendly Foundation, $14,600.00.
Vaillancourt, T. (PI, March, 2024-2025) & Li, G. et al. (Co-PI).
Learning loss in Canada. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Connection Grant, $50,000.00. Funded
Li, G. (2024).
Exploring longitudinal associations between Chinese-Canadian children’s bi-literacy development in early and upper elementary years. UBC Bridging Funding, $7,500.00, funded.
Li, G., & Gick, B. (2024-2025).
AI in the Classroom. Continuous Learning Advancement Fund,UBC, $48,160.00. Funded.
Nelson, R., Verma, M., & Li, G. (2024-2025).
Racing Readers, TELUS Future Friendly Foundation, $14,600.00, funded.
Marom, L., Li, G., Ragnarsdottir, H., Rakhochkine, A. & Wimmer, R. (Collaborator, 2023-2025).
IET recertification as a site for overlapping discourses of migration and diversification. SSHRC Insight Grant, $74,296, funded.
Liang, Y. (PI) & G. Li et al. (Co-Is). (May 2023-April 2025).
Multilingualism/multiglossia in GBA: From theory to practice [Project No.: #04A41]. HK$ 3,595,190.00, Central Reserve Fund for Strategic Development. The Education University of Hong Kong
Yin, X. R., & Li, G. et al. (Co-PI).
国际中文教师的多元文化能力比较研究. 教育部中外语言交流合作中心/世界汉语教学学会, 200,000RMB. Funded.
Li, G. (2022-2029).
Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in transnational/global language and literacy education for children and youth, Canada Research Chairs Program, CAD1,400,000.00. Funded
Heydon, R., Li, G., McKee, L., Viczko, M., Zhang, Z., Eaton, C., McTavish, M., Murphy, S., Neeganagwedgin, E., & Ott, M. (2022-2027).
Reading pedagogies of equity: Networked literacy pedagogues as resources for academic reading praxes in teacher education. SSHRC Insights Grant, $293,819. (Submitted September 16, 2021, funded April 2022).
Yin, X., & Li, G. (2021-2022).
Information literacy of international Chinese teachers (国际中文教师的信息素养研究), Center of Language Education and Cooperation, China [grant number 21YH24C], 50,000 yuan (CAD10,000), funded.
Li, G., & Brunner, L. (2021-2022).
‘Ideal’ immigrants: Mapping the capital accumulation of international post-secondary students in Canada. Small Grants for Faculty-Graduate Student Research Collaborations, UBC Center for Migration Studies, $1,100. Funded.
Werker, J. F. (PI), with Li, G. et al. (co-PIs). (Mar. 2020-2027).
Ensuring full literacy in a multicultural and digital world. SSHRC Partnership Grants, $2.5 million, funded.
Li, G., Anderson, J., Hare, J., & McTavish, M. (2019-2020, PI).
Supporting teachers to work with racially, culturally and linguistically diverse students, families, and communities. SSHRC Connection Grants, funded.
Yin, X., Li, G., Guo, W., & Zhou, D. (2019-2021, Co-PI).
新疆维吾尔族贫困家庭学前儿童的语言能力发展研究 (Xinjiang low-SES Uyghur kindergarten children’ early literacy development), 200,000 (Chinese Yuan) The National Social Science Fund of China (NSSFC, 中国国家社科基金), funded.
Li, G., & Gunderson, L. (PI).
Behind the model minority mask: Identifying early factors in Cantonese- and Mandarin-speaking children’s divergent literacy and academic trajectories in Canadian schools. SSHRC Insight Grant, 2018-2023.
Zhu, G. (Texas A & M University), & Li, G. (Senior Research Collaborator)
Examining the relationship between student teachers’ emotional labor strategy, teaching achievement goal, and self-efficacy. International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT), Collaborative Research Grant, 2018-2019.
Li, G. (PI).
Home language environment and bilingual children’s language and literacy development: A review of literature, HSS Seed Grant, UBC, 2017.
Li, G. (PI).
The effects of variation in home language input on low-SES bilingual children’s school readiness. Research Infrastructure Support Services Program, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, 2017
Li, G., Kraemer, R., & Dolean, D. D. (PI).
Home language environment and bilingual children’s language and literacy development: A multi-sited, cross-linguistic study. RITS Seed Grant, Department of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, 2017.
Li, G., & Gunderson, L. (PI).
Chinese Immigrant Students’ Biliteracy Development Trajectory in Canada: A Longitudinal Study of Within-ethnic Variance. RITS Seed Grant, Department of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, 2015.
Li, G. (PI).
Pre-service teachers’ preparation for teaching English Language Learners: A mixed methods study. Department of Teacher Education, College of Education, Michigan State University, 2014.
Keck, S., & Li, G. (Co-PI).
A Comprehensive Professional Development Plan for Teachers of ELLs in Lansing School District. Stimulus Title 1 Funding, Office of Chief Academic Officer, Office of State and Federal Programs, Lansing School District, 2009-2010.
Wei, P., & Li, G. ( Co-PI).
Media Literacy: Engaging Youths and Parents. Families and Communities Together Coalition (FACT), MSU, 2008-2009
Li, G. (PI).
Pathways to bilingualism: E-Learning and the teaching of modern foreign languages. U.S. Department of Education (P017A060079), 2007-2010.
Certo, J., Li, G., Wibbens, E. & Martin, N. (Co-PI).
Learning to Teach Writing to Preadolescents: A Collaborative Action Research Study in Three Urban Elementary Classrooms. MSU/COE Professional Development Network Grant. 2006-2007
Li, G. (PI).
Examining immigrant parents’ beliefs and expectations about literacy. Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo, 2003.
Li, G. (PI).
Asian immigrant children’s school and home literacy connections. A post-doctoral research fellowship grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2000-2002
Awards & Honours
International Citation of Merit, International Literacy Association, 2025
American Educational Research Association Fellow, 2025
Stanford/Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists by career and year 2023, 2024
Invited International Panel Member, What’s Hot in Literacy Research 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Carol Weinstein Outstanding Research Award, AERA’s Classroom Management SIG, AERA, 2016
Mid-Career Award, Second Language Education SIG, AERA, 2016
Selected Mentor, Northern Illinois University PI Academy, 2015
Ed Fry Book Award, Literacy Research Association for Culturally contested literacies: America’s “rainbow underclass” and urban schools (Routledge), 2013.
Publication Award for Model minority myths revisited: An interdisciplinary approach to demystifying Asian American education experiences (with L. Wang, IAP, 2008), Association of Chinese Professors of Social Sciences in the U. S. (ACPSS), 2011
Early Career Award, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2010.
Early Career Award, Division G: Social Context of Education, American Educational Research Association, 2008.
Ed Fry Book Award, National Reading Conference for Culturally contested pedagogy: Battles of literacy and schooling between mainstream teachers and Asian immigrant parents (SUNY Press), 2006.
Leadership in Education Tour to Japan, invited and sponsored by the Japan Society, New York, 2006.
Young Investigator Achievement Award, University at Buffalo (university-wide award for junior faculty research achievements), 2004.
Finalist, American Educational Research Association Outstanding Book Award for “East is East, West is West”? Home literacy, culture, and schooling (Peter Lang), 2004.
Best Article Award, Margaret Gillett Award, McGill Journal of Education, 2001.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) post-doc fellowship, 2000-2002.
Second Place, Canadian Association of Curriculum Studies Dissertation Award, 2001.
Doctoral Thesis Scholarship, College of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Saskatchewan, 1997- 2000.
Dr. Kay Whale Memorial Book Prize Award, 1998.
Honorary Award, Women’s Studies and Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan, 1998.
Lownsbrough Memorial Scholarship in Education, University of Saskatchewan, 1997.
Honorary Award, Women’s Studies and Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan, 1997.
Selected Publications
Books
Forthcoming
Sun, Y., & Li, G. (Forthcoming). Transcending marginality: Asian women enacting critical language education for social justice.Part of the book series The Critical Approaches in Applied Linguistics (CRITAL). De Gruyter Mouton.
Gu, M. M., Lee, C. H. J., & Li, G. (Forthcoming), English language education in Asia: Perspectives of applied linguistics. Springer Nature.
Edwards, P., Compton-Lilly, C., & Li, G. (Forthcoming). International handbook of literacies in families and communities. UK: Edward Edgar Publishing.









Li, G. (Ed., 2009). Multicultural families, home literacies, and mainstream schooling. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Li, G. (2008). Culturally contested literacies: America’s “rainbow underclass” and urban schools. New York: Routledge. (Winner of 2013 Ed Fry Book Award, Literacy Research Association, formerly NRC)
Li, G., & Wang, L. (Eds., 2008). Model minority myths revisited: An interdisciplinary approach to demystifying Asian American education experiences. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing. (Winner of the Publication Award, Association of Chinese Professors of Social Sciences in the U. S., 2011)
Li, G. (2008). Culturally contested literacies: America’s “rainbow underclass” and urban schools. New York: Routledge.
Li, G. (2006). Culturally contested pedagogy: Battles of literacy and schooling between mainstream teachers and Asian immigrant parents. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. (Winner of Ed Fry Book Award, National Reading Conference, 2006).
Li, G., & Beckett, G. (Eds., 2006). “Strangers” of the academy: Asian women scholars in higher education. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Li, G. (2005). Asian-American education across the class line: A multi-site report. Buffalo, NY: GSE Publications and SUNY Press.
Li, G. (2002). “East is East, West is West”? Home literacy, culture, and schooling. New York: Peter Lang. (Finalist, American Educational Research Association Outstanding Book Award, 2004).
Refereed Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Forthcoming
Li, G., & Lin, Z. (In press). Embracing EDI in Chinese education. AILA Journal
Li, G., Ferreira, J., Inomoto, S., Ziwen, M., & Yeung, H. H. (In press). Legitimizing superdiverse children’s “invisible” plurilingual and pluricultural assets: A design-based study in after-school cultural-historical activity system. Canadian Modern Language Review
Zheng, D., & Li, G. (in press). An abductive research paradigm for second language learner’s digital literacies. In J. Castek et al. (Eds), International Handbook of Research in Digital Literacies. Routledge.
Zhou, L., & Li, G. (in press.). A study on international students’ identification with China: A questionnaire-based analysis of international students in Wuhan universities. In M. Zhou (Ed.), Bailuyuan Academic Anthology, China Social Sciences Press
Wang, D., & Li, G. (in press). On technological innovation and futuristic narrative in Canadian writer Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake. In M. Zhou (Ed.), Bailuyuan Academic Anthology, China Social Sciences Press
Li, G., & Sun, Y. (in press). Transcending marginality: Reimagining identities of transnational Asian women pracademic scholars in ELT. In R. Jain (Ed.), (Pr)academia (re)imagined: Duoethnographic explorations of liminal identities and critical practices in language education. Multilingual Matters.
Li, G., Lin, Z., & Mei, Z. (in press). Language ideologies in glocal contexts: A longitudinal study of Cantonese-Canadian families’ divergent paths toward childhood bidialectalism, Urban Education.
Li, G., Lin, Z., & Shen, S. (in press, accepted, March 24, 2024). Negotiating intracultural teaching in Canada: Chinese heritage language teachers’ cognition and practices,全球中文发展研究 (Journal of Global Research on Chinese Development)
Qin, K., & Li, G. (in press). Antiracist teacher education for multilingual learners: Praxis, challenges, and future directions. In H. Hong & A. C. Da Silva Iddings (Eds.), Empowering Multilingual Learners: Innovative Approaches to Foster Equity and Inclusivity in Teacher Education. Routledge.
Li, G., Lin, Z., & Shen, S. (in press). Negotiating intracultural teaching in Canada: Chinese heritage language teachers’ cognition and practices. Teacher Education in Teaching Chinese as an International Language (TCIL), co-edited by Drs Yan Jing, Dr Huang Hui and Dr Cheung Lin Hong.
Li, G., Shen, S., Lin, Z. (in press). Chinese heritage language teachers’ perceptions and practices of intracultural teaching in Canada: A survey study. In R. Valijärvi (Ed.), Perspectives on home, heritage, and community language education. Uppsala University Press. Uppsala University Press.
Li, G., Lin, Z., & Shen, S. (in press). Characterizing minority and heritage language education. In P. Romanowski (Ed.), Cambridge handbook of multilingual education. Cambridge University Press.
Li, G. (in press). Unveiling the hidden capital of family prolepsis for school: Non-dominant students’ opportunities for positive futures. In C. Brock et al. (eds.), Literacies, diversities, and opportunities for learning: critical conversations and international perspectives. New York: Routledge.
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Newspaper and Newsletter Articles
Li, G. (2018, May 6). Teaching English with a different mindset: From EFL to EIL. Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA) ELT Forum. Available at https://neltaeltforum.wordpress.com/2018/05/06/teaching-english-with-a-different-mindset-from-efl-to-eil/
Li, G. (2017). Immigrant children’s play can clash with mainstream culture. The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/ca/education)
Li, G. & Zhong, L. (2015). 0-5岁教育的六项主张 (Six tips for early literacy education for kids 0-5)。美国世界日报教育特刊 (The World Journal Special Issue on Education ),pp. 92-94.
Li, G. (2015). Preparing pre-service teachers to teach English language learners: Issues and perspectives. Advancing the Conversation, for Second Language Research SIG, AERA, Spring 2015.