Bonny Norton (FRSC)

Dr. Bonny Norton (FRSC)

Professor (she/her)

University Killam Professor

Distinguished University Scholar

bonny.norton@ubc.ca 604–822–5236 PCN 3137
Personal UBC Website | Google Scholar | Wikipedia | Open Access 2013 Book
Research and teaching areas:

Bilingual/multilingual education

Critical literacies/pedagogies

Digital literacies

English as an additional language

Identity

Language Ideologies

Storytelling & Narrative Inquiry

Public Conversation (Selected)

2024, November: Bonny Norton on Open Access Publications. https://youtu.be/2BpJCvVQQ_8

2024: Uysal, H., Kim, H. J., & Norton, B. (2024) Exploring Language Teacher Identity and Investment: In Discussion with Bonny Norton. RELC Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882241262532

2021, January. Dr. Bonny Norton, FRSC. UBC Interview: https://youtu.be/8iHj1r3BuMQ

2020, January. Norton, B., Stranger-Johannessen, E., & Doherty, L. (2020). Global Storybooks: From Arabic to Zulu, freely available digital tales in 50+ language. The Conversation .https://theconversation.com/global-storybooks-from-arabic-to-zulu-freely-available-digital-tales-in-50-languages-127480

2019, September. Dr. Bonny Norton interview at Cambridge University. https://youtu.be/0KaYHqk8CYQ

2016, November. The African Storybook in a Digital World. Presentation, Annual meeting of the Royal Society of Canada, Kingston, Ontario. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0peUI5jATJA

2015, November. Bonny Norton interviewed by Amy Lightfoot, British Council.  11thLanguage and Development conference, New Delhi, India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnXu5N4t6WE

2015, May. Norton, B. & Welch, T. (2015). Digital literacy could hold the key to multilingual literacy for African children. The Conversation.https://theconversation.com/digital-stories-could-hold-the-key-to-multilingual-literacy-for-african-children-40405

Honours and Awards (Selected)

University Killam Professor, 2021

CUFA BC Academic of the Year, 2020

CSSE Graduate Student Mentorship Award, 2018

Fellow Royal Society of Canada, FRSC, 2016

TESOL Distinguished Research Award (co-recipient), 2016

AERA Fellow (American Educational Research Association), 2012

Killam Research Prize, 2007

UBC Distinguished University Scholar, 2004

Killam Teaching Prize, 2003

Publications (Open Access with *Asterisk)

Books and Guest Edited Journal Issues

De Costa, P & Norton, B. (Guest Eds, 2017)
Transdisciplinarity and language teacher identity [Special Issue]. Modern Language Journal, 101 (S1).
Norton, B. (Guest Ed.) (2014)
Multilingual literacy and social change in African communities [Special Issue] Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35 (7). DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2014.908887
*Norton, B. (2013)
Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation. 2nd Edition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. DOI: 10.14288/1.0447400
Higgins, C. & Norton, B. (Eds.) (2010)
Language and HIV/AIDS. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Norton, B., & Toohey, K. (Eds). (2004)
Critical pedagogies and language learning. New York: Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/CBO9781139524834.001
Norton, B., & Pavlenko, A. (Eds.). (2004)
Gender and English language learners. Alexandria, VA: TESOL Publications.
Kanno, Y., & Norton, B. (Guest Eds.). (2003)
Imagined communities and educational possibilities [Special issue]. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2(4). DOI: 10.1207/S15327701JLIE0204_1
Norton, B. (2000)
Identity and language learning: Gender, ethnicity and educational change. Harlow, England: Longman/Pearson Education.
Norton, B. (Guest Ed.). (1997)
Language and identity [Special issue]. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3). DOI: 10.2307/3587831

Refereed Journal Articles (Open Access with *Asterisk)

*Doherty, L. & Norton, B. (2025) Navigating “difficult knowledge” in digital stories: Teacher agency, transmediation and translanguaging approaches. Journal of Language and Literacy Education. Spring, 1-18. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TS05Pw32dwVvijofdfUj78-IMAsJ0wor/view
Afreen, A., & Norton, B. (2024) Emotion labor, investment, and volunteer teachers in heritage language education. Modern Language Journal, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12900
*Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2023) Investment and motivation in language learning: What's the difference? Language Teaching, 56, 29-40. DOI: 10.1017/S0261444821000057
*Zaidi, R., Metcalfe, R., & Norton, B. (2022) "Dual language books go digital: Storybooks Canada in French immersion schools and homes." Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics. 25 (1), 64-87. https://doi.org/10.37213/cjal.2022.31626
*Afreen, A. & Norton, B. (2022) Bangla and the identity of the heritage language teacher. Educational Linguistics, 1(1), 152-178. https://doi.org/10.1515/eduling-2021-0008
Norton, B. & Tembe, J. (2021) Teaching multilingual literacy in Ugandan classrooms: The promise of the African Storybook. Applied Linguistics Review, 12(4), 565-584. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2020-2006
Clément, R., & Norton, B. (2021) Ethnolinguistic Vitality, Identity and Power: Investment in SLA. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 40(1), 154–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X20966734
*Gilman, M. & Norton, B. (2020) Storybooks Canada, English language learners, and the school curriculum. BC TEAL Journal, 5 (1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v5i1.340
*Norton, B. & Doherty, L. (2020) Global Storybooks for multilingual UK Classrooms. EAL Journal, p. 21-25. https://storybookscanada.ca/files/norton_2020_ealjournal.pdf

Norton, B. (2019). Identity and language learning: A 2019 retrospective account. The Canadian Modern   Language Review / La revue canadienne des langues vivantes, (75) 4, pp. 299-307. DOI: 10.3138/cmlr.2019-0287

Stranger-Johannessen, E. & Norton, B. (2019) Promoting early literacy and student investment in the African Storybook. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 18(6), 400-411. DOI: 10.1080/15348458.2019.1674150

Norton, B. & De Costa, P. (2018). Research tasks on identity in language learning and teaching Language Teaching, 51 (1), 90-112. DOI: 10.1017/S0261444817000325

*Stranger-Johannessen, E., Doherty, L., & Norton, B. (2018). The African Storybook and Storybooks Canada: Digital stories for linguistically diverse children. Language and Literacy, 20(3), 121-133. https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29413

De Costa, P. & Norton, B. (2017). Introduction: Identity, transdisciplinarity, and the good language teacher. Modern Language Journal, 101(S1), 3-14.

Stranger-Johannessen, E. & Norton, B. (2017). The African Storybook and language teacher identity in digital times. Modern Language Journal, 101(S1), 45–60. DOI: 10.1111/modl.12374

Haghighi, F. M., & Norton, B. (2017). The role of English Language Institutes in Iran. TESOL Quarterly, 51(2), 428–438. DOI: 10.1002/tesq.338

Norton, B. (2016). Identity and language learning: Back to the future. TESOL Quarterly, 50 (2), 475-479. DOI: 10.1002/tesq.293

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2016).  Investment and language learning in the 21st Century. Langage et Société, 157 (3), 19-38. DOI: 10.3917/ls.157.0019

Douglas Fir Group (2016). A transdisciplinary framework for SLA in a multilingual world. The Modern Language Journal, 100(S1), 19–47.

Norton, B. (2015). Identity, investment, and faces of English internationally. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 38, 4, 375-391. DOI: 10.1515/cjal-2015-0025

Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2015). Identity and a model of investment in applied linguistics. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 35, 35-56. DOI: 10.1017/S0267190514000191

Norton, B. (2014). Introduction: The Millennium Development Goals and multilingual literacy in African communities. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35 (7) 633-645.

Early, M. & Norton, B. (2014). Revisiting English as medium of instruction in rural African classrooms. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35 (7), 374-691: DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2014.908890

Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2014). Social class, identity, and migrant students. Journal of Language, Identity and Education, 13 (2), 111-117. DOI: 10.1080/15348458.2014.901823

Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2014). Transnational identity and migrant language learners: The promise of digital storytelling. Education Matters, 2 (1),55-66

Andema, S., Kendrick, M., & Norton, B. (2013). Digital literacy in Ugandan teacher education: Insights   from a case study. Reading & Writing, 4 (1) Art #27, 8 pages. DOI: 10.4102/rw.v4i1.27

Norton, B. & Williams, C.J. (2012). Digital identities, student investments, and eGranary as a placed resource. Language and Education, 26(4), 315-329. DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2012.691514

Early, M. & Norton, B. (2012). Language learner stories and imagined identities. Narrative Inquiry, 22 (1), 194-201. DOI: 10.1075/ni.22.1.15ear

Norton, B. (2011). The practice of theory in the language classroom. Issues in Applied Linguistics (special issue on Linguistic Diversity in American Classrooms), 18(2), 171-80

Norton, B., Jones, S. & Ahimbisibwe, D. (2011). Learning about HIV/AIDS in Uganda: Digital resources and language learner identities, Canadian Modern Language Review, 67(4),569-90. DOI: 10.3138/cmlr.67.4.568

Norton, B. & Early, M. (2011). Researcher identity, narrative inquiry, and language teaching research. TESOL Quarterly, 45(3), 415-439. DOI: 10.5054/tq.2011.261161

Norton, B. & Toohey, K. (2011). Identity, language learning, and social change. Language Teaching, 44(4), 412-446. (State-of-the-Art Article). DOI: 10.1017/S0261444811000309

Norton, B. & Mutonyi, H. (2010): Languaging for life: African students talk back to HIV/AIDS research. Language Policy, 9(1), 45-63. DOI: 10.1007/s10993-009-9150-y

Norton, B. (2010). Identity, literacy, and English-language teaching. TESL Canada Journal, 28(1), 1-13. (reprint of IATEFL 2009 conference proceedings) DOI: 10.18806/tesl.v28i1.1057

Norton, B. (2010). The practice of theory in the language classroom. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 18, 2. DOI: 10.5070/L4182005336

Lee, E., & Norton, B. (2009). The English language, multilingualism, and the politics of location. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 12(3), 277-290. DOI: 10.1080/13670050802153285

Norton, B., & Gao, Y. (2008). Identity, investment, and Chinese learners of English. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 18(1), 109-120. DOI: 10.1075/japc.18.1.07nor

Tembe, J. & Norton, B. (2008). Promoting local languages in Ugandan primary schools: The community as stakeholder. Canadian Modern Language Review, 65(1), 33-60. DOI: 10.3138/cmlr.65.1.33

Moffatt, L., & Norton, B. (2008). Reading gender relations and sexuality: Preteens speak out. Canadian Journal of Education, 31(1), 102-123.

Norton, B., & Mutonyi, H. (2007). “Talk what others think you can’t talk”: HIV/AIDS clubs as peer education in Ugandan schools. Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education, 37(4), 479-492. DOI: 10.1080/03057920701366218

Stein, P. & Norton, B. (2007). Applied linguistics and literacy in Africa and the diaspora. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17, 3, pp. 443-445. DOI: 10.1111/j.1473-4192.2007.00157.x

Mutonyi, H., & Norton, B. (2007). ICT on the margins: Lessons for Ugandan education. In I. Snyder & M. Prinsloo (Eds.)[Special Issue on The Digital Literacy Practices of Young People in Marginal Contexts]. Language and Education, 21(3), 264-270. DOI: 10.2167/le751.0

Jones, S., & Norton, B. (2007). On the limits of sexual health literacy: Insights from Ugandan schoolgirls. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education: An International Journal, 1(4) 285-305. DOI: 10.1080/15595690701563998

Norton, B. (2006). Identity as a sociocultural construct in second language education. In K. Cadman & K. O’Regan (Eds.), TESOL in Context [Special Issue], 22-33.

Kendrick, M., Jones, S., Mutonyi, H., & Norton, B. (2006). Multimodality and English education in Ugandan schools. English Studies in Africa, 49 (1), 95-114, DOI: 10.1080/00138390608691345

Mackie, A., & Norton, B. (2006). Revisiting Pearl Harbor: Resistance to reel and real events in an English language classroom. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 223-243. DOI: 10.2307/20054154

Norton, B. (2006, Spring). Not an afterthought: Authoring a text on adult ESOL. In C. Roberts & M. Baynham (Eds.), Linguistics and Education [Special Issue], 91-96. DOI: 10.1016/j.linged.2006.08.005

Norton, B. (2005). Towards a model of critical language teacher education. Language Issues, 17(1), 12-17.

Moffatt, L., & Norton, B. (2005). Popular culture and the reading teacher: A case for feminist pedagogy. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 2(1), 1-12. DOI: 10.1207/s15427595cils0201_1

Norton, B., & Pavlenko, A. (2004). Addressing gender in the ESL/EFL classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 38(3), 504-513. DOI: 10.2307/3588351

Norton, B., & Kamal, F. (2003). The imagined communities of English language learners in a Pakistani school. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2(4), 301-307. DOI: 10.1207/S15327701JLIE0204_5

Kanno, Y., & Norton, B. (2003). Imagined communities and educational possibilities: Introduction. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2(4), 241-249.

Norton, B. (2003). The motivating power of comic books: Insights from Archie comic readers. The Reading Teacher, 57(2), 140-147.

Kamal, F., & Norton, B. (2002). Learner perspectives on the Youth Millennium Project: Critical literacy in action. Contact, 28(2), 70-76.

Norton, B. (2001). When is a teen magazine not a teen magazine? Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 45(4), 296-299.

Norton, B., & Toohey, K. (2001). Changing perspectives on good language learners. TESOL Quarterly, 35(2), 307-322. DOI: 10.2307/3587650

Norton, B., & Stewart, G. (1999). Accountability in language assessment of adult immigrants. Canadian Modern Language Review, 56(2), 223-244. DOI: 10.3138/cmlr.56.2.223

Norton, B. (1998). Rethinking acculturation in second language acquisition. PROSPECT: Australian Journal of TESOL Associations, 13(2), 4-19.

Norton. B., & Starfield, S. (1997). Covert language assessment in academic writing. Language Testing, 14(3), 278-294. DOI: 10.1177/026553229701400305

Norton, B. (1997). Language, identity, and the ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 409-429. DOI: 10.2307/3587831

Norton Peirce, B., & Ridge S. G. (1997). Multilingualism in Southern Africa. In W. Grabe (Ed.), Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (pp. 170-190). New York: Cambridge Univ Press. DOI: 10.1017/S0267190500003330

Norton Peirce, B., & Stewart, (1997). The development of the Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment. TESL Canada Journal, 14(2), 17-31.

Norton Peirce, B. (1996). Computer conferencing and academic literacy: Lessons from Sam’s Cafe. Southern African Journal of Applied Language Studies 4(1), 57-87.

Harper, H., Norton Peirce, B., & Burnaby, B. (1996). English-in-the-workplace for garment workers: A feminist project? Gender and Education 8(1), 5-19.

Norton Peirce, B. (1995). The theory of methodology in qualitative research. TESOL Quarterly, 29(3), 569-576. DOI: 10.2307/3588075

Norton Peirce, B., & Stein, P. (1995). Why the “Monkeys Passage” bombed: Tests, genres, and teaching. Harvard Educational Review, 65(1), 50-65. DOI: 10.17763/haer.65.1.h444603322g078r5

Norton Peirce, B. (1995). Social identity, investment, and language learning. TESOL Quarterly, 29(1), 9-31. DOI: 10.2307/3587803

Norton Peirce, B. (1994). Using diaries in second language research and teaching. English Quarterly, 26(3), 22-29.

Norton Peirce, B., Harper, H., & Burnaby, B. (1993). Workplace ESL at Levi Strauss: “Dropouts” speak out. TESL Canada Journal, 10(2), 9-30. DOI: 10.18806/tesl.v10i2.616

Norton Peirce, B., Swain, M., & Hart, D. (1993). Self-assessment, French immersion, and locus of control. Applied Linguistics, 14(1), 25-42.

Norton Peirce, B. (1992). Demystifying the TOEFL reading test. TESOL Quarterly, 26(4), 665-691. DOI: 10.2307/3586868

Norton Peirce, B. (1989). Toward a pedagogy of possibility in the teaching of English internationally: People’s English in South Africa. TESOL Quarterly, 23(3), 401-420.

Chapters in Books since 2015 (Open Access with *Asterisk)

McKinney, C. & Norton, B. (2024) Identity, language, and learning. In C. Leung & J. Lewcowicz (Eds). The Routledge Companion to English Studies (2nd edition, pp. 225-237).
Norton, B. & Shank Lauwo, M. (2024) Identity. In Li Wei (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics (2nd Ed., pp. 137-150). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003082637-13
Shank Lauwo, M., & Norton, B. (2023) Translanguaging and identity across global sites. In R. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Erkican (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (4th Ed., pp. 148-158). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.07106-2
Shank Lauwo, M., & Norton, B. (2023) Identity, language learning, and teacher education. In C. Chapelle (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (2nd edition). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal20444
Norton, B. & Morgan, B. (2023) Poststructuralism. In K. Toohey & C. Chapelle (Eds). Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics 2nd Edition. DOI: 10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal0924.pub3
Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2022) Identity. In S. Li, P. Hiver, & M. Papi (Eds.) The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and individual differences, (pp. 235-250). Routledge
Doherty, L., Norton, B. & Stranger-Johannessen, E. (2022) Translation, identity, and translanguaging. In W. Ayers-Bennett & L. Fisher (eds). Multilingualism and identity: Interdisciplinary perspectives (pp. 201-219). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/9781108780469.010
*Norton, B. (2021) Identity, language, and literacy in an African digital landscape. In L. Makalela & A.G. White (Eds) Digital technology and languages in African communities and classrooms: opportunities and innovations. (pp. 118-136). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. DOI: 10.21832/9781800412316-008
Norton, B. & Morgan, B. (2020) Poststructuralism. In C. Chapelle (Ed.) The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 901 - 907). John Wiley & Sons Inc. DOI: 10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal0924.pub2
Norton, B. (2020) Identity and second language acquisition. In C. Chapelle (Ed.) The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 561 – 570). John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2019). Identity. In J. Schwieter, & A. Benati (eds.) The Cambridge handbook of language learning (pp. 451-474). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/9781108333603.020

Norton B. & Pavlenko A. (2019) Imagined communities, identity, and English language learning in a multilingual world. In: Gao X. (eds) Second Handbook of English Language Teaching. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-02899-2_34

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2019). Collaborative writing, academic socialization and the negotiation of identity. In P. Habibie & K. Hyland (eds.). Novice writers and scholarly publication: Authors, mentors, gatekeepers (pp.177-194). Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-95333-5_10

Norton, B. & De Costa, P. (2019). Language teacher identities in teacher education. In G. Barkhuizen, (Ed.) Qualitative Research Topics in Language Teacher Education (pp. 76-80). New York: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9780429461347-12

Norton, B. (2019). Identity and the ownership of English. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching, First edition (Project Editor: Margo DelliCarpini; Volume Editor: Ali Fuad Selvi) (pp. 1100-1105). Hoboken, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Norton, B. (2018). Identity and investment in multilingual classrooms. In A. Bonnet & P. Siemund (Eds). Foreign Languages in Multilingual Classrooms. (pp. 237-252). John Benjamins. DOI: 10.1075/hsld.7.11nor

Norton, B. (2018). Identity and the ownership of English. In. J. Liontas (ed.) The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (pp.1100–1105). Malden, MA: Wiley DOI: 10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0030

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2018). Identity, investment, and TESOL. In S. Nero & J. Liontas (Eds.), Sociocultural Aspects of English Language Teaching. The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (p. 1-7)Wiley. DOI: 10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0802

Darvin, R. & Norton, B. (2017). Investing in new literacies for a cosmopolitan future (pp. 89-101). In Zaidi, R. & Rowsell, J. (Eds.) Literacy lives in transcultural times. Oxon: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781315400860-9

Norton, B. (2017). Identity and English language learners across global sites In L. Wong & K. Hyland (Eds). Faces of English Education: Students, Teachers and Pedagogy. (pp. 13-27). Oxon: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781315205618-2

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2017). Identity, language learning, and critical pedagogies in digital times. In J. Cenoz, D. Gorter, & S. May (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Language and Education: Vol. 6, Language awareness and multilingualism, (3rd ed., pp. 43–54). Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-02240-6_3

Darvin, R., & Norton, B. (2017). Language, identity and investment in the 21st century. In T. McCarty and S. May (Eds.). Language Policy and Political Issues in Education, Encyclopedia of Language and Education, vol. 1. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-02344-1_18

Norton, B. (2017). Learner investment and language teacher identity. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.) Reflections on Language Teacher Identity Research (pp. 80-86). New York: Routledge

Hare, J., Darvin, R., Doherty, L., Early, M., Filipenko, M., Norton, B., Soni, D., and Stranger-Johannessen, E. (2017)  “Digital storytelling and reconciliation” (pp. 200-205). In P. Tortell, P.,   M. Young & P. Nemetz (Eds.) Reflections of Canada: Illuminating our opportunities and challenges at 150+ years. Vancouver, BC: UBC Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. DOI: 10.59962/9781775276647-033

De Costa, P., & Norton, B. (2016). Identity in language learning and teaching: Research agendas for the   future. In S. Preece (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of language and identity (pp. 586-601) Abingdon: Routledge.

Norton, B. & Early, M. (2015). Identidade de pesquisador/a, pesquisa narrative e pesquisa sobre ensino delínguas. In A. de Jesus Ferreira (Org). Narratives Autobiograficas se Identidades Sociais de Raca, Gênero, Sexualidade e Classe em Estudos da Linguagem (pp. 21-54). Campinas, SP: Pontes Editories.

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