Welcome to My Academic Portfolio
My name is Barbara Schwenk, an educator with over 20 years of experience in language teaching and learning. I specialize in English for Academic Purposes, helping students use language with authenticity, presence, and self-reliance. My teaching philosophy is rooted in fostering learner autonomy and helping students develop confidence, motivation, and self-awareness as the basis for meaningful learning.
This website serves as both a teaching tool for my courses and a showcase of my professional work. Explore the courses below to learn more.
Courses
Explore the courses I teach, each designed to build awareness, confidence, and practical language skills
Featured
Highlights from my professional and research interests
Who Counts as a Speaker of a Language?
In this thought-provoking talk, linguist Anna Babel challenges our assumptions about language ownership and proficiency. She explores who gets to count as a "real" speaker of a language and how these judgments shape identity, power, and belonging.
Watch Full TalkDigital Game-Based Learning’s (DGBL) Effect on Students’ Academic Performance
Various Authors (2024)
ResearchGate Publication
This study examines the effectiveness of digital game-based learning (DGBL) approaches on students’ academic performance. The research explores how interactive game-based elements impact student engagement, learning outcomes, and motivation, contributing to the growing body of research on technology-enhanced learning.
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