Lecturer

Sonam Tsering

Sonam_Profile_Picture_sm

Sonam Tsering

Senior Lecturer in Tibetan, Director of the Tibetan Language Program

Office: 502-G Kent Hall
Office Hours: Thursdays, 4:00–5:30 PM
Phone: (212) 854-0596
Email: st2931@columbia.edu

Educational Background

BA: Social Anthropology, University of London

Classes Taught

TIBT UN1600 First Year Modern Colloquial Tibetan I
TIBT UN1601 First Year Modern Tibetan II
TIBT UN2603 Second Year Modern Colloquial Tibetan I
TIBT UN2604 Second Year Modern Tibetan II
TIBT UN3611 Third Year Modern Colloquial Tibetan I
TIBT UN3612 Third Year Modern Tibetan II

Research Interests

Tibetan Language

Sonam Tsering is the director of the Tibetan language program at Columbia. Sonam previously taught at the University of Michigan, where he also remotely taught students at Yale and Ohio State University, via live video technology. Originally from Rebgong (Qinghai, PRC), Sonam later lived in the Tibetan community in exile in India, founding and editing Bod kyi Dus bab (Tibet Times newspaper).

Online publications

Co-authored, Basic Tibetan. Michigan State University Libraries, 2026. Open Educational Resource (OER), multimedia interactive online textbook.

“Introduction” for the English translation of The Division of Heaven and Earth: On Tibet’s Peaceful Revolution, by Shokdung. Hurst Publishers, 2016.

“The Historical Polity of Repgong” (The Tibetan and Himalayan Library, 2011) http://places.thlib.org/features/23751/descriptions/1225

Translation: Clear Sky and Red Earth – A Himalayan Story by Sienna Craig, Illustrations by Tenzin Norbu, (Mera Publications, 2004)

“Ipolito Desideri” (Latse Library Newsletter, 2004)

“La dwags kyi ag bar and its background” (Latse Library Newsletter, 2005)

New York Regular contribution to Nyenchen Thanglha, Nor Od, Tibetan Review, Mangtso and Tibet Times, Dharamasala, India 1987 – 1993

Numerous Articles in Qinghai Zangwen Bao (Qinghai Tibetan Language Newspaper), Qinghai Fazhi Bao (Qinghai Law Magazine), Xining, PRC

Chikako Takahashi

Chikako Takahashi

Lecturer in Japanese

Office: 520 Kent Hall
Office Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 – 5:00 PM

Phone: (212) 854-5502
Email: ct2423@columbia.edu

Educational Background

PhD: Linguistics, Stony Brook University
MA: TESOL, Teachers College, Columbia University

Classes Taught

JPNS 1002 Introductory Japanese B
JPNS 1101 First Year Japanese I
JPNS1102 First Year Japanese II
JPNS2201 Second Year Japanese I
JPNS2202 Second Year Japanese II

Research Interests

Second Language Phonetics Learning
Use of Discord for Language Classrooms
Language Learning Strategies and Motivation

Chikako Takahashi holds a PhD in Linguistics from Stony Brook University. Her dissertation research focused on how speakers’ pronunciation and perception of their first and second (or third) languages are influenced by their language learning experiences. Currently, her research focuses on how the use of online community platforms such as Discord can help create a learner community for language classes. She is also interested in how instructors can inform learners and provide opportunities to foster language learning strategies and elicit lasting motivation. Prior to coming to Columbia, she taught Japanese courses at the Japan Society as well as linguistic courses—such as Phonetics and Phonology, Sociolinguistics, and Second Language Acquisition—at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at various institutions.

Publications

Journal Publications (Peer-reviewed) 

Takahashi, C. (2024). L1 Japanese Perceptual Drift in Late Learners of L2 English. Languages 9: 0.

Takahashi, C. (2023). L1 vowel perceptual boundary shift as a result of L2 vowel learning. Journal of Phonetics, 100.

Hwang, J., Takahashi, C., Baek, H. Baek, Yeung, A. HL., and E. Broselow (2022). Do L1 tone language speakers enjoy a perceptual advantage in processing English contrastive prosody?   Bilingualism: Language and Cognition.

Takahashi, C. (2019). No transposition in Harmonic Serialism, Phonology, 36, 4.

Takahashi, C. (2012). Impact of Dictionary Use Skills Instructions on Second Language Writing, Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, Teachers College, Columbia University, 12 (2).

Proceedings Papers

Takahashi, C. and Yagi, M. (2025). Fostering a learner community with collaboration apps and AI tools outside of the classroom: the case with Discord. Proceedings of The 31st Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum, 100-112, Department of East Asian Studies, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.

Yeung, A., Baek, H., Takahashi, C., Buttner, S., Hwang, J., and E. Broselow (2020). Too little, too late: A longitudinal study of English corrective focus by Mandarin speakers. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, 5(1). 270-281.

Yeung, A., Baek, H., Takahashi, C., Duncan, J., Benedett, S., Hwang, J., and E. Broselow, (2019). Pitch range, intensity, and vocal fry in non-native and native English focus intonation. Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, 36, Acoustic Society of Americ

Takahashi, C. (2018). No Metathesis in Harmonic Serialism. In Gallagher, G., Gouskova, M., and S. Yin, (eds.), Supplemental proceedings of the 2017 Annual Meeting on Phonology. Washington, DC: Linguistic Society of America. http://dx.doi.org/10.3765/amp.v5i0.4232.

Takahashi, C., Kao, S., Baek, H., Yeung, A. HL., Hwang, J., and E. Broselow, (2018). Native and non- native speaker processing and production of contrastive focus prosody. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America (Vol. 3)

Takahashi, C. (2017). Information Structure of Japanese Ditransitives. In Funakoshi, K., S. Kawahara, and C. Tancredi, (eds.), Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 24, Stanford; CSLI Publications

Kao, S., Hwang, J., Baek, H., Takahashi, C., and E. Broselow, (2016). International teaching assistants’ production of focus intonation. Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, 26, Acoustic Society of America

Recent Presentations

Chikako Takahashi and Mihoko Yagi, Fostering a learner community with collaboration apps and AI tools outside of the classroom: the case with Discord, 31st Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum, 2025, Princeton NJ. 

Chikako Takahashi and Mihoko Yagi, Building Inclusive and Engaging Learning Communities through Technology: The Case of Discord in Beginner Japanese Courses, Northeast Association for Language Learning Technology, 2025, Zoom Conference.

Kyoko Matsui Loetscher, Naoko Sourial, and Chikako Takahashi, Curriculum Reform to
Foster Multiliteracies, International Conference on Japanese Language Education – North
America, August 1-3, 2024, Wisconsin, Madison.

Kyoko Matsui Loetscher, Naoko Sourial, and Chikako Takahashi, Report on Blended-learning Model in Elementary Japanese Courses – toward fostering learning agency, AATJ Spring Conference, March 16, 2023, Boston.

Chikako Takahashi, Effect of second language learning factors on first language phonetic change. American Association for Applied Linguistics 2022 Conference, March 19-22, 2022 (Poster Presentation)

Chikako Takahashi, L1 vowel perceptual drift as a result of L2 vowel learning: L1 Japanese -L2 English bilinguals’ perception of high front vowels. The 96th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America, Jan. 6-9, 2022, Washington, DC.

 

Zhongqi Shi

Zhongqi Shi

Senior Lecturer in Chinese

Office: 626 Kent Hall
Office Hours: MTR 9:55-10:10 AM, 11:30-12:00 PM or by appointment
Phone: 212-854-0660
Email: zs2132@columbia.edu

Educational Background

PhD: Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
MA: Applied Linguistics, Beijing Language and Culture University
BA: Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Beijing Language and Culture University

Classes Taught

CHNS GU4012 Business Chinese I
CHNS GU4013 Business Chinese II
CHNS GU4112 Advanced Business Chinese I
CHNS GU4113 Advanced Business Chinese II
CHNS UN3003 Third Year Chinese I
CHNS UN3004 Third Year Chinese II
CHNS UN2205 Second Year Chinese I

Research Interests

AI and Technology-Enhanced Language Learning
Chinese for Professional and Specific Purposes
Second Language Motivation and Teacher–Student Relationships
Corpus-Based Research and L2 Language Development
Curriculum Design and Experiential Learning

Zhongqi Shi is Senior Lecturer in Chinese in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, where he has taught since 2005. He previously served as Associate Director of the Chinese Program and Coordinator of East Asian Language Programs.

His teaching and research focus on Chinese for professional and specific purposes, AI- and technology-enhanced language learning, second language motivation, and curriculum and program development. He has received multiple Provost’s Teaching and Learning Grants for pedagogical innovation at Columbia, supporting projects that have explored podcasting, video-based reflection, AI-assisted job interview preparation, and AI-powered conversational learning. His work on an AI-assisted chatbot for Business Chinese was featured by Columbia’s Center for Teaching and Learning in its “Faculty Voices on AI in the Classroom” series and as a Faculty AI Use Case on Columbia Magazine.

His publications address Business Chinese, second language motivation and development, and technology-enhanced language learning. His recent book, Embracing Change: A New Era in Chinese Teaching (《应变：中文教学新思路》), was published by Cheng & Tsui in 2026.

Shi has held a number of leadership roles in the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA-US), including President and Vice President, as well as chairing the ACTFL–CLTA Conference Program, the AI for Chinese Special Task Force, and the Media and Publicity Committee.

Selected Publications

Books on Chinese Language Teaching and Pedagogy

Shi, Z. (2026). 《应变：中文教学新思路》 Embracing Change: A New Era in Chinese Teaching. Boston, MA: Cheng & Tsui Co., Inc. ISBN 978-1-62291-770-9.

Shi, Z., & Qiu, Z. (2009). 《中文可以这样教》 Teach Chinese This Way. Beijing: QunYan Press. ISBN 978-7-8025-6051-2.

Selected Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Guan, D., & Shi, Z. (2026). Business Chinese Curriculum Development: An Analysis of Course Types and Pedagogical Approaches. In L. Y. Chen & C. M. Tu (Eds.), New Developments in Chinese for Specific and Professional Purposes.

Shi, Z., Tian, Y., & Liu, R. (2025). 美国高校中文教师的岗位特点与职业素养—基于招聘启事的分析和研究 [Characteristics and Professional Competencies of Chinese Language Instructors in U.S. Higher Education: An Analysis of Job Postings]. Journal of Language Governance, 3, 85–98.

Shi, Z., Du, Y., & Yu, W. (2025). Podcasting and L2 Listening: Impacts on Behavior and Attitude in Chinese Language Learners. Journal of Technology and Chinese Language Teaching, 16(1), 118–144.

Shi, Z., & Li, S. (2024). From Mock Interviews to Real Job Interviews: Assessing the Efficacy of Business Chinese Instruction. Foreign Language Annals, 1–20.

Shi, Z., & Yuan, Q. (2023). Machine Learning-Based Investigation of Syntactic Complexity Measures in Foreign Language Acquisition. Chinese as a Second Language, 58(3), 262–298.

Shi, Z., & Guan, D. (2022). 基于三维调查的商务汉语核心教学内容探讨 [An Investigation of Core Content of Business Chinese Instruction: A Three-Dimensional Perspective]. International Journal of Chinese Language Teaching, 3(1), 36–56.

Shi, Z. (2021). 专用汉语教学需求分析：从理论到实践 [Needs Analysis in Teaching Chinese for Special Purposes: From Theory to Practice]. Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology, 3(2), 84–94.

Shi, Z., Yuan, Q., & Guan, D. (2019). 1997–2017年商务汉语教学探索与实践: 热点与反思 [1997–2017 Business Chinese Teaching and Research Overview]. International Chinese Language Education国际汉语教育, 4(4), 6–19.

Selected Textbooks

Winning Strategies (V1): Learning Business Chinese through Real Companies 《商务中文案例教程—策略卷》. China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 2015. Editor-in-Chief/First Author.

Winning Strategies (V2): Learning Business Chinese through Cross-Cultural Cases 《商务中文案例教程—文化卷》. China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 2015. Editor-in-Chief/Co-author.

Understanding China: Advanced Chinese Reader 《理解中国—高级汉语教程》. Peking University Press, 2014. First Author.

Excellent Chinese: Business Practice 《卓越汉语—公司实战篇》. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2010. First Author.