Language Education Expert Bridging Literature and Second Language Acquisition
Dr. Shawn Gorman, a Writing Instructor at Educational Testing Service (ETS), brings a rich background in French literature and second language acquisition to his role. With a Ph.D. in French Language and Literature from Boston University, Gorman has taught French and English at high school and university levels in Europe and the United States for nine years. His research spans 20th century French literature and philosophy, with publications on authors like Ismaïl Kadaré, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Marcel Proust, exploring themes of mediation, phenomenology, and metaphor. Gorman has also presented research on second language acquisition at professional conferences, bridging his literary expertise with practical language teaching applications. His experience as a librarian at Harvard University further enhances his research and information literacy skills. At ETS, Gorman likely applies this diverse background to developing and evaluating writing assessments for tests like the TOEFL, leveraging his expertise in both French and English, along with his understanding of second language acquisition, to contribute to the creation of effective language proficiency tests.