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Dr David Hirsh

BA(Well), PGDipTESL(Well), MA(ApplLing)(Well), PhD(Well)

Senior Lecturer in TESOL

Convenor, Dissertations and Special Projects

Associate Dean, Postgraduate Programs

Email:

Phone: +61 2 9351  6417

Fax: +61 2 9351  2606

Building.Room: A35.811

Research interests

Research on teaching and learning

  • Learning and teaching in higher education

Social structures, inequalities and social justice

  • Indigenous issues

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

  • Languages and cultures education

Keywords

language & culture, indigenous language use, second language vocabulary development, academic acculturation


Professional biography

David Hirsh has a research interest in the role of vocabulary in language learning. He is involved in research collaboration aimed at exploring the function of scientific vocabulary in school texts. 

Another area of research interest is academic pathways, in terms of how and when language proficiency is assessed, the role of diagnostic and self assessment, the minimum language requirements set by institutions, and tracking academic performance and experiences across time. 

A third area of research interest is language revitalization, particularly in Southeast Asia. He is involved in research collaboration with the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand documenting language use in Thailand, to explore the scope for reversing recent trends of  language loss over time. This project considers the link between language, culture and identity.

A fourth area of research interest is the process of speech development in infants. Research activities in this area are conducted in collaboration with the Reseach Center for Applied Perceptual Science, a multidisciplinary grouping of researchers at Kyushu University, Japan.


Professional and community roles

  • Editorial Board member, RELC Journal (2011 - 2014)

  • Co-Editor, University of Sydney Papers in TESOL (from 2012)


Current projects

  • The academic performance of international students at university
  • The function of scientific vocabulary
  • Language revitalization in Thailand (in collaboration with Mahidol University)
  • Infant speech development (in collaboration with Kyushu University)

Current research students

Project title Degree Research student
Creating word lists to inform ELT pedagogy PhD Warren Matsuoka
The interface between receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge PhD Hua (Flora) Zhong
L2 word learnability across L1 groups: A focus on written form of words PhD Chen-Chun Camille Lin

Selected publications

Books

  • Hirsh, D. (Ed.). (2012). Current Perspectives in Second Language Vocabulary Research. Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Hirsh, D. (2010). Academic Vocabulary in Context. Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Paltridge, B., Harbon, L., Hirsh, D., Shen, H., Stevenson, M., Phakiti, A., Woodrow, L. (2009). Teaching Academic Writing: An introduction for teachers of second language writers. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Book chapters

  • Lin, C. & Hirsh, D. (2012). Manipulating instructional method: The effect on productive vocabulary use. In D. Hirsh (Ed.), Current Perspectives in Second Language Vocabulary Research (pp. 117–148), Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Lee, Y-T. & Hirsh, D. (2012). Quality and quantity of exposure in L2 vocabulary learning. In D. Hirsh (Ed.), Current Perspectives in Second Language Vocabulary Research (pp. 79–116), Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Hirsh, D. (2012). Vocabulary research: Current themes, future directions. In D. Hirsh (Ed.), Current Perspectives in Second Language Vocabulary Research (pp. 13–20), Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Hirsh, D. (2010). Researching vocabulary. In B. Paltridge and A. Phakiti (Eds.), Continuum Companion to Research Methods in Applied Linguistics (pp. 222–239), London: Continuum.
  • Hirsh, D. (2009). Tracking academic performance: A qualitative approach. In F. Anderson, Y. Ma and N. Tarling (Eds.), The English Language and the Asian Student (pp. 278–300), Jinan, China: Shandong University Press.

Journal articles

  • Yamashita, Y., Nakajima, Y., Ueda, K., Seno, T., Shimada, Y., Hirsh, D. & Smith, B.A. (2013). Acoustic analyses of speech sounds and rhythms in Japanese- and English-learning infants. Frontiers in Psychology, 4(57), 1–10.
  • Yamashita, Y. & Hirsh, D. (2011). Second language and cognition: Conceptual categorization of count/mass nouns in English with Japanese university students. Asian EFL Journal, 13(2), 361–388.
  • Matsuoka, W. & Hirsh, D. (2010). Vocabulary learning through reading: Does an ELT course book provide good opportunities?. Reading in a Foreign Language, 22(1), 56–70.
  • Hirsh, D. & Coxhead, A. (2009). Ten ways of focussing on science-specific vocabulary in EAP classrooms. EA Journal, 25(1), 5–16.
  • Zhong, H. & Hirsh, D. (2009). Vocabulary growth in an English as a foreign language context. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 4, 85–113.
  • Hirsh , D. (2007). English language, academic support and academic outcomes: A discussion paper. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 2(2), 193–211.
  • Read, J. & Hirsh, D. (2007). Moderating assessment standards in foundation studies programmes. TESOLANZ Journal, 15, 1–15.
  • Coxhead, A. & Hirsh, D. (2007). A pilot science-specific word list. Revue Francaise de Linguistique Appliquee, 12(2), 65–78.
  • Hirsh, D. & Nation, P. (1992). What vocabulary size is needed to read unsimplified texts for pleasure?. Reading in a Foreign Language, 8(2), 689–696.

Other

  • Nakajima, Y., Yamashita, Y., Ueda, K., Shimada, Y. & Hirsh, D. (2012). Developmental process of speech production at the babbling stage: Comparison of Japanese- and English-learning infants, Sound (Kawai Foundation, Japan), 27.
  • Nakajima, Y., Yamashita, Y., Ueda, K., Shimada, Y. & Hirsh, D. (2012). Comparative study of the developmental process of speech production in English-speaking and Japanese-speaking infants, IEICE Technical Report (Japan), 111, 71–75.
  • Woodrow, L., Hirsh, D. & Phakiti, A. (2011). Academic Performance of ESL Graduates from USFP. Research report submitted to University of Sydney Foundation Program, Sydney.
  • Coxhead, A. & Hirsh, D. (Eds). (2011). University of Sydney Papers in TESOL (Special Issue). (Vol. 6), University of Sydney: TESOL Research Network.
  • Read, J. & Hirsh, D. (2006). Establishing National Standards for English Language Levels in Tertiary Institutions. Final report to Education New Zealand on Export Education Levy Project L2, Wellington.
  • Read, J. & Hirsh, D. (2005). English Language Levels for International Students in Tertiary Institutions. Final report to Education New Zealand on Export Education Levy Project E4, Wellington.
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