Dr. Dorothy Worden

Dr. Dorothy Worden is an accomplished scholar in the field of Applied Linguistics, with a focus on second language (L2) writing teacher cognition, genre-based approaches to academic writing instruction, and sociocultural theory. She currently serves as a faculty member in the Department of English at The University of Alabama, where she has been contributing since 2016.

Dr. Worden's academic journey began with an MA in Composition and Rhetoric from Washington State University in 2008. She then pursued a PhD in Applied Linguistics at Penn State University, completing it in 2015. Her research is heavily influenced by her experiences in teaching and tutoring writing, which ignited her interest in understanding and improving the pedagogical methods of L2 writing instructors.

Her research interests include examining the professional development of novice L2 writing teachers. Dr. Worden's notable publication, “Mediation and development of a novice L2 writing teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge of genre,” published in the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, explores the intricate processes involved in L2 writing teacher training and development.

At The University of Alabama, Dr. Worden teaches courses related to her research interests, including L2 writing pedagogy and genre-based approaches to writing instruction. She is also involved in innovative projects such as the Writing Center study, which investigates what tutors learn through their work, and her participation in the Discourse Lab, a collaborative effort with faculty from various disciplines aimed at advancing research in language and communication.

Dr. Worden’s contributions to academia extend beyond her research. She actively mentors pre-service ESL writing teachers, providing them with frameworks to investigate and teach unfamiliar genres, thereby preparing them for the dynamic challenges of their future teaching careers.