Zhupeng Li

UConn Graduate Assistant

Zhupeng Li (he/him) is a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on second language acquisition, task-based language teaching, learner individual differences, technology-enhanced language learning, and sociolinguistics across L2 Chinese and English contexts. His dissertation, “Effects of Task Complexity and Foreign Language Anxiety on Chinese Foreign Language Learners’ Speech Production,” examines how cognitive task demands and foreign language anxiety shape L2 Chinese learners’ oral performance. His recent work also explores automated speech recognition in pronunciation instruction, linguistic landscapes and language identity, and corpus-based patterns in L2 writing. He has presented his research at major conferences including AAAL, ACTFL, CLTA, and SLRF. His publications and scholarly contributions have appeared or are forthcoming in Chinese as a Second Language, TESL-EJ, and AAALGrads.

Zhupeng joined the department in 2022 and has taught a range of Chinese language and culture courses, including Elementary to Advanced Chinese, Language and Identity in Greater China, and Chinese Film. His teaching emphasizes communicative and task-based approaches, cultural integration, and technology-enhanced instruction to support language development, learner engagement, and meaningful communication.