Sophia Strietholt

My research explores how learners develop a sense of who they are, and who they hope to become, through the process of language learning. My work focuses on the relationship between identity and motivation, examining how learners interpret their experiences, imagine future possibilities, and make decisions about engagement, persistence, and achievement. Situated at the intersection of applied linguistics and language education, my scholarship seeks to connect theoretical understandings of learner development with the realities of language classrooms and educational institutions.

As German Language Program Director, I oversee the undergraduate German curriculum and support the professional development of graduate instructors. I have led initiatives to revise the language sequence, expand student access to instructional materials, and strengthen international partnerships. In recognition of my contributions to language program administration, I received the 2025 AAUSC Language Program Director Innovation Award.

I regularly teach Elementary and Intermediate German, as well as courses on language pedagogy, second language acquisition, grammar, and the psychology of language learning, including Foreign Language Pedagogy: Theories and Practice (GERM 700), Social Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition (GSLL/LING 402), and The Psychology of Language Learning Motivation (GERM 207).

Select Recent Publications

Strietholt, S. (2026). The pedagogy lab: A practice-oriented redesign of the collegiate language
pedagogy seminar. Second Language Research & Practice, 6(1), 80–91.
https://hdl.handle.net/10125/69905

Strietholt, S. (2026). Situating identity-based motivation theory in second language acquisition:
Foundations, comparisons, and implications. Modern Language Journal, 1–16.
https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.70032

Strietholt, S., & Petron, E. (2025). From Pop Psychology to L2 Pedagogy: The ‘Let Them
Theory’ as a Reflective Frame in Applied Linguistics. Applied Linguistics, 46(6), 958–963.
https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amaf058

Strietholt, S., Larson-Guenette, J., & Fox, G. (2024). Using music reviews in the intermediate L2
German classroom: An exploratory lesson in genre-based writing. Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German, 57(1), 5–15.
https://doi.org/10.1111/tger.12266

Specialiaztions

• Applied Linguistics
• Second Language Acquisition
• Language Pedagogy
• Research Methodology

Curriculum Vitae