Mark earned a bachelor of art in Japanese Teaching (1998) and a master's degree in TESOL (2001) from Brigham Young University. After working full-time for three years at BYU's English Language Center in Provo, Utah, he moved with his family to New Zealand where he earned a doctorate degree in second language teaching and learning from the University of Auckland (2008). His area of particular professional interest is second language writing. He has been a member of TESOL since 2000 and has been a member of Hawaii TESOL since coming to BYU–Hawaii in 2007. He loves teaching and working with the international community that is on campus here at BYU–Hawaii.
EDUCATION
2007 Ph.D., Second Language Teaching and Learning, University of Auckland
Research supervisor: Rod Ellis
Thesis title: Second language writing from sources: And ethnographic study of an argument essay task
2001 M.A., TESOL, Brigham Young University
Award: Outstanding Thesis Award
Thesis title: First language dependence in second language writing: Applying the Threshold Hypothesis to ESL writing
1998 B.A., Japanese Teaching, Brigham Young University
Minor: History
Certification: Formerly licensed public school teacher in Utah
UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE
Dean Faculty of Education and Social Work, BYU–Hawaii (2021-2022)
Professor Brigham Young University–Hawaii (2020-present)
Director Edward D. Smith Center for Learning and Teaching, BYU–Hawaii (2020)
Associate Director Edward D. Smith Center for Learning and Teaching, BYU–Hawaii (2017-2020)
Dean College of Human Development, BYU–Hawaii (2014-2016)
Associate Professor Brigham Young University–Hawaii (2012-2020)
Program Coordinator English as an International Language program, BYU–Hawaii (2007-2012)
Assistant Professor Brigham Young University–Hawaii (2006-2012)
Lecturer Auckland Institute of Studies at St. Helens, Auckland, New Zealand (2004-2006)
Writing Coordinator English Language Center, Brigham Young University (2001-2004)
Instructor English Language Center, Brigham Young University (1999-2001)
Substitute Teacher Japanese and ESL at Timpview High School (1998)
Music Instructor Timpview High School Marching Band (1996-1998)
COURSES TAUGHT
BYU–Hawaii (2007-present)
EIL 213 – Intermediate 1 Listening and Speaking
EIL 223 – Intermediate 2 Listening and Speaking
EIL 225 – Intermediate 2 Church Language
EIL 227 – Intermediate 2 Writing
EIL 310 – Academic English 1 (4-skills Integrated class)
EIL 317 – Academic English 1 – Reading and Writing
EIL 320 – Academic English 2 (4-skills Integrated class)
EIL 329 – Advanced 2 Adjunct (Integrated-skills class linked to a university GE class)
EIL 329 – English for Academic Purposes 2 (Integrated Reading and Writing class)
EIL 335 – English Pronunciation
EIL 341 – Academic Vocabulary Development
EIL 343 – Advanced Grammar
EIL 351 – Academic Listening
EIL 371 – Written Accuracy
GE 110 – Critical Inquiry and Analysis
Linguistics 210 – Introduction to Linguistics
Linguistics 260 – Phonology
Linguistics 331 – Sociolinguistics
TESOL 240 – Introduction to TESOL
TESOL 375 – Observation in TESOL
TESOL 391R – TESOL International Convention
TESOL 424 – Teaching Listening
TESOL 426 – Teaching Grammar
TESOL 427 – Teaching Listening and Speaking
TESOL 429 – Teaching Writing
Center for Learning and Teaching Colloquium on Teaching (Teacher training for university faculty)
English for Academics (Faculty training to integrate language support into university courses)
Auckland Institute of Studies at St. Helens (2004-2006)
Study Writing
Introduction to Linguistics
BYU (1999-2004)
Linguistics 440 – Principles of Language Acquisition
Numerous English Language Center courses at varying levels of English proficiency (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, Grammar, TOEFL prep)
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Editor TESL Reporter (2008-2013)
President Hawaii TESOL (2008-2010)
Board Member Hawaii TESOL (2007-present)
AWARDS
BYU–Hawaii Teacher of the Year (2018)
Bright Futures Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship (2004)
UNVIVERSITY SERVICE
Hotel and Tourism Management program review – external committee member (2020)
TESOL program review – department committee (2019)
University Promotion and Review Committee (2011-2014)
EIL program revision chair (2011)
Political Science program review – external committee member (2010)
EIL program revision chair (2008)
PUBLICATIONS
Wolfersberger, M. (2024). Using a teach-each-other pedagogy to train preservice grammar teachers: The impact on beliefs. [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Pack, A., Barrett, A., Carter, S., Escalante, J., & Wolfersberger, M. (2024). How well can GPT-4 utilize a rubric for evaluating ESL learners’ writing compared to trained human raters? Insights from a multi-facet Rasch model analysis. [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Wolfersberger, M. (2020). Surviving the promotion and tenure process. In C. Coombe, N. Anderson, & L. Stephenson (Eds.), Professionalizing your English language teaching (pp. 407-418). New York, NY: Springer.
Wolfersberger, M. (2018). Plagiarism and academic dishonesty. In J. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. DOI: 10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0629
Wolfersberger, M. & Coombe, C. (2015). Integrated reading and writing assessment: History, processes, and challenges. In N. Evans, N. Anderson, & W. Eggington (Eds.), ESL readers and writers in U.S. higher education: Understanding challenges, providing support. New York: Routledge.
Wolfersberger, M. (2014). Rating and raising word knowledge. In A. Coxhead (Ed.), New ways in teaching vocabulary (revised edition). Alexandria, VA: TESOL Press.
Wolfersberger, M. (2013). Refining the construct of classroom-based writing-from-readings assessment: The role of task representation. Language Assessment Quarterly, 10, 49-72.
Evans, N. W., Hartshorn, K. J., McCollum, R. M., & Wolfersberger, M. (2010). Contextualizing corrective feedback in second language writing pedagogy. Language Teaching Research, 14(4), 445-463.
Wolfersberger, M. (2009). Nice tower, but it may fall down: A game for teaching modals of probability. In M. S. Andrade (Ed.), Language games: Innovative activities for teaching English (pp. 143-150). Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Wolfersberger, M. (2009). Second language writing from sources: An ethnographic study of an argument essay task. Saarbruken, Germany: VDM.
Francom, G., Bybee, D., Wolfersberger, M., Mendenhall, A., & Merrill, M. D. (2009). A task-centered approach to freshman-level general biology. Bioscene, Journal of College Biology Teaching, 35(1), 66-73.
Francom, G., Bybee, D., Wolfersberger, M., & Merrill, M. D. (2009). Biology 100: A task-centered, peer-interactive redesign. Tech Trends, 53(3), 35-42.
Wolfersberger, M. (2005). Examining the interactions between reading and writing in a second language. Kansas Journal of Reading, 21, 15-24.
Wolfersberger, M. (2004). Creating a writing portfolio assessment system. In Proceedings of the Centre for Research in International Education International Conference. Auckland, New Zealand: AIS St. Helens.
Wolfersberger, M. (2003). L1 to L2 Writing Process and Strategy Transfer: A look at lower proficiency writers. TESL-EJ [On-line Serial], 7(2), Available at
L1 to L2 Writing Process and Strategy Transfer: A Look at Lower Proficiency Writers
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
Wolfersberger, M. (2013). A complex case of simple plagiarism. Presentation given for the Department of Languages and Applied Linguistics at Hawaii Pacific University, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Wolfersberger, M., Crookes, G., & Ford, S. (2011). Implementing the SIOP Model in Elementary Classes. Workshop presented for the Hawaii Department of Education.
Wolfersberger, M., Crookes, G., & Nojii, F. (2010). Language Support for ELLs in Mainstream Secondary Classes. Workshop presented for the Hawaii Department of Education.
Wolfersberger, M. & Wolfersberger, R. (2000). Supporting ESL Writers in Mainstream Classrooms. Workshop presented for the California Writing Project.
SELECTED PEER REVIEWED PRESENTATIONS
Wolfersberger, M. (2024). A sociocultural teach-each-other pedagogy for training grammar teachers. A presentation given at the annual TESOL International Convention, Tampa, Florida.
Wolfersberger, M. (2022). The impact of an intensive noticing practice pedagogy on grammar learning. A presentation for the annual conference of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
Wolfersberger, M. (2020). Impact of explicit grammatical instruction on students’ grammatical accuracy. A presentation given at the annual Hawaii-TESOL conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Marcum, J., Anderson, N., & Wolfersberger M. (2020). From Teaching to Learning: Improving Classroom Participation and Think Rigor Through an Intensive Faculty Development Program. A presentation given at the Intermountain Consortium for Faculty Development annual conference, Provo, Utah.
Wolfersberger, M. (2019). Teaching explicit grammatical knowledge: What I am doing and why. A presentation given at the annual Hawaii-TESOL conference, Laie, Hawaii.
Wolfersberger, M., Bronson, A., Bunker, E., & Wallace, A. (2013). Using technology to achieve excellence in vocabulary learning. A pre-convention institute given at the 47th TESOL Convention and English Language Expo, Dallas, Texas.
Wolfersberger, M. (2011). The latest trends in academic vocabulary. A presentation given at the annual Hawaii-TESOL conference, Laie, Hawaii.
Anderson, N. J., Tarawhiti, N., & Wolfersberger, M. (2010). What does explicit strategy instruction look like in the classroom?. A pre-convention institute given at the 44th TESOL Convention, Boston, Massachusetts.
Anderson, N. J., Tarawhiti, N., & Wolfersberger, M. (2009). Explicit strategy instruction in second language teaching and learning. A pre-convention institute given at the 43rd TESOL Convention, Denver, Colorado.
Yu, G., Sawaki, Y., Quinlan, T. Cushing Weigle, S., Yang, W., Wolfersberger, M., & Cumming A. (2009). The use of integrated reading/writing tasks: International, institutional, and instructional perspectives. A symposium given at the Language Testing and Research Colloquium, Denver, Colorado.
Anderson, N. J., Harsch, K., Norris, G., Riley, L., Tarawhiti, N., & Wolfersberger, M. (2008). Explicit strategy instruction in second language teaching and learning. A pre-convention institute given at the 42nd TESOL Convention, New York, NY.
Wolfersberger, M. (2007). A tentative theory of task representation in L2 writing. Presentation given at the Symposium on Second Language Writing, Nagoya, Japan.
CV Last Revised June,2024
