Yvonne Pratt-Johnson

Professor

EdD, Spanish Education/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Teachers College, Columbia UniversityTeaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, University of California at Los AngelesMEd, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Teachers College, Columbia UniversityMA, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Teachers College, Columbia UniversityMS, Spanish/Linguistics, Georgetown University BA, Spanish/Education , State University of New York at Stony Brook

Yvonne Pratt-Johnson is Professor of Education (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, aka. TESOL) in the Department of Education Specialties. Her teaching and research interests include first and second language acquisition, literacy development for first and second language learners, study abroad as it relates to informed pedagogy, and pedagogical issues associated with English-based creoles and the teaching of “dialect-different” students in a Standard English instructional context.

Across this broad spectrum of topics, and spanning decades of distinguished scholarship, Professor Pratt-Johnson has authored and co-authored scores of book chapters and peer-reviewed articles and has presented conference papers and conducted workshops on five continents, including dozens of keynote speeches. A former Interim Dean and Department Chair at St. John’s, she has also fulfilled numerous administrative roles, including duties under the U.S., New York State, and New York City Departments of Education. The recipient of numerous academic awards and honors, including the 2013 Sigma Delta Phi “Educator of the Year,” Professor Pratt-Johnson has devoted much of her recent work to projects that provide teachers with cultural immersion and language study in key “sender cultures” for today’s U.S. students. To date, these projects have resulted in no fewer than five Fulbright-Hays Awards for junkets under her leadership to Vietnam (2011, 2013) and India (2015, 2017, 2024).

Professor Pratt-Johnson holds a B.A. degree in Spanish/Secondary Education from Stony Brook University, a M.S. degree in Spanish/Linguistics from Georgetown University, and the degrees of M.A. (TESOL), MS. Ed (TESOL), and Ed. D (Spanish Education/TESOL) from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Teaching Interests

Additional areas of interest include fostering interactive classrooms; developing student-centered learning environments; teaching online; teaching in inclusive classrooms; engaging students in the classroom through technology; studying abroad

Research Interests

Second language acquisition, the psychology and sociology of bilingualism; literacy development in first and second language learners; teaching dialect-different students; language variation; and the study of English-based creoles

Courses Taught

EDU

9001

FOUND BILING MULTI SCD LANG ED

EDU

9010

LING TCH OF ENG LANG EXCEP LRN

EDU

9015

STRUCTURE OF THE ENG LANG

Select Publications

Journal Articles

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2015). A collision of practice and the law in US schools and school districts. Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development. vol. 28,

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2015). Stressors experienced by immigrant and other non-native English speaking students in U.S. Schools and their families. Journal of Social Distress. vol. 24,

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2011). Dao Tao Giao Vien Dap Ung Nhu Cau Cua Hoc Sinh O Hoa Ki (Preparing U.S. teachers to meet the needs of their students for the 21st century). Tap Chi Giao Duc (The Journal of Education).

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2008). St. Vincent de Paul’s response to poverty of spirit. The Vincentian Heritage, 28(2), 321-330. . vol. 28, pp. 321-330.

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2008). Promoting acquisition of academic vocabulary in English-medium secondary education in the USA. Estudios de Linguistica Inglesa Aplicada . vol. 8, pp. 205-218.

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2008). Preparing Teachers for Linguistic and Cultural Sensitivity. Teacher Trainer Journal, 21 (3). . vol. 21,

Dunn, R., Y., and A. (2008). Matching styles to learners. The Language Magazine 7 (9), 26-34.. vol. 7, pp. 26-34.

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2007). Helping Students Learn to Learn. Teachers of English in Austria News, Number 58..

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2006). Recitation to re-creation: Guiding ESLers through a new writing process.. The Research and English to Speakers of Other Languages Special Interest Groups of the International Association for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, 17, 38-42. . vol. 17, pp. 38-42.

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2006). Communicating cross-culturally: What every teacher should know. Online Publication: The Internet TESL Journal, 12(2).

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2005). Quantum leaps: New trends in teacher education. International Association for Teachers of English16, 6-10. . vol. 16, pp. 6-10.

Pratt-Johnson, Y., and B. (2005). Psychological factors influencing loss of native languages and cultures in the United States. . Journal of International, Multicultural and Global Education, 5. . vol. 5,

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (1993). Curriculum for Jamaican Creole-speaking students in New York City. World Englishes. vol. 12, pp. 257-264.

Books Chapters

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2007). What if teachers were culturally responsive in the classroom? . In: What If: A Guide to Improving Schools. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. .

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2007). Community college ESL: Jill of all trades. In: Perspectives on Community College ESL Series, Volume 2. . Washington, D.C.: Teaching English As A Second Language (TESOL).

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2006). Teaching Caribbean English Creole speaking students.. In: Dialects, Englishes, Creoles and Education (pp. 119-136). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (1995). The use of Jamaican Creole in the Jamaican classroom and educational implications for the New York City public school and CUNY systems. In: Caribbean Students in New York (pp. 59-71). New York, New York: Caribbean Diaspora Press.

Others

Pratt-Johnson, (2018). Teaching culture through a study abroad experience. . In: The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (This encyclopedia will be published in 8 volumes in print and also online.) .

Pratt-Johnson, Y. (2002). So, this is America! . Dubuque, IA: Kendal-Hunt Press.