Zhihui Fang
Professor
About
Dr. Zhihui Fang is Professor of Education in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. One of the most cited researchers in his field, Dr. Fang has authored 5 books, two dozen book chapters, and over 100 refereed journal articles, as well as more than 300 refereed, invited, keynote, and feature presentations at national and international venues. He has served as author, column editor, editorial board member, or guest reviewer for over 40 leading national and international journals in language/literacy education and allied fields. His expertise includes language and literacy education, English teacher education, and functional linguistics in education. His recent research explores different ways knowledge and ideology are constructed through language across different academic disciplines, the challenges these ways of using language present to reading comprehension and written composition, and evidence-based approaches and strategies for addressing these challenges. He has been active in promoting “a linguistically informed, responsive, and embedded pedagogy” for literacy instruction across content areas.
Affiliations
- School of Teaching and Learning
Research Interests
Adolescent Literacy, Critical Literacy, ESOL, Early Childhood, Early Childhood Literacy, Elementary Education, English Education, Language, Language and Literacy Development, Mathematics Education, Middle School / Jr. High, Postsecondary Education, Preservice Teacher Education, Primary / Elementary, Reading, Science Education, Secondary / High School Transition, Social Studies Education, Sociolinguistics, Young Children at Risk
Education
- Ph.D., Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA (1997)
- M.A., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA (1995)
- M.A., Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China (1991)
- B.A., Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian China (1988)
Professional Appointments
- Assistant to Full Professor, University of Florida (1997–present)
Activities and Honors
- UKLA/Wiley Literacy Research Award, United Kingdom Literacy Association (2022)
- University Term Professor, University of Florida (2020-2023)
- Irving & Rose Fien Endowed Professor of Education, University of Florida (2019-2021)
- University Preeminence Term Professor, University of Florida (2016-2019)
- University Research Foundation Professor, University of Florida (2008-2011)
- College of Education Teacher of the Year, University of Florida (1999)
- Promising Researcher, National Council of Teachers of English (1998)
- Outstanding Dissertation Award, Purdue University (1998)
Selected Publications
Articles
- Fang, Z., Gresser, V., Cao, P., & Zhang, H. (2022). Genre and register features of sixth-grade students’ factual writing. Written Communication, 39 https://doi.org/10.1177/07410883221085993
- Fang, Z., Gresser, V., Cao, P., & Zheng, J. (2021). Nominal complexities in school children’s informational writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 50, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.100958
- Park, J., & Fang, Z. (2021). Voice in adolescents’ informational writing. Literacy, 55(3), 191-200. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12244
- Fang, Z., & Chapman, S. (2020). Disciplinary literacy in mathematics: One mathematician’s reading practices. Journal of Mathematical Behaviour, 59, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmathb.2020.100799
- Fang, Z., Cao, P., & Murray, N. (2020). Language and meaning making: Register choices in seventh- and ninth-grade students’ factual writing. Linguistics and Education, 56, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2020.100798
- Fang, Z. (2020). Toward a linguistically informed, responsive and embedded pedagogy in secondary literacy instruction. Journal of World Languages, 6 (1-2), 70-91.
- Fang, Z., & Park, J. (2020). Academic language in adolescents’ informational writing. Reading & Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 33(1), 97-119.
- Fang, Z., Adams, B., Gresser, V., & Li, C. (2019). Developing critical literacy through an SFL-informed pedagogical heuristic. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 18(1), 4-17.
- Fang, Z. (2016). Text complexity in the Common Core State Standards: A linguistic critique. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 39(3). 195-206.
- Fang, Z. (2016). Teaching close reading with complex texts across content areas. Research in the Teaching of English, 51(1), 106-116.
Books / Book Chapters
- Fang, Z. (2021). Demystifying academic writing: Genres, moves, skills, and strategies. London/New York: Routledge.
- Fang, Z. (2021). Using functional grammar in English literacy teaching and learning. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
- Fang, Z. with Lamme, L. & Pringle, R. (2010). Language and literacy in inquiry-based science classrooms: Grades 3-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin & Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press.
- Fang, Z. (2008). Reading in secondary content areas: A language-based pedagogy. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
- Fang, Z., & Colosimo, N. (2022). Promoting science literacy through reading: A disciplinary literacy approach. In E. Ortlieb, B. Kane, & E. Cheek (Eds.), Unpacking disciplinary literacies: From research to practice. New York: Guilford.
- Patrick, J., & Fang, Z. (2022). High school science teachers learning to teach reading through a functional focus on language: Toward a grounded theory of teacher learning. In L. Seah, R. Silver, & M. Baildon (Eds.), The role of language in content pedagogy: A framework for teachers’ knowledge. London: Springer.
- Fang, Z., & Li, G. (2021). Writing in school science for EAL students: Linguistic challenges and pedagogical response. In A. Golden, L. Kulbrandstad, & L. Zhang (Eds.). Cross boarders, writing texts, being evaluated: Cultural and disciplinary norms in academic writing (pp. 64-83). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
- Fang, Z. (2017). Academic language and subject area learning. In K. Hinchman & D. Appleman (Eds.), Adolescent literacy handbook of practice-based research (pp. 323-340). New York: Guilford.