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Assistant Professor

Kenneth ONG

Director, Centre for Professional Communication
Assistant Professor
PhD Education (Applied Linguistics), University of Auckland, New Zealand
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Biography

Dr. Kenneth Ong is Director of the Centre for Professional Communication and Assistant Professor. He received his Ph.D. degree in Education (Applied Linguistics) from The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Previously, he was Senior Lecturer and Assistant Chair of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University taking charge of the school's IT, facility and administrative functions. He also spearheaded educational technology initiatives as the school's Technology-Enhanced Learning Coordinator. He has published articles in impactful journals such as System (Elsevier), Journal of Psycholinguistic Research (Springer), Discourse Studies (Sage), Language and Education (Routledge), English Today (Cambridge University Press), RELC Journal (Sage) and World Englishes (Wiley), as well as edited books and book chapters published by Routledge, Springer, John Benjamins, Multilingual Matters and CRC Press, Taylor and Francis. His main research interests centre around technical and professional communication, English for specific purposes, codeswitching and computer-mediated communication. He’s currently an advisory committee member of the School of Life Skills and Communication, Singapore Polytechnic. 

SIT Appointments

  • Director, Centre for Professional Communication
    – Present
  • Assistant Professor
    – Present
  • Director, Centre for Communication Skills
    –

Education

  • PhD Education (Applied Linguistics)
    University of Auckland , New Zealand
  • MA Applied Linguistics
    Nanyang Technological University , Singapore
  • BA Education (English Language & Literature) (Hons)
    Nanyang Technological University , Singapore

Achievements

  • Recipient of Singapore Millennium Foundation Grant (SGD671,250) as Principal Investigator, "Mobile Education Networked Tutoring on Request"
    –
  • Recipient of CRADLE@NTU Start-Up Grant (SGD30,000) as Principal Investigator, "Mobile Education Networked Tutoring on Request"
    –
  • School of Curriculum and Pedagogy Postgraduate Research Award (PhD Scholarship Award), University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • Recipient of NTU EdeX Learning & Teaching Project Grant (SGD25,000) as Principal Investigator, "Virtual Language Table: A smartphone app to enhance collaborative language learning"
    –
  • Dean’s Commendation for Research Award, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
  • Dean’s Commendation for Research Award, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

Professional Memberships

  • Singapore Association for Applied Linguistics
    – Present
  • International Association of Applied Linguistics (Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée or AILA)
    – Present

Corporate Experience

  • Research Fellow, University of the Free State, Republic of South Africa
    Present
  • Invited Professional Workshop Speaker, "How to write an employer-targeted cover letter to secure a job interview", for the National Library Board, Singapore and the Speak Good English Movement, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
    –
  • Invited Professional Workshop Speaker, "How to write an impactful resume that stands out to employers" for the National Library Board, Singapore and the Speak Good English Movement, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
    –
  • Member, Student Leadership Development Committee, President's Office, Nanyang Technological University
    –
  • Invited Professional Workshop Speaker, “Ace your proposal! Tips on writing winning proposals”, for the National Library Board, Singapore and the Speak Good English Movement, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
    –
  • Invited Speaker, ‘Textese and Singlish in multiparty chats’ at the 2nd Joint Malaysian Association for Applied Linguistics-Singapore Association for Applied Linguistics Symposium 2016, University of Malaya, Malaysia
    –
  • Assistant Chair of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University
    –
  • Invited Keynote Speaker, ‘Linguistic borrowings across English, French and Arabic’, at the Arabic Language and Culture Seminar co-organised by Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, National Library Board and Nanyang Technological University
    –
  • Supervisor, Nanyang Research Programme
    –
  • Honorary Secretary, Singapore Association for Applied Linguistics (SAAL), 2014-2018; Institutional Representative for NTU SAAL Members, 2011-2019; Executive Committee Member, SAAL, 2011-2019
    –
  • Mentor, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Programme
    –
  • Senior Lecturer, Nanyang Technological University
    –
  • Supervisor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences Professional Attachment Programme
    –
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Research Interests

  • English for Specific Purposes
  • Computer-Mediated Communication
  • Codeswitching
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Journal Papers

  • Rahimi, M., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2023) Exploring expert teachers' cognitions and practices of teaching English speaking and students' experiences and engagement. System, 115, Article 103064.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103064 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed Q1]

  • Kathpalia, S. S., Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Leong, A. P. (2020). Communication needs of science graduate students. RELC Journal, 51(2), 227-243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218822152 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Zhang, L. J. (2018). The effects of code- switched reading tasks on late-bilingual EFL learners’ vocabulary recall, retention and retrieval. System, 72(1), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2017.10.008 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2017). Raising and assessing second language vocabulary fluency. Contact, 43(3), 25-29. http://contact.teslontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ong-VocabFluency.pdf

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2017). Textese and Singlish in multiparty chats. World Englishes, 36(4), 611-630. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12245 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Kathpalia, S. S., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2015). The use of code-mixing in Indian billboard advertising. World Englishes, 34(4), 557-575. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12159 [SSCI- Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, Ghesquière, J. F., & Serwe, S. K. (2013). Frenglish shop signs in Singapore. English Today, 29(3), 19-25. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078413000278 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2012). Review of the book Cognitive bases of second language fluency by N. Segalowitz .Language and Education, 26(3), 263-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2011.629026 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2011). Disagreement, confusion, disapproval, turn elicitation and floor holding: Actions as accomplished by ellipsis marks-only turns and blank turns in quasisynchronous chats. Discourse Studies, 13(2), 211-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445610392138 [SSCI-Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Zhang, L. J. (2010). Metalinguistic filters within the bilingual language faculty: A study of young English-Chinese bilinguals. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 39(3): 243-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-009-9137-z [SSCI- Indexed, Scopus-Indexed, Q1]

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2007). Using Chat Lingo as a Teaching Scaffold in English Language Learning, SAAL Quarterly, 77, 9-10.

Conferences

  • Kathpalia, S. S., Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Leong, A. P. (2019). Understanding scientific writing conventions through an interplay between genre analysis and argumentation. Refereed paper presented at the 54th RELC International Conference and 5th Asia-Pacific LSP and Professional Communication Association, 11-13 Mar, 2019, SEAMEO RELC, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Kathpalia, S. S. (2017). Understanding scientific writing conventions through an interplay between genre analysis and argumentation. Refereed paper presented at the Symposium on Teaching and Research on Academic Writing, Reading and Thinking, 29 Sep, 2017, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Kathpalia, S., S. (2017). Interaction between generic structure and argumentation in student proposals. Refereed paper presented at the Faces of English 2: Teaching and Researching Academic and Professional English Conference, 1-3 Jun, 2017, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Heah, C. L. H. (2016). Interactive mental imagery strategy in raising metaphorical competence. Refereed paper presented at the 5th Centre for English Language Communication Symposium, 25-27 May, 2016, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2015). French, Italian, German and Spanish linguistic fetish in Singapore’s residential names. Refereed paper presented at the Rethinking Language, Diversity and Education conference, 28-30 May, 2015, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece.

  • Zhang, L. J., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2015). Exploring Lexical Inferencing through Codeswitched Reading Texts for Late Bilinguals' Vocabulary Learning. Refereed paper presented at the fourth combined conference of the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA), the Applied Linguistics Association of New Zealand (ALANZ) and the Association for Language Testing and Assessment of Australia and New Zealand (ALTAANZ), 30 Nov – 2 Dec, 2015, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.

  • McCloskey, K., Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, Ghesquière, J. F., & Pang, S. W. (2014). ‘Virtual Language Table’ – A smartphone app to enhance collaborative language learning. 8th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED2014), 10-12 March, 2014, International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), Hotel Meliá Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

  • Kathpalia, S. S., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2013). “Utterly Butterly”: Hinglish on Amul Butter’s Legendary Hoardings, refereed paper presented at the 9th International Symposium on Bilingualism (ISB9), 10-13 June 2013, Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, Ghesquière, J. F., & Serwe, S. K. (2012). Corpus Analysis of Glocalized French/French-Inspired Shop Names of Food and Beauty Businesses in Singapore, refereed paper presented at the Annual International Conference on Language, Literature and Linguistics (L3 2012), 9-10 July 2012, Global Science and Technology Forum, Hotel Fort Canning, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2012). EFL Vocabulary Learning through codeswitched reading tasks, refereed paper presented at the 2nd Auckland Postgraduate Conference on Linguistics/Applied Linguistics, 30 June, 2012, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Zhang, L. J. (2012). Code-switching among English- Chinese bilinguals as part of classroom discourse, refereed paper presented at the Joint Annual South African Applied Linguistics Association (SAALA)/ Linguistic Society of Southern Africa (LSSA)/South African Association of Language Teachers (SAALT) International Conference, 25-29 June, 2012, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa.

  • Heah, C. L. H., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2011). Genre-Based Teaching and Vygotsky’s Principles of Learning in an EFL Research Writing Course, refereed paper to be presented at the CERLIS Conference on Genre Variation in English Academic Communication: Emerging Trends and Disciplinary Insights, 23-25 June, 2011, University of Bergamo, Italy.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Heah, C. L. H. (2011). Metaphorical Competence as an Aspect of Writing Ability, refereed paper presented at the inaugural Language and Communication Centre Roundtable on Academic Writing, 1-2 December, 2011, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Heah, C. L. H. (2011). Scaffolding Metaphor Interpretation Strategies for ESL Students, refereed paper to be presented at the 16th World Congress of Applied Linguistics (AILA/International Association of Applied Linguistics), 23-28 August, 2011, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, Tan, M. H., Pathak, A., & Situmeang, A. (2010). Discourse Moves as Predictors of Emergent Leader Behavior in Online Collaboration, refereed paper presented at the 3rd CELC Symposium: Global Perspectives, Local Initiatives: Reflections and Practices in ELT, 26-28 May, 2010, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

  • Ghesquière, J. F., Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Serwe, S. K. (2010). Glocalized French in Commercial Signs in Singapore, refereed paper presented at the International Conference on Minority and Majority: Language, Cultural and Identity, 23-24 November 2010, Hilton Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Kathpalia, S. S. (2010). The Role of Schema in Floor Movements of Multi-Party Task-Based Online Discussions, refereed paper presented at the 3rd CELC Symposium: Global Perspectives, Local Initiatives: Reflections and Practices in ELT, 26-28 May, 2010, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2008). Functional-Lexical Code-Paired Norms of Mandarin-English Bilinguals, refereed paper presented at the 41st Annual Conference of the British Association for Applied Linguistics: Taking the Measure of Applied Linguistics, 11-13 September, 2008, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2008). Pragmatic Versatility of Omission in Group Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication, refereed paper presented at the 13th Annual International Conference on English in South-East Asia, 4-6 December, 2008, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2006). Using Chat Lingo as a Teaching Scaffold in English Language Learning, refereed paper presented at the Annual International CELEA (China English Language Education Association) Conference on ELT: Communicative Language Teaching and Other Approaches, 11-14 November, 2006, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou City, Guangdong, China.

Books

  • Bolton, K., Kathpalia, S. S., See, E. K., Lam, T. E. S., Leong, P. A., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2018). HW0228 Scientific Communication II: Student’s Course Guide. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-5549-6

  • Bolton, K., Kathpalia, S. S., See, E. K., Lam, T. E. S., Leong, P. A., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2017). HW0128 Scientific Communication I: Student’s Course Guide. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-1383-3056-6

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Kathpalia, S. S. (2016). Argumentation and floor management in computer-supported collaborative learning. In R. Breeze & C. S. Guinda (Eds.), Essential competencies for English medium university teaching (pp. 201-218). New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40956-6_14

  • Leong, E. C., Heah, C. L. H., & Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee (2015). Guide to research projects for engineering students: Planning, writing and presenting. Abingdon: CRC Press (Taylor and Francis). ISBN 9781482238778

  • Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, Zhang, L. J., & Martin, I. P. (2013). Code- switching in universities in Singapore and the Philippines. In. R. Barnard & J. McLellan (Eds.), Codeswitching in university English-medium classes: Asian perspectives (pp. 163-185). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783090914-011

  • Serwe, S. K., Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee, & Ghesquiere, J. F. (2013). “Bon appétit, Lion City”: The use of French in naming restaurants in Singapore. In C. Gerhardt, S. Ley & M. Frobenius (Eds.), Culinary Linguistics: The Chef’s Special (pp. 281-304). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/clu.10.12ser

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Teaching Modules

Aircraft Systems Engineering, BEng (Hons)

  • ASE2205 - Technical Writing and Effective Communication

Speech and Language Therapy, BSc (Hons)

  • SLT1101 - Speech and Communication 1

Accountancy, B (Hons)

  • ACC2904 - Career and Professional Development 1 (Career Development Skills)
  • ACC3902 - Career and Professional Development II (The Art of Asking Questions)

Hospitality Business, B (Hons)

  • BHB2803 - Career and Professional Development 2

Food Technology, BFoodTech(Hons)

  • FTE2024 - Career & Professional Development

Computer Engineering, BEng (Hons)

  • TLM2011 - Career Professional Development

Past

  • PHE1036 - Career and Professional Development I
  • SIE2901 - Career and Professional Development
  • MME2182 - Career and Professional Development
  • ICT2901 - Career and Professional Development I
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