Shengkai Yin
PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne/Shanghai Jiao Tong University
About
I am a joint PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. My research interests include language assessment, rating scale development and validation, classroom-based assessment, and critical thinking ability. I was the recipient of Duolingo Dissertation Research Award in Language Assessment in 2022, British Council Assessment Research Award in 2023, and TOEFL/ILTA (International Language Testing Association) Travel Grant Award in 2024.
Here is my CV. You can reach me at [email protected] or DM me on LinkedIn.
Employment
Guesting Lecturer 2024 - current
Federation University Australia, Institute of Education, Arts, and Community
Sessional Academic Tutor 2023 - current
The University of Melbourne, School of Languages and Linguistics
Research Assistant 2023 - current
The University of Melbourne, Language Testing Research Center
Lecturer (T&R, full-time) 2019 – 2020
Shanghai Polytechnic University, School of Foreign Languages and Cultural Communication
TOEFL Instructor (part-time) 2017 – 2019
New Oriental Educational and Teaching Group, Shanghai, China
Awards & Grants
Year: 2024
• University of Melbourne Research Essential Grant (AUD 5,990) • TOEFL/ITLA Student Travel Grant (USD 2,500)
Year: 2023
• University of Melbourne Graduate Research in Arts Travel Scheme (AUD 1,500) • Research and Graduate Studies Grant (Languages and Linguistics) (AUD 2,000) • British Council Assessment Research Awards (GBP 2,500) • Graduate Researcher Prize Scholarship; Outstanding Student Award; First Prize, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Scholarship (CNY 5,000)
Year: 2022
• Duolingo Dissertation Research Awards in Language Assessment (USD 6,000)
Year: 2020
• Seed Funding of Shanghai Jiao Tong University- The University of Melbourne Joint PhD Program (Fellowship) (WH610160507/047) (AUD 20,000)
Research
Publications
A. Peer-reviewed Journal Articles
Yin, S., Fan, J., Jin, Y., & Stapleton, P. (2024). Towards a framework of critical thinking for assessing EAP speaking. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 1-14.
[SSCI, Q1 in Linguistics and Education, JIF: 3.1]
Yin, S., Guo, K., & Li, D. (2024). To Assign a Topic or Not: Examining Critical Thinking in English as a Foreign Language Speaking. RELC Journal, 1-14.
[SSCI, Q1 in Linguistics, JIF: 3.6]
Sun, Q., Chen, F., & Yin, S. (2023). The role and features of peer assessment feedback in college English writing. Frontiers in Psychology, 13:1070618, 1-16.
[SSCI, Q1 in Psychology, JIF: 3.8]
Yin, S. & Jin, Y. (2022).The effect of critical thinking on the performances of integrated speaking assessments. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching, 327 (6): 66-77.
[CSSCI-indexed, Top journal in China]
Yin, S., Chen, F., & Chang, H. (2022). Assessment as learning: How does peer assessment function in students’ learning? Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 912568, 1-14.
[SSCI, Q1 in Psychology, JIF: 3.8]
Sun, H. & Yin, S. (2022). Review of Language Aptitude: Advancing Theory, Testing, Research and Practice. Assessing Writing, 51 (1)：1-4.
[SSCI, Q1 in Linguistics, JIF: 4.2]
B. Conference papers
Yin, S. (2024). Conceptualizing and operationalizing the construct of critical thinking in EAP speaking: The development and validation of a rating scale. In Proceedings of the 45th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) 2024, Innsbruck, Austria. Research paper presentation.
Yin, S., Jin, Y., & Fan, J. (2024) Understanding critical thinking in EAP speaking: Evidence from the CET-SET6. Academic Forum on English Language Testing in Asia (AFELTA) 2024, Singapore. Research paper presentation.
Yin, S. (2023). Assessing critical thinking in EAP speaking: Design and validation of a rating scale. In Proceedings of the 44th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) 2023, New York City, United States. presentation.
Yin, S. (2022). Assessing critical thinking in EAP speaking: Development and validation of a rating scale. In Proceedings of the 8th Annual International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA) 2022, Chennai, India. poster, slides.
Sun, Q., Chen, F. & Yin, S. (2022). Understanding diversified evaluation in ESL writing classroom: An insight from effectiveness of peer assessment feedback. New Direction 2022, British Council, England. Slides.
Yin, S. (2021). Investigating the Relationships Between Test Takers’ Critical Thinking Ability and Their Performances on Speaking Task：A Case Study of TOEFL Integrated Speaking Task. In Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Applied Linguistics (AILA) 2021, Groningen, the Netherlands. poster, slides.
Yin, S. (2021). Validating dynamic assessment: an argument-based approach. In Proceedings of The Sixth Conference on Language Testing and Assessment 2021, pp.42. Shanghai, China. paper, slides.
Yin, S. & Chen, F. (2021). Assessing by peers: How it benefits students’ learning. In Proceedings of the 7th Annual International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA) 2021, Seoul, Korea. paper, slides.
Yin, S. (2020). On Integrated Speaking Test Performance and its Relation with Critical Thinking: A Case Study of TOEFL Integrated Speaking Task. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Language Testing and Assessment. Guangzhou, China. paper, slides.
C. Translation book
Yang, M. & Yin, S. (2020). Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons. Shanghai: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. ISBN: 978-7-5642-3580-2/F· 3580
Work in Progress
Assessing Critical Thinking in EAP Speaking: Development and Validation of a Rating Scale
(with Yan Jin, Jason Fan, and Ute Knoch)
Investigating Critical Thinking in Chatbot Supported Group Discussion
(with Kai Guo and Deliang Wang)
Integrating Critical Thinking in EAP Writing
(with Chengyuan Yu and Peng Xin)
Presentation versus Discussion: A Sequential Analysis of Critical Thinking in EAP Speaking
Teaching
Current:
Federation University Australia, Institute of Education, Arts, and Community (Post Graduate Education) Phonetics, Phonology and Oral Communication (EDBSP1023)
The University of Melbourne, School of Languages and Linguistics
Academic English 1 (ESLA10003), Advanced Self-Editing (ESLA90002) at undergraduate level and Language Assessment (LING 9009) at postgraduate level.
Previous:
Shanghai Polytechnic University, School of Foreign Languages and Cultural Communication
General Academic English, Introduction to Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition and Language Assessment and Pedagogy at undergraduate level.
Service
• Interim reviewer and final report evaluator for National Education Examinations Authority – British Council English Assessment Research Grants, 2020-2024. • Reviewer of the 11th and 12th British Council New Directions in Language Assessment East Asia, July 2023, 2024. • Ad-hoc Reviewer for Journals: “Foreign Languages and Their Teaching”; “TESOL Journal”; “Assessing Writing” ; “Journal of Language Teaching” • Academic contributor to the project “Linking China’s Standards of English Language Ability to College English Test Band 4 and 6”, January 17- February 7, 2021. • Academic contributor to the project “Construction of China’s Standards of English Language Ability Speaking Subscales Descriptors”, 2020. • ILTA (International Language Testing Association) Graduate Student Assembly Steering Committee • AALA (Asian Association for Language Assessment) Student Committee Member, Public Relation Officer - Manage operational activities (e.g., engaging student members, encouraging membership, offering on-site support for events) - Active participation in discussions and provide feedback on proposed initiatives - Edit the In Conversation Series - Draft the cover page report for the seventh conference of AALA • Member in ALTAANZ (Association for Language Testing and Assessment of Australia and New Zealand) Reference Group 2022-2024 - Help editorial team to enhance the journal, Studies in Language Assessment - Support the ALTAANZ Executive Committee - Work with the Student Representatives to build a strong ALTAANZ student community