Welcome to iLinguist.net, the blog of Joey Poulshock (aka Dr. Shock), professor, author, photographer, singer-songwriter, and Editor of ReadOasis.com.
With over 20 years experience in language education, Joey is a Professor (of English Linguistics) in the School of International Communication, Department of Intercultural Communication at Senshu University. He also has taught linguistics and language teaching methods in the Teacher Education Program Meiji Gakuin University. Continue reading
Experts claim that extensive reading (ER) is an essential practice in language education. But students often consume texts passively, so how can we help learners engage more actively with stories and texts to deepen comprehension and retention? In this workshop, we’ll apply the MINDSETS Framework, an evidence-based approach that guides learners through eight generative learning strategies: Mapping, Imagining, Narrating (self-explaining), Drawing, Summarizing, Enacting, Teaching, and Self-testing. These strategies move learners beyond passive reading, fostering deeper comprehension, effortful retrieval practice, and long-term retention. Participants will experience hands-on activities using MINDSETS techniques to enrich ER practice, mapping key ideas, summarizing creatively, enacting scenes, peer teaching, and self-testing. Through structured exercises and discussion, attendees will leave with a clear actionable framework and practical, adaptable strategies to enhance ER instruction across various proficiency levels. Whether teaching younger learners or adults, this approach makes ER more interactive, reflective, impactful, and fun.
Presented at the Extensive Reading World Congress, Sunday, September 7, 2025
How can we make language learning more memorable and meaningful? Story-logic—the deep structure of narrative built on character, conflict, and attempted resolution—offers a powerful way to enhance comprehension, motivation, and retention. In this session, we’ll explore how story-logic shapes communication and language learning, synthesizing research on how story-driven input boosts engagement and acquisition. We’ll examine findings showing how story-logic amplifies meaning-making, helping learners understand, enjoy, and retain language more effectively. Participants will gain strategies for using story-logic in teaching. We’ll explore techniques that center on predicament-powered, dilemma-driven, and incident-embedded texts and activities. We’ll also try story-logical retelling for retrieval practice and apply narrative techniques to both fictional and factual output. Whether teaching reading or any other skill, story-logic provides a blueprint for making language learning more compelling and effective. Attendees will leave equipped with practical story-logical tools they can use right away.
Presented at the Extensive Reading World Congress Sunday, September 7, 2025
We presented a second iteration of ULTRA at the Extensive Reading World Congress on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Thank you to all of you who attended!
Extensive reading (ER) floods learners with meaningful language, but how do we ensure it sticks? This session introduces ULTRA—a Unified Linguistic Theory of Real Acquisition—a comprehensive, research-informed framework for how language enters brains and becomes fluent output. ULTRA identifies 16 core elements, including input, story-logic, addictive learning, output, fluency, elaboration, and more. After briefly overviewing ULTRA’s core, we will explore key elements that help teachers strengthen and vary their ER practice. We will examine prompts that help learners retell stories out loud (retrieval) and write short reactions or personal connections to what they read (elaboration). We will also consider gamification tools for tracking progress and recognizing achievements (addictive learning). Educators across levels will find actionable ways to lift ER’s impact—practical shifts, not grand fixes. Leave with a clear framework and effective strategies to help learners retain and enjoy ER more—ready to tweak your classroom tomorrow.
In this talk, we unveil ULTRA — A Unified Linguistic Theory of Real Acquisition. Language learning isn’t just about exposure or practice—it’s about harnessing the power of structured, evidence-based principles. ULTRA integrates the best insights from linguistics and cognitive science, showing how meaningful Input (I), Story-logic (S), Addictive Learning (A), Negotiation (N), Conscious Noticing (C), and Big Linguistic Data (D) lay the foundation for acquisition. But true mastery emerges through Output (O) and is strengthened by Fluency (F), Language Focus (L), Retrieval (R), Mixing (M), Spaced Practice (P), Generation (G), and Elaboration (E). We explore how this framework aligns with Paul Nation’s Four Strands—balancing input, output, fluency, and language focus—to create a complete roadmap for language success. Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, ULTRA offers a research-backed guide to real acquisition and long-term fluency.
Four Strands Activities for Language Learners
Note: this is a rough draft of ULTRA. Please feel free to comment, make suggestions, or criticize.