Dr. Luzia Sauer

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Portrait photo of Dr. Luzia Sauer

Dozentin

Fremdsprachen

Centre for Education and Digital Transformation

PH Zurich
Lagerstrasse 2
8090 Zurich

+41 43 305 64 92

luzia.sauer@phzh.ch

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About

Growing up in a family that loved to travel, Luzia developed a fascination for foreign languages and cultures early on. As a child, she found it frustrating when language barriers prevented her from interacting with peers – for example, when she had to rely on her parents to ask simple questions while on holiday. At sixteen she decided to change that and spent a year as an exchange student at a high school in New Zealand – an experience that had a lasting impact on her life.

This journey also shaped Luzia’s professional path. She chose to study English and German at the University of Zurich and completed a year-long assistant teachership in England as part of her teaching qualification. After graduating, she worked primarily in vocational education as an English teacher. Driven by a desire for further intercultural experiences, she took a leap at the age of thirty and moved back to New Zealand to complete her PhD in Applied Linguistics under Rod Ellis.

Today, her work at the Zurich University of Teacher Education focuses on second language development in all its facets – both in teaching and in research.

Focus on research, teaching, services

My research focuses on spoken second language development in children and adolescents, language learning motivation, the professional development of foreign language teachers, educational technology, and the visualization of educational topics.

I teach English and ELT methodology to future secondary school English teachers, and guide them in refining their practical teaching skills in authentic training settings as a coach.

Publications

  • Sauer, Luzia (2017)Second language development, language learning motivation and language learning opportunities: A longitudinal case study of German high school exchange students in New Zealand. Unpublished PhD thesis. ResearchSpace@Auckland.

    • Michot, Janick; Hürlimann, Manuela; Deriu, Jan; Sauer, Luzia; Mlynchyk, Katsiaryna; Cieliebak, Mark (2024)Error-preserving Automatic Speech Recognition of Young English Learners’ Language.

    • Sauer, Luzia (2022)Let them perform actions: Using input-based tasks for authentic language use in the EFL classroom. ETAS journal.

    • Sauer, Luzia (2020)Linguistic and motivational changes of a German adolescent student in New Zealand. Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education 5(2): 175-201.

    • Sauer, Luzia; Ellis, Rod (2019)The Social Lives of Adolescent Study Abroad Learners and Their L2 Development. The Modern Language Journal 103 (4): 739–762.

    Projects

    Teaching (training)

    ELT Coaching and Classroom Research (EN.Q711)
    ELT Methodology 1 (EN.S210)
    ELT Supervision and Exchange (EN.Q520)
    Language Competence C1.1 (EN.Q110)
    Language Competence C1.2 (EN.Q120)
    Language Competence C2.1 (EN.Q130)
    Language Competence C2.1 (EN.S130)

    Teaching (continuing education)

    Creative Writing for English Language Teaching (142703.01)

    Further information

    Language Education

    • From Concept to Classroom Insights into Designing Chatbots for Primary English Language Learning. 22. Januar 2025

      Symposium: Navigating Generative AI in Education Risks, Rewards, and the Role of Explainability.

      Universität Zürich

    • Boosting English Speaking Skills with a Chatbot for Children. 27. Juni 2024

      2nd International Education Conference IECONF.

      Berlin

      • Developing ChaLL: A digital speaking companion for language learners. 1. September 2023

        Language Learning and Teaching in Digital Transformation Conference.

        PH Luzern

      • The ChaLL Project: Developing a Voice Bot for Practising a Foreign Language. 14. Juni 2023

        Poster-Präsentation. 8th Swiss Text Analytics Conference.

        ZHAW, Neuchâtel

      • Developing ChaLL: Towards a voice-based chatbot for language learners. 8. Juni 2023

        Evidence-based foreign language learning – Multilingualism in Education Conference.

        FHNW

        • Motivation und professionelle Entwicklung von Fremdsprachenlehrkräften (MoProD) in der Ausbildung von Englisch- und Französischlehrpersonen für die Sekundarstufe I an der PH Zürich. 22. September 2021

          DGFF Duisburg-Essen: Standortbestimmungen.

          Universität Duisburg-Essen

          • Linguistic and social challenges for German high school students in New Zealand. 11. Juni 2021

            VALS-ASLA Study Day.

            PH St. Gallen

          • Englisch ist für mich einfach katastrophal». Warum Sek-I Studierende Französisch oder Englisch wählen. 27. April 2021

            Kolloquium.

            PH Zürich

            • What we can learn from oral second language development during study abroad for bilingual education at home. 30. November 2018

              BIUNED 2018 Conference: Bilingualism and Interculturality: Challenges, Limits and Solutions.

              UNED, Madrid

            • One of many internationals abroad: the implications for linguistic development of studying abroad unexpectedly alongside other non-native English speakers. 2. Dezember 2015

              ALAA / ALANZ / ALTAANZ Conference: Learning in a Multilingual World.

              University of South Australia

              • German adolescents studying in New Zealand colleges – would they profit from more grammar? 23. November 2015

                4th International Conference on Language, Education and Diversity.

                University of Auckland

                • One of many Germans abroad: the implications for linguistic development of studying abroad unexpectedly alongside other L1 speakers. 30. Mai 2015

                  The Fifth annual Asian Conference on Language Learning.

                  Art Center of Kobe

                  • Dynamic systems theory in second language development: introduction, problems and current solutions. 29. November 2014

                    ALANZ Symposium.

                    Auckland University of Technology (AUT)