Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir is Professor Emeritus of Second Language Studies at the University of Iceland.

Birna holds a Ph.D. degree in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin (1990), MA degree from the University of Reading (1977) and BA degree from the University of Iceland (1976).

Birna’s research interests include Multilingualism, Computer Assisted Language Learning, and Language Contact. Birna is project director of Icelandic Online. Birna‘s current research, funded by the Icelandic Research Centre and NordPlus, examines the role of local languages in relation to Danish and English in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Education

1990 Ph.D.,   Linguistics. University of Texas at Austin, USA.
1977 MA.,      University of Reading, UK.
1976 BA.,       University of Iceland.

Professional Experience

2018-              Director. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute for Foreign Languages. University of Iceland.
2017-              Associate-Dean. Faculty of Languages and Cultures, School of Humanities, University of Iceland.
2008-             Professor of Second Language Studies. Faculty of Languages and Cultures, School of Humanities, University of Iceland.
2003-2008   Associate-Professor. Faculty of Language, Literature and Linguistics, School of Humanities, University of Iceland.
2002               Assistant-Professor. Faculty of Language, Literature and Linguistics, School of Humanities, University of Iceland.
2000-             Project Director. Icelandic Online.
1988-2000    Associate-Professor. Director, TESL. Notre Dame College, Manchester, NH
1996-1998     Adjunct-Professor, Department of English, University of New Hampshire.

2018-pres.            Language Contact in the West-Nordic Region. Collaboration: Auður Hauksdóttir. Funded by NordPlus.

2014-2016            Icelandic Online for Mobile Devices. Collaboration: Úlfar Bragason & Halldóra Þorláksdóttir. Funded by the University of Iceland, NordPlus and others.

2012- 2015           Icelandic Language and Culture Training in Virtual Reykjavík. Collaboration: Hannes Högni Vilhjálmsson & Branislav Bedi. Funded by the Icelandic Research Centre.

2012-pres.            Heritage Language, Linguistic Change and Cultural Identity. Collaboration: Höskuldur Þráinsson, Úlfar Bragason & others. Funded by the Icelandic Research Centre.

2009-pres.            English as a Lingua Franca in Icelandic in a Changing Linguistic Environment. Collaboration: Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir. Funded by the Icelandic Research Centre.

2001-pres.             Developing English literacy skills in EMI. Collaboration: Patricia Prinz, Anna Jeeves, Guðmundur Edgarsson, Ásrún Jóhannsdóttir, Jóna Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir, Súsanna B. Vilhjálmsdóttir. Funded by the University of Iceland Research Fund, University of Iceland Instructional Development Fund and others.

2000-pres.            Icelandic Online www.icelandiconline.com. LMOOCS and language learning. Collaboration: Kolbrún Friðriksdóttir & others. Funded by the University of Iceland, NordPlus, The Icelandic Research Centre, and Lingua II.

2018                NORPLUS. Vestnordisk sprogbarometer. 92.000€

2014-2016     NORDPLUS. Icelandic Online for Mobile Devices. 75.000€

2012- 2015     RANNÍS (Icelandic Research Centre Fund). Co-applicant. Three Year Project Grant. Icelandic Language and Culture Training in Virtual Reykjavík. 21.000.000IKr.

2012-2015     RANNÍS (Icelandic Research Centre Fund). Co-applicant. Three Year Project Grant. Heritage Language, Linguistic Change and Cultural Identity. 20.000.000 IKr.

2009-2011     RANNÍS ( Icelandic Research Centre Fund). Three Year Project Grant. English as a Lingua Franca in Icelandic in a Changing Linguistic Environment. 21.000.000IKr.

2009                NORDPLUS. Icelandic Online for Immigrants. 45.000 €

2009                NORDPLUS. Icelandic Online 3-4. 18.000 €

2009                University of Iceland Research Fund. English in Academia. 400.000IKr.

2008                NordForsk. Seminar on Complexity in Second Language Acquisition.  96.000NKr.

Books

2020   The Art and Architecture of Academic Writing: A Gateway to Genres. Patricia Prinz & Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

2018   Sigurtunga í sögu og brag: Um vesturíslenskt mál og menningu. [Sigurtunga í sögu og brag: On North American Icelandic Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir, Höskuldur Þráinnson og Úlfar Bragason (Eds). Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan.

2018   Language Development across the Life Span: English in Iceland. Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir & Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir(Eds). Educational Linguistics Series, Berlin: Springer.

2008   Open Source and Language Teaching. Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir og Matthew Whelpton. (Eds.). Reykjavík: Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur/ Háskólaútgáfan.

2007   Mál málanna: Um nám og kennslu annars og erlendra mála. [On the Teaching and Learning of Second and Foreign Languages]Auður Hauksdóttir og Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir (Eds.). Reykjavík: Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur/Háskólaútgáfan.

2007   Teaching and Learning English in Iceland. Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir & Hafdís Ingvarsdóttur (ritstj.). Reykjavík. Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur/ Háskólaútgáfan.

2006   North American Icelandic: The Life of a Language. University of Manitoba Press.

Relevant Peer Reviewed Publications

2020   Prinz, P. & Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Developing writer autonomy in an intensive EMI program: Learners’ perceptions. In Muresan &  Orna-Montesino (eds.). Academic literacy development: Perspectives on multilingual scholars’ approaches to writing. Palgrave.

2020   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Transitioning EAL Students from EFL Classes to EMI Programs at the University of Iceland. In Dimova & Kling (eds.). Intergrating content and language in multilingual universities. Springer.

2020   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. English at the University of Iceland: Students’ perceptions and practices. In Kuteeva, Kaufhold & Hynninen (eds.). Language perceptions and practices in multilingual universities. Palgrave.

2019    Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., Ólafsson, J., & Sverrisdóttir, O. Viðhorf háskólastúdenta til

tungumálakunnáttu. Milli mála. Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur.

2019   Editorial – Publishing Research Internationally: Multilingual Perspectives from Research and Practice by Margaret Cargill,Sally Burgess 2, and Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir. Publications 2019, 7, 47. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/7/3/47

2019   Editor. Special Issue of Publications Co-editors, M. Cargill og S. Burgess. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/publications/special_issues/PRISEAL Cargill, M.; Burgess, S.; Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Publications 2019, 7, 47.

2019   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Supporting Nordic Scholars Who Write in English for Research Publication Purposes. In Corcoran, Englander & Muresan (eds.). Pedagogies and policies on publishing research in English: local initiatives supporting international scholars. Routledge

2018   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Supporting Nordic Scholars Who Write in English for Research Publication Purposes. In Corcoran, Englander and Muresan (Eds.) Pedagogies and Policies on Publishing Research in English: Local Initiatives Supporting International Scholars. London: Routledge

2018   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., Þráinsson H., and Nowenstein, Í.E. V2 and V3 Orders in North-American Icelandic.

Journal of Language Contact 11 (2018) 379-412.

2017   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Preparing EFL students for university EMI Programs: The hidden challenge. In Fjeld, Hagen, Henriksen, Johannsen, Olsen & Prentice (eds.). Academic language in a Nordic setting – linguistic and educational perspectives. Oslo Studies in Language 9 (1

2017   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. & Prinz, P. From EFL to EMI: Developing writing skills for the Humanities. ESP Today. 5(2), 5-23.

2017   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. & Ingvarsdóttir, H. The issues of identity and voice: Writing English for Research Purposes in the semi periphery. In Global Academic Publishing: Policies, Practices, and Pedagogies. Mary Jane Curry & Theresa Lillis (Eds). Part of the series Studies in Knowledge Production and Participation, Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, UK.

2015   Ingvarsdóttir, H., & Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. English in a new linguistic context: Implications for higher education. In  S. Dimova, A. Hultgren and Ch. Jensen (Eds.), The English Language in Teaching in European Higher Education, 2014. Berlin: Mouton Gruyter.

2015   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & H. Ingvarsdóttir. Simultaneous Parallel Code Use: Using English in University   Studies in Iceland; In Anne H. Fabricius & Bent Preisler (Eds)., Transcultural Interaction and Linguistic Diversity in Higher Education: The Student Experience. London: Palgrave.

2014   Guðmundsdóttir, G. & Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Undirbúningur framhaldsskólanemenda fyrir notkun ensku í háskólanámi: Námskrár og nýtt íslenskt málumhverfi. I Netlu- Vefriti um Uppeldi og menntun. Co-author: Gerður Gunnarsdóttir.

2014   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & H. Ingvarsdóttir. English at the University of Iceland: Ideology and reality (Ch.9) In: Hultgren, Anna Kristina ; Gregersen, Frans and Thøgersen, Jacob eds. English in Nordic Universities: Ideologies and Practices. Studies in World Language Problems (5), p. 179-192. John Benjamins.

2014    Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & Prinz, P. An English Academic Writing Course for Secondary Schools: A Pilot Study. Netlu- Vefriti um Uppeldi og menntun, Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands. Ásamt Patriciu Prinz.

2013   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & Ingvarsdóttir, H. Það er gífurleg áskorun að þurfa að vera jafnvígur á að skrifa fræðigreinar á tveimur tungumálum. Ritið 3/2013, 69-86.

2013    Ingvarsdóttir, H., & Arnbjörnsdóttir, B.  ELF and Academic Writing: A Perspective from the Expanding Circle. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca 1 (2).

2012   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & Ingvarsdóttir, H. Nýtt málumhverfi, ný námskrá, nýjar áherslur í tungumálakennslu. Í Milli mála: Ársrit Stofnunar Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur í erlendu tungumálum. Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan.

2012   Learning  Four Languages in a Changing Nordic Linguistic Environment. In Hjalmar P. Pedersen og Kári í Rógvi (Eds.), Mindst 4 sprog til alle.  Bergen:Novus.

2011   Exposure to English in Iceland: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study.  In Netla – Menntakviku 2011. Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands. Sótt af http://netla.hi.is/menntakvika201.pdf.

2010   Arnbjörnsdóttir, B., & Ingvarsdóttir, H. Coping with English at University: Students’ Beliefs. In Netla-Menntakvika 2010. Menntavísindasviðs Háskóla Íslands. http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/008.pdf

2010   Ingvarsdóttir, H., & Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. Coping with English at Tertiary Level: Instructors’ Views. In Netla – Menntakvika 2010.  Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands. http://netla.khi.is/menntakvika2010/010.pdf .

2009   Enska í háskólanámi [The Role of English is University Studies in Iceland]. In Rebekka Þráinsdóttir and Magnús Sigurðsson (Eds.). Milli mála: Ársrit Stofnunar Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur. Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan.

2007     English in Iceland: Second Language, Foreign Language, or Neither? In Teaching and Learning English  in Iceland. Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. & Ingvarsdóttur H. (eds.). Reykjavík. Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur/ Háskólaútgáfan.

Other Publications

2016   www.faroeseonline.fo           Faroese Online for Mobile Devices

2016   www.icelandiconline.com    IOL Survival for Mobile Devices

2010    www.icelandiconline.is        IOL III. and IV. Levels

2010    www.icelandiconline.is        IOL Survival

2008    www.englishgame.hi.is

2005    www.icelandic.hi.is              II. Level.

2004   www.icelandic.hi.is              I. Level.

Presentations (Relevant)

2020      Icelandic Online: Lessons learned from 20 years of development, evaluation  and expansion of an LMOOC. EUROCALL2020. August 19-21. Online Event.

2020      Multilingualism as language preservation: The changing linguistic repertoires of Icelanders. Multilingualism : Hierarchies, Inequalities, Marginalization Structures, Issues, Policies. INALCO, Paris, January 24-25, 2020.

2019      Innovative CALL solutions and the sustainability of nano languages in the North West Arctic Region. Language Technology for all, UNESCO, París. Desember 2019.

2019      Íslenska sem erfðarmál. Hugvísindaþing, March 2019. http://hugvisindathing.hi.is/malstofur/sigurtunga-vesturislenskt-mal-og-menning/

2019      A genre based curriculum for university EMI programs: A gateway to writing in the disciplines.  EMI Practices in Europe. Copenhagen University, April 4-5,

2019      Building bridges…  Icelandic Language and Culture, Waseda University, Tokyo, October 25.

2019      Omstrukturering av sprogundervisning ved Islands Universitet og nordisk sprogfællesskab. Hva med språkfellesskapet? Er nordisk språkfellesskap på vei ut?  Háskóla Íslands. March 28.

2019      Icelandic as a Heritage Language in North America. Migration: The 9th Partnership Conference between the University of Iceland and the University of Manitoba. University of Iceland, August 29-30 ágúst.

2019      The effect of genre-based instruction on writer efficacy and autonomy. Ethnographies of academic writing: Research and pedagogy, May 16-17. University of Zaragoza. With Patricia Prinz. https://genresandlanguages.org/en/conference

2018      The hidden challenges of fluent English users: Icelandic scholars writing in ERPP. PRISEAL 4 í Reykjavík September 14-16.

2018      Teaching and Learning Icelandic Online. Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan. November 26.

2018      Theoretical and Pedagogical Foundations of Icelandic Online Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan,  November 24.

2018      AWARE – A Cognitive Framework for Teaching Genre-Based L2 Writing for EMI Learners. American Association of Applied Linguistics Conference, Chicago, March, 24-27.

2018      English in the lives of Icelandic children. In the colloquium: Digital language contact in ELL. Early Language Learning Conference in Reykjavík, June 13-15.

2017      Iceland: A microcosm of communities affected by the spread of English. A Beck Lecture. University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, November 19.

2017      Teaching Icelandic Online: Free and open language courses. A Beck Lecture. University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, October 22.

2017      North American Icelandic: The only variety of Icelandic spoken outside Iceland? The Beck Lecture Series. University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada,  September 24.

2017      Transitioning EAL Students from EFL Classes to EMI Programs at The University of Iceland. Invited speaker. ICLHE, University of Copenhagen, October 4-7.

2017      From EFL to EMI in a Semester: Transitioning Nordic Students to Academic English. Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir & Patricia Prinz. EATAW European Association for Teaching Academic Writing, Royal Holloway University, UK, June 19-20

e: An Under Researched Phenomenon in EAP. Faces of English. Hong Kong, 1-3 June.

2016      Language Online: Et multiplatform for sprogindlæring uafhængig af sprog. Nordiska språkmötet  Universitet i Vasa, Finland, 2 September, 2016.

2016      EMI at the University of Iceland: Identifying the Needs of Students in a New Linguistic Context. In the seminar: EMI in Nordic Higher Education: The Bigger Picture. AAAL 2016.  April 10, 2016.

2016      The Authoritative Stance” in Writing English for Research Publishing Purposes. In the seminar : The Changing Landscape of Global Academic Publishing: Policies, Practices, and Pedagogies. AAAL2016. April 10, 2016.

2016      Coping with English Literacy in Higher Education in Iceland. Conference on Academic Language Use and Academic Literacies from a Multilingual Perspective in Nordic Educational Contexts. University of Copenhagen May 9, 2016.

2015      The English Divide: Disparity and Exclusion in Academia. Symposium on Language and Exclusion. United Nations. New York, May 7, 2014

2015       Teacher development and students’ needs in a changing linguistic context in Iceland. 9th International Conference on Teacher Development. University of Minnesota, May 14-16.

2014      Superdiversity and adult education programs for new speakers of Nordic languages. 2nd International Symposium on New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe: Opportunities and Challenges. Barcelona 22. November 2014

2014      Scientists on the periphery: Access and identity in academic publishing. Current research on global scholarly publishing: Policies, practices, pedagogies (Invited ReN). AILA (International Association of Applied Linguistics) World Congress, Brisbane, Australia, 11.August, 2014

2014      English in Nordic Higher Education: Iceland as a Microcosm. AILA (International Ass. of Applied Linguistics) World Congress. Brisbane, Australian 11 August, 2014.

2013      The gap between ideology and reality in Nordic Higher Education: Iceland as a microcosm. English Language in Teaching in European Higher Education. Copenhagen, April 19-21, 2013

2012      Parallel Language use vs. Simultaneous Parallel Code Use. CALPIU ’12. Roskilde Universitets Center. 4. Apríl.

2011      Four Languages: Implications for Proficiency? Minst fýra mál til øll. Conference on Mulitlingualism in the Nordic Countries.  22. – 24. August  2011.

2010      Parallel Language Use or Simultanenous Parallel Code Use? Center for Internationalisering og parallel      language use. University of Copenhagen. Invited Speaker. 12. November 2010.

2010      Using English as a Lingua Franca in Academia: Students’ Experiences. English as a Lingua Franca  III.   University of Vienna. May 22-25.

2010      Coping with English as a Lingua Franca at University: Students’ and Teachers’ Views. Preserving the       Future: Sustainability of Language, Culture and Nature: Conference in Honour of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir.  April 16.

CV Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir 2020