Executive summary

Prof. dr. Tom Smits (born 1976, MA in English and German at Antwerp University Institute (Belgium) and University of Vienna (Austria)) is a Professor of German variational linguistics at the Department of Linguistics, and of English, German and CLIL teaching methodology at the Antwerp School of Education (University of Antwerp), which he combines with an appointment as Chief Researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities at Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania). 

He obtained his PhD in 2007 on sub-standard language variation in German and Dutch, and its influence on attitudes to regional language use in media and education. This PhD made him the first foreign scientist to be awarded the German Agathe Lasch Prize for research into Low German, presented to him by the Senate of Hamburg (Germany) in 2013. Over the years he has developed additional expertise in differentiation and multiple perspective learning, lecturing on urban education in combination with Community Service Learning, awarded with the 2019 UAntwerp Teaching Award, and as a member of the International Research Network on Equity in Youth Education and Training (IRNEYET). In 2021, he was appointed as Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Education at Rhodes University (South Africa) after a successful nomination by the Faculty in recognition of his standing in the field of multilingualism and education. 2022 saw him spend a semester at the University of California, Davis (USA) as a Fulbright scholar. Since mid-2023, he has been a proud member of the Stellenbosch University community, acting as an Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies. Tom Smits' educational and research activities cover language variation as well as foreign language education, including CALL, and intercultural competences with students in the EU, Turkey, Indonesia, Zambia, South Africa and DR Congo. 

Contact

Main contact via University of Antwerp: see portal page ( ↑ top: click on TOM SMITS )
KTU Contact: Kaunas University of Technology
A. Mickevičiaus St. 37
Kaunas, Lithuania

Contact

SU Contact: Stellenbosch University
Faculty of Education
Corner Crozier and Ryneveld Street
7599 Stellenbosch, South Africa

Contact

RU Contact: Rhodes University
Faculty of Education
Corner Grey and Somerset Streets
6139 Grahamstown - Makhanda, South Africa

Research & Internationalisation

ongoing projects

  • 01/08/2022-31/07/2025: Erasmus+ KA171 - Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds (Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp - Rhodes University Grahamstown, South Africa)
  • 01/01/2024-28/02/2025: Departement Onderwijs en Vorming - 'Wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar Content and language integrated learning'  (Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp - AP University of Applied Sciences)
  • 01/03/2024-28/02/2027: European Education and Culture Executive Agency - Erasmus-Edu-2023-Capacity Building in Higher Education: 'ProTEEM: Professionalisation of Teacher Educators in English and Mathematics' (Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp - Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania - Stellenbosch University, South Africa - Rhodes University, South Africa - Université de Kinshasa, DR Congo - Université de Lubumbashi, DR Congo - Université de Bukavu, DR Congo - University of Zambia, Zambia - Kwame Nkrumah University - Zambia)
  • 01/03/2024-28/02/2027: FWO-NRF Bilateral Scientific Cooperation South Africa: 'The effect of Translanguaging in Reading on learning engagement in multilingual Content-Based Instruction classrooms'

project proposals (launch pending)

  • Erasmus+ KA171 - Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds (Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp - Center for Applied Policy in Education, University of California Davis, USA)
  • Erasmus+ KA171 - Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds (Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp - Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia)

Forthcoming publications

publications in press

  • n/a

publications under review

  • Cuyvers, K., Govaerts, S., Vanthournout, G., Smits, T. Het leren op de werkplek van de leraar in opleiding (LIO): vanuit de noden van betrokkenen naar een begeleidingsaanpak in trialoog. Tijdschrift voor lerarenopleiders.

publications in preparation

  • Schelfhout, W., Smits, T.F.H., & Vandervieren, E. Trainee teachers engaging in an equilibrium model for creating powerful and differentiating learning environments [Working title].

PhD supervision

PhD projects @ UAntwerpen

  • PhD Student: M. Huda
  • Project Title: Teaching Religious Tolerance through Literature: English Language Classroom Practice in Indonesian Islamic Higher Education 
  • Supervision Type: Supervisor
  • PhD Student: S. Hoeven
  • Project Title: The effect of Translanguaging in Reading on learning engagement in multilingual Content-Based Instruction classrooms
  • Supervision Type: Supervisor
  • PhD Student: E. Tanghe
  • Project Title: Professionaliseringstrajecten voor schoolleiders secundair onderwijs: effectieve factoren voor duurzame ontwikkelingsprocessen
  • Supervision Type: Co-Supervisor

  • PhD Student: A.-S Bafort
  • Project Title: Legitimizing elite multilingualism: Language policy, language practice and meta-pragmatic awareness in an international school
  • Supervision Type: Chairman Doctoral Committee

  • PhD Student: T. Van Dyk
  • Project Title: Implementing a language policy framework for higher education institutions: the development of a maturity mode
  • Supervision Type: Chairman Doctoral Committee
  • PhD Student: Z. Bester
  • Project Title: Perspectives on argumentative writing: the case of Czech young researchers' writing in English as a foreign language
  • Supervision Type: Chairman Doctoral Committee

External PhD projects

  • PhD Student: D. Hansen
  • University: Université Catholique de Louvain
  • Project Title: Leveraging Collaborative Work for Game-Based Language Learning
  • Supervision Type: PhD Committee Member

  • PhD Student: I. Godefridi
  • University: Université Catholique de Louvain
  • Project Title: Using virtual reality to enhance students’ oral presentation skills in the foreign language
  • Supervision Type: PhD Committee Member
  • PhD Student: D. Schwall
  • University: Université de Liège
  • Project Title: Interkomprehension - Messbarkeit und Lernbarkeit
  • Supervision Type: PhD Committee Member

PhD defences (current year only)

  • PhD Student: D. Lisaite
  • University: Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania
  • Project Title: English-Language Content-Based Instruction: Effective Task Design to Develop Fluency in Higher Education Students
  • Supervision Type: Supervisor of Joint PhD
  • PhD Student: P. Ianniello
  • Performing 'Italian-ness' in School Settings. Challenges and Opportunities facing Chinese and American students in Prato, Italy
  • Supervision Type: Chairman Doctoral Committee