Debbita Tan Ai Lin, Associate Professor Dr.

PROFILE

Debbita has taught at the School of Languages, Literacies and Translation, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), since 2005. Prior to that, she was a feature writer with work published in various local and international publications. In 2013, she was awarded a government scholarship to read her PhD at USM and a year later was granted an academic attachment (Guest Doctoral Scholar/Researcher) at Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan. Her PhD thesis was nominated for USM’s Best Thesis Award. In 2018 and 2023, she received the university’s Excellent Service Award. 

Debbita is keen on interdisciplinary research and her areas of interest include language learning, translation and discourse studies. Her research network primarily comprises academics and practitioners from different parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. She has published widely in high-impact books and journals in the capacity of sole author as well as in collaboration with other scholars, and sits on both local and international editorial boards. 

In addition to these, Debbita has reviewed empirical contributions for leading publishers such as Routledge (Education), SAGE UK (Social-Behavioural Sciences and Humanities), Springer (Humanities and Social Sciences), and Taylor & Francis (Arts and Humanities). She is also part of various grants as principal researcher as well as co-researcher, and has presented on different platforms a repertoire of subject matters relating to her research interests and expertise. 

Apart from teaching at the undergraduate level, she supervises at the postgraduate level, has graduated students in both tiers (PhD and MA), and continues to serve as examiner in proposal and Viva Voce sessions. In recent years, she has been active in community engagement projects – most notably projects that prioritise learning opportunities for the marginalised and less fortunate – and hopes to grow further in this area in the years to come. 

She is also presently Academic Consultant of Jinzhong University, China (Foreign Language Department). 

On a less serious note – she runs, adores horses, and rarely refuses kuih (being Peranakan). 

Member of Academic Bodies: 

Asia TEFL 

Asian Association of Social Psychology 

Malaysian English Language Teaching Association 

National Association for Media Literacy Education 

Sports: 

Iskandar Polo Club 

2024-2025 Speaking Engagements: 

4th Liberal Arts International Conference (Thailand)/Keynote Speaker/March 2024 

Mustansiriyah University (Iraq)/Invited Speaker/April 2024 

10th International Conference on Creative Education (China)/Keynote Speaker/October 2024 

Jinzhong University (China)/Invited Speaker/November 2024 

Mustansiriyah University (Iraq)/Invited Speaker/January 2025 

(Speaking fee is waived for academic events organised by institutions of underdeveloped nations.) 

*Full CV available upon request. 

RESEARCH

PUBLICATIONS

CRA: CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

GE: GUEST EDITOR

CE: CO-EDITOR

(First name denotes main/principal author)

JOURNAL ARTICLE

An, G., & Tan, D.A.L. (2024). Enhancing cross-cultural communication for Chinese tourists in non-native English-speaking destinations: A study of sociolinguistic competence and politeness challenges. Global Chinese by De Gruyter Mouton, 10(2). [SCOPUS] | CRA

An, G., & Tan, D.A.L. (2024). Translating culture-specific items (CSIs) in Water Margin: Balancing domestication and foreignization. International Journal of English Linguistics, 14(5). [ERA] | CRA

Zhang, Y., Omer Hassan Ali Mahfoodh, & Tan, D.A.L. (2024). A corpus-based evaluation of English-Mandarin cultural references between fansubbing and official subtitling. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 24(1). [SCOPUS]

Abdel Raouf Meqbel AH Alharahsheh, Mohamed Abdou Moindjie, & Tan, D.A.L. (2024). Translatability of Arabic cultural references to English: A case study of The Queue novel. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(3). [SCOPUS]

Han, S., & Tan, D.A.L. (2023). Feminist translation strategies in children’s literature: A case study of Helen Wang’s translation of Bronze and Sunflower. International Journal of Language, Literacy & Translation, 6(2). [MyCite]

Tan, D.A.L., Malini Ganapathy, Lee, B.C., & Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma (2023). The impact of image-driven stimuli on Malaysian young learners’ receptive and productive vocabulary. Asia Pacific Journal of Educators and Education, 38(1). [SCOPUS]

Loo, X.Y., & Tan, D.A.L. (2023). The impact of images in enhancing the ESL vocabulary breadth of Malaysian Year 4 students. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 8(9). [MyCite]

Ezleena Mustafa Kamal, Wan Azri Wan Hamid, Mohd Affaddil Izmi Roslan, & Tan, D.A.L. (2022). Adult ESL education and learning anxiety: An exploratory case study involving Malaysian security personnel. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 7(6). [MyCite] | CRA

Fatma Basharahil, & Tan, D.A.L. (2022). “So good women are the obedient…”: An in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Special Issue. [MyCite] | CRA

Fatma Basharahil, Tan, D.A.L., & Bita Naghmeh-Abbaspour (2022). Translating idiomatic expressions in literary prose: The case of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Special Issue. [MyCite] | CRA

Ong, E.L., Mansour Amini, Chin, S.S., & Tan, D.A.L. (2022). Translation of Chinese culture-specific items into English in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 10(2). [MyCite]

Sakher Alazzam, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2021). Analysis of Jordanian EFL students’ expression of disagreement via speech acts. The Asian ESP Journal, 17(2). [SCOPUS]

Ali Al-Rikaby, Siham Hamdan, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, Tan, D.A.L., & Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma (2021). Identity construction via social hybridity: Metatextual analysis of Defoe’s Moll Flanders and Rajendra’s Rose Chan. International Journal of Language, Literacy & Translation, 4(1). [MyJurnal]

Ali Al-Rikaby, Hayder Naser, & Tan, D.A.L. (2021). Language of fear: A critical discourse study of presidential speeches. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Special Issue. [MyCite]

Malek Alouch, Malini Ganapathy, & Tan, D.A.L. (2021). Using WhatsApp to promote ESL students’ writing. Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 9(2). [MyCite]

Chiang, J.K.S., Malini Ganapathy, & Tan, D.A.L. (2020). Aesthetic responses of language learners to stylistic devices. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, Special Issue. [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2020). Capturing the past and shaping the future through language. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 28(S2) Special Issue. [SCOPUS/ESCI] | GE

Liew, W.K., Malini Ganapathy, & Tan, D.A.L. (2020). ESL teachers’ HOT pedagogical practices via ICT: A case study. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, Special Issue. [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L., Lee, B.C., Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma, & Malini Ganapathy (2020). Picture superiority effect: Using images for vocabulary enhancement among Year One Malaysian ESL learners. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, Special Issue. [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Malini Ganapathy, Tan, D.A.L., & Phan, J.K.J. (2020). Significance of written corrective feedback on ESL students’ writing performance in the Malaysian context. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 26(3). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Malini Ganapathy, Tan, D.A.L., & Phan, J.K.J. (2020). Students’ perceptions of teachers’ WCF in the Malaysian ESL classroom. Malaysian Journal of Learning & Instruction, 17(2). [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Lee, B.C., Ambigapathy Pandian, Souba Rethinasamy, & Tan, D.A.L. (2019). Effects of PWIM in the ESL classroom: Vocabulary knowledge development among primary Malaysian learners. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 25(4). [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Malini Ganapathy, L.K.V. Sankaran, & Tan, D.A.L. (2019). EFL teaching and learning practices in the Rohingya classroom: A case study. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 8(2). [ERA] | CRA

Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma, & Tan, D.A.L. (2019). ESL reading activities on Facebook among Malaysian university students. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 27(1). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L. (2019). Language and political psychology: Can grammar influence electability? GEMA Online: Journal of Language Studies, 19(3). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L., Lee, B.C., Malini Ganapathy, & Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma (2019). Language learning in the 21st century: Malaysian ESL students’ perceptions of Kahoot!. International Journal of Virtual & Personal Learning Environments, Special Issue, 9(2). [SCOPUS]

Tan, D.A.L., & Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma (2019). Reading and vocabulary knowledge development: Sustained Independent Reading (SIR) among Malaysian tertiary students. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 27(1). [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Ali Al-Rikaby, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, Tan, D.A.L., & Yousra Al-Lami (2019). Translating Qur’anic and prophetic allusions: A study on three translations of Osama bin Laden’s hortatory discourse on jihad. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 8(1). [ERA] | CRA

Ali Al-Rikaby, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2018). Analyzing the political uses of figures of speech in non-state leaders’ rhetorical titles: Case studies of Al-Qa’ida and ISIS. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 26(T): Thematic Edition. [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Ali Al-Rikaby, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2018). Domestication and foreignization strategies in two Arabic translations of Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus: Culture-bound terms and proper names. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 26(2). [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Tan, D.A.L., Malini Ganapathy, & Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh (2018). Kahoot! it: Gamification in higher education. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 26(1). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L., Lee, B.C., Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma, & Malini Ganapathy (2018). Like that lah: Malaysian undergraduates’ attitudes towards localised English. GEMA Online: Journal of Language Studies, 18(2). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L., Ambigapathy Pandian, & Paramaswari Jaganathan (2018). READ+ vs. READ: Investigating extensive reading and vocabulary knowledge development among Malaysian remedial ESL learners. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(2). [SCOPUS/ESCI] | CRA

Tan, D.A.L., Ambigapathy Pandian, & Paramaswari Jaganathan (2017). Facilitating learner autonomy: Reading and effective dictionary use for lexical development. The Reading Matrix, 17(2). [EBSCO] | CRA

Lee, B.C., Tan, D.A.L., Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh, & Malini Ganapathy (2017). The significance of the academic word list among ESL tertiary students in a Malaysian public university. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 23(4). [SCOPUS/ESCI]

Tan, D.A.L., Ambigapathy Pandian, & Paramaswari Jaganathan (2016). Encouraging ESL/EFL reading among lower proficiency students at the tertiary level: The use of graded readers. The Reading Matrix, 16(2). [EBSCO] | CRA

Tan, D.A.L., Ambigapathy Pandian, & Paramaswari Jaganathan (2016). Lexical testing and the reliability of the modified Vocabulary Knowledge Scale. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(5). [ERIC] | CRA

Tan, D.A.L. (2016). Trends in second/foreign language teaching and learning: The position assigned to the learning of lexis over the years. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(6). [ERIC]

Tan, D.A.L., Ambigapathy Pandian, & Paramaswari Jaganathan (2015). Reading for lexical development: Depth of processing and the systematic selection of comprehensible input. International Journal of Education and Research, 3(7). [WorldCat] | CRA

Ambigapathy Pandian, Lee, B.C., & Tan, D.A.L. (2012). Language learning approaches: A review of research on explicit and implicit learning in vocabulary acquisition. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55. [ELSEVIER/ScienceDirect]

Ambigapathy Pandian, Tan, D.A.L., & Lee, B.C. (2012). Learners’ perceptions of sustained silent reading practices in tertiary classrooms. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55. [ELSEVIER/ScienceDirect] | CRA

CHAPTER

Tan, D.A.L. (2024). Mocking the powers that be: The case of culture and political humor in Malaysia. In O. Feldman (Ed.), Communicating political humor in the media: How culture influences satire and irony (pp. 223-239). Singapore, SG: Springer Nature (Humanities & Social Sciences). [Leading Tier]

Tan, D.A.L. (2023). Of toddy, Tongsan, and Bigfoot from Kinabatangan: The use of impolite language in the Malaysian parliament. In O. Feldman (Ed.), Political debasement: Incivility, contempt, and humiliation in parliamentary and public discourse (pp. 53-68). Singapore, SG: Springer Nature (Humanities & Social Sciences). [Leading Tier]

Tan, D.A.L., & Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma (2023). Persuasion in sustainability communication: A study of Penang Green Council’s initiatives. In M.S. Mohamad Saleh, N.A. A. Rahman, & S.A. Adi Kasuma (Eds.), Sustainability communication across Asia: Fundamental principles, digital strategies and community engagement (pp. 62-78). London, UK: Routledge (Studies in Environmental Communication & Media). [Leading Tier/SCOPUS]

Tan, D.A.L., & Ali Al-Rikaby (2022). Aristotelian framing in political discourse: A case study of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s exclusive interview with Radio Televisyen Malaysia and the news agency Bernama. In O. Feldman (Ed.), Adversarial political interviewing: Worldwide perspectives during polarized times (pp. 109-126). Singapore, SG: Springer Nature (Humanities & Social Sciences). [Leading Tier] | CRA

Ali Al-Rikaby, Tengku Sepora Tengku Mahadi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2022). Translating (non-)fixed idiomatic expressions: Adequacy and acceptability in Arabic translations of Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. In T.S. Tengku Mahadi (Ed.), Researching language, text, and technology in translation (pp. 69-85). Penang, MY: USM Press. [Tier 1] | CRA

Ali Al-Rikaby, Thulfiqar Altahmazi, & Tan, D.A.L. (2021). Qur’anifying public political discourse: Islamic culture and religious rhetoric in Arabic public speaking. In O. Feldman (Ed.), When politicians talk: The cultural dynamics of public speaking (pp. 35-52). Singapore, SG: Springer Nature (Humanities & Social Sciences). [Leading Tier/SCOPUS]

Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma, Malini Ganapathy, Tan, D.A.L., & Lee, B.C. (2020). Using Facebook as a social media tool to develop tertiary students’ English writing skills through corrective written feedback (CWF). In K.E. Tan, L.M. Leong, & W. Jaroongkhongdach (Eds.), ICT use in ELT: Current practices in Southeast Asia (pp. 176-194). Penang, MY: USM Press. [Tier 1]

Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh, Malini Ganapathy, & Tan, D.A.L. (2019). Kahoot!: Enhancing creativity in classroom learning. In S. Abdul Rahman, M. Shuib, & G. Crosling (Eds.), Creativity in education (pp. 40-57). Penang, MY: USM Press. [Tier 1]

Ambigapathy Pandian, Tan, D.A.L., & Lee, B.C. (2013). It’s in the news! A study on the use of electronic news and language competence. In G. Rata (Ed.), Linguistic studies of human language (pp. 613-622). Athens, GR: ATINER. | CRA

Ambigapathy Pandian, Lee, B.C., Toh, C.H., & Tan, D.A.L. (2010). A scaffolding reading programme and its effects on participants’ performance on standardised vocabulary levels test. In G. Rata (Ed.), Teaching foreign languages: Languages for special purposes (pp. 200-213). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Ambigapathy Pandian, Lee, B.C., & Tan, D.A.L. (2010). A study on the Picture Word Inductive Model of teaching and its effects on the vocabulary acquisition of Year 1 Malaysian students. In G. Rata (Ed.), Language education today: Between theory and practice (pp. 188-199). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Ambigapathy Pandian, Tan, D.A.L., & Lee, B.C. (2010). Vocabulary via the newspaper. In G. Rata (Ed.), Language education today: Between theory and practice (pp. 200-212). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. | CRA

BOOK

Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh, Tan, D.A.L., & Shaila Sultana (External Review). Remote and online remote language teaching and learning: Case studies from Malaysia and beyond. Penang, MY: USM Press. [Tier 1] | CE

Malini Ganapathy, Salasiah Che Lah, Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh, Tan, D.A.L., Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma, Marlina Jamal, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan Abdullah, & Phan, J.K.J. (2023). A genre-based pedagogy to promote Orang Asli students’ writing performance. Penang, MY: USM Press. [Tier 1]

Ambigapathy Pandian, Liew, C.C.L., Tan, D.A.L., Jayagowri Muniandy, Lee, B.C., & Toh, C.H. (2014). Language teaching and learning: New dimensions and interventions. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. | CE

Ambigapathy Pandian, Liew, C.C.L., Tan, D.A.L., Jayagowri Muniandy, Lee, B.C., & Toh, C.H. (2013). New literacies: Reconstructing language and education. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. | CE

TEACHING

CURRENT

LEM 212 (Phonetics and Lexis of English)

LEM 314 (English for the Media)

LEM 200/300 (Industrial Training Supervision)

HFE 224 (Appreciation of Ethics and Civilisations/Undergraduate Research Supervision)

HFF 225 (Philosophy and Current Issues/Undergraduate Research Supervision)

POL 500 (Research Methodology/Postgraduate Research Proposal Supervision)

SHE 101 (Ethnic Relations/Undergraduate Research Supervision)

TAUGHT

LEM 213 (Interlanguage Study)

LET 106 (Professional Reading)

LMT 100 (Preparatory English)

LSP 300 (Academic English)

LSP 401 (General English)

LSP 402 (Scientific and Medical English)

LSP 403 (Business and Communication English)

LSP 404 (Technical and Engineering English)

LHP 452 (Business Writing)

LHP 456 (Spoken English)

SUPERVISION

PhD

Main/Sole Supervisor (17)

Co-Supervisor (17)

MA

Main/Sole Supervisor (1)

Co-Supervisor (0)

OTHERS

SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Curiosity, creativity, and inclusivity in education: A way forward, together. 4th Liberal Arts International Conference, Songkhla, Thailand (2024) (Keynote Speaker).

Inclusive language learning for children of the bottom billion. 10th International Conference on Education, Bangkok, Thailand (2023) (Keynote Speaker).

Analysis of English renditions of Quranic verses: A case study of women’s rights. 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Language and Gender, Online (2022).

Analysis of media representation of Arab female athletes: The case of Al-Jazeera. 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Language and Gender, Online (2022).

Using WhatsApp to promote ESL students’ writing. National Conference on the Humanities and Social Sciences, Online (2021) (Best Presenter Award).

Strategies in rendering idiomatic expressions: The Arabic translation of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by Tawfeeq Al-Asady. International Conference on Language and Literature, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2020).

The significance of written feedback on ESL students’ writing performance in the Malaysian context. International Conference on Psychology, Language and Teaching, Manila, Philippines (2020).

Language learner literature: Language learners’ aesthetic responses towards stylistic devices. 8th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2019).

Learning Spanish via Kahoot!: The Malaysian undergraduate experience. 8th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2019).

Phonological errors among dyslexic learners in selected primary schools in Penang. 8th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2019).

Picture superiority effect: Using images for vocabulary enhancement among Year One Malaysian ESL learners. 8th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2019).

ESL journal writing on Facebook and corrective written feedback. 1st International Conference on English Studies, Krabi, Thailand (2018).

Exploring English as a foreign language: Teaching and learning practices in the Rohingya classroom. ASEAN ELT Conference, Malacca, Malaysia (2018).

Implicit or explicit learning in vocabulary acquisition: Measuring the receptive vocabulary size of remedial English language learners. 4th International Conference on Arts and Humanities, Colombo, Sri Lanka (2017).

Kahoot!: Enhancing creativity in classroom learning. National Conference on Creativity in Education & Humanities, Penang, Malaysia (2017).

Like that lah: Malaysian undergraduates’ attitudes towards their English accent and Malaysian English. International Conference on Language Studies, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (2017).

The MUET as a predictor of foreign language achievement. 7th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2017).

Reliability assessment: The Vocabulary Size Test and its use in a Malaysian context. 6th International Language Learning Conference, Penang, Malaysia (2015).

Implementing incidental or intentional vocabulary learning strategies: Estimating the receptive vocabulary size of university level English language learners in Malaysia. The European Conference on Language Learning, Brighton, United Kingdom (2014).

Language learning approaches: A review of research on explicit and implicit learning in vocabulary acquisition. 3rd International Conference on New Horizons in Education, Prague, Czech Republic (2012).

Learners’ perceptions of sustained silent reading practices in tertiary classrooms. 3rd International Conference on New Horizons in Education, Prague, Czech Republic (2012).

A look at the multicultural experiences of Chinese students (from mainland China) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). 7th International Conference on Education, Samos Island, Greece (2011).

It’s in the news! A study on the use of electronic news and language competence. 4th Annual International Conference on Literature, Languages and Linguistics, Athens, Greece (2011).

Extensive reading programme and the fostering of learners’ progress in vocabulary development and improvement. Annual International Conference for Academic Disciplines, Vienna, Austria (2010).

A study on the Picture Word Inductive Model of teaching and its effects on the vocabulary acquisition of Year 1 Malaysian students. International Symposium on Language Education Today: Between Theory and Practice, Timisoara, Romania (2009).