Dr. Yu Ka Wong

Biography

Yu Ka Wong, Gary, holds the position of Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Glasgow. He graduated with a BA in Chinese Language and Literature and has an extensive background in the field of education. His professional journey includes serving as a Chinese language teacher in a secondary school and as a curriculum officer in the Education Bureau of Hong Kong. Gary pursued further education, obtaining an MA in Education and a Doctorate in Education, specializing in Educational Psychology. Before joining the University of Glasgow, he was affiliated with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he started as an Assistant Professor and earned tenure as an Associate Professor. His research focuses on language literacy studies, with a specific emphasis on the literacy acquisition and development of Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) learners. His ongoing research explores metalinguistic awareness and influences on Chinese word reading, spelling, reading comprehension, and text writing abilities, uncovering distinct developmental trajectories of non-alphabetic scripts compared to alphabetic languages. Additionally, he investigates the motivation of language learners, utilizing the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) model to examine how self-identity and social expectations influence CSL learners’ achievement and self-perceived proficiency. As a teacher, Gary is passionate about effective classroom learning and has led funded longitudinal projects addressing interventions for young ethnic-minority CSL learners in Hong Kong, yielding evidence-based strategies to positively impact language acquisition and literacy development.

Research Interests

Experience