Shannon Sauro
@shansauro
She/ her. Applied linguist | teacher educator |runner | fan. Researching fan practices for language learning in the digital wilds and the L2 classroom, virtual exchange, & computer-assisted language learning. This is an Ilya Rozanov stan account
5 days on the Camino - I left my laptop at home this year. It made a difference. Thank you to everyone who respected my away message these past few days.
More Artemis II fangirl behavior: yesterday I picked up a bottle of sparkling wine from Texas (home of NASA Mission Control) to celebrate the first lunar flyby to happen in my lifetime. 🥂
Today I wrap up the Fanfiction Project in my L2 writing class. I'm planning to introduce findings from the recent study Maria Razcon and I carried out on previous classes. This is my favorite quote from one of my past students who was extremely skeptical about the value of fanfiction for teaching:
Spotted on campus on my way to class just now. Their statement of holding faculty and staff accountable interests me greatly.
I may not have gotten away with the crown jewels but I did win a free pair of running shoes at the pub run costume contest tonight 🏃🏻♀️🎃👻
The deadline to submit abstracts to the UNICollaboration conference (4-5 June in Cyprus) is 5 weeks away (15 November). Research and practice reports on virtual exchange, telecollaboration, COIL projects across all ages and disciplines are welcome. unicollaborationconference2026.org
It’s not just in Sweden where we see schools moving away from so much technology use in public schools. Several local school districts in Maryland are emphasizing handwriting and limiting smartphone use. Some of this is in direct response to AI being used in ways that undermines learning.
Spent a wonderful evening catching up with fan friends and making plans for a 20th anniversary episode of Snapecast, the podcast that is all Snape, all the time.
Sweden is so beautiful in summer. I am so happy and grateful that this country is a part of my life.
The anti-acknowledgment: in which I write about the sociopolitical and digital challenges that I am having to grapple with as I write my book: Fan Practices for Language Teaching and Learning. www.ssauro.info/2025/06/11/t...
Looking for a partner for your next Virtual Exchange? UNICollaboration is hosting its next partnering fair on 13 June. More information and a link to register can be found on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Are you a CALL researcher interested in reviewing for the CALICO journal? Sign up using the QR codes available at the #CALICO2025 coffee breaks.
Just returned from graduate commencement. It’s heartening to see so many young and not so young people celebrating their graduate degrees. ☺️
Today I encountered bias in AI. I planned to ask DeepSeek and ChatGPT for ideas on an activity about bias (see prompt). ChatGPT generated something. DeepSeek started to, suggesting topics related to the Israel-Palestine war, but then suddenly the screen cleared and I received the following message.
This is what we're discussing for next week's CALL class on Critical AI. Hofmann et al. (2024) employs elements of matched-guise test research from sociolinguistics to uncover racialized linguistic bias in AIs.
Final run through Malmö this visit. The bridge was completely shrouded in fog. That’s okay, my old friend. Vi ses nästa gång.
First fika with a friend, then back to work on Chapter 6 polishing up the section on culturally sustaining and culturally responsive pedagogy & teaching with fanfiction.
I should be on my way to Sweden but snowmageddon 2025 happened and my flight was cancelled, so I am having a snow day instead.
One of the richest lessons I learned from my time in Sweden was to value time off from work so my energy and attention could be focused elsewhere. Christmas/today is one of those days. God jul till alla.
Did I really need a cheeseboard in the shape of a winter sled even though I don’t have any cheese? Yes absolutely.
Returning from a lovely week at the University of León, where I introduced a new cohort of language teachers to FanTALES materials and fanfiction activities for language teaching. Loved hearing from the different groups of fans who enjoyed geeking out.