Prof Tom Smits

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). In 2024, he was nominated as the president of Linguapolis, the University of Antwerp Language Centre.

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. In 2024, the Flemish National Agency to the Erasmus+ programme, Epos, selected him as independent expert for Key Action 2 (SCH, VET). 

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. 

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'
  
• 01/08/2024-31/07/2027: 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)

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 - Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia)
  

project results

• Lernszenarien (DaF): E-LearnScene 
  
• Language & Ed: Taaltrajecten​
• Effective Reading: Les in Lezen​
• Pre+In-service Teacher Ed (Leraar In Opleiding): Start to Teach 

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 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: T. Mavambe
  
• Project Title: Efficacy of multilingual pedagogical approaches in fostering reading among primary school non-readers: A quasi-experimental study
• Supervision Type: Supervisor (Joint PhD Stellenbosch University)

• PhD Student: M. Alumbungu
• Project Title: Differentiating instruction in multilingual Namibian and Flemish primary classrooms: A mixed methods study
  
• Supervision Type: Co-Supervisor (Joint PhD Stellenbosch University)

• PhD Student: A. Sekgobela
• Project Title: Content-based instruction pedagogies in high schools: a mixed-methods study in South African and Flemish secondary education
• Supervision Type: Supervisor (Joint PhD Stellenbosch University)

• 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: DJ Cloete
• Project Title: Formal writing in higher education: identification of optimal support for first year students to develop their own voice
• Supervision Type: Chairman Doctoral Committee

• PhD Student: I. Bazhutkina
• Project Title: Developing pragmatic competence in LX German: The effect of context and individual differences
• Supervision Type: Doctoral Committee Member

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: D. Schwall
• University: Université de Liège
• Project Title: Interkomprehension - Messbarkeit und Lernbarkeit
• Supervision Type: PhD Committee Member

• PhD Student: Eloy Romero Muñoz
• University: Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris 3)
• Project Title: ​Improving the Applicability of Applied Cognitive Linguistics: Towards a process-oriented approach involving practitioners
• Supervision Type: PhD Jury 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