About

Dr. Yuko Goto Butler is the Director of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and a Professor in the Educational Linguistics Division at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE). Her professional expertise includes language assessment, cross-linguistic and cross-cultural learning and teaching, second language acquisition among young learners, bilingualism, and biliteracy. She serves as a consultant on language assessments for young learners at organizations such as Educational Testing Service (ETS), the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), and the Eiken Foundation in Japan. Dr. Butler earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Stanford University, where she also completed her M.A. in Linguistics. She has a background in Comparative Education from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in Asian History from the University of Tokyo. Her research focuses on second and foreign language development among children, investigating dual- and plurilingual development, and the professional development of language teachers working with young learners and adults. Her work adopts an ecological approach, examining environmental factors, internal cognitive and metacognitive factors, and their interactions in children’s language learning. She is particularly interested in ethical research and assessment practices involving children, emphasizing their autonomy and voice in the process. Throughout her career, Dr. Butler has contributed significantly to understanding language learning in instructional settings, especially among pre-primary and primary school students in the United States and East Asia. Her recent projects include developing ecologically-valid materials and assessments that incorporate children’s voices and designing digital games for language learning to foster ownership and autonomy. Her extensive publication record reflects her dedication to advancing research and practice in language education, assessment, and early childhood language development.

Research topics

• Pedagogy
• Psychology
• Social psychology
• Sociology
• Computer Science
• Mathematics education
• Political Science
• Library science
• Engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Economics
• Demographic economics
• Chemistry
• Media studies
• Linguistics

Selected publications

• Task-Based Approaches to Teaching Additional Languages in Primary School

  Task-based language teaching · 2026-05-07

  bookSenior author

  How can primary school children develop real communicative ability in an additional language? How can teachers move beyond isolated vocabulary and grammar practice toward meaningful language use that aligns with children’s cognitive, social, and developmental needs? This volume provides the first comprehensive, research-based guide to Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) specifically designed for primary education. Timpe-Laughlin and Butler bring together insights from child first language development, bilingualism, cognitive and affective growth, curriculum design, literacy development, classroom implementation, and assessment to show how tasks can serve as the organizing principle for effective early language education. The book guides readers step-by-step: from understanding who young language learners are and how they learn; to designing task-based curricula and materials; to implementing tasks that develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing; to integrating formative, diagnostic, and large-scale task-based assessment; and to redefining the teacher’s role as planner, facilitator, assessor, and reflective practitioner. Rich with classroom examples, teacher-focused preparation sections, and practical appendices—including a needs analysis guide, task types, literacy strategies, and scoring rubrics—this book equips educators and researchers with concrete tools for applying TBLT in real primary school contexts.

  PublisherDOI

• Teaching additional languages to young learners through tasks

  Language Teaching · 2026-02-16 · 24 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Task-based language teaching (TBLT), an instructional approach for promoting real world communicative language use, has gained substantial attention among researchers and educators of additional languages, traditionally referred to as second languages (L2) and foreign languages (FL). Existing research on TBLT and tasks, predominantly conducted with adult learners, has primarily examined how meaning-focused tasks enhance (or do not enhance) learners’ communicative abilities in the target language and how different task implementations yield different outcomes (Ellis, 2017).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The effectiveness of local instructional strategies for early reading

  2026-03-19

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Although communicative language teaching is widely promoted, many educators in Japan still use traditional instructional strategies. Since Japanese is a non-alphabetic, vertically read language, it differs greatly from English, making it challenging for teachers to identify effective methods for teaching English reading to children. Responding to concerns raised by primary school English teachers, this chapter examines a study focused on two emergent reading strategies – finger tracking and synchronised reading. Finger tracking is thought to aid attention, eye movement, and word recognition. Synchronised reading – simultaneously listening and repeating – is commonly used by older learners in Japan. This study explored whether these strategies enhance English word recognition and attention in children. Participants included 41 first-graders with no prior English experience, all receiving communicative-based instruction twice a week. For ten minutes each session, Group 1 practiced synchronised reading, Group 2 used both strategies, and Group 3 (control) only listened to texts. After one year, students completed a word-reading test and eye-tracking assessment. Results showed no significant differences in word reading or eye-movement patterns across groups, though notable individual variation was observed. These findings underscore the need for flexible instructional approaches that address the diverse needs of young language learners.

  PublisherDOI

• 11 The Development of the Use of Articles in Oral Narratives among Young English Learners in China

  Multilingual Matters eBooks · 2025-02-06

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  11 The Development of the Use of Articles in Oral Narratives among Young English Learners in China was published in Young Learners' Oracy Acquisition and Development in International Foreign Language Learning Contexts on page 198.

  PublisherDOI

• The Development of the Use of Articles in Oral Narratives among Young English Learners in China

  Channel View Publications eBooks · 2025-01-06

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Children's Additional Language Learning in Instructional Settings

  Multilingual Matters eBooks · 2025-04-11 · 1 citations

  book1st authorCorresponding

  This book provides an overview of additional language learning development and pedagogy among young children who are learning a language in addition to their home language(s). It integrates second language development theories and research findings with practice and will be invaluable to all those working with young language learners.

  PublisherDOI

• How do pre-service language teachers perceive generative AIs’ affordance?:A case of ChatGPT

  System · 2025-01-22 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  As generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, becomes prevalent, it presents various ethical and practical challenges for schools. This study explores how students assess ChatGPT's affordances and limitations in academic writing and how these assessments relate to their writing performance, judged by themselves and the course instructor. The study uniquely focuses on international pre-service teachers in a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program in the United States ( N = 38), who may use generative AIs in their teaching and studies. The participants completed tasks in an applied linguistics class, including writing essays with and without ChatGPT on the same topic and comparing the two essays. Grounded in the Theory of Affordance, the students' evaluations were coded and analyzed with Epistemic Network Analysis. Results showed that students viewed ChatGPT's affordances and limitations differently according to their writing profiles. Those with lower writing scores or confidence were less critical of ChatGPT, highlighting its merits in language-related elements such as grammatical accuracy and lexical choice. The study suggests the importance of assisting future language teachers in fostering accurate knowledge of AI's affordances and developing balanced views towards AI through professional development, while considering individual differences in their needs and abilities.

  PublisherDOI

• Ethics and child-centered research in the era of digital technology

  Research methods in applied linguistics · 2025-09-05

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract We are living in a time of rapid change. Digital technology has transformed not only how we communicate but also the target language itself. Digital technology also influences how we conduct child-centered research. Drawing on the author’s and other scholars’ Applied Linguistics research concerning child participants, the chapter discusses some ethical issues that emerge when digital technologies are used in child-centered research. The chapter first lays out basic, internationally accepted ethical principles for human subject research — respect for person (autonomy), beneficence (benefits should be greater than potential risk), and justice (equal and fair treatment) — and their implications when working with children. Building on these ethical principles, the chapter discusses (a) the challenges of ensuring children’s autonomy in the process of obtaining their assent through digital technologies (e.g., online surveys) and throughout the research process; (b) complexities in assessing potential benefits and risks related to protecting children’s confidentiality and privacy in digital spaces; and (c) challenges in power relations between children and adult researchers as well as among children, which may influence research procedures, experiences, and outcomes. The chapter concludes with suggestions for researchers when designing and conducting child-centered research in the rapidly changing world of digital technology.

  PublisherDOI

• Child-centered assessment research and practice

  Language learning and language teaching · 2025-05-22

  book-chapterOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Washback in primary/secondary K-12 contexts

  2025-06-26

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  This chapter discusses washback in schools at primary and secondary schools across Asia, including East Asia, South Asia, and South-East Asia regions, which are often characterised by ‘exam-oriented cultures’. Among the washback studies conducted in these regions, the chapter focuses on two topics: (a) the effects of high-stakes exams, such as entrance exams and exit exams, on language education at the secondary school level and vice versa (i.e., the influence of educational systems and practices on assessments); and (b) language assessments for primary school students in relation to early language policies and parentocracy (parental decision-making power). The chapter argues the importance of contextualising the assessments in particular social, historical, and educational contexts, and advocates for taking long-term perspectives when understanding washback effects. Moreover, while washback has traditionally been considered as the impact of tests on learning and teaching – implying one-way influence – the chapter calls for broader and more dynamic conceptualisations of washback effects subscribing to more ecological views. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research in these areas and beyond.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Valentina Carbonara

  University for Foreigners of Siena

  36 shared

• Nettie Boivin

  36 shared

• Alison L. Bailey

  University of California, Los Angeles

  36 shared

• Chiou-hui Chou

  National Tsing Hua University

  36 shared

• Junko Matsuzaki Carreira

  Tokyo Keizai University

  36 shared

• Jiyoon Lee

  9 shared

• Kerry Pusey

  5 shared

• Yeting Liu

  5 shared

Awards & honors

• National Academy of Education’s Spencer Postdoctoral Fellows…
• 1999 Cognitive Studies in Educational Practice Award