Don has a BA in History from the College of Wooster, an MA in English (TESOL) from Michigan State University, and a PhD in East Asian Language and Culture from Indiana University. He has taught courses in language, culture, and linguistics for over two decades in universities such as Nanjing University, Zhongshan University, and Chinese University of Hong Kong, and has also played administrative roles with institutions such as the College of Wooster and the Amity Foundation. Currently he serves as Executive Director of Shantou University’s English Language Centre.
Don has published journal articles on topics ranging from self-directed language learning to diglossia to written forms of Chinese vernaculars. His books include More Than a Native Speaker: An Introduction for Volunteers Teaching English Abroad (TESOL Publications, revised edition), Encounters with Westerners: Improving Skills in English and Intercultural Communication (Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2004), From Language Learner to Language Teacher(TESOL Publications, 2007), and Cantonese as Written Language: The Growth of a Written Chinese Vernacular(Hong Kong University Press, 2004).
In such free time as his job allows, Don enjoys listening to and making music, hiking, drinking tea, and sitting down with a good book. He also hopes to learn enough of the Chaoshan vernacular that he can at least entertain real Chaoshan speakers.

Publications and research projects:
2010
? Hong Kong and Modern Diglossia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 206, 2010.
? Autonomy and Strategizing in Self-Directed Language Learning. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching 20, 2010.
? To Learn Chinese, Just Go to China? In Perspectives on Chinese Language and Culture, edited by Ik-sang Eom, Yea-fen Chen, and Shih-Chang Hsin. Crane Publishing Company, 2010.
? Diglossia in East Asia. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 20(1), 2010.
2009
? English Teachers, Language Learning, and the Issue of Power. In Christianity and English Language Teaching: Political, Pedagogical, and Professional Tensions, edited by Mary Wong and Suresh Canagarajah. Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates, 2009.
2008
? Cantonese as Written Standard? Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 18(2), 2008.
2007
? From Language Learner to Language Teacher: An Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language. TESOL Publications, 2007.
? Sustaining Self-Direct Language Learning. In English Language Teaching in China: New Approaches, Perspectives and Standards, edited by Jun Liu. Continuum Ltd., 2007.
2006
? More Than a Native Speaker: An Introduction for Volunteers Teaching English Abroad, revised edition. TESOL Publications, 2006.
? Selling Self-Directed Language Learning. Review of Applied Linguistics in China, 2, 2006.
? English Teaching, Teacher Colleges and Western China. Global Issues SIG Newsletter, 19, 2006.