Faculty Profiles


Lonna Dickerson

Lonna Dickerson, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor


630.752.7950



Professional interests include issues related to pre-field training for Christians who plan to learn new languages and cultures, on-field language and culture learning, and development of materials for teaching English for Bible and theology.

Personal interests include spending time with family.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ph.D., Second Language Acquisition, 1974

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
M.A., TESL, 1971

Wheaton College
B.A., Art, 1964

  • Second Language Acquisition for On-Field Language and Culture Learners
  • Program Development for On-Field Language and Culture Learners
  • Learner Assessment for On-Field Language and Culture Learners
  • English Phonology
  • Theoretical Foundations for TESOL Methodology
  • Curriculum Development: English for Bible and Theology
  • TESOL
  • Second Language Acquisition
  • English for Bible and Theology

Pierson, Cheri, Dickerson, Lonna, and Scott, Florience. 2010. Exploring Theological English: Reaching, Vocabulary and Grammar for ESL/EFL. UK: Piquant Editions.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 2004. “Steps to More Effective Language and Culture Learning.” In Evangelical Missions Quarterly (January), as a sidebar to “Missionary Language Learning in Multilingual Contexts: What Language to Learn First,” by John Mustol.

Dickerson, Lonna J., ed. 2001. Proceedings from the International Congress on Language Learning. CD-ROM of the two books, Helping the Missionary Language Learner Succeed, and Helping Learners Develop Second Language Proficiency. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 2001. “Assessment of Language Proficiency.” In Helping Learners Develop Second Language Proficiency, edited by Lonna J. Dickerson, 35-54. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International.

Dickerson, Lonna J., ed. 2001. Helping Learners Develop Second Language Proficiency. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 2000. Sociolinguistics.” In Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, edited by A.Scott Moreau et al : 888-889. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 2000. “Linguistics, Linguistic Theory.” In Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions., edited by A. Scott Moreau et al: 579-580. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 1999. “Lingualinks.” Review of SIL software program. In Evangelical Missions Quarterly(October): 494-496.

Dickerson, Lonna J. and Dianne F. Dow. 1997. Handbook for Christian EFL Teachers. Evanston, IL: Berry Publishing Services, and Wheaton, IL: Billy Graham Center.

Dickerson, Lonna J., ed. 1995. Helping the Missionary Language Learner Succeed. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 1995. “What Do You Need to Learn When You Learn a Second Language? Defining the Task.” In Helping the Missionary Language Learner Succeed, edited by. Lonna J. Dickerson, 35-49. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 1992. “What Does the Research Say About ESL?” Interact, Vol. 2, No. 1 (October): 1-4.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 1981. “Evaluating, Selecting and Adapting Pronunciation Textbooks: Guidelines for ESL/EFL Teachers.” In Selected Papers from the First Midwest TESOL Conference, edited by R. Orem and J. Haskell.

Dickerson, Wayne B. and Lonna J. 1978. “Learning to Pronounce: Research Responses to Classroom Concerns,” English Teaching Forum, XVI (4): 13-15.

Dickerson, Wayne B. and Lonna J. 1977. Tips on Taping: Language Recording in the Social Sciences. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Press.

Dickerson, Wayne B. and Lonna J. 1976. “Interlanguage Phonology: Current Research and Future Directions.” In Accept du 5eme Colloque de Linguistique Appliquee de Neuchatel, edited by S. P. Corder and E. Roulet, 18-29. Also in TESL Studies, Spring 1977, edited by Y. Kachru, 64-87. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois.

Dickerson, Lonna J. 1995. “The Learner's Interlanguage as a System of Variable Rules,” TESOL Quarterly, 9 (Fall): 401-407.