Dr. Fan-Yu Lin

Assistant Professor of Special Education

Department of Advanced Studies in Education

About My Background

I was originally from Taiwan and I came to United States in 1996 for graduate studies. While I was studying early childhood education/child development at University of Pennsylvania, I took a summer course at Penn State University. This course was to provide a general view of special education and applied behavior analysis. We learned how to structure classroom environment to accommodate students’ needs and adapt effective and systematic instruction to improve student performance. I could hear the shouting from my heart, “Yes, this is exactly what I want!” Since then, I changed my career plan and officially become a member in the field of special education.

After graduating from Penn State University in 2004, I began teaching in California State University Stanislaus. My research interest is curriculum and instruction in math, behavior management, and skill fluency training. I also enjoy faculty-student interaction and have engaged actively in Faculty Mentor Program.

About My Name

My family name is Lin, which means “Woods”. Fan-Yu is my given name. Fan means “everything” while Yu means “rich, wealthy”. My uncle named me Fan-Yu with such warm expectations.

Proud to have a unique name, I have lots of problems with the name since I was little. In Chinese, it is very masculine and more likely to be a boy’s name. More than once when I went to summer camp, I was assigned to boy’s groups based on my name.

Coming to United States does not make my “confusing name” any better. In English, there is no sound exactly matched Chinese pronunciation of “Yu”. (In order to make this sound, you will have to make “ee” sound yet exercise the lips like you are going to make “u” sound.) Since many people can’t pronounce my name correctly, Fan becomes the most reasonable alternative. Yet “Fan” does have its own English meaning and is such a commonly used word. Many times I had to pay much more attention to the conversation in order to differentiate: Are they talking about me or the “device that creates a breeze”?

Having people calling me Fan comes with another problem: Exactly what is my last name? Lin? Yu-Lin? Or Yu? After I got married in June 2006, it has been getting more complicated. Many start calling me Dr. Yu (it makes senses somehow: Yu could be my maid name and Lin could be my husband’s last name). What makes it worse is all three parts of my name, “Fan”, “Yu”, and “Lin”, are very popular Chinese family names. Even a friend of my parents-in-law (who is a Chinese) sometimes calls me Dr. Fan.

So exactly how I shall be called? I am wondering myself.

About My Personal Information

Even after years away from my hometown in Taiwan, I am still a big fan of Chinese and Taiwanese opera (“fan” here means an ardent devotee, not my name). I enjoy watching Chinese opera and sometimes trying to initiate the movement and the singing. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no talent in music and dance.

Cooking was once my passion. When I was in graduate school, I spent more time in kitchen then in front of my computer writing the paper. With so much food stocked in my refrigerator, I often shared it with my friends. One day my friend said to me, “You must have a lot of stress recently.” I was stunned, “How can you tell?” “Well,” she said, “you often cooked when you were under stress.” Then I came to I realized I probably just used cooking as an escape from my work!! So watch out if you begin getting some goodies from me!

Since my husband takes over the kitchen duty, the best part of the life is to sit and eat! No more greasy work! He is such a great cook!

What Courses Have I Taught

We do not own the courses. But it is more likely you will see me teaching these courses. (Some courses are not offered regularly in each semester.)

EDSE 4160: Foundations of Special Education (online)

Note: Some seats for this course are reserved for students in teacher education credential programs. If you need to obtain instructor’s consent, please consult the teacher education program coordinators.

EDSE 4310: Introduction to Special Education

EDSE 4750: Applied Behavior Analysis in Classroom

EDSE 4450: Teaching Mild/Moderate Disabilities

Note: Students must be admitted to the special education credential program in order to take this course.

EDSE 5450: Advanced Seminar: Teaching Mild/Moderate Disabilities

Supervision of Student Teaching

How to Reach Me

Office: DBH 350

Phone: (209) 664-6543

Fax: (209) 667-3043

Email: fylin@csustan.edu

If you would like to leave me a voice message when I am not around, please say your name and phone number slowly. My hearing-writing fluency still needs to be sharpened even after years in the United States.

I am all about emails! I check my mails every day!