Centre for Applied Linguistics Research Seminars Series

Mariusz Baranowski, Piotr Cichocki, Piotr Jabkowski

Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland)

27 November 2024, 5pm

Venue: Room A5.01, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

The project aims to analyze academic publications on energy transition (ET) in Europe from 2001-2023, using data from Scopus, Web of Science, and Dimensions databases. An initial search identified approximately 45,000 unique records after accounting for overlaps between databases. A pre-selection process using text modeling, meta-data analysis, and expert judgment will identify relevant articles for full-text algorithmic mining. The team anticipates acquiring around 30% of the identified records for full-text analysis through a combination of automated and manual retrieval methods.

The analysis will leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques, utilizing existing libraries in Python and R for processing large-scale text data. The study will go beyond traditional text-mining techniques, such as topic modeling, by employing advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) like BERT or GPT, allowing semantic analysis and argument mining. This will enable the extraction of thematic and argumentative structures, offering more granular insights into the academic discourse on ET.

The project will use open-source tools, including R and Python libraries, and requires a high-powered desktop for computational tasks. Applying these tools will facilitate the identification of key themes, arguments, and patterns in the literature, contributing to a deeper understanding of the field.

This presentation is part of a grant project entitled National Determinants of Energy Transformation in the Multi-Level Perspective: European Experiences and Imaginaries (NCN OPUS, No. 2023/51/B/HS6/00418), for which Mariusz Baranowski is the Principal Investigator.

Bios

Mariusz Baranowski, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland), Faculty of Sociology, Department of Sociology of Social Stratification. Doctor of Economic Sociology and MA in Sociology (Adam Mickiewicz University), Philosophy (Adam Mickiewicz University) and postgraduate diploma in Human Resource Management (Economic Development Agency). His research focuses on economic sociology, social inequality, social welfare and energy transformation.

Piotr Cichocki, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland), Faculty of Sociology, Department of Sociology of Social Stratification. His research interests include monitoring social and political attitudes through cross-country surveys, attitudes towards European integration, research on European Identity, and computational social science.

Piotr Jabkowski, Associate Professor of Sociology at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland) is a member of the European Social Survey Sampling and Weighting Expert Panel. At Adam Mickiewicz University, he teaches statistics, advanced quantitative methods and survey methodology to undergraduate and postgraduate students. His research and publications focus on sample quality in cross-country comparative surveys, the total error paradigm and sampling theory.

Dr. Darío Luis Banegas

Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh

6 November 2024, 5pm

Venue: Room 642, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

In this talk, I will describe a two-year collaborative action research project carried out in 2022–23 which investigated the intersection of social justice and advocacy in English language teaching in secondary schools in Argentina. Findings indicate that the teachers saw themselves as language advocates for social justice through situated pedagogical practices. They redesigned the language curriculum and teaching materials to advocate for social transformation in context-responsive ways, for instance through materials adaptation, localisation and creation. They also cultivated social responsibility and action through a variety of advocacy-orientated projects. Teacher agency was exercised through reflection and action, and became a driving force and an organising construct. Implications for language teacher education for social justice and advocacy will be discussed.

Bio

Darío Luis Banegas is Senior Lecturer in Education at Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh. He leads a master’s course on second language teaching curriculum. He is the Director of Postgraduate Research and the convener of the Towards Intersectionality in Language Teacher Education (TILTED) Research Group, and co-convener of the Language Curriculum SIG with BAAL. His main teaching and research interests are: social justice in language education, pre-service language teacher education, action research, and CLIL.

Prof Goh Chuen Meng Christine

National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

23 October 2024, 5pm

Venue: Room 822, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Research over the past decades has helped us better understand what second language (L2) listening entails. While most studies have focused on how individual factors influenced listening, some have examined the relative importance of various factors in producing comprehension. This talk offers a model of L2 listening that consists of interdependent components working together to influence learner listening and L2 listening development. I will present these components in terms of internal and external factors and suggest how teaching and learning should tap on a comprehensive view of L2 listening to create better learning outcomes. I will also highlight some limitations in current theorizing of L2 listening and suggest possible directions for further research. It is hoped that the talk can lead to a discussion of how teaching and research can be done effectively in light of the cognitive, social and affective demands of L2 listening.

Bio

Christine Goh is President’s Chair Professor in Education (Linguistics & Language Education) at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. An experienced language teacher, researcher and teacher educator, she has a strong interest in second language listening and speaking development, and learner metacognition. Christine’s work is characterised by a research/theory – practice nexus that informs teaching and research. Her recent book publications are the second edition of Teaching and learning second language listening: Metacognition in action (2022, with Larry Vandergrift, Routledge) and Confident speaking: Theory, practice and teacher inquiry (2023, with Xuelin Liu, Routledge). She has also published extensively in academic journals and spoken at various platforms.

Dr. Vahid Aryadoust

National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

9 October 2024, 6pm

Venue: Elvin Hall, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Eye tracking is the process of measuring where and for how long a person focuses their gaze on specific points known as areas of interest within their visual field. This technology converts eye movements into quantified data that provide valuable spatial and temporal information, such as fixation, visit, regression patterns etc. In the field of second language listening assessment, these measures have been utilized for various purposes, particularly to explore how gaze behaviour influences listening test performance.

In this presentation, I will begin by discussing findings from recent listening assessment research, which indicate that researchers often rely on test scores to infer the level of the latent construct, or underlying listening “ability,” that a test-taker possesses. This approach typically employs models such as Rasch measurement or item response theory, which function as mathematical frameworks linking test-takers’ latent listening ability to the probability of answering a question correctly on the listening test. These models operate under the assumption of unidimensionality, meaning they presume the test measures a single underlying trait, with the latent ability parameter (theta) representing the test-taker's listening ability. Additionally, the field has progressed with the introduction of multidimensional models, such as multidimensional Rasch and cognitive diagnostic assessments, which offer further insights into the multiple cognitive processes that listening tests may measure.

Next, I will present evidence suggesting that, despite the substantial contributions of this quantitative approach to listening assessment research, recent eye tracking studies have shown that the listening process is far more dynamic than what IRT models typically predict. I will review studies that have identified several test method effects through eye tracking research—effects that are inherently difficult to capture with traditional quantitative methods. These include phenomena such as keyword matching, the primacy effect, and variations due to presentation methods and double listening. Finally, I will discuss the implications of these findings for the validity of listening tests, or the validity of the interpretations and uses of their test scores. I will discuss the limitations of eye tracking and conclude by exploring how the integration of sensor technologies like eye tracking can contribute to the emerging concept of neurophysiological validity in listening and language assessment.

Bio

Vahid Aryadoust is Associate Professor of language assessment at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, with additional roles as Honorary Associate Professor at UCL, London, and Visiting Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University, China. His research interests include generative AI in language assessment, meta-analysis, and sensor technologies such as eye tracking, brain imaging, and GSR. Dr. Aryadoust has published extensively in reputable journals and authored several books and book chapters with leading publishers. He has led numerous assessment research projects funded by educational institutions in Singapore, the US, the UK, and Canada. He serves on the Advisory Board of various international journals and was awarded the Intercontinental Academia Fellowship (2018–2019). A multi-award winner, Dr. Aryadoust has received ILTA’s Best Article Award (2024) for his research on sensor technologies in measuring cognitive load in listening assessment and NIE’s Teaching Excellence Award, among others. He is a proponent of knowledge-sharing and equity in education, exemplified by his YouTube channel “Statistics and Theory,” which won the John Cheung Social Media Award in 2020 for its innovative use of social media.

25 September 2024, 2pm

Venue: Nunn Hall, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

To celebrate our tenth anniversary UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics is hosting an event on Wednesday 25 September starting at 2pm and concluding with a reception starting at 6pm.

The celebration features talks by Prof Judit Kormos and Prof David Block, short contributions from founding member Professor Emerita Catherine Wallace and the Dean and Director of IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, Professor Li Wei. In addition, poster presentations will showcase the diversity of work being undertaken by current doctoral students.

Speakers

In line with BAAL’s recent Big Survey Report addressing EDI in the field, Prof Judit Kormos considers the needs of neurodiverse students in the second language classroom.

Equitable access to language learning for neurodiverse students in classroom settings

This presentation gives a narrative overview of the series of research projects I have conducted over the past 15 years to enhance neurodiverse students’ access to language learning and to promote inclusive language teaching and assessment practices. Research findings, derived from interviews, questionnaires, observational studies and the analysis of second language performance, yield insights into the complexities of cognitive and affective challenges neurodiverse students are confronted with. The studies highlight that institutional, curricular, and pedagogical practices can constitute significant barriers for neurodiverse language learners. The presentation concludes with an action plan for future research and implications for inclusive multilingual pedagogies.

Judit Kormos is a Professor in Second Language Acquisition at Lancaster University. Her research focuses on the cognitive processes involved in learning and using additional languages. She has published widely on the effect of dyslexia on learning additional languages and is also the author of several research papers that have investigated the accessibility of language tests for young learners. She was a key partner in the EU-sponsored Dyslexia for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language and the Comics for Inclusive Language Teaching projects both of which won the British Council’s ELTon award. She is the lead educator of the Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching massive open online learning course offered by FutureLearn and has run teacher education workshops and webinars on inclusive language teaching in a large variety of international contexts.

In his talk, David Block reflects on the evolution of the field and poses some key question as we look to the future.

Reeling in the years: Some thoughts on applied linguistics – past, present and future

AILA defines applied linguistics as ‘an interdisciplinary field of research and practice dealing with practical problems of language and communication that can be identified, analysed or solved by applying available theories … [and] methods … or by developing new theoretical and methodological frameworks’. The interdisciplinarity mentioned here means that applied linguistics research draws not only on linguistics and communication studies, but also a range of social sciences and humanities disciplines. My aim in this talk is to reel in the years of my life as an interdisciplinary applied linguist, examining specific critical moments and the key issues and questions arising within them.

David Block is Honorary Professor in Sociolinguistics in the Departament d’Humanitats at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Over the past four decades, he has published books on a range of topics related to contemporary life, drawing on scholarship in political economy, history, sociolinguistics, sociology, anthropology and geography. His most recent single-authored books are Political Economy and Sociolinguistics: Neoliberalism, Inequality and Social Class (Bloomsbury, 2018); Post-Truth and Political Discourse (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019); Innovations and Challenges in Identity Research (Routledge, 2022) and Interviews in Applied Linguistics: Autobiographical Reflections on Research Processes (Routledge, 2024). He is a member of the Academy of the Social Sciences (UK), Visiting Professor at University College London Institute of Education and co-editor (with Will Simpson) of the Routledge book series Language, Society and Political Economy.

Dr Nurit Peled-Elhanan

Hebrew University & David Yellin Academic College, Israel

28 May 2024, 5pm

Venue: Room 728, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

In this talk, Nurit Peled-Elhanan discusses her new publisher’s prize winning book (Publishers Prize / Common Ground Research Networks) in which she argues that the pedagogical narrative reproduced in Israeli schoolbooks views the migration of Jews to Israel as the felicitous conclusion of the journey from the Holocaust to the Resurrection – a narrative that negates all forms of diasporic Jewish life and culture and ignores the history of Palestine during the 2000-year-long Jewish "exile." This narrative, she argues, otherizes three main groups vis-à-vis whom Israeliness is constituted: Holocaust victims, the Palestinian people and non-European (Mizrahi and Ethiopian) Jews. Thus, a rhetoric of victimhood and power evolves, and a nationalistic interpretation of the "never again" imperative is inculcated, justifying the Occupation and oppression of Palestinians and the marginalization of non-European Jews. This rhetoric is conveyed multimodally through discourse, genres, and visual elements.

In this talk, Nurit Peled-Elhanan advocates a multidirectional memory, and proposes an alternative Hebrew-Arabic, multi-voiced and poly-centered curriculum that would relate the accounts of the people whom the pedagogic narrative seeks to conceal and exclude. This joint curriculum will differ, she asserts, from the present one not only in content but also ideologically and semiotically. Instead of traumatizing and urging vengeance, it will encourage discussion and celebrate diversity and hybridity.

Bio

Nurit Peled-Elhanan is a retired lecturer in Language Education at the Hebrew University and in the David Yellin Academic College in Jerusalem, Israel. She has studied the various aspects of Israeli discourse of education and has published, edited, and written extensively on classroom discourse, oral and written language development at school, and racism in the Israeli schools and in schoolbooks. She is the author of Palestine in Israeli Schoolbooks: Ideology and propaganda in Education (2012). She has received several awards for her work, among which is the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights and the Freedom of Thought, awarded by the European Parliament.

Dr David Rodríguez-Velasco

Queen Mary University of London

Prof. John Gray 

University College London

14 May 2024, 5pm

Venue: Room 728, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Despite significant progress in terms of legislative reform globally and the proliferation of inclusivity statements by universities and publishers, LGBTQ+ content and lives remain marginalized in the second language curriculum and in pedagogical materials. Research suggests that the pervasive cis-heteronormativity in second language education not only silences queer voices, impeding second language development, but also leads to the mischaracterization and misunderstanding of queer people in general. In this talk we share the analysis of a set of contemporary published coursebooks for the teaching of English, Spanish and French across proficiency levels ranging from A1 to C1. The findings reveal some significant differences with a very limited degree of superficial LGBTQ+ representation in the materials. In the talk we discuss the nature of this superficial representation, and we make some suggestions as to how these materials can be supplemented and adapted for use in the classroom in ways that provide greater representation for LGBTQ+ learners, while at the same time sensitising non LGBTQ+ students to issues of diversity.

Bio

Dr David Rodríguez Velasco is a Spanish and Culture Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. His main research interests revolve around the study of Linguistics and Intercultural Pragmatics, with a particular focus on students' sociopragmatic knowledge in a digital environment in an academic context. His research is also focused on understanding teachers’ and students’ views regarding the use of LGBTQ+ materials in their modules and the analysis of LGBTQ+ topics in coursebooks.

John Gray is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Education at University College London. His research interests are in the global spread of English, with a particular focus on the promotion and marketization of English (and other languages) in late modernity; the ways in which neoliberal ideology plays out in language teaching and language teacher education; language teacher identity; and issues of gender and sexuality in language teaching and beyond.

Dr Dora Alexopoulou

University of Cambridge

Tue 26th March, 4pm

Venue: 20 Bedford Way, IOE Room C3.11, London WC1H 0AL

Venue: Room C3.11, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

The rapid expansion of online learning and assessment around the world and across the lifespan, has created unprecedented opportunities for the collection of learner data from teaching and examination institutions. Data from such ‘real life’ environments can provide new insights to the study of instructed language learning. In this talk, I will argue that they can also inform basic SLA research and be an empirical bridge between applied questions related to proficiency and curriculum design and lab-based SLA developmental research. I will illustrate with research using the EF-Cambridge Open Language Database (EFCAMDAT), an open access corpus developed at Cambridge. EFCAMDAT consists of L2 writings submitted to the online school of EF Education First. 

It contains 128 distinct tasks across the proficiency spectrum drawing from learners across 170 nationalities. It is the largest open access corpus of its kind, with 1.2 million scripts summing 71.8 million words. In the first part of the talk I will review methodological questions relating to the use of ‘big data’ resources like EFCMDAT focusing on the corpus and natural language processing tools that are necessary to fruitfully exploit large size corpora that are becoming increasingly available to researchers. I will then present empirical studies exploring the development of linguistic complexity across proficiency and the nature of typological influence of the L1 on L2 vocabulary and the acquisition of the English articles. 

The emerging picture is mixed, suggesting weak or minimal effects of L1 on vocabulary and syntactic complexity but strong typological effects on morphosyntax. I will argue that large corpora like EFCAMDAT which facilitate the investigation of multiple L1s for learners across proficiency are essential for the investigation of key SLA questions like crosslinguistic influence in L2 grammars while, at the same time, allow us to link basic SLA research questions with teaching and assessment in a direct way.

Bio

Dr Dora Alexopoulou is Associate Professor in First and Second Language Acquisition and Language Typology. She is interested in natural language syntax, as a manifestation of the human cognitive capacity for language, and in the way syntax shapes language learning. Her research looks at variation and diversity across languages and how the linguistic distance between a learner’s mother tongue and their second language influences the way they process and interpret it, how it impacts on their learning, even predicting proficiency scores in exams. Her practical goal is to develop learning methods and tools that can address learning challenges and improve outcomes. She approaches these questions through Chomsky’s generative syntax and a combination of experimental and corpus data, in particular big data from online foreign language learning platforms. 

Dr Carmit Altman

Bar Ilan University, Israel/UCL Honorary Scholar

20 February 2024, 3.30pm

Venue: Room 784, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Family language policy (FLP) plays a pivotal role in shaping bilingual language acquisition. This presentation examines the intricate dynamics of FLP through the exploration of comprehensive studies centered around English-Hebrew and Russian-Hebrew speaking bilingual families. The goals are to delineate the FLPs of these communities and their impact on linguistic outcomes in both languages and to delve deeper into FLPs, comparing families with an explicit planning style to those without. Data was collected via questionnaires and interviews from parents and their bilingual children. Children’s receptive and expressive abilities were assessed to explore the impact of FLP. Most families introduce the home language English/Russian in the home and Hebrew out of the home. 

In addition, planning style (overt vs. covert) should be considered as an influencing factor. Families with an overt planning style are more likely to lean towards pro-heritage FLP and families with a covert planning style are more likely to present with a pro-societal FLP. Statistical analyses uncover a complex relationship between FLP and linguistic outcomes, revealing potential predictors. It is concluded that FLP holds implications for the bilingual language environment.

Bio

Dr Carmit Altman is Head of the Child Development Program in the Faculty of Education and affiliated with the Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University. Her academic career has followed a psycholinguistics-sociolinguistics interdisciplinary trajectory and her research has focused on bilingual language typical and atypical development, narrative acquisition and intervention, as well as family language policy funded by BSF, ISF and Ministry of Education grants. She is co-director of Bilingualism Matters in Israel. She is currently an Honorary scholar at UCL. 

Tony Clark

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

6 February 2024, 5.30pm

Venue: G03 Lecture Theatre, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0DS, United Kingdom

Abstract

IELTS is now taken by over four million test-takers a year globally, balancing longstanding assessment principles with real-world conditions related to international mobility in the 21st century. Supporting this large number of candidates requires a sophisticated and advanced testing infrastructure, capable of providing access across a variety of delivery modes in a secure format.

This presentation outlines the role of research and validation underpinning this extensive operation from an institutional perspective, highlighting the theoretical and practical considerations as part of Cambridge’s remit to engage in a range of key functions. Emergence of digital technologies, the changing world of education – and how we communicate with each other – have arguably made assessment research more important than ever before.

Consequently, research activities include increased stakeholder recognition work, providing validation evidence to support existing test use or innovations, exploring task types and construct-related issues, investigating delivery modes, malpractice detection, and reshaping the IELTS funded research programme. The VRIPQ model (Validity, Reliability, Impact, Practicality and Quality) continues to act as a mainstay for this work, cognisant of the evolving testing landscape and the requirement for language assessment research to keep pace.

Additionally, the important role the cross-partner IELTS Research Group (IRG) now plays alongside these activities is described, adding further research capabilities to support key functions as IELTS expands its global operation. Current IRG projects on One-skill Retakes and a higher education impact study highlight the importance of research to support fairness for candidates, and ultimately help them achieve their learning goals.

Bio

Tony Clark is Head of IELTS Research at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. His areas of research interest include test preparation, multimodality, diagnostic assessment and high-stakes university admissions tests. He has published in several major language assessment and applied linguistics journals, regularly presents at international conferences, and is an active member of the academic community – serving on the UKALTA Executive Committee.

Ana Sofia Bruzon 

Mcquarie University, Sydney

16 January 2024, 6pm

Venue: Room 739, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

The use of technology is widely recognised as central in modern parenting, and in bilingual childrearing, technology has no lesser position. Emerging languages in Australia, such as Spanish, are under-researched and allow the study of migrants’ diverse practices. This event presents research that explored the linguistic practices of Spanish-speaking families in Sydney, Australia, a growing demographic.

In a society that remains resolutely monolingual in English in its institutions, such as schools, multilingual families strive to maintain their heritage language through technology and intergenerational ties. The research also investigated the ideologies influencing family language policies (FLPs), such as the enduring deficit view on children’s bilingual practices. The findings denote a tension between the desire to minimise screen time for developmental reasons and a desire to maximise it for Spanish development. Notably, there is evidence of innovative uses of digital technology for heritage language maintenance, such as multiple modalities (e.g., text messaging and voice recording) in intergenerational digital-mediated communication.

This research is significant because it focuses on families’ digital experiences while spatially separated and during children’s critical years for language acquisition. The project will add to our knowledge of the language practices and beliefs in the family in two ways: by contributing to the literature on FLP in transnational multilingual families and by investigating the usage of digital technologies for language maintenance. This will help parents, schools, and practitioners better understand how novel and safe technology use can aid in heritage language maintenance.

Bio

Ana Sofia Bruzon is a PhD candidate researching heritage language maintenance and the digital practices of transnational families. Her MRes research focused on language policy and practice, investigating multilingual schools’ online linguistic practices and was published as Piller, Bruzon, and Torsh (2023). Ana also has a background in law and is a member of the CA Bar in the US, where she has practised as an immigration and family lawyer.

Martina Zimmermann 

Lausanne University of Teacher Education

29 November 2023, 5.30pm

Venue: Room 728, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

In this presentation, I delve into an immersion program in Switzerland, designed to simulate an English-speaking environment for language learning. I examine the promises and constraints associated with this simulated immersion, with a focus on its influence on language acquisition, cultural practices, and power dynamics. Through the lens of ethnographic research and interviews with participants, I scrutinize how this immersion program constructs an anglophone atmosphere, establishes its rules, and allocates roles to participants. I demonstrate how social and cultural inequalities are navigated within this framework and how conventional educational power structures are mirrored in this simulated learning space.

Bio

Martina Zimmermann is an associate professor at Lausanne University of Teacher Education in the department of Languages & Cultures. Her research interests revolve around language in society, with a focus on teaching and learning languages, language and mobility, and language and inequality. 

Prof Gregory Hadley

Niigata University, Japan

15 November 2023, 5:15pm

Venue: Room 728, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Grounded Theory, a 'bottom-up' qualitative or mixed-method approach, seeks to explain how people navigate dilemmas within different social contexts, such as workplaces, hospitals, or educational institutions. This approach is increasingly gaining traction amongst early career researchers and postgraduates seeking to uncover social and pedagogical challenges faced by their second language learners.

However, a muddle of misconceptions and lack of knowledge about Grounded Theory, coupled with limited training and mentoring, has led to methodological malpractice. Many, claiming to operate under the banner of Grounded Theory, find themselves swamped by mountains of collected qualitative data, often leading to disjointed or superficial studies. Others wrongly equate Grounded Theory with textual or thematic analysis, or other qualitative research approaches like ethnography or phenomenology. In most cases, 'Grounded Theory' is used to legitimate an attempt to use various qualitative methods that end up providing largely descriptive accounts lacking in substantial explanatory theory.

This seminar aims to quell the rising tide of such methodological malpractice, first by digging into the practices, stages, and purposes of the Grounded Theory methodology. This exploration will be illustrated by a recent exemplar Grounded Theory study, funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), which conceived a theory to deepen our understanding of the social processes within second language Extensive Reading programs.

By the end of this seminar, participants will have a clearer understanding of the essence and practices of Grounded Theory, its distinction from other qualitative or mixed-method research methodologies and gain fresh perspectives on approaching Extensive Reading in second language learning contexts.

Bio

Gregory Hadley is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Western Cultural Studies at Niigata University, Japan. A Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, some of his works include English for Academic Purposes in Neoliberal Universities: A Critical Grounded Theory (Springer, 2015), Grounded Theory in Applied Linguistics Research: A Practical Guide (Routledge, 2017), as well as contributions to the SAGE Handbook of Current Developments in Grounded Theory (2019) and The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Applied Linguistics (2019). His most recent book is entitled Critical Thinking (Routledge, 2022) with Andrew Boon.

Dr Gigi Luk

Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University

18 October 2023, 5.30pm 

Venue: Room 728, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Abstract

Multilingualism is an interactional experience between an individual and her environment through multiple languages. Research in multilingualism involves multiple disciplines. In this presentation, I will present an overview of my research program in psychology, neuroscience, and education. First, I will illustrate how linguistic diversity in a child’s proximal and distal environment shapes language acquisition. From this interactive perspective, I will show how language development and learning reveal in neuroimaging data among adolescents. Crucially, I will demonstrate how these findings are related to state-level education data, including special education. Finally, I will share how research in multilingualism can benefit from a transdisciplinary perspective by integrating ecologically grounded questions and laboratory-based research approaches.

Bio

Gigi Luk obtained her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from York University, Canada. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rotman Research Institute at the Baycrest Center before joining the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In January 2019, she joined the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Luk’s research on the cognitive and neural consequences of multilingualism extends across the lifespan. She leads a research program that examines how diverse language experiences shape development and learning using neuroimaging methods, behavioural methods, and educational data. Her research has received funding from agencies in Canada and the U.S. She has served as associate editor for Bilingualism: Language and Cognition and is currently an associate editor for Child Development.