[ Second language psycholinguistics ]

 

Our research

SLPL Logo

Currently (2021), our research is mainly organized around three main focus areas as shown below. Generally speaking, our research aims at better understanding the representations that learners create for the words and phonological units of the second language (L2), and how these representations change over time. We also examine the mechanisms of phonological processing in a L2, and the factors that facilitate it (for instance by supressing the interference from the first language). Finally, we address the application of these findings in pedagogical contexts, with the goal of helping learners modify their representations and streamline their processing for their new language, which eventually helps them communicate more easily in the second language.


1 2 3
Phonological processing and spoken word recognition in L1 and L2
The bilingual mental lexicon
Pronunciation instruction and teacher training


Clicking on each one will take you to more details about this research area and list some projects being conducted, with links to specific publications.


Do not hesitate to contact us for more details!



Phonological processing and spoken word recognition in L1 and L2

Some of the questions we investigate in this research area:

  1. How are the various elements and units of the phonological system acquired and represented in the bilingual's mind?
  2. How do we recognize spoken words in a second language?
  3. How does the L1 phonological grammar interfere with processing of L2?
  4. Which factors facilitate or hinder L2 phonological processing? (orthography, individual differences, executive functions...)
  5. How does this change over time as bilinguals' proficiency develop?


Selected publications pertaining to this area are listed below:

back to top

The bilingual mental lexicon

Some of the questions we investigate in this research area:

  1. Which phonolexical representations do bilinguals create for the words of their L2?
  2. How do these representations change over time?
  3. Which factors matter to help learners establish accurate phonological lexical representations? (orthography, the timing of word learning...)

Selected publications pertaining to this area are listed below:
back to top


Pronunciation instruction and teacher training


Some of the questions we investigate in this research area:

  1. Does pronunciation instruction actually improve acquisition (representations), comprehensibility and/or foreign accent?
  2. Which elements of L2 speech impact comprehensibility and/or intelligibility most?
  3. Which methods are most effective for learners?
  4. How can we best prepare teachers?
  5. Is it possible to train learners to listen?

Selected publications pertaining to this area are listed below:
back to top

Search

If you cant find what you're looking for, try using the site's search system:

More links


Berlin
Lab News





Click here to see the course materials for the seminar Bilingual Mental Lexicon at Universitat de Barcelona (password protected).

Click here to see the course materials for the Praat Tutorial at Indiana University (password protected).

Click here for information on the Hoosier Vocal Emotions Corpus.