College of Arts and Letters
Language Learning Center
141 Old Horticulture Building (517) 355-8374 Webmaster: webmaster@llc.msu.edu
Research at the LLC
The LLC is currently actively involved in the following research projects:
Spanish idioms
Investigates lexical knowledge of Spanish idioms by learners of Spanish. The LLC created a computer-based data collection instrument that administers the test and collects student responses for later analysis
Working memory and language learning
Investigates the role of working memory in learning foreign languages. The LLC is creating a web-based instrument based on the original paper and pencil test. The new instrument will allow multiple researchers to conduct multiple, independent iterations of the test.
Chinese pragmatics
A video-based program presents learners with socio-cultural situations, and measures learners' pragmatic language use. Data collection happens in the LLC's lab, where subjects view the video and record their responses.
Subtitles in foreign language learning
Investigating the role of subtitles on video for learning languages with non-roman scripts. LLC staff are assisting researchers by editing digital video to integrate subtitles.
ETS Rater Training:
Investigating whether rater training eliminates rater bias when evaluating spoken production of language. The LLC wrote a database-driven application that creates individualized sets of stimuli for subjects, and records their responses and reaction times.
The Tone Project:
Researching amusia and the ability to hear tone in tonal languages. The LLC hosts the project website, and writes software to present stimuli and collect data.
Completed Research Projects
Self-Monitoring and Correction for Pronunciation:
Investigating whether and why language learners self-correct their pronunciation. The LLC wrote software to allow subjects to record themselves online, and then make corrections as they saw fit. Results were presented at CALICO 2006.
French Sociolinguistics:
The LLC assists with digitization of audio tapes in the ongoing research activities of French faculty.
Heritage Language pronunciation:
Investigating the pronunciation of onset stops in native, nonnative, and heritage speakers of Chinese.
Student thesis and dissertation research:
Identification of lexical bundles through oral-response tasks. The LLC wrote software that presents lexical chunks aurally, then collects oral responses.
Spanish and English sociolinguistics:
Measuring politeness attitudes toward statements in Spanish and English. The LLC wrote and hosts the web-based data collection instrument, and assists in data analysis.
French phonology:
A longitudinal study investigating input flooding and pronunciation improvement. The LLC wrote software that presents audio and video stimuli, and collects participants' intuitions and production data.