LEAD

Intersection 4: Language and Learning: Interfacing Research in Education with Linguistic and Cognitive Modeling.

01.11.2012 bis 31.10.2017

Language permeates teaching and learning in a wide range of contexts. In most subjects, instruction relies heavily on language-mediated tasks; in second language teaching, language also constitutes the subject matter itself.
Reading comprehension, language production, and issues of language awareness and social identity are crucial building blocks for students to succeed academically. Accordingly, they are among the most intriguing issues in evidence-based education. Although some progress has been made, there is an urgent need for greater integration of theoretical and practical perspectives, especially at the interface of linguistic modeling, cognitive modeling, and the teaching and learning context.
First, there still is a lack of well-validated instruments for assessing language competencies at the full range of levels. Combining expertise from linguistics, computational linguistics, cognitive psychology, and psychometrics is essential for further progress here. Second, LEAD aims to further develop models of language-related competencies in context. Topics of interest range from basic processes involved in constructing meaningful cognitive representations to high-level comprehension abilities that are necessary for successful learning from multimedia materials. Third, in terms of interventions, a focus will be on adaptive learning environments for students at various levels of achievement, tested in formal and informal learning environments. The fourth aspect is directly related to the study of interventions, namely the well-motivated need to tailor instruction to the individual’s aptitude. The integration of educational, linguistic, cognitive, and computational aspects will provide clear added value here.