Supervision

 

  • At PhD level:

I currently supervise five PhD students:

Angela Tellier investigates the concept of language readiness in primary-school children; she is interested in the potentially facilitative effect of Esperanto for L2 learning and in the role of language learning aptitude.

Zakariya Absi studies the relationship of metalinguistic knowledge and oral L2 proficiency in instructed adult L2 learners at university level.

Effie Georgiadou is interested in the relationship between working memory, speaking performance, and self-correction behaviour in instructed adult L2 learners at university level.

Benjaporn Thepseenu, who I co-supervise with my colleague Phil Scholfield, is interested in the role of metacognitive awareness in EFL reading.

Steven Samuel, who I co-supervise with Debi Roberson, is studying in the Department of Psychology. Steven is interested in executive control and perspective-taking in monolingual and bilingual adults.

 

I am interested in supervising empirical research projects in the area of L2 learning (see also my research interests). In particular, I am interested in work conducted within an emergentist/usage-based approach to SLA, and work which investigates the effects of explicit knowledge in (instructed) L2 learning.

Topics of interest include:

  • Studies concerned with the role of explicit knowledge and learning in L2 acquisition;
  • Studies investigating the role of selected cognitively-based individual learner differences, in particular language learning aptitude, cognitive style, and working memory;
  • Other studies of instructed or naturalistic L2 learning within an emergentist/usage-based framework.

 

  • At MA/MRes level:

I supervise MA/MRes projects on applied topics situated in the area of L2 learning. If you have a specific proposal, please contact me for further discussion and advice. I would normally expect you to have attended any taught modules during the first two terms that are relevant to your topic of choice.

Some of the MA/MRes projects I have supervised recently or am supervising at the moment:

  • The stability of language learning aptitude in primary school children

  • Learning style and metalinguistic knowledge in instructed Arab learners of L2 English

  • The effects of explicit instruction on L2 English learners' acquisition of collocational competence

  • Metalinguistic awareness of Greek learners of English with different learning experiences

  • A cognitive linguistics approach to teaching polysemy in English

  • Metalinguistic knowledge in L2 learning: A study with Thai English major students

  • L1 Polish students' metalinguistic knowledge about the use of English articles

  • Metalinguistic knowledge and cognitive style in instructed Polish learners of L2 English

  • The effects of two types of written corrective feedback on the use of English articles by L1 Polish school-age learners

  • Metalinguistic knowledge and cognitive style in instructed Polish learners of L2 English

  • Explicit knowledge in L2 learning: Views from L1 English learners of L2 Greek

  • Metalinguistic awareness of L2 English learners with different native language backgrounds

  • Learning style preferences and listening strategy use in L1 Greek learners of L2 English

  • Learning styles, learning strategies and L2 proficiency of EFL elementary school-level learners in Taiwan

  • Views on teaching listening L2 English in senior high schools in Japan

  • L1 effects in Taiwanese L2 learners of English

Supervision arrangements for full-time MA/MRes students:

For general supervision arrangements, please consult the section 'Supervision of Dissertations' in the departmental Guidelines for Students on MA Programmes, Part 1). In addition to the information given there, my supervision policy is as follows:

Supervision meetings generally take place on a one-to-one basis, and I typically allocate a maximum of one hour per meeting. During the Summer Term, supervision meetings normally take place every two weeks. This is an approximate guideline, so meetings may be less frequent if both the student and I think that this is sufficient, or more frequent if both the student and I think that this is necessary.

In the supervision meetings, project proposals, research questions, the design and methodology of a student's empirical project, practicalities of data collection and analysis, as well as any other issues that may arise are discussed. The student and I agree on work to be done between meetings, so there is a reasonably clear schedule to follow.

During the summer vacation, there is a final meeting, normally at some point in July, during which I give feedback on any drafts or other documents I have received from the student. I do not read or comment on any further drafts. Also, as a general rule, I do not comment on the same draft twice. Students should submit any drafts in hard copy at least three days before a meeting. If a student is abroad at the time, submission in soft copy is OK too.

I can be contacted by email throughout the entire supervision period, with the exception of a holiday break in the summer (exact dates are specified each year). I am happy to answer questions and advise students by email, but I do not comment on drafts or other extensive documents by email. In other words, draft chapters on which feedback is to be given should be submitted before the last supervision meeting in July.

 

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 Karen Roehr, Department of Language & Linguistics, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom.