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The L2+ Sound Learning Lab investigates adult language learning in instructed foreign language settings, which characterizes most language learning in North American high schools, colleges, and universities. Our ongoing research investigates the impacts of aural training on early-stage adult L2 learners of German, including the potential to enhance perception of speech sounds and how they are linked to the novel orthography (spelling) of the target language. These early learning stages are fundamental to vocabulary learning and reducing the difficulty of listening comprehension in running speech.
Learning to speak a foreign language entails (a) reliable perception of the target language's individual sounds, words, and contours; (b) learner production of the target language that is sufficiently comprehensible to empower learners to communicate with other speakers of the target language; and (c) development of both linguistic and cultural competencies to link listening, speaking, and meaning. |
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Ultimately, this research finds motivation from the fundamental idea that teaching and training adult learners toward these abilities early in their exposure is likely to have a profound impact on learner confidence and motivation to learn a foreign language long enough to achieve higher proficiency and realize the many documented cognitive and social benefits of language learning.
Research Activity
Conference Presentations
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russell, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, November 4). Hearing and writing German sounds: Influences of phonetic training on L2 perception and spelling [Poster presentation]. 48th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD), Boston, MA. https://www.bu.edu/bucld/
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Lim, R. Z. J., Russell, C. B., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, September 8). Phonetic training for novel category perception and orthographic learning: Relative gains of low- and high-variability for beginners of German [Paper presentation]. 14th Annual Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, West Lafayette, IN. https://web.cvent.com/event/e0861a1b-556f-4a6c-8e1a-3f11196b6380/summary
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russel, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, 22 April). Effects of Low- and High-Variability Phonetic Training on Category Perception and Orthographic Awareness in Early L2 German [Paper presentation]. Germanic Linguistics Annual Conference 2023, Banff, AB, Canada. https://glac2023.ca/
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., & Russell, C. B. (2021, June 18). Sound-spelling correspondences in FL instruction: Same script, different rules [Paper presentation]. 12th Annual Pronunciation and Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, St. Catharines, ON. https://brocku.ca/psllt-2021/
Scott, J. H. G., Russell, C. B., & Lim, R. Z. J. (2021, May 12). Sound and spelling in L2/L3 German: Same script, different rules [Paper presentation]. Twenty-Seventh Germanic Linguistics Annual Conference (GLAC-27), Madison, WI. https://glac2021.weebly.com/
Invited Talk
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., Russell, C. B. (2021, November 19). Orthography as help and hindrance for L2 German [Paper presentation]. DAAD Fortbildungsseminar: Text und Medien in unserer neuen pädagogischen Landschaft [DAAD Continuing Education Seminar: Text and Media in Our New Pedagogical Landscape], Calgary, AB.
Publications
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russell, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., & Darcy, I. (2024). Hearing and writing German sounds: Influences of phonetic training on L2 perception and spelling. In H. A. A. AlThagafi & J. Ray (Eds.), Proceedings of the 48th annual Boston University Conference on Language Development, ISBN 978-1-57473-097-5, Boston, MA, November 2024 (pp. 467–480). Boston, MA: Boston University. Cascadilla. [available for order]
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., & Russell, C. B. (2022). Sound-spelling correspondences in FL instruction: same script, different rules. In J. Levis & A. Guskaroska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 12th Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, St. Catharines, ON [virtual], June 2021. St. Catharines, ON: Brock University. doi:10.31274/psllt.13361
Grants
2021-23: "Multi-Voice Aural Training for Adult Learners' Perception of Foreign Sounds & Spelling"
Insight Development Grant, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada
CA$ 27,884
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russell, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, November 4). Hearing and writing German sounds: Influences of phonetic training on L2 perception and spelling [Poster presentation]. 48th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD), Boston, MA. https://www.bu.edu/bucld/
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Lim, R. Z. J., Russell, C. B., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, September 8). Phonetic training for novel category perception and orthographic learning: Relative gains of low- and high-variability for beginners of German [Paper presentation]. 14th Annual Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, West Lafayette, IN. https://web.cvent.com/event/e0861a1b-556f-4a6c-8e1a-3f11196b6380/summary
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russel, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., Darcy, I., & Süßenbach, L. (2023, 22 April). Effects of Low- and High-Variability Phonetic Training on Category Perception and Orthographic Awareness in Early L2 German [Paper presentation]. Germanic Linguistics Annual Conference 2023, Banff, AB, Canada. https://glac2023.ca/
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., & Russell, C. B. (2021, June 18). Sound-spelling correspondences in FL instruction: Same script, different rules [Paper presentation]. 12th Annual Pronunciation and Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, St. Catharines, ON. https://brocku.ca/psllt-2021/
Scott, J. H. G., Russell, C. B., & Lim, R. Z. J. (2021, May 12). Sound and spelling in L2/L3 German: Same script, different rules [Paper presentation]. Twenty-Seventh Germanic Linguistics Annual Conference (GLAC-27), Madison, WI. https://glac2021.weebly.com/
Invited Talk
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., Russell, C. B. (2021, November 19). Orthography as help and hindrance for L2 German [Paper presentation]. DAAD Fortbildungsseminar: Text und Medien in unserer neuen pädagogischen Landschaft [DAAD Continuing Education Seminar: Text and Media in Our New Pedagogical Landscape], Calgary, AB.
Publications
Scott, J. H. G., Phillips, S. E., Russell, C. B., Lim, R. Z. J., & Darcy, I. (2024). Hearing and writing German sounds: Influences of phonetic training on L2 perception and spelling. In H. A. A. AlThagafi & J. Ray (Eds.), Proceedings of the 48th annual Boston University Conference on Language Development, ISBN 978-1-57473-097-5, Boston, MA, November 2024 (pp. 467–480). Boston, MA: Boston University. Cascadilla. [available for order]
Scott, J. H. G., Lim, R. Z. J., & Russell, C. B. (2022). Sound-spelling correspondences in FL instruction: same script, different rules. In J. Levis & A. Guskaroska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 12th Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, St. Catharines, ON [virtual], June 2021. St. Catharines, ON: Brock University. doi:10.31274/psllt.13361
Grants
2021-23: "Multi-Voice Aural Training for Adult Learners' Perception of Foreign Sounds & Spelling"
Insight Development Grant, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada
CA$ 27,884
About Us
The L2+ Sound Learning Lab at the 2023 Boston University Conference on Language Development
Since our founding in 2020 at the University of Calgary, the L2+ Sound Learning Lab has been committed to involving students in real research, all the way from conceptualization, research design, and grant application to presentation at international academic conferences and peer-reviewed scholarly publications.
John H. G. Scott
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Lab Director / Principal InvestigatorUniversity of Maryland College Park and University of Calgary
Interests: L2+ phonology, speech perception, interlanguage phonotactics, laboratory methods, phonetic training, grapheme-phoneme interface, L2+ learner confidence, linguistics in language instruction, Germanic linguistics jhgscott at umd (dot) edu |
Students and Alumni
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Charys B. Russell, University of Calgary
M.A. candidate, Linguistics B.A. Linguistics, University of Calgary (2022) Lab member since 2020 Interests: phonetics, speech perception, L2 phonology and acquisition, (morpho)phonology, lexical variation charys (dot) russell at ucalgary (dot) ca [website] |
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Ryan Z. J. Lim, University of Calgary
B.S. Psychology, University of Calgary (2023) Lab member since 2020 Interests: language development, vocabulary learning, statistical methods ryan (dot) lim1 at ucalgary (dot) ca |
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Sadi E. Phillips, Indiana University, Bloomington
Ph.D. candidate, Second Language Studies M.A. TESOL, Indiana University Lab member since 2021 Interests: psycholinguistics, L2 mental lexicon sadiphil at iu (dot) edu [website] |
Collaborators
Dr. Isabelle Darcy, Indiana University Second Language Psycholinguistics Lab (2021-2023)
Dr. Lisa Süßenbach, University of Calgary, Ph.D. program in Applied Linguistics (2021-2023)
Dr. Lisa Süßenbach, University of Calgary, Ph.D. program in Applied Linguistics (2021-2023)