Our research

Our academic staff frequently publish and contribute to leading texts on language and linguistics: 

• The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Sociolinguistics co-authored by Professor Enam Al-Wer
• Conversation Analysis by Dr Rebecca Clift
• Second Language Learning Theories co-authored by Professor Florence Myles
• Metalinguistic awareness and second language acquisition by Dr Karen Roehr-Brackin
• The Oxford Handbook of Language Attrition co-edited by Professor Monika Schmid

Our academic staff regularly publish work in leading journals. Examples of their most recent work include: 

• Vocabulary of 2-year-olds learning English and an additional language: Norms and effects of linguistic distance co-authored by Dr Claire Della Luche in Monographs of the Society for Research In Child Development
• Tracking the real-time evolution of a writing event: Second language writers at different proficiency levels co-authored by Dr Adela Ganem Gutierrez in Language Learning
• Structure building and thematic constraints in Bantu inversion constructions co-authored by Dr Hannah Gibson in the Journal of Linguistics
• An exploration of language teacher reflection, emotion labor and emotional capital co-authored by Dr Christina Gkonou in TESOL Quarterly
• Preschool children's categorization of speakers by regional accent by Dr Ella Jeffries in Language Variation and Change
• Applied objects and the syntax–semantics interface by Dr Kyle Jerro in Journal of Linguistics
• Reduction in remoteness distinctions and reconfiguration in the Bemba past tense by Professor Nancy Kula in Transactions of the Philological Society
• Auditory and visual electrophysiology of deaf children with cochlear implants: Implications for cross-modal plasticity co-authored by Dr Laurel Lawyer in Frontiers in Psychology
• The role of language-analytic ability in children’s instructed second language learning co-authored by Dr Karen Roehr-Brackin and Dr Angela Tellier in Studies in Second Language Acquisition and winner of the Albert Valdman Award 2019
• The relevance of first language attrition to theories of bilingual development an Epistemological keynote paper co-authored by Professor Monika Schmid in Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism
• Predictors of language dominance: an integrated analysis of first language attrition and second language acquisition in late bilinguals co-authored by Professor Monika Schmid in Frontiers in Psychology
• The importance of task variability in the design of learner corpora for SLA research co-authored by Professor Florence Myles in International Journal of Learner Corpus Research

Our work is frequently featured in the media and wider press. Below are some of our most notable appearances: 

• Accentism is alive and well – and it doesn’t only affect the north of England co-authored by Dr Ella Jeffries and Professor Monika Schmid in The Conversation
• Is it a case of ‘the younger, the better’ for children learning a new language? by Professor Florence Myles in The Conversation
• What’s the best way to teach children a second language? New research produces surprising results by Dr Karen Roehr-Brackin in The Conversation
• You’re never too old to become fluent in a foreign language by Professor Monika Schmid in The Conversation
• Losing your first language? Here’s how to rediscover your voice by Professor Monika Schmid in The Guardian
• Here’s how your foreign accent can unfairly destroy your credibility by Professor Monika Schmid in The Conversation
• Essex linguist helps teachers nationwide during pandemic an Essex news story featuring research by Professor Florence Myles
• Free online course for primary school language teachers an Essex news story featuring research by Professor Florence Myles
• Essex academic receives Distinguished Scholar Award an Essex news story featuring research by Professor Florence Myles
• Essex takes on tough questions for ESRC Festival of Social Science an Essex news story featuring an event by Professor Florence Myles
• When countries promote and teach one language above others an Essex news story featuring research by Professor Nancy Kula
• What trains your brain - bilingualism or culture? an Essex news story featuring research by Dr Karen Roehr-Brackin
• Launch of Bilingualism Matters centre at Essex an Essex news story featuring research from the Department of Language and Linguistics
• Speech patterns in bilingualism: How one language affects the other an Essex news story featuring research by Dr Coralie Herve and Professor Florence Myles
• Major grant success for Arabic linguistics at Essex an Essex news story featuring research by Dr Enam Al-Wer and Professor Louisa Sadler
• Language learning in primary schools - policy has clear potential but could do better an Essex news story featuring research by Professor Florence Myles
• Linguist joins Essex on short stay placement to develop research on language and sound patterns an Essex news story featuring a collaboration between the Department for Language and Linguistics and the YERUN Research Mobility Awards (YRMA)
• PhD student joins Spanish university for research placement an Essex news story featuring a collaboration between the Department for Language and Linguistics and th YERUN Research Mobility Awards (YRMA)

Our academics are actively working on many exciting research projects:

• Discover Professor Nancy Kula, Dr Tracey Costley, Dr Hannah Gibson and Dr Colin Reilly's contribution to the Bringing The Outside In research project.
• Dr Rebecca Clift has received funding from the Harry Frank Guggenheim (HFG) Foundation for her project "Behind closed doors: trajectories to violence in intimate interaction".
• Professor Hannah Gibson is a co-investigator on the Multilingualism, Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Africa project, led by the Department of Government.