[Corpora-List] 4 full-time PhD positions (UCL - Belgium) - Assessing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Linguistic, cognitive and educational perspectives

Mon May 19 17:40:35 UTC 2014

4 full-time PhD positions

Assessing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Linguistic,
cognitive and educational perspectives

  _____  

General job description

The Institute for Language and Communication (IL&C) and the Psychological
Sciences Research Institute (IPSY) at the Université catholique de Louvain
(UCL; Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium), in collaboration with the research group
on Multilingualism (Pluri-LL) of the University of Namur (Belgium), are
seeking four highly motivated PhD candidates within the framework of the
research project “Assessing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL):
Linguistic, cognitive and educational perspectives”.

The central aim of the research project is to investigate CLIL education in
French-speaking Belgium from a multidisciplinary perspective. CLIL is a
didactic method, comparable to immersion education, in which school subjects
are taught in a different target language than the mainstream school
language. The project will focus on primary and secondary school CLIL
education in Dutch and English and examine by which cognitive (memory,
attention,
) and socio-affective (motivational, attitudinal,
) factors the
potential linguistic differences (with respect to pronunciation, lexis and
grammar) between pupils in CLIL education and their pairs in non-CLIL school
environments, can be accounted for. The methodological approach will combine
corpus-based longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses, together with
experimental research designs.

Promoters

Prof. Philippe Hiligsmann - Spokesman (UCL / IL&C / Valibel):
philippe.hiligsmann at uclouvain.be  

Prof. Benoît Galand (UCL / IPSY / Girsef): benoit.galand at uclouvain.be 

Prof. Laurence Mettewie (UNamur / Pluri-LL): Laurence.mettewie at unamur.be

Prof. Fanny Meunier (UCL / IL&C / CECL): fanny.meunier at uclouvain.be

Prof. Arnaud Szmalec (UCL / IPSY / IoNS): arnaud.szmalec at uclouvain.be

Prof. Kristel Van Goethem (F.R.S.-FNRS / UCL / IL&C / Valibel):
kristel.vangoethem at uclouvain.be 

PhD projects

Each selected candidate will be engaged in a 4-year full-time PhD project
(2-year renewable contract), with focus on one (or more) of the following
research lines: 

-          Linguistic research goals:

·         Examine the relationship between the learning environment and the
acquisition of spoken skills and oral proficiency in Dutch and English (i.e.
the perception and production of target language vowels and/or word stress)
by using qualitative classroom observations, spontaneous speech production
and quantitative experimental methods.

·         Analyze relationship between the learning environment and the
acquisition of lexical and grammatical proficiency in Dutch and English, by
using both corpus-based and experimental methods. Focus will be on:

-          overall phraseology 

-          specific lexico-grammatical constructions (i.e. expression of
intensification). 

-          Cognitive research goals: 

·         Analyze the cognitive demands of CLIL, by experimental research
designs 

·         Gain understanding of how bilingual education affects overall
cognitive functioning (with a focus on executive control) in CLIL learners
and increase scientific knowledge about the cognitive basis of bilingualism
in general

·         Investigate how the cognitive profile of CLIL learners relates to
their linguistic profile and how this relation is moderated by individual
socio-affective variables and learning environment

-          Socio-affective research goals:

Explore the dynamic relationships between the socio-affective variables
(social interactions in the classroom, background, motivation, attitudes) on
the one hand, and language acquisition and cognitive functioning on the
other hand. 

The candidates will obtain a PhD degree in linguistics or psychology,
depending on the area of research. Each PhD candidate will work on the
joined supervision of some of the promoters of the project, depending on the
PhD topic addressed. In addition, a postdoctoral researcher will be involved
in the daily supervision of the projects.

Profile

-          Master in linguistics or modern languages, with honours, for the
PhDs in the linguistic / socio-affective domains

-          Master in psychology / psycholinguistics / logopaedics /
educational sciences, with honours, for the PhDs in the cognitive /
socio-affective domains

-          For the PhDs in the linguistic domains, native or near-native
proficiency in French, English and/or Dutch is required; 
for the PhDs in the cognitive / socio-affective domains, knowledge of the
three languages is an asset 

-          High level of academic English, both written and spoken 

-          Good knowledge of statistics or commitment to acquire it 

-          Familiarity with corpus linguistic methods and/or experimental
research designs

-          Dynamic and motivated 

-          Capacity to work both independently and as part of a team

We offer a motivating research environment with many opportunities for
in-house, national and international collaborations and with access to
state-of-the-art research equipment. The salary is according to standard
Belgian regulations: +/- 1800 EUR net/month. 

Start of grant: October 1st, 2014

Deadline: Interested candidates should send a CV, motivation letter
including research interests (in English, French or Dutch) and contact
information (email) of two potential references to
<mailto:Philippe.hiligsmann at uclouvain.be> Philippe.hiligsmann at uclouvain.be
before June 30th 2014. Review of applications will continue until the
positions are filled.

Additional information: 

Do not hesitate to contact the promoters to obtain more information on the
linguistic (Prof. Ph. Hiligsmann, Prof. F. Meunier, Prof. K. Van Goethem),
cognitive (Prof. A. Szmalec) and socio-affective (Prof. L. Mettewie, Prof.
B. Galand) research lines. 

More information on the research institutes and centers can be found on the
following websites:

-          Institute for Language and Communication (IL&C):
<http://www.uclouvain.be/ilc.html> http://www.uclouvain.be/ilc.html

-          Psychological Sciences Research Institute (IPSY):
<http://www.uclouvain.be/ipsy.html> http://www.uclouvain.be/ipsy.html

-          Valibel:  <http://www.uclouvain.be/valibel>
http://www.uclouvain.be/valibel

-          CECL:  <http://www.uclouvain.be/en-cecl.html>
http://www.uclouvain.be/en-cecl.html

-          Girsef:  <http://www.uclouvain.be/girsef.html>
http://www.uclouvain.be/girsef.html

-          IoNS:  <https://www.uclouvain.be/ions.html>
https://www.uclouvain.be/ions.html

-          Pluri-LL:  <http://www.unamur.be/lettres/pluri-ll>
http://www.unamur.be/lettres/pluri-ll

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