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PhD Studentship: The impact of mindfulness training on the relationship between cognitive, linguist

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
United Kingdom
Closing date
Jan 24, 2018

Job Details

Details

Language learning is a complex process and language competence is comprised of a large range of linguistic skills, including vocabulary and grammar, but also meta-linguistic language learning strategies and comprehension monitoring skills (i.e., the ability to recognise false/missing information or misunderstandings and to act upon it). Executive functions (i.e., working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility) are essential underlying cognitive skills that are necessary to establish language competence. Interestingly, research has found that on the one hand bilingual children show an advantage over their monolingual peers in executive functioning (e.g., Bialystok & Martin, 2004), but on the other hand often perform poorly on linguistic tasks (vocabulary skills, Bialystok, 2001). Less is known about their meta-linguistic competencies (in particular comprehension monitoring) which link executive function and linguistic skills (i.e., semantic-lexical, grammar). Hence, the aim of this project is to examine this paradox in cognitive-and linguistic processing in bilinguals. A subsidiary issue is to explore how cognition and language skills can be improved by administering mindfulness training. Mindfulness is the conscious awareness of our current thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. It also includes our acceptance of this awareness in a non-judgemental way. Recent research has shown the benefit of mindfulness training on cognitive skills, self-regulatory skills and overall well-being (e.g., Schonert-Reichl et al. 2015; Flook et al., 2015). However, to our knowledge, no study has explored the direct impact of mindfulness activities on primary school children’s executive, metalinguistic and linguistic skills and whether this impact differs in children from a mono- versus a bilingual language background.

Therefore, the study aims to recruit mono- and bilingual children aged 5-7 years who will be randomly allocated to either a mindfulness training group (focused on sensory stimulating activities) or a control group. To determine the impact of mindfulness on cognition and language, children will complete a range of linguistic (e.g., semantic-lexical, morpho-syntactic tasks), metalinguistic (i.e., comprehension monitoring, language learning) and executive function tasks (including working memory, response inhibition, selective attention) at baseline and after training. To complement the behavioural findings, the study will qualitatively assess parental perceptions on whether mindfulness training leads to noticeable changes in their children’s learning. Importantly, the study will also seek to evaluate children’s changes in self-perception and confidence via self-report.

This PhD will improve understanding of how bilingualism impacts on cognition, language learning and processing and how mindfulness might provide valuable strategies to enhance learning, thereby providing foundational evidence for developing effective strategies to support bilinguals.

 

Funding Notes

The Faculty Scholarships for Medicine, Dentistry & Health cover fees and stipend at Home/EU level. Overseas students may apply but will need to fund the fee differential between Home and Overseas rate from another source.
 

References


Eligibility Requirements
The PhD is suited to candidates with an academic background in Speech and Language Therapy, Applied Linguistics, Education and Psychology. Essential to all candidates’ skill set is: a) knowledge child development and disorders in monolingual and/or bilingual children, and b) experience of working with and conducting assessments with young children. The successful candidate would need to travel regularly to children’s homes, nurseries/schools etc. for data collection purposes.
 

Company

Global Academy Jobs works with over 250 universities worldwide to promote academic mobility and international research collaboration. Global problems need international solutions. Our jobs board and emails reach the academics and researchers who can help.

"The globalisation of higher education continues apace, driving in turn the ongoing development of the global knowledge economy, striving for solutions to the world’s problems and educating a next generation of leaders and contributors."

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