S1: E1: Beyond the Classroom: Informal Language Learning

In this episode Dr Zavaleta talks to Dr Bisson about incidental learning and how we can use this type of learning to help us learn a language in and out of the classroom. Being exposed to a language can help you pick up new words, syntax and grammar even if you are engaged in another task. This can be something like playing a game with foreign language words, reading a book in the foreign language, watching a foreign language film with subtitles or immersing yourself in the foreign language environment. This type of learning is very similar to how we learn our native language and requires no conscious effort to learn.

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Follow Dr Zavaleta and Dr Bisson on twitter: @dr_klzavaleta and @mjbisson

Or get in touch via email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Or contact them via the De Montfort University website: Dr Kaitlyn Zavaleta and Dr Marie-Josee Bisson

The Language Scientists Podcast website: languagescientists.our.dmu.ac.uk

Link to Dr Bisson's research lab: sites.google.com/view/languagelab-dmu

Example article about Dr Bisson's research:

Bisson, M.-J., Baker-Kukona, A. & Lengeris, A. (2021). An ear and eye for language: Mechanisms underlying second language word learning. Bilingualism, Language and Cognition. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1366728920000723.