Language learning in older adults: Interdisciplinary perspectives

This workshop focuses on additional language learning in older adults (ages 60+). It aims to bring together researchers from different disciplines to enhance our understanding of the processes of language learning and use in later life as well as the various factors influencing these processes.

We are seeing a welcome increase in research involving older adults, but it is still the case that the vast majority of studies to date has worked with younger participants, and accordingly theories are primarily based on data from younger samples. It is as yet unknown whether language learning processes function in exactly the same way in younger and older individuals, and it is likewise of interest to investigate whether additional language learning and use in older adults is influenced by the same combination and weighting of factors as younger adults’ learning.

Invited speakers:

• Thomas Bak (University of Edinburgh)
• Merel Keijzer (University of Groningen)
• Simone Pfenninger (University of Salzburg)
• Outi Tuomainen (University of Potsdam)

The workshop will comprise four plenary-length talks by the invited speakers and a poster session with a poster slam where presenters give a one-minute, one-slide overview to showcase their posters prior to the poster display itself. The day will conclude with themed group discussions to facilitate an exchange of expertise among different disciplines, so we can learn from each other about the strengths and weaknesses of the main methodologies and predominant theoretical models in our respective fields. The event will thus enable the forging of collaborations for future research that offer all the benefits of multidisciplinary breadth and impact.

Download the full workshop programme.

Registration for the workshop is open and will close on 15 June 2022.

Find out more about our research centre and the work we are doing in this area

Travel Information:

How to get to the Colchester campus.

Information about the Colchester campus.

Information about Colchester.

Organising Committee:

• Karen Roehr-Brackin, Faith Chiu, Eva Gutiérrez-Sigut, Ramya Maitreyee

This event is supported by a grant from the EuroSLA Workshop Fund.