Associate ProfessorDavid Hirsh

Project Opportunities

Title: Second Language Vocabulary Development

Summary of opportunity:

David Hirsh has a research interest in the role of vocabulary in language learning. He is involved in research collaboration aimed at exploring the function of scientific vocabulary in school texts. Another area of research interest is academic pathways, in terms of how and when language proficiency is assessed, the role of diagnostic and self assessment, the minimum language requirements set by institutions, and tracking academic performance and experiences across time. A third area of research interest is language revitalization, particularly in Southeast Asia. He is involved in research collaboration with the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand documenting language use in Thailand, to explore the scope for reversing recent trends of language loss over time. This project considers the link between language, culture and identity. A fourth area of research interest is the process of speech development in infants. Research activities in this area are conducted in collaboration with the Reseach Center for Applied Perceptual Science, a multidisciplinary grouping of researchers at Kyushu University, Japan.

Opportunity synopsis:

Research interests

Research on teaching and learning

• Learning and teaching in higher education

Social structures, inequalities and social justice

• Indigenous issues

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

• Languages and cultures education

Keywords: language & culture, indigenous language use, second language vocabulary development, academic acculturation

Supervision in the areas of:

• second language vocabulary development
• vocabulary and writing
• academic aculturation
• bilingual education
• language revitalisation

----------Current Research Projects----------

• The academic performance of international students at university
• The function of scientific vocabulary
• Language revitalization in Thailand (in collaboration with Mahidol University)
• Infant speech development (in collaboration with Kyushu University)