Free Public Seminar: Is bilingualism an advantage for cognitive control? Evidence from the Simon Task

• Tuesday 5 May 2015, 5pm to 6pm
• Al-Falasi lecture theatre, CAIS, 127, Ellery Crescent, ANU, Canberra 
• Speaker Célia Mendes PhD Candidate, Department of Psychology, University of Otago

Several studies indicate that being proficient in more than one language leads to positive cognitive gains in the form of attentional control and conflict monitoring. This talk investigates this through a study based on the Simon Task (Craft & Simon, 1970). Over 100 adults participated, 38 English monolingual speakers and 77 bilinguals whose native tongue was not English. Results did not support a bilingual advantage (measured by a reduced susceptibility to the conflict effect in response times and in error rates). Click HERE for more details of the talk.

This free public seminar is part of the ANU Language Teaching Forum, which usually holds talks on the fourth Monday of the month, from 4.15pm – 5.15 pm. The forum is jointly coordinated by the ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences (CASS) and the College of Asia & the Pacific (CAP). For more information about the Language Teaching Forum contact: 

• Dr Louise Jansen (School of Literature, Languages & Linguistics, CASS) Louise.Jansen@anu.edu.au
• Dr Duck-Young Lee (School of Culture, History & Language, CAP) duck-young.lee@anu.edu.au) 
• Ms France Meyer (Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies, CASS) france.meyer@anu.edu.au) 

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update April 2015

Some information about language-related activities and issues. Please feel free to pass on to colleagues and friends who may be interested.

CLICK HERE for more information about the following

• Events related to ‘Global Languages’, the theme of the ANU Humanities Research Centre for 2015: Tuesday Afternoon Seminar program and Global English, Minimal English Symposium, 
• Inaugural Book Launch of the French Research Cluster, Wednesday 29 April, 5.30-6.30pm
• Language learning classes and other resources in the ACT region 
• Literary events at the National Library of Australia: Meet Graeme Simsion and Hack Attack
• Events organised by the Lu Rees Archives of Australian Children’s Literature Inc: ‘Hippopotomusing’ with Hazel Edwards and Colin Thiele Talk and Festival
• Some news items and articles about languages and language learning