I am a linguist specialized in writing systems, writing practices and spelling acquisition.
My research in the field of education involves linguistic analysis, psycholinguistic experiments, and sociolinguistic approaches. The focal point where all the areas cross is the topic of writing. I view writing as a resource for analysis, and teaching and learning. Writing literally makes visible regular linguistic phenomena that are not apparent in spoken language. The objective of all my areas of research is to describe the regularities in a given writing system, to analyze patterns in its acquisition, and to develop tools for instruction.
The researched language and writing systems are German and French, in contact with Luxembourgish, Portuguese, Occitan and Arabic.
Key aspects of my research:
My main research interest is in spelling acquisition in contexts of multilingualism and with a focus on the intersection of spelling and grammar. My current research focus is the understanding of syntactic markers in writing systems, i.e., the interface of orthography and grammar. In line with this area is a second research focus on the visual representation of grammar. Additionally, my interest lies in invented spelling (Andersschreibungen) of multilinguals.
My research involves developing linguistic theory as well as empirical studies and the development of teaching materials.
