Dr Chiara Ciarlo

My primary interest lies in First and Second Language Acquisition, particularly in the Acquisition of Syntax by L1 and L2 speakers of a language.

More recently, I have been working on a project investigating the link between the study of Linguistics and Foreign Language Learning Pedagogy.

As a theoretical linguist who teaches a foreign language, I am interested in observing and studying all aspects of the process of language learning and acquisition that occurs in my language classes, as this can further deepen our understanding of how the human faculty of language works.

As a language teacher with a background in linguistics, I apply my knowledge of linguistic phenomena, SLA research and theories of language learning and teaching, to inform and shape my teaching.

Specific areas of my pedagogic research include: Ab-Initio Language Learning and Teaching Methods, the use of Translation for Language Learning, and Language Curriculum Design and Development. Other areas of my linguistic research include: Variationist Sociolinguistics (English and Italian varieties) and Italian Dialectology.

^{Research interests}

My primary research interest is in the acquisition and expressions of agreement in L1 and L2 speakers, and its variation in adult speakers. I have carried out research on the acquisition and use of oblique subject pronouns in English speaking children, and on the variation of subject clitic pronouns in Italian varieties. I am currently studying the acquisition of agreement in foreign language learners, and how theoretical knowledge of this particular linguistic phenomenon can inform language pedagogy.