Brody Silva

Brody Silva

MA Student in Linguistics and Cognitive Science at University of Delaware

Posts by Collection

portfolio

publications

Creating Naturalistic Interactions in Language Learning Technologies

Published in 7th Annual Conference of JHU Omega Psi (Undergraduate Cognitive Science Society), 2022

Acquiring a second language is very different from the process of learning the mother tongue. Popular language apps for people to self-study a new language each have their own strengths and weaknesses and have been noted for their differing methods of instruction. However, studies have shown that current language learning technologies (LLTs) base L2 learning around generic negative feedback, without situated practice in real-life contexts; thus, these apps are not sufficient to provide a true naturalistic, immersive environment for second language acquisition. By analyzing the current model utilized by these language apps and applying principles of human second language acquisition, we are hoping to create a more innovative and communication-driven paradigm for independent language education. Based on cognitive science studies, we feature essential mechanisms in language acquisition research. Then, after performing a quantitative comparison between three LLT apps’ teaching models and the way their curriculum progresses, we find shared issues both in the language and method of education. Finally, we propose a solution to the identified issue by integrating two artificial intelligence systems (one learning AI and one language AI) with virtual and augmented reality technologies to mimic true, naturalistic immersion for language education.

Recommended citation: Silva, B. (2022). "Creating Naturalistic Interactions in Language Learning Technologies." 7th Annual Conference of JHU Omega Psi. 1(1). https://brodyrms.github.io/files/opBsilvaposter2022.pdf

talks

teaching

AS.050.236.01.SP21 Neurolinguistics

Undergraduate/Graduate course, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Cognitive Science, 2021

This course provides an introductory survey of the cognitive neuroscience of language – a multidisciplinary field in the intersection of Linguistics, Psycholinguistics, and Neuroscience. We will explore current research on the neural bases of the perception, production, and acquisition or human language in neuro-typical and impaired individuals.

AS.050.349.01.SP21 Second Language Acquisition

Undergraduate/Graduate course, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Cognitive Science, 2021

First language acquisition is natural and seemingly effortless. The situation is reversed when one tries to learn another language. This course discusses in what ways first and second language acquisition (SLA) differ and how individual differences of the learners as well as external factors contribute to the variability observed in rates and ultimate proficiency of second language learning in children and adults. We will discuss such topics as Universal Grammar access in early and late SLA, first language influence, critical periods, possibility of native-like attainment, and language attrition. Also offered as AS.050.649.

AS.050.102.01.FA21 Language and Mind

Undergraduate course, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Cognitive Science, 2021

Introductory course dealing with theory, methods, and current research topics in the study of language as a component of the mind. What it is to “know” a language: components of linguistic knowledge (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics) and the course of language acquisition. How linguistic knowledge is put to use: language and the brain and linguistic processing in various domains.

AS.050.348.01.FA21 First Language Acquisition

Undergraduate/Graduate course, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Cognitive Science, 2021

This course provides an introduction to the fields of first and second language acquisition by looking at questions such as the following: Can the grammar of a native language be learned solely on the basis of noticing statistical correlations among words? How does native language acquisition explain — or is explained by — the universal properties, shared by all languages, of words and grammars? How does being exposed to multiple languages from birth affect language acquisition and what happens when a child is not exposed to any language early in life? Does the same cognitive mechanism guide language learning in children and adults? What factors account for individual differences in ease and ultimate attainment when a second language is learned later in life? Is it possible to become indistinguishable from a native speaker in a foreign language? What changes take place in the brain when a new language is learned?

AS.050.349.01.SP22 Second Language Acquisition

Undergraduate/Graduate course, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Cognitive Science, 2022

First language acquisition is natural and seemingly effortless. The situation is reversed when one tries to learn another language. This course discusses in what ways first and second language acquisition (SLA) differ and how individual differences of the learners as well as external factors contribute to the variability observed in rates and ultimate proficiency of second language learning in children and adults. We will discuss such topics as Universal Grammar access in early and late SLA, first language influence, critical periods, possibility of native-like attainment, and language attrition. Also offered as AS.050.649.

PSY 1: Introduction to Psychological Science

Undergraduate course, Harvard University, Department of Psychology, 2022

The success of Homo sapiens clearly results from the amazing things the human brain can do, and yet our brains are almost completely isolated from the outside world. How does the human brain give rise to the thoughts and behaviors that enable everyday life? How is the brain organized? Why is it “programmed” the way it is? Where does consciousness come from? What happens when our brain malfunctions? This course tries to answer these kinds of questions through an overview of foundational concepts from psychological and related mind sciences including neuroscience, evolutionary biology, philosophy, linguistics, and behavioral economics. It explores specific topics such as perception, learning and memory, language, social relationships, emotions, decision-making, well-being, and mental health. We will look at how these aspects of the mind develop in children, how they differ across people, how they are wired-up in the brain, and how they break down due to illness and injury.

PSY 1304: Brain Damage as a Window into the Mind: Cognitive Neuropsychology

Undergraduate course, Harvard University, Department of Psychology, 2022

Examines the patterns of perceptual, motor, cognitive, and linguistic impairments resulting from brain damage. The focus is on the implications of the various types of neuropsychological deficits (such as visual neglect, dyslexia, and aphasia) for theories of the mind and the functional organization of the brain.