My teaching responsibilities generally include graduate courses in Language Acquisition and Sign Linguistics, and undergraduate courses in Sign Linguistics or general introductory linguistics. I am also actively involved in regular research/discussion groups with graduate students and faculty.
I am happy to advise Ph.D. students specializing in American Sign Language, other sign languages, or the acquisition of spoken languages.
I also welcome visiting students! Interested in coming to UConn for a few weeks, a semester, a summer, or a year? Contact me!
Research groups
SLRDG – Sign Language Research and Discussion Group
Spring 2021: Thursdays, 9:30-11:00 AM; online
This group welcomes all who are interested in discussing ongoing and recent research on sign languages. Meetings often include presentations on current work of the participants, or discussion of papers of interest. Participants include faculty and grad students in Linguistics, Psychological Sciences, Education, and other areas. Non-UConn affiliated attendees also welcome! Contact Maddie Quam or me to be added to the email list for specific announcements.
Acqui Lab – Acquisition Lab Group
Spring 2021: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00; online
This group welcomes all who are interested in discussing ongoing and recent research on language acquisition. Frequently graduate students discuss their current research projects or lead discussion of papers of interest. Contact me for more information.
Current and Recent Teaching
Spring 2021
ASLN/Ling 3800 – Structure of ASL
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45 – *distance learning, with synchronous meetings*
Linguistic analyses of American Sign Language focusing on the phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic levels.
*Prerequisite: Ling 2010Q OR ASLN 1102*
Ling 6020 – Professional Methods
Thurs, 5-6 PM – *distance learning, with synchronous meetings*
Preparation for academic job market: C.V.s, letters of application, interviews, job talks. Previous completion of three semesters of full-time graduate course work in Linguistics recommended.
Fall 2020
Ling 2850 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics of the Deaf Community
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45 – *distance learning, with synchronous meetings*
Sociolinguistics, demographics of the Deaf community; study of Deaf subgroups with different sociological, linguistic and cultural backgrounds; sociolinguistic integration of community members with the larger population in their cultural/ethnic community. Knowledge of American Sign Language not required.
LING 2850 F20 Detailed Syllabus
Ling 5110 – Acquisition of Syntax
Tuesdays/Fridays, 9:30-11 – *distance learning, with synchronous meetings*
Introduction to the relationship between linguistic theory and children’s grammars.
Spring 2020
*Like other universities around the world, we moved from in-person to distance learning mid-semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic*
ASLN/Ling 3800 – Structure of ASL
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45
Linguistic analyses of American Sign Language focusing on the phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic levels.
Ling 6020 – Professional Methods
Fri. 2:30-3:30
Preparation for academic job market: C.V.s, letters of application, interviews, job talks. Previous completion of three semesters of full-time graduate course work in Linguistics recommended.
Ling 6040 – Structure of Sign Languages
Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30
Overview and current topics in linguistic research on the structure of sign languages.
Fall 2019
Ling 2850 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics of the Deaf Community * NEW*
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45
Sociolinguistics, demographics of the Deaf community; study of Deaf subgroups with different sociological, linguistic and cultural backgrounds; sociolinguistic integration of community members with the larger population in their cultural/ethnic community. Knowledge of American Sign Language not required.
Contact me if you’d like more information about this course
Ling 5110 – Acquisition of Syntax
Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30
Introduction to the relationship between linguistic theory and children’s grammars.
Spring 2019
ASLN/Ling 3800 – Structure of ASL
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45
Linguistic analyses of American Sign Language focusing on the phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic levels.
Ling 6020 – Professional Methods
Fri. 3-4
Preparation for academic job market: C.V.s, letters of application, interviews, job talks. Previous completion of three semesters of full-time graduate course work in Linguistics recommended.
Ling 6120 – Topics in Acquisition
Mondays, 12:30-3:30
Current topics in first language acquisition research.
Fall 2018
Ling 2010Q – The Science of Linguistics
Tues/Thurs, 3:30-4:45
An introduction to the methods and major findings of linguistic research as applied to the sound systems of languages and the structure and meaning of words and sentences.
Ling 5110 – Acquisition of Syntax
Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30
Introduction to the relationship between linguistic theory and children’s grammars.
Graduate Advisees
My current major advisees include:
Students who have completed the Ph.D. under my (co-)supervision include:
Keiko Murasugi (1991). Noun Phrases in Japanese and English: A Study in Syntax, Learnability and Acquisition. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan.
Carole Boster (1997). Processing and Parameter Setting in Language Acquisition: A Computational Approach. University of Connecticut.
Kazumi Matsuoka (1998). The Acquisition of Japanese Case Particles and the Theory of Case Checking. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Ronice Quadros (1999). Phrase Structure of Brazilian Sign Language. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Kazuko Hiramatsu (2000). Accessing Linguistic Competence: Evidence from Children’s and Adults’ Acceptability Judgments. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: University of Michigan, Flint MI.
Gaurav Mathur (2000). Verb Agreement as Alignment in Signed Languages. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Gallaudet University, Washington DC.
Laurel LaPorte-Grimes (2001). The Syntax and Acquisition of Verbal Inflection. University of Connecticut.
Deborah Chen Pichler (2001). Word Order Variability and Acquisition in American Sign Language. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Gallaudet University, Washington DC.
Forrest David Braze (2002). Grammaticality, Acceptability, and Sentence Processing: A Psycholinguistic Study.University of Connecticut. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Haskins Laboratories, New Haven CT.
Maki Yamane (2003). On Interaction of First-Language Transfer and Universal Grammar in adult Second Language Acquisition: Wh-Movement in L1-Japanese/L2-English Interlanguage. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Kanagawa University, Japan.
Stephanie Berk (2003). Sensitive Period Effects on the Acquisition of Language: A Study of Language Development. University of Connecticut, Dept. of Psychology.
Sarah Felber (2004). Isolating the Grammar: Removing Extra-grammatical Effects from the Theory of Grammar Through Investigation of Grammatical Viruses. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: University of Maryland University College.
Elaine Grolla (2005). Pronouns as Elsewhere Elements: Implications for Language Acquisition. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Universidade Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Bosook Kang (2005). Acquisition of Language Particular Properties under Impoverished Input. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor).
Natasha Rakhlin (2007). Semantic Manifestations of the Developing Theory of Mind. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Wayne State University.
Oksana Tarasenkova (2010). Acquisition of Agreement and Morphological Features within the Noun Phrase in Russian. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: President/owner, iSPEAK; Kostroma, Russia.
Elena Koulidobrova (2012). When the Quiet Surfaces: ‘Transfer’ of Argument Omission in the Speech of ASL-English Bilinguals. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Central Connecticut State University.
Sandra Wood (2013). Degrees of Rootedness in Acquisition of Language: A Look at Universal Grammar in Homesigners and Late Learners of Libras. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: University of Southern Maine.
Lyn Tieu (2013). Logic and Grammar in Child Language: How Children Acquire the Semantics of Polarity Sensitivity. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Western Sydney University.
Corina Goodwin (2016). English Morphological Development in Bimodal Bilingual Children: Deaf Children with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Children of Deaf Adults. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: University of Connecticut.
Vanessa Petroj (2020). Ignoring Language Barriers: Romanian-Serbian Code-Switching. University of Connecticut. (co-supervisor). Current affiliation: Oregon State University.
Karina Bertolino (2020). An Experimental Study on the Acquisition of Impersonals in Brazilian Portuguese. University of Connecticut. Current affiliation: Universidade Sao Paulo, Brazil.