Inés De la Viña
Teaching Associate in Applied Linguistics,
Contact
Biography
I hold a BA (Honours) in English Studies (University of Oviedo and University of Cologne) and an MA in Applied Linguistics and Language Acquisition in Multilingual Contexts (University of Barcelona). I completed my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Kent (UK), where I specialised in second language (vocabulary) acquisition, with a particular focus on how learners acquire and retrieve lexical combinations across different types of input exposure.
Following my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Bilingualism and Cognitive Development at UNED (Madrid), where I continued to explore how language learning relates to children's cognitive, linguistic, and social development, with a particular focus on executive functions such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and monitoring. During this time, I also completed a Postgraduate qualification in Advanced Applied Statistical Methods (UNED), where I gained training in advanced modelling techniques for analysing complex datasets and generating insights applicable to real-world problems.
I have been actively involved in the Vocabulary Studies Special Interest Group (SIG) of the British Association of Applied Linguistics (https://baalvocabsig.wordpress.com/), serving in a co-shared role as Co-Secretary (2022-2024) and currently as Co-Web and Communications Officer (2024-).
Teaching Summary
My teaching is grounded in my research in second language acquisition, vocabulary development, and bilingualism, with a particular interest in integrating cognitive and psycholinguistic perspectives… read more
Research Summary
I am currently developing a new line of research examining the cognitive and psychosocial effects of second language learning in later life. This work focuses on healthy ageing and explores whether… read more
Selected Publications
My teaching is grounded in my research in second language acquisition, vocabulary development, and bilingualism, with a particular interest in integrating cognitive and psycholinguistic perspectives into classroom practice. I enjoy creating opportunities for students to connect theory with real-world language use, and to engage critically with issues such as language learning, processing, and representation.
I am especially interested in teaching modules related to: Second Language Acquisition, Psycholinguistics, Vocabulary Learning and Processing, Bilingualism and Cognitive Development, and Research Methods.
Current Research
I am currently developing a new line of research examining the cognitive and psychosocial effects of second language learning in later life. This work focuses on healthy ageing and explores whether engaging in L2 learning can serve as a form of cognitive training to enhance executive function, semantic processing, and overall well-being in older adults. This emerging direction integrates my long-standing interest in language learning, cognitive development, and socially impactful research.
In parallel, I am involved in a project led by Dr Beatriz González-Fernández (University of Sheffield) investigating the learning, acquisition, and processing of polysemy and homonymy. This study examines second language learners' knowledge and perceptions of multiple meanings of English words, with particular emphasis on how semantic and etymological relatedness (polysemy vs. homonymy) influences meaning acquisition.
Past Research
My doctoral research (University of Kent) focused on how second language learners acquire multiword units (MWUs), particularly collocations, through incidental and semi-incidental exposure. Alongside this work, I contributed to several externally funded research projects, including a study on the acquisition of complex grammar by children (PI: Dr Vikki Janke, University of Kent) and a project comparing mobile- and classroom-based second language instruction (PI: Dr Beatriz González-Fernández, University of Sheffield).
My postdoctoral research sat at the intersection of bilingualism, cognitive development, and second language acquisition (SLA). At UNED (Madrid), I worked on a longitudinal project investigating the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of monolingually-raised Spanish children enrolled in bilingual education (PI: Dr Gloria Chamorro). My contributions focused on the development of executive functions (inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and monitoring), vocabulary acquisition, and Theory of Mind.