Research Team
About the Tohoku SLA Team
Our research group focuses on second language acquisition (SLA) and bilingualism. Using a range of data-collection and analysis tools—including eye-tracking and functional MRI (fMRI)—we conduct joint research among faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students in the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies at Tohoku University. We regularly host events featuring internationally well-known scholars in SLA, bilingualism, and linguistics, providing opportunities to learn about state-of-the-art research. (For past and upcoming events, see the Research Center for Language, Brain, and Cognition.) *(Description adapted from the website of Takumi Uchihara.)*
Faculty Collaborators (Tohoku SLA Team)
- Hyeonjeong Jeong, Professor — Website
- Mariko Nakayama, Professor — Website
- Takumi Uchihara, Associate Professor — Website
- Aki Tsunemoto, Associate Professor — Website
- Ryuya Komuro, Postdoctoral Researcher — Website
Student Collaborators
Ph.D. Students
Satoshi Otsuka (2026—)
Project: Exploring the Interface between Willingness to Communicate and Task Engagement: A Longitudinal Classroom StudyFang Sun (2023—2025)
Project: Examining the Role of Model Texts in Out-of-Class Writing Support: A Case Study of Chinese University Students Majoring in Japanese
M.A. Students
Mana Sugawara (2026—)
Project: Topic TBDDallin Richardson (2025—)
Project: Metacognitive Instruction, Learner Psychology, and Engagement in Classroom SpeakingJuni Kabe (2024—)
Project: Learner Engagement in Task Repetition: The Impact of Learner-Generated Content and L2 GritSalvador Xiongfei Wang (2024—)
Project: Effects of Talker Variability on Second Language Vocabulary Learning: A Classroom Study