We have one fully funded position for a PhD student to join the project “How language mixes contribute to effective bilingualism and biliteracy in Singapore” for baby-centered experimental research supervised by Asst Prof Suzy Styles in the Brain, Language and Intersensory Perception Lab at NTU in Singapore.

With four official languages, the linguistic environment of Singapore is globally unique, with rich, inter-generational bilingualism in diverse languages, with diverse writing systems. This landscape provides unique advantages for Singapore’s progress in an increasingly globalised world. It also presents unique challenges in education, as teaching practices established in monolingual communities (like the US, the UK and Australia) may be poorly suited to the needs of Singapore’s bilingual learners. This research will evaluate how different patterns of exposure influence bilingual and biliterate language development in three research streams. We will record language spoken around infants and toddlers in the home, and evaluate patterns of language used in the homes of Singaporean caregivers from birth to 2 years; We will investigate how different language mixes contribute to the sensitivity, flexibility, and speed of toddlers’ aural-language skills; and we will investigate the link between early language skills and learning to read, in a group of children evaluated for their early aural and pre-reading skills pre-kindergarten, and their reading and brain network connectivity after school entry. The PhD position advertised here relates to the infancy research stream and a battery of tests of aural language skills for use with infants, toddlers and pre-readers.

The PhD research will involve infant eyetracking and pupilometry, as well as learning the skills of Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials and supporting EEG research. Previous research experience with infants or with these methods would be an advantage. PhD applicants should contact the PI directly to discuss possibilities for admission under the PhD programme.

Important note. Applications will not be considered complete unless they include the following:

• Letters of Recommendation
• Research Proposal
• Resume
• 3 minute Video intro

Note that Singapore is in a different timezone, so make your application early!

Students making an application for the BLIP Lab research stream are encouraged to contact Asst Prof Suzy Styles directly in advance of their application.