Aki received her MA in TESOL from the Institute of Education, University College London, and also MA and BA in Education from Hokkaido University of Education in Japan. Before coming to Montréal, she taught English as a foreign language in different educational institutions in Japan. Aki’s current research interests centre on second language speech assessment, psycholinguistic aspects of speech interaction and second language pronunciation teaching. She enjoys travelling (visited 20+ countries), reading books, seeing musicals, and going to concerts (she likes both classical and rock music). 

https://akitsunemoto.wordpress.com
​https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aki_Tsunemoto
https://twitter.com/AkiTsunemoto​
Projects
My previous and ongoing projects are primarily focused on investigating the sources of variance in human-rated second language speech assessments:
  • Exploring teachers’ beliefs about second language pronunciation teaching and their speech assessments
  • Investigating the relationship between second language speakers’ self- and other-assessments of pronunciation
  • Examining the roles of visual cues in second language speech perception and comprehension
  • Exploring the impact of global dimensions of second language speech (comprehensibility, accent, fluency) on listeners’ judgements of speakers
  • Understanding how speech characteristics (e.g., linguistic features, discourse organization) contribute to listeners’ second language speech evaluations
  • Investigating the relationship between speakers' individual differences (e.g., anxiety, attitudes, confidence) and second language ​speech assessments
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
  1. Tsunemoto, A., Uludag, P., McDonough, K., & Isaacs, T. (forthcoming). The relationship between Japanese EFL learners’ perceived fluency and temporal speech measures in a read-aloud task. JALT Journal.
  2. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2023). Pre-service teachers’ beliefs about second language pronunciation teaching, their experience, and speech assessments. Language Teaching Research, 27(1), 115–136. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820937273
  3. Taylor Reid, K., Trofimovich, P., O’Brien, M., & Tsunemoto, A. (2022). Using task practice to reduce social influences on listener evaluations of second language accent and comprehensibility. International Journal of Listening, 36(3), 283–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/10904018.2021.1904933
  4. Tsunemoto, A., McAndrews, M., Trofimovich, P., & Friginal, E. (2022). Listener perceptions of customer service agents’ performance: Do comprehensibility, accentedness, and fluency matter? Journal of Second Language Pronunciation. Published online 25 April 2022. https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.21027.tsu [article pdf]
  5. ​Tsunemoto, A., Lindberg, R., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2022). Visual cues and rater perceptions of second language comprehensibility, accentedness, and fluency. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 44(3), 659–684. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263121000425
  6. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., Blanchet, J., Bertrand, J., & Kennedy, S. (2022). Effects of benchmarking and peer-assessment on French learners’ self-assessments of accentedness, comprehensibility, and fluency. Foreign Language Annals, 55, 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12571 [article pdf]
  7. Yokomoto, K., Tsunemoto, A., & Suzukida, Y. (2021). Effects of awareness-raising activities on Japanese university students’ listening comprehension of World English pronunciation. Lingua (Sophia University Center for Language Education and Research Bulletin), 32, 97–113.
  8. Tsunemoto, A., & McDonough, K. (2021). Exploring Japanese EFL learners' attitudes toward English pronunciation and its relationship to perceived accentedness. Language and Speech, 64, 24-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830919900372
  9. Reid, K. T., O’Brien, M., Trofimovich, P., & Tsunemoto, A. (2020). Exploring the stability of second language speech ratings through task practice in bilinguals’ two languages. Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech, 2, 315–329. https://doi.org/10.1558/jmbs.17714
  10. Yokomoto, K., Tsunemoto, A., & Suzukida, Y. (2020, December). With Corona jidai no hatsu-on kyo-iku [L2 pronunciation teaching in the era of COVID-19]. Eigo Kyo-Iku 1 Gatsu Go [The English Teachers’ Magazine January 2021], 74–75. Taishu-Kan Publishing.

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
  1. Trofimovich, P., Isaacs, T., Kennedy, S., & Tsunemoto, A. (2022). Speech comprehensibility. In T. M. Derwing, M. J. Munro, & R. Thomson (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and speaking (pp. 174–187). Routledge.

​Summaries of Research
  1. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2021). Evaluating activities to help second language learners self-assess their pronunciation. OASIS Summary of Tsunemoto et al. (2021) in Foreign Language Annals. https://oasis-database.org/concern/summaries/wp988k341?locale=en
  2. Tsunemoto, A., Lindberg, R., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2021). Speakers’ gestures and facial expressions contribute to listener assessment of second language pronunciation. OASIS Summary of Tsunemoto et al. (2021) in Studies in Second Language Acquisition. https://oasis-database.org/concern/summaries/b2773w06q?locale=en
  3. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2020). Future teachers’ experiences and beliefs shape how they assess second language pronunciation. OASIS Summary of Tsunemoto, Trofimovich, & Kennedy (2020) in Language Teaching Research. https://oasis-database.org
PRESENTATIONS
Invited Talks 
  1. Tsunemoto, A. (2021, November). Linguistic and non-linguistic features in second language comprehensibility. Methodology Special Interest Group, Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (LET) Kansai Chapter. (virtual)
  2. Tsunemoto, A. (2020, October). Getting published in international journals in PhD programs in North America. Invited presentation at the Roundtable hosted by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) and Japan Second Language Acquisition Research Forum (J-SLARF) Symposium on Second Language Acquisition. (virtual)
  3. Tsunemoto, A. (2020, October). Roles of discourse organization in L2 speech comprehensibility. Invited PhD student workshop hosted by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) and Japan Second Language Acquisition Research Forum (J-SLARF) Symposium. (virtual)
  4. Tsunemoto, A. (2017, September). Beginner-level EFL learners’ self-assessment of second language speech across two speaking tasks. Japan Second Language Acquisition Research Forum (J-SLARF) First Annual Meeting, Chuo University, Japan. 

Conference Presentations
  1. Yokomoto, K., Tsunemoto, A., & Suzukida, Y. (2022, September). Listening comprehension of World English pronunciation: How effective are awareness-raising activities? Paper to be presented at the 4th International Symposium on Applied Phonetics (ISAPh 2022), Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
  2. Tsunemoto, A., & Trofimovich, P. (2022, June). How do pre- and in-service teachers’ beliefs about pronunciation teaching relate to their L2 speech assessments? Paper presented at the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
  3. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., McAndrews, M., & Friginal, E. (2022, April). Linguistic dimensions underlying listener evaluations of outsourced call centre agents’ performance. Paper presented at the 10th International Symposium on the Acquisition of Second Language Speech (New Sounds 2022), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
  4. Tsunemoto, A., McAndrews, M., Trofimovich, P., & Friginal, E. (2022, March). Exploring the relationship between outsourced call center agents’ L2 pronunciation and their job performance. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
  5. Tsunemoto, A., Lindberg, R., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2021, June). Effects of nonverbal cues in L2 pronunciation assessment. Paper presented at the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, Brock University. (virtual)
  6. Tsunemoto, A., Lindberg, R., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2021, March). Visual cues and L2 speech comprehensibility and comprehension. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL). (virtual)
  7. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2020, June). How should I assess students’ pronunciation? A case study of Japanese preservice teachers’ L2 pronunciation assessments, their beliefs, and their experience. Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (CAAL/ACLA) Conference, London, ON, Canada (Conference cancelled).
  8. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2020, March). Examining links between pre-service teachers’ experience, their beliefs about pronunciation teaching, and their speech ratings. The annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Denver, Colorado, USA (Conference cancelled).
  9. Tsunemoto, A., Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2019, September). Preservice teachers’ beliefs about L2 pronunciation teaching, their experience, and speech assessments. Paper presented at the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
  10. Tsunemoto, A., Isaacs, T., & McDonough, K. (2019, August). Examining the acoustic and temporal measures underlying self- and other-assessment of accentedness. Paper presented at the 9th International Symposium on the Acquisition of Second Language Speech (New Sounds 2019), Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
  11. Tsunemoto, A., Uludag, P., McDonough, K., & Isaacs, T. (2019, June). Exploring the relationship between L2 English speakers' fluency and accentedness ratings and linguistic measures of phonological accuracy and fluency. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Bilingualism 12, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
  12. Tsunemoto, A. (2019, June). How does my speech sound? Japanese EFL speakers’ self-assessments of their pronunciation in two speaking tasks. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (CAAL/ACLA) Conference, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  13. Tsunemoto, A., & Uludag, P. (2019, March). What makes L2 speech fluent? Predicting advanced L2 speakers’ judgements of L2 speech. Paper presented at the 2019 Graduate Symposium in the Department of Education, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
  14. Tsunemoto, A., & Isaacs, T. (2018, October). Task effects in L2 Japanese speakers’ self-assessments of accentedness and comprehensibility and native English teachers’ ratings. Paper presented at the Second Language Research Forum (SLRF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
GRANTS, awards and scholarships
External Research Grants
  • Tsunemoto, A. (2021-2022). The effect of language teachers' individual differences on the evaluation of foreign language speaking ability: Teachers’ beliefs and experience. Murata Foundation Research Grant, The Murata Science Foundation, Japan.
  • Tsunemoto, A. (2020-2022). Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE), Fonds de recherche – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) and ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur (The Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Québec).
  • Tsunemoto, A. (2019-2022). Graduate Scholarship for Degree Seeking Students, Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO).
​
Awards and Scholarships
  • 2022 Graduate Student Award, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference 2022/Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
  • Concordia University Accelerator Award 2021
  • Fee-Waiver Scholarship for attending Workshop on Quantitative Linguistics Methods (WQLM20)
  • First-Time Presenter Graduate Student Travel Award, Association canadienne de linguistique appliquée/Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (ACLA/CAAL)
  • Concordia University Faculty of Arts and Science Graduate Fellowship
  • Concordia University International Tuition Award of Excellence
  • Split Concordia Merit Scholarship
  • Concordia University Conference and Exposition Award
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