Projects

Our recent projects make use of eye-tracking, audio- and video-recording, and galvanic skin response sensors to investigate various verbal and non-verbal features of interaction involving university-level speakers of English as a second language.

Interactive lab setup

Video and eye-tracking setup

Video and eye-gaze monitoring

Video and eye-gaze monitoring

Galvanic skin response sensor

Ongoing research projects​

• McDonough, K., & Trofimovich, P. (2023-2027). Identifying and mitigating discrimination in higher education settings. Insight Grant, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). 
• McLarnon, M., & McDonough, K. (2023-2024). Community-based gardening for literacy and food security. Office of Vice-Provost for Research and Graduate Studies, Sustainable Transitions Team Research Initiative, Concordia University. 
• O’Brien, M. G., & Trofimovich, P. (2021-2025). Evaluating foreign-born job applicants: Understanding and mitigating foreign accent bias among Canadian HR professionals. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Grant.​
• ​​​Trofimovich, P. (2024-2026). Exploring the benefits of social ties for international students' wellbeing. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
  
• Trofimovich, P. (2023-2028). Not seeing ourselves as others see us: Exploring the role of metaperception in lingua franca communication. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Grant.
  

Previous research projects

• McDonough, K., & Sato, M. (2020-2023). Expectancy violations in diverse English contexts: Exploring the role of intergroup contact. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant. 
• Corrigan, J., McDonough, K., & Neumann, H. (2020-2023). Promoting digital literacies for secondary students: A collaborative action research project. Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC), Actions Concertées Grant.
• ​Trofimovich, P. & O’Brien, M. G. (2020-2023). Exploring and mitigating attitudinal bias toward immigrants in Quebec and Alberta. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
• McDonough, K., & Trofimovich, P. (2019-2023). Identifying the visual signature of communication breakdowns. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Grant.
• ​​​Trofimovich, P., & Kennedy, S. (2016-2021). Second language communication skills: Helping non-native university students align perceived and actual performance. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Grant.
• Isaacs, T., Revesz, A., & Trofimovich, P. (2019–2020). Investigating IELTS Speaking level distinctions using automated and auditory measures: Communicative adequacy and the complexity-accuracy-fluency triad. British Council (UK), IELTS-funded Research Programme (Round 17).
• Abashidze, D., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2018-2019). Interlocutor’s gaze and learning of second language grammar. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
• McDonough, K., & Trofimovich, P. (2017-2019). Linking social and cognitive factors in second language learning through interaction. Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant, Concordia University.
• McDonough, K., & Payant, C. (2017-2018). The effect of planning on English L2 speakers’ integrated writing CAEL test performance. Paragon Testing. 
• McDonough, K., & Ammar, A. (2017-2020). Using collaborative tasks to promote the development of L2 French writing. Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC), Action Concertées Grant.
• Kennedy, S., & Trofimovich, P. (2016-2019). Oral communication training for international engineering students in co-op placements. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
• Neumann, H., Leu, S., & McDonough, K. (2016-2018). Promoting the use of effective textual appropriation strategies by L2 writers. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
• McDonough, K., & Trofimovich, P. (2015-2018). Maximizing joint attention to promote L2 learning through aural input. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Grant.
• Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K. (2011-2014). Creating an acquisition-rich second language classroom: Using priming tasks to promote learning. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), standard research grant.
• McDonough, K. (2011-2013). Assessing the role of cognitive creativity in second language task-based interaction. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development Grant.
• Trofimovich, P., & Isaacs, T. (2011-2013). International students at Canadian universities: Validating a pedagogically-oriented pronunciation scale. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Insight Development grant. 
• Kennedy, S., & Trofimovich, P. (2011-2012). Second language speaking and student success in a university setting. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), standard research grant.
• Collins, L., McDonough, K., Trofimovich, P., Cardoso, W., Horst, M., & White, J. (2011-2015). L'efficacité dans l'apprentissage des langues secondes en salle de classe: comment l'expliquer et l'accoître. Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Société et la Culture (FQRSC), soutien aux équipes de recherche/team infrastructure grant. 
• Gatbonton, E., Trofimovich, P., & Segalowitz, N. (2009-2012). Ethnic group affiliation and second language proficiency. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), standard research grant.
• Collins, L., Trofimovich, P., Horst, M., & White, J., Cardoso, W. (2007-2010). The sounds, the forms, and the meanings: An integrated perspective on second language teaching and learning. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), standard research grant.
• Collins, L., Trofimovich, P., Horst, M., White, J., & Cardoso, W. (2006-2010). L'efficacité dans l'apprentissage des langues secondes en salle de classe : comment l'expliquer et l'accoître / Explaining and enhancing efficiency in classroom second language learning. Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC), soutien aux équipes de recherche/team infrastructure grant.
• Trofimovich, P. (2005-2008). L'apprentissage d'une langue seconde : une étude du traitement de la parole. Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC), nouveaux chercheurs grant.
• ​Trofimovich, P., Gatbonton, E., & Segalowitz, N. (2004-2009). Second-language phonological learning: A dynamic model of acquisition and its pedagogical implications. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), standard research grant.

The Lab's infrastructure and equipment are supported through Canada Research Chairs (CRC) funding and the CRC Leaders Opportunity Fund's Canada Foundation for Innovation grant to Kim McDonough (2011-2021).