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Brainstorm to Success

OBJECTIVES

MultiMind was a research and training platform that sought fundamental breakthroughs in multilingualism research by adopting a multi-disciplinary perspective with the following main scientific objectives:

  • Objective 1 - Language learning, cognition, and creativity: to understand the relationship between language learning, cognition, and creativity. MultiMind will investigate the role of environmental, language architecture, and domain general factors on language learning, cognition, and creativity. The outcomes have important implications for language teaching and educational policies.

 

  • Objective 2 - Language processing and the multilingual brain:  to determine how the properties of the language and orthographic systems affect the way multilingual and multiliterate people process language using behavioural and neuroscience methods. The outcomes have important implications for teaching practices across European countries.

 

  • Objective 3 - Multilingual cognition and society: to understand the cognitive mechanisms underpinning social cognition, the role of language as a social group marker, how language use affects decision making, and the manifestation of stereotypes. The outcomes have important implications for challenges on migration in Europe.

 

  • Objective 4 - Language impairment in multilingual children: to understand the impact of multilingualism in children with language impairment using behavioural and neuroimaging methodologies and to develop computerised tasks for screening language impairment and dyslexia in multilingual children. The outcomes have important economic and non-economic implications for health and education services across Europe.

 

  • Objective 5 - Multilingualism in migration and refugee settings: to address the efficacy of teaching methods and educational activities promoting language and literacy in pre-schools and schools for migrants/refugees, and to identify good practice that meets the needs of students with a migrant/refugee background. The outcomes have crucial implications for the education of migrants/refugees in Europe and for their integration.

 

MultiMind provided unique and innovative training for ESRs who want to focus on multilingualism. First, the ESRs (PhD students in this programme) conducted research in world-leading labs across Europe and beyond. Second, the issues addressed by the network were of primary importance to Europe, especially given the focus on education, health, and migration, and thus, on integration, social cohesion and tolerance. Finally, MultiMind offered complementary training in non-academic organisations that prepared ESRs for work outside the academia. Thus, MultiMind will train the future leaders in multilingualism and address key urgent societal challenges in Europe.

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