GRAL Research Group
The GRAL Research Group (GRAL is the Catalan acronym for Grup de Recerca en Adquisició de Llengües) initiated its activity in 1995 with the study of the effects of age on foreign language learning. This study culminated with the publication of the book Age and the Rate of Foreign Language Learning (2006) edited by C. Muñoz and published by Multilingual Matters as well as various book chapters and articles in journals such as Applied Linguistics, International Journal of English Studies, Spanish Applied Linguistics, IRAL and Eurosla Yearbook.
Since then the GRAL Research Group has continued working on early FL learning from a longitudinal perspective, and has added topics such as the study of individual differences (working memory, attention, aptitude) and of different types of input (intensive, CLIL, study abroad, out-of-school) in EFL learning. Recent work is addressing the effects of multimodal input through reading while listening and through viewing subtitled audiovisual material.
Since then the GRAL Research Group has continued working on early FL learning from a longitudinal perspective, and has added topics such as the study of individual differences (working memory, attention, aptitude) and of different types of input (intensive, CLIL, study abroad, out-of-school) in EFL learning. Recent work is addressing the effects of multimodal input through reading while listening and through viewing subtitled audiovisual material.