Dr Mattia Zingaretti

Teaching

I deliver lectures and seminars, as well as assessing coursework, on a range of linguistics modules. In 2024-2025, I am teaching on:

• LAL4006M Multilingualism
• LAL5007M Language at Work
• LAL5025M TESOL: Foundations of Second Language Acquisition and Teaching
• LAL6018M TESOL: Second Language Teaching Resources and Practices

I also supervise UG and PG dissertation projects on topics within my research and teaching expertise in bi-/multilingualism and second language acquisition and teaching.

Research

The linguistic, cognitive and emotional impact of bi-/multilingualism

My research primarily aims to investigate the effects of speaking more than one language from a linguistic, cognitive and emotional perspective.

From 2018 to 2022, I carried out my PhD research at the University of Edinburgh through funding from the SGSAH and AHRC. In my doctoral project, I examined the lexical, syntactic and prosodic changes (i.e. ‘attrition’) in the first language of adult second language speakers, under the supervision of Prof Antonella Sorace, Prof Vicky Chondrogianni and Prof D. Robert Ladd. My findings have shown that attrition can be present across language domains for different bilingual populations, suggesting that changes in the first language may be seen as a sign of successful second language acquisition.

In 2020-21, I secured funding through the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences at Edinburgh to investigate the linguistic and cognitive effects of intensive language learning, together with Prof A. Sorace and Roberta Spelorzi. We led the creation of an intensive online course of Italian, and tested the students who participated before and after the course. Our results have revealed significant improvements in the second language and in some attentional skills (i.e. inhibitory control), lasting up to three weeks after the end of the one-week online course.

In 2021-2022, I was also part of the Edinburgh research unit for the Una-Europa-funded project: “A Linguistic Investigation of Hate Speech - ALIHAS”. With Prof A. Sorace, and Dr Maria Garraffa from the University of East-Anglia, I looked at the effects of bilingualism on hate speech perception in one of the first studies in the field. Our findings have shed light on the subtle changes that occur in the way bilingual speakers perceive some emotional aspects of hate words in their first language, and point to the need for further research in this direction.

Bi-/multilingualism and education

More recently, in 2024, I started an ongoing collaboration with my colleague Dr Indu Vibha Meddegama at York St John, to investigate language volunteers' perceptions of translanguaging practices, assess how their perceptions translate into classroom practice, and examine the impact of translanguaging practices on children's interactions, in our community language school.

My research insights have also informed projects focused on teacher education about language learning and multilingualism.

From 2021 to 2023, I was involved in the “Teacher Education about Multilingualism” (TEAM) project. With the support of Erasmus+ funding, I co-created educational resources on different aspects of multilingualism for pre-service and in-service teachers, working alongside Prof A. Sorace and R. Spelorzi at the University of Edinburgh, and Prof Aleksandra Wach from Poznań University.

In 2023, I was also part of the project "Connecting Linguistics Research with English and Modern Foreign Language Teaching", funded through a Knowledge Exchange and Impact grant at the University of Edinburgh. This is a collaborative effort by Dr Christian Ilbury, Prof Jennifer Culbertson and Prof V. Chondrogianni to investigate - and bridge - the gap between linguistics and language learning research and the existing teaching practices in English and Modern Foreign Languages in the UK.

Publications

Book chapters

Zingaretti, M., Garraffa, M., & Sorace, A. (2024). The impact of bilingualism on hate speech perception and slur appropriation: An initial study of Italian UK residents. In S. Cruschina & C. Gianollo (Eds.), An investigation of hate speech in Italian: Use, identification and perception (pp. 193–230). Helsinki University Press. doi.org/10.33134/HUP-27-6

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Zingaretti, M. & Spelorzi, R. (2022). One size fits none in international higher education: A UK-based case study on how to foster inclusive participation and active engagement in the classroom. Postgraduate Pedagogies, 2(1), 73-97. https://journals.studentengagement.org.uk/index.php/gtateach/article/view/1149 

Zingaretti, M. & Spelorzi, R. (2021). Bridging the gap between native and non-native English-speaking teachers: Insights from bilingualism research. Spark: Stirling International Journal of Postgraduate Research, 7(1). https://spark.stir.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Zingaretti-and-Spelorzi_final.pdf

Dissertations

Zingaretti, M. (2022). First language attrition in late bilingualism: Lexical, syntactic and prosodic changes in English-Italian bilinguals [Doctoral dissertation, University of Edinburgh]. Edinburgh Research Archive. https://doi.org/10.7488/era/3187

Zingaretti, M. (2017). On nativeness and near-nativeness: An analysis of the implications of convergence between L1 attriters and L2 speakers [Master’s dissertation, University of Edinburgh]. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27585.68960/1

Zingaretti, M. (2016). Beyond native-speakerism: Teaching and learning criteria in ELF use [Bachelor’s dissertation, Sapienza University of Rome]. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36393.72805/1

Popular science

Zingaretti, M. (2021, November 25). Learning and teaching approaches in Higher Education: Promoting deep learning through constructive alignment. Teaching Matters Blog. https://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/learning-and-teaching-approaches-in-higher-education-promoting-deep-learning-through-constructive-alignment/

Zingaretti, M. (2020, September 18). The importance of language learning and maintenance amid Brexit and COVID-19: Evidence from successful EAL practice. Bilingualism Matters Blog. https://web.archive.org/web/20230604214445/https://www.bilingualism-matters.ppls.ed.ac.uk/eal-new-normal/

Zingaretti, M. (2019, December 13). What’s the point of writing essays?. Forward Thinking. https://web.archive.org/web/20200926141958/https://forwardthinking.ppls.ed.ac.uk/2019/12/13/whats-the-point-of-writing-essays/ 

Zingaretti, M. (2019, November 22). So, do YOU speak a second language? Bilingualism myths and misconceptions. PPLS Student Blogs. https://www.blogs.ppls.ed.ac.uk/2019/11/22/so-do-you-speak-a-second-language-bilingualism-myths-and-misconceptions/

Zingaretti, M. (2019, May 28). Lost for words – in your native language. Forward Thinking. https://web.archive.org/web/20200926154128/https://forwardthinking.ppls.ed.ac.uk/2019/05/28/lost-for- words-in-your-native-language/

Media

 Spelorzi, R. & Zingaretti, M. [Teacher Education About Multilingualism - TEAM]. (2023, March 14). Attrition in a nutshell: Interview with Prof. Antonella Sorace. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1167MRETxw&t=549s   

Sorace, A., Spelorzi, R. & Zingaretti, M. [Teacher Education About Multilingualism - TEAM]. (2023, March 14). Issues with the “native” speaker: Implications of attrition in the classroom. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGQH4IaGt6w&t=1s

Sorace, A., Spelorzi, R. & Zingaretti, M. [Teacher Education About Multilingualism - TEAM]. (2023, March 14). Issues with the “native” speaker: First language attrition. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TRJz6kszNA&t=4s 

Spelorzi, R. & Zingaretti, M. (2021, June 1). The effects of two languages in one mind: First language attrition. https://www.slideshare.net/mattiazingaretti/the-effects-of-two-languages-in-one-mind-first-language-attrition. CC BY-SA 4.0 license  

Schnelten, E. M. & Zingaretti, M. (Hosts). (2021, February 11). BYElingual – Prof. Monika Schmid and Attrition (No. 9). [Audio podcast episode]. In Much Language Such Talk. Bilingualism Matters. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mnWpMy7COSRDIsgS9M97h?si=507d5f1db1984a6e

Conferences

Conference talks

 Zingaretti, M., Garraffa, M. & Sorace, A. (2024, September 26). Hate speech perception and slur appropriation in late bilingual speakers: The case of Italian UK residents [Poster presentation]. 5th Experimental Pragmatics in Italy Conference, Venice, Italy. 

Zingaretti, M. (2024, September 6). Reconceptualising the (near-)native speaker: The implications of first language attrition for applied linguistics and second language acquisition research [Paper presentation]. 57th Annual Conference of the British Association for Applied Linguistics, Colchester, England. 

Zingaretti, M. (2024, May 22). Bilingualism and hate speech: The appropriation of L1 and L2 slurs by sexual and ethnic minorities. [Poster presentation]. Centre for Language and Social Justice Research Annual Showcase Event, York, England. 

Meddegama, I. V., Skender-Lizatovic, M., Zingaretti, M. & Sors, L. (2024, May 22). Advancing community language schools: Research-based insights on language volunteer training, teaching practices, and impact. [Poster presentation]. Centre for Language and Social Justice Research Annual Showcase Event, York, England. 

Zingaretti, M., Spelorzi, R. & Sorace, A. (2022, October 25). The effects of an intensive online language course: Linguistic and cognitive changes in English learners of Italian [Poster presentation]. Bilingualism Matters Research Symposium 2022, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Zingaretti, M. (2022, August 24). Investigating L1 attrition in late L2 acquisition: A discussion of key methodological issues in the comparison of different language domains [Paper presentation]. The 31st Conference of the European Second Language Association, Fribourg, Switzerland. 

Zingaretti, M., Chondrogianni, V., Ladd, D. R. & Sorace, A. (2022, March 25). The dynamics of late bilingualism: First language change in adult language learners [Paper presentation]. Fourth International Conference on Language Attrition and Bilingualism, New Haven, Connecticut. 

Zingaretti, M., Garraffa, M. & Sorace, A. (2022, March 11). The impact of bilingualism on hate speech perception and slur appropriation: A first study on Italian UK residents [Paper presentation]. Excessive Language in Public Discourse, Helsinki, Finland.

Zingaretti, M., Garraffa, M. & Sorace, A. (2021, November 12). L’impatto del bilinguismo sulla percezione del linguaggio d’odio e sulla riappropriazione dell’insulto: un primo studio sugli italiani residenti nel Regno Unito [Paper presentation]. Workshop Internazionale ALIHAS - A Linguistic Investigation of Hate Speech, Bologna, Italy.

Spelorzi, R. & Zingaretti, M. (2021, September 17). A week abroad from the comfort of your home: Preliminary results of an intensive online language course [Paper presentation]. The Third Year Abroad Conference - The Year Abroad: Reimagined, jointly organised online by Keele University and Regent’s University London, London, England. 

Zingaretti, M. & Spelorzi, R. (2021, May 25). The challenges of inclusive education in times of distance learning [Paper presentation]. Learning for Citizenship Conference - Supporting Migrant Students Through the Pandemic, Nottingham, England.

Zingaretti, M. (2019, September 21). Between acquisition and attrition: First language change in late second language learners [Poster presentation]. Bilingualism Matters Research Symposium 2019, Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Zingaretti, M. (2019, April 16). When a foreign language interferes with your native language: The relationship between L2 acquisition and L1 attrition in English-Italian and Italian-English bilingual adults [Poster presentation]. Experimental Methods in Language Acquisition Research XV, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Invited talks

Scheffer, S. & Zingaretti, M. (2024, September 6). Pondering an AI- powered future for language education? Considerations from—and beyond—a technology-mediated language learning study. Language Learning and Teaching SIG Colloquium “Generative AI in language learning and teaching: theoretical and practical approaches”, 57th Annual Conference of the British Association for Applied Linguistics, Colchester, England. [Talk slides]

Zingaretti, M. (2023, November 1). The linguistic, cognitive and emotional impact of bilingualism: Perspectives from multiple research approaches. Languages and Linguistics Student Colloquium Series, York St John University, York, England. [Talk slides]

Zingaretti, M. (2022, April 4). The relationship between second language acquisition and first language change across language domains: Discussing data from English learners of Italian. Edinburgh University Bilingualism Research Group, Edinburgh, Scotland. [Talk slides]

Zingaretti, M. (2021, November 3). Can native speakers ‘forget’ their first language? Discussing findings and implications of research on second language acquisition and first language attrition. Edinburgh University Translation Society, Edinburgh, Scotland. [Talk slides]

Zingaretti, M. (2020, October 21). Every translator is bilingual, but is every bilingual a translator? The role of bilingualism in translation. Edinburgh University Translation Society, Edinburgh, Scotland. [Talk slides]

Professional activities

I am Fellow of Advance HE, and a member of Bilingualism Matters, the British Association for Applied Linguistics, the European Second Language Association, the Education, Languages, and Internationalisation network, the UK Advising and Tutoring association and the Association of Italian Scientists in the UK.

My peer-review contributions include work with the UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Language Learning Journal and Narodowe Centrum Nauki.

I have been an external examiner within the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University (South Africa).