Javiera Alfaro Chat

Teaching Fellow in Social Sciences (COL) | Tutor, PPLS Skills Centre (PPLS)

Biography

Background

I am a Teaching Fellow in Social Sciences at the Centre for Open Learning (COL), University of Edinburgh, where I contribute to the International Foundation Programme (IFP). My role involves teaching and designing engaging, research-informed teaching materials and assessments, as well as contributing to curriculum development in psychology, statistics, and quantitative data analysis.

Beyond my role at COL, I am also a Tutor at the PPLS Skills Centre, where I support students in Psychology and Linguistics with academic skills development, research design, methodology, and academic writing. Additionally, I have taught linguistics and research methods at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I have also supervised master’s dissertations in language education at Moray House School of Education and Sport, supporting students in research design, methodology, and academic writing. Furthermore, I have taught English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the pre-sessional level at the University of Edinburgh, preparing international students for postgraduate study.

My research is interdisciplinary, drawing from psycholinguistics, bilingualism, second language acquisition, and educational research. My work primarily focuses on bilingual language processing, lexical access, and code-switching, and I have engaged with research projects using experimental methods, corpus-based analysis, and quantitative modelling. I am also interested in action research in the classroom, particularly in assessment design, feedback strategies, and inclusive teaching practices.

My teaching approach is student-centred, with a focus on critical thinking, research skills, and academic independence. I strive to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment that supports a diverse international student cohort. My commitment to teaching has been recognised through a nomination for Teacher of the Year in the student-led Teaching Awards (2023).

I have undertaken professional development in autism awareness and student support, reinforcing my commitment to inclusive education. More details on my research can be found in the research section.

Qualifications

PhD in Psychology (Ongoing) – University of Edinburgh

Research focus: Bilingual processing, lexical access, and code-switching in Spanish-English bilinguals.

MSc in Psychology of Language – University of Edinburgh

Dissertation: Structural priming and code-switching: Exploring Spanish-English bilinguals’ syntactic switching preference.

MA in Applied Linguistics (Honours) – Universidad de Concepción, Chile

Dissertation: Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency: Their Relationship with Different Levels of Oral Proficiency in English as an L2.

BA in Education (Hons) & Teacher of English (EFL) – Universidad de Concepción, Chile

 

Professional Qualifications & Certifications

  • Fellow of Advance Higher Education (FHEA)
  • Training in Autism Awareness & Student Support (CPD Certified, National Autistic Society & NADP)

Responsibilities & affiliations

Mentor, Edinburgh Teaching Award (EdTA) Programme University of Edinburgh

  • Supporting early-career educators in developing their teaching practice and reflective pedagogy.
  • Providing guidance on evidence-based teaching strategies and helping mentees work towards Advance HE recognition.

Research summary

My research primarily focuses on bilingual language processing, particularly lexical access, language activation, and code-switching in Spanish-English bilinguals. I am interested in how cognitive mechanisms influence language selection and use, and how these processes interact with factors such as proficiency, frequency of language exposure, and syntactic priming.

In addition to my own research, I have supervised Master’s dissertations in TESOL and Language Education at Moray House School of Education and Sport, supporting students in developing their research design, methodology, and academic writing. This experience has allowed me to engage with a range of research topics, including translanguaging and corpus-based studies, and to contribute to postgraduate research development.

Current research interests

In my current role, developing curriculum and teaching in the International Foundation Programme, I am keen to explore educational research, particularly in areas such as assessment design, feedback strategies, and inclusive teaching practices in higher education. I am interested in using action research in the classroom to enhance teaching effectiveness and student engagement. I would welcome opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in developing projects or exploring new research avenues in this field. If your interests align with mine, feel free to get in touch.

Past research interests

Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency in L2 Learning: Investigated how linguistic complexity and fluency develop in second language learners.

Conference details

  • Architectures and Mechanisms for Language Processing (AMLaP) Conference 2021 September 2021, Université de Paris, France Presentation: Language Context and Written Code-Switching AMLaP is an international conference that has established itself as the premier European venue for interdisciplinary psycholinguistic research.

  • 33rd Annual CUNY Human Sentence Processing Conference 2020 March 2020, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States Poster Presentation: Structural Priming and Code-Switching: Exploring the Position of Code Alternation in Bilingual Spanish-English and English-Spanish Speakers

  • XXI International Conference of the Chilean Society of Linguistics 2015 2015, Temuco, Chile Speaker: "How is my English?: Fluidez, Complejidad y Precisión en el Desempeño de Estudiantes con Distintos Niveles de Proficiencia" (How is my English?: Fluency, Complexity, and Accuracy on the Oral Performance of Students with Different Proficiency Levels)

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