Internship report

Internship report

(ERP) Research into adults with dyslexia

Master Neurolinguistics University of Groningen

Iris Janssen

S3152693

Index

Introduction...2

Placement at the Center for Language and Cognition Groningen...2

Internship goals...2

Internship...2

Evaluation...3

Relation_to_Master_Neurolinguistics...4

References...5

Introduction

Placement at the Center for Language and Cognition Groningen

My internship initially took place at the ERP lab of the Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG). In the CLCG, all linguistic research of the Faculty of Arts is carried out. Various linguistic topics can be investigated in the CLCG, such as computational processing of language, processes in discourse and communication, neurolinguistic processing, language development, and variation and change in linguistic structure and meaning. There are several facilities available in the CLCG to investigate this.

Speech production and tongue movements can be investigated in the Articulography Lab. In the Eye Lab, language processing and language acquisition are studied by means of head and eye movements. There are also soundproof rooms in the CLCG where, for example, reaction times can be measured. Finally, the CLCG has an ERP (Event Related Potentials) lab. In this lab, brain responses to a certain stimulus can be examined by means of EEG (electroencephalography).

In my internship I assisted PhD candidate Aida Salcic with her research into language processing in adults with dyslexia. This research was conducted in the ERP lab of the CLCG.

Internship

At the beginning of my internship, I set a number of goals for myself.

1. At the end of my EEG internship I am skilled in administering and scoring various dyslexia tests (EMT,

Klepel, Spoonerisms and Reversals, Word Dictation and Morphological and Grammatical Errors).

2. At the end of my EEG internship I can place an EEG cap and perform an ERP examination.

3. At the end of my EEG internship I can interpret ERP results.

4. At the end of my EEG internship I can create stimuli for an ERP experiment.

Internship

At the end of January, I started my internship at the ERP lab. In January and February, my supervisor Aida Salcic showed me how to place an EEG cap. After that I helped placing the EEG cap for an experiment and I tested a student with dyslexia with several dyslexia tests. In February I also searched and discussed literature about tests that could possibly be used for the next ERP research. In

circumstances. Therefore it was decided to change the ERP study into a self-paced reading task. In April the stimuli were further adjusted and in May the stimuli were assessed by means of an online survey. We then analysed the data and further adjusted the stimuli. In May I also scored dyslexia tests of previous participants. In June, I completed a few internship tasks, such as digitalizing an existing dyslexia test. Also, I used PRAAT to time words from a previous ERP study and I made lists for PsychoPy, the program with which the self-paced reading study is carried out.

Evaluation

I am very glad that I was able to do this internship. I have not achieved all of my internship goals, but I have learned a lot. My first goal has been reached. I have tested many participants with dyslexia tests and scored these tests afterwards, so I feel like I am now skilled in administering and scoring dyslexia tests. My second goal, being able to place an EEG cap and perform an ERP study, was not fully achieved. Due to the circumstances, the ERP study could not be carried out, so I only attended a few ERP testing sessions. Nevertheless, I have learned a lot from this. In general, I know how to put on a cap and perform an ERP research. I have not reached my third goal, which was learning to interpret ERP results. Since the ERP research was cancelled, we did not have to possibility to analyse the EEG data. I have reached my fourth and final goal, creating stimuli for an ERP experiment. Although the sentences I made were not used for an ERP experiment, they were still used for another (self-paced reading) experiment and I now know what I should pay attention to when creating stimuli for an experiment.

I really like that I was able to gain practical experience in this internship by testing participants, but I also liked creating stimuli. In addition, this internship has made me more confident of my English. At first I was afraid to make mistakes, but by speaking and writing English during this internship, I feel that my English is better than before this internship. It is unfortunate that the initially planned ERP study could not be executed, but I still learned a lot by doing this internship.

I am also very happy with how the collaboration went, both with my supervisor Aida Salcic and with my fellow interns Ilse and Michelle. We had weekly internship meetings via Skype, where we could discuss the internship tasks and questions we might have. If I had a question, Aida always made time to explain it to me. I also liked that we did an internship with several interns. This way we could ask each other questions when necessary, as well.

Relation

to

Master

Neurolinguistics

There is a clear relationship between the Master Neurolinguistics and my internship. In the Master I gained knowledge about dyslexia and EEG research. I was able to put this knowledge of dyslexia into practice during this internship, at which I assisted in the research into adults with dyslexia. For the Dyslexia course I had an assignment in which we had to test a few adults without dyslexia with a number of dyslexia tests. In this internship I have practiced more with taking and scoring these and other diagnostic tests. This internship expanded my knowledge about dyslexia in adults and taught me how to make stimuli for a linguistic research.

I would like to start working as a dyslexia practitioner after my Master. Through this internship I have already gained some practical experience in the field of dyslexia, but this internship also showed me that researching dyslexia is also very interesting. All in all, I am very happy to have been able to do this internship.

References

Center for Language and Cognition. (2019, July 3). Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://www.rug.nl/research/clcg/

CLCG Linguistics Lab. (2019, October 17). Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://www.rug.nl/research/clcg/research/labs/clcg-labs

CLCG Mission Statement. (2018, October 30). Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://www.rug.nl/research/clcg/about-the-institute/