Edition: MINIATURA-9

Funding Institution: National Science Centre, Poland (NCN)

Principal Investigator:
dr Magdalena Walenta

Title of the project:
The effect of language (L1 vs. L2) on multimodal content processing by English-medium architecture students: an eye-tracking comparison across Anglophone and non-Anglophone contexts

Members of the team (with their roles):
dr Magdalena Walenta (Principal Investigator)
dr Zuzanna Fuchs (Co-Investigator)

Project description:
This project investigates the effects of the language of instruction (L1 vs. L2) and individual differences in working memory on the processing of multimodal architectural content in English-medium instruction (EMI). The study compares architecture students enrolled in an EMI program at the Warsaw University of Technology with native English-speaking architecture students in the United States. It examines the processing of complex syntactic structures during architecture-based tasks using the visual-world eye-tracking paradigm. The project aims to advance our understanding of disciplinary content processing in EMI and to establish a methodological foundation for future interdisciplinary research.

Project duration: December 2025 – December 2026

Wysokość finansowania/Amount of funding: 48,865 PLN

Results or expected results:
The project will provide new evidence on the effects of the language of instruction (L1 vs. L2) and working memory on the processing of multimodal architectural content in EMI. The findings will advance our understanding of disciplinary content processing and evaluate the suitability of eye tracking and cognitive measures for EMI research, providing a methodological foundation for future interdisciplinary studies.