Topic: Technology and Innovation | Inclusive Language Learning with Assistive Technology
Presenter: Monicka Sre R V
Presentation details
Given the rapid advancements in digital technology, English Language Teaching (ELT) must widen its perspective on technological interventions to accommodate the “cognitive diversity” that is frequently overlooked in current pedagogical practices. Across neurodivergent and multilingual learner profiles, the complexity of English orthography poses substantial challenges during visual-linguistic processing. To address these varied cognitive profiles, this study investigates the application of modern technological interventions in terms of the neural architecture of reading. Particularly, it analyses the neurocognitive mechanisms that govern how the brain processes and decodes written text.
In the course of understanding the neuroscience of reading, this research draws on two prior studies I conducted. The first study demonstrated that reading comprehension is not exclusively a visual process but is significantly related to “silent prosody”, the internalized auditory representation of rhythm, stress and phrasing that support meaning construction and the resolution of semantic and syntactic ambiguities. The second study examines critical reading as a complex process stemming from the coordinated interaction between posterior cortical regions and prefrontal networks. These findings collectively point out that reading is driven by the integrated activity of distributed neural systems.
Extending this framework, the study investigates the integration of Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speech-to-Text (STT) software, and multisensory platforms like Dlearners and TTRS, exploring their capacity to redirect decoding demands from visual networks onto auditory pathways. Ultimately, the transition into a biolinguistics framework aids the study to re-conceptualize assistive technologies from mere accessibility arrangements to foundational pedagogical mechanisms.
By exploring how these interventions utilize multisensory processing to enhance silent prosody, the research demonstrates how modern technological tools can mimic the highly personalized, humane touch commonly thought exclusive to non-technological interventions. This understanding aids in transcending conventional decoding constraints, applying past neurocognitive findings to build adaptable and inclusive language learning environments for cognitively diverse individuals.
About the presenter
Monicka Sre is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli. Her interdisciplinary research explores the intersection of neuroscience, language processing, and language pedagogy, with interests in language acquisition, neurocognitive learning, inclusive education, and evidence-based teaching practices. With prior experience in language education, she focuses on developing integrative and inclusive approaches to language learning.