Alejandra Donoso

Since 2014, my research has centered on heritage languages, with a particular focus on academic writing among university students of Spanish. In this field, I have investigated the written production of students from a range of linguistic backgrounds, including L2 learners of Spanish whose  first language is Swedish, Heritage speakers of Spanish who have been bilingual in Swedish and Spanish since early childhood, and native speakers of Spanish. This research has addressed variables such as language contact, motivation to maintain and learn Spanish and attendance in mother tongue instruction. In addition, I am engaged in studies exploring the relationship between home and school through pedagogical translanguaging (PT).

I hold a Ph.D. in Spanish linguistics from Stockholm University and completed my dissertation in 2016. My thesis "Motion expressions in Spanish as a second language and as a heritage language: Conceptualization and encoding of Path, Manner and Ground" examined crosslinguist influence and the conceptualization and encoding of Motion in Spanish as a second language and Spanish as a Heritage language. I am currently a lecturer in Spanish linguistics at Linnaeus University where I teach a range of subjects including academic writing, oral communication, and language didactics.

I also participate in the Journal Moderna språk as section editor in Spanish linguistics.

Undervisning

Alejandra Donoso imparts courses in Spanish didactics, second language acquisition, oral and written proficiency and academic writing.

Forskning

Currently, my research interests are related to the field of second language acquisition, multilingualism, motivation and multiliingual writing repertoires, pedagogical translanguaging and Spanish as a heritage language.

I serve as a steering commettee member of the Educational Linguistics Research Group at Linnaeus University.