How bilingual adults connect ideas when reading across languages
Official title: Bilingual discourse comprehension: How is text integration affected by overlap in language?
Funded at University of Texas El Paso · NIH-11322522 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how bilingual adults link and remember information when reading texts that overlap or switch between languages.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas El Paso NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (El Paso, United States) |
| Project start | April 13, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $151,360 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149515-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322522 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Bilingual adults aged 21 and older who read in two languages and can complete reading and comprehension tasks are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Monolingual people, children under 21, or individuals unable to perform standard reading tasks may not directly benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If you're a bilingual adult, researchers will compare how you and monolingual readers build understanding across a text. They will test two ways people pull up information from memory: a fast, automatic process and a slower, deliberate checking process when things don't fit. Participants will complete reading tasks with language overlap while researchers measure comprehension, memory, and responses. The aim is to update reading theories so they better reflect bilingual experiences and guide teaching or supports.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better reading instruction and literacy supports tailored for bilingual adults and students.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows bilingual reading can differ from monolinguals, but applying the landscape model to bilingual readers is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas El Paso
El Paso, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwartz, Ana I — University of Texas El Paso
- Study coordinator: Schwartz, Ana I
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.