Professional Bio

Kevin McManus is an applied linguist with expertise in second language acquisition and research methodology. His research focuses on psycholinguistics, crosslinguistic influence, instruction, and usage-based accounts of learning, with particular interests in instructed grammatical learning and the ways in which cognitive (e.g., blocking, learned attention) and social factors (e.g., integration, immersion) shape development. A major strand of his research in these areas has examined the extent to which instruction can address longstanding learning difficulties that result from crosslinguistic influence. He also has significant interests in replication research, which has involved conducting and promoting replication studies as well as providing guidance and training in the design, execution, and interpretation of replication studies. Kevin McManus teaches courses on usage-based second language acquisition (APLNG 571), quantitative methods  (APLNG 593), and pedagogical grammar (APLNG 484). He is author of Crosslinguistic Influence and Second Language Learning and Doing Replication Research in Applied Linguistics. In 2020, he received, with Emma Marsden, the ACTFL-NFMLTA/MLJ Paul Pimsleur Award for Research in Foreign Language Education for his work on crosslinguistic influence and instructed second language learning.