LCRGrad2025: Learner Corpus Research Graduate Conference Online via Zoom Chemnitz, Germany, October 22-24, 2025

We are pleased to announce that the Learner Corpus Research Graduate Conference 2025 will be hosted by the Chair of English and Digital Linguistics, Chemnitz University of Technology, and will take place virtually on 22-23-24 October 2025 under the aegis of the Learner Corpus Association.

The main aim of the conference, as in the previous editions, is to offer a space for MA and PhD students as well as researchers who have earned their doctoral degree in the last two years prior to the conference to discuss their (ongoing) projects and receive feedback from early career researchers as well as senior researchers in the field of Learner Corpus Research, while expanding their professional network. Researchers who already hold a doctoral degree are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend as panelists, mentors or non-presenting delegates, helping to ensure a fruitful academic dialogue and to foster the careers of graduate students and recent graduates within the field of LCR.

The central theme of this year’s conference is “The Pattern Beneath”. This theme celebrates the unique role of learner corpus research in uncovering the underlying structures and patterns of learner language through LCR. It emphasizes the field’s potential to provide insights into second language acquisition, linguistic development, and the intricacies of language use in educational contexts. The theme also highlights how learner corpora serve as powerful tools for identifying trends, testing hypotheses, and advancing our understanding of learner-specific challenges and strategies.

LCRGrad2025 will serve as a platform to present innovative approaches, engage in interdisciplinary collaborations, and share findings that demonstrate how learner corpus research can reshape the way we analyze, teach, and understand language learning. Thus, it aims to inspire a new generation of researchers.

We look forward to your participation in this exciting virtual gathering, where we aim to advance the learner corpus research together!

Submission Guidelines

Conference Sub-Themes:

In line with the conference theme, we welcome contributions addressing the following areas:

1. Advancing Methodologies in Learner Corpus Research:Cutting-edge methods in corpus design, annotation, and analysis.
2. Technological Innovations in Learner Corpus Development:Utilizing digital tools, apps, and virtual environments for corpus creation and use.
3. AI and Data Science in Learner Corpus Analysis:Harnessing AI, machine learning, NLP, and big data for learner corpus insights.
4. Multimodal and Multilingual Learner Corpora:Integrating diverse languages and modalities (e.g., text, audio, video) into corpus research.
5. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Learner Corpus Research:Contributions spanning linguistics, psychology, education, computational sciences, and more.
6. Application of Learner Corpus Insights in Education:Practical outcomes for teaching, curriculum design, materials development, and assessment.
7. Sociocultural, Cross-Cultural and Contextual Perspectives on Learner Data:Investigations into learner-specific, sociocultural, and contextual influences.
8. Corpus-Based Insights into Language Acquisition and Development: Advancing understanding of first and second language acquisition and linguistic development.
9. Ethical and Inclusive Practices in Learner Corpus Research:Addressing inclusivity, accessibility, and ethical considerations in corpus studies.
10. Future Directions in Learner Corpus Research:Examining emerging trends, technologies, and challenges in the field. 

Submission Types: 

We invite submissions across a range of formats to foster diverse discussions and engagement:

1. Papers (20-minute presentation): Original, completed research with substantial findings.
2. Work-in-Progress Paper (15-minute presentation): Presentation of ongoing research for feedback, collaborative discussions and ideas for improvement.
3. Workshops or Software Demonstrations (45-60 minutes): Hands-on, interactive sessions or demonstrations of corpus tools or technologies.
4. Roundtable Discussions (45 minutes): Topic proposals for collaborative and in-depth discussions among participants are welcome.
5. Panel Proposals (90 minutes): A panel with 3–4 speakers ideally made up of supervisors/senior researchers and graduate students on one of the sub-themes of LCRGrad25.
6. Posters: Completed research or works-in-progress in a visually engaging format. Digital posters are to be submitted with a short video (max. 3 minutes) prior to the start of the conference. The videos will be made available throughout the conference for asynchronous comments and questions.

Abstract Requirements and Submission Instructions:

• Length: Maximum 300 words (excluding references).
• Content: Clearly outline the title, objectives, methodology, relevance, and expected findings of your work. Include 3–5 keywords that best describe your submission.
• Author Details: Include the name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and email address(es) of the author(s).
• Type of Submission: Indicate your preferred submission type (e.g., full paper, poster, roundtable, etc.)
• Poster Format: Posters can be designed in A0 or A1 size or using any software/size appropriate to virtual rooms. 

Keynote Spekears

Prof. Dr. Randi Reppen, Professor Emerita of Applied Linguistics and TESL at Northern Arizona University

Prof. Dr. Michaela Mahlberg, Professor of Digital Humanities, Alexander-von-Humboldt Professor at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Dr. Dana Gablasova, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University

Contact

Conference Chair: 

Cansu Akan 

All questions about submissions should be emailed to lcrgrad@tu-chemnitz.de.