ATLAS- Applied Linguistics, Language Education, and Educational Assessment
ATLAS is a research team based at the Middle East Technical University (METU) School of Foreign Languages. Its work focuses on applied linguistics, English language education, and the assessment of language learning.
The team investigates how languages are learned, how learners develop their linguistic abilities, and how their progress can be assessed. Its research addresses questions related to second language acquisition, bilingualism, learner language, linguistic development, and the teaching and assessment of English.
ATLAS uses empirical research methods, including experimental studies, corpus analysis, and quantitative data analysis. The team also investigates the role of digital technologies in language education, particularly their applications in teaching, learning, and educational assessment.
Research Team
Enis Oğuz, PhD
enisoguz@metu.edu.tr
Research Team Leader and Principal Investigator
Middle East Technical University, School of Foreign Languages
Research interests include applied linguistics, second language acquisition, bilingualism, psycholinguistics language education, computational linguistics, language assessment, learner corpus research, and quantitative approaches to language research.
Özkan Demirdaş, MA
dozkan@metu.edu.tr
Research Associate
Middle East Technical University, School of Foreign Languages
Research interests: interests include applied linguistics, second language acquisition, bilingualism, and learner corpus research.
Research Areas
- Language testing and assessment
- Human and automated scoring practices
- Rater performance and scoring consistency
- Second and foreign language acquisition
- Cross-linguistic influence in language learning
- Language learning outcomes
- Instructional practices in English language education
- Technology-supported language learning
- Learner corpus research
- Lexical and grammatical complexity
- Language use across proficiency levels
- Quantitative research in language education
- Statistical analysis of educational data
- Measurement of language proficiency
- Evaluation of assessment instruments
- Generative AI in language education and assessment
Research Methods
The team employs empirical methods suited to its research questions, including corpus-based analysis, experimental research, quantitative data analysis, statistical modelling, and the evaluation of language assessment instruments.
Depending on the project, the team also develops and evaluates digital tools for analysing learner language and examining educational assessment practices.
Institutional Affiliation
ATLAS Research Team
School of Foreign Languages
Middle East Technical University (METU)
Ankara, Türkiye