Barbara KÖPKE

Barbara KÖPKE is a Professor in Language Sciences at the University of Toulouse - Jean Jaurès. She leads research at the Neuropsycholinguistics Laboratory (LNPL), focusing on neuropsycholinguistic aspects of bilingualism and multilingualism. Her work explores language control, cognitive processes, and language attrition in both healthy and pathological contexts.

Research Interests:
Dr. Köpke investigates the dynamics of bilingual language management, particularly in scenarios of L1 attrition where dominant languages shift due to environmental changes. Her research encompasses:

• Cognitive mechanisms in multilingual language processing
• Neurophysiological bases of language control
• Clinical tools for bilingual aphasia assessment
• Harmonious bilingual development in children
• Age-related effects on language proficiency
• Code-switching and cross-linguistic influence

Current Projects:

• ORA7 BILDEV (2023-2026): Modeling bottom-up/top-down linguistic knowledge in bilingual development
• ANR JCJC CLASS (2021-2024): Cultural appropriation in Syrian French learners

Research Networks:

• GIS ReAL2 (Second Language Acquisition Network)
• Harmonious Bilingualism Network (HaBilNet)
• International collaboration with Institut Supérieur d'Orthophonie (Lebanon)

PhD Supervision:
She has supervised 11 PhD theses since 2012, including ongoing projects like Layana Awada's work on code-switching in Lebanese bilinguals and Noémie Baulande's study on semantic links in lexical access. Former students include Ekaterina Tiulkova (2024), Nour Ezzedine (2023), and Emilie Massa (2017).

Publications:
With over 20 international publications, her work appears in journals like Languages, Frontiers in Psychology, and Journal of Neurolinguistics. Notable contributions include studies on:

• Neural differences between early/late bilinguals
• Methodologies for bilingual aphasia screening (BAT test)
• Temporal dynamics of language attrition
• Intercultural factors in language acquisition

Laboratory & Collaborations:
Based in office E1.16 at LNPL, she collaborates with institutions across France, Germany, Lebanon, and Canada. Her clinical tools for bilingual aphasia rehabilitation have been adopted internationally.