Tomas Hlava

Tomas Hlava is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Research of Didactics of Languages and Literatures within the Faculty of Education at Comenius University in Bratislava. He holds a PhD in didactics of foreign languages and literatures from the same institution. His research focuses on second language acquisition (SLA), particularly exploring temporal cognition, lexical aspect variability across languages, and cultural influences on language learning. He teaches seminars on English morphology and syntax in the bachelor's program and occasionally contributes to doctoral courses on generative, cognitive, and systemic linguistics.

Education

• PhD in Didactics of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Faculty of Education, Comenius University Bratislava

Research Interests

Hlava investigates how cultural and linguistic contexts shape the conceptualization of temporal aspects and their embodiment in language. Central to his work is the analysis of Vendler's verb aspect classification across Slovak, English, and Italian, emphasizing methodological contributions to SLA research. His projects, including VEGA grants, address cross-linguistic differences in aspect systems and the interplay between declarative and procedural knowledge in grammar instruction.

Projects

• VEGA 2023-2024: Analyzing aspectual interactions in interlanguage of Slavic, Germanic, and Romance speakers (PI)
• VEGA 2020-2022: Verb tense/aspect in interlanguage of Romance language learners (CI)
• VEGA 2017-2019: Metalinguistic tasks and production in English language teaching (CI)

Labs/Tools

Utilizes tools like RStudio, SPSS, PsychoPy, and Obsidian for research and pedagogical applications.