Professor Rast received her Habilitation à diriger des recherches from the Université Grenoble Alpes and her doctorate from the Université Paris 8 in linguistics with a specialization in adult second/third language acquisition. Her research focuses on the role that a learner's linguistic environment (foreign language input) plays in the acquisition process. She works with an interdisciplinary research team, Structures formelles du langage comprised of university faculty and CNRS researchers. Current projects include ALACIE (Appropriation Linguistique et Accueil des Chercheurs et Intellectuels en EXIL) and Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique en Acquisition des Langues Secondes (GIS RéAL2). She also collaborates on a European project Varieties of Initial Learners in Language Acquisition (VILLA).
Rast has taught English and linguistics at the American University of Paris since 1992. Courses include teacher training (Pedagogical Grammar and TESOL Methodologies), English (all levels of writing), and linguistics (Introduction to Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language and Migration; Language Acquisition and Social Policy; Languages of the World; Language Acquisition and Multilingualism).
Her current research interests include:
Professor Rast’s co-edited volume with Marzena Watorek and Arnaud Arslangul has been published by Inalco Press: Premières étapes dans l’acquisition des langues étrangères: dialogue entre acquisition et didactique des langues. The online book can be found here: https://books.openedition.org/pressesinalco/41438#
* Second language acquisition/learning
* Third and additional language acquisition/learning
* Psycholinguistics
* Foreign language teaching
* The interface between language acquisition research and language teaching
* Language in education
* Language learning during study abroad
* English as a second/foreign language