Public Lecture Series of the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies & the 57th Confucius PhD Forum

The Irish Institute for Chinese Studies (IICS) continued its well-regarded Public Lecture Series with the 57th Confucius PhD Forum on 6 March 2025. The event featured a lecture by Professor Boping Yuan from the University of Cambridge, a leading expert in second language acquisition.

In his talk, “Categorization of Cues in L2 Input and Their Implications for L2 Acquisition”, Professor Yuan examined how linguistic cues in second language (L2) input influence grammar development, often shaped by first language (L1) interference. He introduced a new cue categorization—macro, micro, and nano-cues—highlighting its pedagogical significance for L2 teaching.

Held at the Confucius Institute Lecture Theatre and streamed online, the event attracted over 100 academics, educators, and students. A lively Q&A session followed, exploring the practical applications of Yuan’s framework in multilingual classrooms.

Professor Liming Wang, Director of IICS, presented Professor Yuan with an honorary certificate and gift in appreciation of his contribution. The forum concluded with anticipation for Yuan’s upcoming monograph, Interlanguage Grammars of Mandarin Chinese, set for publication by Cambridge University Press in May 2025.