Dr. Patti Spinner

Biography

Patti Spinner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at Michigan State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics and has a strong academic background with M.A. degrees in Linguistics and German. Her primary research interests focus on language acquisition grammar, particularly features such as grammatical gender, case, number, and tense. She is currently developing innovative music-based lessons for ESL grammar instruction, known as L-Pop: Real Music English Language Learning. Spinner's scholarly work includes developing music lessons for Betty Azar's English Grammar series and conducting research on language acquisition in diverse languages including Swahili, German, and Italian, using methodologies such as eye-tracking and self-paced reading. Her research findings have been published in respected journals such as Studies in Language Acquisition, Language Research, Applied Linguistics, and Language Learning. Over the years, she has taught German as a foreign language at various institutions including Ohio State University, Michigan State University, and Kenyon College, as well as providing ESL instruction at the University of Pittsburgh and Inlingua Language Schools in Germany.

Research Interests