John Williams specialises in the cognitive mechanisms of second language learning and second language lexical and syntactic processing. His work draws on theoretical concepts and experimental methodologies from cognitive psychology and applies these to second language processing and learning using laboratory-based methods. His recent research focuses on implicit learning of form-meaning connections (recently funded by the ESRC, http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-000-22-3030/read), and incidental learning of word order regularities.

He has published numerous articles on these topics in journals such as Language Learning, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, and Applied Psycholinguistics. He has also recently written overview chapters on implicit learning (New Handbook of Applied Linguistics, Emerald) and working memory in second language acquisition (Handbook of Second Language Acquisition, Routledge) and is area editor of the Cognitive Approaches to Second Language Acquisition section of the Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (Wiley Blackwell, http://www.encyclopediaofappliedlinguistics.com/public).

Prof Williams welcomes inquiries from potential MPhil and PhD students with research interests relevant to his interests.