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Additional language learners are at risk of presenting lower language skills in the majority language compared to peers. These differences in language skills have been observed at an early stage of education and may impact academic achievement later on. A randomized trial with a switching replications design was performed in Swedish preschools to examine the effectiveness of small group dialogic reading, aiming to promote oral language skills. The sample comprised 85 children with diverse language, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds attending nine preschools in three school districts. Dialogic reading was conducted by ten teachers, trained in dialogic reading and coached by three special education teachers. The dialogic reading intervention was feasible in preschool context and children progressed in their oral language skills during the intervention.

This research overview is an evaluation of knowledge and explores the impact of language linked to mathematics. This particularly in the context of conversations and discussions, on the mathematical understanding of students in the ages between ten to twelve years old. The research overview attempts to examine the role a conversation plays in a concept of learning, specifically in mathematics teaching. With this study we want to create an understanding between the relationship of a rewarding conversation and the understanding of mathematical concepts and systems. Through systematic search and analysis of scientific texts a total of 10 articles were used to gain a proper overview of the subject found through systematic searches of sources such as ERIC, EBSCO and LibSearch. The limitations set for the chosen articles were a timeframe between the years 2011 until 2023, as well as being peer-reviewed. All chosen articles and studies are written in English but originate from different places which provides a wider perspective on the subject. The results show that conversation has an essential role in students' understanding of mathematics. Through correct language that develops in mathematical conversations, a deeper understanding of the subject is created. The research overview also shows the importance of language in shaping students' mathematical knowledge, presenting it as a crucial component of their proficiency in the subject. The research overview further describes the importance of classroom conversations, the teacher's role in the classroom, and the impact of home environments on learning. An aspect related to the subject is how sociocultural thoughts about active learning in a social context reflect the present of Swedish school and its design. By delving deep into the functionality of conversation and the connection between discussion and learning, the school will be able to develop the learning offered in the classroom to better meet the students and their ne

This paper explores the impact of incorporating songs in the English classroom and will focus on young student’s development of vocabulary and language acquisition. The aim is more driven towards singing, and how that can be a beneficial communicative tool for young language learners in a Swedish context. By it being from the Swedish context, the Swedish curriculum will be reviewed on how songs are incorporated for the ages seven to twelve. The result of the aim has been produced through the analysis of various collected research sources and lays on the role that singing can have in the early stage of learning EFL(English as a foreign language). When searching for the sources different collecting databases, such as “ERIC”, and specific keywords were used to find the most reliable and relevant sources. The results of the collected sources were then compared to each other. Overall, all results showed a beneficial impact when using singing as a communicative tool in students’ vocabulary development. The different sources also point out the perspectives on teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards songs and singing in the lessons. Where results showcased a positive attitude toward the use of singing songs in the EFL classroom. The essential findings of this paper show that singing can be used as a valuable communicative tool for the EFL classroom. Likewise, can it have some problematic factors. For example, if the teacher and students do not like the song or are not interested in singing in the first place. We summarize and discuss the sources in separate parts of this paper. This is so you can get a deeper understanding of the objective results that have been found

Language skills during the preschool years are important for cognitive and social development, learning, and well-being, especially for children that are less proficient in the language that peers and teachers use for communication and teaching, known as the majority language. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the effect of a practice-embedded introduction of dialogic reading in preschool, a method that engages children in conversation, using language-promoting strategies. Teachers performed dialogic reading for 85 five-year-old children in preschools. Children's linguistic progress was observed, while also recording their self-reported state of well-being. Based on the theme of language and well-being in early education, three studies were conducted. In Study I, a British well-being measure for young students, “How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS),” was translated, validated, and assessed for psychometric properties. In total, N = 228 children self-reported their well-being in early education. Study I included a combined sample of school-aged children (n = 143) and a preschool sample (n = 85), where the latter also participated in Study II and Study III. Study I confirmed a one-factor structure of HIFMAS in a confirmatory factor analysis with good model fit. The results showed that the HIFAMS can be used in Sweden to measure child well-being in preschool and early school years. In Study II, structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between language skills and self-reported well-being among preschoolers (N = 85). The assessment of language skills comprised both narrative and vocabulary abilities, while well-being was measured by HIFAMS. Language background (home language exposure) and gender were examined in relation to language abilities and well-being. Study II discovered no association between language skills and well-being. Children with a non-Swedish language use at home (additional language learners) displayed similar narrati

The goal of this dissertation is to predict variation in Dutch children’s vocabulary size using data from the large-scale, longitudinal YOUth cohort study. We take a dyadic approach to study the effects of verbal and multimodal behaviours during caregiver-infant interactions on children’s vocabulary size. This dissertation consists of four empirical articles. Three key findings emerged: First, while there is a large interest in the annotation of infant-directed speech, the accuracy of automatic speech recognition tools has remained largely unexplored. We show researchers can use automated tools to facilitate the labour-intensive manual annotation process. Second, we show that key demographic factors explaining variation in children’s vocabulary, such as maternal education, are age-specific and task-specific. This highlights the importance of including multiple vocabulary outcomes across children’s development. Third, while there is robust evidence that infants’ gestures and vocalisations on the one hand, and caregivers’ contingent responses on the other hand, influence children’s vocabulary outcomes, we show that dyadic and multimodal combinations of these behaviours are better predictors. Infants’ pointing gestures relate to children’s later receptive vocabulary, while infants’ showing and giving gestures relate to children’s later productive vocabulary – but only when they elicited multimodal responses from caregivers during free play. In research on children’s vocabulary development, we aim to describe how infants gather sufficient information from the language input that allows them to learn words. Studying the dyadic and multimodal nature of early caregiver-infant interactions creates a more complete picture of children’s learning environments which brings us closer to solving this puzzle.

This paper aims to examine the students’ perceived role of rote learning strategy for learning English vocabulary at secondary level. 1497 mixed-ability public and private secondary school students of district Multan were used to gather information. Respondents in age range from 12 to 18 years. The findings were collected through the adapted questionnaires. English version with Urdu translation was administered to participants and a proportional stratified random sampling technique was implemented. Survey method of quantitative design was used in this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical approaches, including Pearson's R correlations, Mean, SD, Independent samples t-test, and ANOVA. Factor analysis was also performed. Findings showed positive behavior of students’ towards using vocabulary learning strategies. It was concluded that students’ perceived the most effective role of rote learning in vocabulary learning strategies at secondary level then other vocabulary learning strategies. Significant correlation was found between students’ perception of vocabulary learning strategies and students’ perception of preferring rote learning strategy. It was found that students’ perception of vocabulary learning strategies with respect to School Sector, Gender, Group, Medium, Tehsil, Father’s Qualification and Mother’s Qualification varies significantly while students’ perception of vocabulary learning strategies based on Class and Age are not varied significantly. No statistically significant differences was found between students’ perception of preferring rote learning strategy with respect to School Sector, Class, Gender, Tehsil, Father’s Qualification and Mother’s Qualification. Furthermore students’ perception of preferring rote learning strategy based on Group, Medium and Age differs significantly.

Previous research has demonstrated the potential of using pre-trained language models for decoding open vocabulary Electroencephalography (EEG) signals captured through a non-invasive Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). However, the impact of embedding EEG signals in the context of language models and the effect of subjectivity, remain unexplored, leading to uncertainty about the best approach to enhance decoding performance. Additionally, current evaluation metrics used to assess decoding effectiveness are predominantly syntactic and do not provide insights into the comprehensibility of the decoded output for human understanding. We present an end-to-end architecture for non-invasive brain recordings that brings modern representational learning approaches to neuroscience. Our proposal introduces the following innovations: 1) an end-to-end deep learning architecture for open vocabulary EEG decoding, incorporating a subject-dependent representation learning module for raw EEG encoding, a BART language model, and a GPT-4 sentence refinement module; 2) a more comprehensive sentence-level evaluation metric based on the BERTScore; 3) an ablation study that analyses the contributions of each module within our proposal, providing valuable insights for future research. We evaluate our approach on two publicly available datasets, ZuCo v1.0 and v2.0, comprising EEG recordings of 30 subjects engaged in natural reading tasks. Our model achieves a BLEU-1 score of 42.75%, a ROUGE-1-F of 33.28%, and a BERTScore-F of 53.86%, achieving an increment over the previous state-of-the-art by 1.40%, 2.59%, and 3.20%, respectively. IEEE

English as a Second Language (ESL) students with limited vocabulary knowledge often face difficulties to learn and use English on a regular basis. To promote virtual learning, this study uses the module of pictorial vocabulary to help students learn vocabulary remotely. The module is tailored based on the ‘Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition’ (SAMR) Model. In this study, 150 ESL students from lower secondary schools across Malaysia use this module to help them learn the target words mentioned in the SBELC. A mixed methods research design is employed. After using the module, students have answered an evaluation form which is evaluated descriptively in terms of its mean scores and standard deviation. The qualitative data from the interview with the students are transcribed, categorized, and coded using content analysis. Based on the research findings, the students’ vocabulary knowledge has substantially increased after using the module. This study's implications indicate that the use of pictorial vocabulary learning module is both interactive and effective in learning the target words. In the area of vocabulary acquisition, this research adds value as it can be used to carry out additional research to enhance the ability of students to learn new words.

English as a Second Language (ESL) students with limited vocabulary knowledge often face difficulties to learn and use English on a regular basis. To promote virtual learning, this study uses the module of pictorial vocabulary to help students learn vocabulary remotely. The module is tailored based on the ‘Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition’ (SAMR) Model. In this study, 150 ESL students from lower secondary schools across Malaysia use this module to help them learn the target words mentioned in the SBELC. A mixed methods research design is employed. After using the module, students have answered an evaluation form which is evaluated descriptively in terms of its mean scores and standard deviation. The qualitative data from the interview with the students are transcribed, categorized, and coded using content analysis. Based on the research findings, the students’ vocabulary knowledge has substantially increased after using the module. This study's implications indicate that the use of pictorial vocabulary learning module is both interactive and effective in learning the target words. In the area of vocabulary acquisition, this research adds value as it can be used to carry out additional research to enhance the ability of students to learn new words.

This study investigates the methods and results of German vocabulary learning among students in two different grade levels at the Swedish upper secondary school. Through vocabulary tests and surveys administered to students in one beginner’s group and one advanced group, data regarding vocabulary learning methods, time spent on learning outside of school, and perceptions of language acquisition were collected. The findings reveal diverse approaches to vocabulary acquisition, with students utilizing resources such as Glosor.eu or dictionaries and employing methods like repeated writing and reading. Additionally, the study explores students’ understanding of new words. Furthermore, the study examines the variability in learning habits and time allocation among students in both groups. The results of the vocabulary tests show that both learning methods and time are important factors when working with vocabulary. The method of repeated writing is giving the best results in vocabulary tests, and after that comes the group that spends between 10 and 30 minutes a week on vocabulary learning.

The present study examines the lexical and syntactical abilities of two Swedish upper secondary school classes in relation to their extramural English (EE) activities and is founded on the following research question: Does students’ active engagement with EE activites have an impact on the development of their lexical and syntactical abilites? The activities investigated are playing video games while communicating in English, reading English literature, and the selection of subtitles while watching English-speaking movies/TV shows. Twenty-six students participated in the study by answering a questionnaire and writing a short narrative essay. Naturally, the essays were of varying length and coherence. The results were analyzed through quantitative methods with the help of digital tools, especially digital tools measuring the frequency of words, lexical density, lexical diversity and 14 syntactic indices. The lexical results of the research were acquired through a web-based analyzer program called Lextutor (Cobb, 1995), and the syntactical analysis was calculated with Lu’s (2010) L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer (L2SCA). The present study observes a lexical advantage for the high-extramural English group, while syntactically, no advantage was observed between the groups. Thus, only an advantage for ESL student’s extramural English with regards to lexis in upper secondary school could be determined.

This thesis focuses on intentional and incidental vocabulary teaching and learning in the EFL classroom, with a focus on learners' long-term retention. Considering that long-term retention is a desired learning outcome, this topic is relevant for EFL teachers, since it can help teachers decide which strategy and method are best for vocabulary teaching and learning. Although teachers use different teaching strategies for vocabulary, it is not evident which of the two types of vocabulary teaching strategies are most supportive of students' vocabulary retention. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of intentional and incidental strategies and methods, how they are used and when they are best for the students. To explore the selected topic, specific research questions are formulated as follows: i) Which methods are reportedly most effective for students' long-term retention within intentional vocabulary teaching? ii) Which methods are reportedly most effective for students' long-term retention within incidental vocabulary teaching? iii) Which strategy of intentional or incidental is the most effective for long term retention when compared? A review of literature about the strategies and their different methods, as well as long-term retention was used as the research method. Within the intentional teaching strategy, receptive tasks and frequent exposure to words are highlighted as important, while reading in its various forms is highlighted within the incidental teaching strategy. The findings also suggest that using a mix of both the intentional vocabulary teaching strategy and the incidental strategy is more effective for long-term retention. This thesis suggests that students can learn vocabulary through both intentional and incidental teaching methods, which implies that EFL teachers can and should use both in their teaching. Further research is needed to investigate benefits of specific methods within both strategies. Studies on methods withi

Language skills during the preschool years are important for cognitive and social development, learning, and well-being, especially for children that are less proficient in the language that peers and teachers use for communication and teaching, known as the majority language. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the effect of a practice-embedded introduction of dialogic reading in preschool, a method that engages children in conversation, using language-promoting strategies. Teachers performed dialogic reading for 85 five-year-old children in preschools. Children's linguistic progress was observed, while also recording their self-reported state of well-being. Based on the theme of language and well-being in early education, three studies were conducted. In Study I, a British well-being measure for young students, “How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS),” was translated, validated, and assessed for psychometric properties. In total, N = 228 children self-reported their well-being in early education. Study I included a combined sample of school-aged children (n = 143) and a preschool sample (n = 85), where the latter also participated in Study II and Study III. Study I confirmed a one-factor structure of HIFMAS in a confirmatory factor analysis with good model fit. The results showed that the HIFAMS can be used in Sweden to measure child well-being in preschool and early school years. In Study II, structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between language skills and self-reported well-being among preschoolers (N = 85). The assessment of language skills comprised both narrative and vocabulary abilities, while well-being was measured by HIFAMS. Language background (home language exposure) and gender were examined in relation to language abilities and well-being. Study II discovered no association between language skills and well-being. Children with a non-Swedish language use at home (additional language learners) displayed similar narrati

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder may show delays in vocabulary development. Technology-based interventions could facilitate the teaching of different vocabulary skills; however, it is still not clear whether technology represents an added value. Methods: The current review preregistered in PROSPERO evaluates the efficacy of technology-based interventions in vocabulary learning for children with autism spectrum disorder. We selected articles published in the period 2006–2022 from five databases. Results: The results identified two group studies, one within subject design, nine single-case studies and one randomized controlled design in participants aged 0–16 years who had used technological devices to learn vocabulary. Overall, five of the 13 studies showed positive results of using technology-assisted intervention, six described mixed results, one described negative result, and one described no differences in technology-assisted intervention. The studies are divided into the categories of efficacy of technology and comparison between technology and non-technology. Discussion: In summary, technology, such as tablets and computers, might be useful tools to improve vocabulary skills in certain children with ASD. However, the various degrees of impact found in the studies we reviewed indicate that personalized assessments, acknowledgment of previous experiences, and awareness of the context of usage are essential. The contrast with nontechnological approaches highlights the necessity for more detailed studies to pinpoint the precise conditions under which technology-based interventions can offer the most advantages.

The present study examines the lexical and syntactical abilities of two Swedish upper secondary school classes in relation to their extramural English (EE) activities and is founded on the following research question: Does students’ active engagement with EE activites have an impact on the development of their lexical and syntactical abilites? The activities investigated are playing video games while communicating in English, reading English literature, and the selection of subtitles while watching English-speaking movies/TV shows. Twenty-six students participated in the study by answering a questionnaire and writing a short narrative essay. Naturally, the essays were of varying length and coherence. The results were analyzed through quantitative methods with the help of digital tools, especially digital tools measuring the frequency of words, lexical density, lexical diversity and 14 syntactic indices. The lexical results of the research were acquired through a web-based analyzer program called Lextutor (Cobb, 1995), and the syntactical analysis was calculated with Lu’s (2010) L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer (L2SCA). The present study observes a lexical advantage for the high-extramural English group, while syntactically, no advantage was observed between the groups. Thus, only an advantage for ESL student’s extramural English with regards to lexis in upper secondary school could be determined.

Human social behavior is a function of peoples’ personalities and individual differences. As humans engage in social behaviors, peoples’ traits and other unique attributes come out and get noticed, and community members may feel tempted to talk about these attributes and either encourage them or discourage them: words are created and they become part of the community’s lexicon. In this study we employed the psycho-lexical approach to hunt for those words that describe people’s traits and unique attributes and that have thus become encoded in the lexicon, in particular of the Swahili language, an eastern Africa Bantu language. We used two resources for this purpose, (1) a Swahili dictionary, as the tangible repository of the lexicon, and (2) free descriptions. As a final result we concluded that the trait vocabulary of the Swahili language contains a useful set of 1,338 trait terms, of which 4% are adjectives, 55% are nouns, and 41% are verbs. Thus, nouns form the largest number of trait terms, followed by verbs, while adjectives occupy an insignificant third position in the Swahili trait vocabulary.

This study investigates the methods and results of German vocabulary learning among students in two different grade levels at the Swedish upper secondary school. Through vocabulary tests and surveys administered to students in one beginner’s group and one advanced group, data regarding vocabulary learning methods, time spent on learning outside of school, and perceptions of language acquisition were collected. The findings reveal diverse approaches to vocabulary acquisition, with students utilizing resources such as Glosor.eu or dictionaries and employing methods like repeated writing and reading. Additionally, the study explores students’ understanding of new words. Furthermore, the study examines the variability in learning habits and time allocation among students in both groups. The results of the vocabulary tests show that both learning methods and time are important factors when working with vocabulary. The method of repeated writing is giving the best results in vocabulary tests, and after that comes the group that spends between 10 and 30 minutes a week on vocabulary learning.

This thesis focuses on intentional and incidental vocabulary teaching and learning in the EFL classroom, with a focus on learners' long-term retention. Considering that long-term retention is a desired learning outcome, this topic is relevant for EFL teachers, since it can help teachers decide which strategy and method are best for vocabulary teaching and learning. Although teachers use different teaching strategies for vocabulary, it is not evident which of the two types of vocabulary teaching strategies are most supportive of students' vocabulary retention. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of intentional and incidental strategies and methods, how they are used and when they are best for the students. To explore the selected topic, specific research questions are formulated as follows: i) Which methods are reportedly most effective for students' long-term retention within intentional vocabulary teaching? ii) Which methods are reportedly most effective for students' long-term retention within incidental vocabulary teaching? iii) Which strategy of intentional or incidental is the most effective for long term retention when compared? A review of literature about the strategies and their different methods, as well as long-term retention was used as the research method. Within the intentional teaching strategy, receptive tasks and frequent exposure to words are highlighted as important, while reading in its various forms is highlighted within the incidental teaching strategy. The findings also suggest that using a mix of both the intentional vocabulary teaching strategy and the incidental strategy is more effective for long-term retention. This thesis suggests that students can learn vocabulary through both intentional and incidental teaching methods, which implies that EFL teachers can and should use both in their teaching. Further research is needed to investigate benefits of specific methods within both strategies. Studies on methods withi

Sammanfattning/Abstract Månsson, Petra och Nyström, Camilla (2024). Att utveckla ordförrådet för elever med språkstörning – en systematisk litteraturstudie. Speciallärarprogrammet, Institutionen för skolutveckling och ledarskap, Lärande och samhälle, Malmö universitet, 90 hp. Studien som är en sammanställning av tidigare forskning inom området ska bidra med en ökad kunskap kring möjliga strategier för att utveckla ordförrådet hos elever med språkstörning. Det förväntas också ge mer kunskap kring faktorer i skolans kontext som särskilt behöver belysas för att elever med språkstörning ska lyckas i skolan. Metoder för ordförrådsutveckling och arbete med att tillgängliggöra den språkliga lärmiljön är viktiga delar för speciallärare att arbeta med för att stödja elever med språkstörning. Syfte och frågeställning: Syftet är att utifrån tidigare forskning belysa metoder, undervisningsstrategier samt kartlägga faktorer kring ordförrådsinlärning i skolan för elever med språkstörning. Frågeställning: Vilka metoder, undervisningsstrategier och faktorer för arbete med ordinlärning för elever med språkstörning lyfts fram i tidigare forskning? Teori: Resultatet analyseras utifrån sociokulturell teori på lärande, språk, samspel och stöd. Genom ett relationellt perspektiv studeras hur relationer inverkar och påverkar elevens lärande i undervisningen. Metod: Studien har genomförts som en strukturerad litteraturstudie med systematisk ansats. Vi har avgränsat studien till att endast beröra elever i ålder 11-16 år för att bidra med forskning utifrån den specifika målgruppen som det finns tämligen lite forskning kring. Resultat: I denna systematiska litteraturöversikt framkom att det krävs ett multimodalt arbetssätt för att nå bäst effekt med elevers ordförrådsutveckling. Det är främst kombinerade språkliga metoder ur ett semantiskt och fonologiskt perspektiv som lyfts fram och att lärandet behöver ses ur ett holistiskt perspektiv, det vill säga helhetsperspektiv för att se samband och

Learning vocabulary is a central and time-consuming endeavour for a language learner and it has thus been suggested that the foreign language classroom has to supply explicit support for students’ vocabulary development. A major source of explicit word focus is vocabulary exercises in teaching materials and students’ learning can be facilitated if they are designed in a way that is conducive to learning. Few studies have so far sought to establish what learning opportunities tasks in materials provide. The present study reports an analysis of the vocabulary exercises in three series of Swedish intermediate EFL materials, focusing on target vocabulary and learning conditions. The target vocabulary was analysed in terms of frequency distribution in general English and the learning conditions provided were studied using a modified version of the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The results indicate that learning is facilitated through extensive retrieval opportunities in the material. However, it was also found that the exercises seldom require students to use the target vocabulary and that it comprises primarily high-frequency words, that is, words that the learners are likely to already know. It is therefore concluded that a more systematic approach to vocabulary has to be adopted by materials developers to ensure that word-focused tasks contribute significantly to students’ learning., Validerad;2024;Nivå 1;2024-06-12 (signyg);Full text license: CC BY-NC-ND

Learning vocabulary is a central and time-consuming endeavour for a language learner and it has thus been suggested that the foreign language classroom has to supply explicit support for students’ vocabulary development. A major source of explicit word focus is vocabulary exercises in teaching materials and students’ learning can be facilitated if they are designed in a way that is conducive to learning. Few studies have so far sought to establish what learning opportunities tasks in materials provide. The present study reports an analysis of the vocabulary exercises in three series of Swedish intermediate EFL materials, focusing on target vocabulary and learning conditions. The target vocabulary was analysed in terms of frequency distribution in general English and the learning conditions provided were studied using a modified version of the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The results indicate that learning is facilitated through extensive retrieval opportunities in the material. However, it was also found that the exercises seldom require students to use the target vocabulary and that it comprises primarily high-frequency words, that is, words that the learners are likely to already know. It is therefore concluded that a more systematic approach to vocabulary has to be adopted by materials developers to ensure that word-focused tasks contribute significantly to students’ learning., Validerad;2024;Nivå 1;2024-06-12 (signyg);Full text license: CC BY-NC-ND

This research overview is an evaluation of knowledge and explores the impact of language linked to mathematics. This particularly in the context of conversations and discussions, on the mathematical understanding of students in the ages between ten to twelve years old. The research overview attempts to examine the role a conversation plays in a concept of learning, specifically in mathematics teaching. With this study we want to create an understanding between the relationship of a rewarding conversation and the understanding of mathematical concepts and systems. Through systematic search and analysis of scientific texts a total of 10 articles were used to gain a proper overview of the subject found through systematic searches of sources such as ERIC, EBSCO and LibSearch. The limitations set for the chosen articles were a timeframe between the years 2011 until 2023, as well as being peer-reviewed. All chosen articles and studies are written in English but originate from different places which provides a wider perspective on the subject. The results show that conversation has an essential role in students' understanding of mathematics. Through correct language that develops in mathematical conversations, a deeper understanding of the subject is created. The research overview also shows the importance of language in shaping students' mathematical knowledge, presenting it as a crucial component of their proficiency in the subject. The research overview further describes the importance of classroom conversations, the teacher's role in the classroom, and the impact of home environments on learning. An aspect related to the subject is how sociocultural thoughts about active learning in a social context reflect the present of Swedish school and its design. By delving deep into the functionality of conversation and the connection between discussion and learning, the school will be able to develop the learning offered in the classroom to better meet the students and their ne

This research sought to identify changes in terms of word choice, sentence structure, and semantics introduced by ChatGPT and how the functionality of ChatGPT impacts the pragmatics of the English language: politeness, deixis, and discourse markers. This study used corpus analysis as part of the methodology involving Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools for part-of-speech tagging and sentiments, analyzing changes in wordings, syntaxes, and semantic elements generated by ChatGPT as an advanced language modal. A qualitative approach, including user surveys and comparative analysis, proved useful in clarifying the changing patterns of politeness, deixis, and discourse markers in AI-supported communication. Henceforth, ChatGPT generates neologism, unique cultural references, verbal contextual adaptations, and a wide range of technical terms. Moreover, the researchers found that user preferences for communication mediums vary, which showed a complex field of users and their expectations in the context of language generated by ChatGPT. Thus, it was observed that ChatGPT contributes significantly to developing the pragmatic aspects of language use in the modern era. Hence, the study proposes that the ChatGPT polishes the usage of politeness terms and improves its deixis along with formal discourse markers. This highlights the need for continuous improvement, especially in areas such as politeness, deixis management, and integration of discourse markers for the developers.

This research sought to identify changes in terms of word choice, sentence structure, and semantics introduced by ChatGPT and how the functionality of ChatGPT impacts the pragmatics of the English language: politeness, deixis, and discourse markers. This study used corpus analysis as part of the methodology involving Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools for part-of-speech tagging and sentiments, analyzing changes in wordings, syntaxes, and semantic elements generated by ChatGPT as an advanced language modal. A qualitative approach, including user surveys and comparative analysis, proved useful in clarifying the changing patterns of politeness, deixis, and discourse markers in AI-supported communication. Henceforth, ChatGPT generates neologism, unique cultural references, verbal contextual adaptations, and a wide range of technical terms. Moreover, the researchers found that user preferences for communication mediums vary, which showed a complex field of users and their expectations in the context of language generated by ChatGPT. Thus, it was observed that ChatGPT contributes significantly to developing the pragmatic aspects of language use in the modern era. Hence, the study proposes that the ChatGPT polishes the usage of politeness terms and improves its deixis along with formal discourse markers. This highlights the need for continuous improvement, especially in areas such as politeness, deixis management, and integration of discourse markers for the developers.

Research on young English language learners has been gaining popularity in recent years, but to this day remains underdeveloped. The present study aimed to add to this body of research by exploring the effects of visual arts activities implemented via comprehension and compared to more commonly used flashcard activities implemented via comprehension-based instruction on young English language learners’ vocabulary acquisition and retention. The study specifically focused on very young learners who do not have access to the English language outside of the classroom. This study employed a within-subjects counterbalanced design with young English language learners (N = 47) with a mean age of three years and eight months. The results provided evidence that both instruction types are highly effective in the productive and receptive learning of vocabulary among young English language learners. Furthermore, the positive effects of visual arts activities implemented via comprehension-based instruction on vocabulary retention were found to be significantly higher than those of the production-based instruction.

The bachelor thesis discusses vocabulary development in English language classes on the lower secondary level, more specifically, exercises developing vocabulary will be evaluated. In the theoretical part, the general aim of English language teaching was established with the help of curricular documents. Then, School Education program is defined more in detail. In the next chapter, the terms of word and vocabulary were defined. Emphasis is put on the importance of vocabulary and what it means to know a word. The next chapter is focused on the learner from a psychological point of view. In this chapter, the psychological development between the years 11 and 13 was described. It was also outlined, how the target age group acquires foreign language. The fifth chapter discusses teaching vocabulary, specifically how to achieve learning and what to use for that objective. This is then followed by the last chapter of the theoretical part about the textbook and its evaluation. In the chapter, the criteria for textbook evaluation were stated. In the practical part the exercises developing vocabulary were evaluated based on the established criteria. Based on the results of the research, at the end of the paper the principles for vocabulary teaching were established., Bakalářská práce se zabývá rozvojem slovní zásoby v hodinách anglického jazyka na druhém stupni základní školy, respektive hodnocením aktivit rozvíjejících slovní zásobu. V teoretické části je nejprve vymezen obecný cíl výuky anglického jazyka s pomocí kurikulárních dokumentů. Poté je blíže specifikován školní vzdělávací program. V další kapitole je charakterizován pojem slova a slovní zásoby. Je zde kladen důraz na význam slovní zásoby v systému jazyka a co to znamená, že někdo zná dané slovo. Další kapitola je zaměřena na žáka z psychologického hlediska. Byl zde popsán psychologický vývoj, ke kterému dochází mezi 11. a 13. rokem života. Také bylo nastíněno, jak si tato věková skupina osvojuje cizí jazyk. Pátá kapitola pojednává o učení slovní zásoby, respektive o tom, jakým způsobem docílit toho, že dochází k učení a co k tomu lze použít. Na tuto kapitolu navazuje poslední kapitola teoretické části o učebnici a jejím hodnocení. V té byla vymezena kritéria pro hodnocení učebnice. V praktické části byla zhodnocena cvičení rozvíjející slovní zásobu podle stanovených kritérií. V závěru práce byly na základě výsledků výzkumu stanoveny principy výuky slovní zásoby., Fakulta filozofická, Student představil stručně svoji BP a adekvátním způsobem reagoval na hodnocení vedoucího a oponenta práce. Komise se tedy shodla na hodnocení E., Dokončená práce s úspěšnou obhajobou

Objective: Most EFL students need help to develop their speaking abilities. Due to their limited vocabulary, poor grammar, and lack of confidence, they could not practice speaking. Ten students from the English Department joined a study group to address these obstacles. Method: The procedure was carried out online. The teacher created a WhatsApp group as the initial class medium. He added to the vocabulary development and grammar education on the screen. The students studied the material on a video podcast to retell to meet the comprehension criteria, synchronizing their inputs with real life. They then describe a picture to hone their communication skills. They also transcript their story in order to make the spoken and written versions of it coincide. Results: After following the teacher's instructions to build sentences using the lexico-grammar technique, students can identify the grammatical conventions used in podcasts. They can adequately narrate pictures thanks to this type of learning. Their increased confidence fosters mature dialogue. The students' delivery will become more fluid due to the novelty of learning sentence construction through lexico-grammatical techniques and synchronizing it to podcast material. They acquired the ability to apply vocabulary and grammar norms contextually. It was evident from the way they described the images. To fit the needs of their students in the classroom, teachers might change them. It also encourages other researchers to continue their observations.

Objective: Most EFL students need help to develop their speaking abilities. Due to their limited vocabulary, poor grammar, and lack of confidence, they could not practice speaking. Ten students from the English Department joined a study group to address these obstacles. Method: The procedure was carried out online. The teacher created a WhatsApp group as the initial class medium. He added to the vocabulary development and grammar education on the screen. The students studied the material on a video podcast to retell to meet the comprehension criteria, synchronizing their inputs with real life. They then describe a picture to hone their communication skills. They also transcript their story in order to make the spoken and written versions of it coincide. Results: After following the teacher's instructions to build sentences using the lexico-grammar technique, students can identify the grammatical conventions used in podcasts. They can adequately narrate pictures thanks to this type of learning. Their increased confidence fosters mature dialogue. The students' delivery will become more fluid due to the novelty of learning sentence construction through lexico-grammatical techniques and synchronizing it to podcast material. They acquired the ability to apply vocabulary and grammar norms contextually. It was evident from the way they described the images. To fit the needs of their students in the classroom, teachers might change them. It also encourages other researchers to continue their observations.

To improve decision-making and prevent information overload, music streaming services try to offer users personalized content. Vocabulary can be an important component in achieving personalization, in addition to recommender systems that ensure users are given access to their musical preferences. One way to apply personalization through vocabulary is to use personal pronouns. However, it is still unclear how the use of vocabulary personalization affects users’ decisions and expectations when it comes to music streaming services. This study aims to explore how vocabulary framing in playlist titles influences decision-making and the content expectations of the music playlist. Despite challenges in making informed vocabulary choices, our results show a substantial impact of personalized vocabulary in playlist titles on user choice and overall expectations. Users distinctly favor playlists with personalized vocabulary, emphasizing their crucial role in enhancing the music streaming experience.

This paper explores the impact of incorporating songs in the English classroom and will focus on young student’s development of vocabulary and language acquisition. The aim is more driven towards singing, and how that can be a beneficial communicative tool for young language learners in a Swedish context. By it being from the Swedish context, the Swedish curriculum will be reviewed on how songs are incorporated for the ages seven to twelve. The result of the aim has been produced through the analysis of various collected research sources and lays on the role that singing can have in the early stage of learning EFL(English as a foreign language). When searching for the sources different collecting databases, such as “ERIC”, and specific keywords were used to find the most reliable and relevant sources. The results of the collected sources were then compared to each other. Overall, all results showed a beneficial impact when using singing as a communicative tool in students’ vocabulary development. The different sources also point out the perspectives on teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards songs and singing in the lessons. Where results showcased a positive attitude toward the use of singing songs in the EFL classroom. The essential findings of this paper show that singing can be used as a valuable communicative tool for the EFL classroom. Likewise, can it have some problematic factors. For example, if the teacher and students do not like the song or are not interested in singing in the first place. We summarize and discuss the sources in separate parts of this paper. This is so you can get a deeper understanding of the objective results that have been found

Language skills during the preschool years are important for cognitive and social development, learning, and well-being, especially for children that are less proficient in the language that peers and teachers use for communication and teaching, known as the majority language. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the effect of a practice-embedded introduction of dialogic reading in preschool, a method that engages children in conversation, using language-promoting strategies. Teachers performed dialogic reading for 85 five-year-old children in preschools. Children's linguistic progress was observed, while also recording their self-reported state of well-being. Based on the theme of language and well-being in early education, three studies were conducted. In Study I, a British well-being measure for young students, “How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS),” was translated, validated, and assessed for psychometric properties. In total, N = 228 children self-reported their well-being in early education. Study I included a combined sample of school-aged children (n = 143) and a preschool sample (n = 85), where the latter also participated in Study II and Study III. Study I confirmed a one-factor structure of HIFMAS in a confirmatory factor analysis with good model fit. The results showed that the HIFAMS can be used in Sweden to measure child well-being in preschool and early school years. In Study II, structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between language skills and self-reported well-being among preschoolers (N = 85). The assessment of language skills comprised both narrative and vocabulary abilities, while well-being was measured by HIFAMS. Language background (home language exposure) and gender were examined in relation to language abilities and well-being. Study II discovered no association between language skills and well-being. Children with a non-Swedish language use at home (additional language learners) displayed similar narrati

Language skills during the preschool years are important for cognitive and social development, learning, and well-being, especially for children that are less proficient in the language that peers and teachers use for communication and teaching, known as the majority language. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the effect of a practice-embedded introduction of dialogic reading in preschool, a method that engages children in conversation, using language-promoting strategies. Teachers performed dialogic reading for 85 five-year-old children in preschools. Children's linguistic progress was observed, while also recording their self-reported state of well-being. Based on the theme of language and well-being in early education, three studies were conducted. In Study I, a British well-being measure for young students, “How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS),” was translated, validated, and assessed for psychometric properties. In total, N = 228 children self-reported their well-being in early education. Study I included a combined sample of school-aged children (n = 143) and a preschool sample (n = 85), where the latter also participated in Study II and Study III. Study I confirmed a one-factor structure of HIFMAS in a confirmatory factor analysis with good model fit. The results showed that the HIFAMS can be used in Sweden to measure child well-being in preschool and early school years. In Study II, structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between language skills and self-reported well-being among preschoolers (N = 85). The assessment of language skills comprised both narrative and vocabulary abilities, while well-being was measured by HIFAMS. Language background (home language exposure) and gender were examined in relation to language abilities and well-being. Study II discovered no association between language skills and well-being. Children with a non-Swedish language use at home (additional language learners) displayed similar narrati

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder may show delays in vocabulary development. Technology-based interventions could facilitate the teaching of different vocabulary skills; however, it is still not clear whether technology represents an added value. Methods: The current review preregistered in PROSPERO evaluates the efficacy of technology-based interventions in vocabulary learning for children with autism spectrum disorder. We selected articles published in the period 2006–2022 from five databases. Results: The results identified two group studies, one within subject design, nine single-case studies and one randomized controlled design in participants aged 0–16 years who had used technological devices to learn vocabulary. Overall, five of the 13 studies showed positive results of using technology-assisted intervention, six described mixed results, one described negative result, and one described no differences in technology-assisted intervention. The studies are divided into the categories of efficacy of technology and comparison between technology and non-technology. Discussion: In summary, technology, such as tablets and computers, might be useful tools to improve vocabulary skills in certain children with ASD. However, the various degrees of impact found in the studies we reviewed indicate that personalized assessments, acknowledgment of previous experiences, and awareness of the context of usage are essential. The contrast with nontechnological approaches highlights the necessity for more detailed studies to pinpoint the precise conditions under which technology-based interventions can offer the most advantages.

The purpose of this qualitative embedded case study is to examine how applying multimedia theories in online courses can enhance vocabulary acquisition, retention, and production among adult English as a Second Language (ESL) learners at a non-profit organization in Ontario, Canada. Guided by Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), the study probes how ESL learners effectively transfer, retain, and produce new vocabulary. Data collection involves criterion sampling and analysis through MaxQDA, encompassing physical artifacts, personal interviews, and online questionnaires. The findings underscore the efficacy of integrating multimedia elements to facilitate new vocabulary retention and production, emphasizing the importance of the application of productive skills across diverse learning styles. The study underscores the pivotal link between vocabulary acquisition, communication skills, and the integration of multimedia principles in online education. It highlights the significance of adopting multimedia principles to create dynamic learning experiences that cater to diverse learner preferences, ultimately enhancing engagement and effectiveness. Moreover, the research emphasizes the need to consider the interplay between technology, pedagogy, and learner characteristics in designing online educational interventions for adult ESL learners. Overall, the findings contribute valuable insights to language education, advocating for the integration of evidence-based multimedia principles to empower adult ESL learners in achieving their language learning goals and effective communication in diverse contexts.

The current study examined the role of vocabulary and grammar in the listening comprehension of school-age Cantonese-speaking children with developmental language disorder in Hong Kong. Participants were 692 typically developing children (TD) and 53 children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and they were tested with a standardized test of oral Cantonese, which includes measures on listening comprehension, receptive and expressive grammar, expressive vocabulary, word definition and lexical relations. The results from multiple regression analysis revealed that listening comprehension of the TD group was explained by receptive grammar, expressive vocabulary, and lexical relationships. However, children of the DLD group mainly relied on a subset of their vocabulary knowledge, as measured in a lexical relation task on antonym, in understanding the text under the constraint of a limited grammatical knowledge. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.

Vocabulary learning is only indirectly integrated into the four core skills of the Standards-Based English Language Curriculum (SBELC): reading, writing, listening, and speaking. English as a Second Language (ESL) students with limited vocabulary knowledge often face difficulties to learn and use English on a regular basis. In a sustainable Open Distance Learning (ODL), this study uses Malaysian model of pictorial vocabulary to help students learn vocabulary remotely. In this study, 300 ESL students from lower secondary schools across Malaysia use this model to help them learn the target words mentioned in the SBELC. A mixed methods research design is employed. After using the model, students have answered an evaluation form which is evaluated descriptively in terms of its mean scores and standard deviation. The qualitative data from the interview with the students are transcribed, categorised, and coded using content analysis. Based on the research findings, the students’ vocabulary knowledge has substantially increased after using the model. This study's implications indicate that the use of the Malaysian model of pictorial vocabulary learning is both interactive and effective in learning the target words. In the area of vocabulary acquisition, this research adds value as it can be used to carry out additional research to enhance the ability of students to learn new words.

Vocabulary learning is only indirectly integrated into the four core skills of the Standards-Based English Language Curriculum (SBELC): reading, writing, listening, and speaking. English as a Second Language (ESL) students with limited vocabulary knowledge often face difficulties to learn and use English on a regular basis. In a sustainable Open Distance Learning (ODL), this study uses Malaysian model of pictorial vocabulary to help students learn vocabulary remotely. In this study, 300 ESL students from lower secondary schools across Malaysia use this model to help them learn the target words mentioned in the SBELC. A mixed methods research design is employed. After using the model, students have answered an evaluation form which is evaluated descriptively in terms of its mean scores and standard deviation. The qualitative data from the interview with the students are transcribed, categorised, and coded using content analysis. Based on the research findings, the students’ vocabulary knowledge has substantially increased after using the model. This study's implications indicate that the use of the Malaysian model of pictorial vocabulary learning is both interactive and effective in learning the target words. In the area of vocabulary acquisition, this research adds value as it can be used to carry out additional research to enhance the ability of students to learn new words.

Referencias bibliográficas: • Aguilar, M., Navarro., J.I., Menacho, I., Alcalde, C., Marchena, E., & Ramiro, P. (2010). Velocidad de nombrar y conciencia fonológica en el aprendizaje inicial de la lectura [Naming speed and phonological awareness in early reading learning]. Psicothema, 22(3), 436-442. • Alburquerque, C.P. (2012). Rapid naming contributions to reading and writing acquisition of European Portuguese. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25, 775- 797. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11145-011-9299-6 • Bar-Kochva, I. & Breznitz, Z. (2014). Reading scripts that differ in orthographic transparency: A within-participant-and-language investigation of underlying skills. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 121, 12-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2013.07.011 • Boyadzhiev, T. & Tilkov, D. (1999). Fonetika na balgarskiya knizhoven ezik [Phonetics of the Bulgarian Literary Language]. Bulgaria: St Cyril and St Methodius University of Velilo Taborno. • Calet, N., Gutiérrez-Palma, N., Simpson, I.C., González-Trujillo, M.C., & Defior, S. (2015). Suprasegmental phonology development and Reading acquisition: A longitudinal study. Scientific Studies of Reading, 19(1), 51-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2014.976342 • Caravolas, M. (2006). Learning to spell in different languages: How orthographic variables might affect early literacy. In R.M. Joshi & P.G. Aaron (Eds.), Handbook of orthography and literacy (pp. 497-511). Mahwah, NJ: Earlbaum. • Caravolas, M., Lervåg, A., Mousikou, P., Efrim, C., Litavsky, M., Ochonie-Quintanilla, E., Salas, N., Schöffelová, M., Defior, S., Mikulajová, M., Seidlová-Málková, G., & Hulme, C. (2012). Common patterns of prediction of literacy development in different alphabetic orthographies. Psychological Science, 23, 678-686. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797611434536 • Caravolas, M., Volín, J., Hulme, C. (2005). Phoneme awareness is a key component of alphabetic literacy skills in consistent and inconsistent orthogr, Introduction. The present study provides description of two typologically diverse languages in origin (Slavic vs. Latin), script (Cyrillic vs. Roman), and internal structure. One of the similarities, between the two studied orthographies is that spelling-sound transparency is quite consistent in both languages. The goal of the present study was to offer a comparison of learning to read in these languages. Specifically, the study compared the importance of several predictors in the development of reading among children learning two consistent orthographies (Bulgarian and Spanish). Method. A total of 157 children, native speakers of Bulgarian (n=80) and Spanish (n=77), were recruited from three public schools (one in Sofia and two in Madrid) located in middleclass areas. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that Bulgarian and Spanish data were fitted by the same predictors of passage reading efficiency and reading speed. Results. The analyses showed that RAN-Letters played an important role in predicting reading fluency and passage reading efficiency among children in both languages. In addition, Vocabulary appeared to be a core component skill of reading comprehension, which was equally important for learners of both orthographies. Results showed that when equivalent reading predictors are assessed, the core components of fluency and higher level literacy skills (reading comprehension) appear to be very similar in both consistent orthographies. Discussion and Conclusion. Theoretical and educational implications that highlight the importance of RAN and Vocabulary assessement and intervention in the first primary school years are discussed., Introducción. El presente estudio presenta la descripción de dos lenguas tipológicamente diferentes en origen (eslavo y latín), alfabeto (cirílico y romano) y estructura. Una de las similitudes entre las dos lenguas es que la transparencia entre la correspondencia grafemafonema es muy consistente en ambas. El objetivo del presente estudio fue presentar una comparación del aprendizaje de la lectura en las dos lenguas. Concretamente, el estudio comparó la importancia de varios predictores en el desarrollo de la lectura en niños aprendiendo a leer en dos ortografías consistentes (Búlgaro y Español). Método. Un total de 157 niños, hablantes nativos del búlgaro (n=80) y español (n=77), participaron en el estudio, procedentes de tres escuelas públicas (una en Sofía y dos en Madrid) localizadas en áreas de clase social media. Los análisis de correlación y regresión realizados muestran que los datos de los niños Búlgaros y Españoles en eficiencia y velocidad lectora fueron explicados por las mismas variables. Resultados. Los análisis realizados mostraron que la velocidad de nombrar letras (VN-L) juega un rol importante en la predicción de la fluidez y eficiencia lectora en ambas lenguas. Además, el vocabulario es la variable que mejor explica la comprensión lectora, igualmente importante para los aprendices en ambas ortografías. Los resultados mostraron que cuando se evalúan predictores de la lectura equivalentes, los componentes básicos de la fluidez y de habilidades superiores de la lectura (comprensión lectora) son muy similares en las dos ortografías consistentes estudiadas. Discusión y conclusiones. Se discuten las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas que subrayan la importancia de la evaluación e intervención en la VN y el vocabulario en los primeros cursos de primaria., Depto. de Didáctica de las Lenguas, Artes y Educación Física, Fac. de Educación, TRUE, pub

En el presente estudio se analizan las relaciones entre la variabilidad interindividual (diversidad) en vocabulario, comprensión de oraciones y denominación y la reserva cognitiva (RC) estimada en adultos mayores. Participaron 83 personas de edades comprendidas entre los 60 y los 75 años. Se empleó el Cuestionario de Reserva Cognitiva para estimar la RC. Para obtener las medidas de denominación y de comprensión léxica y gramatical se emplearon una versión reducida de 15 ítems del Boston Naming Test (BNT) y las pruebas de vocabulario y comprensión de oraciones de la batería ECCO Senior. Los resultados obtenidos indican: a) que a medida que aumenta la RC disminuye la diversidad en el BNT, en la comprensión de verbos y en la comprensión de oraciones de 2 proposiciones; b) la RC explica entre el 21 y el 18% de la diversidad en las oraciones con mayor densidad proposicional y en los verbos; c) en la comprensión de verbos y de oraciones de 2 proposiciones ajustadas al orden sintáctico canónico del español disminuye la diversidad de manera significativa al considerar valores de RC estimada mayores a 16 puntos; d) en las oraciones más difíciles y complejas disminuye moderadamente la diversidad a partir de una puntuación estimada de RC mayor a 10 puntos, y e) en la versión reducida del BNT, las diferencias significativas aparecen al comparar los grupos extremos en RC., This study analyzed the relationships between interindividual variability (diversity) in vocabulary, sentence comprehension and naming and cognitive reserve (CR) in 83 people aged between 60 and 75 years. CR was estimated using the Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire. A 15-item short version of the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and the subtests of vocabulary and sentence comprehension of the ECCO_Senior battery were used as measures of naming and of lexical and grammatical comprehension. The results indicate: (i) that as CR increased, diversity decreased in the BNT, as well as in verb and sentence comprehension with two propositions; (ii) CR explained between 21% and 18% of the diversity in sentences with two propositions and verbs; (iii) diversity in verb and sentences with two propositions adjusted to Spanish canonical word order significantly decreased when CR values were greater than 16 points; (iv) in the most difficult and complex sentences diversity moderately decreased with CR scores higher than 10 points, and (v) in the brief version of the BNT, significant differences were observed when extreme CR groups were compared., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Depto. de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y Logopedia, Fac. de Psicología, TRUE, pub

Multidomain mild Cognitive Impairment (mMCI) patients have similar difficulties than those observed in the initial stages of Alzheimer disease. Many studies have explored language abilities in MCI, but few have focused in grammatical comprehension. This study explores the differences between mMCI patients and controls using a complete neuropsychological battery, it tries to discover if vocabulary and grammatical comprehension in both groups are predicted by naming and verbal fluency, and seeks the best subset of sentence structures to classify the subjects. There were significative differences between groups in verbs and in grammatical comprehension. Linear regression revealed that verb and sentence comprehension are independent of naming and verbal fluency performance in mMCI patients. In the control group verb comprehension is predicted by intrusions in verbal fluency, and the comprehension of sentences containing two propositions seems to be related to control processes and recognition errors. Two sentence structures, both not fitted to syntactic canonical order in Spanish, are especially useful for subjects’ classification. mMCI patients have a specific deficit affecting grammatical comprehension that doesn’t seem to depend on their low performance at lexical-semantic level. In healthy elders, verb and grammatical comprehension are related to control processes., Depto. de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y Logopedia, Fac. de Psicología, TRUE, pub

This article presents the results of a research project investigating how a student’s ability to successfully learn vocabulary of four word classes (nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs) is affected by the activity through which it is practised. Two-hundred and ninety-two B1 SL students of Spanish were presented with one of three different activities requiring different involvement loads: (1) choosing the appropriate definition; (2) filling in gaps in sentences; and (3) writing sentences that include target words. The analysis shows that participants recalled and recognised more nouns and fewer adverbs—the only non-inflected word class. Additionally, sentence-writing is the activity through which learning new words is the easiest; and the least effective is the definition-choosing activity, Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación sobre cómo la habilidad del estudiante para aprender palabras de cuatro categorías gramaticales (nombres, adjetivos, verbos y adverbios) se ve influida por la actividad con la que trabaja. 292 estudiantes de nivel B1 de español como L2 practicaron con una de tres actividades con diferente nivel de participación: (1) elegir la definición correcta; (2) completar oraciones; y (3) escribir oraciones que incluyan las palabras estímulo. El análisis muestra que los participantes aprendieron más nombres y menos adverbios (siendo esta la única categoría gramatical invariable). Por otro lado, la escritura de oraciones es la actividad que más facilita el aprendizaje de palabras de cualquier categoría y la menos efectiva es la selección de definiciones, Depto. de Lengua Española y Teoría de la Literatura, Fac. de Filología, TRUE, pub

Elever utvecklas i alla ämnen genom ett gott ordförråd. Bristande ordförråd kan leda till att elever tappar kunskaper både i skolan och vardagen. Dialogisk högläsning erbjuder elever i alla åldrar möjlighet att diskutera och reflektera över texters innehåll. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa hur grundskollärare i årskurserna 1–3 förhåller sig till den dialogiska högläsningen. Data har samlats in via kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer och analyserats med metoden tematisk analys. Denna studie har sin utgångspunkt i den sociokulturella teorin. Lärarna som intervjuades har olika lång bakgrund inom läraryrket, vilket ger studien olika perspektiv när det kommer till fenomenet dialogisk högläsning. Resultatet ger en inblick i hur den dialogiska högläsningen används för att öka elevernas förståelse för texters uppbyggnad och struktur. Respondenterna hade en varierad syn på hur och i vilken grad dialogisk högläsning bör användas och presenterar olika undervisningsmetoder när det gäller att utveckla elevers språk och ordförråd. Slutsatsen visar på att dialogisk högläsning är något som används regelbundet bland majoriteten av lärarna och att det är något som lärarna anser bör prioriteras i undervisningen. Lärarna menar på att elevernas ordförråd utvecklas i och med att eleverna följer med i texten, ställer frågor, och får möjligheten att diskutera med varandra. Utifrån de intervjuade lärarna kan det konstateras att dialogisk högläsning är applicerbart under hela skoldagen, både som undervisningsform och som pausläsning., Students develop in all subjects through a strong vocabulary. An inadequate vocabulary could result in students losing knowledge both in school and in everyday life. Dialogic reading offers students of all ages the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the content of texts. The purpose of this study is to highlight how elementary school teachers in grades 1-3 work with language development through dialogic reading. Data has been collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and analysed using the method of thematic analysis. This study is rooted in the sociocultural theory. The interviewed teachers have varying backgrounds in the teaching professions, which provides the study with different perspectives on the phenomenon of dialogic reading aloud. The results generate insights into how dialogic reading is used in schools and the purpose of reading aloud is to create understanding of the structure and organization of texts among students. The respondents have varied views on the concept of dialogic reading and present diverse teaching methods when it comes to developing students' language and vocabulary. The conclusion of this study is that dialogic reading is actively used by most teachers and should be prioritized in teaching. The teachers believe that students' vocabulary develops as they follow along in the text, ask questions, and can discuss it among their peers. The teachers demonstrate that dialogic reading is applicable throughout the school day, both as a teaching method, and as a break activity.

The purpose of this research review is to explore the effectiveness of using digital games to enhance vocabulary development in the subject of English, as well as to investigate how digital games impact students' motivation and teachers' attitudes toward incorporating digital games in English language instruction. These questions were addressed through a literature review of scholarly articles from various databases. The results of this research review show that digital games positively affect students' vocabulary learning and motivation in English teaching. Digital games promote learning through interactivity, multimedia, and the utilization of specific information. Students who regularly engage with digital games experience increased motivation to study English, influenced by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Teachers' attitudes vary, ranging from viewing games as valuable tools to having concerns and doubts. Additional research indicates that training is necessary to support teachers in meaningfully integrating digital games into the classroom. In summary, this paper highlights the potential of digital games as educational tools in English language instruction. Keyword: English

Elever utvecklas i alla ämnen genom ett gott ordförråd. Bristande ordförråd kan leda till att elever tappar kunskaper både i skolan och vardagen. Dialogisk högläsning erbjuder elever i alla åldrar möjlighet att diskutera och reflektera över texters innehåll. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa hur grundskollärare i årskurserna 1–3 förhåller sig till den dialogiska högläsningen. Data har samlats in via kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer och analyserats med metoden tematisk analys. Denna studie har sin utgångspunkt i den sociokulturella teorin. Lärarna som intervjuades har olika lång bakgrund inom läraryrket, vilket ger studien olika perspektiv när det kommer till fenomenet dialogisk högläsning. Resultatet ger en inblick i hur den dialogiska högläsningen används för att öka elevernas förståelse för texters uppbyggnad och struktur. Respondenterna hade en varierad syn på hur och i vilken grad dialogisk högläsning bör användas och presenterar olika undervisningsmetoder när det gäller att utveckla elevers språk och ordförråd. Slutsatsen visar på att dialogisk högläsning är något som används regelbundet bland majoriteten av lärarna och att det är något som lärarna anser bör prioriteras i undervisningen. Lärarna menar på att elevernas ordförråd utvecklas i och med att eleverna följer med i texten, ställer frågor, och får möjligheten att diskutera med varandra. Utifrån de intervjuade lärarna kan det konstateras att dialogisk högläsning är applicerbart under hela skoldagen, både som undervisningsform och som pausläsning., Students develop in all subjects through a strong vocabulary. An inadequate vocabulary could result in students losing knowledge both in school and in everyday life. Dialogic reading offers students of all ages the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the content of texts. The purpose of this study is to highlight how elementary school teachers in grades 1-3 work with language development through dialogic reading. Data has been collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and analysed using the method of thematic analysis. This study is rooted in the sociocultural theory. The interviewed teachers have varying backgrounds in the teaching professions, which provides the study with different perspectives on the phenomenon of dialogic reading aloud. The results generate insights into how dialogic reading is used in schools and the purpose of reading aloud is to create understanding of the structure and organization of texts among students. The respondents have varied views on the concept of dialogic reading and present diverse teaching methods when it comes to developing students' language and vocabulary. The conclusion of this study is that dialogic reading is actively used by most teachers and should be prioritized in teaching. The teachers believe that students' vocabulary develops as they follow along in the text, ask questions, and can discuss it among their peers. The teachers demonstrate that dialogic reading is applicable throughout the school day, both as a teaching method, and as a break activity.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are popular in vocabulary software because they can be scored automatically and are compatible with many input devices (e.g., touchscreens). Answering MCQs is beneficial for learning, especially when learners retrieve knowledge from memory to evaluate plausible answer alternatives. However, such retrieval may not always occur (e.g., with easy-to-guess answers). Therefore, we tested whether we could optimize MCQs for retrieval practice with a stepwise display, which presents the question before the answer options. This creates an opportunity for cued recall. In an experimental classroom study (N= 75) and three online experiments with adult participants (N= 45, N= 77, and N= 79), participants practiced vocabulary with either standard MCQs or stepwise MCQs: In standard MCQs, a word was presented with three possible translations; in stepwise MCQs, it was shown for 4 s before the translations appeared. In three of the four experiments (Experiments 1, 3a, and 3b), stepwise MCQs enhanced retention significantly compared to standard MCQs, measured by a posttest several days after practice. Benefits of stepwise MCQs were found for different translation directions (Experiments 1 and 3) and both with easyto-guess answers (noncompetitive answer options, Experiment 1) and hard-to-guess answers (competitive answer options, Experiment 3). However, the effect was most robust for questions with noncompetitive answer options (Experiments 1, 3a, and 3b) and for learners who reported trying to retrieve the answer from memory during the stepwise display (Experiments 1 and 3). Moreover, retention was generally enhanced by competitive, hard-to-guess answer options (Experiments 3a and 3b). Overall, a stepwise display is a promising and easy-to-implement manipulation to optimize MCQs for retrieval practice.

Latent change score modeling is a type of structural equation modeling used for estimating change over time. Often change is regressed on the initial value of the outcome variable. However, similarly to other regression analyses, this procedure may be susceptible to regression to the mean. The present study employed simulations as well as re-analyses of previously published data, claimed to indicate reciprocal promoting effects of vocabulary and matrix reasoning on each other's longitudinal development. Both in simulations and empirical re-analyses, when adjusting for initial value on the outcome, latent change score modeling tended to indicate an effect of a predictor on the change in an outcome even when no change had taken place. Furthermore, analyses tended to indicate a paradoxical effect on change both forward and backward in time. We conclude that results from latent change score modeling are susceptible to regression to the mean when adjusting for the initial value on the outcome. Researchers are recommended not to regress change on the initial value included in the calculation of the change score when employing latent change score modeling but, instead, to define this parameter as a covariance.

A series of recent studies have shown that the once-assumed cognitive advantage of bilingualism finds little support in the evidence available to date. Surprisingly, however, the view that bilingualism incurs linguistic costs (the so-called lexical deficit) has not yet been subjected to the same degree of scrutiny, despite its centrality for our understanding of the human capacity for language. The current study implemented a comprehensive meta-analysis to address this gap. By analyzing 478 effect sizes from 130 studies on expressive vocabulary, we found that observed lexical deficits could not be attributed to bilingualism: Simultaneous bilinguals (who acquired both languages from birth) did not exhibit any lexical deficit, nor did sequential bilinguals (who acquired one language from birth and a second language after that) when tested in their mother tongue. Instead, systematic evidence for a lexical deficit was found among sequential bilinguals when tested in their second language, and more so for late than for early second language learners. This result suggests that a lexical deficit may be a phenomenon of second language acquisition rather than bilingualism per se.

According to the Simple View of Reading, decoding and linguistic comprehension are essential for reaching efficient reading comprehension. Students with Swedish as a first (L1) or second language (L2) in grades 1–3 might need special support to develop reading comprehension. In order to identify needs in reading in L1 and L2 students, the current study aimed to investigate how they perform in screening tests measuring vocabulary, decoding, and reading comprehension in Swedish. The present study has a cross-sectional design and includes over 46,000 students who followed the curriculum for Swedish as a first or as a second language. Data consisted of decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension tests, which were statistically analysed. The results showed that L2 students in grades 1–3 had significantly weaker decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension than L1 students. A performance below average in the tests indicates a need for extra support in reading which a significantly higher proportion of L2 students had compared to L1 students. Therefore, screening and systematic reading instructions are crucial to promoting reading development among L1 and L2 students.

According to the Simple View of Reading, decoding and linguistic comprehension are essential for reaching efficient reading comprehension. Students with Swedish as a first (L1) or second language (L2) in grades 1–3 might need special support to develop reading comprehension. In order to identify needs in reading in L1 and L2 students, the current study aimed to investigate how they perform in screening tests measuring vocabulary, decoding, and reading comprehension in Swedish. The present study has a cross-sectional design and includes over 46,000 students who followed the curriculum for Swedish as a first or as a second language. Data consisted of decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension tests, which were statistically analysed. The results showed that L2 students in grades 1–3 had significantly weaker decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension than L1 students. A performance below average in the tests indicates a need for extra support in reading which a significantly higher proportion of L2 students had compared to L1 students. Therefore, screening and systematic reading instructions are crucial to promoting reading development among L1 and L2 students.