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A substantial body of research has investigated null arguments in L2 Chinese, showing that they can be native-like. However, recent linguistic research has demonstrated convincingly that some 'missing' arguments in Chinese should be viewed not as 'null' arguments but as a result of movement and ellipsis. These advances necessitate a revaluation of the issue of 'null' arguments in previous L2 studies which largely overlooked the role of ellipsis in accounting for missing arguments in L2 Chinese. To fill the lacuna, this study recognises the above recent advances and examines whether missing objects in English speakers' L2 Chinese parallel sentences are a result of verb raising and VP ellipsis and are genuinely native-like. Results of a picture-description task and an acceptability judgement task suggest that although L2ers, like native Chinese speakers, can accept and produce missing objects in Chinese, their native-like performance is driven by mechanisms different from those of native Chinese speakers (i.e., the missing objects are erroneously used as null objects in L2 Chinese). The findings advance our understanding of L1 vs. L2 different mechanisms for phonetically unrealised objects in Chinese, suggesting that what looks native-like in L2 may not necessarily be native-like. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we sought to establish whether adult non-native English speakers interpret aspectual phrasal verbs by means of the continuous or discontinuous position of the particle that goes with them and whether this is related to their level of proficiency in English as a second language (L2). An image selection task was designed and applied to adult native and non-native English speakers, the latter were divided into four groups based on their hours of exposure to the target language (100–200 h, 300–400 h, 600–700 h, +1000 h.). The results obtained suggest that the position of the particle can sometimes affect the interpretation of phrasal verbs of English by non-native speakers; however, this does not occur in the same way for all phrasal verbs, since the interpretation is also linked to the category to which they belong and to the particle present in each case. Finally, non-native speakers of English with a greater number of hours of exposure to the target language do not have a significantly different performance from non-native speakers when interpreting phrasal verbs, although in some cases the differences are pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Set against a body of research which tends to either overlook ideological differences between Eastern and Western conceptualizations of motivation or which positions Chinese students as ideologically monolithic, this study aims to explore the dynamic interaction between neoliberal and Neo-Confucian paradigms in shaping motivation for English language learning. By incorporating primary concepts from the Neo-Confucian motivational construct and Dörnyei's (2005) second language (L2) Motivational Self System, this study bridges the gap between Eastern and Western L2 motivational research and investigates how neoliberal/Neo-Confucian ideologies interact to influence Chinese university students' motivations for learning English. More specifically, it explores how this develops during study abroad in Ireland. It was found that the motivational trajectories of eight participants comprised a complex synthesis of both ideologies during study abroad. Furthermore, their ought-to L2 selves and ideal L2 self imagery underwent dramatic alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of understanding language processing in bilingual children and highlights the need for online techniques, such as eye-tracking and self-paced listening experiments, to gain more direct insights into the processes involved. The article addresses key questions about bilingual language development, including the comparison of online comprehension to offline comprehension and production, the extent to which bilingual children predict upcoming sentence information, the evidence for language co-activation during processing, and the role of individual differences in bilingual language processing. The article also summarizes existing knowledge on online comprehension versus production, predictive processing, and lexical and syntactic co-activation in bilingual children. However, there are still gaps in our understanding, and more research is needed to explore new linguistic properties, language combinations, and individual differences in bilingual language processing. The article concludes by introducing a special issue that presents empirical findings from different contexts and linguistic phenomena, aiming to contribute to our understanding of real-time language processing in bilingual children. [Extracted from the article]

Second language acquisition studies have mainly considered transfer between two or more languages as a binary setting, it either happens or does not. However, research emerging out of usage-based approaches show that such transfer effects might be more gradient than ever thought before (e.g., Goschler & Stefanowitsch, 2019). Investigating a construction that has been reported to pose problems such as overpassivization to L2 English learners, i.e., unaccusatives, this study aims to trace gradient transfer effects between Turkish and English in the intransitive-unaccusative construction in Turkish learners of English. Following Goschler and Stefanowitsch's (2019) method to analyze, extract experimental items from English and Turkish corpora, and experiment with collostructional transfer effects, the study revealed similar findings. Findings suggest that learners are likely to transfer strongly entrenched L1 items into the L2 even at advanced proficiency levels. Interestingly, when the item is weakly entrenched in L1, speakers attune to the input in L2 with growing proficiency. Furthermore, proficiency or experience helps with preempting non-optimal constructional combinations. Pedagogically, the study suggests that collo-profiles may help teachers and students with mitigating unconventional item-construction combinations at advanced levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing recognition of the need to investigate second/foreign language learners' emotions related to their language learning, because both positive and negative emotions affect a learner's motivation and performance. However, research has not sufficiently explored the emotions of learners of languages other than English and other European languages, nor the emotions associated with learning experiences outside of the language class. The present research examines the emotions of 12 intermediate-level learners of Japanese and the causes of their emotions over 13 weeks, both in and out of class. Rates of positive emotions were higher outside the class than in lessons. The most frequent cause of the positive and negative emotions related to students' L2 identity. The findings are discussed in relation to the language learning context of the university. The study suggests that learners' emotions are closely associated with their learning contexts, including the content of lessons, and that more studies about learner emotions in different contexts are necessary, especially outside of language classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few published estimates of vocabulary sizes amongst students in tertiary education. Research does not offer estimates of the vocabulary size tertiary students might be expected to possess, though estimates exist for K-12 education, some EFL contexts, and the general population. Such research is important. For reading comprehension during tertiary education, a vocabulary of minimally 10,000 words is recommended, along with proficiency in academic vocabulary. A recent study of three universities in the United Kingdom concluded pedagogical intervention was required, since estimates indicated undergraduates knew fewer than 10,000 words. A subsequent study of a New Zealand university found students knew 16,000 words and pedagogical intervention was not required. The current study investigates 433 tertiary students at an Australian university to determine if students required vocabulary support. It contributes to a research record allowing for comparisons internationally, nationally, and over time. Methods employed included the Vocabulary Size Test/VST and Academic Vocabulary Test/AVT. Results indicate an average vocabulary size of 16,117 words, with academic vocabulary well-known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study bridges a gap in the current research on motivation and demotivation learning a second language (L2). It is meant to provide an overview of students' goal setting when they start to learn an L2 at university level in Australia. Drawing on goal-setting and learning goal orientation constructs (cf. Miller, 2020), goal formation is deconstructed and analysed to throw new light on students' psychological processes identified at the micro level and the influences on goal setting stemming from the social context at the macro level in which students operate. The interaction between the two levels is explored in order to understand which dynamics lie behind research participants' desire of gaining proficiency in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Qualitative data analysis outcomes are shown in an attempt to provide clear and applicable pedagogical suggestions for L2 practitioners (see, e.g., Al-Hoorie et al., 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a pilot implementation of the FL2 approach and resources, developed to support tertiary students' wellbeing as well as their second language learning (L2). The FL2 approach and learning activities were piloted in two Spanish language courses at Australian universities. Evaluation data were collected through an online survey of participating students and compared to the results of previous pilots conducted with students of Italian. Responses to scale items and open-ended questions indicate that the majority of participants greatly enjoyed their experiences in the courses and were satisfied with the learning opportunities provided, which shows potential for the FL2 approach. Evaluations of seven Positive Psychology-informed learning activities also piloted in this study were more nuanced. Taken together, these results suggest that designing curriculum to support student wellbeing as well as disciplinary learning can yield positive results. However, careful consideration must be given to alignment between FL2 activities and curriculum, as well as to students' individual differences in the reception of Positive Psychology-informed activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hallmark of word naming in deep orthographies, effects of spelling-sound regularity and consistency are considered to reach stability in adulthood. We investigated whether these effects were modulated by second language (L2) proficiency in native English and native Spanish speakers. Participants named English, Spanish and language-ambiguous words, but only the English words were used in the analysis. Participants in each group named English words with irregular-inconsistent mappings (e.g., PINT) more slowly and less accurately than words with regular-consistent mappings (e.g., GATE). Higher English proficiency reduced the magnitude of the regularity-consistency effect in both groups. Critically, native English speakers revealed a U-shaped relationship between L2-Spanish proficiency and the regularity-consistency effect on naming latencies. The current findings add to a growing body of literature that considers the boundaries within which L2 proficiency can influence native language (L1) performance. Results suggest that L2 proficiency may destabilize a fundamental aspect of L1 literacy, the computation of phonology from text, which is known as a highly stable psycholinguistic effect. This suggests that the language system is dynamic, remaining plastic in early adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Durrant (2023): Corpus linguistics for writing development" is a book review published in the International Journal of Corpus Linguistics. The review highlights how corpus linguistics has contributed to our understanding of second language (L2) writing development. The book provides a practical introduction to using corpus linguistics in first and second language writing development, covering topics such as vocabulary, grammar, and formulaic language. While the book is informative and provides a solid introduction to corpus linguistics, it has some limitations, such as its focus on vocabulary, grammar, and formulaic language, and the lack of discussion on challenges in learner language research and L2 writing development. Overall, the book is recommended for students, educators, and researchers interested in corpus linguistics and writing development. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Broadening the Spectrum of Corpus Linguistics: New Approaches to Variability and Change" edited by Susanne Flach and Martin Hilpert is a collection of papers from the 40th International Computer Archive of Modern and Medieval English (ICAME40) conference. The book explores the diverse applications of corpus linguistics as a methodology, including its use in English as a second or foreign language, historical linguistics, discourse analysis, and variationist sociolinguistics. The book is divided into three sections: new perspectives, revisiting old debates, and refinements and innovations. It introduces methodological innovations in corpus creation and analysis, and provides insights into corpus design and construction. The book is aimed at researchers familiar with the field of corpus linguistics, particularly those interested in ESL/EFL, second language acquisition, learner English, and variation and language change. [Extracted from the article]

This study sets out to investigate second language (L2) speakers' derivation of pragmatic inferences and tolerance of violations of informativeness in two types of inferences, i.e., ad hoc implicatures and contrastive inference. The results of a graded judgment task revealed that pragmatic tolerance is inference-specific: L2 speakers were overly tolerant of underinformative statements in ad hoc implicatures than in contrastive inference. In addition, L2 speakers were found to be more relaxed with overinformativeness than underinformativeness in contrastive inference. The fact that L2 speakers tend to be redundant (overinformative) than ambiguous (underinformative) is further discussed with the Pragmatic Principles Violation Hypothesis (Lozano, 2016). This study hopes to contribute to a more find-grained understanding of L2 speakers' abilities of deriving pragmatic inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the L2 acquisition of the Chinese plural maker -men by English and Korean speakers within the framework of the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (FRH) (Lardiere, 2009). The Chinese plural suffix -men, the Korean plural suffix -tul, and the English plural suffix -s share some properties and differ on others. Thirty-two English-speaking learners and thirty-five Korean-speaking learners of Chinese of advanced and intermediate proficiency were tested using a truth value judgment task and a grammaticality judgment task. Results show that: (i) all the L2 groups have acquired the target feature set of -men (i.e., [plural, specific, human]); (ii) the two English groups and the advanced Korean group but not the intermediate Korean group have acquired the conditions on the overt realization of -men (i.e., optionality with demonstratives and prohibition with classifiers). The results are consistent with the FRH: differences in how features are assembled in lexical items and differences in conditions on feature realization between the L1 and L2 lead to acquisition difficulty; such difficulty can be overcome, though native-like performance is not guaranteed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When second language learners are faced with acquiring a grammar that is a subset of their native language grammar, direct positive evidence is unavailable. We question whether learners can instead use indirect positive evidence: evidence drawn from errors in the learner's L1 made by native speakers of the learner's L2. We examine if naïve English-speaking learners of Mandarin can determine from plural omission errors in Mandarin speakers' English productions that Mandarin marks plural in a subset of conditions under which English does. Participants were exposed to indirect positive evidence via an English-medium dialogue where a native Mandarin-speaking interlocutor produced all contextually plural nouns as singulars. Subsequently, participants learnt 12 Mandarin-like nouns in singular contexts, after which their word learning was tested using both singular and plural pictures as prompts. Forty percent of participants correctly deduced that strings to which they had assigned singular interpretations were also appropriate in plural contexts. Follow-up questions revealed that they noticed the errors in the dialogue and used these to inform their understanding of plural marking in Mandarin. This result suggests that indirect positive evidence may be an effective tool for real language learners to acquire a grammar that is a subset of their native grammar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study examines the acquisition of null and overt pronoun interpretations in Chinese as a second language by native speakers of English. A linguistic phenomenon not present in the native language of the learners is identified: the null element in the embedded subject position of Mandarin resultative constructions can only refer to the main-clause subject, while an overt pronoun in the same position can refer both to the main-clause subject and to another entity in the discourse. Thus the acquisition task includes learning a new functional morpheme, a null element, as well as constraining its interpretation in the resultative construction. We tested 59 L2 learners of Chinese at different proficiency levels and 51 native Mandarin speakers on a Truth Value Judgment Task. The learners showed a pattern of interpretation that was statistically indistinguishable from the native speakers' in all but one context. We argue that our findings point to largely successful acquisition of the requisite proform interpretations, even though the restrictions on the interpretation of null elements cannot be transferred from the native language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the acquisition of second language (L2) Spanish grammatical gender by native speakers of two typologically different languages: English (n = 39) and Russian (n = 37). We aim to explore if the presence or absence of gender features in the first language (L1) influences the acquisition of Spanish grammatical gender. Participants completed an acceptability judgment task consisting of 40 sentences with grammatical and ungrammatical Spanish Determiner Phrases (DPs). They included masculine and feminine Ns (Nouns) with transparent or opaque endings. Our findings show that (1) both groups are sensitive to gender non-matching structures, although L1 Russian speakers gave the lowest scores to ungrammatical structures in Spanish; (2) higher rating scores to masculine matching DPs point to the use of masculine as default by both L2 groups; (3) Ns with transparent endings act as cues for L2 Spanish learners, since both groups of participants rated the non-matching DPs with transparent Ns more accurately than those with opaque Ns. Therefore, our findings suggest that gender in L2 Spanish can be acquired regardless of the presence or the absence of these grammatical property in the L1, although its presence in the L1 seems to accelerate this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces a novel lexical resource for Swedish based on word family principles. The development of the Swedish Word Family (SweWF) resource is set into the context of linguistic complexity in second language acquisition. The SweWF is particularly appropriate for that, given that it contains lexical items used in second language corpora, namely, in a corpus of coursebook texts, and in a corpus of learner essays. The main focus of the article is on the construction of the resource with its user interface and on its applicability for research, although it also opens vast possibilities for practical applications for language learning, testing and assessment. We demonstrate the value of the resource through several case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension and the need for foreign language curriculums to prioritize teaching new vocabulary. The article explores different approaches to identifying important words to teach, such as using frequency lists or expert knowledge. It also highlights recent trends in creating graded resources for language learning, including the development of data-driven resources and the consideration of grammatical structures and multi-word expressions. The article presents several studies that address challenges in creating reliable graded resources, including assigning words to proficiency levels and incorporating collocations and grammatical aspects. The research emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of language resource development and suggests future directions for personalized learning resources and the integration of linguistic aspects. [Extracted from the article]

This study explored the beliefs about English language learning demonstrated by Korean-speaking college students while sojourning in the United States. Adopting a contextual approach to learner beliefs, the study further examined the nature of changes in sojourners' beliefs and what aspects of study abroad were related to such changes. To this end, the study drew on the participants' accounts of their second language (L2) experiences in connection with different aspects of study abroad through episodic narrative interviews. A thematic analysis of the interview data suggests that sojourners' beliefs about language learning are reminiscent of societal ideological structures and school or familial influences. During the sojourn, learner beliefs about L2 learning were reshaped by interactions with co-nationals and members of the host community as micro-level resources situated in the meso-level host program. Sojourners further demonstrated changes in their broad perspectives on what constitutes an in situ form of bilingualism in the sending and host countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research on second language (L2) vocabulary development after a study abroad (SA) experience has been largely investigated, findings are still not clear-cut because of the multifaceted nature of vocabulary and the different methodologies used when investigating its growth. For this reason, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the link between SA and lexical development. A multilevel meta-analysis including 25 studies was conducted to examine the extent to which overall, receptive vocabulary (RV) and productive vocabulary (PV) are impacted by a SA experience. A second objective was to determine whether length of stay (LoS) in the target country has an effect on L2 vocabulary development. Results showed that international stays have a significantly large impact on RV and overall vocabulary and a significantly moderate impact on PV. The analysis also showed that LoS alone cannot be used as a predictor of gains in the students' L2 vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for a stronger connection between researchers and practitioners in the field of language teaching. It suggests that researchers should choose research topics that practitioners find relevant and that research findings should be made accessible to practitioners. The article also explores the idea of practitioners conducting their own research, either through action research or exploratory practice. The author emphasizes the importance of making research accessible and readable for practitioners in order to bridge the gap between research and practice. [Extracted from the article]

The study of Shakespeare in secondary school literature classes remains a global phenomenon across L2 contexts. Understanding said spaces is important, as the study of Shakespeare is known to expand learner knowledge of normative conventions of academic literacy – this, in service of building the cultural and linguistic capital necessary for learners to succeed on their own terms. However, little is known about how best to research this context so as to assist language learners with their academic literacy needs. To address this gap, this study employs thought modeling – an analytic tool informed by complex dynamic systems theory – to investigate the teaching and learning environment of seven secondary school ESL programs in the Canadian province of Ontario. Mining the educational experiences of 106 participants, this research explores five primary components of the educational landscape: conditions, timescales, interactions, artifacts, and agents. Thematic analyses and descriptive statistical analyses were performed on a dataset comprised of surveys and interviews. This study initiates a framework for continuing research into L2 secondary school Shakespeare studies by identifying and describing substantive avenues of research (i.e., control parameters) informing conditions for best practice and highlights thought modeling as an effective analytic framework for understanding educational dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reviewed book, "Gender Diversity and Sexuality in English Language Education: New Transnational Voices," edited by Banegas and Govender, addresses the lack of gender and sexuality diversity in English Language Education (ELE) curriculum and practice. The contributors use theoretical, critical, and (auto)ethnographic approaches to challenge the hetero-patriarchal normativity of ELE pedagogy. The book explores various topics, such as queer critical literacies, collaborative online international learning, gender-queer visibility in picture books, and the impact of gender stereotypes on language performance. While the book offers valuable insights, it is criticized for excluding trans perspectives and non-Western embodiments of gender variance. Overall, it provides a reflective guide for promoting gender and sexual inclusivity in ELE. [Extracted from the article]

The article "Modeling multilingual grammars: Constraints and predictions" explores the development of a formal model for multilingual grammars. The authors argue that distinguishing between first and second order constraints is crucial in this process. They propose that Feature Reassembly (FR) mechanisms can be derived from first order constraints, eliminating the need for specific reassembly-oriented processes. The article also discusses the relationship between underlying syntactic features and their morphophonological expression, and explores different approaches to modeling this relationship. The authors advocate for the use of exoskeletal models in linguistics, particularly in the context of language development and acquisition, as they can provide more effective predictions. They address criticisms and suggest integrating experimental research with exoskeletal models to further refine our understanding of language acquisition. The authors acknowledge the need for future research in areas such as syntax-pragmatics interactions. Overall, they propose that incorporating exoskeletal models into linguistic analysis can enhance our understanding of language development. [Extracted from the article]

The article "Modelling multilingual ecologies beyond the L1-L2 Binary" by Enoch O. Aboh and M. Carmen Parafita Couto discusses the role of features and their exponence in descriptive and theoretical models of monolingual and bilingual/multilingual speakers. The authors argue for a uniformitarian approach that does not require a specific cognitive process for multilingual language practices. They propose that exoskeletal approaches, which focus on syntax-driven models and the role of features, offer a sound theoretical framework for modeling multilingual mental grammars. The authors also suggest a paradigm shift that considers the complexities of linguistic features, hybridity, community norms, and multilingualism to develop a more holistic understanding of language. They emphasize the importance of collaboration between theory development and experimental research, as well as the significance of sociohistorical context in studying multilingual grammars. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the importance of considering both linguistic competence and second-order constraints in second language (L2) acquisition research. While generative linguistics provides a model for understanding L2 grammar, it does not guarantee success in acquiring target properties. The article argues that "second-order" constraints, such as the influence of the first language (L1) and exposure to the L2, play a primary role in explaining the partial success of L2 acquisition. The transfer-and-learnability account is used to explain the difficulties faced by English speakers acquiring Chinese imperfectives and progressives. The article concludes that future L2 research should focus on refining these secondary mechanisms to better understand the challenges of L2 acquisition. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "A theory of Ln grammars: One size fits all?" discusses the debate surrounding the theoretical models of grammar and their applicability to bilingual and multilingual speakers. The authors argue that exoskeletal models of grammar, which separate syntax and morphology, can explain bilingual data without the need for additional constraints proposed in the Feature Reassembly (FR) view. They also discuss the Null Theory approach, which suggests that the same kind of theory can account for both monolingual and bilingual grammars. However, the article raises questions about the feasibility of this approach and emphasizes the importance of considering the variability and complexity of bilingual language acquisition. The authors conclude by highlighting the need for a proper treatment of both first-order and second-order constraints in modeling bilingual grammars and the role of bilingual data in shaping theories of grammar. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the concept of Feature Reassembly (FR) in the context of second language acquisition (SLA). The authors argue that FR, which focuses on the interaction between syntax and morphology, should be replaced by an exoskeletal approach to syntax. They emphasize the importance of incorporating updated theoretical approaches to morphosyntax within SLA research. However, they express concerns that the proposed exoskeletal approach does not generate predictions for the processes of SLA in the same way that FR does. They suggest that further articulation of the benefits of the exoskeletal approach for SLA research is needed. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Number feature within generative grammar and its acquisition" discusses different theoretical proposals regarding the representation of number in syntax and its implications for language acquisition. The authors argue that the exoskeletal approach to grammar, which focuses on the contribution of underlying syntactic features and their morphophonological exponents, needs further development. They also highlight the need to consider the pragmatic component of number and its interaction with reference in acquisition studies. The article provides insights into the acquisition of number in monolingual and bilingual speakers, as well as the challenges faced by the exoskeletal approach in accounting for different languages and levels of proficiency. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "From the child's perspective," discusses the disengagement of acquisition specialists in theoretical linguistics due to the lack of new testable predictions. The authors propose a concept called "feature reassembly" to explain the difficulties that adolescents and adults face when learning a second or third language, particularly with morphology. They also explore the relationship between phonology and syntax, specifically in the context of French gender assignment. The authors suggest that a revised concept of parameters can help explain the acquisition problems faced by L2 French learners. However, further research is needed to determine the existence of phonological gender assignment. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the role of the lexicon in the exoskeletal approach to grammar proposed by Lohndal and Putnam. The authors argue that this approach can be used to analyze data from diverse populations and eliminate the need for specific mechanisms like Feature Reassembly in second language acquisition. However, the article raises questions about how the exoskeletal model can account for the mapping of lexical items to features, as this process is not made explicit. The article also examines learning tasks in second language acquisition and how they relate to the exoskeletal approach. Overall, the article highlights the need for further research and collaboration in understanding the role of the lexicon and features in language acquisition. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the power paradox in bilingualism and the proposal put forth by Lohndal and Putnam (L&P) regarding the modeling of language architecture in generative L2/Ln acquisition research. L&P argue for a shift in perspective to make the theoretical machinery as slim and explanatory as possible, eschewing the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (FRH) and focusing on core structure-building operations. While the FRH has been influential in second language acquisition (SLA) research, L&P argue that it does not result directly from these core operations. The article also highlights the potential gains and losses of adopting L&P's model, particularly in terms of learnability and the learning of morphophonological exponents. The authors suggest that further exploration and integration of these dimensions could enhance L&P's proposal. [Extracted from the article]

This document is an interview-style article from the TASK journal, focusing on task-based language teaching and learning. The article discusses the Let's talk tasks section, which aims to promote interaction between task-based researchers, language teachers, and teacher trainers. It also introduces the TBLT Language Learning Task Bank, a central hub for sharing and utilizing task-based language learning tasks. The article features a specific task from the Task Bank called "Welcome to Suwon Hwaseong!" and provides insights from the task authors and reflections from language teachers and teacher trainers. The task was designed for high school students in Korea and involved creating a multimodal introduction video for a historic site. The article highlights the benefits and challenges of implementing this task and emphasizes the importance of systematic task implementation in the curriculum. The perspectives of the task authors, reviewers, and language teachers provide valuable insights for those interested in task-based language teaching and learning. [Extracted from the article]

This article presents a longitudinal study of a second language (L2) French speaker's (Aurelia) use of the construction tu vois ('you see') over 15 months. Research on first language (L1) French has shown that tu vois has been subject to grammaticalization, whereby the construction in spoken language frequently serves as a discourse marker rather than a complement-taking predicate construction expressing visual perception. Drawing on longitudinal Conversation Analysis, I qualitatively and quantitatively analyze Aurelia's use of tu vois in relation to its turn position and interactional purposes. I document a similar change happening in Aurelia's use of the construction over time as what has been observed in L1 French: While she initially deploys tu vois exclusively in its 'literal' sense of visual perception and with a complement (tu vois X, 'you see X'), she eventually starts using it as a semantically bleached discourse marker for interaction-organizational and interpersonal purposes. A few 'hybrid' cases demonstrate the progressive nature of this change, and indicate further similarities between L2 acquisition and L1 grammaticalization processes. I discuss possible reasons for the documented change and address implications of the findings for research on both the development of L2 grammar-for-interaction and language change more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on L2 interactional competence (IC) has become increasingly focused on how L2 speakers develop and recalibrate linguistic resources to do interactional work, i.e., how L2 speakers develop a grammar-for-interaction (Pekarek Doehler 2018). In this paper, I use interactional linguistics to track one L2 German speaker's IC development over 11 months by analyzing her use of German also (English 'so') in formulations (see Deppermann 2011; Heritage & Watson 1979, 1980). In initial months, the L2 speaker uses also exclusively to do work on her own prior talk, e.g., in upshots, consequences, and unpackings. The L2 speaker's initial also uses contribute to moves that maintain intersubjectivity by ensuring her co-interactant's understanding of her own talk. In later months, the L2 speaker diversifies her uses of also, including uses oriented to co-interactants' prior talk that address manifest problems of intersubjectivity: to preface an other-correction of an incorrect candidate understanding, and to preface turns addressing a co-interactant's problem of understanding. The L2 speaker's changing also uses demonstrate her ability to contribute to interactional organization in increasingly diverse ways, evidencing a developing grammar-for-interaction. I end by calling for more research on the L2 development of linguistic resources that primarily serve interactional functions, such as particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing conversation analysis (CA) to analyze a first encounter between a second language (L2) learner and a native speaker (NS) of Spanish, this study demonstrates how interactants' differences in deploying sequence expansion and recipient uptake impact the interaction. Focusing on sequence organization during storytelling episodes, I argue that both interactants, teller and recipient, act as co-authors of the telling episode by conveying stancetaking differently, to display (mis)alignment and/or (dis)affiliation with the telling. The focal data are derived from one videotaped, semi-structured conversation of an L2-NS dyad. I identify ten focal episodes of sequences representing some form of post-expansions, recipient uptake, and stancetaking. The study reveals that these two speakers used post-expansions differently: the Spanish NS used them to accept a second-pair part; the Spanish learner employed them to close a second-pair part and transition toward a new topic, such as when encountering less-preferred recipient uptake. Gestures and gaze (e.g., looking away from the interlocutor) accentuated closing a dispreferred second-pair part. Given the importance of recipient uptake in talk-in-interaction, the article offers implications for research and pedagogy regarding training L2 learners to produce appropriate sequences beyond minimal post-expansions in talk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores two under-researched types of corpora for use in data-driven learning (DDL): L2 corpora (i.e. in a second or foreign language) and multimodal corpora. It first outlines the development of FLEURON, a dedicated DDL platform designed to support interactional competence in French as a Foreign Language (FFL), based on multimodal corpora of both native and L2 speakers. It then presents an ecological study of how 19 international FFL learners interacted with the platform in a DDL approach at the University of Lorraine. The analysis highlights how L2 corpora in particular can help learners to improve their awareness of complex phenomena related to conversational narratives by engaging their meta-cognitive strategies during their time abroad. The study thus reveals the potential for integrating an L2 component among the range of resources available for teaching and learning spoken interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second language (L2) speech fluency has been found to develop especially in study-abroad contexts, while few studies have examined fluency development in formal instruction. Furthermore, the instructional approaches have rarely targeted fluency specifically. The present study examines the effects of a teaching experiment utilizing learner-corpus-based awareness-raising activities on L2 fluency development in formal instruction. Eighteen Finnish university students of English, divided into control and experimental groups, provided speech samples at the beginning and end of an L2 English pronunciation course. The samples were analyzed with a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analyses demonstrated mostly minor differences in fluency development across the groups. Qualitative analyses demonstrated individual learning trajectories regarding stalling mechanisms. The findings suggest that while corpus-based awareness-raising activities can be beneficial for supporting L2 fluency development, a more extensive teaching approach is needed for full effects. The study has implications for L2 fluency research and pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of learner corpus research for pedagogical purposes, discussing its use in materials development, language testing and assessment, and classroom practice. It highlights the advantages of using learner corpora in reference tool development and textbook development, as well as the potential for change through large-scale projects and increased accessibility of research findings. The article also explores the obstacles faced by teachers in integrating learner corpora into their practice and discusses the use of computer-assisted language learning programs. It emphasizes the potential of learner corpora to enhance language assessment and tailor it to specific learner backgrounds. The article concludes by calling for stronger collaborations between researchers and teachers and the inclusion of learner corpus-based pedagogy in teacher education programs. [Extracted from the article]

This editorial provides an overview of how language use has been measured in second language acquisition (SLA) research and how it can be implemented in studies on pronunciation. The use of surveys and questionnaires, self-reports, and other methods is discussed along with the limitations of these current methods and recommendations. Measuring language use reliably can be challenging, but implementing and adapting current methods can help make it easier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the decisions made in the development and delivery of the training outlined in Maczuga, O'Brien and Knaus (2017). Framed within a Processing Instruction framework, this contribution considers previous input-based training research, which has primarily focused on the training of second language segments. In addition to providing a brief summary of the results, the paper also includes relevant recent research and provides a discussion of the limitations and recommendations for future work in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the lack of research examining the use of discourse-level speech input in beginning L2 learners' Mandarin tone production in spontaneous speech, this study compares the effects of authentic videos and textbook audios as shadowing materials on beginners' multisyllabic tone production in spontaneous speech and learner attitudes. Fourteen college students, randomly divided into the "authentic" and "textbook" groups, shadowed for four weeks. From the pretest to the posttest, both groups significantly improved tone accuracy in sentence-level spontaneous speech with no significant differences between groups. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of learners' responses show that (1) both groups had positive attitudes toward the materials, (2) authentic materials generated greater interest, and learners appreciated shadowing authentic conversations or conversations that mimic natural discourse, and (3) the learners primarily cared about whether the materials were comprehensible, interesting, and accessible. The findings shed light on using authentic materials to teach L2 pronunciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to accurately write Chinese characters is vital for those learning Chinese as a second language, and writing Chinese components is an indispensable part of writing Chinese characters. This study investigates how Visual Instructions (VIs) influence the effectiveness of writing Chinese components by beginners. First, a visual survey was conducted to explore the various visual formats currently used for instructing the writing of Chinese. Then, the effectiveness of VIs for writing practice and writing recall was examined. The results showed that arrows and color hints in stroke-by-stroke VIs significantly increased the effectiveness of VIs for both writing practice and recall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the outcome of teaching second language English (L2 English) third-person singular present tense -s for declarative knowledge in two different settings, namely Sweden and Vietnam. Third person -s is one of the most studied grammatical structures in second language acquisition research. Data are collected in two classroom contexts with different teaching traditions. Participants are 76 young learners, 11–12 years old, 32 with Swedish as L1 and 44 with L1 Vietnamese. The results demonstrate differences in learner outcomes in these two groups. The Vietnamese learners outperformed the Swedish learners on the tests of declarative knowledge. The analyses of learner explanations of third-person singular present tense -s reveal that learners tend to decompose this complex rule into several features, which sometimes lead them into misconceptions. This has pedagogical implications about EFL teaching and learning for young learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the nature of Chinese as First Language (L1) speakers' anxiety when completing an oral task in English as Foreign Language (L2). Chinese second-year university students (n = 96) performed a video narration task and completed questionnaires measuring their trait anxiety, foreign language anxiety, and task anxiety. Exploratory factor analysis identified the underlying sub-facets of the task anxiety construct, including language-related difficulties, environment-related anxiety, setting-related anxiety and physiological symptoms. Language-related difficulties explained the largest amount of variance and emerged as the most influential factor. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that task anxiety was an independent construct subject to direct influence from foreign language anxiety and indirect influence from trait anxiety. Findings suggest that task anxiety is a context-specific construct that warrants distinct attention from teachers and researchers. Implications for helping students to cope with anxiety in task-based pedagogy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When learning a second language, some connectives are more difficult to acquire and to master than others. While previous research has assessed different factors responsible for this difficulty by using offline tasks, little is known about the extent to which L2-readers are sensitive to different connectives while reading. In our study, we compared self-paced reading times of native and non-native speakers of French for sentences that were correctly or incorrectly marked with either the infrequent connective cependant ('however') or the more frequent mais ('but'). Results showed that incorrect uses only produced longer reading times when mais was used. Yet, in a sentence-evaluation-task using the same set of sentences, L2-speakers were able to discriminate incorrectly marked sentences with cependant from correctly marked ones. We conclude that a good theoretical understanding of connectives for L2 (Experiment 2) does not always warrant a quick activation of their meaning while reading (Experiment 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study deals with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of codeswitching as manifested in community-based ethnic-language classes. More specifically, it focuses on teachers' codeswitching from students' second language (Mandarin Chinese) to students' first language (English). The empirical study was conducted at one Chinese community school in the United Kingdom to investigate the instances in which teachers switch to students' first language and to explore teachers' introspection regarding their codeswitching behavior. Twelve types of codeswitching were identified and categorized in accordance with functions recorded in other studies. Discrepancies between teachers' beliefs on the choice of language medium and their actual practices were found. Teachers were not always aware of their codeswitching and they generally held positive attitudes towards their conscious codeswitching and negative attitudes towards subconscious codeswitching. Conscious switches were used mainly for pedagogical, interpersonal, and interactive purposes. A sense of guilt was found to be associated with their unconscious codeswitching. This study suggests that raising teachers' awareness of the potential usefulness of codeswitching within ethnic-language education is paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proficient first-language (L1) readers of alphabetic languages that are read left-to-right typically have a perceptual span of 3–4 characters to the left and 14–15 characters to the right of the foveal fixation. Given that second-language (L2) processing requires more cognitive resources, we hypothesize that L2ers will have a smaller perceptual span than L1ers, and may rely on a compensatory risky reading strategy with a more symmetrical perceptual span similar to that seen in older L1 adults. Here, we test the size and symmetry of the perceptual span in German L1/English L2ers reading in English. We manipulate the amount of information available (3,6,9 characters-left/3,9,15 characters-right) during reading, and also account for the influence of English skills. Results show that L2ers benefit from an increase of window size from 3 to 6 characters to the left, and from 3 to 9 characters to the right, with higher-skilled L2ers further benefiting from an increase to 15 characters to the right. Contrary to our hypothesis, proficient L2ers exhibit an asymmetric perceptual span similar to college-aged L1ers and do not employ a compensatory risky reading strategy. This suggests that L1 and L2 language processing are not qualitatively different, but are rather modulated by individual differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contributions to this Special Issue employ conversation analysis to illustrate how detailed analysis of language use can lead to the identification of assessable features of second/foreign language Interactional Competence (L2 IC) and the development of institutional testing instruments and practices. L2 IC has been the focus of much research at the intersection of social interaction and second language acquisition. It has also been treated as a construct in the field of language assessment. However, scholars in each research branch have just begun to collaborate systematically. This Special Issue furthers this collaboration, connecting research on L2 IC in diverse learning contexts with practical questions regarding the assessment of individual learners. It adopts a dialogic 'full paper–commenting paper' structure: Four empirical papers are each paired with invited commentaries that provide critical discussion and a complementary view of the topics the full papers address. The final discussion papers take a broader perspective on the complex nature of L2 IC and assessment and propose ways to productively move forward. Besides introducing the notion of L2 IC and each individual contribution, this introductory article explains the rationale behind the Special Issue in relation to current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]