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The systematic review was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, we (Ali Panahi and Hassan Mohebbi) reviewed Diane Larsen-Freeman's whole works, analyzed her overall contribution to the fields of language learning and teaching and then extracted and analyzed the varying areas of interest she has researched; the most focused and prevalently investigated issues in the order of dominance appeared to be SLA, complexity theory, teaching grammar, complexity theory and second language acquisition/second language development, complexity theory and applied linguistics, morpheme studies, teaching methodology, ESL index of development, teacher education, and ELF. Next, we created two main superordinate components, each containing their own subparts: a theory-practice link (annotations and relevance to language pedagogy or research) and main themes (article theme, technical terminology, and design types). Upon providing an account of a theory-practice link, we finally extracted a total number of 1160 terms sub-grouped into 462 technical terms for applied linguistics, 183 technical terms for complexity theory and 182 main terms for theories, approaches, methods, hypotheses, and views. The other umbrella issues are also briefly elaborated. In the second phase, Diane Larsen-Freeman provided her discussion of this systematic review and her personal reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotions in second language acquisition have started to gain attention in the past few years. One of the main theories that has been used to investigate students' achievement emotions is Pekrun's control–value theory of achievement emotions. This research aims to use the control–value theory to investigate the relationship between control and value appraisals, their interaction, and the effect they have on anxiety, boredom, and enjoyment in the context of SLA. Data were collected from 515 university students enrolled in an English language course whose first language was Arabic. The results of analyzing the data indicated that students' perceived intrinsic, attainment, and utility value interacted differently with students' perceived control to affect anxiety, boredom, and enjoyment. The results highlight the role played by intrinsic value in the relationship between control and anxiety and control and enjoyment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social sciences have grappled with sampling biases, perhaps most notably the prevalent reliance on convenience samples drawn from university student populations. Researchers in second language acquisition (SLA) have likewise taken steps to assess and address the scope of these biases and their effects on theory construction. This special issue presents a collection of replications and registered replication reports comprising one such initiative, titled SLA for All? The replications aimed to evaluate the generalizability of findings from foundational SLA studies, which were obtained with university‐educated participants, to nonuniversity participant groups. In this introduction to the special issue, we review and discuss the general failure to replicate the initial results, the complex notion of replication, and questions of research ethics. We offer an in‐depth reflection on how our perspectives, practices, and future plans have evolved and conclude with a vision for a more inclusive, diverse, and informative approach to SLA research going forward. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in non‐technical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tests the Bottleneck Hypothesis (BH) that functional morphology presents the greatest difficulty in second language acquisition by examining Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' knowledge of both functional morphological properties and core syntactic properties across three language proficiency levels. Specifically, this study compares Chinese EFL learners' grasp of subject–verb agreement (a functional morphological property) vs. their grasp of the syntactic formation rules (properties) of WH-questions including WH-movement, WH- do -insertion (i.e. the insertion of the auxiliary do), and WH- do -inversion (subject–auxiliary inversion): three core syntactic transformation rules. Analyses of the experimental results using generalized mixed-effects models yield complex results that generally support the BH. While subject–verb agreement was found to be persistently more difficult than WH-movement and WH- do -inversion, it was shown to pose essentially the same level of difficulty as WH- do -insertion due to the fact that the latter also involves the application of the functional features of SV-agreement and tense, i.e. the high level of difficulty of WH- do -insertion likely lies in its accompanying application of functional features. Possible explanations for the complex results and their implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how foreign language proficiency, which previous corpus-based research on alternation phenomena has largely ignored, influences the choice of genitive variant (the tail of the dog/the dog's tail) in learners of English as a Foreign Language. The data stems from the Trinity Lancaster Corpus, a three-million-word corpus featuring spoken language from low-intermediate to advanced learners of English from several L1 backgrounds. The collected genitive observations were annotated for various constraints such as the length, animacy, definiteness and discourse status of the constituents and then analyzed via mixed-effects logistic regression. The results show that although native speakers and learners are remarkably similar, low-proficiency learners are less sensitive to possessor definiteness and possessor animacy, the latter of which is otherwise the strongest constraint of the genitive alternation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology integration in second language acquisition (SLA) has become prevalent and prominent in the modern age. Quizlet has emerged as a vocabulary learning tool integrated not only into computers (CALL) but also into mobile phones (MALL), over the years; its effectiveness has already been proved via several quasi-experimental studies. However, such research is still limited; some did not even include a control group. Further, whether learners' individual differences may have any impact on Quizlet effectiveness in promoting lexical gains remains unknown. To address these gaps, this study was conducted with the participation of 68 Vietnamese undergraduates, following a pretest-posttest design together with semi-structured interviews. While the control group (N = 35) reviewed lexical items in a conventional way, the experimental group (N = 33) used Quizlet for vocabulary revision. Prior to the five-week treatment, all participants took the pretest, receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge tests, and three working memory tests. When all revision sessions were completed, all participants took the posttest. Then, five random learners in the experimental group were invited to join the semi-structured interviews. Results showed that while revision on Quizlet led to greater lexical gains, working memory and prior vocabulary knowledge did not play any significant role in predicting such improvements. Pedagogical implications for teachers and recommendations for future research were also provided to address vocabulary retention, individual differences, and the use of Quizlet more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study builds on prior research on second language (L2) Spanish psych verbs, which has centered on morphosyntactic properties, by examining their syntactic distribution, which relies on lexical semantic knowledge. The fact that certain forms are licensed for some verbs, but not others, is the result of an underlying lexical semantic difference across verb classes, represented here as a difference in formal feature strength. To fully acquire the relevant grammatical distribution, L2 learners must successfully acquire (i) licensing restrictions on argument structure and (ii) underlying lexical semantic representations of individual verbs. Three groups of L2 learners (n = 66) and a group of native Spanish speakers (n = 19) completed two judgment tasks (one with aural stimuli and one with written stimuli) which presented object experiencer psych verbs in multiple argument structures. Results show that advanced L2 learners are largely sensitive to the distribution tested here; however, while they have acquired relevant licensing restrictions, they may associate fixed feature settings with verbs that allow variable feature settings. These results are consistent with predictions made by the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis and highlight the role of lexical semantic features in second language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated Thai EFL learners’ acquisition of English dative constructions, i.e., Prepositional Dative (PD) and Double Object (DO) constructions employing Radford’s (2004) Minimalist accounts as a framework and Acceptability Judgment as a task. Two hypotheses were formulated. Firstly, the English PD would be accepted more readily than the English DO, due to the availability of PDs in both languages and the absence of DOs, by English standards, in Thai. Secondly, if there was L1 transfer, English counterparts of Thai DO and Thai Serial Verb constructions (SVC) would be initially accepted at a greater rate than English DOs. At later stages, given access to UG and adequate L2 input, the English DO would be accepted more significantly than the Thai DO and Thai SVC. Participants consisted of three groups of Thai EFL learners (beginning, intermediate, and upper intermediate). Results largely confirm both hypotheses. Particularly, Thai DOs and SVCs were rejected substantially from the intermediate learners onwards. This shows that the initial transfer of Thai DO and SVCs did not occur. Therefore, this study does not support Full Transfer at the initial stage (contra Schwartz & Sprouse, 1996). This study suggests L2 learners’ indecision on the target L2 structure at the early stage and progress to attainment at later stages, in line with Wakabayashi’s Lexical Learning and Lexical Transfer hypothesis (2009), and accessibility to UG at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst the links between learner corpus research (LCR) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have long been debated, McEnery et al. (2019. "Corpus Linguistics, Learner Corpora, and SLA: Employing Technology to Analyze Language Use." Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 39: 74-92. doi:) claim that learner corpus data are not yet sufficiently integrated in SLA research. This article aims to go one way towards bridging the LCR/SLA gap by illustrating the benefits of collecting and analyzing data sets that better document multiliteracy practices. We first contextualize our work within the field of LCR where calls for more multidimensional data sets have been made. We then present a new database called MulTINCo - Multilingual Traditional, Immersion, and Native Corpus - collected in the framework of a project on Content and Language Integrated Learning in French-speaking Belgium. As our data set contains rich metadata and blends corpus data with other data types, we illustrate its potential for SLA research. In Sections 3 and 4, we describe the data collected and the interface. In the last section of the paper, we wrap up with a discussion on the methodological assets of such multidimensional data sets for SLA studies, and present directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study follows seven learners of English as a Second Language for 17 years and looks into the acquisition of motion lexicalization patterns in English, specifically the path component as explained by Talmy (2000) and Slobin (1987, 2004, 2017). The data suggest that advanced Spanish learners of English benefitting from both instructed and naturalistic acquisition show an unawareness of differences in the conceptualization of motion in the L2 (Jarvis & Pavlenko 2008). And as a consequence, learners may not develop common L2 lexicalization patterns of motion - reflected in their interlanguage - but can also curtail further advancement as fossilization may set in prematurely. This study posits that awareness of conceptual differences between languages can lead to more progress and proficiency in late advanced learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SLA refers to the process by which individuals learn a second language, and understanding its principles and theories can greatly inform and enhance language teaching practices. It is already known that individuals have different style, motivation and needs when learning a second language. Consequently, factors such as prior knowledge, motivation, learning strategies, cultural background, and individual differences should also be considered when designing language instruction to create an inclusive and effective learning environment for SLA students. It is hardly possible to design a particular curriculum for every student individually, especially in bigger classrooms, however gathering data on the above factors would surely help in employing instructional strategies that would provide a well-rounded learning experience for all students. Hence, this research examines SLA research studies and their use to the improvement of teaching strategies, student experience in SL classes and higher results in different aspects of second language acquisition. Analysis of research papers within the expansive domain of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) yields substantial insights; nonetheless, only a fraction is selected to capture the essence of their advantages and the application of their findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most important constructs of individual differences in second language learning, motivation has garnered a lot of attention in the area of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Nevertheless, little bibliometric research has been conducted to provide a systematic overview of this line of research, which will help researchers to better understand how motivation-related research in SLA has evolved over the past 22 years and where it might push the boundaries of SLA research into in the future. In this study, three types of bibliometric analyses (i.e., co-citation analysis, citation analysis, and keyword analysis) were performed to identify the prominent scholarly documents, authors, venues of publications, and research topics that have been highly influential in the research of motivation in SLA between 2000 and 2021. Results from scientific network maps and keyword analysis suggest significant changes in the topic over the past 22 years. The results in this study also indicate an evident continuity of theoretic development in L2 language learning motivation research. Moreover, an air of active use of qualitative approaches has been detected in L2 language learning motivation research in the last 22 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration to a foreign country can be a complex process involving the adjustment to a new culture and the acquisition of a second language (L2). Acculturation, the process by which an individual integrates their native values and behaviours with those of the host culture, is an integral part of this process. It has been suggested that the choice of acculturation strategy can either facilitate or hinder L2 acquisition (Schumann, 1986; Berry, 1997). Pronunciation is a vital aspect of L2 proficiency and is often seen as mediating an individual's identity in the host culture (Piske et al., 2001). This study focuses on the pronunciation patterns of ten adult Polish immigrants living in Welshpool, Wales, and attempts to examine the potential relationship between a chosen acculturation strategy (adaptation or preservation) and the use of rhoticity in English. Rhoticity, a salient feature of British English pronunciation that varies in use and quality depending on the region (Wells, 1982), has been previously studied in relation to the use of rhoticity by Polish speakers (Jaworski, 2010; Jaworski & Gillian, 2011; Stolarski, 2013, 2015; Zając, 2016; Rojczyk & Zając, 2017; Matysiak, 2020), with a notable emphasis on the use of taps in intervocalic and post-vocalic positions. The present study found some inconsistencies in the use of rhoticity in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of Complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) in the field of second language question (SLA), the need for suitable CDST compatible methods for the investigation of temporal change in L2 affective variables has been felt more than before. One of the innovative methods for this purpose is latent growth curve modeling (LGCM), which has recently drawn the attention of SLA scholars. However, the application of this method is still a burgeoning demand in SLA. In response to this demand, the present study provides a review of the conceptualization, significance, and technical features of the implementation of LGCM. In doing so, this review suggests a number of practices via which LGCM has been introduced in SLA. Additionally, some practical implications are provided for SLA researchers to enhance their literacy of LGCM. Finally, future research suggestions for the progress of the use of this method in SLA are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Language, Interaction & Acquisition / Langage, Interaction et Acquisition is the property of John Benjamins Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Inflectional morphology causes persistent difficulties for second language (L2) learners (Montrul, Silvina & Kim Potowski. 2007. Command of gender agreement in school-age Spanish-English bilingual children. International Journal of Bilingualism 11(3). 301–328; Montrul, Silvina, Israel de la Fuente, Justin Davidson & Rebecca Foote. 2013. The role of experience in the acquisition and production of diminutives and gender in Spanish: Evidence from L2 learners and heritage speakers. Second Language Research 29(1). 87–118). Learners operate with a default gender value, and overgeneralize the masculine forms of determiners and modifiers (White, Lydia, Elena Valenzuela, Martyna Kozlowska-Macgregor & Ingrid Leung. 2004. Gender and number agreement in nonnative Spanish. Applied Psycholinguistics 25(1). 105–133; Schlig 2003). 111 essays written were collected containing 799 correct uses and 281 errors from Dutch students whose written ability in Spanish is A2 (Common European Framework). The results show that singular masculine nominal agreement marking at the determiner is significantly better produced by Dutch L2 learners of Spanish than when the marking of nominal agreement is plural, feminine or at the adjective. This study corroborates the previous results where learners operate with a default gender value and overgeneralize the masculine forms of determiners. Also these results show that L2 learners of Spanish are significantly less accurate in gender agreement with adjectives than with determiners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars have highlighted the great variability of second language acquisition outcomes and, thus, the inconsistencies and inconclusiveness in the study abroad literature. These have called for longitudinal, case‐based research that focuses on the students' processes (rather than outcomes) and that showcases the heterogeneity of experiences in two ways: by pointing at students' socialization abroad as a key aspect affecting outcome and by accounting for other interlinking factors that may affect the students' different trajectories. From a discourse‐analytic approach, this article presents a longitudinal, qualitative multiple‐case study of the Erasmus experience of nine Catalan‐Spanish undergraduate students in Italy, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The focus will be on the reported linguistic impact of their sojourn abroad; how this is related to the social networks formed abroad; and the factors that shaped the participants' socialization patterns and ultimately their second language learning and use trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital learning, social contact and COVID-19 outbreak are three different phrases have been often heard, read or spoken about since 2020. Undoubtedly, these phrases have brought fear of uncertainty, but also hope to find a new perspective to keep life matters on-going including learning in general, and language acquisition in particular. In order to find the impact of virtual learning and social contact on second language acquisition, a total of 389 second language university students have either online surveyed or been interviewed to validate the results and avoid any misleading. After analyzing the data, results revealed that virtual learning has given the learner a chance to develop understanding of different aspects of learning a second language. Flexibility, free-learning, and richness of knowledge source are positive aspects of virtual learning. Likewise, social contact has an essential role in deepen the understanding of contextual use, semantics and lexis, and other aspects of second language acquisition. Interestingly, both social and virtual aspects of learning motivate the learner to reach language mastery. Therefore, the findings urge the use of virtual learning regarding social contact in developing linguistic skills in second language acquisition. Further insights are recommended to enrich the future research in this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review discusses and compares the findings of 38 peer-reviewed studies on text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication for second or foreign language learning from over the past twelve years. Research themes that emerged include: modality, corrective feedback, noticing, alignment and uptake, as well as task design/conditions and grouping. The comparison of findings revealed that the medium may enhance or hinder language learning depending on the context, method of implementation, and pedagogical aims. It also uncovers implications for language learning theory and practice that are less evident when examining each study in isolation, including findings on face-preservation and learner engagement, features of communication besides negotiation of meaning that lead to language acquisition, as well as a possible interaction between cognitive complexity and modality in the effectiveness of language learning tasks.

Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), as the most prevalent positive emotion predicting L2 learners' academic performance and well-being, and a critical factor contributing to the creation of positive micro-institutions (e.g., the classrooms), has received remarkable scholarly attention across the globe in the past eight years. Despite the fact that FLE is the most extensively investigated positive emotion and extant research has yielded rich and invaluable findings, it is far from being adequately studied, leaving vast lacunas to be explored. Therefore, this conceptual review article is written to familiarize language education researchers, practitioners, instructors, and learners with the current status of FLE research and its potential applications in L2 education, and suggest potential avenues for future research. To this aim, by making a diachronical and synchronical delineation of extant literature with regard to the conceptualization and theorization of FLE, and the methodology of FLE research, we argue that it is incumbent on researchers to make a new line of enquiry into the actualization of the ascertained affordances of FLE and its transmission in the microsystem of the classroom. Subsequently, by drawing on the broaden-and-build theory and the control-value theory, we highlight the significance of conducting FLE research with theoretical triangulation and methodological diversity to validate the data and minimum bias. Next, while highlighting the critical role of FLE in L2 education, we suggest some pedagogical implications with the hope of enlightening the practice of key stakeholders such as instructors, teacher educators, and teacher recruiters. In the end, the limitations of existing literature are explicated, and avenues for future studies on FLE in L2 education domain are put forward for interested researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose While there have been studies on exploring motivation in learning second language, there is hardly any study that explores the motivation orientation of the PG level management students of India. The main purpose of teaching communication skills courses to management students is to make them employable and enable get good jobs and good salaries after completing the program. A research gap needed to be filled to find out whether motivation orientation of the PG students of B-Schools in Delhi NCR integrative or instrumental and whether attitude of the PG level management students toward second language learning is positive or negative. Methodology an empirical study was conducted on 80 such students at an established Business school in India. The study explored majorly two areas: Motivation Orientation of the students. Students' attitude towards learning English language. The first part would help the teachers know how to motivate the students and the second would encourage the teachers to plan activities. Findings The findings of the research work clearly indicate that the motivation orientation of the students was majorly instrumental since they wanted to learn English to get good jobs and high salaries. In the Indian context, high paying management jobs are based on the ability of the recruits to communicate effectively in English. Implications to Research and Practice The paper suggests that knowing what exactly motivates the management graduates to learn English as a second language may help the teachers use more relevant teaching material and methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an exploratory qualitative study of the acquisition of Moroccan Arabic by four illegal transit migrants in Rabat. These migrants come from Senegal, Congo, Cameroon and Ghana. They speak different mother tongues but three of them speak French as a second language while the Ghanaian speaks English. The paper tries to focus on the micro level of individual experiences as well as on the meso level of migrant organizations and the macro level of language ideologies. The informants have been found to draw on various linguistic and nonlinguistic resources to achieve understanding of the multilingual sociolinguistic situation of the host society and to try to establish communication with its members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current post‐secondary educational system for professional preparation of the Ukrainian EFL teachers is not satisfactory. This paper attempts to make an objective comparative analysis of professional training programmes of American ESL teachers versus Ukrainian EFL teachers with the purpose of improving its current state. The questionnaire on professional standards and teachers' evaluation and second language acquisition was created. English faculty members of Central Ukrainian State Pedagogical University and Uman State Pedagogical University were surveyed. The study pointed out the five mandatory TESOL standards in preparing EFL/ESL teachers such as language, culture, instruction, assessment, professionalism and provided reasoned arguments why it would be prudent to include some of the TESOL fundamental core subjects such as first language acquisition, second language acquisition, bilingual pedagogy and professional ethics into Ukrainian educational curricula. The authors eliminated some deeply rooted and widespread professional stereotypes about teaching English that still exist among many Ukrainian EFL professionals. The research clearly revealed a significant contrast between academically competent and professionally qualified teachers and allowed 55 experienced Ukrainian EFL teachers with advanced postgraduate academic degrees to freely express their opinions about some severe problems that exist in today's national EFL educational system. The study contributes to the body of research concerning the training of professional EFL teachers in Ukraine. Additionally, these findings can be useful for ordinary EFL teachers in their everyday professional practice for improving their classroom instruction and delivery methods or for designing their teaching and learning materials. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyTeachers represent their universities and public education system and, accordingly, play a vital role in the moral, emotional, intellectual, cultural, spiritual preservation of any society. The authors believe that many modern Ukrainian EFL teachers enter their early teaching professionally incompetent and profoundly incapable to meet the linguistic and academic needs of their students, the majority of whom become decades‐long learners without progress in studying English. Thus, it is of great importance that the existing modern US theories, principles and concepts in preparing ESL professionals are analysed and professional training curricula of American ESL teachers are compared with curricula of Ukrainian EFL teachers to check if there are things that may be adjusted or applied to the current Ukrainian EFL educational programme.Why the new findings matterIt is necessary for Ukrainian educators and academic institutions to reshape their thinking and further explore the topic of proper teaching EFL in Ukraine by deeper understanding of this issue, designing proper curricula for professional schools and releasing necessary students' textbooks. The study contributes to the research concerning the training of professional EFL teachers in Ukraine. Academic institutions may take into consideration the study findings and decide whether some fundamentally needed and occupationally relevant subjects should be integrated. Among them, the authors proposed FLA, SLA, bilingual pedagogics, professional ethics, official bilingualism, independent external school‐exit evaluation adopted from US model professional preparation of ESL teachers in order to improve the quality of EFL teaching in Ukraine.Implications for teachersThe findings can be used by EFL teachers in their everyday classroom instruction and delivery methods, in the design of teaching and learning materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose the implementation of a full-fledged feature-based lexicalist syntactic theory as a way to represent the possible configurations of features in the learner's interlanguage and formalize a theory of acquisition based in feature reassembly. We describe gender agreement pronominal coindexation in Spanish using Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG) and use it to analyze the results of a self-paced reading test with L1 and L2 speakers. We find that the specification of the gender feature value at the syntactic level in epicene antecedents facilitates pronominal resolution in L1 Spanish speakers. Conversely, there is a cognitive cost when the gender feature is underspecified at the syntactic level in common gender antecedents; this cost is not found among L2 speakers. The detailed descriptions in terms of feature specification in the HPSG framework allow us to observe differences between the L1 and L2 grammars in fine-grained detail and represent optionality at the lexical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Language, Interaction & Acquisition / Langage, Interaction et Acquisition is the property of John Benjamins Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present paper looks into SLA research which has been overwhelmed with multitude of competing theories, thus making it plausible that none of them alone can explain the complex issue to a satisfying extent. Following the search for complementarity, this study seeks to show how a sociolinguistic approach contributes to the understanding of SLA, by pointing to gains as well as to limitations of applying only such an approach. Responding to the appeal for an enhancement of using sociolinguistic as well as socio-cognitive theories, this paper pursues this endeavour by critically analysing a sociolinguistic approach and zooming in on research on two articles – by Soltani (2018) and Anderson (2017) – about study abroad in Anglophone countries. The author argues that although the two studies are focused on a specific group of learners in specific circumstances and might not have contributed to an improvement in a narrow view of SLA, they have highlighted the need to put cognitive theories into a socialisation perspective and to recognise that similar issues might arise when other target groups such as EFL secondary school students go abroad on a school exchange and are confronted with socialisation into family, school or peers. The paper concludes that if sociolinguistic approaches seek a holistic account of the complexities of second language learning, they should adapt to new developments and collaborate with cognitive theories.

The past two decades have seen a growing interest in the role of humor and play in second- language (L2) learning and teaching. Vega (1990) went as far as to propose viewing humor as a fifth element of communicative competence; more recently, Cook (2000) has argued that language play should be regarded as “both a means and an end of language learning” (p. 204). Teachers have, in fact, long been advised to introduce elements of humor and play into the language classroom (e.g., Holmes, 1980; Schmitz, 2002; Trachtenberg 1979). However, as Bell (2009, 2011, 2013) has pointed out, such recommendations have largely been based on assumptions and intuitions rather than empirical research. Studies of specific pedagogical interventions have generally been lacking (Bell, 2013).

Many theorists have pointed out that in real world communication, the usage of a language is always colored by a cultural norm so that the language used in communication can be understood by the majority of a cultural community or society. The relationship between language usage and cultural norms or pragmatic rules can never be broken in communication. In cross-cultural communication, the differences in pragmatic rules, communicative strategies, cross-cultural psychology among other may become problematic areas in learning a second or foreign language. Consequently, making the differences known to both learners and teachers is of paramount importance in teaching and learning a second or foreign language. By addressing and discussing some cultural-specific factors in teaching and learning a second or foreign language, this thesis aims to provide useful learning factors in which learners frame meaning in a second or foreign language and thus emphasize the importance of teaching culture to second or foreign language learners, it also tentatively provide some instructional strategies for teaching culture in second or foreign language acquisition (SLA/FLA) classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the current available research, it is evident that further evidence is needed to understand Second Language Acquisition (SLA) processes under planned bilingualism approaches in English as a Second Language (ESL) environments. This study employs an explanatory single case strategy to investigate the oral proficiency and SLA experiences of a native-like English speaker brought up by second language (L2) English-speaking parents in a Spanish-speaking country. The main participants were Victoria, a 27-year-old, and her father Rafael who chose a planned bilingualism approach for her daughter's upbringing in Colombia. Data collection instruments included 51 questionnaires and 2 individual semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that the concepts of English nativeness and language ownership ought to be based on categorisations of language expertise or proficiency rather than on other categorisations such as country of origin, nationality or the number of languages people speak. Impersonal L2 input sources such as films seem important in a learner's SLA process. Parents' involvement with the target language and interest in its culture are also important in a learner's successful SLA process in ESL environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) not only provides access to authentic learning resources and facilitates second language (L2) learning anytime and anywhere but also offers scope for informal learning beyond the classroom. Social media with instant messaging and multi-modal communication and information sharing provide platforms for interaction with peers and collaborative learning to hone their L2 skills. There is little research on informal learning through WhatsApp in enhancing L2 speaking skills. This paper studies the impact of interaction and informal learning in a WhatsApp group on improving a) fluency and coherence, b) lexical resource, c) grammatical range and accuracy and d) pronunciation which form the criteria for assessing speaking skills in IELTS. It also studies how participants perceive the changes in their speaking skills based on the band descriptors of IELTS. Mixed methods approach was adopted to obtain data from the group consisting of mixed ability participants (n=110) with pre and post speaking assessments and pre and post surveys. The participants were given collaborative learning activities and problem solving tasks at regular intervals for over two semesters. The results indicated statistically significant difference in their speaking skills and considerable change in their perceptions. The study has implications for both teachers and researchers of second language acquisition (SLA) for incorporating social media for interaction in the target language beyond the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of ‘Extensive Reading’ has gained recognition for last 20 years. Many researchers have researched the importance and advantages of reading extensively in ESL and EFL Contexts. English enjoys the status of ESL in elite schools of Pakistan; however, the implication of second language acquisition is quite vague and unclear. Though these schools focus on English language since the foundation level, a majority of students are never able to write immaculate scripts or speak well. To hone their all four skills in English language, it is important that they acquire it rather than learning it. For the acquisition of English language the role of input cannot be neglected. Reading is one of the input skills without which the acquisition of language is almost impossible. The current study highlighted the importance a specific way of reading such as ‘extensive reading’ in the process of acquisition of English in Pakistani settings. The target population was all private low fee schools of Lahore. The sample was 120 students. Intact groups were used in the current study. The study was quasi experimental in nature and pretest posttest control group design. The Cambridge KEY for schools (sample test) was the instrument. Reading is a complex skill in second language which enhances vocabulary, knowledge of semantics and understanding. Through a systematic reading learners gain a large amount of vocabulary. Reading was another independent variable in this research. Students were given the exposure towards extensive reading materials in form of short stories with and without illustrations. This was manipulated in form of excessive amount of input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listening skills, considered by many to be the most critical language learning skills, have yet to emerge a variety of problems for learners. In order to have an effective listening class, teachers can use one of the many technology-enhanced language learning tools, web-based materials. In this article attempts have been made to make a comprehensive review on the grounded theory of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Second Language Learning (SLA) related to the use of web-based resources in teaching and learning English, especially for listening skills. This article also proposes a framework for conducting CALL evaluation that is worthy for website materials. The result yields a good guideline for teachers to make judgment or decision in choosing the most congruent web-based sources for teaching listening skills. As a result, teachers are able to adapt a proper teaching materials and methodology for listening skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If one has to use a catchy word to capture the connection between the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Language Teaching (LT), the word “task” would be most likely to jump to mind. Since its initial proposals in the late 1980s, the concept has now blossomed into a distinct field of research, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), which is often deemed to be a researched pedagogy that bridges a gap between SLA research and LT. Much of the development in TBLT is due to scholarly presentations and publications, particularly those by Long (1985, 2015), Skehan (1998), and Robinson (2001, 2011), among many others. The book Domains and Directions in the Development of TBLT is a comprehensive collection of selected plenary speeches delivered at biennial international conferences on TBLT from 2005 to 2013. Martin Bygate, editor of the book, introduces the book by highlighting the pivotal role of tasks and the research and educational relevance of TBLT, echoed throughout the entire book.

Since its inception in the late 1960’s, the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) has undergone many transformations. As pre-existing theories have been expanded upon and new theories introduced, researchers and practitioners have come to a deeper understanding of the second language (L2) learning process. The past two decades, in particular, have seen a shift in the way that L2 learning is conceived. Ever since Diane Larsen-Freeman published her seminal article on complex systems and L2 development (Larsen-Freeman, 1997), the theory known as Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) has brought a new orientation into SLA discourse. Since then, researchers have transferred their attention from acquisition to development, linearity to nonlinearity, and stability to variability. It is this shift that provides the impetus for this special issue of the Teachers College Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. In this issue, four studies apply CDST concepts and various methods of data analysis to a single, naturalistic dataset, which consists of an asynchronous, dyadic written e-mail interaction between a native speaker (NS) and non-native speaker (NNS) of English. The findings within the different studies are varied and together provide a complex, yet not entirely complete, view of intercultural interaction and developing interlanguage as dynamic systems. This introduction will provide some historical background for CDST, followed by a discussion of the characteristics of dynamic systems. Prior empirical research within the CDST framework will also be discussed. Finally, the context of the special issue will be described in more detail along with a brief summary of the four studies that comprise this special issue.

On February 16, 2018, Working Papers in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (represented by Kaylee Fernandez, Michelle Stabler-Havener, and Carol HoiYee Lo) had the great pleasure of interviewing Dr. Roy Lyster, the invited speaker for the 2018 Applied Linguistics & Language Education (APPLE) Lecture Series hosted annually by the Applied Linguistics and TESOL Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Lyster shared his research and advice he has for current and future researchers and educators in Applied Linguistics and TESOL. Dr. Roy Lyster is Emeritus Professor of Second Language Education in the Department of Integrated Studies Education at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His research examines content-based language teaching and the effects of instructional interventions designed to counterbalance form-focused and content-based approaches. His research interests also include professional development and collaboration among teachers for the purpose of integrated language learning and biliteracy development. He was co-recipient with colleague Leila Ranta of the 1998 Paul Pimsleur Award for Research in Foreign Language Education and was presented the Robert Roy Award by the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers in 2017. He was co-president then president of the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics from 2004 to 2008. He is author of a module called Content-Based Language Teaching published by Routledge in 2018, and two books: Learning and Teaching Languages Through Content published by Benjamins in 2007 and Vers une approche intégrée en immersion published by Les Éditions CEC in 2016.

The present paper looks into SLA research which has been overwhelmed with multitude of competing theories, thus making it plausible that none of them alone can explain the complex issue to a satisfying extent. Following the search for complementarity, this study seeks to show how a sociolinguistic approach contributes to the understanding of SLA, by pointing to gains as well as to limitations of applying only such an approach. Responding to the appeal for an enhancement of using sociolinguistic as well as sociocognitive theories, this paper pursues this endeavour by critically analysing a sociolinguistic approach and zooming in on research on two articles -- by Soltani (2018) and Anderson (2017) -- about study abroad in Anglophone countries. The author argues that although the two studies are focused on a specific group of learners in specific circumstances and might not have contributed to an improvement in a narrow view of SLA, they have highlighted the need to put cognitive theories into a socialisation perspective and to recognise that similar issues might arise when other target groups such as EFL secondary school students go abroad on a school exchange and are confronted with socialisation into family, school or peers. The paper concludes that if sociolinguistic approaches seek a holistic account of the complexities of second language learning, they should adapt to new developments and collaborate with cognitive theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affected by the overwhelming impact of globalization, many people have realized the importance of mastering a second language and begun to learn it. While research on second language acquisition has been under the way for a long time on a large scale. With the development of second language teaching, many researchers and educators try to find out the factors affecting second language Acquisition (SLA). SLA is a complicated and systematic process, which will influenced by many factors that affect and interact each other. This essay will make a further analysis on the social factors and individual factors in the process of SLA, with the expectation that it can bring implications to teachers as well as learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population displacements have occurred in tremendous amounts in the last few decades due to the collapse in civil order of the neighbouring countries of Turkey. This situation not only created a need for researchers to deal with the social, psychological and economical aspects of this forced mobility, but also with the acculturation process of the refugees who left their home owing to serious human rights violations. Because they do not occupy a great space in the policy agendas, they are an 'invisible' group. This poses a major problem that there are no specific theories regarding the second language acquisition process of refugees, because they are considered together with all immigrants although their experiences distinguish them from other groups. Thus, feeling the need to be the voice of this unvoiced group with their SLA experiences and witnessing the swiftly changing dynamics in the world, the Middle East in particular, and its impact on the sociocultural context, this paper concentrates on the perceptions of Syrian refugees about the L2 (Turkish) and the target language group (Turkish people). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To balance the research that has been carried out on negative emotions, the researchers in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) have recently focused on the role of positive academic emotions and their role in the process of acquiring a foreign language (FL). The aim of the present article is to examine the relationships between foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and students' academic achievement in English in order to prove that these two emotions do not constitute opposite dimensions but may converge and diverge from time to time during the learning process. This article calls for a more dynamic approach to studying emotions and investigating whether and to what extent these two emotions may mutually shape one another and thus affect learners' achievement in the foreign language classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the extent to which first language (L1) awareness can benefit second language (L2) grammatical learning of the French Imparfait, a crosslinguistically complex target feature. Sixty-nine English-speaking learners of L2 French received different types of explicit information (EI) about L2 or L2 + L1 form-meaning mappings. A 'core' treatment received by all learners consisted of EI about L2 with L2 comprehension-based practice of French sentences. Two further treatments examined the impact of additional (i) EI about L1 and (ii) comprehension practice of L1 sentences. Results from an online self-paced reading test, offline judgment tests (in reading and listening) and an oral sentence completion test with source of knowledge probes showed that performance immediately after the instruction and then six weeks later improved only for learners exhibiting L1 awareness. These results suggest that awareness of L1 form-meaning mappings can benefit L2 grammar learning of a crosslinguistically complex target feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through either morphological or functional approaches, previous research has examined how instructed second language (L2) learners develop control over a challenging area of French: the use of the imparfait. In order to better understand this challenge, this cross‐sectional study utilized both approaches and examined how 94 university Hispanophone learners of French developed control over 5 L2 imperfective functions with 4 verb types in 2 written narratives. Each L2 learner was assigned to 1 of 6 groups depending on the number of imperfective instances in their texts. In order to identify features of learner language, L2 imperfective use was compared to the imperfective found in first language (L1) Spanish (n = 31) and L1 French (n = 47) narratives. The analyses of the 2,176 instances of L2 imperfective use revealed that this form develops in accordance with a trend whereby a decrease is found from the characterization/state combination, to habituality/telics, to progressivity/nonpunctual dynamic verbs, to inchoative characterization/states, and to frequentation/activities. In contrast to the L1 imperfective in Spanish and French, the L2 imperfective showed variability across these combinations. Moreover, in the L2 narratives, learners favored the characterization/state association at the expense of using other imperfective functions with other verb types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As research in cognitive psychology and neurosciences develops new models to describe the acquisition and emergence of cognitive skills, these findings call for an adjustment of EFL (and general L2) didactic approaches. The discovery of mirror neurons and social modeling theories have marked a turning point to understand the cognitive processes underlying language perception and L2 learning. This article provides an overview of the recent findings in the field of neurosciences and cognitive psychology and discusses their effects on language acquisition, with special reference to EFL learning, by taking into consideration the critical role played by emulation and the continuous improvement and spreading of technology. The article aims to provide food for thoughts in light of an interdisciplinary informed didactic approach to second language learning, with special reference to the implementation of modeling in EFL learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]