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Abstract: Previous studies report that exposure to the Māori language on a regular basis allows New Zealand adults who cannot speak Māori to build a proto‐lexicon of Māori—an implicit memory of word forms without detailed knowledge of meaning. How might this knowledge feed into explicit language learning? Is it possible to “awaken” the proto‐lexicon in the context of overt language learning? We investigate whether implicit linguistic knowledge represented in a proto‐lexicon gives any advantages for intentional language learning in a tertiary educational environment. We conducted a three‐task experiment which: (a) assessed participants’ Māori proto‐lexicon, (b) assessed their phonotactic knowledge, and (c) tested them on Māori vocabulary that they had been exposed to during the course at two time points. The results show that students with larger Māori proto‐lexicons learn more words in a classroom setting. This study shows that proto‐lexicon acquired from ambient exposure can lead to significant benefits in language learning.

Abstract: Previous research has shown that non-Māori Speaking New Zealanders have extensive latent knowledge of Māori, despite not being able to speak it. This knowledge plausibly derives from a memory store of Māori forms (Oh et al., 2020; Panther et al., 2023). Modelling suggests that this ‘proto-lexicon’ includes not only Māori words, but also word-parts; however, this suggestion has not yet been tested experimentally. We present the results of a new experiment in which non-Māori speaking New Zealanders and non-New Zealanders were asked to segment a range of Māori words into parts. We show that the degree to which segmentations of non-Māori speakers correlate to the segmentations of two fluent speakers of Māori is stronger among New Zealanders than non-New Zealanders. This research adds to the growing evidence that even in a largely ‘monolingual’ population, there is evidence of latent bilingualism through long-term exposure to a second language.

This study was undertaken at a Mongolian community language school which aims to support Mongolian heritage children to learn their home language and culture. The learners were aged 4–15 years with diverse abilities in the Mongolian language. Informed by both purpose-developed Needs and Interest Analyses, a task-based language teaching (TBLT) program was developed and implemented over a six-month period. To evaluate the usefulness of this, two methods were utilised. Firstly, learners’ task-based interactions were recorded regularly, transcribed and qualitatively analysed. Secondly, stakeholder feedback was elicited via interviews. The findings showed that the learners interacted in ways facilitative of second language acquisition (i.e., they received abundant input, used a variety of interactive strategies, provided peer scaffolding, and modified their output according to the feedback). They also engaged in translanguaging to support their understanding and meaning making. Stakeholder feedback pointed to some challenges, but also many positive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSiegel claimed that teachers are obliged to provide grounds whenever demanded, as a result of which they must be able to subject to scrutiny whatever they teach. In this paper, however, and taking as a reference Wittgenstein’s On Certainty, it is shown that such a demand cannot work for second language teachers because their main task consists in transmitting ungrounded certainties. To clarify this point, I begin by presenting Wittgenstein’s conception of ‘certainty’, and explaining why I think he was right to provide examples of teachers who refuse to answer their students’ doubts concerning certainties. Thereafter, I analyze two kinds of grounds – i.e. historical and practical – with which a second language teacher might reply to the students’ queries about the certainties that he aims to transmit to them. This will enable me to reveal the consequences of such replies and, by extension, the scenario that would result from allowing students to decide whether they accept whatever is taught to them. In this way, I will show not only that Siegel’s demand is unfeasible, but also why second language teaching provides a clear example that the acquisition of certainties constitutes a final goal in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the possible impact of language ideologies on second language proficiency. Based on interviews and a thematic analysis, we explored language ideologies among French long-term residents in Stockholm, Sweden. The participants had contrasting proficiency levels in the host community language: five were categorised as low-performers of Swedish and five as high-performers of Swedish, based on two linguistic measures. Overall, low-performing and high-performing language users in this sample of French long-term residents in Sweden appear to hold different ideologies related to mobility and language learning. While the low-performers tend to adhere to efficiency-related ideologies and a universalist cosmopolitan worldview, where English as a lingua franca is the most significant capital, the high-performers adhere to ideologies that are more identity-based and closer to assimilationist or nationalist views, where the participants see themselves as joining a majority culture into which they should adapt. High host language proficiency is seen as necessary capital for this. All in all, the study makes a clear case for further studies exploring language ideologies in relation to second language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively few studies in the field of second language acquisition have undertaken to investigate the interrelationships of constellations of individual difference variables. This is certainly true of how complexes of ID factors impact motivation to learn an additional language. In order to address this gap, the paper reports a study that examined the ways in which enjoyment, anxiety, boredom, L2 grit and self-perceived competence interact with each other and affect motivated learning behaviour in the case of 238 Iranian students majoring in English. The data were collected through an online questionnaire and, following confirmatory factor analysis, were subjected to path analysis. Among other things, the results showed that intended effort was the consequence of a complex interplay of factors, with the combined impact of these factors not always being obvious. It was also revealed that L2 motivation may in some circumstances be positively influenced by academic emotions that are generally considered to have a detrimental effect on L2 learning (i.e. anxiety, boredom). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Events can be perceived from different perspectives. Langacker, Ronald W. (1990. Subjectification. Cognitive Linguistics 1. 5–38) typologically categorised the perspectives in event construal as subjective construal and objective construal based on how egocentric a perspective is. Compared with Western languages, such as English, Japanese is argued to be a language that favours subjective construal. However, little empirical work has tested this assumption directly. We investigated whether Japanese and English construe events from different perspectives by focusing on the linguistic encodings of event roles “agent” and “patient”. Our findings show that when selecting event roles as sentence subjects, Japanese speakers prioritised animacy over agency whereas English speakers emphasised agency (while also considering animacy). This can be attributed to the different preferences of the two languages for the degree of egocentricity in event construal. Furthermore, we explored how L1-based conceptualisation of event roles influences the linguistic expressions of event roles in L2. Our results demonstrate that Japanese learners of English had difficulty reconceptualising event roles in L2 English. This study adds a piece of quantitative evidence to the cognitive linguistics theory on subjective construal in Japanese and questions the universality of the agent-first hypothesis in the Thematic Hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' learning is deeply rooted in both home and school environments. This necessitates a person-and-context perspective that considers individual, home, and school factors. This study delved into second language learning, an area inherently intertwined with these settings. Utilizing hierarchical linear modeling, the study involved 2,310 fifth-grade English–Chinese bilingual students and 109 teachers across 109 classrooms in 23 Singaporean primary schools where Chinese is taught as a second language. We examined the class compositional effect of Chinese use at home on students' Chinese language achievement and the cross-level interactions between classroom goal structures (mastery and performance goal structures) and Chinese use at home in predicting Chinese language achievement. Aggregated class-level Chinese use at home exhibited a compositional effect on students' Chinese language achievement. Additionally, the class-level Chinese use at home strengthened the positive relation between individual students' home language use and their achievement in Chinese. Moreover, classroom mastery goal structure demonstrated significant moderating effects on the relation between students' Chinese use at home and Chinese language achievement. While Chinese use at home was positively related to achievement, this relation was weaker in classes with high mastery goal structure and stronger in classes with low mastery goal structure. No main effect or interaction effect concerning classroom performance goal structure was observed. These findings highlight the intricate relation between home language exposure and classroom goal structures. Being surrounded by peers who use the second language often at home may enhance second language achievement. Furthermore, mastery-focused environments may compensate for students with limited second language exposure at home. Educational Impact and Implications Statement: Students' success in learning a second language, such as Chinese, is significantly shaped by both their home language use and the classroom environment. Our study found that classrooms where students use Chinese often at home showed better language achievement. Nevertheless, classrooms emphasizing skill mastery can compensate for students who have limited second language exposure in their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examined the extent to which participation in a Mandarin language and Chinese culture immersion program enabled the participants to increase their Mandarin language proficiency, acquire culture content knowledge, and influence their self- transformation. Descriptive qualitative and quantitative data were collected using the application form, reflective journals, content and language surveys, structured interviews, and language and culture tests. The findings indicated that: 1) Participants in the immersion program learned a new target language through language and culture content-based instruction and interactions. 2) Immersion in the target language and culture resulted in participants’ cultural content knowledge and understanding gains. 3) The program provided an opportunity for participants to engage in critical consciousness and identity construction. The study concluded that language and culture immersion is beneficial to participants. The study implies that study abroad experiences help students develop new worldviews, gain cross-cultural understanding, and expand their teaching. Future research studies will benefit from a larger sample of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that crime-first language ("criminal") increases stigma, but there is limited evidence comparing person-first language ("person with a conviction") to other non-deviant terminology. Using two survey experiments, we test whether using person-first language in the employment context has a mimicry effect (i.e. people adopt language they are exposed to) and whether language has a stronger influence when paired with positive employment credentials. We do not find consistent evidence of mimicry. Respondents viewing a positive credential were more likely to use person-centered or professional language and positive credentials generally improved perceptions of the applicant. However, person-first language can cancel out beneficial credential effects compared to alternative language. When considering alternatives to crime-first language, two implications emerge: positive information is more consistently influential than the terminology used, and after establishing a person has a criminal record, substituting other identity labels (e.g. person, applicant) can further reduce stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a case study of teaching Cantonese to Hong Kong ethnic minority pre-schoolers using process drama. Based on Deleuzo-Guattarian concepts of minor literature and language, becoming and de-/re-territorialisation, this paper aims to reconceptualise a playful adaptation of process drama developed by Joe Winston (2012) as a language-minoritising approach to the teaching and learning of a major language that is very foreign to children. The findings suggest that, to accomplish ethnic minority children's becoming Cantonese speakers, the theatre games and language play should involve minoritorisation and de-/re-territorialisation of the normative practices of process drama, the target language as well as learner identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the use of gamification in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) within Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). The aim is to investigate the effects of a gamified learning environment, specifically Moodle, on psychobehavioural factors and English learning achievement, and to discuss the affordances of gamification based on empirical findings, contributed both by the present study and previous research. For this purpose, a case study was conducted at the University of Andorra, where a treatment group completed a gamified English course on Moodle, and a control group did the same tasks without gamification. A mixed methodology was used to measure both affective and cognitive variables as well as students' perceptions on their gamified learning experience. The results show that the treatment group outperformed the control group in Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) and in Academic Motivation (AM). As for the effects on speaking fluency, they are inconclusive, which is consistent with previous literature. Consequently, the authors advocate for further research to explore the effects of gamification on actual learning in different learning disciplines, beyond students' mere perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plurilingual competence or repertoire of languages refers to all individuals being potentially plurilingual. As plurilingual competence and language repertoires are individual, assessment modes targeted to the individual and localized to the context should be encouraged. This study explored and depicted the plurilingual profile of Italian Studies students (and thus student language teachers) in the Greek context through various modes. The role of the Italian language in this localized context was also explored and the language trajectory was attempted to be de-picted qualitatively. The instruments used were the Language Passport, the DIALANG diagnostic test, the ECML 'Self-evaluate your language skills' tool, a plurilingual portrait (to make the language repertoire visible), and a short personal written narrative. It is mainly a qualitative study, and instances of multi-method research are also present. Moreover, the whole procedure contributed to incorporating plurilingualism and multiculturalism into language teacher education for student Italian language teachers in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of world Englishes (WEs) and multilingualism, pragmatic failure is still an unsolved matter for non-native speakers (NNSs). Although many studies have paid attention to technology application in second language acquisition (SLA), there are limited systematic reviews concerning technology-based instructions to develop English pragmatic competence for NNSs. This study gains a comprehensive overview to identify the situation and trend of technology-based instructions to develop English pragmatic competence for NNSs based on 20 articles from 2015 to 2023. Various findings indicate that based on technology instructions and technology resources, English pragmatic awareness and multidimensional development should be emphasized to foster English pragmatic competence among NNSs. Implications and suggestions are also provided for further research from this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age plays a significant role in second language acquisition (SLA). Research indicates that the ability to learn a second language declines with age. This study reviewed relevant studies on the impact of age on SLA in order to attain the best results as language learning methods should be tailored to the learner's age and specific needs. The results showed that younger learners are more proficient in acquiring a second language due to their brain's plasticity, which enables them to learn new information quickly. They can easily acquire the language's pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary through exposure and immersion. As learners age, their ability to learn a second language decreases. After adolescence, the brain becomes less plastic, and the acquisition of a second language becomes more challenging. Research also shows that language also has a positive impact on a country's economic development, as well as improving the international relations of local entrepreneurs. However, adult learners can still learn a second language, but it may take more time and effort. Moreover, the motivation and learning strategies of language learners also play an essential role in SLA. Young learners may not have a strong motivation to learn a second language, while adult learners may have a higher motivation due to professional or personal reasons. Age is a crucial factor in SLA, but it is not the only determining factor. The learner's motivation, learning strategies, and exposure to the second language also play a significant role in the acquisition of a second language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ethical challenges and possibilities of conducting responsible and transformative translanguaging pedagogy in adult education for second language learners with limited previous experience of schooling. We identify and explore ethical dilemmas in teachers' interaction and multilingual teaching practices. The data was produced in a linguistic ethnography and action research project. It consists of classroom observations and interviews with teachers who teach in the programme Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). The teachers express and embody ambivalence in relation to the students' use of their whole linguistic repertoires and the students are not always treated as competent to make informed decisions about their own use of linguistic repertoires. This touches on issues of citizenship and democracy and here the framework ethics of care offers context-specific ways of understanding and responding to the ethical challenges of multilingual teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New digital technologies such as social robots are embodied computers with human-like features and conversational capabilities that can socially interact with people. Social robots have been used in education as a learning tool to support second language learning. This essay discusses current research literature that has explored how social robots could be utilized to support second language (L2) international students studying at English-speaking universities. Insights into the potential application and limitations of using social robots to support L2 students outside their home countries to promote their social and academic well-being will also be discussed. Based on a synthesis of current and relevant research gathered from the literature, the affordances of using social robots for L2 students included learning L2 through human-robot interactions, enhanced motivation, and engagement in their learning environments. However, the limitations of the use of this technology included attitudes towards robot-assisted learning (e.g., unfamiliarity with learning with a social robot) and the novelty effect of social robots. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of not only the role of social robots for supporting language learning, but also how they could aid L2 students in their successful transition to a foreign university, culture, and social context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attaining a high level of proficiency in speaking a second language (L2) is a formidable challenge, particularly in many English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, such as Taiwan. In such environments, students often encounter limited opportunities for English-speaking practice within formal classroom settings due to the prevalence of form-focused instruction. Nonetheless, certain students manage to achieve elevated levels of proficiency. This exploratory investigation aims to uncover the strategies employed by such learners beyond formal classroom instruction and identify key factors contributing to high proficiency. Individual studies have underscored the importance of metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive strategies, and practice in L2 learning. To explore how these elements operate synergistically to facilitate self-regulated learning of L2 speaking ability, this exploratory study constructs a model, Metacognitive Practice Speaking Strategies (MPSSs), to delineate their interconnections. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 Taiwanese students, aged 15–25. By comparing the use of MPSSs among speakers of different proficiency levels, key factors contributing to high proficiency are identified. It communicates that the strategy use of high proficiency speakers aligns with established theories of second language (L2) speaking. Given that they received no instruction on these theories, their strategies were presumably guided by task beliefs developed from their initial, use-focused education. Alongside their strategic knowledge, these beliefs led them to perform use-focused MPSSs. The study's context shares similarities with numerous EFL contexts, making the findings broadly applicable to a wide range of L2 learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of Positive Psychology in second language acquisition has placed greater emphasis on the vital role of engagement in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Although previous research has established that EFL learners' engagement is affected by ideal L2 self, boredom, and grit respectively, sporadic studies have attempted to address the simultaneous link between these factors and engagement. To fill the gap, this study aims to examine the association between the ideal L2 self and engagement among EFL learners, with a special focus on the mediating role of grit and boredom in the relationship. A total of 466 EFL learners were enrolled in two public universities in Northern China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed that grit positively predicted engagement and mediated the relationship between the ideal L2 self and engagement. Moreover, boredom negatively predicted engagement and acted as a mediator between the ideal L2 self and engagement. However, ideal L2 self did not directly predict engagement. These findings contribute to the current knowledge by elucidating the complex relationships between the three factors and engagement, which can provide insights for pedagogical practices and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The fluency of second language (L2) speech can be influenced by L2 proficiency, but also by differences in the efficiency of cognitive operations and personal speaking styles. The nature of cognitive fluency is still, however, little understood. Therefore, we studied the cognitive fluency of Finnish advanced students of English (N = 64) to understand how the efficiency of cognitive processing influences speech rate. Cognitive fluency was operationalised as automaticity of lexical access (measured by rapid word recognition) and attention control (measured by the Stroop task). The tasks were conducted in both L1 (Finnish) and L2 (English) to examine the (dis)similarity of processing in the two languages. Speech rate in a monologue task was used as the dependent measure of speaking performance. The results showed that after controlling for the L1 speech rate and L1 cognitive fluency, the L2 attention control measures explained a small amount of additional variance in L2 speech rate. These results are discussed in relation to the cognitive fluency framework and general speaking proficiency research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A question in language acquisition research is whether attrition can affect L1 grammatical representation, and if so, under what conditions. This paper tests the Attrition via Acquisition (AvA) model, which takes a Feature Reassembly approach to predict how, in case on high degrees of similarity between the L1 and L2, the acquisition of L2 discourse-driven morpho-syntactic properties may affect L1 feature representations after a prolonged change in the speaker's primary linguistic input during adulthood. As a test case, we use the different features (specificity versus discourse anaphoricity) associated with Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD) in Romanian and Italian, examining the grammars of Romanian first-generation immigrants with either L2 Italian or L2 English (a language without CLLD). Using a context-dependent Acceptability Judgment task and a Written Elicitation task we found evidence for L2-induced grammatical attrition, resulting in the addition of an L2 option without the loss of an L1 option, as predicted by the AvA. Attrition was found for participants who immigrated during adolescence or early adulthood and who are more likely to consider Italian their most proficient and most used language. We compare our findings on attrited L1 grammars to the results of a recent study reporting on near-native L2 Italian and L2 Romanian grammars by Romanian and Italian native speakers. Our findings contribute to an increasing body of literature showing that L1 attriters and L2 learners can end up with very similar grammars and confirm the importance of studying second language acquisition and L1 loss within a broader picture of bilingual development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have left a significant gap in researching the relationships among affective variables, cognitive factors, and learning outcomes in second language (L2) writing. To fill in this research gap, the present study set out to unveil the relationships between L2 writers' cognitive load, anxiety, and writing performance. A total of 197 Grade 12 students from a Chinese public high school were recruited. Participants were required to complete a story continuation writing task (SCWT), the L2 Writing Cognitive Load Scale, and the L2 Writing Anxiety Scale. Structural equation modeling showed that: 1) L2 learners' cognitive load had a direct effect on writing anxiety which in turn directly impacted SCWT performance; 2) L2 writing anxiety fully mediated the effect of cognitive load on SCWT performance; and 3) Cognitive load mainly influenced cognitive anxiety, a subcomponent of writing anxiety. The implications of the findings for L2 teaching and learning are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial research suggests that high variability (multitalker) phonetic training helps second language (L2) adults improve differentiation of challenging nonnative speech sounds. Is such training also useful for L2 children? Existing studies have mixed findings and important limitations. We investigate the potential benefits of computerized phonetic training for 50 Dutch 7‐year‐olds and 39 11‐year‐olds trained on English vowel contrasts in a 2‐week study in a classroom setting. Half received multitalker, and half received single‐talker input (i.e., high variability vs. low variability; HV vs. LV), with learning evaluated by a battery of tests. Both groups improved in training; however, 11‐year‐olds improved more. Moreover, 11‐year‐olds showed generalization to novel talkers, and 7‐year‐olds did not, with Bayes factor analyses providing evidence for the null. Generalisation in 11‐year‐olds was no greater following HV than LV input, with evidence for the null on one of two tasks where generalization was found. Results are discussed in terms of the interplay between age, task demands, and talker variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our contribution draws on quantitative data from a longitudinal mixed‐methods study to uncover different patterns of social contacts of study abroad (SA) students and the relationship of these social contacts with (a) language use, (b) target language development, and (c) contextual variables. Data were obtained by means of online questionnaires pre, during, and post sojourn. English oral proficiency gains were measured using the Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc) test before and after the stay. Latent profile analysis yielded four profiles of social contacts, which differed in terms of the degree of integration into the community of locals or international students. Students with distinct profiles differ significantly with respect to language use but not in terms of language gains. Regression analyses indicate that comparable progress in oral proficiency was made by students across profiles of social contacts and also by those in an English as a lingua franca (ELF) context suggesting that different SA context and networking patterns are conducive to second language (L2) gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second screen use is becoming increasingly popular among young people. Türkiye can be expressed as a place where the use of devices such as TV, phone, tablet and computer is widespread. This study, which is based on the uses and gratifications approach, seeks answers to the following questions: a) which devices are used as second screens, b) with which TV programs they are used, c) with what kind of motivations they are used by Generation Z members who still watch TV. We collected data from university students using a questionnaire and the convenience sampling method, which is a type of non-probabilistic sampling, through SPSS. The data showed that Generation Z primarily uses smartphones as second screens, and only a few use second screen applications on their mobile phones. Music programs are the most popular thematic programs watched together with the second screen. Women tend to use their second screens for watching series and shopping. Generation Z prefers using a ‘smartphone with computer’ as a second screen. Future studies could investigate the motivations of students and academics to use second screens in distance education. Additionally, future studies can investigate the usage habits of second screens in second language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore how general principles of learning apply to and combine with usage‐based approaches to language learning and teaching, with a focus on the effects of order of exposure to new information in second language (L2) instruction. Although the effects of input spacing and timing on memory and learning have been previously explored (see Rogers, 2020; Shintani, 2017, for an overview), the effects of order of exposure to the input remain understudied. In this study, we tested whether order of exposure to information in the L2 plays a role in L2 learning and whether an optimal order where the most reliable cues are introduced first ensures that foreign language learners are better equipped to form representations that allow flexible, yet accurate generalisations. We analysed data collected through a training study that teaches the English article system to first language (L1) speakers whose language does not have markers of definiteness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second language (L2) grammar learning is difficult. Two frameworks—the psycholinguistic lexical bottleneck hypothesis and the neurocognitive declarative/procedural model—predict that faster L2 lexical processing should facilitate L2 incidental grammar learning. We tested these predictions in a pretest–posttest syntactic adaptation study of English relative‐clause attachment preferences. First‐language German speakers listened to relative clauses disambiguated to the English low‐attachment preference (secretaries of the professor who is/naps at home)—via either a copula (e.g., is), which should be processed rapidly (copula group; n = 48), or a lexical verb (e.g., naps), which should be processed more slowly (lexical group; n = 48). Only the copula group showed significant pretest‐to‐posttest learning. Moreover, the amount of learning was predicted by procedural learning abilities in the copula group, but by vocabulary size in the lexical group. The results, which are consistent with both frameworks, show that the L2 lexicon impacts L2 grammar learning, and reveal moderating psycholinguistic and neurocognitive variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the boom in the field of positive psychology in second language acquisition research has seen an increasing number of scholars focusing on the individual well-being of second language learners alongside their learning effectiveness. Despite this growing interest, there is a need to further investigate the specific emotional factors influencing academic achievement in foreign language learning. This study investigates the impact of three emotions—enjoyment, boredom, and burnout—on academic achievement, and the moderating role of academic buoyancy. Data were collected from 563 college English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students from China's mainland using latent moderated structural equation modeling with Mplus. The results of the latent bivariate correlation analysis showed significant correlations between EFL learning emotions, academic buoyancy, and test performance. In the latent moderated structural equations model, enjoyment and burnout predicted test performance. Moreover, academic buoyancy moderated the relationships between enjoyment and test performance, and between burnout and test performance. EFL test performance was highest when enjoyment and buoyancy were both high, or when burnout and buoyancy were both low. These findings highlight the importance of fostering positive emotions and resilience in language learners to enhance their academic performance, offering valuable insights for educators and policymakers aiming to improve foreign language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the challenges faced by second language (L2) learners in lexical tone perception is crucial for effective language acquisition. This study investigates the impact of exaggerated acoustic properties on facilitating Mandarin tone learning for English speakers. Using synthesized tone stimuli, we systematically manipulated pitch contours through three key modifications: expanding the fundamental frequency (F0), increasing F0 (female voice), and extending the overall duration. Our objectives were to assess the influence of F0 expansion, higher F0, longer duration, and varied syllables on Mandarin tone learning and generalization. Participants engaged in a non-adaptive trial-by-trial tone identification task. Mixed-effects logistic regression modeling was used to analyze accuracy across learning phases, acoustic factors, and tones. Findings reveal improvements in accuracy from training to testing and generalization phases, indicating the effectiveness of perceptual training to tone perception for adult English speakers. Tone 1 emerged as the easiest to perceive, while Tone 3 posed the most challenge, consistent with established hierarchies of tonal acquisition difficulty. Analysis of acoustic factors highlighted tone-specific effects. Expanded F0 was beneficial for the identification of Tone 2 and Tone 3 but posed challenges for Tone 1 and Tone 4. Additionally, longer durations also exhibited varied effects across tones, aiding in the identification of Tone 3 and Tone 4 but hindering Tone 1 identification. The higher F0 was advantageous for Tone 2 but disadvantageous for Tone 3. Furthermore, the syllable ma facilitated the identification of Tone 1 and Tone 2 but not for Tone 3 and Tone 4. These findings enhance our understanding of the role of acoustic properties in L2 tone perception and have implications for the design of effective training programs for second language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence and positive psychology play crucial roles in education, yet there is limited research on how these psychological factors influence learners' use of AI, particularly in language education. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study investigates the factors influencing Chinese English learners' intention to use AI for language learning. Utilizing structural equation modeling, this research examines the mediating roles of grit, flow, and resilience in the relationship between basic psychological needs and the intention to use AI. Data were analyzed using AMOS 26 and SPSS 26. The findings reveal that flow, grit, and resilience mediate the relationship between basic psychological needs and the intention to adopt AI tools for language learning. This study provides valuable insights into how educational environments can be designed to fulfill psychological needs, thereby fostering greater engagement and acceptance of AI in language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a three-step writing conference in which foreign/second language (L2) students, under the guidance of their writing instructor, first fastened their attentional focus on a form-related error, analysed a collection of standard L2 samples to deduce the underlying knowledge, and then planned for their error correction as well as future learning of this knowledge. The ultimate goal of this formative assessment practice was to scaffold student engagement with written corrective feedback (WCF). Using a between-group experiment design, the present study compared the effects on the success rate of error correction and L2 uptake of the above writing conference (n = 14) against those brought about by a typical Teacher–Student (n = 12) and a typical Student–Student one (n = 12). Research participants were 38 intermediate learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) recruited from three intact classes at a language-learning center in Vietnam. The suggested writing conference was indeed found to yield better error correction and L2 uptake than the other counterparts. A closer look at the students' mental engagement with WCF revealed that such engagement was moderately correlated with their L2 uptake. These findings altogether suggest that student engagement with WCF should not be taken for granted or, in other words, this engagement should be contingently supported by the writing instructor in order to foster learning from WCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instructional videos for teaching second language (L2) vocabulary often feature an instructor onscreen. The instructor in the video may involuntarily produce beat gestures with their hands, as occurs in real teaching settings. Beat gestures highlight key information in speech by conveying the rhythm of the language, but do not themselves convey semantic meaning. However, little is known about how the instructor's beat gestures affect L2 vocabulary learning. We conducted two experiments on the effects of the instructor's purposeful (scripted) beat gestures in instructional videos that included an instructor and slides, with English L2 vocabulary as the topic. In Experiment 1, using a within-participant design, we tested the hypothesis that an instructor's gestures (beat gesture vs. no gesture) would improve learning performance. The results showed that the instructor's use of beat gestures increased learners' accuracy and reduced reaction time on an L2 learning performance test. In Experiment 2, using a between-participants design, we tested the assumption that the benefits of beat gestures in L2 vocabulary learning are in part due to reductions in cognitive load while learning. This assumption was supported by both a self-report measurement of cognitive load and electroencephalogram (EEG) data showing lower theta power and lower alpha power when the instructor used beat gestures. The results of this study have applied value for designing effective instructional videos on the topic of L2 vocabulary learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the superior effects of semester- or year-long educational experiences abroad, the majority of students prefers short-term study abroad for which participation numbers are steadily rising. Due to the increased student interest in short-term study abroad options, investigations into how a short stay abroad can be designed to maximize learning outcomes for participants are important. While some studies suggest that technology can have negative impacts on language learning during study abroad, effective inclusion of technology can maximize learning. This article summarizes the results of three years of research investigating the effects of daily online journaling during an intensive German summer program on second language (L2) learners' writing skills during an intensive German summer program. The context of the program will be described along with the rationale for including online journaling assignments. The study investigates whether there is a relationship between the amount students wrote in their daily blogs and their writing development, and whether students' linguistic progress can be traced in their journal posts. Lastly, the article will provide a pedagogical evaluation of the benefits of incorporating journaling or blogging in short-term study abroad programs and present suggestions for successful projects. The terms journaling and blogging are used interchangeably in this manuscript; while a blog was used as the journal platform in this project, a different format than a blog can serve the same purpose of providing a space for reflective journaling for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phrase-frame (p-frame) is a multi-word sequence with a one-word variable within the sequence (e.g., it is * to). P-frames are important components of language production and can demonstrate phraseological patterning. This study examined p-frames retrieved from one learner business emails corpus (1,413 texts based on the Education First-Cambridge Open Language Database) and one working professional email corpus (1,145 texts from the Enron email dataset). P-frames were investigated both quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of their structural characteristics, functional characteristics, and variability. Our results showed that the working professionals and the learners of business English used p-frames differently. The working professionals used p-frames in ways that aligned with written conventions, whereas the learners of business English used p-frames in ways that did not accord well with written conventions. This difference was detected by comparing tendencies in function-word frames and frames for referential function. In addition, p-frames used by the working professionals displayed a higher degree of variability than those by the learners of business English. This study facilitates an understanding of learners' p-frame use in English for business purposes and suggests that p-frames be incorporated into the teaching and learning of L2 business writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While feedback literate teachers play critical roles in enhancing feedback efficacy and students' learning, there is a paucity of studies on writing teacher feedback literacy. To address this issue, this study draws from the notion of teacher feedback literacy to explore two second language (L2) writing teachers' feedback practices in the context of L2 writing for doctoral publishing at a Chinese research-intensive university. The analysis of the interviews, classroom observations and such textual data as the participants' profile sheets and course materials informs the development of a contextualised, two-dimension framework of teacher feedback literacy, encompassing feedback design and process management. The first dimension features an integrated, purposeful and enabling design of feedback practices that aligns with the design of curriculum and teaching, and addresses specific pedagogical goals and practical constraints arising from the teaching context. The second dimension involves meticulous management of feedback process to ensure effective feedback enactment in teaching, contributing to developing student feedback literacy. This dimension underscores students' skills development, as well as internal and external feedback interactions characterised by varying patterns of student feedback engagement. The paper concludes with implications for L2 writing feedback research and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilises a holistic approach of positive psychology (PP) in the second language acquisition (SLA) domain to test a model of willingness to communicate in English language (L2WTC) among 328 Saudi learners. The model examines how potential connections among learners' negative emotions (anxiety and boredom), positive emotions (enjoyment and grit), and motivation have a positive effect on learner L2WTC. Questionnaire data were analyzed using a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis to identify and verify direct, indirect, and total effects in the model. The final model adequately fit the data. All learner emotions except boredom significantly directly predicted L2WTC. The strongest direct predictors of L2WTC were motivation, followed by anxiety. Grit directly affected motivation, and enjoyment mediated the relationship between motivation and L2WTC. Significant negative direct paths were detected from anxiety to motivation, enjoyment, and grit, and indirect paths from anxiety to L2WTC were shown through the mediation of these variables. Anxiety had the largest total effect on L2WTC, followed by motivation. These findings support the feasibility of a holistic perspective of PP in the SLA by which positive and negative emotional/affective variables can inherently interact to account for L2WTC via classroom pedagogical interventions for emotion regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many students exhibit Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. This makes ADHD relevant also for foreign language classrooms, especially because a connection between ADHD and foreign language competences is frequently assumed. However, L2-specific research on ADHD is still lacking. This article provides an overview on ADHD in school contexts, general language learning and L2-learning. It demonstrates that research has provided little evidence for (foreign) language-specific difficulties caused by ADHD, but that higher-order processes of reading and writing, which are particularly important for school success, can be affected by ADHD symptoms. However, they can be influenced by teaching. The special role of foreign language classrooms in the development of important competence dimensions for learners with ADHD and research desiderata are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the concept of inclusion often focuses on impairments and deficits, the concept of potential orientation emphasises the resources and strengths of learners. After clarifying selected key terms and approaches that are fundamental to potential orientation, the significance of this approach for contemporary skills-orientated foreign and second language teaching is outlined. Finally, we briefly discuss its important role in overcoming current challenges in education policy and society as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the need for a globalized approach to developmental science, as opposed to one that is primarily focused on North America and Europe. The lack of global diversity in research has led to a narrow range of cultures, experiences, and methods being represented, which limits the questions that can be asked about human development. The article highlights the importance of understanding the variation in development across different cultures and environments. The special issue of the journal includes articles from underrepresented regions, covering a range of developmental domains and methodologies. The authors argue that creating separate spaces for diversity-related topics can help address publication barriers and increase global representation in developmental science. They emphasize the need for a more valid, generalizable, and representative science of human development. [Extracted from the article]

Second language (L2) learners hold different learning beliefs that influence their interpretation of classroom experiences and their L2 learning process. Developing a thorough understanding of such beliefs is therefore imperative. This article reports the representations of Iranian English‐as‐a‐foreign‐language (EFL) learners' beliefs about L2 speaking fluency as revealed by elicited metaphors and follow‐up interviews. A group of 24 Iranian EFL learners majoring in teaching English as a foreign language were asked to conceptualize L2 speaking fluency through metaphor. Learners' metaphorical representations were examined using metaphor analysis and organized into eight metaphor themes through thematic analysis. The findings suggest that metaphor is a suitable tool for gaining insight into learners' beliefs about L2 speaking fluency and capturing its complex, multifaceted nature. Various aspects were conceptualized, which revealed that learners had a deep understanding of L2 speaking fluency and could represent its multifaceted nature in the learning process. Additionally, this research sheds light on contextual factors that might contribute to learners' beliefs. The findings fill a gap in research concerning EFL learners' beliefs about L2 speaking fluency and have useful implications for L2 teachers, learners, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers the relative benefits for vocabulary learning of exposure to two types of texts—literary or nonliterary—used with two teaching approaches. These approaches were termed functional and creative, respectively. In the former, learners' attention was drawn to factual information and linguistic features in order to develop their linguistic knowledge. In the latter, the aim was to stimulate learners' personal and emotional response, by drawing their attention to the text's emotional content and how language was used to express meaning. We analyzed data from 160 learners of French in eight schools in England. Learners in four schools studied French poems and those in another four studied French factual texts. Teachers in each text condition employed functional and creative methods of exploitation within a counterbalanced design. We assessed two types of vocabulary knowledge at pre‐ and posttest: meaning recall of vocabulary contained in the texts, and learners' general vocabulary size. Our results indicated learning gains across both text types. There were, however, important interactions between text type and teaching approach and between text type and the order in which the teaching approaches were used. Finally, we consider the implications of these findings for understanding of vocabulary learning through literature and for classroom practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second Language Pragmatics (L2 pragmatics) research focused on the study abroad (SA) context points out the benefits of this context for second language (L2) pragmatic development while also illustrating the non-linearity of this development, as it is shaped by different contextual factors and individual differences. Nevertheless, this research has primarily focused on adult learners, and little is known about how children and adolescents learn L2 pragmatics in SA. The present study investigates how pragmatic markers (PMs) develop in young English language learners in two learning contexts: SA and at home (AH). More particularly, the study examines differences in the frequency and type of PMs across these contexts. Thirty-four Catalan/Spanish girls aged 12, learning English at home (n = 16) and in an SA context in Ireland (n = 18), participated in the study. Participants were interviewed before and after their SA experience, and the results revealed no statistically significant differences from pre- to post-test in the AH group, with only one observed in the SA group. Only one significant difference was found between the two groups in favour of the SA group. Hence, the study sheds more light on the complexity entailed in the phenomenon of L2 pragmatic development during SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to explore microdevelopment in sociolinguistic evaluative judgments of standard German and Austro‐Bavarian dialect by adult second language learners of German by using dense time serial measurements. Intensive longitudinal data (10 observations per participant) were collected from four learners at approximately weekly intervals over 3 months. We employed generalized additive models with superimposed periods of significant change to identify rapid developmental phases in individual developmental trajectories. By triangulating these models with qualitative introspective and retrodictive interview data, we identified environmental and psychological stimuli for change. Learners evinced increasing and decreasing periods of significant change, independent of length of residence. Dynamic constellations of identity‐ and agency‐related variables alongside more intensive social interaction with target‐variety speakers contributed to significant changes. We discuss findings from a complexity perspective and advocate for microlongitudinal studies in variationist second language acquisition to better capture stimuli for change in learners' emerging multivarietal repertoires. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the role of cue weighting, second language (L2) proficiency, and L2 daily exposure in L2 learning of suprasegmentals different from the first language (L1), using eye‐tracking. Spanish monolinguals, English–Spanish learners, and Mandarin–Spanish learners saw a paroxytone and an oxytone verb (e.g., FIRma–firMÓ "s/he signs–signed"), listened to a sentence containing one of the verbs, and chose the one that they heard. The three languages have contrastive lexical stress, but suprasegmentals have a greater functional load in Mandarin than in English. Monolinguals predicted suffixes accurately with both stress conditions and favored oxytones, but learners predicted suffixes accurately only with oxytones, the condition activating fewer lexical competitors. Monolinguals predicted suffixes accurately sooner but at a slower rate than did learners. L2 proficiency, but not L1 or L2 exposure, facilitated L2 predictions. In conclusion, learners of a contrastive‐stress L1 rely on L2 suprasegmentals to the same extent as monolinguals, regardless of their L1. Lower L2 proficiency and higher cognitive load (more lexical competitors) reduce learners' reliance on suprasegmentals. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship of linguistic complexity, captured using a set of lexical richness, syntactic complexity, and discoursal complexity indices, to second language (L2) learners' perception of text difficulty, captured using L2 raters' comparative judgment on text comprehensibility and reading speed. Testing materials were 180 texts abridged from college English coursebooks, and raters were 90 advanced Chinese learners of L2 English. Forty‐five raters read paired texts and determined which text was harder to understand in each pair, and another 45 raters read paired texts and determined which text they read faster in each pair. Two stepwise linear regression models containing lexical, syntactic, and discoursal features explained 48.1% and 54.6% of the variance in L2 learners' estimates of text comprehensibility and reading speed, respectively, outperforming four commonly used language readability models. These findings contribute useful insights into the relationship between linguistic complexity and L2 learners' perception of text difficulty. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of text length on the estimation of lexical diversity has captured the attention of the scientific community for more than a century. Numerous indices have been proposed, and many studies have been conducted to evaluate them, but the problem remains. This methodological review provides a critical analysis not only of the most commonly used indices in language learning studies, but also of the length problem itself, as well as of the methodology for evaluating the proposed solutions. Analysis of three data sets of texts produced by English language learners revealed that indices that reduce all texts to the same length using a probabilistic or an algorithmic approach solve the length‐dependency problem; however, all these indices failed to address the second problem, which is their sensitivity to the parameter that determines the length to which the texts are reduced. The paper concludes with recommendations for optimizing lexical diversity analysis. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To acquire language, learners have to map the language onto the environment, but languages vary as to how much information they include to constrain how a sentence relates to the world. We investigated the conditions under which information within the language and the environment is combined for learning. In a cross‐situational artificial language learning study, participants listened to transitive sentences and viewed two scenes, and selected which scene was described by the sentence. There were three conditions, involving different language variants. All variants had free word order but varied as to whether or not they contained morphosyntactic information that defined the subject and object roles of nouns in the sentence. We found that participants were able to learn information about word order and vocabulary from each variant, demonstrating that learners are not reliant on information within a language only, but can combine constraints from language and environment to support acquisition. Data and analyses are available at: https://osf.io/hxqzc/?view_only=ea6ba6fff6bb468e8de2e8596f029dca A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]