Search Results (31)

This study investigates how short-term naturalistic immersion shapes the development of evaluative narrative competence in Japanese junior high school students learning English as a foreign language. While prior second language acquisition (SLA) research has established the benefits of input-rich environments, little is known about how implicit learning during brief immersion experiences supports higher-order storytelling skills. To address this gap, we analyzed students’ performance on a standardized problem-solving task and a storytelling task before and after a one-month homestay abroad. Results showed significant post-immersion gains in narrative complexity, with longer stories, greater use of causal and evaluative devices, and increased diversity of expression. Regression analysis revealed that the age of first English exposure strongly predicted outcomes: early starters demonstrated broader and more sophisticated use of evaluative strategies than later starters. These findings suggest that short-term immersion can substantially enhance narrative competence, particularly for learners with early exposure, while highlighting the need for tailored pedagogical interventions to help later starters capitalize on implicit learning opportunities. Full article

Motivation remains a central concern in second language (L2) and English as a foreign language (EFL) education, yet its underlying mechanisms are insufficiently understood. This study employs the theory of Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) to explore periods of intense, sustained L2 motivation among Chinese adolescent EFL learners across secondary and tertiary levels. Through in-depth interviews with ten participants, this research identified the conditions (e.g., collaborative peer dynamics, vivid goal visualization) that triggered their DMC experiences. The data also highlighted how facilitative elements—such as clear starting points, personalized goal alignment, behavioral routines, and timely feedback—played a crucial role in initiating and sustaining these motivational currents. These findings contribute to DMC theory by revealing how intrinsic and extrinsic factors jointly foster and maintain high levels of motivation over time, offering valuable insights for designing targeted interventions to enhance EFL motivation and learning among Chinese adolescents. Full article

Vocabulary instruction is pivotal to literacy development. While extensive research has been conducted, few studies have examined how research translates into practice and how theory informs it. This study addresses this gap by identifying theories guiding vocabulary instruction in leading practitioner-oriented journals in the field, assessing trends and practices, and examining shifts over the past decade. The systematic review critically extends the scope of existing research in two directions. First, it focuses on English learners (ELs), a growing K-12 population globally. Second, literacy theories were utilized to identify the frameworks that guided vocabulary instruction for ELs. The results reveal the predominance of instructional practices guided by schema and psycholinguistic theories, followed by social constructivism and sociocultural theories. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of adapting vocabulary instructional practices to meet the developmental needs of ELs at different grade levels. Full article

The advancement of technology has led to the creation of numerous platforms that could potentially be used for remote education. For example, the recent development of the English Diploma Programme at a top university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) deploys a new platform known as Area9 Lyceum (Area9). Because the English Diploma Programme is a recent development, and especially given its use of a new platform, this proposed research will investigate learners’ attitudes to and acceptance of using the platform. Furthermore, it will look at how other universities could benefit from this experience to develop their own English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programmes along technological lines, specifically by deploying a survey tool based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The results reflect the positive attitude of the participants. Recommendations can be drawn from this study to help persuade stakeholders in higher education to adopt such platforms in the teaching of EFL or English as a Second Language (ESL). Full article

Research has found that contact with a second language (L2), L2 motivation and foreign language anxiety are important variables affecting L2 learning. Nevertheless, not much research has explored the relationships among these variables and their interactive effects on L2 learning outcomes. The present large-scale survey study examined the relationships between English learning motivation, English classroom anxiety and use of English, as well as their predictive effects on Chinese university students’ English achievement. A total of 439 randomly sampled students from two Chinese universities in Beijing answered the background information questionnaire, the 8-item English Classroom Anxiety Scale and the 35-item English Learning Motivation Questionnaire. The major findings were as follows: (a) English learning motivation, English classroom anxiety and use of English were significantly correlated with one another, and (b) English classroom anxiety, use of English and English learning motivation generally significantly predicted the students’ English achievements. These findings confirm the importance of L2 motivation, foreign language anxiety and contact with the L2 for second language learners. Hence, specific suggestions (e.g., reading and listening to more of a second language, creating a supportive and relaxed L2 classroom environment, etc.) are discussed regarding how to enhance L2 learning motivation, reduce foreign language anxiety and increase contact with the L2 in second language learning, so as to ensure sustainable development in second language learning. Full article

The purpose of this research was to investigate how the use of green screen technology affects vocabulary acquisition in LOTE (languages other than English) learners, particularly Chinese students learning French as a second foreign language. Two groups (a control group and an experimental group) with a total of 58 students participated in the study. Data were collected through in-class and delayed vocabulary tests, learning questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The study results demonstrate significant benefits in terms of providing an authentic learning experience, improving understanding, increasing motivation, and facilitating interaction. The results also confirm the technology’s effectiveness in enhancing both immediate and long-term vocabulary retention. The effectiveness is particularly evident for location-related words, as the technology provides visual context that facilitates recall of these words, which may not have easily retrievable mental images compared to more concrete words with tangible references. Further research can also be undertaken to compare the impact of virtual background on vocabulary retention with other immersive technologies. Nevertheless, virtual backgrounds are likely to be a cost-effective and accessible tool that can already offer promising improvements in learning outcomes and can be easily implemented with existing software like Zoom (5.2.0 or higher) and Tencent Meeting (1.3.0 or higher). Full article

Learning a Foreign Language (FL) beyond the classroom has become common practice thanks to advances in technology and the use of English as a Lingua Franca. This study explores the types and amount of out-of-school informal exposure to English that Spanish secondary school students typically receive in their daily lives. Informed by recent literature on the influence of extramural activities on FL proficiency, the second aim of this study is to investigate the potential relationship between out-of-school exposure and academic performance, as measured by English school grades. Data were obtained from a questionnaire answered by secondary school students aged 12–16 (N = 2015) regarding the different types and amounts of activities they perform in English outside school. Findings revealed that teenage learners were most frequently exposed to English through audiovisual input. Social media interaction, along with reading and writing (with or without digital support), were closely associated with their English marks. Other popular activities, such as listening to music or playing video games, were not found to be related to proficiency or even showed a negative correlation with it, while less popular activities, such as watching subtitled movies and series, could have greater potential for language learning. This study contributes to the understanding of informal practices in FL learning settings and provides insights that can help bridge interactive language practices and formal curriculum to create holistic learning experiences for language learners. Full article

Second-language learners often encounter communication challenges due to a foreign accent (FA) in their speech, influenced by their native language (L1). This FA can affect rhythm, intonation, stress, and the segmental domain, which consists of individual language sounds. This study looks into the segmental FA aspect, exploring listeners’ perceptions when Spanish interacts with English. Utilizing the SIAEW corpus, which replaces segments of English words with anticipated Spanish-accented realizations, we assess the ability of non-native listeners to discriminate degrees of accent across male and female voices. This research aims to determine the impact of voice consistency on detecting accentedness variations, studying participants from Japanese and Spanish. Results show that, while listeners are generally able to discriminate degrees of foreign accent across speakers, some segmental transformations convey a more clear distinction depending on the phonological representations of the native and accented realisations on the listener’s system. Another finding is that listeners tend to better discriminate degrees of accent when words are more native-like sounding. Full article

Spanish copula choice ser/estar and the semantic and pragmatic distinctions that derive from their alternation in predicate adjective constructions have been discussed in several studies focused on the features of Spanish as a heritage language, usually focusing on the lack of equivalence between English and Spanish. The aim of this study is to determine the competence of a group of heritage speakers of Spanish that were born and raised in Russia in adjective copula selection for ser and estar and to what extent it differs from that of L2 speakers. A group of second-generation heritage Spanish-Russian speakers (n = 29) and a group of L1 Russian learners of Spanish as foreign language (n = 23) performed a translation recognition task in Spanish based on extracts from contemporary Spanish literary works. From a crosslinguistic perspective, a partial correspondence can be established between long forms of the Russian adjective with ser, and short forms of the Russian adjective with estar. Taking this cross-language relationship into account, we considered congruent and non-congruent cross-language scenarios. The results confirm that the heritage speakers outperformed the L2 Spanish speakers. This suggests a possible benefit of earlier exposure and use of Spanish. The facilitative effect of L1 can be traced in the ser-preferred scenarios but it fades away in the estar-preferred contexts for both groups. Full article

Research on language learning motivations has been extensive. However, research on learners’ motivations for learning Chinese has been underexplored compared to that for learning English. The current study aimed to investigate the motivations among 256 Turkish learners of Chinese as foreign language (CFL) who studied at five universities in Turkey. Participants completed an adapted questionnaire based on Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB). A series of statistical analysis revealed three major findings. First, integrativeness, attitudes towards learning situation and attitudes towards learning Chinese were identified as the three most important motivational variables, followed by instrumentality, and parental encouragement. Language anxiety and passive motivation seemed to play a weaker role in Turkish CFL learners’ motivations for learning Chinese at the tertiary level. Second, the results also show that females exhibited higher motivation to learn the target language compared to their male peers. Third, the choice of major among CFL learners appeared to influence their language learning motivations, with a notable distinction between Chinese majors and non-Chinese majors in five motivational variables: integrativeness attitudes towards the learning situation, language anxiety, parental encouragement, and passive motivation. Full article

The role that individual difference factors play in pragmatic learning behavior has received increasing attention in second-language (L2) pragmatics. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring the relationship between learners’ motivational variables and their pragmatic production. To address this gap, the present study aims to examine a model of the ideal L2 self, self-efficacy, willingness to communicate (WTC), and pragmatic production among English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners. The study also seeks to explore the mediating role of WTC within this structural model. For this purpose, a total of 427 undergraduate students at a public university in China were recruited for an online survey. The structural validity of the questionnaires was established using a confirmatory-factor analysis, while the hypothesized structural relations between the variables were tested through structural-equation modeling. The results demonstrated that self-efficacy and WTC significantly and directly predicated pragmatic production. Nevertheless, the ideal L2 self influenced pragmatic production indirectly, through the mediation of WTC. The study concludes by providing implications for teaching and by offering suggestions for future research. Full article

Second language learning investment relates to the willingness and effort of learners to develop language competencies which will give them a good return in terms of personal or professional benefits. Research has often explored learning investment through learners in the target language context or language teachers. This study, however, explores learning investment with undergraduate learners who are obligated to learn English as a foreign language, regardless of their future profession. To this end, a Likert-scale questionnaire was first designed to examine four investment dimensions which have been identified in previous qualitative research: motivation, necessity, engagement and agency. For validity and reliability purposes, the questionnaire was administered to six second language research professors and 41 students who completed three compulsory English courses in a BA in Inclusive Education. Content, construct and convergent validity procedures were implemented to test the investment dimensions. Regarding reliability, equivalent forms were used to check the stability of answers and to avoid primacy and fatigue effects. In addition, internal consistency and inter-item correlations were checked through Cronbach Alpha coefficients. After the validity and reliability procedures, the four dimensions of learning investment were explored among the language learners. The statistical analyses revealed favorable motivation and engagement results. Nonetheless, they raised some concerns regarding necessity and agency. Full article

The second language acquisition (SLA) field has recently seen heightened interest in the study and application of positive psychology (PP). Emotion regulation is one of the concepts that has been stressed in PP. Several studies in PP have delved into how controlling one’s emotions improves second language learning/teaching. One of the concepts that has slipped the minds of researchers in the field is altruistic teaching. Unlike egocentric acts, altruistic teaching acts are performed to improve others’ well-being. Despite their importance in causing positive emotional effects, no study has investigated the impact of altruistic teaching acts on learners’ emotion regulation. To bridge this gap, the present study sought to investigate the effect of learners’ altruistic teaching on their emotion regulation. The study followed a sequential explanatory comparison group pre-test–post-test design. One hundred forty-one English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners were recruited for this intervention study and were divided into experimental and control groups. Learners in the experimental group performed altruistic teaching by teaching their peers how to write essays in English, whereas learners in the control group did group work tasks on English essay writing. The results of independent-sample t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA showed that altruistic teaching significantly impacts EFL learners’ emotion regulation. The results of qualitative data pointed to five themes, including enjoyment, self-esteem, bonding, devotion, and progress. Overall, the results suggested that altruistic teaching impacts learners’ emotion regulation by enhancing their enjoyment, self-esteem, bonding, devotion, and progress. The paper has theoretical and pedagogical implications for SLA research and practice. Full article

Pragmatic competence is an indispensable component of communicative competence, which plays an essential role in human communication. When an individual is communicatively competent, he/she can carry out an effective conversation in social situations. Therefore, pragmatic competence establishes a compelling factor in English language learning as it permits second/foreign language learners to carry out successful conversations in real-life interactions outside the classroom atmosphere. The improvement of foreign language learners’ pragmatic competence will strengthen their communicative competence. The purpose of this paper is to assess foreign language learners’ comprehension of conversational implicatures by using a multiple-choice discourse test (MCDT) and their performance in a discourse completion test (DCT). Through the use of a quantitative analysis, 54 adult learners of English at C1 and B2 levels of proficiency defined by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) in a university in Cyprus were tested on their use of implicatures and speech acts. EFL learners were more successful in the MCDT regarding the comprehension of formulaic and idiosyncratic features but received lower results in the DCT. As well as testing the proficiency level, this study was also designed to investigate the difference between the gender performances of the DCT and MCDT. The results revealed that there is no statistical significance between the male and female respondents in terms of pragmatic competence. Based on these results, the role of teaching pragmatics in EFL classrooms portrays a major aspect for a sustainable learning environment. Thus, the paper also illustrates suggestions for future research. Full article

Online teaching and learning has been beneficial in facilitating learning of English as a foreign language (EFL). In online EFL learning, YouTube is one of the most utilized information and communication technology (ICT) tools because of its inherent features that make it a unique environment for learners and educators. Many interesting aspects of YouTube-based learning can be beneficial in supplementing conventional classroom methods, and, therefore, such aspects must be identified. Previous scholarly work aimed at improving YouTube learning environment was predominantly conducted manually by gathering learners’ impressions through interviews and questionnaires to analyze the differences between YouTube- and classroom-based EFL learning. However, such methods are tedious and time-consuming and can lead to results that are of less generalizable implications. User comments on YouTube channels are useful in identifying such aspects, as they present a wealth of information related to the quality of the content provided, challenges the targeted audience faces, and areas of potential improvement. Therefore, in our current study, YouTube API is used to collect the comments of three randomly selected and popular YouTube channels. Following a data cleaning process, people’s sentiments about EFL learning were first identified via a TextBlob method. Second, the automated latent semantic analysis (LSA) method of topic finding was used to collect global and open-ended topics of discussion on YouTube-based EFL learning. Users’ sentiments on the most popular topics of discussion are discussed in this paper. Further, based on the results, hypothetical findings on YouTube EFL learning are provided as recommendation for future content, including more variety of the content covered, introduction of the meanings and punctuation following words, the design of the course such that it addresses a multinational audience of any age, and targeted teaching of each variety of English, such as British and American. We also make suggestions for learners of English who wish to utilize online and offline learning, which include finding the course of interest first based on one’s needs which can be discussed with a tutor or any English teacher to optimize the learning experience, participating in fearless educator–learner interaction and engagement, and asking other EFL learners for their previous experiences with learning online in order for the learner to maximize benefit. Full article