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刊讯|SSCI 期刊 System 2022年第108-111卷

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2022-12-03

SYSTEM

Volume 108-111, Issue 5-8, 2021

SYSTEM(SSCI一区,2021 IF:4.518)2022年第108卷-111卷共发文69篇,其中研究性论文43篇,书评26篇。研究论文涉及外学习动机的调查分析,本期更多地是从心理学的视角探究在语言学习过程中学习者和教师的心理动态,并且本期还开设了“第二语言习得中的语言一致性:发生、学习效果和超越”专栏。

往期推荐:

刊讯丨SSCI 期刊 System 2022年第107卷

刊讯|SSCI 期刊 System 2022年第106卷

刊讯|SSCI 期刊 System 2022年第105卷

目录


REGULAR  ARTICLES

Profiles of motivation and engagement in foreign language l-

earning: Associations with emotional factors, academic achive-

ment, and demographic features, by Jiajing Li, Ronnel B. King,

Chuang Wang.

■Teacher agency in perceiving affordances and constraints of 

video conferencing technology: Teaching primary school students online, by Jaeho Jeon, Seongyong Lee, Hohsung Choe.

■Revisiting CALL normalization through a Yin–Yang ecological

perspective: A study on teacher intentionality and classroom t-

echnology use of a claimed reluctant user, by Chin-chi Chao, Qian Liu.

■FL listening motivation, interest, linguistic self-confidence, and overall proficiency: A complete double mediation model, by Art Tsang.

■Early plurilingual foreign language teaching in mixed classrooms: Linguistic and metalinguistic predictors of foreign language development among majority-language and minority-language students in EFL classes, by Holger Hopp, Dieter Thoma, Teresa Kieseier, Jenny Jakisch, Sarah Sturm.

■Exploring learner identity in the blended learning context: A case study of collaborative writing, by Jing Chen, Jie Tan, Jun Lei.

■Topic maintenance in video-mediated virtual exchanges: Rolling the ball back in L2 interactions, by Betül Çimenli, Olcay Sert, Christopher Jenks.

■Understanding EFL reading anxiety in relation to learning motivation, attitudes and strategies for Chinese and Spanish undergraduates, by Shifa Chen, Huinan Du, Shaoxin Wang, Lianrui Yang.

■Using phrase-frames to trace the language development of L1

Chinese learners of English, by Yi Tan, Ute Römer.

■Reading aloud listening test items to young learners: Attention, item understanding, and test performance, by Bronson Hui, Sharon Sin Ying Wong, Ricky K.C. Au. 

■ Dutch students’ evaluations of EMI and L1MOI lectures: The

role of non-native pronunciation, by Berna Hendriks, Frank van Meurs.

■Exploring the construct validity of tests used to assess L2 productive vocabulary knowledge, by Amanda Edmonds, Jon Clenton, Hosam Elmetaher.

■Having a single language interest autonomously predicts L2 

achievement: Addressing the predictive validity of L2 grit, by 

 Abdullah Alamer.

■The glocalisation of English-medium instruction examined through of the ROAD-MAPPING framework: A case study of teachers and students in a Vietnamese university, by Tho Doan Vo, Margaret Gleeson, Louise Starkey.

■ Adaptation and validation of the vocabulary learning motivation questionnaire for Chinese learners: A construct validation approach, by Jiajing Li, Ronnel B. King, Chuang Wang.

■An exploratory study on the potential of machine reading comprehension as an instructional scaffolding device in second language reading lessons, by Dongkwang Shin, Jang Ho Lee, Yongsang Lee.

■Being a YouTuber that language learners recognize: A study on constructing language teacher identities in social media community of practice, by Chin-chi Chao.

■English medium of instruction in science learning: A path analysis, by Jack Pun, Xina Jin

■Professional development for English-medium instruction professors at Korean universities, by Seonmin Park, Sung-Yeon Kim, Hikyoung Lee, Eun Gyong Kim.

■Can L2 course duration compensate for the impact of demographic and educational background variables on second language writing development? by Bart Deygers, Marieke Vanbuel, Ute Knoch.

■L2 learning as gendered practices: Chinese female students’ English learning experiences at an English-medium university in Hong Kong, by Chit Cheung Matthew Sung.

■Mining opinions on LMOOCs: Sentiment and content analyses of Chinese students’ comments in discussion forums, by Jian-E Peng, Yuanlan Jiang.

■CACTI: Use of a survey instrument as a semistructured interview protocol to facilitate teacher retrospection on bi/multilingual practices in EMI, by Anna Mendoza, Jiaen Ou

■The role of hope in language teachers' changing stress, coping, and well-being, by Peter MacIntyre, Sarah Mercer, Tammy Gregersen, Andrew Hay.

■Investigating student agency and affordances during online virtual exchange projects in an ELF context from an ecological CALL perspective, by Ming-Hung Hsieh, Hsueh-Hua Chuang, Dale Albanese.

■The impact of concordancing on English learners’ foreign language anxiety and enjoyment: An application of data-driven learning, by Javad Zare, Sedigheh Karimpour, Khadijeh Aqajani Delavar.

■Student engagement with teacher written feedback: Insights from low-proficiency and high-proficiency L2 learners, by Xiaolong Cheng, Yan Liu.

■Modeling the contribution of resilience, well-being, and L2 grit to foreign language teaching enjoyment among Iranian English language teachers, by Ali Derakhshan, Jean-Marc Dewaele, Mostafa Azari Noughabi.

■Resilience in language classrooms: Exploring individual antecedents and consequences, by Nourollah Zarrinabadi, Nigel Mantou Lou, Atefeh Ahmadi.

■"Listening should be done communicatively": Do task-supported language teaching and post-task self-reflection facilitate the development of L2 listening proficiency? by Xuyan Qiu, Jian Xu.

■“It wasn't going to happen until I made it happen”: World language teacher agency for multilingual advocacy, by William S. Davis, Kristina M. Howlett.

■A comparison of input- and output-based planning on the oral performance of low proficiency EFL learners, by Dongju Lee, Sung-Yeon Kim.

■Structured input and structured output on the acquisition of English passive constructions: A self-paced reading study measuring accuracy, response and reading time, by Alessandro Benati.

■Unpacking identity construction and negotiation: A case study of Chinese undergraduate students’ social and academic experiences while studying abroad, by Yanling Cai, Fan Fang, Honghong Sun, Lianjiang Jiang.

■Engagement in the foreign language classroom: Micro and macro perspectives, by Giulia Sulis.

■Lexical bundles in L2 English academic texts: Relationships with holistic assessments of writing quality, by Randy Appel.

■The differential mediating roles of ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves between growth mindsets and self-regulated writing strategies, by Jian Xu, Yabing Wang.

■Development of L2 disciplinary literacy: A multidimensional analysis, by Xuyan Qiu, Yuen Yi Lo, Xing San Teng.

■The impact of functional load and cumulative errors on listeners' judgments of comprehensibility and accentedness, by Mutleb Alnafisah, Erik Goodale, Ivana Rehman, John Levis, Tim Kochem.

■Mindful language learning: The effects of college students’ mindfulness on short-term vocabulary retention, by Luisa Zeilhofer, Yosuke Sasao.

■A dialogic approach to promoting professional development: Understanding change in Hong Kong language teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding vocabulary teaching and learning, by Edsoulla Chung, Linda Fisher.

■Recognition of conventional expressions by EFL learners in Mexico and China, by Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig, Jesús Izquierdo, Yunwen Su.

■Directed Motivational Currents in L2: A focus on triggering factors, initial conditions, and (non)defining features, by Tutku Başöz, Özge Gümüş.

■Developing and validating an instrument to measure EFL teachers’ self-reported use of productive feedback, by Mina Abdolhosseinzadeh Amini, Corne G. Kruger, Carisma Nel.

■Examining a continuum of FL speaking anxiety over time in an EFL classroom in Japan, by Robert (Jay) Veenstra, Christopher Weaver.

■Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) research trends and patterns through bibliometric analysis: Empowering language learners through ubiquitous educational technologies, by Kadir Karakaya, Aras Bozkurt.

■Effects of a professional development program on teachers’ oral corrective feedback practices, by Xuan Van Ha.

■Native speakers aren't perfect’: Japanese English learners' identity transformation as English users, by Mitsuyo Sakamoto, Gavin Furukawa.

■Translanguaging as a way to fostering EFL learners’ criticality in a hybrid course design, by Muhammet Yaşar Yüzlü, Kenan Dikilitaş.

■Effects of the longest pause, its location, and pause variance on successful EFL writing performance across writing tasks with diverse degrees of complexity, by Forooq Zarrabi, Mohammad Hossein Fadavi Amiri, Hossein Bozorgian.

■Models in collaborative writing among CLIL learners of English in primary school: Linguistic outcomes and motivation matters, by Izaskun Villarreal, Amparo Lázaro-Ibarrola.

■Versifying adversity: Using dramaturgically framed poetic inquiry to explore complexity in the second language learning experience, by Hamish Gillies, Peter Roger.

■Can language learners hear their own errors? The identification of grammaticality in one’s own production, by James Hunter.

■Mandarin Chinese-speaking learners’ acquisition of Italian consonant length contrast, by Qiang Feng, M. Grazia Busà.

■Effects of Global Englishes-oriented pedagogy in the EFL classroom, by Rainbow Tsai-Hung Chen.

■Dynamicity of language teacher motivation in online EFL classes, by Mehmet Sak.

■The emotion ∼ intellect dialectic in an EFL teacher's development of a research identity: A sociocultural perspective, by Yanhua Zhang, James P. Lantolf, Yaru Meng.


Article(s) from the special Issue "Linguistic alignment in Second Language Acquisition: occurrences, learning effects, and beyond" Edited by Marije Michel, YouJin Kim and Saioa Cipitria

■The role of input modality and vocabulary knowledge in alignment in reading-to-speaking tasks, by Judit Kormos, Shungo Suzuki, Masaki Eguchi.

■Alignment in second language speakers’ perceptions of interaction and its relationship to perceived communicative success, by Oguzhan Tekin, Pavel Trofimovich, Tzu-Hua Chen, Kim McDonough.

■Effect of interactive intensity on lexical alignment and L2 writing quality, by Min Wang, Qiao Gan, Julie E. Boland.

Developing English teachers' language assessment literacy in an EAP reform context through test design: A case study, by Yaqiong Cui, Yunlong Liu, Hua Yu, Yuan Gao.

■Exploring the relationship between behavior matching and interlocutor perceptions in L2 interaction, by Kim McDonough, Yoo Lae Kim, Pakize Uludag, Chen Liu, Pavel Trofimovich.

■Learning multiple L2 syntactic structures via chat-based alignment: What is the role of learners’ prior knowledge and conscious decisions? by Marion Coumel, Ema Ushioda, Katherine Messenger.

■Language assessment in Mexico: Exploring university language teachers' backgrounds, practices, and opinions, by Brita Banitz.

■Multimodal alignment in telecollaboration: A methodological exploration, by Marco Cappellini, Benjamin Holt, Yu-Yin Hsu.

■Analyzing English language teacher candidates’ assessment literacy: A case of Bruneian and Japanese universities, by Roslinawati Roslan, Yuri Nishio, Rosmawijah Jawawi.

■Lexical and syntactic alignment during English-Spanish teletandem meetings, by Marije Michel, Christine Appel, Saioa Cipitria.


BOOK REVIEWS

■ Corpus Linguistics for English for Academic Purposes, Vander Viana, Aisling O’Boyle (Eds.). Routledge, London/New York (2022), xvi + 260, 978-1-138-74208-6 (pbk), 978-1-00-324598-8 (ebk), by Shuyi Amelia Sun, Tsy Yih .

■Intercultural Crisis Communication: Translation, Interpreting and Languages in Local Crises, Federico M. Federici and Christ-ophe Declercq, xii+268. Bloomsbury Academic, London and New York (2020), ISBN: 9781350097056, by Lisheng Liu.

■Writing using sources for Academic Purposes, Rosemary Wette. Routledge, New York, NY (2021), ix+160 pp (hbk), ISBN: 978-0-367-17590-0, by Xiaolong Cheng.

■Book review Research Genres Across Languages: Multilingual Communication Online, Carmen Pérez-Llantada. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2021), xvi+ 244, by Xinpei Hong, Haitao Liu.

■Assessing Academic English for Higher Education Admissions, Xiaoming Xi, John M. Norris (Eds.). Routledge, New York/ Abin-

gdon (2021). p. 219, ISBN:9780815350644, by Zehan Chen, Liy-

Lan Huang.

■Becoming and Being a TESOL Teacher Educator, Rui Yuan, Icy Lee (Eds.). Routledge, New York, NY (2022). (Hardback), ISBN: 978-0-367-43629-2 (Paperback), ISBN: 978-1-032-10899-5, by Hong Zhang, Runyi Li.

■Introduction to TESOL: Becoming a language teaching professional, Kate Mastruserio Reynolds, Kenan Dikilitas, Steve Close. Wiley-Blackwell (2022), ix + 421, by Mai Xuan Nhat Chi Nguyen.

■Linguistic Description in English for Academic Purposes, Helen Basturkmen. Routledge, London and New York (2021), 104, ISBN: 978-1-032-00865-3, by Qiong Li, Jianying Du.

■Mapping research on second language writing teachers: A review on teacher cognition, practices, and expertise, by Yao Zheng, Shulin Yu, Chunhong Liu, Lianjiang Jiang

■The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Writing, Rosa M. Manchón, Charlene Polio (Eds.). Routledge (2022), 403, (pbk), ISBN: 978-1- 032-15478-7, by Xin Li.

■Interaction Process and Chinese EFL Learners’ Proficiency Development. Shanshan Gu. Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press and Springer, Shanghai and Singapore (2018), xiv + 156pp, by Haoda Feng, Hongqian Liu.

■Ethnographies of Academic Writing Research: theory, methods, and interpretation, Ignacio Guillén-Galve, Ana Bocanegra-Valle (Eds.). John Benjamins, Amsterdam/Philadelphia (2021), xi + 162, (hbk), ISBN: 9789027210067 (pbk), ISBN: 9789027210074 (ebk), ISBN: 9789027258410, by Kathrin Kaufhold.

■Mentoring and co-writing for research publication purposes: Interaction and text development in doctoral supervision. Pascal Patrick Matzler, Routledge (2022), 166pp ISBN: 9780367715588, by Le Zhang.

■Teaching and Learning in English Medium Instruction: An Introduction, Jack C. Richards, Jack Pun (Eds.). Routledge, London (2022), 318, $160 (hardback); $40.46 (paperback), ISBN: 1032043210, by Sheng Yan, Yuanjia Liu.

■Corpora in Applied Linguistics (2nd edition), Susan Hunston. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2022), xviii + 341pp, by Huilei Qi, Yingying Liu.

■Assessing Second Language Reading: Insights from Cloze Tests, Karim Sadeghi. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Switzerland (2021), xii+ 231, ISBN: 978-3-030-84469-1, by Xiangdong Gu, Bo Liu.

■Thinking and Speaking in a Second Language, Yi Wang, Wei Li. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2022), 78, 978-1-009-07484-1 (PB), 978-1-009-07505-3 (OC), by Hong Yu, Ju Wen.

■Metadiscursive nouns: Interaction and persuasion in disciplinary writing, Feng (Kevin) Jiang. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY (2022), 234, Hardback, ISBN: 9781032270005, by James Chonglong Gu.

■Pragmatics Online, Kate Scott. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY (2022), 168, 9781138368415 (hbk); ISBN: 9781138368590 (pbk); ISBN: 9781003254201, by Yaping Guo, Wei Ren.

■Multifunctionality in English: Corpora, Language and Academic Literacy Pedagogy by Zihan Yin, Elaine Vine (Eds.). Routledge, London and New York (2022). XVI+266 pp., (Hardback), ISBN: 978-0-367-72509-9 (Paperback), ISBN: 978-0-367-72512-9. by Hongyan Zhao, Jingyuan Zhang.

■Crosslinguistic Influence and Second Language Learning, Kevin McManus. Routledge, New York, NY (2022), xi+163, by Hanzhong Sun, Shaohua Fang, Hye K. Pae.

■Teaching Writing in English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Cognition Formation and Reformation, Huan Zhao, Lawrence Jun Zhang. Springer (2022), 200, ISBN 978-3-030-99991-9, $ 92.61 (eBook), by Javad Zare.

■The Routledge Handbook of Language, Gender, and Sexuality, J. Angouri, J. Baxter (Eds.). Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon and New York (2021), xvii + 619 pp., $250.00 (paperback), ISBN- 978-1-138-20026-5 (hbk) $54.45 (ebook), ISBN-978-1-3155-1485-7 (ebk), by Yue Zhang, Yang Miao.

■Book review of Doing English Grammar: Theory, Description and Practice, Roger Berry. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2021), xii+ 238, ISBN: 9781108325745, by Yu Kyoung Shin.

■Book Review: Language and the Brain: A Slim Guide to Neurolinguistics, authored by Jonathan R. Brennan. Oxford University Press (2022), 224£14,99 (e-Book), ISBN: 978-0-19-881476-4, by Haiquan Huang, Yixiong Chen, Lina Qian, Chili Li.

■The mysteries of bilingualism: unresolved issues, François Grosjean. Wiley Blackwell (2022), 176 PP, ISBN 978-1-119-60237-8, by Cândido Samuel Fonseca de Oliveira.


摘要

Profiles of motivation and engagement in foreign language learning: Associations with emotional factors, academic achievement, and demographic features

Jiajing Li, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China

Ronnel B.King, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Chuang Wang, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China

Abstract Motivation and engagement have long been recognized as determinants of foreign language learning. However, prior studies have mainly used variable-centered approaches to explore their relationships with key learning-related outcomes. Individual differences in foreign language learners' motivation and engagement and how they are associated with other language learning factors remain underexplored. Therefore, we employed a person-centered approach (i.e., latent profile analysis) to identify profiles of motivation and engagement in foreign language learning among 532 Chinese university students. We conducted analyses of variance to explore the differences in emotional factors and academic performance across profiles. Finally, multinomial logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate how demographic features differed across profiles. Four profiles were identified that characterized Chinese university students' motivation and engagement in foreign language learning. They were labeled as “Demotivated and Disengaged”, “Motivated and Engaged”, “Demotivated but Engaged”, and “Moderately Motivated and Engaged”. Results also indicated that these four profiles showed significantly different degrees of enjoyment, anxiety, and academic performance. “Motivated and Engaged” learners demonstrated the most adaptive outcomes, in contrast to “Demotivated and Disengaged” EFL learners. College major did not predict profile membership, but age, gender, and years of learning English did. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. 


Key words Motivation, Engagement, Latent profile analysis, EFL, Chinese university students


Teacher agency in perceiving affordances and constraints of videoconferencing technology: Teaching primary school students online

Jaeho Jeon, Department of English Education, Seoul National University of Education, South Korea 

Seongyong Lee, Department of English Education, Hannam University, South Korea 

Hohsung Choe, Department of TESOL & English Linguistics, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea

Abstract Despite some evidence in the literature on the evolving and emergent nature of technological affordances, the role of teacher agency in noticing, selecting, and utilizing those affordances in the context of L2 online teaching has not been fully explored. In addition, while previous research on technological affordances has focused on adult students, little has been known about how teacher agency is manifested in relation to ICT affordances when teaching young learners in large-sized L2 classes. Thus the present study, adopting the ecological perspective on teacher agency and affordance, aims to investigate how primary school English teachers enacted and exerted their teacher agency in response to pedagogical challenges by exploring and exploiting the pedagogical affordances of a synchronous videoconferencing tool. Qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with 10 English teachers in South Korea reflected that their teacher agency guided by their pedagogical beliefs contributed to evolving ICT affordances for L2 online teaching, responding to institutional expectations and technological constraints. The findings also showed that the characteristics of young English learners mediated their agency enactment in ways that teachers noticed technology affordances and constraints while addressing pedagogical issues regarding teaching young learners. Academic implications from the perspective of teacher agency are discussed. 


Key words Teacher agency, Ecological perspective, Technology affordance, Videoconferencing tool, Young English learners, L2 online teaching


Revisiting CALL normalization through a Yin–Yang ecological perspective: A study on teacher intentionality and classroom technology use of a claimed reluctant user

Chin-chi Chao, Department of English, National Chengchi University, No.64, Sec.2, Zhinan Rd, Taipei City, 11605, Taiwan

Qian Liu, School of International Studies, Hangzhou Normal University, No. 2318 Yuhangtang Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China

Abstract With the prevailing use of digital technology in language education around the globe, CALL normalization (Bax, 2003) seems to finally be approaching reality. This study revisits the concept by examining how an English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher and a claimed reluctant user of technology, Ada, navigates the ecology of CALL practice. Data from 64 h of classroom observation and multiple in-depth interviews were organized into five episodes of a hypothetical day of Ada's work life that show Ada intentionally and thoughtfully choosing her use and non-use of CALL applications. Drawing on an ecological perspective from Asia, the analysis reveals that the synergy between Ada's intentionality and technology can be considered akin to the constant dynamic balancing of the Yin–Yang relationship, in which Yin can be Ada's teacher intentionality, while Yang can be her symphonic use of technologies. The study then considers how the Yin–Yang ecological perspective and its features of complementarity, balance, and mutual constitution shed light on CALL practice as a new normal. Suggestions for CALL teacher education are provided. 


Key words CALL normalization, Language teacher intentionality, Ecological perspective, Yin–Yang ecology


FL listening motivation, interest, linguistic self-confidence, and overall proficiency: A complete double mediation model

Art Tsang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract Unlike reading motivation, listening motivation has largely been neglected by researchers, teachers, and learners. As one of the only two channels for receiving language input (the other being reading), listening is a very important first step for developing FL proficiency. The present study examined the interrelationships between three predictors (FL listening motivation, interest, and linguistic self-confidence), and an outcome (overall proficiency). One hundred and eleven primary 3–4 English-as-a-foreign-language children in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire and proficiency tests. The findings showed that all four variables were rather strongly inter-correlated. However, the path analysis revealed that the only significant relationship was a complete double mediation route(motivation→interest→confidence→proficiency).The study highlights the importance of listening motivation, furthers our understanding of its relationship with FL interest and confidence, and casts light on the mechanism of how it relates to overall proficiency via two mediators. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.


Key words Listening motivation, FL proficiency, Interest, Linguistic self-confidence, Young FL learners, English as a foreign language


Early plurilingual foreign language teaching in mixed classrooms: Linguistic and metalinguistic predictors of foreign language development among majority-language and minority-language students in EFL classes

Holger Hopp, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

Dieter Thoma, Universität Mannheim, Germany 

Teresa Kieseier, Universität Mannheim, Germany

Jenny JakischTechnische Universität Braunschweig, Germany 

Sarah Sturm, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

Abstract In a pre-posttest control group study, we test how plurilingual foreign language teaching affects foreign-language development in 258 primary-school students learning English in Germany. We compare general proficiency development in a group of students experiencing plurilingual teaching versus a group having regular, target-language-only teaching over a six-month period. Further, we assess whether and how proficiency in previously-acquired languages and phonological awareness affect learning gains in the plurilingual group. At the group level, the findings show that plurilingual instruction does not yield systematic differences compared to regular English instruction. Majority-language and minority-language students show comparable learning gains in standardized tests of receptive and productive vocabulary and receptive grammar in English. Regression analyses identify phonological awareness as a predictor of learning gains in the context of plurilingual foreign language learning. Further interactions with language background suggest that both proficiency in previously-acquired languages and metalinguistic skills modulate early foreign language learning and should be addressed in the classroom. 


Key words EFL teaching, Linguistic diversity, Plurilingual teaching, Multilingual education, Pedagogical translanguaging, Metalinguistic awareness


Exploring learner identity in the blended learning context: A case study of collaborative writing

Jing Chen, Sun Yat-sen University, School of Foreign Languages, West Xingang Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510275, China 

Jie Tan, Sun Yat-sen University, School of Foreign Languages, West Xingang Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510275, China 

Jun Lei, Ningbo University, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Fenghua Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, 315211, China

Abstract While there has been much research on language learner identity in traditional face-to-face classrooms, less attention has been paid to learner identity construction and its influencing factors in the blended learning environment. To bridge this gap, this study adopted a case-study approach to investigate six Chinese university students' learner identities constructed in the online and offline sessions of a blended English for academic purposes (EAP) course focusing on collaborative writing. Data included class observations and recordings, history logs on the writing platform, and semi-structured interviews. Different types of learner identities were identified from participants' verbal characteristics in offline classroom discussions (i.e., Group Leader, Spokesperson, Summarizer, and Follower) and from their writing revisions on the online writing platform (i.e., Industrious Contributor, Prudent Reader, Procrastinator, and Cooperative Writer). Both individual and contextual factors were found to influence the construction of learner identity in the blended learning environment for collaborative writing. The study also found that some students maintained their learner identities across the two cohesive learning sessions of the blended course whereas others did not. These findings provide implications for course design, pedagogical practice, and materials development.


Key words Learner identity, Blended learning, Collaborative writing, Influencing factor, Case study


Topic maintenance in video-mediated virtual exchanges: Rolling the ball back in L2 interactions

Betül Çimenli, Bartın University, Education Faculty, Department of English Language Teaching, Turkey 

Olcay Sert, Mälardalen University, School of Education, Culture and Communication, Box 883, 721 23, Västerås, Sweden 

Christopher Jenks, Aalborg University, Department of Culture and Learning & The Faculty of Humanities, Denmark

Abstract This study investigates how topics are managed in virtual exchanges between tertiary-level English language learners from Turkey and Kazakhstan. The study reports on a previously unexplored interactional device referred to as “rolling the ball back” (RBB) that invites a co-participant to maintain a current topic of discussion through reciprocation of a question asked previously. Using multimodal conversation analysis, the findings show that RBBs accomplish a range of discursive actions through this reciprocation including requesting for information, asking for opinions, changing speakership, and creating a space for topic extension. RBBs are pedagogically significant and interactionally salient in that “rolling it back” allows students to maintain topic progressivity by asking reciprocating questions in online interaction. These findings contribute to the literature on topic maintenance, as well as existing work concerned with how the discursive organization in virtual exchange can be used to enhance teaching and learning. RBBs can be used by language researchers and practitioners to design new learning practices and materials that facilitate robust learner talk in and out of language classrooms. 


Key words Topic development, Topic maintenance, Online L2 interaction, Computer-mediated communication, Virtual exchange, Conversation analysis


Understanding EFL reading anxiety in relation to learning motivation, attitudes and strategies for Chinese and Spanish undergraduates

Shifa Chen, Department of English, College of Foreign Languages, Ocean University of China, No. 238, Songling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, 266100, PR China 

Huinan Du, Department of English, College of Foreign Languages, Ocean University of China, No. 238, Songling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, 266100, PR China 

Shaoxin Wang, Department of English, College of Foreign Languages, Ocean University of China, No. 238, Songling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, 266100, PR China 

Lianrui Yang, Department of English, College of Foreign Languages, Ocean University of China, No. 238, Songling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, 266100, PR China

Abstract The present study explored the relationships between English as a foreign language (EFL) reading anxiety and learning motivation, attitudes, and strategies in two groups of EFL learners with different first language (L1) backgrounds. Thirty-five Chinese EFL undergraduates and thirty-seven Spanish EFL undergraduates participated in this study via a questionnaire. Quantitative analyses indicated different types of relationships between EFL reading anxiety and the abovementioned factors between these two groups of learners. While learning attitudes had a predictive effect on EFL reading anxiety for both Chinese and Spanish EFL undergraduates, the predictive effect of learning motivation and strategies were significant only among Spanish undergraduates. In addition, with learning attitudes as a mediator, learning motivation had an indirect effect on Chinese undergraduates’ reading anxiety. These findings expand previous studies by exploring the relationships between EFL reading anxiety and these correlates among EFL learners with different L1 backgrounds and provide reference and basis for the intervention of FLRA throughout the language learning process. 


Key words EFL reading Anxiety, Learning motivation, Learning attitudes, Learning strategies, L1 background


Using phrase-frames to trace the language development of L1 Chinese learners of English

Yi Tan, Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL, Georgia State University, USA 

Ute Römer, Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL, Georgia State University, USA

Abstract A recent trend in corpus-based research emphasizes the importance to examine repeated, discontinuous word sequences in addition to continuous ones. The present study extends this trend into research on the use of phrase-frames (repeated word sequences with variable slots, e.g., it is * to) and their variants (e.g., important, easy) in a large corpus of L1 Chinese learner writing in English across five proficiency levels. Phrase-frames were automatically identified based on established frequency and range thresholds and manually filtered for meaningfulness. The analysis focuses on differences in the variability, predictability, and functions of the 100 most frequent phrase-frames (of spans three and four) across levels. The results revealed that, as learners move to more advanced proficiency levels, they tend to employ phrase-frames that are more variable and less predictable. Results also indicate that the functions expressed by high-frequency phrase-frames vary between proficiency levels. This study contributes to a better understanding of the process of L2 learners’ development of phraseological competence.


Key words Learner corpus, Learner development, Phraseological competence, Formulaic language, Phrase-frames, EFL writing, Chinese EFL learners


Reading aloud listening test items to young learners: Attention, item understanding, and test performance

Bronson Hui, Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen, Germany;

University of Maryland, College Park, USA 

Sharon Sin Ying Wong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong  

Ricky K.C.Au, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong          

Abstract In second language (L2) listening assessment for young learners, test items are often read aloud by the narrator or by the teacher administering the test. Although read-alouds seem to be a special test feature for children, a solid empirical basis of this practice has not been established in the literature. In this article, we examine the relationship between read-alouds, test takers' attention, perceived item understanding, and test performance. We report an experiment where non-native English-speaking children completed a baseline reading test before taking a sample TOEFL Primary listening test on an eye tracker in two conditions: items fully read aloud (FRA) and items partially read aloud (PRA). After each item, test takers also rated their understanding of the item. We found that the read-alouds helped in drawing test takers’ attention to the corresponding written information on the screen. However, no robust differences were found in perceived item understanding, and test performance was equivalent between the two conditions. We discuss the implications for test administrators on assessment design for this population.


Dutch students’ evaluations of EMI and L1MOI lectures: The role of non-native pronunciation

Berna Hendriks, Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, the Netherlands 

Frankvan Meurs, Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, the Netherlands

Abstract In a within-subjects experiment, 119 Dutch listeners evaluated authentic English and Dutch lecture fragments recorded by the same Dutch lecturer. For each fragment, they answered multiple-choice comprehension questions and rated the lecturer on comprehensibility, attitudinal measures (status, competence, likeability and dynamism), and perceived teaching quality. Findings showed that actual comprehension was not different for the English and the Dutch fragments. The lecturer was evaluated less positively in the English fragments than in the Dutch fragments in terms of status, competence, dynamism and teaching quality, but not likeability. A mediation analysis showed that language choice had no direct effect but only indirect effects on perceived teaching quality through comprehensibility and non-native pronunciation. Our study shows that the use of EMI instead of L1MOI would not appear to result in reduced comprehension but does result in more negative perceptions of the lecturer, and that non-native pronunciation contributes to these perceptions.


Key words Accentedness, English medium instruction, L1MOI, Comprehension, Comprehensibility, Non-native, Attitudinal evaluations


Exploring the construct validity of tests used to assess L2 productive vocabulary knowledge

Amanda Edmonds, Université Côte d’Azur, France 

Jon Clenton, Hiroshima University, Japan 

Hosam Elmetaher, Nanzan University, Japan

Abstract Vocabulary knowledge in a second language (L2) is thought to be a complex construct and, accordingly, there exist numerous ways to evaluate a L2 learner's vocabulary knowledge. These assessments are generally billed as tests of vocabulary size (i.e., number of words known) or depth (i.e., how well words are known) of either receptive or productive vocabulary knowledge. However, inconsistencies persist in how existing assessments are characterized, leading to sometimes contradictory claims over what these tests are measuring. This state of affairs leads to concerns with the construct validity of the tests in question. In the current study, we contribute to these ongoing discussions with a focus on tests that target productive vocabulary knowledge in L2 English. Four vocabulary tests (three productive, one receptive) were administered to a group of Francophone learners of English, and results were analyzed using an exploratory factor analysis. This analytic approach led to the identification of two underlying constructs, which we labeled receptive vocabulary knowledge and productive vocabulary knowledge, respectively. These results highlight the importance of the crucial distinction between receptive and productive knowledge in the conceptualization of the overall construct of vocabulary knowledge.


Key words Vocabulary, Productive, Receptive, Exploratory factor analysis


Having a single language interest autonomously predicts L2 achievement: Addressing the predictive validity of L2 grit

Abdullah Alamer, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia;Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Saudi Arabia


Abstract The present study aims to evaluate the role of ‘autonomous single language interest’ (ASLI) and assess its applicability and predictive validity for subsequent language achievement. ASLI, a refined version of ‘consistency of interest’ (CI) from grit, postulates that language students who have one autonomous language interest during their study (e.g., during the university setting) would achieve the language more successfully than those who have multiple language-unrelated interests/projects besides their language study. To evaluate this construct, 235 undergraduate English students were tracked over roughly one academic year. The validation of the single language interest (SLI) construct was achieved using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The analyses indicated a reliable and valid scale of SLI. The predictive moderated model offered unique information about how SLI is related to L2 achievement after one academic year. The effects of SLI on L2 achievement are positive when students have SLI in an autonomous manner; hence the name ASLI, but negative when students' have SLI in a controlled manner (e.g., with internal/external pressure). The effects hold constant while controlling for students' initial language achievement. Conceptual and educational implications are discussed.
Key words Autonomous single language interest (ASLI), Consistency of interest (CI), Self-determination theory (SDT), Language achievement, Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM)


The glocalisation of English-medium instruction examined through of the ROAD-MAPPING framework: A case study of teachers and students in a Vietnamese university

Tho Doan Vo, School of Foreign Languages, University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City 59C Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam 

Margaret Gleeson, School of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand 

Louise Starkey, School of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand

Abstract English-medium instruction (EMI) is a growing phenomenon in Vietnamese higher education in response to globalisation and internationalisation. This paper examines how four subject teachers and their students in undergraduate economics-related EMI courses experienced the introduction of EMI. Data were gathered from interviews, classroom observation and focus group interviews and the findings were thematically analysed using the dimensions of the ROAD-MAPPING framework (Dafouz & Smit, 2016). The teachers and students found their expectations of the programme did not match the reality. In the process of glocalisation, the local was given insufficient focus in the largely imported curriculum and pedagogies. This suggests alignment is needed between top-down (international) policies and bottom-up (local) reality for EMI to work in practice.


Key words English-medium instruction, EMI, ROAD-MAPPING, Glocalisation, Vietnam


Adaptation and validation of the vocabulary learning motivation questionnaire for Chinese learners: A construct validation approach

Jiajing Li, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China 

Ronnel B. King, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Chuang Wang, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China

Abstract English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in China view learning vocabulary as one of their biggest challenges. Despite the importance of vocabulary learning for mastering English, no existing survey specifically measures Chinese students' vocabulary learning motivation. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the Vocabulary Learning Motivation Questionnaire (VLMQ; Tanaka, 2017) and validated it in a Chinese context. Both within- and between-network approaches were used. Results indicated the applicability of this new version of the scale (i.e., VLMQ-Chinese) in measuring the vocabulary learning motivation of Chinese high school students. Results of the within-network analyses supported the four-factor model of the scale which includes intrinsic, identified, introjected, and external motivation. Measurement invariance across gender was also supported. The between-network analyses indicated that different types of motivation were associated with students' vocabulary proficiency, self-efficacy, and self-regulating capacity in vocabulary learning. Among the different types of motivation, intrinsic motivation and identified motivation were more strongly associated with adaptive learning-related outcomes. Theoretically, this study extends the past vocabulary learning literature by focusing specifically on Chinese EFL learners' vocabulary learning motivation. Practically, this study provides researchers and educators with a tool to measure students’ motivation in vocabulary learning.


Key words Vocabulary, Motivation, Validation, EFL, High school students


The role of input modality and vocabulary knowledge in alignment in reading-to-speaking tasks

Judit Kormos, Lancaster University, UK

University of Vienna, Department of English and American Studies, Austria

Shungo Suzuki, Lancaster University, UK

                           Waseda University, Japan 

Judit Kormos, University of Oregon, Department of Linguistics, USA

Abstract Our study investigated lexical alignment in a reading-to-speaking task, in two modalities of input text presentation. We also explored whether participants’ vocabulary knowledge moderates the effects of text modality and difficulty on lexical alignment. We addressed these questions by analyzing lexical overlap in the speech of 128 Japanese learners of English. Students were asked to summarize the information given in two different expository informational texts that were presented in reading-only mode and in reading-while-listening mode, using a within-subject design. The results showed that participants produced fewer overlapping 5-grams in reading-while-listening condition than in the reading-only condition. However for shorter n-grams no significant differences between modes of exposure were found. Students with larger vocabulary size produced less lexical overlap with the input text at the level of single words. We discuss the implications of the findings of the study for language teaching pedagogy.


Key words Alignment, Modality, Integrated skills, Comprehension, Oral summary, Vocabulary knowledge


Alignment in second language speakers’ perceptions of interaction and its relationship to perceived communicative success

Oguzhan Tekin, Concordia University, Department of Education, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montréal, (Québec), H3G1M8, Canada 

Pavel Trofimovich, Concordia University, Department of Education, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montréal, (Québec), H3G1M8, Canada 

Tzu-Hua Chen, Concordia University, Department of Education, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montréal, (Québec), H3G1M8, Canada 

Kim McDonough, Concordia University, Department of Education, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montréal, (Québec), H3G1M8, Canada

Abstract Conversation is a co-constructed social activity, and interlocutors, including second language (L2) speakers, frequently align in their linguistic and nonlinguistic behaviors to create shared understanding. Given that L2 speakers make assumptions about their interlocutors, this exploratory study examines whether their perceptions about linguistic, socio-affective, and behavioral dimensions of interaction align. It also explores whether such alignment is related to their agreement about the success of the conversation. Eighty-four pairs of L2 English university students completed a 10-min academic discussion task, subsequently rating each other's comprehensibility, fluency, anxiety, motivation, and collaboration. At the end of a 30-min session, they also assessed the communicative success of their conversational experience. Speakers were generally aligned in their evaluations of each other and in their perception of communicative success, with alignment operationalized as the difference between the partners' scores. Although alignment in all dimensions of interaction was associated with perceived communicative success, collaboration had the strongest relationship (0.40 or 16% shared variance). The findings provide preliminary evidence that L2 speakers' alignment in perceived dimensions of interaction, particularly collaboration, is associated with their perceived communicative success.


Key words Interactive alignment, Second language, Comprehensibility, FluencyAnxiety, Motivation, Collaboration, Metacognition, Interaction


Effect of interactive intensity on lexical alignment and L2 writing quality

Min WangZhejiang University Institute of Applied Linguistics, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China Qiao Gan, Australian National University School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, Baldessin Precinct Building (110), Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia 

Julie E.Boland, University of Michigan Department of Psychology, East Hall 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1043, USA

Abstract This study examined the relationships among interactive intensity, lexical alignment and L2 writing quality under two variations (multi-turn vs. single-turn) of a story continuation task. The multi-turn version entailed more interaction between the learner and the text than the single-turn version. One-hundred and nine Chinese undergraduates were assigned to either the multi- or the single-turn group. The continuation task was preceded by a pretest one week earlier and followed by a posttest two weeks later. Both versions of the continuation task resulted in lexical alignment but the magnitude was stronger in the multi-turn mode. Compared with the pretest, participants’ use of content and function words was more similar to the input when completing the story and during the posttest, and increases in the similarity of content words were more marked in the multi-turn group. Furthermore, the effect of alignment on writing quality was influenced by interactive intensity: the multi-turn group improved more remarkably from the pretest to the posttest than the single-turn group. By employing the algorithmic indices Latent Semantic Similarity (LSS) and Language Style Matching (LSM), this study was the first to examine L2 lexical alignment beyond exact repetition of content words and the first to associate interactive intensity with L2 writing quality.


Key words Lexical alignment, The continuation task, Interactive intensity, L2 writing quality, Task mode, Lexical repetition, LSS, LSM


An exploratory study on the potential of machine reading comprehension as an instructional scaffolding device in second language reading lessons

Dongkwang Shin, Gwangju National University of Education, Gwangju, Republic of Korea

Jang HoLee, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

YongsangLeec, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea

Abstract Machine reading comprehension (MRC) is a technology that analyzes text and answers questions about it. This study proposes an innovative approach to helping second language learners use this new technology as an instructional scaffolding device. We selected 100 reading comprehension test items of various types from the English section of the College Scholastic Ability Test in the Republic of Korea and analyzed them using Microsoft MRC. Then, we examined the extent to which MRC could help provide informative answers to questions. The results reveal that MRC could provide moderately-to-highly informative clues for the test items, although the MRC required additional questions to provide suitable answers for some test items. This ability to ask additional questions was found to be an essential component of effective MRC use. This study proposes how MRC could be used by second language learners in reading lessons and suggests directions for future research on MRC.


Key words Instructional scaffolding; Machine reading comprehension; Second language reading; Span extraction


Being a YouTuber that language learners recognize: A study on constructing language teacher identities in social media community of practice

Chin-chi Chao, Department of English, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract Despite increased studies on language teacher identities (LTIs) in digital contexts, there has not been much research on constructing LTIs in social media (SM), a unique community of practice featuring interaction between the language teacher community oriented toward classroom practice and the SM community featuring participatory culture and visibility -- allowing one to be seen. This study filled the gap by focusing on two language teaching YouTubers' construction of LTIs by analyzing multiple runs of narratives, in-depth interviews, and their video work. Wenger's (1998) social ecology of identity in community of practice (CoP) was adopted as the analytic framework. The findings reveal that one participant was positioned as a classroom teacher to the audience right from the very beginning, aligned her work with the language teacher community, and felt marginalized, while the other positioned herself as a knowledgeable peer, not a teacher, aligned more with the SM community, and felt more empowered. Their experiences of participation and marginalization reveal the importance of keeping a balance between the self and audiences and challenge the conventional view that language teaching in SM is all about fun and entertaining. Implications and suggestions for SM language teaching and research are provided.


Key words Language teacher identities, Community of practice, Participatory culture, YouTubers, Social media, Visibility


English medium of instruction in science learning: A path analysis

Jack Pun, Department of English, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Xina Jin, Department of English, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Abstract As a result of the global boom in English-medium instruction (EMI) education, an increasing number of content subjects are now taught in English. Though many variables have been identified as important predictors of academic success in the EMI context, the relationships between them are still poorly understood. Drawing on survey data collected from 356 students studying at eight English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong, we developed a model to describe the structural relationships between L2 students' English proficiency, their use of language in the science classroom, their self-perceived difficulty in using English in the science classroom, their science learning self-concept, and their science achievement. The path analysis revealed strong connections between the variables, indicating that L2 students' self-perceptions and their English competence play important roles in their acquisition of scientific knowledge. Although L2 students' English proficiency was identified as a strongest predictor of science achievement, negative perceptions of EMI caused by lack of English competence to some extent also facilitate students’ academic outcome in science. In terms of pedagogical implication, mixed-language instruction appeared to be more beneficial than pure English-medium instruction when teaching science subjects.


Key words English-medium instruction, English proficiency, Self-perception, Science achievement, Classroom interaction, Secondary school


Professional development for English-medium instruction professors at Korean universities

Seonmin Park, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea

Sung-Yeon Kim, Dept. of English Education, College of Education, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea

Hikyoung Lee, Dept. of English Language & Literature, College of Liberal Arts, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea

Eun Gyong Kim, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea

Abstract English-medium instruction (EMI) has been implemented in higher education institutions mainly to foster internationalization. This study examines EMI-related professional development (PD) programs, professors' experiences and perceptions of such programs, and EMI certification implementation at comprehensive universities and science and engineering universities in South Korea. A mixed-methods analysis was conducted to investigate the current state of EMI and the need for EMI-related PD programs at the universities. Furthermore, a survey was administered to professors to examine their perceptions of EMI, EMI-related PD programs, and EMI certification implementation. Follow-up interviews were also conducted for a more in-depth analysis. The analysis results show that the EMI implementation rate was higher in science and engineering universities than in comprehensive universities, whereas more systematic and substantive EMI-related PD programs were offered at comprehensive universities. Survey findings indicated that few professors had experience with pre- or in-service PD programs, and that professors showed negative tendencies towards EMI certification implementation. Moreover, professors’ attitudes towards the benefits, challenges and importance of EMI differed among the university types sampled. This study proposes an EMI PD model and highlights the need for a context-appropriate approach to EMI-related PDs to meet not only institutional but also faculty needs regarding EMI policy.


Key words English-medium instruction, EMI, Korean universities, Professional development


Can L2 course duration compensate for the impact of demographic and educational background variables on second language writing development?

Bart Deygers, Ghent University, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Department of Translation, Interpreting and Communication, Groot-Brittanniëlaan 45, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

Marieke Vanbuel, Ghent University & FWO, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Department of Translation, Interpreting and Communication, Groot-Brittanniëlaan 45, 9000;Ghent, Belgium

KU Leuven, Faculty Psychology and Educational Sciences, Centre for Educational Effectiveness and Evaluation, Dekenstraat 2, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Ute Knoch, Language Testing Research Centre, University of Melbourne, 410, Babel Building, Parkville, Melbourne (Victoria), Australia

Abstract This article focuses on equity as inclusion in an adult L2 education system. Using a real-world high-stakes writing test, we examine to what extent learners with different educational backgrounds partaking in the same educational system have the same opportunity of achieving the same minimal standard. In the context of the current research, that minimal proficiency standard is the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Achieving that level is a requirement for all non-EU migrants to Flanders (Belgium), where the study was conducted. The research population consisted of 1056 adults attending three different L2 learning tracks of Dutch as a second language in Belgium. Each track caters to learners with different educational backgrounds, ranging from primary to tertiary education. Using logistic multilevel regression and many-facet Rasch analysis, this study compared writing performances of the different learning tracks. The results show significant differences in test scores and pass probabilities at the end of the different A2 tracks, as well as very different learner profiles in terms of syntactic and lexical complexity, and in terms of error types.


Key words Writing proficiency, Educational effectiveness, Language policy, Equity as inclusion, Language and migration


L2 learning as gendered practices: Chinese female students’ English learning experiences at an English-medium university in Hong Kong

Chit Cheung MatthewSung, Department of English, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China

Abstract This paper advances our conceptualization of second language (L2) learning as gendered practices through a narrative inquiry into two Chinese female students' experiences of learning English as an L2 at an English-medium university in Hong Kong. The findings of the study reveal that the two students' divergent patterns of investments in L2 learning practices inside and outside the classroom appear to be shaped differentially by their varying responses to traditional gender ideologies, their differing evaluations of their gender capital, and the different ways in which they negotiate their desired gender identities. Importantly, the findings suggest that gender as a social construct appears to be implicated in the two students' L2 learning practices in complex and multifaceted ways and that the ways in which gender plays out in their L2 learning experiences can be highly individualized. Overall, the study elucidates the interconnectedness of gender ideologies, gender identities and gender capital in co-shaping individuals’ L2 learning practices in situated contexts. It also calls for attention to the complex interactions between the social and the individual in order to account for the varied and differentiated ways in which gender mediates situated L2 learning practices across individuals and across contexts for a given individual.


Key words Second language learning, Gender identity, Gender capital, Gender ideology, Hong Kong


Mining opinions on LMOOCs: Sentiment and content analyses of Chinese students’ comments in discussion forums

Jian-E Peng, College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, China 

Yuanlan Jiang, College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, China

Abstract The rapid rise of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has attracted intense discussion on their benefits to education transformation and related challenges. Language MOOCs (LMOOCs) as an emerging field requires more empirical attention, particularly in terms of learners' perceptions and needs regarding LMOOC learning. This study aimed to explore LMOOC students' sentiments and opinions through sentiment analysis and content analysis of their comments posted in the discussion forums of 60 LMOOCs and examine the correlation between student sentiment and course rating. The results indicated that the majority of the comments were positive, and student sentiment was positively correlated with course rating. Five major themes that encapsulated students' opinions about LMOOCs and their experiences in LMOOC learning were identified: attitudes towards the LMOOCs, comments on the LMOOCs, evaluations of LMOOC instruction and instructors, learning outcomes, and suggestions. To shed light on LMOOC development, the LMOOC learners’ concerns and suggestions were particularly examined, and tactics possibly used by learners to express euphemistically or circumvent negative feedback were speculated. Implications for LMOOC instructors and developers and future research are finally presented.


Key words Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Language MOOCs (LMOOCs), Discussion forums, Sentiment analysis, Content analysis


CACTI: Use of a survey instrument as a semistructured interview protocol to facilitate teacher retrospection on bi/multilingual practices in EMI

Anna Mendoza, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China

Jiaen Ou, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China

Abstract In this study, the researchers used a survey as a semistructured interview protocol to examine teachers' use of students' other languages in English-medium instruction (EMI) by conducting interviews with 16 primary and secondary teachers in EMI schools in Hong Kong, Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang. During the two parts of the interview (Part 1: Demographic Information and Part 2: Bi/multilingual Practices), which lasted 1.5–2 h, teachers shared their pedagogical practices based on one class of primary or secondary students. Part 1 elicited teachers’ geographic and institutional context, grade and subject matter, class language demographics, and teacher language knowledge, while Part 2 consisted of 30 multiple choice items representing different bi/multilingual classroom practices, categorized based on the literature into learning purposes, pedagogical or spontaneous practices, classroom language policies, and modality directions. Teachers rated the importance of each of the 30 practices on a Likert scale (”5/Very important” to “1/Not important”) and gave justifications and explanations that were coded inductively. Table and interview analyses show (1) which practices stood out as the most controversial, (2) what deliberations about contextual factors were involved in decision-making about them, and (3) implications for teacher professional development.


Key words Translanguaging, Code-switching, English-medium instruction, Primary and secondary teachers, Classroom language use


The role of hope in language teachers' changing stress, coping, and well-being

Peter MacIntyre, Cape Breton University, Canada

Sarah Mercer, University of Graz, Austria

Tammy Gregersen, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Andrew Hay, Cape Breton University, Canada

Abstract Language teaching has been described as a “profession in crisis”; a situation likely worsened by the effects of an emergency conversion to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study examines two waves of data (from April and November 2020) on stress, coping, and well-being during those eight months. Results show an increase in teachers' stress associated with health and travel but decreases in stress due to online teaching and the shortage of goods in retail stores. There was a significant reduction in coping behavior as teachers settled into the new normal. Well-being, as measured by PERMA, declined significantly, and there was a significant increase in sadness, loneliness, and anger. However, teachers reported an increasing sense of growth during trauma. Time 2 data included a measure of hope, defined by feelings of agency and available pathways to goal achievement. Rarely has hope been studied among teachers in general or language teachers in particular. Results show significant, positive correlations between hope and various measures of successful coping and teacher well-being, including a sense of growth over time. The study suggests the time frame of the study was especially difficult for teachers, but that hope is associated with more positive outcomes.


Key words Teacher well-being, Hope theory, Coping with stress, Online teaching, COVID-19, PERMA


Investigatingstudent agency and affordances during online virtual exchange projects in an ELF context from an ecological CALL perspective

Ming-Hung Hsieh, Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, No.70 Lien-hai Rd., Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan

Hsueh-Hua Chuang, Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, No.70 Lien-hai Rd., Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan; International Graduate Program of Education and Human Development, National Sun Yat-sen University, No.70 Lien-hai Rd., Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan

Dale Albanese, International Graduate Program of Education and Human Development, National Sun Yat-sen University, No.70 Lien-hai Rd., Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan

Abstract Situated in a computer-assisted language-learning (CALL) context with English as a lingua franca (ELF), this qualitative case study of virtual exchange projects adopts an ecological perspective to investigate student agency in engaging with perceived affordances of the learning environment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews and student reflections were triangulated with instructor observations, researcher memos, and artifacts such as student-produced presentation slides and videos. Results of the study indicated that students engaged with diverse formations of affordances within the multimodal online environment. Particularly, students’ agentive behaviors manifested through interactions with teacher and peer support as well as negotiation of collaboration between students of different sociocultural backgrounds. Pedagogical implications are provided for educators considering the implementation of student-centered, constructivist instructional practices via online virtual exchange projects along with theoretical and methodological suggestions for future research.


Key words Student agency, Affordances, Virtual exchange, English as a lingua franca (ELF), Ecological CALL


The impact of concordancing on English learners’ foreign language anxiety and enjoyment: An application of data-driven learning

Javad Zare, Department of English Language and Literature, Kosar University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran

Sedigheh Karimpour, Department of English Language, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

Khadijeh Aqajani Delavarc, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract Over the past decades, several studies have focused on the role of data-driven learning (DDL) in language teaching and learning. Nevertheless, research on DDL is still scarce from an emotional perspective. As exposure to authentic language and discovery learning through DDL leads to increased awareness of regular language patterns, it is important to see if it affects learners' emotions, i.e., foreign language anxiety and enjoyment. To address this gap, the current study adopted a quasi-experimental comparison group pretest-posttest design within a validating quantitative data triangulation model. Ninety-six English-major university students were divided equally into two groups, i.e., one comparison and one intervention group, and were later exposed to the placebo and treatment, respectively. The placebo was 12 1-h sessions of traditional explicit instruction on how to mark important points in academic English lectures by a competent teacher, whereas the treatment was 12 1-h sessions of concordancing on how to mark important points in academic English lectures with AntConc. Drawing on foreign language anxiety and enjoyment questionnaires and free-response surveys, the findings of the study showed that concordancing did not result in any statistically significant differences between students in their foreign language anxiety. On the other hand, students found following a DDL approach with concordancing less enjoyable than traditional explicit instruction by the teacher. Altogether, the results highlighted the crucial role of the teacher in creating a supportive and enjoyable learning environment, the students’ inclination towards teacher-centered classes, and their dependence on the teacher as the sole provider of information. The study has theoretical and pedagogical implications for language teaching and learning.


Key words Data-driven learning, Concordancing, Foreign language anxiety, Foreign language enjoyment


Student engagement with teacher written feedback: Insights from low-proficiency and high-proficiency L2 learners

Xiaolong Cheng, School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Yan Liu, School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China


Abstract Although studies on teacher written feedback have proliferated in recent years, much remains to be discovered about L2 learners' engagement with this practice. To bridge this gap, the study examined how low-proficiency and high-proficiency students engaged with teacher written feedback affectively, cognitively, and behaviorally in a Chinese EFL context. The study collected data from multiple sources including students' first drafts of their writing, teacher written feedback, revised drafts, students' verbal reports, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that for this important pedagogical practice, students' engagement with teacher written feedback was mediated by their language proficiency and feedback focus. Specifically, while LP and HP students' engagement with local feedback was quite different, they shared similarities in their engagement with global feedback. The study further found a complex and nonlinear relationship across the three perspectives of engagement (i.e., affective/cognitive/behavioral), which was evidenced in the consistencies and inconsistencies of the students’ engagement. The important pedagogical implications from this study are discussed.
Key words Student engagement, Teacher written feedback, L2 writing, Low-proficiency EFL learners, High-proficiency EFL learners

Modeling the contribution of resilience, well-being, and L2 grit to foreign language teaching enjoyment among Iranian English language teachers

Ali Derakhshan, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran

Jean-Marc Dewaele, Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK

Mostafa Azari Noughabi, Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

Abstract With the flourishing of positive psychology (PP) in foreign and second language teaching research, interest has grown in a range of positive psychological variables including the new concept of foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE) that mirrors that of learners' Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE). The present study investigates how positive psychological and personality-based variables like resilience, well-being, and L2 grit shape the FLTE of 450 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. The participants completed four electronic surveys, and the collected data were analyzed through Mplus. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that EFL teachers’ resilience, well-being, and L2 grit significantly influenced their FLTE. In addition, teacher L2 grit was the strongest predictor of FLTE among Iranian EFL teachers. It thus seems that gritty, resilient, and happy teachers are more likely to enjoy the teaching experience in the classroom. Finally, implications and suggestions for future research are offered.


Key words Foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE), Well-being, Resilience, L2 grit, English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher, Structural equation modeling (SEM)


Resilience in language classrooms: Exploring individual antecedents and consequences

Nourollah Zarrinabadi, University of Isfahan, Iran

Nigel Mantou Lou, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Canada;Centre for Youth and Society, University of Victoria, Canada

Atefeh Ahmadi, University of Isfahan, Iran

Abstract Learning a second language (L2) is a prolonged process and it is full of challenges. Resilience is an important capacity to help learners to deal with challenging situations and cope with daily setbacks and struggles. This study examined the antecedents and consequences of resilience in language learning contexts. The participants of the study were 300 Iranian EFL learners at a state university (63.3% females). The participants answered a self-report questionnaire of their resilience, mindsets, psychological well-being, L2 selves, and perceived competence. The data were analyzed through structural equational modeling. The results showed that resilience was an important factor in predicting engagement (both in-class participation and effort) and well-being (high flourishing and positive affect, and low negative affect). That is, resilient learners are not only engaged learners, but also happy learners. The results also indicated that growth language mindsets and ideal L2 self independently predicted resilience and indirectly predicted engagement and well-being via resilience. These findings suggest that promoting resilience could be an important aspect of learners’ well-being and engagement in second language education.


Key words Resilience, Growth mindsets, Well-being, Possible selves, Perceived competence


"Listening should be done communicatively": Do task-supported language teaching and post-task self-reflection facilitate the development of L2 listening proficiency?

Xuyan Qiu, Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China

Jian Xu, School of Business English, Sichuan International Studies University, Chongqing, China

Abstract Developing second language (L2) listening skills is one of the goals in L2 teaching and learning. Despite its importance, there are insufficient empirical studies experimenting with teaching methodologies for L2 listening in actual classroom settings. Even less information can be found regarding the effects of a widely supported teaching approach, task-based or task-supported language teaching, on L2 listening proficiency. Adopting a quasi-experimental (pre-post-test) design, this study investigated the effects of task-supported language teaching (TSLT) and a post-task self-reflection technique on the listening proficiency development of 60 English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners in a semester-long course at a university in China. Besides the statistical analyses of the pre-test and post-test scores, the learners' input in the self-reflection worksheets with open-ended questions was qualitatively analysed. Their perceptions, captured by an open-ended survey, together with the instructor's interview data, were also analysed to triangulate and supplement the other data sources. The findings revealed the positive influence of TSLT on L2 listening proficiency development and the positive viewpoints of the stakeholders. Self-reflection, however, was not so effective in enhancing L2 listening proficiency. The findings contribute to teaching and learning L2 listening with suggestions revolving around issues related to task design, implementation, and teaching procedures.


Key words L2 listening, Task-supported language teaching, Self-reflection, Perception, Quasi-experimental study


“It wasn't going to happen until I made it happen”: World language teacher agency for multilingual advocacy

William S.Davis, Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum, University of Oklahoma, 660 Parrington Oval, Norman, OK, USA

Kristina M.Howlett, Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum, University of Oklahoma, 660 Parrington Oval, Norman, OK, USA

Abstract This article explores how multilingual teachers form and enact agency to advocate for multilingualism in a region where monolingualism is dominant. Grounded in an ecological perspective toward language teacher agency, this qualitative interview study analyzed how six American secondary world language teachers generated and enacted agency through the formation and implementation of a local multilingual advocacy initiative in an English-only state. Results of the analysis indicated that the world language teachers’ sociopolitical beliefs about language, their identities and those of their students, and the urgency of language advocacy, in addition to the school and policy structures within which they worked, intensified their efforts to advocate for their students. Four themes were identified illustrating how the teachers engaged their agency for the purposes of multilingual advocacy: building relationships as bridges, pushing students, leveraging school administration, and working collectively. Implications for teacher education and future research in language teacher agency and multilingual advocacy are discussed.


Key words Advocacy, Bilingual teachers, Language teacher agency, Multilingualism, Seal of biliteracy, World languages


Developing English teachers' language assessment literacy in an EAP reform context through test design: A case study

Yaqiong Cui, Department of Foreign Languages, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19jia Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

Yunlong Liu, Department of Foreign Languages, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19jia Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

Hua Yu, Department of Foreign Languages, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19jia Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

Yuan Gao, Department of Foreign Languages, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19jia Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

Abstract As the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) reform in China calls for a corresponding reform in assessment to better serve the changing English curriculum, this case study investigates how three EAP teachers' language assessment literacy (LAL) was improved through developing EAP diagnostic tests while engaging themselves in classroom-based assessment and professional development. The scores of teacher-designed EAP writing tests were analyzed through the reliability and validity indexes to show the improvement in the test quality, serving as an indicator of teachers' LAL development. Further evidence of teachers' improved LAL was from student interviews in which students reflected on the effectiveness of EAP instruction and the quality of the teacher-designed EAP tests, and from teacher reflections in which teacher participants reported on their increased confidence in developing classroom-based assessments and designing the diagnostic EAP tests, through nine-month's test-writing practice and participation in professional workshops on assessment. This study presents a case to show how the process of test design, implementation, evaluation, and modification, together with professional workshops and classroom-based assessment, benefits EAP teachers' LAL improvement and professional development.


Key words Classroom-based assessment, Language assessment literacy, Professional development, EAP reform


Exploring the relationship between behavior matching and interlocutor perceptions in L2 interaction

Kim McDonough, Concordia University, Canada

Yoo Lae Kim, Concordia University, Canada

Pakize Uludag, Concordia University, Canada

Chen Liu, Concordia University, Canada

Pavel Trofimovich, Concordia University, Canada

Abstract Alignment in nonverbal behavior can be understood through reference to behavior matching, which is the tendency to adopt the behaviors, postures, or mannerisms of a conversational partner. Although behavior matching is believed to occur unintentionally and unconsciously, its occurrence is associated with how interlocutors perceive each other. Drawing on corpus data of conversations between English second language (L2) speakers, this study examines the relationship between behavior matching and interlocutor perceptions, which were measured through post-task ratings of partner collaboration and motivation. Conversations (N = 51) between 102 English L2 university students were coded for nonverbal behaviors in five categories (face, head, hand, posture, self-adaption), and each behavior was coded as being matched or not matched by the interlocutor. The proportion of matched behaviors per dyad in each category were correlated with the mean motivation and collaboration partner ratings, and a linear regression model identified hand behavior matching as a significant predictor of partner motivation. Potential implications and avenues for future research about nonverbal alignment are discussed.


Key words Nonverbal alignment, Behavior matching, Interlocutor perceptions, L2 conversation


Learning multiple L2 syntactic structures via chat-based alignment: What is the role of learners’ prior knowledge and conscious decisions?

Marion Coumel, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Ema Ushioda, Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK 

Katherine Messenger, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Abstract This study investigated whether written chat-based activities foster alignment and learning of multiple simultaneously-targeted second language (L2) syntactic structures. It further examined how these were affected by prior knowledge of the targeted structures and learners' decisions to use or avoid each structure. We tested 47 Spanish first language (L1) speakers learning L2 English. In a chat-based activity with an L1 English speaker, we examined alignment in the production of three target structures that differed in their likely familiarity for participants (genitives, passives and datives) by comparing target structure production after prime versus baseline sentences. We also compared target structure production in a post-test relative to a pre-test to assess learning (increased structure usage) and we asked participants whether they made conscious decisions to use or avoid the structures. The learners experienced chat-based alignment and learning across structures. Although prior knowledge and decisions did not significantly affect alignment and learning, more prior knowledge and choosing to use the targeted structures increased overall target structure production. Thus, chat-based activities are well-suited to support L2 grammar learning, even when they embed multiple structures. However, instructors may need to encourage learners to explicitly use the targeted structures to maximize alignment tasks’ language learning outcomes.


Key words Linguistic alignment, Syntactic priming, Second language learning, Second language teaching, Explicit processes, Synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC), Implicit learning


A comparison of input- and output-based planning on the oral performance of low proficiency EFL learners

Dongju Lee,Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, South Korea 

Sung-YeonKim,Hanyang University (Dept. of English Education), 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu Seoul, 04763, South Korea

Abstract This study aims to compare the effects of input- and output-based planning on the oral performance of low-proficiency EFL college students. The purpose is to evaluate the received wisdom that output-based tasks used in task based instruction (TBI) do not fit low-level learners. For data collection, 168 Korean female college students with limited English proficiency were divided into two groups: a reading group and a writing group. The two groups received the same instruction, but the planning tasks differed for oral performance. The reading group had input-based planning, for which the students read example answers prior to speaking performance. In contrast, the writing group or the output-based planning group performed the same tasks after writing what they wanted to say. The students' performance on the pre- and post-test was compared in terms of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) measures. The findings showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of their speaking scores and the fluency measures, with the writing group outperforming the reading group. The follow-up interviews with the students and their reflection journals also confirmed the facilitative effects of output-based planning. These findings indicate how beneficial output-based planning can be for developing low-proficiency learners’ oral fluency.


Key words Task-based instruction, Strategic planning, Input-based planning, Output-based planning, Output production, Complexity, Accuracy, Fluency, Low proficiency learners


Structured input and structured output on the acquisition of English passive constructions: A self-paced reading study measuring accuracy, response and reading time

Alessandro Benati, University of Hong Kong, China

Abstract This study investigates the relative effects of structured input and structured output on the acquisition of English passive construction forms. This investigation builds upon the work carried out within the structured input research framework with the intention to measure online effects of structured input utilising a self-paced reading test. The self-paced reading test is a reliable measurement of language processing. Fifty-three Chinese (L1) subjects participated in the current study. They were all learning English in a university in the United Kingdom. A randomization procedure was adopted to assign subjects to the two instructional groups: structured input (n = 29); structured output (n = 24). None of the instructional treatments included explicit information. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered before and after the end of instructional treatment which lasted for 2 h over a two-day period. The main findings from this experimental study confirmed the positive effects of structured input in facilitating the intake of passive constructions in English via correct parsing. The structured output group that did not improve between pre and post-tests. The present study contributes to the debate for more empirical research to investigate the role of pedagogical interventions using online tests to measure accuracy of response, response and reading time.


Key words Input processing, Processing instruction, First noun principle, Self-paced reading, Structured input, Structured output, Online tests, Offline tests, Parsing,English passive constructions


Unpacking identity construction and negotiation: A case study of Chinese undergraduate students’ social and academic experiences while studying abroad

Yanling Cai,University International College, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau S.A.R., China 

Fan Fang,Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, Shantou, China 

Honghong Sun,Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, Shantou, China 

Lianjiang Jiang,Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

Abstract The complexity that arises between linguistic use and cultural identity during learners' study abroad experience has been emphasised to understand learner investment and learner agency. Anchored in a social view of learner agency and identity, this study used qualitative research methods to unpack the identity construction and negotiation of Chinese students studying abroad by investigating their agencies, investment, and identity construction and negotiation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and narrative journals from Chinese university-level students with study abroad experiences in countries where English is used as the dominant language. Using learner agency, attitude and construction of identity, and identity negotiation through intercultural conflicts as the analytical lens for data analysis, the findings showed that the participants experienced identity reconstruction by investing in their linguistic resources and practices and enacting their agency. Moreover, the participants’ study abroad experiences enabled them to develop a new way to invest in language learning and use, partly change their language attitudes towards accents and negotiate their identities through intercultural conflicts, which influenced the reconstruction of their previously imagined identities of native speakers of English. The study has important implications for teaching English as a second language and for preparing students to study abroad.


Key words Identity,Intercultural encounters,Study abroad, English as a lingua franca,Learner investment,Learner agency


Engagement in the foreign language classroom: Micro and macro perspectives

Giulia Sulis,University of Graz, Institute of English Studies, Liebiggasse 9, Graz, 8010, Austria

Abstract While second language (L2) engagement has gained increasing attention in recent years, most empirical research to date has examined this construct in the context of single tasks and under laboratory conditions. Given the ecologically situated and dynamic nature of engagement, there has been a growing call for research investigating this construct beyond isolated tasks and in authentic language classrooms (Hiver, Mercer, & Al-Hoorie, 2021). To fill this gap, this study examines fluctuations in behavioural, cognitive, and emotional engagement within and across four intact face-to-face L2 lessons spread across one academic year. A stimulated recall design was developed where 26 students from three French classes and two Spanish classes at a British university noted their levels of engagement on a chart at 2.5 min-intervals while watching the video replay of each lesson. This procedure was followed by semi-structured interviews in which learners commented on variations in engagement during the lesson. Findings revealed how engagement can be understood as an ongoing, dynamic process unfolding over multiple timescales. They have also shown that engagement can pursue different trajectories depending on the level of analysis and granularity chosen to examine the construct.

Key words L2 engagement, L2 learning, Psychology of language learning, Stimulated recall


Lexical bundles in L2 English academic texts: Relationships with holistic assessments of writing quality

Randy Appel,Waseda University, Global Education Center, 1-104, Totsukamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract Appropriate use of frequently occurring multiword sequences is now seen as an important part of linguistic proficiency in spoken and written discourse (e.g., Biber et al., 1999; Wray, 2002) yet how these structures are used by second language (L2) English learners remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates how L2 English learners make use of these structures in their academic English writing. Data was collected from a first-year academic English writing program at the university level in Japan. To control for topic and condition influences, all texts were written in response to a common prompt and composed as part of normal classroom assessment. These essays were graded by trained professionals using a standardized rubric. Subsequently, the evaluated writing was separated into lower-level (n = 250) and higher-level (n = 247) corpora before being analyzed for the presence of 3-7-word lexical bundles. Qualitative and quantitative measures were then used to identify inter-group differences. While functional classifications revealed only minor differences between writer groups, quantitative analyses uncovered several key differences. Methodological and pedagogical implications are discussed.


Key words L2 English academic writing, CorpusLexical bundles, Proficiency


The differential mediating roles of ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves between growth mindsets and self-regulated writing strategies

Jian Xu,School of Business English, Sichuan International Studies University, Chongqing, China 

Yabing Wang,Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, School of English Education, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

Abstract Despite the important role growth mindsets play in second/foreign language (L2) writing, insight into its influence on motivation and strategy use in L2 writing contexts has been limited. To address this research gap, the present study explored the relationship between growth mindsets, ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves, and the use of environmental, behavioral, and personal self-regulated learning (SRL) writing strategies, particularly how ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves mediated the relationship between growth mindsets and three SRL writing strategies. Three hundred and sixty-two English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) undergraduates completed the questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results on the direct effect showed that growth mindsets positively predicted ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves, and three SRL writing strategies; the ideal L2 writing self, rather than the ought-to L2 writing self, positively predicted the use of three SRL writing strategies. The results on the indirect effect revealed that the ideal L2 writing self mediated the relationship between growth mindsets and three SRL writing strategies, whereas the ought-to L2 writing self did not. Implications for L2 writing instruction in a tertiary context are discussed.


Key words Growth mindsets, Ideal L2 writing self, Ought-to L2 writing self, SRL writing strategies, University English writing


Development of L2 disciplinary literacy: A multidimensional analysis

Xuyan Qiua,Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong  

Yuen Yi Lo,Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong  

Xing San Teng,Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract Bilingual education programmes have become popular worldwide in part because they are believed to facilitate second/foreign/additional language (L2) learning, often with English as the target L2. In such programmes, students learn content and L2 simultaneously, but a common difficulty they encounter is mastering disciplinary literacy in the L2. However, research exploring bilingual students' development of L2 disciplinary literacy remains scarce. Therefore, this paper analyses a corpus of biology examination essays produced by a stratified sample of students studying in English medium education (EMI) in Hong Kong (204 essays totalling 45,823 words) using Multidimensional Analysis Tagger (Nini, 2015). The multidimensional analysis shows that this sample generally produced texts containing features closely related to scientific exposition. This paper also compares the features of essays written by students at different levels of academic performance as measured by their examination scores. The results show that the essays produced by students with better scores were more similar to academic prose, consisted of denser and more abstract information and used more academic vocabulary, nominalisation, conjunctions, and passive voice. This study demonstrates a potential relationship between students' mastery of disciplinary literacy and their academic achievement, thereby having implications for pedagogy in bilingual education programmes.


Key words Multidimensional analysis,Learner corpus, Bilingual education,English medium instruction, Disciplinary literacy


The impact of functional load and cumulative errors on listeners' judgments of comprehensibility and accentedness

Mutleb Alnafisah,Iowa State University, Ross Hall, 527 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA, 50014, USA,King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  

Erik Goodale,Iowa State University, Ross Hall, 527 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA, 50014, USA 

Ivana Rehman,Iowa State University, Ross Hall, 527 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA, 50014, USA 

John Levis,Iowa State University, Ross Hall, 527 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA, 50014, USA 

Tim Kochem,Iowa State University, Ross Hall, 527 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA, 50014, USA

Abstract The Functional Load (FL) principle, in which the gravity of errors in segmentals can be estimated by how frequently two phonemes distinguish words in a language, is crucial to intelligibility-based instruction of Second Language (L2) pronunciation (Derwing & Munro, 2015; Levis, 2018). Despite its attractiveness, the evidence for broad applicability of the principle remains modest, and the cumulative effect of errors is understudied. In this paper, we investigate the impact of FL and error frequency on judgments of comprehensibility and accentedness. This study employed a database of read-aloud sentences with one, two, three, and four high and low FL errors as well as sentences with both high and low FL errors. Thirty-one native speakers of English rated the comprehensibility and accentedness of the sentences. High FL errors were associated with greater loss of comprehensibility and judgments of higher accentedness than low FL errors. Utterances with low FL errors received significantly lower comprehensibility ratings as errors increased beyond two. However, ratings of comprehensibility for high FL errors deteriorated beyond three errors. For accentedness judgments, higher error frequency affected high FL errors only. Overall, the results confirm earlier findings for the usefulness of functional load as a metric for L2 pronunciation teaching, but raise questions about whether findings for extremes on the 10-point FL hierarchy (Brown, 1988) reflect error gravity findings for the middle of the hierarchy.
Key words Pronunciation,Comprehensibility,Accentedness, Functional load, Segmentals, Pronunciation teaching, Speech rating


Mindful language learning: The effects of college students’ mindfulness on short-term vocabulary retention

Luisa Zeilhofer,Kyoto University, Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Yoshidanihonmatsucho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan 

Yosuke Sasao,Kyoto University, Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Yoshidanihonmatsucho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

Abstract Educators are increasingly implementing holistic approaches into the foreign language classroom, with one popular method being mindfulness. Mindfulness has been associated with better grades and well-being in higher education. However, no study has yet explored the language-specific relationship between mindfulness and second language acquisition (SLA). This study investigated the relationship between the mindfulness level of 269 Japanese undergraduates and their ability to learn new L3 words in German. The study further examined the extent to which different domains of mindfulness were related to the ability to learn new vocabulary, as well as the relationship between mindfulness and the different vocabulary test parts (receptive, productive, grammatical gender). Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that higher mindfulness was associated with better vocabulary retention. In particular, the mindfulness dimension “Acting with Awareness” was key for all connections. Notably, the L1 and L3 parts showed a different relationship with different mindfulness dimensions: “Non-judging” was crucial for the productive part and “Observing” was decisive for the receptive part. These findings indicate that mindfulness not only improves general academic performance, but also has a direct relationship with SLA. Finally, this suggests that mindfulness training for students may be a novel approach to facilitate vocabulary learning.


Key words Vocabulary learning,Vocabulary retention,Working memory,Mindfulness,Holistic education,Foreign language acquisition,Tertiary language classroom,Higher education,German,DaF


A dialogic approach to promoting professional development: Understanding change in Hong Kong language teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding vocabulary teaching and learning

Edsoulla Chung,School of Education and Languages, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Linda Fisher,Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2PQ, UK

Abstract Adopting a sociocultural perspective, this paper reports on a case study that examined how a dialogic approach contributed to Hong Kong English teachers' professional development in methods of vocabulary instruction. Data were drawn from interviews, lesson observations, professional dialogues, and reflective writing to present two in-depth contrasting cases. While one teacher reported marked change in her beliefs and practice, the other adapted her practice minimally despite reporting belief changes. The findings revealed the role of dialogic reflection in facilitating professional learning and noted the potential impact of Chinese culture on teachers' dialogic reflection. Further, they showed that changes in practice are mediated by internalising new ideas, linking teacher beliefs with clear goals and contextual factors including institutional policies, time constraints, and learner feedback. Teachers' verbal participation in professional dialogues, for example, showing agreement with the suggestions of others, was insufficient for generating changes in practices. Implications, including the important roles of reflexivity and sociocultural contexts in teacher professional development programmes, along with directions for future research, are considered.


Key words Dialogic reflection, Teachers' professional development, Beliefs and practice, Vocabulary teaching and learning, Sociocultural theory of learning, Hong Kong

Recognition of conventional expressions by EFL learners in Mexico and China

Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig,Indiana University, United States

Jesús Izquierdo,Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Mexico

Yunwen Su,University of Utah, United States

Abstract This paper examines the role of EFL instructional contexts in the acquisition of conventional expressions as pragmalinguistic resources. This study compares the performance of 303 EFL students in two culturally and linguistically different countries and 89 native speakers of American English. The students were enrolled in university EFL programs in China (n = 193) and Mexico (n = 110), and were recruited from courses that estimate the learners' proficiency to be CEFR B1. Age-matched native speakers of English were recruited from university classes on second language studies and linguistics. All groups completed an aural multiple-choice discourse completion task comprised of 20 items with options generated by native-speakers and learners during a production task. The EFL learners at the two sites, with the same level of proficiency, selected the targeted conventional expressions from the multiple-choice task with equal frequency. Most of their alternative selections showed sociopragmatic knowledge of the preferred speech act. Identical alternative choices reflect the learners’ proficiency level, whereas their different choices suggest possible lexical influence from their distinct L1s. The paper ends by considering instruction and media access as variables that may account for the degree of success in the pragmatic development of conventional expressions in EFL contexts.


Key words Pragmatics, Conventional expressions,Pragmatic routines,Situation-bound utterances,Aural MC-DCT,EFL contexts


Directed Motivational Currents in L2: A focus on triggering factors, initial conditions, and (non)defining features

TutkuBaşöz,Balıkesir University, Department of English Language Teaching, Soma Street Balıkesir, 10100

Turkey ÖzgeGümüş,Adıyaman University, Department of Foreign Languages, Altınşehir Street No: 3005, Adıyaman, 02040, Turkey

Abstract Recent trends in the field of L2 learning motivation have led to a proliferation of studies that examine Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs). However, there remains a paucity of evidence on the factors that trigger the launch of DMCs and previous research findings into the central components of DMCs have been contradictory. This qualitative study addresses these gaps by looking at the possible parameters that trigger DMCs, and examining the initial conditions necessary for the launch of DMCs, and the (non)defining core features of it. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 EFL learners pursuing a bachelor's degree in Turkey. The factors triggering learners' DMCs were negative emotion, emergent opportunity, single and explicit goal, good teacher/classmates/motivating class group, moments of realization, a sense of achievement, a passion/interest for something, element of competition, external pressure, a big life decision, vision, outcome led, belief that the work had real value, and inspiring experience. Perceived behavioural control and challenge-skill balance were two initial conditions necessary for DMCs to begin. Goal orientedness, salient facilitative structure, and positive emotionality were found to be the core features of DMCs. The findings offer significant implications for how teachers could exploit these motivational surges to promote learning in EFL settings.

Key words Directed motivational currents, L2 motivation,EFL learners,Foreign language learning


Developing and validating an instrument to measure EFL teachers’ self-reported use of productive feedback

Mina Abdolhosseinzadeh Amini,SDL Research Focus Area, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa 

Corne G.Kruger,SDL Research Focus Area, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa 

Carisma Nel,Community-based Educational Research (COMBER), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa

Abstract The crucial role of teacher productive feedback in supporting communicative competence of Iranian EFL learners calls for research on measuring teacher productive feedback. The paper therefore reports on the development and validation of an instrument for measuring EFL teachers’ self-reported productive feedback practices. The process of the instrument design consisted of two phases. Phase one dealt with grounding the instrument development in a rigid review of the literature, strengthening face and content validity and an initial pilot study followed by the refining of the instrument. Phase two entailed a second pilot study to confirm the face and content validity of the instrument before the final implementation of the instrument and consequent confirmation of the construct validity based on the data collected. For the two pilot studies as well as for the eventual implementation of the instrument, quantitative data were collected from Iranian EFL teachers from private language institutes. The results confirm the validity and reliability of the self-designed instrument and pave the way for further refining of the instrument and the opportunity for contextualising the instrument in future research.


Key words EFL, Teacher productive feedback, Instrument development, Instrument validation


Examining a continuum of FL speaking anxiety over time in an EFL classroom in Japan

Robert (Jay) Veenstra,Toyo University, Japan

Christopher Weaver,Toyo University, Japan

Abstract Despite the creation of skill-specific measures, the vast majority of researchers interested in foreign language speaking anxiety have relied upon some form of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986). In contrast, this study confirmed a continuum of FL speaking anxiety using items from the Public Speaking Class Anxiety Scale (Yaikong & Usaha, 2012) and the Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Anxiety Scale (Apple, 2013). This 18-item continuum was found to be relatively stable over time. Students' perception of six items, however, slightly changed with four items being more likely to elicit anxiety and two items being less likely. This study also found that 341 post-secondary students' overall level of FL speaking anxiety dropped after completing a 15-week required English presentation course. Interestingly, the continuum of FL speaking anxiety revealed that reduced levels of anxiety had different implications depending upon the students' overall level of L2 speaking anxiety. Implications of the study's findings and suggestions for further investigations into FL speaking anxiety within a language classroom are discussed.


Key words Continuum of foreign language speaking anxiety, EFL classroom,Rasch measurement theory


Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) research trends and patterns through bibliometric analysis: Empowering language learners through ubiquitous educational technologies

Kadir Karakaya,Iowa State University, United States, MEF University, Turkey

Aras Bozkurt,Anadolu University, Turkey

Abstract Mobile devices and technologies have proliferated extensively and become an integral part of life and learning. Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has progressed as an emerging area of research corresponding to recent advances in mobile technologies and the proliferation of smartphones and tablet computers. Accordingly, this study examined MALL research between 2008 and 2020 through a bibliometric analysis using social network analysis (SNA) and text mining techniques. The SNA and text mining analysis suggest five broad research themes: (1) self-regulated language learning by defining one's own learning objectives, (2) providing learner agency and motivation by empowering autonomy, (3) personalizing learning through artificial intelligence (AI)-supported mobile learning (m-learning), (4) MALL for learning in the wild, and (5) MALL to support higher education. The findings show that while MALL research has been considerably operationalized around linguistic factors, nonlinguistic factors relating to learners' interactions with mobile devices or applications have been largely overlooked. It was found that MALL scholarship has recently tended to incorporate the use of mobile devices in informal learning contexts and outside the classroom due to the flexibility and anytime anywhere functionality of m-learning. The study concludes with several suggestions and highlights the areas that need more attention in MALL research.


Key words Bibliometric analysis, Informal learning, Mobile-assisted language learning, Mobile learning, Smartphones


Early Effects of a professional development program on teachers’ oral corrective feedback practices

Xuan VanHa, Department of Foreign Languages, Ha Tinh University, Ha Tinh, Viet Nam

Abstract The roles and patterns of oral corrective feedback in L2 classrooms have received extensive research attention; however, whether teachers' feedback practices can be changed via professional development activities remains to be shown. This study represents the first documented attempt to investigate the impact of a professional development program on EFL teachers' actual feedback practices. The program comprised a workshop facilitating the teachers to discuss recent research findings regarding oral corrective feedback and a follow-up program of experiential learning through reflective practice for eight weeks. The data included 30 h of video-recordings of classroom observations with ten experienced teachers before and after the program. The findings revealed that the teachers changed their practices significantly regarding four aspects of feedback, namely, feedback frequency, types, targets, and feedback for fluency work. These changes were regarded as positive because they were aligned with the implications of research findings. Implications for in-service teachers’ professional development are discussed.


Key words Experiential learning,Feedback practices,Oral corrective feedback, Reflective practice, Teacher professional development, Vietnamese EFL teachersWorkshop


Native speakers aren't perfect’: Japanese English learners' identity transformation as English users

Mitsuyo Sakamoto,Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554, Japan

Gavin Furukawa,Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554, Japan

Abstract This case study explores two Japanese college English majors' second language identity formation in becoming confident English users via notions of adequation/distinction, authentication/denaturalization and authorization/illegitimation (Bucholtz & Hall, 2005). The study is particularly unique in that perspectives of not one but two instructors teaching the same students were brought together in identifying these three dimensions of their students. Data were collected predominantly from an end-of-the year online interview, triangulated with other sources including questionnaires, writing samples, and reflection papers in the course of one academic year. The analysis revealed how Japanese students can easily succumb to public mainstream hegemonic discourse in which returnee students (those with prolonged sojourn abroad) are glorified compared to those educated in Japan. The two students displayed such ideologies at the beginning of the year but then their identity transformed, gaining more confidence and improving their English skills. The major reasons that the students attributed for the shift were 1) exposure to returnee students; 2) exposure to other non-native English speakers; 3) creation of amicable class atmosphere, and surprisingly 4) demanding course content. The study illuminates how hegemonic language ideologies can be challenged in an EFL classroom.


Key words Japanese college students,Identity,Hegemony, English as a foreign language (EFL),Case study


Translanguaging as a way to fostering EFL learners’ criticality in a hybrid course design

Muhammet Yaşar Yüzlü,Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Turkey

Kenan Dikilitaş,University of Stavanger, Norway

Abstract This case study examines the growth of criticality in three English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners through a hybrid course design which involves a translanguaging space for the development of reading and listening skills. Throughout the course, the learners were encouraged to deal with multimodal materials presented both in Turkish and English in line with translanguaging pedagogy. They were guided to use their full linguistic repertoire in digitally enriched translanguaging space and critically analyze the reading materials in group discussions and reflective writing activities. An exploratory approach is adopted, based upon a series of interviews with EFL learners, observations of their contributions to face-to-face debate lessons, and their reflective papers. All three learners developed criticality to varying degrees. Having discussed the significance of translanguaging in the development of criticality, we introduce implications for the relationship between criticality, translanguaging, and technology for fostering criticality of EFL learners. Then, we present pedagogical implications for teachers and teacher educators as to how fuller understanding and deep learning can be engendered in asynchronous sessions, and how digiticality (digitally-enriched criticality) can be fostered by a hybrid translanguaging space. Implications from these findings may be used to inform classroom pedagogy.


Key words Translanguaging, Hybrid course, Criticality,EFL learners


Effects of the longest pause, its location, and pause variance on successful EFL writing performance across writing tasks with diverse degrees of complexity

Forooq Zarrabi, Department of Languages, Mazandaran University of Science and Technology, Babol, Sheikh Tabarsi Street, Sardaran 12, Iran

Mohammad Hossein Fadavi Amiri,Department of Computer Engineering, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

Hossein Bozorgian,English Language Department,Humanity and Social Science College, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

Abstract The present research attempts to unveil information about students' cognitive efforts during writing tasks in a foreign language context by exploring (n = 126, mean age: 19.3, SD: 0.47) Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) undergraduate students' pausing behavior across four writing tasks with diverse degrees of complexity. Cognitive efforts have been examined through three process measures (the longest pause, the longest pause location, and the variance indicator). The results indicate that, in general, the longest pause, the longest pause location, and the variance indicators have statistically significant relationships with successful writing performance; nevertheless, our findings show that the associations of the indicators are moderated by task complexity. The three-way interaction effects among the indicators illustrate that they are linked to successful EFL writing performance in an interconnected way.


Key words The longest pause location, The longest pause, Variance, Task complexity, Cognitive demand, Successful writing performance


Models in collaborative writing among CLIL learners of English in primary school: Linguistic outcomes and motivation matters

Yi Tan, Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL, Georgia State University, USA 

Ute Römer, Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL, Georgia State University, USA

Abstract Model texts in the context of collaborative writing with young learners (YLs) have been shown to promote noticing and incorporation of features in students' subsequent drafts. However, few studies have analysed the quality of the drafts and even fewer have considered task motivation, despite its great impact on task completion.

To fill in these gaps, our study measured draft quality and task motivation (with thermometers gathering students' ratings and motives) with Spanish YLs of English in primary school. Thirteen pairs of students (aged 10–11) wrote the same composition twice (pre-test and post-test) divided into a control group (CG), which received no feedback, and a model group (MG), which worked with model texts.

Draft quality analyses revealed non-significant and medium-sized effects in syntactic complexity (clauses to T-units, dependent clauses to clauses and T-units, r = 0.44) and fluency (number of clauses, r = 0.32) in the MG. Meanwhile, a medium magnitude effect was detected in accuracy gains for the CG (L1 structures, L1 structures to clauses and lexical errors to words). Regarding task motivation, students' ratings were high, mainly justified by peer work and significantly higher after-task and across tasks in both groups, although the MG evidenced a significant and medium-sized (r = 0.53) drop in the post-test.

Our findings tentatively support the potential of models to generate upgraded texts but also suggest a possible motivational cost worth further investigation. More generally, our study enhances the motivational value of collaboration among YLs.


Key words Models, CAF, YLs, WCF, Motivation,Collaborative writing,Complexity, Accuracy, Fluency, Thermometers


Versifying adversity: Using dramaturgically framed poetic inquiry to explore complexity in the second language learning experience

Hamish Gillies,Senshu University, Kanagawa, Japan

Peter Roger,Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract Over the past 15 years, research in the field of second language learning motivation has been dominated by the second language (L2) motivational self system, conceptualizing motivation as a combination of the ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience. Despite the analytical strength demonstrated by the self components of the L2 motivational self system, the influential role of the L2 learning experience component is still in need of greater elucidation. Using a hybridized research approach combining a complex dynamic systems (CDS) perspective with dramaturgical coding and poetic inquiry, we unpack a Japanese undergraduate student's L2 learning experience. Taking the learner as both a complex system and a situated actor, key themes are identified and explored as attractor states. Humanizing what can often be an impersonal perspective, dramaturgically framed poetic inquiry is seen to add analytical power to the CDS perspective and afford its artistic and evocative representation.


Key words  Complex Dynamic systems (CDS) perspective, Dramaturgical coding, L2 learning experience, Poetic inquiry


Language assessment in Mexico: Exploring university language teachers' backgrounds, practices, and opinions

Brita Banitz,Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Language Department, Ex hacienda Sta. Catarina Mártir, San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, 72810, Mexico

Abstract Assessment is a vital aspect of any language teaching program and yet, no uniform assessment criteria exist in Mexico. To explore the role of language assessment in higher education in the country, a study employing a mixed-method approach was conducted. The data discussed in this article are based on a survey of university language teachers in Mexico investigating their educational backgrounds, their language assessment practices, and their opinions towards language assessment. Interviews with language teachers and program coordinators provided further insight into the university language teachers' experiences and concerns regarding language assessment in the country. The article also includes an overview of Mexico's particular educational context as it contributes to the overall dissatisfaction with the outcomes of language instruction. Since the results of the study indicate that the majority of language teachers in Mexico are part-time professors operating without clear guidelines and many of them feel somewhat insecure about language assessment, it is suggested that specific language assessment competencies be formulated for these teachers which should be met in future teacher training programs. Assessing the students' language learning outcomes at the individual program level is subsequently proposed as a concrete measure to improve the language education outcomes in Mexico.


Key words Language assessment, University language teachers, Mexico, Language assessment practices, Opinions


Multimodal alignment in telecollaboration: A methodological exploration

Marco Cappellini, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPL, Aix-en-Provence, France

Benjamin Holt, Université de Lille, CNRS, STL, Lille, France

Yu-YinHsu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of interactive alignment (Pickering & Garrod, 2004) from a multimodal perspective (Guichon & Tellier, 2017) in two telecollaborative settings. We propose a framework to analyze alignment during desktop videoconferencing in its multimodality, including lexical and structural alignment (Michel & Cappellini, 2019) as well as multimodal alignment involving facial expressions. We analyze two datasets coming from two different models of telecollaboration. The first one is based on the Français en (première) ligne model (Develotte et al., 2007) which puts future foreign language teachers in contact with learners of that language. The second one is based on the teletandem model (Telles, 2009), where students of two different mother tongues interact to help each other use and learn the other's language. The paper makes explicit a semi-automatic procedure to study alignment multimodally. We tested our method on a dataset that is composed of two 1-h sessions. Results show that in desktop videoconferencing-based telecollaboration, facial expression alignment is a pivotal component of multimodal alignment.


Key words Telecollaboration, Virtual exchange, Interactive alignment, Lexical alignment, Structural alignment, Facial expression alignment


Can language learners hear their own errors? The identification of grammaticality in one’s own production

James Hunter, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, USA


Abstract This exploratory study investigated whether learners can correctly identify the grammaticality of items drawn from corrective feedback (CF) on their own oral production or on that of their peers. It was hypothesized that participants would judge less well-established items more slowly, and conversely that entrenched items, whether target-like or not, would be judged more quickly. 20 learners at two proficiency levels judged audio recordings of themselves reformulating errors they had made in small-group conversations. Items had been categorized according to reformulation accuracy and fluency, and the analysis investigated whether judgment accuracy and speed mirrored these categories. Results indicate clear parallels in reformulation and judgment accuracy, but a weak relationship between fluency of production and recognition. The categorization of errors occurring in both production and recognition, perhaps representing “attempts” at meaning-making (Edge, 1989; Willis, 2003), is proposed as the focus of future pedagogical research investigation. To this end, a pedagogical application of the self-judgment methodology is described.
Key words  Complexity, Accuracy, Fluency, Individual differencesError analysis, CALL, Computer assisted language learning, Delayed corrective feedback


Mandarin Chinese-speaking learners’ acquisition of Italian consonant length contrast

Qiang Feng, Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Dalian, China,Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy 

M. GraziaBusà, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy

Abstract The acquisition of Italian consonant length contrast by Mandarin Chinese-speaking learners (henceforth Chinese learners) has hardly been investigated. This study aims to fill this gap. Ten first-year, ten second-year and ten third-year Chinese undergraduate students majoring in Italian and ten native Italian-speaking controls took part in a perception and a production experiment. In the perception experiment, the participants had to identify ten Italian disyllabic minimal pairs contrasting in consonant length. In the production experiment, the participants were asked to read five out of the ten minimal pairs mentioned above; the duration values of the intervocalic consonants and the preconsonantal vowels were measured and converted into duration ratios for statistical analyses. The results show that, in both perception and production, Chinese learners can distinguish between the two consonant length categories in Italian to a certain extent, but not in a native-like manner. Also, the duration interplay between Italian consonants and preconsonantal vowels (i.e., longer vowels before singleton consonants and shorter vowels before geminate consonants) is entirely ignored by Chinese learners. Moreover, Chinese learners’ increased learning experience does not appear to enhance their acquisition of Italian consonant length contrast. Some pedagogical implications are discussed.


Key words L2 speech acquisition, Consonant length contrast, Singletons, Geminates, Italian, Mandarin Chinese


Effects of Global Englishes-oriented pedagogy in the EFL classroom

Rainbow Tsai-Hung Chen, Foreign Language Center, National Chengchi University, No.64, Sec.2, ZhiNan Rd., Taipei City, 11605, Taiwan

Abstract Research on the rise of English as a global lingua franca has consistently advised against a strong adherence to the native-speaker model in English language teaching, but the uptake of this advice by classroom teachers remains limited. In an attempt to tackle this impediment, this mixed methods study at a Taiwanese university featured an intervention that aimed to challenge students' beliefs about “standard English” and foster their awareness of Global Englishes. During the 24-week intervention, the students engaged in a series of online and face-to-face communication in English with international students from different first language backgrounds. The effects of the intervention were examined by gauging the changes in the students’ attitudes toward the diversity of English and their associated English self-efficacy through pre-and post-test questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the students became significantly more accepting of the non-native varieties of English and more confident as users of English, which appeared to be associated with their experiences of the lingua franca function of English in the project, and a concomitant self-reevaluation of their own English abilities.


Key words Global englishes, English as a lingua franca, EFL, Pedagogy, English language teaching


Dynamicity of language teacher motivation in online EFL classes

Mehmet Sak, Department of Foreign Language Education, TED University, Ziya Gökalp Street, No: 47-48, 06420, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract Despite the growing focus on the dynamic nature of second/foreign language (L2) teacher motivation in recent years, the existing work has primarily explored fluctuations in motivational trajectories over macro timescales covering months and years. Micro-scale changes of motivation at the lesson level and the factors underlying such changes have received little attention, particularly in the context of online instruction. The present study aims to close this gap by investigating dynamic changes in teacher motivation in the course of regularly-scheduled online English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classes in Turkey, as experienced by two EFL teachers at the tertiary level. Changes in motivation levels and the reasons for these changes were tracked in eight 45-min. classes over two weeks. Data were collected via self-ratings of motivational intensity at 5-min. intervals, journal entries, interviews, and lesson plans. The analysis showed considerable variation in the motivation levels within the participating teachers, with the fluctuations resulting from a complex array of learner-related, course-related, and individual factors. Overall, the findings provide further insights into the situated complexity of L2 teacher motivation and suggest that L2 teacher motivation to teach online is characterized by temporal, individual, and contextual variation, being open to influences and displaying nonlinear development over timescales.


Key words Language teacher psychology, Language teacher motivation, Teaching motivation, Motivational changes, English language teaching, Online language teaching


The emotion ∼ intellect dialectic in an EFL teacher's development of a research identity: A sociocultural perspective

Yanhua Zhang, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China

James P.Lantolf, Beijing Language and Culture University, The Pennsylvania State University, USA 

Yaru Meng,  Xi'an Jiaotong University, China

Abstract Language teacher identity development often entails the negotiation of the tensions that arise between how individuals interpret their identity as educators and the demands of the educational system in which they work. How these tensions are confronted and resolved (or not) is not well understood. To improve understanding of this under-researched topic, this study relies on a core theoretical concept of Vygotskian sociocultural theory, perezhivanie (the unity of emotion and intellect) that individuals experience as they confront specific circumstances that arise in the social environment in which they live. Specifically, we used the concept to analyze the narrative of a university professor who experienced negative and positive emotions resulting in an identity crisis as he confronted and overcame the demands of a postsecondary educational system as it shifted from a teaching to a research focus. The study reveals how the interaction between teacher-researcher and the social environment first challenged his identity as a teacher and then through an intense emotional structure enabled him to create an identity as a researcher. A discussion of the implications of our analysis for post-secondary educators confronting similar circumstances are considered.


Key words Teacher/researcher identity, Tension, Perezhivanie, Social situation of development, EmotionIntellect, Sociocultural theory


Mobile-assisted peer feedback on EFL pronunciation: Outcome effects, interactional processes, and shaping factors

Yuanjun Dai,School of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China,Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Guangzhou, China

Zhiwei Wu, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, AG522, Hong Kong, China

Abstract This article reports on a study examining mobile-assisted peer feedback on EFL pronunciation. The study focused on 10 Chinese EFL students majoring in music. They worked as mixed-proficiency dyads in a peer feedback task mediated by a social networking app (WeChat). The higher-proficiency students acted as feedback givers, and the lower-proficiency students as feedback receivers. Data sources included (a) comprehensibility scores in the pretest, posttest and delayed posttest, (b) recorded peer feedback sessions, and (c) interview transcripts. It was found that the feedback task contributed to the pronunciation improvement for both feedback givers and receivers. 13 interactional moves were identified in the peer feedback sessions. Based on the distribution of interactional moves and the participants’ self-positioning, it was found that four dyads displayed clear interactional patterns (collaborative, expert/novice, or dominant/dominant) but one dyad showed a mixed pattern. Four factors were found to shape the interactional processes. The first two factors were task-related (i.e. role assignment) and person-related (i.e. prior music learning and teaching experience), while the remaining two were context-related (i.e. significant others and online resources). The article also discusses pedagogical implications for maximizing the learning potentials of mobile-assisted peer feedback.


Key words Mobile-assisted language learning, Peer feedback, Peer interaction, EFL pronunciation


Analyzing English language teacher candidates’ assessment literacy: A case of Bruneian and Japanese universities

Dongkwang Shin, Gwangju National University of Education, Gwangju, Republic of Korea

Jang HoLee, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

YongsangLeec, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea

Abstract English language teacher candidates should possess Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) to help them determine the most suitable kinds of assessment for English language learners. This study investigated English language teacher candidates’ preparedness for assessment responsibilities. Participants were 56 English language teacher candidates from Brunei and Japan studying in universities. A mixed-methods approach to data collection was taken involving questionnaires completed by the English language teacher candidates and interviews with a subset of 14 of the participants. The results from this study revealed that teacher candidates in both Brunei and Japan lacked sufficient knowledge of LAL, even though some of them possessed some teaching experience before entering their teacher education program. Implications for teacher training in English language (L2) contexts are discussed.


Key words Language assessment literacy,Language assessment training, Assessment, Teacher candidates,Preservice teachers, Mixed-method,Higher education,L2 teachers,Language teacher development,English language teachers


Understanding assessment tasks: Learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of cognitive load of integrated speaking tasks for TBLT implementation

Weiwei Zhang, chool of Foreign Languages and International Education, Quzhou University, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China 

Lawrence JunZhang, School of Curriculum and Pedagogy, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract TBLTis an educational approach to L2 learning and teaching where tasks constitute the main focus of classroom instruction. In its implementation, one of the major challenges facing teachers is the lack of empirical evidence for task design and selection relating to task complexity and the cognitive load imposed by tasks perceived by learners. To address the issue, we investigated EFL learners' and teachers' perceptions of cognitive load of integrated speaking tasks, one type of advocated tasks for TBLT, and factors that affect such perceptions within Robinson's Triadic Componential Framework as proposed by some scholars in the task research field. In a mixed-methods design, we collected data using a self-rating scale, a self-rating questionnaire and semi-structured interviews in the context of integrated speaking tasks for helping shed light on task design and selection criteria. Our analysis revealed that task complexity factors contributed to participants' perceptions of cognitive load, and in the four factors under investigation, prior knowledge was perceived as a stronger determinant of cognitive load than planning time, steps involved and task type. These findings provide empirical evidence for task design and selection in TBLT implementation, especially for the use of integrated speaking tasks in TBLT aiming at EFL speaking instruction. They also provide implications for L2 assessment.


Key words TBLTLearners' and teachers' perceptions of cognitive load, Task complexity, Robinson's triadic componential framework, Integrated speaking tasks


Lexical and syntactic alignment during English-Spanish teletandem meetings

Marije Michel, Groningen University, the Netherlands 

Christine Appel, Groningen University, the Netherlands,Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain 

Saioa Cipitria, Groningen University, the Netherlands

Abstract First language (L1) interactants quickly develop a coordinated form of communication, reusing each other's linguistic choices and aligning to their partner (Pickering & Garrod, 2021). More recently, research became interested in second language (L2) alignment (cf., Kim & Michel, this issue). Earlier work has shown that both lexical and syntactic alignment can be found in L2 dialogue, with task type and context as potential mediating factors (e.g., Dao, Trofimovich, & Kennedy, 2018). This study adds to the existing work on alignment in second language production by exploring task effects in English-Spanish teletandem conversations.

Twenty-nine English-Spanish tandem pairs completed video-based free conversation and Spot-the-Difference tasks, alternating the language of communication: both participants acted as L2 learner and as L1 expert in turns. The 174 task performances were scrutinized for alignment by identifying the number of overlapping lexical and syntactic n-grams (cf., Michel & Smith, 2018). We compared alignment between paired students (i.e., real pairs) to ‘coincidental overlap’ in created conversations of randomly combined speaker pairs.

Results showed significantly more alignment by real than random pairs, and more syntactic than lexical alignment, while task effects were mixed. We discuss our findings in light of telecollaborative task-based interaction as support for L2 development.


Key words English-medium instruction, English proficiency, Self-perception, Science achievement, Classroom interaction, Secondary school



期刊简介

This international journal is devoted to the applications of educational technology and applied linguistics to problems of foreign language teaching and learning. Attention is paid to the learning and teaching of all languages (e.g. English) as second or foreign languages in all countries. System requires articles to have a sound theoretical base and a visible practical application for a broad readership. Review articles are considered for publication if they deal with critical issues in language learning and teaching with significant implications for practice and research.


《系统》致力于教育技术和应用语言学在外语教学中的应用。在所有国家,人们都重视将所有语言(如英语)作为第二语言或外语的学习和教学。《系统》要求文章要有良好的理论基础和明显的实际应用,有广泛的读者群。如果评论文章涉及语言学习和教学中对实践和研究有重大影响的关键问题,则可考虑发表。


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https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/system

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