Since the beginning of the 21st century, heritage language studies have drawn unprecedented attention from language-related research areas. Despite the flourishing research on heritage language learning, relatively few studies have examined the motivational profiles of L1 English speakers engaged in heritage language learning. Theoretical…

Drawing on Markus and Nurius's (1986) theory of possible selves and Higgins's (1987) theory of self-discrepancies, Dörnyei (2005, 2009) developed the L2 self-guide, a construct explaining the generation of motivation for language learning. Because Dörnyei focused on convergences in the source theories, L2MSS researchers have come to regard…

Peter MacIntyre's 35-years of research in SLA, psychology of language learning, and communication was systematically reviewed in six sections driven by subjective guidelines developed for the purposes of the present survey. To operationalize the objectives of the sections, an impressionistic methodology was created for analysis, according to which…

This text critically examines traditional methodologies for teaching grammar in the context of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (PFL). It proposes an alternative, eclectic approach, which can be used in any foreign language. Drawing on evidence from research and pedagogical practices, it highlights areas for improvement in current approaches, such…

Second language (L2) motivation research has been thriving for the past decades by emphasizing L2 motivation theories and describing the motivated learner, while relatively few studies have dealt with how to motivate students in a systematic way. Approaches in these studies either included investigations into the role of different motivational…

Learning a second language (L2) is dependent upon numerous external and internal factors, among which motivation plays a relevant role. In fact, motivation has been recognized as crucial in the L2 learning process (Ushioda, 2012). Such has been its importance that interest in L2 motivation has led to the development of theories such as the L2…

Teacher identity is the reflection of teachers' perception, position, and identification as teachers. Teachers' identities are dynamic and continuously negotiated by the interplay of their professional practices, past experiences, and contextual conditions. Drawing on this understanding, this study explores Chinese English teachers' professional…

Research into the role of individual difference (ID) factors in the process of second and foreign language (L2) learning and teaching has been one of the most robust lines of inquiry in the field of second language acquisition (SLA; Dörnyei & Ryan, 2015; Griffiths & Soruç, 2020; Pawlak & Kruk, 2022). Most of these empirical…

This paper discusses the stage of second language acquisition known as attrition and what learners and teachers can do to prevent attrition and promote retention. Attrition is the stage at which a learner's attained proficiency declines due to a reduction of contact with the second language, whether from lack of contact with other speakers of the…

A great deal of research has focused on tasks, particularly for adult second language learners. In this paper we provide an account of studies that have investigated children and tasks -- an age group that have received far less attention. We consider, in particular, the impact of tasks on children's language learning, how their design features…

Over the years, a sweeping interest in translanguaging practices and corrective feedback (CF) in parallel has received momentum in instructed SLA research. Whereas previous CF studies focused on CF interactions and factors affecting L2 learning, this study examined how translanguaging intertwined with CF in Arabic as a Heritage Language learning…

This study investigates the dynamic nature of second language willingness to communicate (L2WTC) exploring the numerous factors that contribute to the construct. Drawing upon the sociocognitive perspective, we analyzed the environmental, individual, and linguistic factors that influence the development of L2WTC in an Iranian language learning…

Currently, there are a vast number of Chinese students taking IELTS each year, but there are scarce studies regarding to how this high-stakes test affects Chinese students. From the perspective of test impact and second language acquisition theories, this study investigates Chinese students' perceptions of IELTS's affective impact in their…

When deciding to learn a foreign language (FL), personal factors such as motivation in its various types and the reasons that impel somebody to learn this particular FL are of decisive importance regarding the learning process and its efficacy. The context and the institution in which the FL is taught and learned are also important factors in FL…