The present study examined the relative effect of direct and indirect written corrective feedback (WCF) on L2 learning and the mediating role of language anxiety in the effectiveness of these two types of WCF. Forty-five Chinese L2 learners of English were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: direct WCF (n = 15), indirect WCF (n =…

This study highlights critical factors influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' decisions to provide in-class oral corrective feedback (OCF). It explores the interplay between teachers' individual differences -- namely educational background, teaching experience, and additional training -- and their decisions regarding OCF. EFL…

The present meta-analysis investigated the effects of recasts along with a number of moderating variables on L2 development by meta-analysing the results of 24 primary studies. The findings revealed an overall medium effect size for the effectiveness of recasts (g = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.48-0.93). Furthermore, the findings indicated that recasts are…

The present study investigates the emotional experiences of seven student teachers through the process of lesson study in a pre-service language teacher education course at a university in Macau. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews, individual reflections, and observational notes, the study reveals a variety of emotions experienced by…

The role of emotions in learning has been the focus of much debate in teaching circles, as has the question of discussing controversial issues in the classroom. The aim of this small-scale inquiry was to investigate how two groups of intermediate level students of French as a foreign language expressed emotion in discussing the controversial issue…

Higher education institutions often pair native speakers with English as a second and foreign language learners to encourage oral conversation practice. Born out of such circumstances, the current investigation, drawing upon the activity theory perspective, examined the plausibility of native-speaking conversation partners providing oral…

Foreign language anxiety (FLA) has extensively been reported to interfere with second language learning and performance. To mitigate anxiety, researchers have called for the inclusion of technology into foreign language classes and providing learners with corrective feedback on their performance. One factor that may affect the comprehensibility of…

In addressing vocabulary explanations in language classroom settings, a growing number of studies have examined the different ways teachers respond to the vocabulary explanation requests made by students in second language (L2) classrooms. Relatively lacking is an investigation into the nature of vocabulary explanation requests made by students in…

Testing-effect literature has shown the benefits of retrieval practice to enhance retention and attenuate forgetting. However, research in memory reconsolidation has demonstrated that a memory trace can be rendered labile by retrieval and requires restabilisation to persist. This study investigated the effects of the initial test interval and…

Given the prominence of online teaching over the last few years, mobile instant messaging (MIM) has grown in importance for students studying English outside of class. Applications like WhatsApp have the potential to provide language learners the opportunity to practise communicative strategies while receiving feedback from a teacher. To explore…

This experimental study examined the influence of vocabulary and spelling on teachers' perceptions of English as a second language (ESL) essays. Sixty-nine pre-service teachers from Switzerland and Germany rated four upper-intermediate ESL argumentative essays and provided written comments on strengths and weaknesses of the student compositions.…

Teacher feedback has been reported to be challenging for learners to understand and use productively in revising their writing, especially when it is provided in a monologic manner. There have thus been calls for teachers to ensure feedback is more 'dialogic' or 'interactive', encouraging students to become active respondents to feedback rather…

Drama activities can have a variety of benefits for foreign language learners of all ages. Staging an entire play, however, is not often possible as part of traditional foreign language education due to curricular, programmatic and departmental constraints. This article summarises an extracurricular German theatre project carried out at a small…

This study explores the relationship between the experience of confusion and the outcomes of Chinese character learning by learners of Chinese as a heritage language (CHL). Based on the claim that impasses triggering confusion can lead to deeper learning of conceptually difficult material, the study employed three impasse-driven tasks. The tasks…

This study compares the effect of ZPD feedback with explicit feedback on accuracy in second language (L2) writing. It also examines the effect of focused vs. unfocused ZPD feedback on L2 writing development during teacher-student tutorial sessions. Four participants wrote five persuasive essays and were provided with ZPD or explicit feedback…