This article presents the use of conversation analysis (CA) in the context of sociocultural theory (SCT) driven research on L2 development, or CA-for-SCT. I focus specifically on the CA concept of action ascription as it applies to understanding the nature of mediation in interaction. I begin with an overview of the concept of action ascription…

This conceptual paper deals with ways in which gesture or embodied utterances create deictic expressions (i.e., deixis) that are relevant to second language teaching and learning. While many gesture types have been found to be material carriers of meaning (McNeill, 1992; Vygotsky, 1986), deictics have the ability and function to create new…

This reflective piece seeks to shed light on the numerous contributions of Diane Larsen-Freeman to theory construction, applied linguistics, and language education by drawing parallels and insights from the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup Final. Looking at the multitude of factors that affect both soccer games and language development research,…

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…

Second language (L2) writing researchers have enthusiastically adopted task complexity frameworks in their examination of the effects of complex task features on L2 written performance. However, such research often overlooks the effect(s) of such features on general L2 development as well as L2 writing development. Drawing from Manch?n and…

This article delves into the ongoing debate surrounding the role of age in second language acquisition, examining developments over the past three decades and highlighting contentious issues. We argue that the commonly held belief in age's pivotal role is frequently contradicted by empirical evidence. Additionally, we examine the agerelated debate…

While extensive research has explored Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition (SLVA) acquisition, there has been a lack of comprehensive bibliometric analysis on this topic. This study addresses this gap by investigating research trends and collaboration networks in SLVA over the past 24 years. Publications on SLVA were retrieved and analysed using…

The aim of this study is to analyze the emerging trends in related research in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) from 2020 to 2024 using a systematic literature review (SLR). In higher education, the concept of EAP has expanded due to globalization and internationalization, providing essential language skills to enhance students' learning…

Prosody is considered one of the most challenging aspects of second language (L2) speech acquisition. This study explores the role of working memory (WM) in the perception and production of English nuclear accent (NA) by L1 Spanish learners. It focuses on both default and non-default patterns of NA placement in English. Twenty-four participants…

This article provides a theoretical and empirical argument in support of explicit language instruction. It proposes on theoretical grounds that certain features of a language are sufficiently complex and subtle that learners are unlikely to be able to decipher their full conceptual meaning on the basis of exposure alone. It further proposes that…

Chinese vocabulary is characterized by compound words composed of monosyllabic morphemes. Compounds sharing a common lexeme often exhibit polysemous meanings, forming a cognitive semantic network. Systematic instruction on these high-frequency compounds can help learners access their meanings and underlying structure, making learning more…

J.D. Brown (JD) served as the author of an instructional column titled "Statistics Corner" in the "Shiken": JALT "Testing & Evaluation SIG Newsletter" for an extensive period spanning over two decades, from 1997 to 2019. This publication was under the auspices of the Testing and Evaluation Special Interest Group,…

The scope of this study is to observe features of environmental autonomy support and to identify aspects of autonomy. To this end, a case study was designed and implemented in a state school in the western region of Mexico, with the participation of twelve secondary school pupils, ages 12 to 14, who attended a non-required 40-hour course using the…

L2 teachers' written feedback (WF) has been widely researched as one key cognitive factor in students' learning of a new language. Little research, however, has viewed WF as a contextually embodied and socially mediated activity that may be influenced by professional development. We compared five Iranian EFL teachers' WF before and after a…

The concept of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) is essential for understanding Japanese learners' engagement in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. WTC, a complex construct that varies throughout interactions, is influenced by several factors, including corrective feedback. This study examines the situational WTC of four Japanese EFL…