Lexical coverage, i.e. the extent to which words in a text are known, is considered an important predictor of reading comprehension, with studies suggesting 98% lexical coverage leads to adequate comprehension. However, no studies to date have examined how the various lexical coverage percentages suggested in the literature are reflected by the…

Codeswitching has been used as a tool to investigate how the properties of the two language systems interact in the bilingual mind with relatively few studies investigating bilingual children. We target two groups of L1-Spanish-L2-English children in Spain to address language activation and language inhibition in the processing of codeswitching…

This study investigates whether syntactic unification occurs during online L2 sentence comprehension using time-frequency analysis. We measured the oscillatory power changes in native English speakers and L1-Cantonese L2-English speakers while they were reading well-formed English sentences, syntactically intact nonsense sentences, and random word…

Our study examined the language learning strategies of successful and less successful Iranian EFL learners. The sample comprised 1608 junior and senior EFL students who completed the "Strategy Inventory for Language Learning" (SILL), and 30 randomly selected participants in semi-structured interviews. The results from descriptive…

In investigating second language (L2) listening, verbal report (VR) can provide direct insight into listeners' behaviors. However, a concern over this method is its potential for reactivity -- that the VR may change (either positively or negatively) the individual's cognitive processes involved in the task being investigated. Thus far, few studies…

This study examined the development of automaticity in processing L2 collocations, and the roles of L1 collocational knowledge and practice conditions in the development process. Korean learners of English were assigned to one of two practice conditions (practice in identical or varied contexts). The learning gains for word combinations with and…

It is often observed that many learners prefer reading texts with background music (BGM), which may enhance engagement and mood in reading. However, the impact of BGM on reading comprehension performance or process remains heterogeneous. This study examined how learners' self-provided preferred BGM affected reading comprehension accuracy and…

Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a core competency in 21st-century higher education, particularly within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. This study examines the extent to which motivation and engagement contribute to the development of CT skills among Chinese EFL university students. A sample of 626…

Picture-in-Picture (PIP) is an effective lecture video design that includes a screen capture video in the center and the instructor's talking head in one corner. Few research studies have directly investigated the usage of PIP lecture design by non-native English-speaking (NNES) instructors. The current study investigated the effects of PIP…

L2 learner engagement is an emerging but critical construct in the field of psychology of language learning and teaching. However, research on L2 learner engagement has suffered from the inconsistent operationalization of the multidimensional structure of the construct and the conceptual overlap among its different components, making research…

A substantial amount of literature has shown that the input flooding and enhancement (Textual enhancement, TE) technique helps learners to perceive and acquire target features implicitly. Previous studies explored the efficacy of computer-assisted TE interventions in Second Language Acquisition with diverse techniques, but animation has not yet…

Event segmentation tests have shown substantial overlaps in how adults recognize starts and endpoints as events unfold. However, far less is known about what role different language systems play in the process. Variations in grammatical aspect have been shown to influence event processing. We tested how closely first language (L1) speakers of…

This study examined the effectiveness of online English learning among college students by integrating data from multiple learning behavior sources. The research revealed a bidirectional regulatory relationship between device environment and cognitive strategies, clarified the critical threshold for the regulation of metacognitive strategies, and…

This study investigated the relative effects of constructivist and non-constructivist versions of Cognitive Linguistics-based Processing Instruction (CLPI) on enhancing Taiwanese EFL learners' pragmatic competence in making requests. Both approaches integrated cognitive linguistics with the Processing Instruction model but differed in course…

A personal account of a school group museum visit that had an impact beyond the classroom, crossing language barriers, and transcending time and geographies.