Stakeholders at DoD language training organizations seek to improve foreign language learner test scores. The method selected for the researched organization was to add foreign language immersive virtual reality games into the learning environment at the current institute. Earlier studies provided evidence of other organizations pursuing similar…

While much second language acquisition research has focused on characteristics of in-class language study, little is known about the characteristics and effectiveness of out-of-class language study. This exploratory study addresses this gap by analyzing questionnaire data from 707 adult students enrolled in intensive (6-16 months) language study…

Extending previous findings on adult L2 learners' integration of verbal and constructional information, this study investigated how child learners of English as a foreign language produce verbs in target constructions and whether (a) receptive skills and (b) the specific production modality (spoken versus written) modulate the integration process.…

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) is a widely used test of receptive vocabulary, but no researchers to date have examined the performance of low-educated, low-literate L2 adults, or compared these individuals' performances to their more highly educated peers. In this study, we used many-facet Rasch analysis and mixed-effects linear…

Adult second-language learners are a growing population of students in many countries throughout the world as the global community continues to expand beyond not only physical borders, but cultural and language borders as well. 200 expatriates, who lived in Denmark during the time span of 2006-2016, who were required to show proficiency in their…

The present study explores the effects of structured input and traditional instruction on the acquisition of English causative passive forms using online measurements (eye-tracking). Previous empirical research investigating the effects of processing instruction through offline measurements (sentence and discourse) has overall shown positive…

Although an accurate measure of vocabulary size is integral to understanding the proficiency of language learners, the validity of multiple-choice (M/C) vocabulary tests to determine this has been questioned due to users guessing correct answers which inflates scores. In this paper the nature of guessing and partial knowledge used when taking the…

Providing glosses that explain the meanings of unknown words is a common method of promoting learners' learning of new words. Numerous studies have shown that compared with no-gloss condition, glosses benefit the learning of the meaning of new words. This study combines both online (i.e., eye-tracking) and offline (i.e., immediate vocabulary…

A curriculum on English for cultural tourism communication was designed, developed, and implemented for Thai adult learners in Doem Bang Nang Buat, Suphan Buri, based on adaptation of the grassroots model (Taba, 1962) and relevant research. This study focused on measurement of the learning outcomes and satisfaction levels of Thai adult learners…

We investigated age-related decline in adult learning of Dutch as an additional language (Ln) in speaking, writing, listening, and reading proficiency test scores for 56,024 adult immigrants with 50 L1s who came to the Netherlands for study or work. Performance for all four language skills turned out to decline monotonically after an age of…

This study is aimed to re-examine the Interface Hypothesis via investigating the adult L2 acquisition of the word order variation of numeral classifier indefinites at the syntax-semantics and syntax-discourse interfaces in L2 Chinese. A computerized acceptability judgment task was administered to 41 advanced and intermediate adult Korean learners…

The lack of opportunities to practice the English language outside the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom can prevent English language learners (ELLs) from promoting their language proficiency to high standards. This lack makes the progress from one level of English to the next one a hard mission for Arab students. Subsequently,…

The role played by working memory (WM), that is, the capacity to temporarily maintain and cognitively process information, has been extensively studied in second language (L2) research. In a general sense, WM has been shown to be related to various aspects of L2 learning and use; however, little information is available regarding its relationship…

Despite the known roles of working memory and background knowledge in the process of reading comprehension, few attempts have been made to elucidate the interaction between these two individual difference factors in second language (L2) reading comprehension. The current study investigated whether and how working memory and background knowledge…

The shift from teacher-centered to student-centered instruction requires language teachers' role to change from being lecturers and controllers to facilitators and advisors. This shift requires students to have a high degree of learner autonomy. However, some teachers hesitate to promote learner autonomy. If they remain uncertain about the…