We explored how L2 learners of Arabic make use of video-based captions to learn vocabulary. Thirteen students watched a four-minute captioned video twice on a computer equipped with eye-tracking technology. The study included 19 novel words, 2 familiar words with novel meanings, and 2 words with familiar morphological roots (23 total). In this…

The focus in this article is on research in language centers. Four center directors provide examples of the place of research in language centers and focus on how teachers and researchers work together to facilitate large action research projects. The first section describes a survey of instructors in U.S.-based intensive English programs (IEPs).…

This study represents program-level action research. A U.S. university Spanish language program had a goal for students to reach the ACTFL (2012) Intermediate Mid level after 2 years. An empirical question that resulted after regular end-of-year testing was whether the students were doing their best on assessments. To investigate this, 253…

Captions provide a useful aid to language learners for comprehending videos and learning new vocabulary, aligning with theories of multimedia learning. Multimedia learning predicts that a learner's working memory (WM) influences the usefulness of captions. In this study, we present two eye-tracking experiments investigating the role of WM in…

This paper argues for the replication of two studies, both of which consider feedback and working memory. In the first part of this paper, we discuss the role of interaction-based research and working memory research in second language acquisition research. We then describe two studies that have unified these two areas in recent published articles…

Grammaticality judgment tests (GJTs) have been used to elicit data reflecting second language (L2) speakers' knowledge of L2 grammar. However, the exact constructs measured by GJTs, whether primarily implicit or explicit knowledge, are disputed and have been argued to differ depending on test-related variables (i.e., time pressure and item…

This study investigates whether raters' knowledge of test takers' first language (L1) affects how the raters orient themselves to the task of rating oral speech. The authors qualitatively investigated the effects of accent familiarity on raters' score assignment processes. Twenty-six trained raters with a second language of Mandarin Chinese,…

This study investigated whether raters' second language (L2) background and the first language (L1) of test takers taking the TOEFL iBT® Speaking test were related through scoring. After an initial 4-hour training period, a group of 107 raters (mostly of learners of Chinese, Korean, and Spanish), listened to a selection of 432 speech samples that…

Discusses articles contained in this special issue of the journal, raising issues concerning key terms, with particular emphasis on "incidental." Argues there is no clear way to show that a word has been learned incidentally, if the suggestion is that specific attention is not drawn to that word either by some external force or by the learner.…

A model of language transfer is proposed. It examines the nature of language transfer, identifies which language phenomena are transferred, and predicts conditions for language transfer occurrence. The model includes notions of language universals, language distance, and surface language phenomena. (PMJ)

Questions the extent to which attention differentially affects different parts of language and how this differential effect interacts with increased linguistic knowledge. Subjects were native English speaking learners of Italian. (Author/VWL)

Replies to an article titled "Programmatic Ahistoricity in Second Language Acquisition Theory." Reviews pertinent literature, concluding that historical awareness is evident in second language acquisition, although not as far reaching as the earlier article suggests. Argues that the attitude of most scholars in SLA toward the past is reasonable…

While there is general agreement that conversational interaction can facilitate interlanguage development, much of the research on interaction has been conducted in experimental laboratory settings. Questions have been raised about the generalizability of the benefits observed in the laboratory to the classroom setting. The current research…

Addresses the need for replication studies in the field of second-language acquisition and discusses the problems surrounding standards of reporting research. Notes a lack of uniform standards in reporting second-language learners' proficiency levels and proposes ways to achieve more thorough reporting of research that will allow others to engage…

Explores English-as-a-Second-Language learners and Italian as a foreign language learners perceptions of feedback provided to them through task-based dyadic interaction. Learners received feedback focused on a range of morphosyntactic, lexical, and phonological forms. (Author/VWL)