Multimodal synchronous-computer-mediated communication (SCMC) provides many possibilities for improving language learners' pragmatic competence (Maa & Taguchi, 2022). However, the research exploring how SCMC mode affects the pragmatic learning process and its outcome is limited. This study investigates the effects of SCMC modes on pragmatic…

Previous research has established that phonetics has been marginalized within language teaching, proving to be particularly challenging for learners in EFL contexts. This paper presents EPSSML (https://www.usc.gal/multimlab/), an e-learning platform designed within Mayer's (2008, 2009) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning to instruct English…

In second language acquisition, a popular method of introducing new vocabulary is by embedding the words in a natural text. Supplementary information (e.g., definitions, illustrations, synonyms, etc.), or glosses, can be included in the margins of the texts to highlight and improve retention of the new words. Previous studies suggest multimodal…

While many studies have addressed the benefits of technology-assisted L2 writing, limited research has delved into how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) supports students in completing their writing tasks in Mandarin Chinese. In this study, 26 university-level Mandarin Chinese foreign language students completed two writing tasks on two…

Although measures of lexical complexity are well established for printed texts, there is currently no equivalent work for videos. This study, therefore, aims to investigate whether existing lexical complexity measures can be extended to predict second language (L2) learners' judgment of video difficulty. Using a corpus of 320 instructional videos,…

This study examines the potential of ChatGPT to enhance grammar development in an academic writing context, where grammar instruction is often overlooked. Adopting a qualitative case study, this research explores how a localized version of ChatGPT can assist first-year undergraduate students in improving their grammar in writing tasks. The study…

Aural decoding skill is an important contributor to successful EFL listening comprehension. This paper first described a preliminary study involving a 12-week undergraduate flipped decoding course, based on the flipped SEF-ARCS decoding model. Although the decoding model (N = 44) was significantly more effective in supporting students' decoding…

The use of machine translation (MT) tools remains controversial among language instructors, with limited integration into classroom practices. While much of the existing research into MT and language education has explored instructor perceptions, less is known about how students actually use MT or how student use compares to instructor beliefs and…

This study explored how visual input enhancement impacts caption-reading behaviors, the acquisition of English collocations, and the recall of onscreen captions. The participants comprised 53 Korean undergraduate students at a high-intermediate level of English proficiency. They were assigned to either a baseline or an enhancement group. The…

Numerous empirical studies and syntheses have explored technology-mediated task-based language teaching (TMTBLT) (for example, Chong & Reinders, 2020; Kim & Namkung, 2024; Lai & Li, 2011; Ziegler, 2016), with findings highlighting the affordances of technology for interaction and its associated benefits. However, few studies have…

Considering noticeable improvements in the accuracy of Google Translate recently, the aim of this study was to examine second language (L2) learners' ability to use post-editing (PE) strategies when applying AI tools such as the neural machine translator (MT) to solve their lexical and grammatical problems during L2 writing. This study examined 57…

The goal of this study was to explore how distance language learners' pronunciation skills develop with and without targeted pronunciation training during their first semester of university language instruction. To this end, a new computer-assisted method of pronunciation instruction was designed, and its effectiveness, as well as learners'…

The problem of cognitive overload is particularly pertinent in multimedia L2 classroom corrective feedback (CF), which involves rich communicative tools to help the class to notice the mismatch between the target input and learners' pronunciation. Based on multimedia design principles, this study developed a new multimodal CF model through…

The focus of this article is on the design and administration of an online computerized dynamic assessment of an important area of pragmatics: implicature comprehension (i.e., indirect meaning). The assessment centered on indirect acceptances, refusals, and opinions. Drawing on Vygotskian psychology, this assessment had a dual aim: (a) to evaluate…

While the use of intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) has exploded in recent years, little is known about their use to promote English as a foreign language (EFL) development. Thus, this study addresses this gap in the literature by examining the in-class use of the IPA, Alexa, among second language (L2) English students to support improvements…