This article reports on the findings of a research study which has approached language learning motivation (LLM) following Ushioda's (2009) person-in-context relational view of L2 motivation, Consoli's life capital (2021, 2022), Dweck's mindset (2017) and Dörnyei's vision system (2009). Our study provides insights into how LLM research is key to…

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…

Language mindsets have emerged as a prominent area of inquiry within the realm of second language (L2) education. Nonetheless, extant research primarily focuses on the examination of language mindsets among students, leaving a notable gap in understanding the mindsets held by language teachers. To address this gap, the present study investigated…

This experimental investigation seeks to corroborate a knowledge structure sorting task approach as a measure to more fully account for prior knowledge when reading. A latent semantic analysis (LSA) network derived from thousands of texts typically read by first year college students was used to create a prototypical referent network model of the…

Self-assessment (SA) interventions show promise for enhancing learning and motivational outcomes, yet their effectiveness varies considerably depending on implementation approaches. This randomised controlled experiment examined whether combining teacher instruction with student SA diaries creates synergistic effects beyond either approach alone.…

This mixed-method study explores the motivational mindsets towards the learning of LOTEs of two groups of Italian preadolescents (aged 10-14) after Romance Intercomprehension (RIC) training in a school context. Reference is made to the notions of self-efficacy, the extrinsic/intrinsic spectrum and the emergence of a desired plurilingual identity.…

While an emerging body of research has linked parenting practices to children's learning achievement, limited attention has been paid to parenting practices in children's English learning. Utilising data from 702 7th graders (50.14% girls), the study examined how children's perceptions of their parents' growth mindset predicted children's English…

Despite the recognition of the importance of teachers' professional development, the exploration of teachers' Critical Incidents (CIs) as a type of professional development initiative has received insufficient attention in L2 teaching contexts. Motivated by the dearth of research in this area and building on complexity theory as its conceptual…

Since Rwanda decided that from 2009 English will be the sole medium of instruction from upper level primary school onwards, motivation for learning English has become an especially important issue. Therefore this study investigated motivation for Rwandan primary and secondary school students to learn English. The study was carried out in Nyagatare…

The changes which occur during the learning process have been explained by many teaching-learning models and theories. One of these models is allosteric learning model (ALM) which was developed by André Giordan in 1989. This model was derived from a biological metaphor related to proteins. The interaction between individual and environment in a…

This study aims to map the cognitive structure of pre-service English language (EL) teachers about three key concepts related to approaches and methods in language teaching so as to discover their learning process and misconceptions. The study involves both qualitative and quantitative data. The researcher administrated a Word Association Test…

This article examines multilingual interactions in the complementary school classroom for ethnic Chinese children in the UK. Through a detailed analysis of classroom exchanges amongst the children and their teachers, the study aims to demonstrate how they alternate between different varieties of Chinese and English and different modes of…

Young learners' use of instructional games in foreign language learning is not yet well understood. Using games that were part of the learning tools for an online assessment, Jido-Eiken, a standardized English proficiency test for young learners in Japan, we examined young learners' game-playing behaviours and the relationship of these behaviours…

This mixed-methods study investigated the changes in Chinese students' motivation to learn English from elementary to high school and explored the reasons for these changes at different school levels. A motivational questionnaire was designed and administered to 3,777 elementary, junior high, and high school students, and follow-up interviews were…

This study examines the interaction effect of age in L2 attainment. It explores whether success in foreign language learning at early childhood grades varies depending on age. It also addresses the beliefs of foreign language teachers regarding the variables under review. Eighty-three 11 year-old language learners who started learning English at…