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…

High variability pronunciation training (HVPT) has been found to be successful for training various segmentals, such as the challenging /l/-/[voiced alveolar approximant]/ contrast, and suprasegmental features such as tone and pitch accent. These studies have found that HVPT is an effective method not only in helping learners improve their…

Academic self-concept, a central psychological construct that powerfully explains learners' varied motivations and learning behaviors, needs to be further explored to deepen our understanding of language learner psychology. Drawing on self-reported learning histories, this study investigates the English self-concept of successful English as a…

The interactionist approach to second language acquisition has yielded a plethora of studies confirming the positive impact of interaction and corrective feedback on second language (L2) development. Nevertheless, only a few studies have attempted to investigate the development of L2 prosody using the interactionist approach. The current study…

Despite numerous studies about language learning strategies (LLSs), many learners still misunderstand their effectiveness, thinking they require too much effort for minimal gain. Additionally, students have varied and conflicting preferences for LLSs, and factors like cultural background influence their choices, indicating a need for more research…

This study examines the effects of task complexity on second language (L2) pronunciation accuracy and global pronunciation measures in pronunciation-unfocused tasks and assesses the relationship between acoustic and listener-based pronunciation measures. Eighty-two Catalan/Spanish learners of English performed simple and complex versions of a…

In this paper, I argue for expanding language socialization research on the academic discourse socialization of speakers of English as an additional language to less-commonly researched settings outside of English-dominant countries. Following an overview of some theoretical and methodological issues involved in conducting such research, I lay out…

An increasing number of studies are exploring the benefits of automatic speech recognition (ASR)-based dictation programs for second language (L2) pronunciation learning (e.g. Chen, Inceoglu & Lim, 2020; Liakin, Cardoso & Liakina, 2015; McCrocklin, 2019), but how ASR recognizes accented speech and the nature of the feedback it provides to…

The field of SLA is not without other distinguished contestants, but in the history of controversial concepts, motivation alongside emotion must, by any reckoning, emerge as the overall victor. Acknowledging the controversies surrounding the concept, this study aimed at presenting how foreign language learning as a motivated behavior can be…

Short stories and e-learning are two effective tools for EFL learning and teaching due to their potential to promote language, communication, cultural understanding, and thinking skills and to facilitate enjoyable, interesting, and encouraging learning. Yet, studies exploring students' experience in using literature and EFL e-learning environments…

Background: The purported reciprocity between motivation and academic achievement in education has largely been supported by correlational data. Aims: Our first aim was to determine experimentally whether motivation and achievement are reciprocally related. The second objective was to investigate a potential behavioural mediation pathway between…

Translanguaging has recently gained much currency in second language (L2) education. While the conceptualization of this theory stems from the goal of enhancing L2 education for learners, one challenge scholars have underlined is the need for more responsive, practical classroom activities consistent with translanguaging principles and stance.…

Artificial intelligence-mediated informal digital learning of English (AI-IDLE) might strengthen second language (L2) learners' motivational self-concept (e.g., the ideal L2 self) and enhance their foreign language enjoyment (FLE) by enabling them to build confidence, engagement, and willingness to practice their English skills in a self-directed,…

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between reading attitude, motivation, and the metacognitive awareness of reading strategies (MARS) of adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Ninety-seven Iranian intermediate EFL learners participated in the study after a multi-stage sampling. The initial analysis suggested high…

Task motivation is critical to learners' task performance. However, scant studies have examined learners' task motivation in the translation continuation task based on the "xu"-argument, an emerging view on language acquisition. This exploratory study examined how Chinese English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners' task motivation…