Self-regulated learning (SRL) is considered a critical competence for lifelong learning that requires explicit instruction and consistent practice, especially for college students. Despite the abundant intervention studies on the role of SRL in students' academic performance in the Western world, very little is known in China in English as a…

This study investigates the strategies employed by Thai learners of Chinese as a second language (L2) to comprehend metaphors, focusing on how language proficiency shapes their approach. Using a mixed-methods design, 29 participants--ranging from beginner to advanced levels--completed metaphor interpretation tasks and provided self-reports on…

Students act according to their beliefs and mindsets. Being aware of such individual differences can help L2 teachers make sound and evidence-based educational decisions. Having said this, the purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship among language mindset, language proficiency, and anxiety through a path analysis in an EFL…

Attaining a high level of proficiency in speaking a second language (L2) is a formidable challenge, particularly in many English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, such as Taiwan. In such environments, students often encounter limited opportunities for English-speaking practice within formal classroom settings due to the prevalence of…

Despite the vast research on test anxiety and test performance since the 1950s, studies on how students' English test anxiety affects their English proficiency test performance in the context of second- and foreign language learning remain few. Therefore, using a quantitative research design, this study explored students' English test anxiety and…

Second language (L2) utterance fluency is crucial for speaking proficiency assessment. The measurement of L2 utterance fluency relies heavily on silent pause identification. However, empirical studies establishing specific silent pause thresholds for L2 monologic speaking are scarce, and even fewer exist for L2 dialogic speaking. This study thus…

The number of students embarking on a study abroad experience continues to grow steadily. A new setting for study abroad in English has developed recently where students may be studying in an environment where English is used as a lingua franca but is not an official language of the country. This setting is referred to as English as a lingua…

In the last decades, the field of applied linguistics has called for an expanded knowledge on language learning in different learner groups and contexts, including forced migrants and low-literate learners. This article focuses on an under-studied learner group in an under-studied context: low literate adult refugees (LESLLA) subjected to language…

Prosody is considered one of the most challenging aspects of second language (L2) speech acquisition. This study explores the role of working memory (WM) in the perception and production of English nuclear accent (NA) by L1 Spanish learners. It focuses on both default and non-default patterns of NA placement in English. Twenty-four participants…

This study investigates the impact of positive psychology factors on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' second language (L2) speaking proficiency. Specifically, it examines the predictive roles of foreign language speaking enjoyment, the ideal L2 speaking self, and L2 speaking grit on L2 speaking proficiency. Data were collected from…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' grammar performance and attitudes toward inductive and deductive approaches to teaching grammar in English. A mixed-method study in higher education tested the effectiveness of inductive, deductive, and a combination of both approaches on student performance on grammar tests using eight…

This paper aimed to explore the impact of self-regulated learning strategies on English language abilities and knowledge of 421 final-year undergraduate students at a public university in Thailand. The instruments used in the present study were: (1) the 65-item Questionnaire of English Self-Regulated Learning Strategies (QESRLS), and (2) the…

While there is no lack of studies on the major approaches to L2 writing instruction (i.e., the product-, process-, and genre-oriented approaches), it remains unclear whether and how these theory-based approaches have been translated into students' experiences of L2 writing pedagogy. This study examined students' experiences of L2 writing…

Despite the important role of strategies in language learning, they have not been afforded much attention in the development of language proficiency scales. This study, situated in a nationwide project of developing China's Standards of English language ability, presents in detail the development of a reading strategic competence scale for Chinese…

The COVID-19 pandemic has notably increased the use of distance education, particularly in Türkiye's higher education English courses. Even after the normalisation process, compulsory English courses in Türkiye, the learners of which receive education in English for general purposes, are still being taught via distance education. Such a practice…