We tested whether second language (L2) learners rely more on explicit memory during structural priming at lower than at higher proficiency levels (Hartsuiker & Bernolet, 2017). We compared within-L2 priming with lexical overlap in 100 low and 100 high proficiency French L2 speakers under low versus high working memory load conditions induced…

In this dissertation, I will present social-cognitive frameworks that support the use of mental imagery for possible self enhancement; and articulate and evaluate a pedagogical intervention designed for the foreign language class. This intervention will allow students to explore and develop prominent and vivid mental representations (self-schemas)…

There is a lack of tests available for assessing sign language proficiency among L2 learners. We have therefore developed a sign repetition test, SignRepL2, with a specific focus on the phonological features of signs. This paper describes the two phases of developing this test. In the first phase, content was developed in the form of 50 items with…

Exploring the underinvestigated area of instruction during study abroad, this article offers a quantitative study of linguistic development among second language university learners of Chinese during a semester in China. A comparison is made between learners following task-based language teaching and a comparison group following a traditional…

Machine translation (MT) is the automated process of translating text between different languages, encompassing a wide range of language pairs. This study focuses on non-professional bilingual speakers of Turkish and English, aiming to assess their ability to discern accuracy in machine translations and their preferences regarding MT. A particular…

Although lexical diversity is often used as a measure of productive proficiency (e.g., as an aspect of lexical complexity) in SLA studies involving oral tasks, relatively little research has been conducted to support the reliability and/or validity of these indices in spoken contexts. Furthermore, SLA researchers commonly use indices of lexical…

Although research on boredom in second language (L2) learning contexts has garnered increasing attention, boredom as a negative emotion remains largely uncharted in EFL settings. Previous research has not thoroughly delved into specific categories of factors responsible for boredom in the English language classroom. Therefore, this study explores…

This study aims to provide a comprehensive profile of collocational competence, a key component of one's overall linguistic competence. For the maximum of ecological validity, we elicited naturalistic oral/written production data from 84 Chinese intermediate EFL learners and performed a 2×2 fashion of analysis on their performance in each of the…

Vocabulary proficiency diagnosis plays an important role in the field of language learning, which aims to identify the level of vocabulary knowledge of a learner through his or her learning process periodically, and can be used to provide personalized materials and feedback in language-learning applications. Traditional approaches are widely…

The current study investigated disfluency and self-repair in L2 presentational and interpersonal speech to determine whether speech modes may affect L2 self-repair. Knowledge of self-initiated repair behavior in L2 speech is particularly relevant for understanding psycholinguistic processes of L2 speech production. Different speech modes, such as…

Recent studies in the second language acquisition of negation have focused on polarity items and their licensing contexts. Although several studies show a correlation between higher degrees of second language (L2) proficiency and the acquisition of the target L2 structures, less attention has been given to the relation between the acquisition of…

This study examined the Turkish EFL students' perceptions of task-based language assessment (TBLA) in the blended learning environment at the tertiary level. It aimed to discover whether there were any significant differences in their perceptions based on gender and level of proficiency. It was a cross-sectional survey design study using the…

Engaging students in active learning environments like task-based presentations can be challenging, as several factors influence their motivation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing motivation in task-based learning in the English for Presentation course. Thirty undergraduate students who enrolled in the English…

This study assesses a range of task-based interaction (i.e. structured vs. unstructured tasks) between lower-English-proficiency middle school English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in a task-based learning (TBL) class employing conversation analytic methodology. From the video data, which allowed for an emic analysis of the students' vocal…

This study investigated the impact of student-selected pairs on emotional engagement and language-learning opportunities generated during collaborative tasks. Sixteen learners of English at a Hong Kong secondary school performed collaborative tasks in two pairing arrangements: student-selected pairing and teacher-assigned pairing (mixed…