Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a core competency in 21st-century higher education, particularly within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. This study examines the extent to which motivation and engagement contribute to the development of CT skills among Chinese EFL university students. A sample of 626…

Despite the increasing recognition of English communication skills as essential for global participation, many students in non-native English-speaking countries experience reluctance to communicate in English, particularly in junior high school settings. This research investigates the effect of growth mindset on junior high school students'…

The study investigates the effects of AI-enhanced multi-display language teaching systems on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Utilizing a pretest-posttest random assignment experimental design, the research involved 302 EFL students aged 19 to 28 in a higher education setting. The study examines the effects of AI-powered virtual…

This study examined the role of need for closure and need for cognition in predicting second language (L2) writing-specific psychological factors, namely, self-efficacy, anxiety, motivation, and self-regulation. To do this, we collected self-report data from 186 undergraduate learners of English. Results of path analyses revealed that both need…

Flow, a subjective state of optimal engagement and immersion, is characterized by a balance of perceived challenges and skills, interest, attention, and a sense of control (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Investigating flow in language learning can provide valuable insights into effective learning processes and contexts (Egbert, 2003). Self-regulated…

The construct of psychological flow bridges several areas of second language learning interest, including motivation, investment, self-efficacy, and autonomy. Flow, characterized by intense focus on an enjoyable activity that is at once challenging and accessible, creates conditions that have been linked to learning. Research interest in flow has…

Purpose: Morphological awareness (MA), the ability to reflect on and manipulate the smallest language units within a word, has been identified as an essential metalinguistic awareness to predict literacy development. In this study, we examine whether an online gamified English MA programme is more effective than physical face-to-face instruction…

Previous studies on cognitive load model have been entirely theoretical and there are no empirical studies currently that have been carried out to test the hypotheses in these theoretical models. Therefore, this study is aimed at proving Choi's cognitive load model using empirical data. The empirical data was collected in a foreign…

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is the construct of a language learner's readiness to communicate with a specific person using the target language at a particular time (MacIntyre et al, 1998). This study aimed to investigate Chinese English learners' WTC in an international school in Thailand. The study used semi-structured interviews to identify…

Unlike conventional distance learning, the COVID-19-induced emergency online learning environment has resulted in students experiencing prolonged social isolation and anxiety, thereby creating additional barriers to their motivation to learn. Studying under these conditions influences students' motivation to complete and turn in course-related…

Adult second language (L2) learning often exhibits great variability in its rate and outcome. Although research shows that learning trajectories are partly shaped by social and contextual factors (e.g. Larson-Hall, 2008), certain learner factors play an important role in enhancing L2 pronunciation learning by helping L2 learners notice and process…

This paper focuses on a fairly new motivational technique, the so-called Gamification, which consists of introducing game mechanics in non-game environments to promote motivation and engagement. By the turn of the 21rst century, Gamification took off in the business field and soon after became an attractive concept for researchers and…

Recent research points to the need for a specific research focus on language task engagement because task engagement can lead to increased motivation, persistence, satisfaction, and learner achievement (Early, Rogge, & Deci, 2014; Henri, Halverson, & Graham, 2015; Reeve & Lee, 2014); a major gap in the research in this area is the lack…

This article offers a historical analysis of the major themes that the language motivation field has examined in its 60-year history. The discussion starts by briefly reviewing the social-psychological and the situated-cognitive periods. The former was primarily concerned with affective factors in intergroup relations, while the latter with…

This study presents the results of the impact of a short training on vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs). The aim was to raise participants' awareness of a wide range of VLSs and consequently to encourage and motivate them to utilize these strategies in their vocabulary learning. The participants were 29 Saudi male students in their first…