In this Methods Showcase Article, we illustrate mixed-effects modeling with a multinomial dependent variable as a means of explaining complexities in language. We model data on future-time reference in second language Spanish, which consists of a nominal dependent variable that has three levels, measured over 73 participants. We offer step-by-step…

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…

Language learning, both as a compulsory course at school and a longstanding pursuit, is not only cognitive but also an emotive endeavour, and it is not free of academic setbacks. How we react to the challenges and whether we persist or not act as critical factors in improving the sustainability of learning. Therefore, the present inquiry was…

The advancement of digital technology has driven digitalization innovation in the field of education. Cultivating digital literacy of college students so as to enhance their online learning power is a new mission for higher education in the digital era. This study investigated the relationship between digital literacy and online learning power of…

This study intended to explore the relations between 259 Turkish EFL students' L2 grit (i.e. the persistence of effort and consistency of interest) and boredom coping strategies (i.e. cognitive approach, behavioural approach, cognitive avoidance, and behavioural avoidance) as well as the moderating role of their emotion regulation strategies,…

This study considers language proficiency test scores achieved by ESL students who subsequently entered a New Zealand university at the undergraduate level. Scores from IELTS and the university's in-house English Proficiency Test are analysed to determine the predictive ability of overall scores on these two tests and scores for each of the four…

The literature has revealed the impact of personal factors on feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) in second language (L2) writing. However, little is known about how teacher academic support influences FSB in L2 writing and whether this relationship is mediated by L2 writing self (ideal and ought-to L2 writing selves). To address the lacunae, this…

Active communication is an important element of second language (L2) learning, as it contributes to the acquisition of language competence. The prerequisite of L2 use is having the willingness to communicate (WTC). However, previous research tended to conflate WTC and communication behaviour and provided little evidence that WTC and/or…

Much research has explored the intersection of music and language but has mostly focused on first language (L1) acquisition in early childhood. The few studies on second language (L2) learning and music have mainly concentrated on listening and speaking skills. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by investigating how music perception…

While language anxiety is known to be a strong predictor of the second language (L2) achievement for decades, there has been a relative lack of empirical attention to establishing which one - anxiety or achievement - influences the other. The present study, based on a cross-lagged panel analysis, examined the causal relationships between language…

Few studies aimed to disentangle different aspects of vocabulary depth (VD) knowledge and examine their contribution to second-language (L2) reading comprehension. To fill this gap, this study distinguished between two VD aspects, that is, semantic network knowledge and polysemous knowledge; and tested how they, together with vocabulary size (VS),…

In this study, we investigated how student engagement and disengagement change over the course of a semester in the L2 classroom. We modeled change at the inter- and intra-individual levels, using time-variant predictors to examine differences in student classroom engagement and disengagement trajectories. In addition to these temporal dynamics,…

This study examined the independent effects of working memory (WM) and the interactive effects of WM/L2 proficiency and WM/task complexity on L2 written performance. The study followed a within--between-participant factorial design, with two levels of task complexity as the within-participant variable and L2 proficiency and WM as…

This study aimed to investigate whether and how willingness to communicate, communication in English anxiety, behavioural inhibition and action predict perceived second language (L2) fluency. The study also looked at whether L2 proficiency moderates the strength of relationships between these affective factors and L2 perceived fluency. One hundred…

This study examines the relationship between English-medium instruction (EMI), self-efficacy development and English performance among Vietnamese undergraduate students. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research investigated changes in self-efficacy through EMI instruction and explored self-efficacy as a predictor of…