This study examined an integrated process model of second language motivation based on the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). Specifically, this research investigated the extent to which satisfying basic psychological needs (BPN) are related to SDT orientations and, in turn, to the effort expended and how these factors relate…

There has been a new fad rising in English learning among older Chinese people. By making their motivations clear, we can figure out ways to assist and facilitate their learning. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivations and objectives based on the Self-Determined Theory. To obtain comprehensive data for the study,…

The current study used a drama technique to teach a speaking course to second-level English Department students. The primary goal of language learning is to be able to communicate effectively in the target language with excellent self-confidence. The research was conducted using an action research methodology within a qualitative research…

Though an abundance of academic literature supports the inclusion of aesthetic activities in university and K-12 L2 learning contexts, less attention has been focused on aesthetic approaches in community-based adult ESL contexts. Inspired by a pedagogy of multiliteracies/Design (New London Group, 1996), this paper explores creative meaning making…

The potential of games to support language learning and acquisition -- be it in the digital wilds or in the foreign language classroom -- has often been discussed. In this article, I will look at digital games from an explicitly plurilingual perspective. I describe five existing games that demonstrate a plurilingual outlook (Romanica, MElang-E,…

This article identifies and describes several different approaches to using game-mediated language learning (GML2), drawing in particular on Reinhardt and Sykes' (2012; 2014) framework and related literature. The article concludes with a brief discussion of potential applications to adult literacy and basic education settings and learners.

This article reports on a longitudinal, quasi-experimental comparison of two English language development (ELD) models implemented from kindergarten through Grade 3 to support oral English language development among Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs). Specifically, the study examined oral English language proficiency among students…

The article is devoted to the problems of foreign language education in linguistic universities, namely to promoting the students' linguistic competence, which has been the most urgent in mastering the language as a means of communication. The research prompts the standards to progress the grammatical competence. In the current study, we make a…

Based on a prior study by Zubenko and Shwedel (2019), the present study investigated the possible effects of repetition (repeated exposure) on the incidental acquisition and retention of 120 English target words by 51 Ukrainian-speaking ESL learners at a Ukrainian university. The hypothesis was that regular repetition of vocabulary while…

This study investigates the capacity of elementary-level Chinese second language learners to memorize serial verb sentences based on the results of a questionnaire. Our findings show that adult second language learners employ the concept of temporal sequence in language learning, consciously or unconsciously, whether or not the chronological…

Research on second language (L2) acquisition in the generative tradition (GenSLA) addresses the nature of interlanguage competence, examining the roles of Universal Grammar, the mother tongue and the input in shaping the acquisition, representation and use of second languages. This field is sometimes dismissed by applied linguists as irrelevant…

Many English-as-Second-Language (ESL) learners find it highly challenging to write problem-solution essays. This difficulty is partly caused by the pedagogies commonly used in traditional classroom settings, which have two major in-vivo constraints: time limits and low student engagement. This study proposes an innovative theory-driven…

Much SDT research in the language learning domain focuses on the learning of English as a second or foreign language, in many cases by undergraduate students. By contrast, our work focuses on adolescent learners (aged between 11 and 16) of what are termed Modern Foreign Languages--languages other than English--in schools in England. In this…

In order to assess the accuracy and validity of proficiency diagnostic tests in Second Language (L2), specifically regarding the linguistic (orthographic, semantic, syntactic, lexical) and cognitive (verbal reasoning, lexical decision) components for the immigrant population in Portugal, a study of cut-off points of 6 tests was conducted. This…

Learners' views of a test have been regarded as a crucial source of evidence of a test's construct validity as well as a measurement of its impact. This study investigates students' (N = 3105) perceptions of the National Matriculation English Test (NMET), a high-stakes test in China, and explores the influences of school status and classroom…