This study explores the mental lexicon of Polish learners of Spanish as a foreign language (L2) through a qualitative analysis of lexical availability. Based on prototype theory and semantic network models, it analyzes learners' responses to two thematic prompts--'The Human Body' and 'The City'--to explore lexical associations, prototypicality,…

This study investigates the organization of the mental lexicon in Spanish as a foreign language in contrast to its structure in Spanish as a native language through semantic networks derived from lexical availability or semantic fluency tasks. To this end, we collected the responses of 75 American learners of Spanish and 75 native speakers in…

The fluency task, which involves lexical retrieval from a categorical or thematic prompt, has been a crucial paradigm in studies about lexicon in bilingualism and additional languages. Particularly, there has been a very productive cognitive turn towards analytical models based on the exploration of the cognitive processes underlying the mental…

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…

Since the initial application of the 'affordances' concept to the context of language learning by van Lier, relatively few studies have continued to explore its implications for second language (L2) learning. This study examines from an emic perspective the affordances that 13 Spanish learners in a study abroad context perceived in their…

Learners who lack the perception of specific sounds or pronunciation can attain a measure of inability to participate in meaningful communication due to their difficulties in understanding and being understood. This article presents lesson plans that provide a framework for addressing the needs of learners as they move from perceiving sounds to…

Recent calls for the "annulment of Spain exceptionalism" (Herlihy-Mera 7) in Spanish programs across developmental levels in the United States, and a greater emphasis on local Spanish language communities and practices compelled the author to reassess her scholarly background as a "Peninsularist" and her approach to teaching…

Emotional vocabulary is an important element in daily conversations, and knowledge and teaching of this vocabulary in a second language (L2) should be a primary goal in migration contexts. This study aimed to identify the emotional words used in the written productions of 288 adult immigrants from different countries of origin who were…

Studies into the role of audiovisual input and captions (i.e., subtitles in the same language as the audio) for L2 learning have shown that such input can positively influence L2 learners' acquisition of lexical items. Few studies have explored the effects of captioning on learners' capacity to segment the speech stream. This study investigates…

The paper discusses the interpretation of adversative clauses introduced by "pero" and concessive clauses introduced by "aunque" in Spanish. Specifically, the discussion centers around structures that exhibit the forms: (i) "A, pero B," (ii) "A, aunque B-INDICATIVE," and (iii) "A, aunque…

The purpose of this study is to determine if heritage speakers can effectively instruct pronunciation to their non-native speaker peers to support faculty. The researcher of this study assessed non-native speaker participants' pronunciation of Spanish using pronunciation instruction and instructor background as variables (N=111: 91 underwent…

This chapter examines the lexical availability of students of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) and observes how their semantic networks change as their proficiency in Spanish increases. The analysis focuses on 150 students with different levels of proficiency and the two centres of interest: "acciones y actividades habituales"…

This article illustrates how collaborative artistic creation in a world language class can offer multiple cognitive, social, cultural and professional benefits for language learners. An interdisciplinary mural project undertaken in a community college serves as a case study to examine these ideas. The class was co-taught by the authors, a teaching…

This project studies how Spanish-Catalan early bilinguals use language learning strategies (LLS) differently depending on their order of language acquisition when they are learning French as an L4. Considering that the use of LLS has been pointed out as a sign of successful language learning, the study inquires whether being a simultaneous…

This book delves into psycholinguistic and cognitive aspects of lexical activation, availability, and production in English or Spanish as additional languages in classroom settings. Instead of focusing sociologically and pedagogically on lexical availability, this collective work adopts a cognitive approach. Ten studies, conducted by experienced…