Blended learning is a combination of traditional and technology-enhanced learning. Social networks services can be used in blended learning settings as they support collaboration, resource sharing, and socialization. Edmodo is an educational social network which can facilitate the development of second or foreign language skills. This study…

This study examined the incidental acquisition of English prepositions by Arabic-speaking English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Employing reading comprehension exercises as a treatment, we adopted the experimental design of a pre- and post-test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment on the participants' incidental acquisition of…

This article presents an action research study. Its purpose was to determine the extent to which the Reciprocal Teaching model (RT), proposed by Palincscar and Brown (1984), impacts tenth grader's English writing skills. The research work included: (1) A diagnostic stage to determine the participant's initial difficulties in regards to their…

Standards of academic performance place a high demand on students' English language. To help Spanish-speaking preschoolers who are developing English as a second language meet these demands, researchers recommend strengthening their first language to facilitate development of their second language. Head Start teachers and research assistants…

Research Findings: The present study compared effects of explicit instruction on and practice with the phonological form of words (form-focused instruction) versus explicit instruction on and practice with the meaning of words (meaning-focused instruction). Instruction was given via interactive storybook reading in the kindergarten classroom of…

Differences between monolingual and multilingual vocabulary development have been observed but few studies provide a longitudinal perspective on vocabulary development before and following school entry. This study compares vocabulary growth profiles of 106 multilingual children to 211 monolingual peers before and after school entry to examine…

This article provides an argument for the recognition of complementary alternative literacy learning spaces (CALLS) as a strategy for operationalising the notion of multi-literacies in classroom practice. The paper draws empirical evidence from a small-case project to support the claim that scratch, functioning as a CALLS is a viable tool for…

Educational media is ubiquitous in the lives of young children, promising high-quality programming to equip them with vocabulary knowledge and school readiness. To meet the needs of preschool-aged dual-language learners (DLLs), many educational programs are marketed to promote vocabulary learning in two languages. In this study, we use a content…

Lexical competence is considered as an important indicator of language proficiency. While learning vocabulary, learners need to remember various aspects of knowledge about the word (e.g., meaning, form and use). Many vocabulary learning strategies have been proposed to help learners consolidate vocabulary knowledge. Among them, grouping words…

This article reports on a study that examined the effectiveness of an intervention using text messages to enhance the academic vocabulary acquisition of English language learners (ELLs). With a random control trial design, we compared students' learning gain of target vocabulary (direct effect) and its subsequent impact on academic vocabulary…

The research discussed in this article is specifically aimed at non-Afrikaans-speaking international students served by the Language Centre at Stellenbosch University. As a result of students who would like to become proficient in Afrikaans during their stay in South Africa, many of them choose the course "Beginner Afrikaans Vlak 1"…

This established text--now revised and updated--reveals how spoken language skills are acquired and how they affect children's later reading and writing achievement. With a unique focus on the needs of educators, the book examines the foundations of language in the developing brain. It explores the relationship of language processes to core…

This book provides a rich and unique longitudinal account of content and language integrated learning (CLIL). The chapters report on the findings from a large-scale, three-year research project undertaken at senior high school level in Sweden. The ecological perspective, with quantitative and qualitative methods, gives voice to both learners and…

Numerous studies from China report that student teachers in English language teaching practicums resist communicative language teaching, CLT (Hu, 2002), to follow mentor teacher cultural practices of teaching to the Gaokao through explanations of vocabulary and grammar. This study addressed a knowledge gap to investigate the CLT problems and…

Educational media is ubiquitous in the lives of young children, promising high-quality programming to equip them with vocabulary knowledge and school readiness. To meet the needs of preschool-aged dual-language learners (DLLs), many educational programs are marketed to promote vocabulary learning in two languages. In this study, we use a content…