Vocabulary learning strategies have been frequently viewed as a practical tool to facilitate the acquisition of words and enhance comprehension and production in communication. Previous research suggests that vocabulary learning strategies are a multidimensional construct. This study attempts to validate a vocabulary learning strategies…

Studies on washback of not only international standardized proficiency tests, but also localized high-stakes tests have been increasingly attracting considerable interest. The current study explores the washback effects of a Vietnam-made localized English proficiency test named "Vietnamese Standardized Test of English Proficiency, level…

Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that students typically favor collaborative retrieval practice over practicing individually. However, there is a gap in research regarding how EFL students specifically engage in collaborative retrieval practice compared to individual methods. This study aimed to investigate Saudi EFL students'…

Metacognition plays a crucial role in language learning, enabling learners to reflect on and adjust their strategies for more effective learning, particularly when reviewing for quizzes and exams. Technology can be a powerful aid in this context. This study examines the extent to which review-focused cognitive strategies, delivered using an online…

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in how to maximize learners' retention of multiword expressions. One technique that has been shown to be highly effective is the use of exercises such as those found in mainstream English as a second language textbooks. In the present study, we investigated how the execution of a gap-fill…

This study designed and pilot-tested a learning path in Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) to facilitate learners' Self-regulated Learning. 122 postgraduates who joined an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) course at a comprehensive university in China were evenly divided into two groups. The experimental group used PLEs with…

The National College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) is a key test to assess the English language ability of Chinese university students, and the success rate of the test is important to improve the quality of their English learning. Artificial intelligence technology can be used to predict and explore the factors influencing the success rate. This…

Research is scarce about the lexical processes undertaken by thousands of L2 learners worldwide who already command one or more languages. Some aspects involved in lexical organisation and production, such as clustering and switching, have been traditionally approached through manual methods, which depend on subjective judgments of semantic…

In second language listening assessment and pedagogy, practitioners hold different views on whether to repeat a listening text in contexts where inferences about listening ability are to be drawn from task performance. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of repeating the listening text (double play) on listener performance,…

This study sought to scrutinize the interplay between interlanguage pragmatic learning strategies (IPLS) usage and learner autonomy among male and female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. It also examines whether gender plays a significant role in the adoption and efficacy of these strategies in the EFL learning context. The study…

The ability to understand listening is an essential skill for non-native speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research has shown that several factors can influence EFL students' English listening comprehension, including the listening strategy they use during listening activities. This study, therefore, used the meta-cognitive…

Authentic listening increasingly involves being able to pause or replay recordings as needed. In this study, we investigated differences in the reported use of listening strategies and listening anxiety between single-play and self-paced test administration. We also analyzed the interrelationships among first language (L1) literacy skills, second…

The present study investigates the use of generative strategies and their effect on second language (L2) vocabulary retention and learner confidence in vocabulary knowledge over time. Generative strategies (or generation) are one in a group of learning methods known as desirable difficulties -- strategies that improve long-term learning by adding…

This study examined the effects of bottom-up instruction (BI) on a high-stakes listening test for second language (L2) listeners and compared these effects with those of strategy instruction (SI) in relation to their proficiency levels. Two intact classes (48 L2 listeners) of different L2 listening proficiency levels received five weeks of BI and…

While research into various dimensions of language learning strategies has been thriving over the recent years, grammar learning strategies (GLS) have largely remained under-explored. The present mixed methods research aimed to explore GLS in the three stages of classroom grammar tasks, while striving to determine the sequence of GLS and their…