Learner autonomy has received growing interest from researchers and educators since the 1980s. Autonomous learners are supposed to monitor their progress and assess their performance. The present study investigated the effects of learner factors on the scorer reliability of self- and peer-assessment of EFL (English as foreign language) writing…

Employing membership categorization analysis and conversation analysis, we uncover how students performing classroom discussion tasks for language learning locally ascribe themselves and others to various identity categories within single discussion activities. Data consist of 126 hours of video-recorded small-group discussions for second language…

There is growing recognition of the need to investigate second/foreign language learners' emotions related to their language learning, because both positive and negative emotions affect a learner's motivation and performance. However, research has not sufficiently explored the emotions of learners of languages other than English and other European…

Second-language (L2) learner motivation has been a thriving subfield within L2 acquisition research for decades, particularly since the development of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), a multi-faceted motivational theory. This survey-based study examines (1) whether L2MSS facets differ between students intending to continue (or discontinue)…

Over the last several years, faculty have engaged students and community members in a series of collaborative projects with the goal of addressing complex issues such as identity, language, and belonging. I posit that the work we have been doing constitutes a broader innovative humanities project centered on cultural studies. To demonstrate as…

The main indicator of the priority directions of the state language policy is state language development programs. State language development programs directly affect the identification and formation of linguistic identity, especially the linguistic identity of youth. This article discusses the impact of state programs on the development of the…

The second-language (L2) Motivational Self System (L2MSS) proposed by Zoltán Dörnyei described how L2 learners are motivated through envisioning their ideal future L2 self. The L2MSS framework for studying L2 motivation has had mixed results. The aim of this study was to evaluate measuring future selves as L2 motivators consistent with the L2MSS…

The French as a second language (FSL) teacher shortage crisis has been a longstanding issue in Canada. In this paper, we examine the links between teacher agency, autonomy and identity in light of findings about marginalization, deprofessionalization, and/or difficulty in developing a strong sense of identity. Taking these findings into account,…

This article explores students' perspectives on English language learning in relation to the Language Introduction Programme in Sweden, which is an individual transitional programme for newly arrived immigrants and seeks to quickly transition adolescents into further education or the job market. High proficiency in English is vital in Swedish…

As part of its ambitious Belt and Road initiative, the Chinese government, cognizant of the fact that establishing strong people-to-people bonds locally, regionally, and internationally will be key to the initiative's success and that languages will play a pivotal role in facilitating this, has called for the diversification of language programmes…

Drawing upon Darvin and Norton's framework of investment, this article explores the multiple factors underlying parents' commitment to bilingual education. I use open-ended responses on a survey to report on the motivations and experiences of parents who have enrolled their child in a French-English dual language immersion program. Findings…

Many institutions around the world use the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to assess test-takers' proficiency in English, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where a given Band score (or its equivalent) is required for direct entry to majors taught in English. However, despite the test's importance and despite being one…

In this paper, we present and illustrate four principles used to develop discipline-specific academic language tutorials for students who enter university with low levels of academic language proficiency. The tutorials are part of a university-wide language support program following a post enrolment language assessment (PELA). The principles…

Language is commonly positioned as an economic resource. Recent debates have argued that policy interpretations of language as economic resource can potentially undermine language positioning and reduce understanding of the cognitive, cultural and social benefits of language learning. In monolingual policy contexts, such a positioning means that…

This study explored how 296 U.S. learners of five foreign languages (FLs), including German, imagined stereotypical native speakers (NSs) and likely learners of German. Results showed that (a) when students of different languages imagined NSs of German, they emphasized different stereotypes; learners of German named the most and the most diverse…