This article explores some critical methodological and theoretical issues that emerge from recent research into word association behaviour in second language (L2) learners. The studies that we discuss here all use computer simulations as a tool to investigate L2 lexical networks, and to compare these networks with those of first language (L1)…

This report described and analyzed different methods for constructing a student's cognitive map in order to study the development and use of domain-specific prior knowledge. Cognitive maps provide accounts of student trajectories over courses and individual or group profiles of learners' strengths and weaknesses at the course or multicourse level.…

The concept of second language (L2) learning strategies fits well into the theoretical framework of interlanguage. In interlanguage, learning is not defined exclusively with reference to the target language norm, and the use of native language transfer strategies, among other things, is seen as a natural step in the progression toward the target…