Adopting Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is a testament to the revolutionary and evolutionary advancement in theory and empirical practice in the field. CDST is revolutionary for the fact that it warrants systems thinking of SLA phenomena that breaks the chain of dichotomous conceptualization on vital…

For me, 'language learner autonomy' denotes a teaching/learning dynamic in which learners plan, implement, monitor and evaluate their own learning. From the beginning they do this as far as possible in the target language, which thus becomes a channel of their individual and collaborative agency. By exercising agency in the target language they…

This article describes a new questionnaire, the "Diagnostic Inventory for Self-Regulated Language Learning" (DISLL), for assessing self-regulated learning strategies of students of English as an additional language. We discuss self-regulated learning models, evaluate existing questionnaires for assessing language learners' self-regulated…

The conventional perspective of learner autonomy aims to cultivate second and foreign language (L2) learners with self-regulated learning strategies they can use to achieve native-like communicative competence. While the perspective can equip L2 learners with certain linguistic coding and decoding skills to take charge of their own learning, it…

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education has heralded new paradigms for language learning, with conversational AI chatbots emerging as potent tools for fostering learner autonomy. Therefore, this article explores how conversational AI chatbots support and reinforce Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) in language acquisition. It…

The percentage of multilingual learners in U.S. public schools is steadily increasing, and by 2025, an estimated 1 in 4 children nationally will be multilingual learners (National Education Association, 2020). Simultaneously, there has been a significant shift toward linguistic diversity in two and four-year colleges. Yet, there is little research…

Schools and universities continuously face new generations of students who struggle with stress management. Many learners have sedentary lifestyles in which they are deprived of somatic learning opportunities. Other learners experience feelings of dissociation and sensations of disembodiment that have a negative impact on their learning. This…

Speaking is often considered one of the most difficult skills to develop in a second or foreign language. Many traditional approaches to language teaching focus on text-based skill development or emphasize aural receptive skills. However, as English continues to grow as a global language, learners want and need to be able to express their ideas…

Research has increasingly demonstrated that pronunciation difficulties in English can seriously affect learners' intelligibility and ability to comprehend spoken English. It is thus crucial that we find ways of helping learners of English become more intelligible. In this talk, I present compelling research evidence in support of a strategy-based…

Using Chinese language teaching in an engineering department as an example, this paper explores how language teaching can meet the challenges of globalisation and the advancement of technology by fulfilling its educational function as described in Byram's model of intercultural communicative competence. By adapting theories and practices from…

Major advances have been made in research on language learning strategies (LLS) since it was triggered by good language learner studies (e.g. Rubin, 1975). Numerous accounts of strategy use have been compiled, key classifications have been proposed, some progress has been made towards furthering our understanding of the complex relationship…

This article explores the proficiency variance among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners based on my research findings from Indonesian and Thai universities. Key variables influencing English learning outcomes include individual differences, learning emotions, and technology integration. Fostering learner agency--encompassing…

In British Columbia's K-12 schools, five years of funded English Language Learning support is frequently not enough to help English language learners fully develop their English language proficiency. This critical analysis examines the literature on metacognition and language learning to find practical metacognitive instructional features to equip…

This conceptual article begins with a general definition of reflection and the soft skills of PBL: collaboration, agency, and metacognition. Then it presents theoretical frameworks for reflection from second language teacher education (SLTE) (Farrell, 2015; Pennington & Richards, 2016) and illustrates six types of reflection with examples from…

This article overviews the major themes and pedagogical devethlopments that have emerged via the academic endeavors of practitioners and researchers in the last 25 years, while also touching on how my work adheres to these developments. The document starts with a brief historical background on the establishment of HOW as a resource for the…