A handful of second/foreign language (L2) studies have examined the effects of practice schedules and reported the advantage of interleaved practice (i.e., practice multiple skills simultaneously) over blocked practice (i.e., practice one skill first and then proceed to the next one). However, no studies in the realm of L2 pragmatics have explored…

Researchers in second language (L2) and education domain use different statistical methods to assess their constructs of interest. Many L2 constructs emerge from elements/parts, i.e., the elements "define" and "form" the construct and not the other way around. These constructs are referred to as emergent variables (also called…

The present study proposed and tested a revision of the self-guides outlined in the L2 motivational self system (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009). Covering the previous conceptualization and measurement issues, ideal L2 self and ought-to L2 self were bifurcated by own and other standpoints, and reoperationalized based on the fundamental tenets of…

This study explores the second language (L2) acquisition of a segment that exists in learners' first language (L1) and in their L2 but that differs in its phonetic realization and allophonic patterning in the two languages. Specifically, this research tracks development in one aspect of the production of the alveolar lateral /l/ in the L2 Spanish…

This study considers, both transversally and longitudinally, advanced second language (L2) learners' profile portraits, how these correlate with their sociolinguistic and linguistic performance, and how changes in these portraits over time connect to changes in sociolinguistic performance. The results show a strong correlation between high degrees…

In response to new theoretical claims and inconclusive empirical findings regarding relative clauses in East Asian languages, this study examined the factors relevant to relative clause production by Korean heritage speakers. Gap position (subject vs. object), animacy (plus or minus animate), and the topicality of head nouns (plus or minus…

Examines perspectives on language transfer in the light of a body of data regarding a beginning learner of French whose native language was English but who also had some knowledge of Irish, Latin, and Spanish. (Author/CB)

This study investigated whether a word-learning method in which learners infer the meaning of unknown words from the context, subsequently verify the meaning with the aid of a word list, and finally memorize the meaning ("meaning-inferred method") leads to better retention than one in which the meaning of unknown words is given in the form of a…

A study of native English-speaking Pennsylvania Germans' attempts to learn the German that their families no longer regularly used found that learning strategies were remarkably free of reliance on English rules. Speakers relied on what they learned and sought analogies within Pennsylvania German, resorting to English only when other strategies…

A review of how second-language acquisition research accounts for individual differences focuses on research on aptitude, motivation, learning strategies, and learning styles and discusses such conceptual and methodological issues as data quantification, points of contact between variables, the multicausal nature of language learning, hypothesis…

Reviews recent research on incidental vocabulary acquisition in second language. Discusses key unresolved issues such as the actual mechanism of incidental acquisition, type and size of vocabulary needed for accurate guessing, degree of exposure to a word needed for successful acquisition, efficacy of different word-guessing strategies, value of…

Reports on a strategy training study that investigated the lexical processing strategies used by second language learners when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary while reading. Results indicate some lexical processing strategies lead to higher retention rates than others.(Author/VWL)

Responds to Major's (1996) and Ioup's (1996) criticism of this author's theory of language acquisition. The author agrees with both critics that abstract systems of phonology are acquired. He concludes that the proper study of language acquisition is to chart the course by which perceptual, motoric, and cognitive functions induce structure. (31…

Discusses a preliminary and sketchy hypothesis of second language comprehension based on empirical investigations into strategies and processes specific to second language comprehension. (Author/CB)

A survey of undergraduate students studying foreign languages was conducted, examining selected learning behaviors culled from recent literature on good language learners. Results indicate that there is some evidence for a link between certain behaviors and student achievement. However, links between learning behavior and achievement seem…