One of the most intriguing questions in the investigation of second-language acquisition concerns the role of learners' first language (L1). Comparing learners of different backgrounds (L1 German vs. L1 Romance languages), we aim to explore the acquisition of tense and aspect features in Spanish as a second language (L2). Findings show that the L1…

The purpose of the current study was to examine whether oral language skills moderate the effect of Korean phonological awareness (PA) on English PA for Korean preschoolers in the initial stage of learning English as a second language. The study participants comprised 81 five- to six-year-old Korean preschoolers attending Korean-medium preschools…

There are some factors, which are motivational, and on the other hand, there are many challenges that may cause hindrance for learning English as a second language. Therefore, the main objective is to assess perception regarding factors for learning English as a second language, especially among new immigrants. This was a cross-sectional study…

The use of L1 in EFL classes has been a controversial topic. Therefore, this study investigates the attitudes of university teachers towards the use of L1 and seek their opinions regarding the purposes for which L1 should be used in English classes. A questionnaire of 27 items with a five-point likert-type scale was administered, followed by a…

Science education today focuses on preparing future citizens who are critical consumers of scientific knowledge and not merely recipients of scientific facts. Thus, meaningful science learning is important in the learning process. The aim of this paper is to explore approaches for facilitating meaningful science learning in a context where an…

In 2009, the Department of Education of the Philippines released a directive to use the mother tongue as a medium of instruction from kindergarten to third grade. Among Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines pioneered the formal adaption of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE). However, the policy is beset with both structural…

New linguistic information must be integrated into our existing language system. Using a novel experimental task that incorporates a syntactic priming paradigm into artificial language learning, we investigated how new grammatical regularities and words are learned. This innovation allowed us to control the language input the learner received,…

The two possible positions for "wh"-words (i.e., in situ or preposed) represent a long-standing area of research in French. The present study reports on statistical analyses of a new seminaturalistic corpus of child L1 French. The distribution of the "wh"-words is examined in relation to a new verb tripartition: Free…

A challenge in reading research, and particularly extensive reading research, is how to manage the transition from the top of graded reading schemes to authentic texts which may be separated from each other by up to 5,000 word families. While texts written for native-speaker children have been recommended at times, recent research has shown that…

This article considers the conflict between students' desire to improve their target language skills and their desire for belonging and community. The study, conducted over three years, examines student perceptions of barriers to target language gain during semester-long study abroad. Participants completed surveys, took the Versant Language Test…

Purpose: Older native speakers of English have difficulty in understanding Spanish-accented English compared to younger native English speakers. However, it is unclear if this age effect would be observed among native speakers of Spanish. The current study investigates the effects of age and native language experience with Spanish on the ability…

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page sheets on a variety of subjects. The topics for this report on English learners who are Arab Americans include: (1) Most Common Languages Spoken by EL Students K-12 (Excluding Spanish); (2) Numbers of Reported Arabic-Speaking EL…

This study explores multilingual international students' narratives of mobility and socialisation through online discursive spaces of interview conversations. Drawing upon an ecological approach to transnational narratives, the researcher analyzed international students' multiscalar interactions and transformations in sociospatial practices. The…

This paper outlines the different aspects of language contact in Newar, the ethnic indigenous language community of the Kathmandu valley, focusing on language use and attitudes. The data were collected in 2016-2017 with the help of survey questionnaire, key informant interviews, informal interviews, and various observations based on the…

Toddlers from low-income and language-minority immigrant families are at risk for language difficulties due to early disparities in the quality of their home language environment. The present longitudinal study extends previous research by investigating nursery teachers' communicative modalities and functions, and their relations with the…