From a complex dynamic systems (CDST) perspective, language is understood as a dynamic system comprised of subsystems that change and develop over time in response to learner-internal and -external factors (Verspoor et al., 2008). Accordingly, language development is seen as a process responsive to the dynamic interaction between the learner and…

This study is a comprehensive analysis to conceptualize the transparent borders between second language L2 learners and the imaginary image of the novel mentally interactive settings they emerged in. As this novel experience of L2 learners entails a sort of sociocultural shift through shifting language, it requires learners to shift identity as…

Many previous studies have identified "foreign language anxiety" and "motivation" as two important areas of applied linguistics. This study aims to evaluate the pertinent literature with also providing new information and justifications in past studies on learning anxiety and motivation. In this paper, the first section…

In many contexts of multilingualism, language learners can initiate communication in the target language (TL), or a contact language (such as English). Patterns of use emerging from these choices affect TL development. They also vary between individuals. Willingness to communicate (WTC) needs to be investigated in ways that capture these…

The integration of technology in teachers' pedagogical practices has become the norm within various educational settings including the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) praxis. Although the technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) of EFL teachers has been explored previously, the contextual effects of the diffusion of technology at…

This study investigates the complex dynamics of semantic change and cultural adaptation of metaphor in multilingual communication. The research uses cognitive linguistics, sociolinguistics, and pragmatics to develop a model that explains the fundamental mechanisms of metaphorical expression and comprehension across languages and cultures. Using…

Context has been recognized to exert a significant influence on language policy and planning (e.g., Cross, 2009; Gorsuch, 2000; Köksal & Sahin, 2012) as well as on teachers' decisions in the field of English language teaching and assessment (e.g., Fulmer et al., 2015; Shulman & Shulman, 2004). However, research on the interface among…

Research on language learning motivation has typically focused on the strength of different motives in isolation and often out of context. The present study aims to explore the applicability of one global framework of motivation to integrate different perspectives. We investigated how adaptive interactions between learners' motivations for value,…

This study employed a multisite design to investigate the differential impact of deductive and guided inductive instruction for second language (L2) grammar development in ecologically valid classroom contexts. Students (n = 138) from eight intact third-year L2 Spanish classes in three public high schools in the United States received deductive…

Research conducted over the past 15-20 years has revealed significant insights into the nature and role of learner selves in language learning settings, particularly the importance of considering the interaction between situated contextual factors and the ways learners perceive, imagine, and construe their possible selves. To further advance this…

Drawing on theoretical insights from a complex dynamic systems framework, this work explores the ways that learner selves, as they relate to learning and using languages, manifest across different contexts and timescales and emerge in interaction with various factors. First, a broad overview of dynamically-oriented L2 motivation research is…

This study investigates how visual context influences second language (L2) long-term structural priming for the Chinese "ba" construction. The experiment consisted of a baseline phase, an exposure phase, an immediate posttest, and a delayed posttest. L2 Chinese learners (N = 120) were assigned to 1 of 4 groups for the exposure…

The role of communication variables such as communication apprehension (CA), self-perceived communication competence (SPCC), and intercultural willingness to communicate (IWTC) in improving L2 WTC has rarely been compared or even considered in detail in project-based learning (PBL) classroom contexts. Given this research gap, a mixed-methods study…

This study investigated the effect of explicit reading strategy instruction on reading comprehension, reading strategy use, reading motivation, and reading self-efficacy in Chinese university EFL learners. A total of 117 first-year university students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. Students in the…

The context clue strategy to derive the meaning of unfamiliar words and its effectiveness have been generally accepted, and the strategy is widely taught to ESL/EFL students. This study aimed to (1) compare the abilities in making use of context clues to derive the meaning of vocabulary among four groups of English major undergraduate students…