Augmented Reality (AR) is believed a suitable teaching method for beginning-level Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) learners in learning Chinese characters, as the effects of AR on visualization may enhance recognition of pictographic characters and the integration of multimedia may facilitate comprehension of this logographic language. Yet the…

This study investigates the effects of instruction on second language (L2) pragmatic competence and the factors that moderate the effectiveness of pragmatics instruction. A comprehensive literature search yielded 29 primary studies that involved 1,898 L2 learners, generating 54 effect sizes for between-group contrasts. Aggregated results showed…

This study used eye-tracking to investigate the real-time processing of phonetic and semantic radicals (components of Chinese characters that give clues to their pronunciation and meaning) by intermediate-level university Chinese foreign language (CFL) learners. Additionally, the study examined how knowledge and awareness of radicals affect…

In her article, Icy Lee (2019, pp. 524-536) discusses the differences between comprehensive written corrective feedback (CWCF) and focused written corrective feedback (FWCF). She argues that teachers should concentrate more on focused feedback, and highlight and correct only a few grammar errors or issues with organisation, for example, instead of…

In this article we identify ways to scaffold content-specific instruction to support your multilingual learners' academic language development. With the definition that academic language compromises of vocabulary, linguistic functions, and syntax, we share ways to integrate three instructional practices across your instruction. These practices…

While student engagement is central to connecting feedback provision with learning outcomes and has significant value for unlocking the learning potential of feedback, the extant research on student engagement with written feedback is not only scant but also under-theorized. This article explores the potential of sociocultural theory (SCT) for…

Learning new words is fundamental in both first and second-language reading. There are, however, divided opinions on the best instructional approaches. Two widely used approaches across languages are whole-word focus and word-constituent focus. The appropriateness of each approach has varied historically, even within a single language (e.g., the…

This study aimed to examine the acquisition of Roman alphabetic script among young children within a bilingual (Arabic and English) educational environment employing a language separation pedagogical approach in Muscat, Oman. Data were collected utilizing participant observations, video recordings to capture the interactions of three children and…

People have many reasons to want to learn a foreign language: some want to enjoy foreign media in its original form, some need it for business or travel, personal enrichment, and so on. Roughly 1/6 of Earth's population's learn languages with logographic writing systems (LWS) such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean as their native tongues. These…

Orthography-phonology mapping in world languages exhibits variations. Extensive research has investigated whether orthographic-phonological consistency impacts the cognitive processing of written words. A major body of work has focused on the recognition of phonographic first language (L1) written words. Results show that the more transparent the…

Children learning Chinese must cope with an opaque orthography lacking transparent relations between oral pronunciations and written characters: a challenge heightened for L2 learners. Use of digital Pinyin input may facilitate connections between oral and written language by allowing learners to access vocabulary they cannot yet write. We…

While recent research on written corrective feedback (WCF) has elaborated on the connection between teachers' beliefs and practices, little research has investigated EFL teachers' WCF as a multifaceted notion. Drawing on activity theory (AT), in this case, study, we aimed at presenting a picture of EFL teachers' beliefs about WCF and how their…

This study investigated the relationship between learner autonomy (LA) and indirect written corrective feedback (IWCF) in an EFL writing classroom in Vietnam. Forty-one intermediate EFL learners from a class of a foundation writing course volunteered to participate in the study. During the course, the teacher provided IWCF in response to the…

Teachers spend a lot of time finding 'just right' picture books for their students. However, much of what is known about a book's difficulty level was developed with native English speakers. More needs to be developed with the distinctive characteristics of English Learners (ELs). This study reports on the selection of picture books to teach in an…

In EFL classes, teachers utilize a variety of word instruction techniques to help their students discover as well as retain new target words. A questionnaire on word instruction techniques was administered online to 87 Saudi EFL teachers representing the three school levels in Saudi Arabia (i.e., primary, intermediate, and high) with the purpose…