There is a great deal of variation in gains found between studies of second language (L2) incidental vocabulary learning, as well as many factors that affect learning. This meta-analysis investigated the effects of exposure to L2 meaning-focused input on incidental vocabulary learning with an aim to clarify the proportional gains that occur…

Previous research showed that short-term second language training modulates children's brain responses to language processing. However, little is known about whether short-term training from language-immersion apps would have the same effect on young children's neural processing of a newly learnt language. We examined the auditory event-related…

This brief is part of a series that highlights key features of high-quality instruction for English learners and the role formative assessment plays in their success. Formative assessment supports teachers to enact these features by providing them with tools to gauge and react to student learning in real-time. These practices also support students…

Learning vocabulary is a central and time-consuming endeavour for a language learner and it has thus been suggested that the foreign language classroom has to supply explicit support for students' vocabulary development. A major source of explicit word focus is vocabulary exercises in teaching materials and students' learning can be facilitated if…

In an increasingly interconnected world that relies on social awareness and tolerance, developing students' cultural competence is now more vital than ever. Despite its importance, language educators may find the teaching of culture particularly challenging as it may seem to lack curricular structure and be difficult to evaluate. For these…

Memory retrieval is well known to modify retention of not only retrieved material, but also related, non-retrieved material. This dissertation consists of two manuscripts that investigated retrieval phenomena in the learning of foreign language vocabulary and science education material. The testing effect--the retention benefit of practicing…

German language classrooms lack authentic materials, especially at the intermediate and beginner levels. Authentic materials are generally substituted for mock materials in the target language, which creates an unrealistic and inauthentic second language (L2) environment. Additionally, authentic materials are oftentimes reserved for advanced L2…

This report reviews studies on language teachers as materials developers in language education, particularly focusing on how language teachers act as materials users, materials analysts, and materials designers when engaging with language learning and teaching materials. We contend that the three dimensions of materials development - that is,…

How language learners and teachers actually use "pedagogical materials" in classrooms is a 'groundbreaking' subject of applied linguistics inquiry (Tarone, 2014, p. 653), referred to in this research agenda article as "materials use." We begin with a theoretically-oriented overview of language education scholarship on…

Numerous studies have compared the effect of input mode (video-based vs. audio-only) on the listening comprehension of adult second language (L2) learners. However, there is a notable absence of research regarding how various types of audio-visual input in a listening test affect young learners' listening comprehension. To address this gap, this…

This research delves into the assessment of Grade 4 students' reading proficiency at Bueno Integrated School, situated in the Capas West District of Tarlac Province, during the academic period of 2019-2020. Employing a quantitative-descriptive research methodology, this study pinpointed deficiencies in reading abilities through the administration…

For newly arrived students who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH), language acquisition is particularly complex. The spectrum of initial language situations ranges from no first language to multilingual acquisition contexts. In Germany, there are currently no studies that focus on the education of these learners. This prompted an interview study…

This study outlines how handwritten reflection cards lead to the retention of the Japanese kana alphabets. Handwriting is said to help improve retention of the Japanese alphabets. Currently, in-person classes provide most of the materials and assignments via the university's Learning Management System (LMS), and students have the choice to…

The present study presents an instructional procedure developed in an attempt to enhance incidental learning through graded readers in class, the Multiple Incidental Exposures (MIE) procedure, and compares it to a more common procedure involving reading and doing the exercises, which is referred to as Traditional Explicit Practice (TEP).…

Suprasegmental features (i.e., features realized through pitch, volume, and/or duration changes) are particularly difficult for second language learners. This has led to the creation of many different methods of training, often employing the use of experimenter or instructor-created training materials. However, the use of authentic materials for…