Flow is an intrinsic motivational state associated with full task engagement, positive affect, and enhanced performance. While research has examined how different language tasks interact with flow experiences, no study has examined learner flow experiences in a wide range of tasks using an experience sampling method to determine how universal…

Domestic immersion (DI) is an effective context for postsecondary language learning, given that DI's instructor-curated environments promote meaningful second language use while providing abundant support for learners. However, DI is at present understudied within second language acquisition research, especially when compared to its more…

This quasi-experimental study investigates the effects of collaborative activities on tertiary-level EFL students' learner autonomy in Turkey. To achieve this aim, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected with the help of a learner autonomy questionnaire, index cards filled out by the students, the instructor's journal, and an…

The adoption of English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education has gained popularity in China's tertiary education as a result of globalization. International students in Chinese universities are celebrated as part of soft power projection to extend China's global impact. Informed by Piller and Cho's concept of "Neoliberalism as…

Developing proficiency and intercultural competence are goals promoted by the Modern Language Association and widely shared by postsecondary second language programs across the United States. Although the development of proficiency has been studied extensively in this context, comparatively little is known about how intercultural competence…

The study reports the author's innovation of teaching climate education to adult learners in an English class using project-based learning (PBL). Over a whole semester in 2022, six topics related to climate change were taught and learned in a core curriculum tertiary English class in China. At the end of the semester, data showed a high level of…

Project-based learning (PBL) involves real-life-based use of investigative, interactive and creative tasks that extend beyond the classroom and culminate in authentic products. PBL can be used as a means to promote tertiary-level EFL learning, yet there is little research on the issue in Turkish higher education contexts. This study develops a PBL…

Despite the important role of strategies in language learning, they have not been afforded much attention in the development of language proficiency scales. This study, situated in a nationwide project of developing China's Standards of English language ability, presents in detail the development of a reading strategic competence scale for Chinese…

This mixed-methods study investigated Chinese tertiary-level students' perceptions of different English accents existing in mainland China. Also examined were their perception changes and factors that contributed to their perception changes. An electronic questionnaire survey was employed to investigate the general trend and the possible…

Self-determination theory has been applied in various educational contexts. Language learning researchers have used factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate measures designed for this theory, but Rasch analysis has not been conducted. The Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) and the Language…

Learner autonomy is a vibrant and diverse field. In its approximately 40-year history, it has drawn liberally on theoretical constructs and research methodologies from other disciplines. In turn, it has contributed to the field of applied linguistics by drawing attention to the fundamental importance of understanding the language learner as an…

In many English language teaching contexts, listening activities resemble listening comprehension tests. Scholars have argued that this product-oriented approach is not particularly effective in helping learners improve their listening skills and have advocated for the inclusion of instruction that targets specific features of spoken language. The…

This dissertation consists of three empirical studies that explore the educational experiences and trajectories of English learners (ELs) and students with disabilities. The first study uses longitudinal data from four large California school districts to examine the characteristics of long-term ELs (LTELs) and former ELs--those reclassified as…

Although American Sign Language (ASL) education for second language (L2) or additional language (Ln) learners in postsecondary education has increased rapidly over the past four decades, not much is understood about the field. The scholarship of ASL education is relatively new, and little is known of the perspectives of ASL professionals in ASL…

The study compares the effectiveness, popularity, and ease of applicability of different learning tools in virtual classrooms among university teachers and students regarding the users' technological literacy and training, as well as equipment support offered by the universities during the pandemic. Comparisons between face-to-face teaching in…