This book constitutes a holistic study of sociolinguistic development among adult second language (L2) learners in a naturalistic setting. Combining results from a cross-sectional and longitudinal micro-development study, it examines the acquisition of both the productive and interpretive skills necessary to engage with the contextually sensitive…

Although the distinction between explicit and implicit (automatized) knowledge of second or foreign language (L2) is of crucial importance to second language acquisition (SLA) theory and research, it has thus far not been directly applied to L2 pronunciation. The paper attempts to fill this gap by making an initial attempt to illustrate the…

This paper puts forward a research agenda in the area of explicit and implicit knowledge and learning of second or additional languages. Based on a brief overview of reliable findings as well as open questions in the field, three agenda items are highlighted. First, valid and reliable measures of explicit and, in particular, implicit knowledge and…

This article focuses on the multimodal support of L2 education when learners visit extracurricular learning sites. As part of a design-based research project, a team of students, cooperative partners, and the researcher developed an educational game using Actionbound to enhance on-site cultural and language education. The aim of this paper is to…

The belief that abilities can be cultivated, commonly referred to as a growth mindset, plays an important role in learners' motivation and persistence in their educational journey, including learning a new language. Recent research suggests that having a growth mindset alone is insufficient for educational success. Rather, the "seed" of…

Learning multiword expressions (MWEs) typically involves exposure to language input, such as through reading and listening. However, this way of learning can be rather slow. Therefore, finding strategies to enhance learning from input is crucial for language acquisition. In this study, 80 Iranian learners of English as a foreign language read…

A wide range of English for academic purposes (EAP) programs are offered in British Columbia and across Canada. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of an English for general academic purposes (EGAP) approach can provide important insights into how students might most benefit from their EAP program experiences. The insights in this…

The successful launch of the One Belt and One Road Initiative in 2013, coupled with China's growing international influence, has stimulated global interest in learning Chinese as a Second Language (CSL). However, recent studies reveal several problems relating to international students' adaptation and adjustment in the distinct Chinese study…

Purpose: Most studies about reading development in second-language learners have been carried out on children exposed to the second language from kindergarten. They have shown that decoding skills develop in a similar way to those of monolingual children. We wondered whether this holds for primary school newcomer non-native-speaking children. This…

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…

Memory is inherently context-dependent: internal and environmental cues become bound to learnt information, and the later absence of these cues can impair recall. Here, we developed an approach to leverage context-dependence to optimise learning of challenging, interference-prone material. While navigating through desktop virtual reality (VR)…

Background/purpose. Student reticence in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms remains a significant challenge, hindering both communication and language acquisition. The current study investigates the factors contributing to student reticence at Thu Dau Mot University (TDMU) and explores pedagogical interventions to enhance verbal…

English learning contexts are typically categorized as English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). ESL pertains to English acquisition in regions where it is an official language, while EFL refers to contexts where it is not. Although previous research has examined written language differences among learners in L1…

English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been defined as 'the use of the English language to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of the majority of the population is not English' (Macaro, 2018, p. 19). This definition has proved to be controversial but has underpinned the work…

This study examines the referential context effect on second-language relative clause ambiguity resolution by proficient L1 Chinese learners who learn English as a foreign language (EFL) and investigates whether the ambiguity resolution process is constrained by individuals' working memory capacity (WMC). It presents a self-paced reading study and…