This article reports a part of a larger study which examines the sociolinguistic dynamics within the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on how second-generation members of the Hausa Saudi community perceive their ethnic identity and investigates the relationship between their proficiency in the Hausa heritage language and their sense of…

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is considered a critical competence for lifelong learning that requires explicit instruction and consistent practice, especially for college students. Despite the abundant intervention studies on the role of SRL in students' academic performance in the Western world, very little is known in China in English as a…

This study examined second language (L2) learning difficulty of 13 Chinese grammatical constructions on the basis of teachers' perceptions and associated the L2 learning difficulty of Chinese grammatical constructions with teacher-perceived learner grammatical competence and with the instructional levels. A total of 77 experienced teachers were…

This study investigates the strategies employed by Thai learners of Chinese as a second language (L2) to comprehend metaphors, focusing on how language proficiency shapes their approach. Using a mixed-methods design, 29 participants--ranging from beginner to advanced levels--completed metaphor interpretation tasks and provided self-reports on…

Humor is seen as an effective tool to create a conducive learning environment. However, there is a dearth of research into the use of humor devices by second language (L2) learners. To fill this gap, this study investigated the role of proficiency and self-reported creativity in the quantity and diversity of humor devices used in written comedy…

Scores of different language tests intended for similar purposes (e.g., admission to higher education) are used to determine candidates' language proficiency and readiness for a chosen domain. To be fair to all students irrespective of the test they took, score requirements should be comparable. Score concordance tables provide an empirical basis…

This study examined the influence of linguistic input on the development of productive and receptive skills across three fundamental language domains: lexico-semantics, syntax, and phonology. Seventy-one (35 female) Basque-Spanish bilingual children were assessed at three time points (Fall 2018, Summer 2019, Winter 2021), between 4 and 6 years of…

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with having proficient braille skill, with a specific interest in employment status. Method: Survey data were collected in 2021 and 2022 from 449 employed and unemployed people with low vision and people who are blind, all of whom were legally blind. Proficient braille…

This report examines patterns of childcare subsidy take-up across Illinois counties and Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) regions. Administrative data records of childcare subsidy participation are combined with population estimates of young children living in families that are eligible for these subsidies. The population estimates…

The primary objective of translation is to accurately render the meaning of the source text into the target language. However, many translation students frequently employ inaccurate translation methods when translating between English and Arabic. This study investigates the effectiveness of the cooperative work procedure in improving translation…

English has been formally adopted by many East Asian universities as the dominant language in higher education to foster quality education. An increasing number of universities are now providing English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs to undergraduate and postgraduate students in a diverse array of disciplines, ranging from the humanities to the…

This article challenges the assumption that EMI success depends mainly on students' English proficiency. Drawing on East Asian contexts and my own trajectory as a researcher and practitioner, I argue that student challenges stem more from gaps in academic literacy than from linguistic deficits. Preparedness must be understood as learning to think,…

Ambiguity is a natural part of language and in studying the comprehension and resolution of ambiguity in a second language (L2), we must consider the influence of the native language. This dissertation examines L2 processing of the lexical semantic ambiguities, homonyms and polysemes. These are words that share the same form but have different…

Although researchers have found strong relationships between first language (L1) skills and second language (L2) anxiety, less is known about how L1 skills in primary school impact L2 anxiety years after L1 has been acquired. Previous research lacked evidence for the mediating role of L2 aptitude and L2 achievement in the relationship. This study…

Although an increasing amount of research has focussed on the relationship between student language proficiency and English-medium instruction (EMI) programme outcomes, there has been little focus on the broader assessment of progress and learning within EMI programmes, especially in Asia. The purpose of this study was to determine the kinds of…