Student Acquisition Research Articles

Negative Transfer of Changzhou Dialect to English Phonetic Acquisition of Primary School Students and Its Teaching Implications

With China's ongoing opening up and steady progress in internationalization, English, as an international common language, has become a bridge for everyone to communicate across cultures with the world. However, many Chinese learners focus more on reading and writing skills while neglecting speaking proficiency. Speaking, as the most basic pattern of communication, plays a vital role in English second language acquisition. China is a vast country with many dialects. However, there is limited research on how the Changzhou dialect influences phonetic transfer in second language acquisition. Therefore, this paper focuses on Changzhou dialect to explore its negative transfer effect on primary school students' English phonetics acquisition and the corresponding teaching implications. This paper analyzes the negative transfer effect based on former research, online resources, and teaching and learning experiences. In addition, it examines the extent of the negative transfer of Changzhou dialect on English phonetics acquisition through questionnaire survey. Research has shown that the Changzhou dialect exerts a negative transfer effect on the English phonetic acquisition of primary school students. The primary causes of students' pronunciation errors are phoneme substitution, phoneme incompleteness and the inability to distinguish between long and short sounds. Improving students' English accents requires joint efforts from schools, teachers, and students.

Exploring the Strategies Teachers Use in Incorporating Translation to Enhance Students’ Vocabulary

This study examines the strategies teachers use to incorporate translation to enhance students’ vocabulary. Utilizing the qualitative method of research, the researcher used structured interview questions as the main data-gathering instrument. English language teachers from Rizal College of Taal were selected as the respondents of the study. Finding of the study suggests that teachers face multifaceted challenges when using translation as a tool to enhance students’ vocabulary, including students’ dependence on translation methods, the complexity of addressing idiomatic expressions and words lacking direct translations, time constraints, and varying language proficiency levels among learners and addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that includes promoting contextual learning, balancing translation interventions to reduce dependency, providing teacher training on effective translation strategies, and incorporating collaborative and multimodal techniques to engage students across different proficiency levels. On the other hand, this study also highlights that teachers employ various strategies to address the challenges of using translation in vocabulary development. These strategies include contextualizing vocabulary within sentences or real-life scenarios to enhance understanding, using instructional materials like visual aids, flashcards, and role-playing to make learning engaging, and implementing scaffolding exercises to match students’ proficiency levels while balancing translation interventions to reduce dependency. Furthermore, this study revealed that addressing the challenges of using translation to support vocabulary acquisition requires practical and innovative solutions. These include implementing regular formative assessments, such as exit tickets and quick checks, to identify and address students’ learning gaps effectively. In addition, providing workshops and training programs equips teachers with advanced translation strategies, enabling them to use tools like visual aids, word banks, and interactive activities to enhance vocabulary learning. Therefore, a combination of these approaches fosters better teaching practices and more effective vocabulary acquisition for students.

THE ASL

Teaching English to Brazilian deaf students faces specific challenges, as English is their third language, followed by Portuguese and Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) as L2/L1, respectively. Traditional English classes emphasize oral production and comprehension; thus, personalized guidance that addresses the specific linguistic needs of deaf students is lacking in national educational documents. This study highlights the importance of New Literacy Studies, advocated by Street (1984, 2000) and Barton et al. (2000), which emphasize literacy practices in diverse social and cultural contexts, crucial to meeting the linguistic and communicative needs of minority groups. Incorporating sign language could increase deaf students’ motivation to acquire English as L3 through visual learning, language transfer, cultural connection, multimodal learning, and student engagement. Wauters and Knoors (2008) found that integrating sign language into English language instruction improved the comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and overall language skills of deaf students. Our research explores whether American Sign Language (ASL) could be a motivational resource for these students. The study involved observing six lessons in two classes of a regular inclusive school with deaf students, collecting questionnaire responses, and analyzing discourse sequences provided in interviews. Following an intervention in the language laboratory of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), where English classes were taught in Libras, interviews revealed that the combination of Libras, ASL, and English significantly increased students’ interest and motivation to learn English.

A Multidimensional Analysis of Foreign Language Anxiety among Students: Implications for Academic

Inside the realm of second language acquisition, Chinese university students encounter significant subjective challenges, particularly Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA), which is widely recognized for its broad impact. As globalization and foreign language instruction intensify, FLA has become a key research area in education and psychology. A wealth of literature has delved into FLAs influence on learners psychological well-being, cognition, and behavior. This study systematically reviews the literature to explore the role and effects of FLA in Chinese students second language learning. It reveals that FLA impacts emotional states and cognitive processing, leading to heightened emotional filtering that impedes language acquisition. This anxiety can result in psychological, cognitive, and behavioral stress, negatively affecting language development and academic success. Employing a literature analysis approach, the study compiles and analyzes both domestic and international sources, identifying the ubiquity of FLA among Chinese university students and its detrimental effects on academic performance, mental health, and physical well-being. The research aims to inform educational practices and guide the development of teaching strategies to mitigate FLA, thereby enhancing the second language acquisition of Chinese university students.

Building the Medical Lexicon: A Corpus-Based Approach to Optimising Medical Terminology Acquisition for Pre-Health Science Students

Pre-health science students, especially those learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), encounter substantial challenges in acquiring medical vocabulary, as they must master specialised terminology while developing general English proficiency. This study addresses this issue by proposing a frequency-based, corpus-driven approach to streamline medical vocabulary acquisition and reduce cognitive load. Focusing on the skeletal system chapter of a medical textbook, the research categorises terms into four groups—foundational, intermediate, advanced, and deferred—based on their frequency and relevance within medical discourse. Using Sketch Engine as the primary corpus tool for analysis, high-frequency terms are prioritised in early instruction to build a strong foundation, while more complex terms are introduced incrementally to support progressive knowledge development. Rare, highly technical terms are deferred to advanced stages, ensuring students engage with essential terminology at appropriate learning points. The study provides a practical, data-driven framework adaptable across other medical domains, offering a scalable model to enhance EFL students’ vocabulary acquisition. By aligning instruction with frequency-based categories, educators can better manage students' learning burden, promote retention, and ensure mastery of critical concepts, while also guiding curriculum planning to foster gradual and structured learning progression.

Innovative Learning in a Digital Forensics Laboratory: Tools and Techniques for Data Recovery

Electronic evidence is an essential component in most legal trials of criminal activities, and digital forensics is therefore a crucial support for law enforcement investigations. For instance, a wide range of electronic devices contain Not AND (NAND) flash memory chips, and when a criminal leaves digital evidence on non-operational or locked systems, accessing this memory is crucial. Student acquisition of the necessary competences and skills associated with electronic devices, their basic principles, and the associated technologies can be provided by experimental training, as done with the optional Digital Forensics module included in the degree in Criminalistics: Forensic Sciences and Technologies offered by the University of Alcalá (Spain). This module equips students with the appropriate skills to extract, process, and authenticate evidence information using suitable tools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of experimental learning, deployed through laboratory digital forensic tasks. A literature review was conducted of novel data extraction and analysis tools and procedures as a guide to the design of data recovery tasks incorporating experimental learning. Drawing on student feedback, our results highlight positive learning outcomes for the students. It is concluded that powerful forensic image analysis freeware is capable of identifying elements, and practical tests involving JTAG/chip−off extraction and analysis yield favorable results. A proposal for future studies is to reduce the destructiveness of invasive extraction methods.

The Longitudinal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Literacy Acquisition in Low-SES/High-SES Monolingual Children and Low-SES Bilingual Children

In the present study, we applied a two-year longitudinal design to examine the reading and spelling acquisition of primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis among three groups with different linguistic conditions and socioeconomic status (SES): low-SES and high-SES monolinguals, and low-SES bilingual children (minority language). Reading speed and spelling errors were examined at the beginning of second grade in fall 2019 (pre-pandemic phase) and tested again, with standardised tests, two years later in fall 2021 (post-pandemic phase) when children attended fourth grade. The results showed that, on average, all the children increased both their reading speed and spelling skills. With respect to the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on basic literacy, we cannot broadly conclude that it hampered literacy, given that all groups (regardless of their linguistic condition) showed development in reading and spelling. However, it is worth mentioning that, in light of the qualitative comparison to the norm, spelling accuracy is noticeably lower in low-SES bilinguals than in monolinguals, whereas reading speed is comparable to the standardised value and does not differ significantly between monolinguals and bilinguals. The results contribute to the debate on the interaction between SES and language literacy acquisition in minority languages, particularly under unique conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developing the KATAKU Mobile Application to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition for Deaf Students

This study presents the development of the KATAKU (Kata untuk Tunarungu Interaktif dan Unik) application as an educational tool designed to support vocabulary learning for deaf students. Deaf students, who have the same educational rights as their hearing peers, often attend Special Schools (SLB). The integration of visual aids and technology in learning has proven effective in increasing their engagement and interest. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, including vocabulary assessments for deaf students, classroom observations, and teacher interviews for a needs analysis to identify the specific requirements of schools and students. Results from the vocabulary assessments revealed that deaf students face significant challenges, particularly with academic terms and word categorization. Classroom observations at three SLB schools in Jombang highlighted engaging but challenging learning dynamics, reinforcing the need for accessible and efficient teaching tools for educators. Teacher interviews indicated that using the paper dictionary provided by the Ministry of Education can be time-consuming and lacks efficiency. This study concludes that deaf students in Jombang face substantial obstacles in vocabulary comprehension, especially with academic vocabulary. The findings underscore the need for targeted vocabulary interventions using modern technological tools to better prepare students for advanced educational demands.

A call for improving of musculoskeletal education on physical medicine and rehabilitation studies: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BackgroundThe incidence of musculoskeletal diseases is increasing in clinical practice, leading to a growing demand for rehabilitation medicine. However, education in musculoskeletal education is lacking in the training of physical medicine and rehabilitation students. This study aims to evaluate the impact of musculoskeletal education on medical students’ learning of rehabilitation medicine and analyze the correlation between influencing factors and education.ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of musculoskeletal education on medical students’ learning of rehabilitation medicine. Furthermore, the authors aim to analyze the correlation between various influencing factors and the effectiveness of this education, with the goal of informing future educational interventions and enhancing student outcomes.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted across the Pubmed, Ovid, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases for relevant articles published from January 2012 to September 2024. The search focused on medical students as the research subjects and musculoskeletal education as the intervention method. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (non-RCTs) were included. The selected studies underwent a systematic review, and meta-analysis was performed using R 3.4.4 software.ResultsAfter a thorough search, 41 studies were included. The retrospective study indicated that the most common impacts were knowledge acquisition, self-confidence, and satisfaction. The subsequent meta-analysis revealed significant increases in students’ knowledge acquisition [standardized mean differences (SMD) = 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.36, 2.94), I2 = 97%, random effect model] and self-confidence [SMD = 5.81, 95% CI (2.88, 8.75), I2 = 97%, random effect model]. Compared with the general teaching control group, the knowledge acquisition of students in the observation group improved [SMD = 0.25, 95% CI (0.00, 0.51), I2 = 83%, in the random effect model]; However, no significant difference in satisfaction occurred [SMD = 0.27, 95% CI (-0.47, 1.01), P > 0.05, I2 = 89%, in the random effects model].ConclusionMusculoskeletal education primarily impacts knowledge acquisition self-confidence, and satisfaction among physical medicine and rehabilitation students. The meta-analysis further establishes that musculoskeletal education significantly enhances knowledge acquisition and confidence in these students.Trial registrationCRD42024563899 (completed on July 17, 2024).

Analysis of Personality Factors’ in Second Language Acquisition

This research was carried out based on problems encountered by researcher in the fifth semester of the English language education study program at UIN SMDD Bukittinggi. First, many students do not yet recognize their personalities. Second, students still feel insecure, anxious and afraid in using their second language skills because of their personality. The aim of this research is to describe student personality which has an impact on the process of second language acquisition for students in the fifth semester and to describe how personality factors influence the second language acquisition of students in the fifth semester. This research is research with a mixed approach. The instruments of this research are questionnaires and interviews. The respondents for this research for quantitative data were 46 fifth semester students of the English language education study program. The informants for this research were 4 students who had participated and filled out the research questionnaire. Data was obtained from three classes through distributing questionnaire instruments and interviews with fifth semester students. There are two data analyzes in this research, namely descriptive statistical data analysis for quantitative data and qualitative data analysis for researcher using the theory of Miles and Huberman in Sugiyono. The findings and discussion outline the answers to the three research questions, namely students' personality types, students' level of second language acquisition, and the relationship between personality and second language acquisition. First, it was found that the personality types of fifth semester students are conscientiousness, extroversion and its opposite, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Second, more than half of the fifth semester English education students have reached the level of continuous language development/advanced fluency with 57.6%. Third, students have the view that personality can facilitate or complicate the process of language acquisition, but it can still be influenced by other factors such as one's desire and self-control.

Audio-Visual Media Learning in Arabic Language Acquistion

<p style="text-align: justify;">Audio visual media provides extensive interaction activities between students and learning materials that are easy to access anytime and anywhere. This is in accordance with interaction theory in second language acquisition which emphasizes the importance of response and active participation in learning activities. Through audio-visual media, students will more easily grasp the meaning of the material presented so that students are able to express it through spoken language. The aim of the research is to determine the suitability of using audio-visual media in second language acquisition for Arabic language students. The research uses the library research method, a data collection technique by reviewing books and articles related to the research topic. The results of library research on the use of audio-visual media in acquiring Arabic, students are more enthusiastic in learning Arabic, the process of learning Arabic is fun, students easily understand the material through audio-visual media with quality determination criteria. Several psychologists explain that the connection between second language acquisition and second language learning can improve memory and increase motivation in using audio-visual media.</p>

Online-Distance Instruction: Impact on the English Language Learning

Using a qualitative-quantitative research design, this study evaluated the influence of online- distance instruction (ODI) on the English language acquisition of college students amidst the Covid-19 pandemic at Partido State University, Camarines Sur, Philippines. The study specifically examined the effects of ODI on college students' performance in terms of: attendance, punctuality, required English language skills and competencies. Furthermore, it analyzed the students' proficiency in English through online-distance learning in the areas of: writing, grammar proficiency, oral communication, study techniques, presentation abilities, and research skills. The study also investigated the students' attitudes towards English language education in the context of online and distance learning. Ultimately, it proposed effective teaching methodologies to enhance students' English language performance in online- distance learning environments of 165 college student- participants. The findings indicate that the impact of online-distance instruction on college students' performance in terms of attendance, punctuality, and required skills and competencies is influenced by various challenges faced by the students. The students' performance in English through online-distance learning is significantly affected by the nature of online and distance learning itself. Moreover, the study revealed that students' attitudes towards English language education in online and distance learning settings are less favorable compared to traditional face-to-face instruction. To enhance students' English language performance in online-distance learning, the study recommends the implementation of three key teaching strategies: lecture method, laboratory method, and cooperative learning. These strategies are deemed beneficial for addressing the needs of student-respondents, particularly in the context of a pandemic in developing countries like the Philippines.

Effectiveness of Modified Peyton’s 4-step Teaching Approach on Maternity Nursing Students Acquisition of Procedural Skills, Self-confidence and Satisfaction

Effectiveness of Modified Peyton’s 4-step Teaching Approach on Maternity Nursing Students Acquisition of Procedural Skills, Self-confidence and Satisfaction

The Influence of Gamification Teaching Strategies to Skills Acquisition of Students among Selected Vocational School in China

The Influence of Gamification Teaching Strategies to Skills Acquisition of Students among Selected Vocational School in China

The Efficacy of Mnemonic Strategies in Improving the Basic Multiplication Facts Retrieval

The current quasi-experimental study aims to investigate the efficacy of mnemonic strategies (Visual imagery and Story-linking) to improve the basic multiplication fact retrieval of grade 3 students with mathematics difficulties. The authors employed a quantitative approach within the matching-only pretest-post-test control group design to analyze the data on 206 subjects, of whom 78 exhibited mathematical difficulties. The study was conducted in eight inclusive primary schools in Purwakarta City, Indonesia. The research findings indicated that the N-gain acquisition of students in the experimental group (0.38) outperformed students in the control group (0.11). Similarly, the N-gain acquisition of students with mathematics difficulties in the experimental group (0.26) indicated a higher enhancement than those in the control group (0.08). Overall, the mnemonic strategies improved the students’ retrieval of basic multiplication facts on students with and without mathematics difficulties. However, mnemonic strategies have successfully achieved two of the Sustainable Development Goals 4 (SDG 4) by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on ensuring students with disabilities as one of the vulnerable groups, have equal access to education and guaranteeing both male and females are literate and numerically literate. These findings have practical implications for educators, providing them with actionable insights to develop effective teaching strategies for students with mathematics difficulties.

The Effect of Word Mapping Technique on Students’ Vocabulary Mastery at the Eighth Grade of SMPT Mulia Hati Insani Warunggunung

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of word mapping technique on vocabulary acquisition of 8th grade students of SMPT Mulia Hati Insani Warungunung. The quantitative research method was conducted using a pseudo-experimental design. The sample of this study amounted to 62 students who were divided into experimental and control classes. Tests were used to collect data on students' vocabulary acquisition scores, and t-test was used to analyze the data. For the experimental class, the average post-test score was (75.35), higher than the pre-test score (34.81). From the independent sample t-test analysis, the value of t count (11.096) > t table (1.671) was obtained. It’s mean Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. The effect size value of 2.814 indicates a very large influence. In conclusion, there is a significant effect on speaking ability between students who are taught using the word mapping method and those who are not taught using the word mapping method.

Parental engagement and student acquisition of literacy skills in primary classrooms in Fiji

ABSTRACT Teachers in Fiji's lower primary classrooms face the task of raising students’ literacy levels. Consequently, many schools are attempting to involve parents in improving students’ literacy skills. This study investigated the effects of parental engagement on students’ literacy acquisition in lower primary classrooms in Fiji. Online questionnaires were administered to 31 primary school teachers and 38 parents using a mixed-method approach. The findings highlight the importance of teaching basic literacy skills such as phonics, alphabets, blending, and decoding. Parents and teachers acknowledge the importance of parental engagement in fostering children’s literacy skills. Parental involvement motivates children, resulting in increased academic performance and fewer struggling readers. Parents indicated participating in school-based programmes, reading with their children at home, helping with literacy-related activities, and establishing good routines to increase parental engagement. However, the research also revealed obstacles to parental engagement such as long work hours and a lack of familiarity with the current literacy curriculum. This study suggests providing teachers with resources, training, and introducing local literature to engage students in their culture and environment. Such findings may be useful in convincing parents to collaborate with teachers to improve students’ literacy skills, especially at the lower primary level.

In Order to Obtain a Sense of Empowerment of College Students'

This paper expounds the value and significance of the sense of acquisition of college students' social practice activities, work ideas and paths, enhance students' sense of social responsibility and mission, better enhance the sense of acquisition of college students' ideological and political education, so as to promote the ideological and political education of college students.

Interprofessional Competency Acquisition in an Interprofessional Training Ward Four-Week Placement: “Teamwork Is What Is Going to Ensure Our Patients Are Happy and Safe”

Demand on education and health authorities to provide workplace based learning opportunities for students to acquire interprofessional collaborative practice competencies is increasing. This article outlines the acquisition of interprofessional competencies by pre-registration health professional students in a four-week interprofessional training ward placement. Four final-year health professional students (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy), from two tertiary education institutes worked together on an assessment, treatment and rehabilitation ward for older adults based within a local tertiary hospital. Four competency domains were the focus for the placement: role clarification and appreciation; interprofessional communication; team functioning; and interprofessional coordination and shared decision-making. Sequential audio-recorded focus groups were undertaken with the students each week. Using template analysis, student reports on each of the four interprofessional competencies each week over the four-week period were explored. Findings demonstrated all students incrementally and differentially acquired the four competencies over the course of the placement. The period between week-two and week-three was a critical time for competency acquisition as the students encountered real-life clinical problems. The study contributes to a growing body of research demonstrating the potential for interprofessional training wards to enable competency acquisition for undergraduate health professional students, and that competency acquisition may be time sensitive.

Learning to Think Like an Anthropologist? Toward Understanding Student Acquisition of Anthropological Perspectives in Online vs. Face-to-Face Anthropology of Education Courses

Learning to Think Like an Anthropologist? Toward Understanding Student Acquisition of Anthropological Perspectives in Online vs. Face-to-Face Anthropology of Education Courses