Second Language Acquisition Research Articles

Teachers’ Insights into the Efficacy of the ‘Reading Circle’ Project Using English Language Teaching Graded Readers

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, published by the United Nations, highlights quality education as a priority goal, emphasising its essential role in facilitating the achievement of other goals. Although there has been modest progress since 2019, several areas require further advancement, including the development of reading skills. Extensive reading plays an important role in foreign language acquisition, as it not only significantly enhances students’ vocabulary, text comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing skills, but also fosters the development of sustainable learning and self-regulated learning skills. In order to substantially increase students’ reading opportunities, the ‘Reading Circle’ (RC) project was initiated, allowing teachers and their students to read five to eight graded readers during English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes throughout the school year. During the school year 2023/2024, 45 teachers and 1328 students of Grades 3–11 participated in the 9-month project. The aim of this study was to analyse teachers’ perceptions on the efficacy of the ‘Reading Circle’ project and the most common teaching techniques. The data indicate that the most commonly used teaching techniques across all levels of language learning were the text discussions and the completion of ready-made exercises, while a significant difference across the levels emerged in the techniques of students reading aloud versus reading silently. The findings of this study reveal that teachers highly evaluated the benefits of the project and observed positive improvements in students’ reading motivation, text comprehension, and advancements in their reading and speaking skills, and the outcomes imply that the ‘Reading Circle’ project is an effective method of enhancing sustainable learning and self-regulated learning skills.

Assessment of Anxiety Status and its Impact on Academic Performance of Undergraduate Medical Students of Bangladesh

Background: Mental health is essential for the well-being of both individuals and communities. Undergraduate medical students travel medical course with tremendous psychological stress because of new environment, language difficulties, curricular overload and frequent examinations. This may hamper their academic performance and mental strength. This study aimed to observe the anxiety status and academic performance of undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among 1921 undergraduate medical students from five medical colleges in Bangladesh, who were selected using convenience sampling method. The study was conducted from July 2023 to June 2024. For assessment of anxiety level generalized anxiety disorder 7 (GAD 7) questionnaire was used. The academic performance of the students was self-reported by students as passed (regular/irregular) MBBS professional examinations. Results: The mean score to different questions related to determine their anxiety status were ranged from 31.83% to 39.5%. It was found that out of 1921 medical students, 40.6%, 29.6%, 17.9% and 11.9% had minimal, mild, moderate and moderately severe anxiety respectively. Different categories of anxiety level were found significantly higher among the female participants and in first academic phase. Majority of the participants passed regularly (>90%) in their professional examinations. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study it can be concluded that undergraduate medical students suffer from varying degrees of Anxiety. Different socio-demographic variables have found significantly associated with different categories of anxiety status. Academic performances have been found affected by the different categories of anxiety as well. It can be concluded that anxiety should be reduced for the betterment of their academic performance and mental strength and ultimately to produce quality physicians to serve the community. BJME, Volume-16, Issue-01, January 2025: 49-60

The impact of the cognitive-emotive dialectic on L2 development of English majors in the free teacher education program in China: a perezhivanie perspective

The field of second language acquisition (SLA) research had long been governed by a paradigm that prioritized cognition over emotion. Recently, increased attention has been drawn to the role of perezhivanie in language development as Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (SCT) brought together emotion and cognition, thereby offering an analytical tool to explore the interplay of emotion and cognition in a holistic way. The present study seeks to explore and capture the notion of perezhivanie in three Chinese learners of L2 English in the free teacher education program and its link for their language development. Utilizing multiple sources of data, including questionnaires, narrative frames and interviews, this study conducts a thematic analysis of the cognitive and emotive elements in the data. The study reveals that the three participants shared the same purpose in learning English: to become English teachers in either primary or high schools. It also demonstrates that during the language learning process, predominantly negative emotions, while not inevitably hindering progress, can slow down the pace of language development, whereas positive emotions consistently foster language development.

Impact of exposure to opioids in pregnancy on offspring developmental outcomes in the preschool years: an umbrella review

BackgroundEarly child development sets the course for optimal outcomes across life. Increasing numbers of children worldwide are exposed to opioids in pregnancy and frequently live in environments associated with adverse...

The Impact of Mobile Applications on Foreign Languages Acquisition: A Pedagogical Perspective

The Impact of Mobile Applications on Foreign Languages Acquisition: A Pedagogical Perspective

The Impact of Age on Second Language Learning

This research examines the correlation between age and second language acquisition (SLA), emphasizing the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) and age-related variations in phonology, grammar, and vocabulary acquisition. The results indicate that younger learners excel in achieving native-like pronunciation and implicit grammar, but adults exhibit advantages in explicit learning and vocabulary acquisition owing to cognitive maturity and metalinguistic awareness. The study underscores the limited validity of the Critical Period Hypothesis, indicating that second language acquisition results are shaped by biological, social, and environmental variables rather than strict age limitations. Practical consequences encompass the necessity for age-specific pedagogical approaches, early language acquisition initiatives, and continuous learning opportunities. Limitations, including a small sample size and cross-linguistic heterogeneity, are recognized, with suggestions for future study to investigate longitudinal effects, cross-linguistic disparities, and the incorporation of neuroscience into second language acquisition studies. By addressing these results, educators and policymakers may more effectively support different learner profiles and improve second language acquisition outcomes across all age groups.

EL DESARROLLO DE LA LECTURA POR MEDIO DE LA PREVENCIÓN DE LAS DIFICULTADES DE APRENDIZAJE BASADAS EN EL LENGUAJE Y COMUNICACIÓN A TRAVÉS DE LA GAMIFICACIÓN

This research plan is based on the prevention of learning difficulties, whose main objective is to provide all students with skills and abilities to progress in their learning. Recent research shows that about 10% of students have learning difficulties. It is worth mentioning that according to the Learning Disorders report, carried out by Sans, Boix, Colomé, López-Sala and Sanguinetti, (2012) and supported by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 2018 (analysis carried out by Schleicher in 2019), the main difficulties are related to reading, writing and numerical learning. From both investigations lies the importance of focusing the study on the prevention of difficulties in the field of communication and language. The main objective of this thesis is to analyze to what extent the initial reading acquisition process can be improved through the development of a series of skills. To achieve this objective, a quasi-experimental project has been carried out with comparison of groups and pre-test and post-test measures. The project has different students who are in the last cycle of kindergarten belonging to schools in the province of Alicante and there is a sample of approximately 150 participants. Next, it is worth highlighting that the program is carried out by the teachers of the centers and for this they have undergone prior training. The project has an innovative axis, where new technologies have been used with the aim of making students feel more motivated and involved in learning, thus promoting their development and connecting with their interests. The hypothesis proposed for this research plan is the following: The aim is to analyze whether, by applying an intervention program focused on the stimulation of linguistic skills at an early age, we can contribute to reducing language and communication learning difficulties. at the first educational levels. The results of this intervention plan have been obtained through various activities related to the learning of communication and language where the responses of the students have been collected to analyze them. In short, the results of the work allow us to confirm that the group that receives the intervention obtains improvements in the reading learning process.

Is musical ability related to second-language acquisition? A meta-analysis.

In our multicultural and interconnected world, the ability to learn new languages is important. However, there are significant differences in how successfully adults can learn aspects of non-native languages. Given robust relationships between musical ability and native-language processing, musical ability might also contribute to successful second-language acquisition. However, while several studies have assessed this relationship in various ways, the consistency and robustness of the relationship between musical ability and second-language learning remains unclear. Thus, we synthesized 184 effects across 57 independent studies (n =3181) with a robust variance estimation multivariate meta-analysis, and we narratively summarized partial correlation effects across 12 studies. The available evidence suggests that musical ability is indeed positively related to second-language learning, even after factoring in publication bias revealed by the meta-analysis. Although future work with more diverse participant populations and methodologies is needed to further disentangle this relationship, it is apparent that individuals with better musical ability are generally more successful at second-language learning.

Predictors of language and reading outcomes in 12-year-old children born very preterm.

To investigate predictors of language and reading outcomes in 12-year-old Swedish children born very preterm (<32 gestational weeks) in 2004-2007. Children born very preterm (n = 78, 43 girls), and term-born controls (n = 50, 32 girls), were examined on verbal IQ, semantic and phonemic fluency, sentence recall, reading fluency, word and phonological decoding at 12 years of age. The results were related to neonatal characteristics, language development, measured with Bayley-III, at 2.5 years corrected age, and concurrent non-verbal IQ. Preterm children showed language and reading difficulties that were not completely accounted for by level of concurrent non-verbal IQ. Extremely preterm born children (<28 gestational weeks) demonstrated specific linguistic weaknesses. Administration of antenatal steroids, retinopathy of prematurity and persistent ductus arteriosus explained unique variance in language and reading outcomes. Language assessments at 2.5 years had low predictive value for language and reading outcomes at age 12. Language and reading difficulties in 12-year-old children born preterm were not fully explained by concurrent non-verbal IQ, and were not reliably predicted by language assessments at 2.5 years. Renewed language assessments at school age are warranted for identifying children with persisting linguistic difficulties.

The importance of post-stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disorder that represents a considerable global burden, affecting millions of lives annually. It is a leading reason for disability, and survivors often experience varied levels of disabilities that potentially affect their lives. The disabilities include motor impairments, speech and language difficulties, cognitive deficits, and psychological challenges. Stroke rehabilitation is a health process that aims to facilitate individuals with a healthy state, and it is crucial for reducing the sequelae following stroke. This review aimed to identify the importance of rehabilitation after stroke by reviewing the previous research concerned with such a subject. The search procedure required the exploration of scientific databases and using several related terms. Eligible articles were original articles written in English language and full-text articles. A total of eight studies were enrolled in this review, including a total of 102,234 stroke patients. Four studies assessed the effectiveness of timing and/or intensiveness of rehabilitation. The other four studies reported rehabilitation provided by nurses, community rehabilitation teams, and in-patient, and unsupervised rehabilitation. Post-stroke rehabilitation is very important for the recovery of patients and improving their condition. Better effectiveness of rehabilitation could be detected for early and intensive rehabilitation.

The process of pain assessment in people with dementia living in nursing homes: a scoping review.

Pain is a common symptom in people with dementia living in nursing homes, but cognitive impairment, including language and communication difficulties, challenges pain assessment and the ability to self-report pain. This study aimed to identify and summarize patterns, advances, and gaps in research literature describing pain assessment in people with dementia living in nursing homes. We conducted a scoping review following Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. Systematic searches were conducted in CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. We included studies describing pain expressions in people with dementia and/or healthcare personnel assessment of pain in people with dementia, in a nursing home context. Charted data included demographics, methodological descriptions, ethical and quality assessment and relevant findings. Relevant findings were summarized using thematic analysis, and an overview of patterns, advances, and gaps in the research literature is presented. Thirty-nine studies were included. The results describe three patterns: (1) pain awareness; (2) suspected pain and (3) pain mapping. Collectively, these patterns constitute a process of pain assessment, integrating pain expressions of people with dementia. Important perspectives on self-reporting are touched upon in several of the included studies, though direct descriptions of attempts to capture the residents' own experience of pain are sparse. This scoping review provides a comprehensive description of pain assessment in people with dementia living in nursing homes as a process in three steps. We identified several knowledge gaps in the understanding of this process and provide concrete recommendations for further research. The results underpin the importance of pain assessment approaches that incorporate the flexibility to meet residents' varying and potentially fluctuating ways of communicating pain. This scoping review is registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/8kaf5/).

A Comparative Study of Deep Learning Approaches for Arabic Language Processing

Arabic is a difficult language for natural language processing (NLP) because of its complicated morphology, dialectal differences and the limited annotated resources. Although deep learning algorithms have reached state-of-the-art results in many NLP tasks, comprehensive comparative studies for Arabic remains scarce. This paper addresses this gap by systematically evaluating three prominent deep learning architectures - namely Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Transformers - across five essential Arabic NLP tasks: i) mention of sentiment analysis, ii) named entity recognition, iii) machine translation, iv) text classification and v) dialect identification. We differ the performance of models trained from scratch with fine-tuned versions of AraBERT, a powerful Transformer-based model pre-trained on a large Arabic corpus. Our experiments employ the Arabic datasets already existing in literature and utilizes accuracy, F1-score and BLEU as the evaluation metrics. The results are indicative of the supremacy of Transformer-based models with regard to AraBERT that shows the highest scores in each task. Notably, AraBERT attains 95. 2% accuracy on sentiment analysis, which is higher than the accuracies of RNNs and CNNs. These improvements also become apparent in other tasks, with AraBERT ending up as the best among RNN, CNN and others. A 3-point difference for 3 BLEU in machine translation and 2. 3% F1-score on dialect recognition. This extensive assessment, in turn, highlights the advantages and disadvantages of deep learning architectures for Arabic NLP. The excellent AraBERT representation also demonstrates how transfer learning and synergy between Transformer architectures and large-scale pre-training can significantly help Arabic language technology development.

한국 간호대학생의 일본병원 임상실습 경험에 관한 포커스그룹 연구

Objectives This study attempted to explore the experiences of Korean nursing students in clinical practice in Japanese hospitals. Methods Focus group interviews, field notes, and practicum diaries of 14 Korean nursing students who participated in clinical practice in a Japanese hospital after the end of the first semester of their third year were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Data collection took place during the month of July 2018. Results Four themes and nine sub-themes were extracted from the study participants' clinical practice experiences in Japanese hospitals. The sub-themes of ‘strengthening nursing competence’ were various basic nursing practice opportunities, specialised geriatric nursing experiences and establishing an ideal nursing image, while the sub-themes of ‘growth through meaningful relationships’ were improving self-esteem through interaction with nurses and bonding with patients across language barriers. The sub-themes of ‘increased interest in global nursing’ were improved understanding of healthcare cultures in different countries, motivation to learn foreign languages and work abroad, and the sub-themes of ‘challenges of being a foreign trainee’ were limitations due to language and cultural differences and difficulties due to different practice settings. Conclusions The clinical practicum experience in Japanese hospitals was an opportunity for the participants to grow as competent nurses by experiencing the advanced nursing culture and diversity of clinical practice. This study provides basic data and implications for nursing practitioners, educators, and students on future clinical practicum in Japanese hospitals.

Nonverbal Executive Functioning as Clinical Markers for Culturally Diverse Children with Language Disorders

Objectives: This study attempted to explore the possibility of clinical diagnosis to see if nonverbal executive functions (updating, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) detect language difficulties in culturally diverse children. Methods: Culturally diverse children [TD (typically developing children)=24, LD (children with language disorder)=26] in the preschool age of 4 to 7 years old participated in this study. All children participated in the nonverbal executive function tasks. Discriminant analysis and ROC (Receiver Operator Characteristic) curve analysis were conducted to confirm whether it is possible to identify children with language disorders among culturally diverse children. Results: The differences between TD and LD in culturally diverse children’s nonverbal executive function were consistently significant, and a total of 80.0% (specificity=75.0%, sensitivity=84.6%) of the original group cases could be correctly classified. Conclusion: This study supports previous studies that reported the benefits of executive function in children with better language skills. This study did not reveal the benefits of bilingualism for performing executive functions, which is likely influenced by the lack of sufficient opportunities for culturally diverse children in Korea to speak their native languages both inside and outside their homes. The potential for culturally diverse children to speak two languages should continue to be encouraged. This study is meaningful in identifying the possibility of diagnosing language disorders in culturally diverse children in pre-school age through nonverbal executive functioning tasks.

Integrating the Transportation Material in BIPA Learning at FPNU China

The Teaching of Indonesian as a Foreign Language (Bahasa Indonesia Bagi Penutur Asing or BIPA) is a means of introducing the Indonesian language and culture to the international community. This research discusses the teaching of transportation materials to BIPA learners at Fujian Polytechnic Normal University (FPNU) in China. Using the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) theory regarding second language acquisition (SLA) in the integration of transportation material in BIPA learning. The approach used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The research was conducted by observing BIPA learning in the class, followed by recording the implementation of BIPA transportation material learning among respondents in the Indonesian Language Department at FPNU China. The findings showed that the transportation material helped BIPA respondents learn Indonesian through contextual and communicative methods. The material provided includes vocabulary related to types of public transportation in Indonesia. The research results showed that the material on Indonesia's transportation system provides a more contextual learning experience for respondents at FPNU China.

The association between melatonin-containing food consumption and sleep/meal timing and behavior in children with language difficulties

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the sleep characteristics, circadian rhythms, behavior, and postnatal development of children with and without language difficulties (LDs) and the association of these variables with melatonin-containing food (FMT) consumption. The study involved parents who anonymously and voluntarily provided their children’s personal data and assessed LDs, bedtime, meal timing, behavioral problems, gross motor skill development, and FMT consumption. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the associations between study variables. A total of 587 children were examined, with mean age M (SD) 5.5 (2.4) years, (range: 2–12 years), and 44.2% were boys. Children with LD had delayed sleep onset (β = 0.09; R 2 = 0.007), increased sleep latency (β = 0.11; R 2 = 0.014), social jetlag (β = 0.10; R 2 = 0.009), screen time (β = 0.14; R 2 = 0.022), and behavioral problems (β = 0.13–0.35; R 2 = 0.016–0.142); decreased gestational age at birth (β = -0.09; R 2 = 0.007), and delayed development of gross motor skills in the postpartum period (β = 0.11–0.21; R 2 = 0.012–0.064). The children’s average FMT consumption was 2087.6 ± 2401.3 ng/d. Children with the highest FMT consumption had lower rates of LDs (β = -0.11; R 2 = 0.010), social jetlag (β = -0.08; R 2 = 0.007), and eating jetlag (β = -0.12; R 2 = 0.013); fever behavioral problems (β = -0.09 – −0.10; R 2 = 0.007–0.057); and less delayed eating phase (β = -0.11; R 2 = 0.012), and development of gross motor skills in the postpartum period (β = -0.10 – −0.12; R 2 = 0.009–0.014). In summary, LDs in children were associated with higher rates of circadian misalignment, sleep, behavioral, and developmental dysfunctions, and higher FMT consumption was associated with lower rates of circadian misalignment, behavioral, and developmental dysfunctions. The data obtained indicate the need for a detailed study of the state of the circadian system in preschool and primary school children with language difficulties, which will serve as a rationale for the use of chronotherapy principles for the treatment of this neurological dysfunction.

Understanding student engagement with teacher feedback in Chinese-to-English consecutive interpreting courses

While research on student engagement with oral and written corrective feedback (CF) in second language acquisition (SLA) is well established, the study of such engagement within the context of interpreting, which requires bilingual conversion, is not as developed. Building on Ellis’ tripartite conceptualization of student engagement – comprising affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses – this study explored the engagement of 30 students with teacher feedback in three Chinese-to-English consecutive interpreting courses. Data were collected through classroom recordings, semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall sessions, and students’ in-class notes. The findings indicated that, affectively, all students highly valued and presented overall affirmative emotions towards teacher feedback. Cognitively, students employed various cognitive strategies, including active attribution, mental rehearsal, and information categorization in processing feedback information; however, they encountered challenges in fully understanding the content and process-focused feedback. Behaviorally, two predominant note-taking patterns emerged: ‘language-oriented’ and ‘skill-oriented’. The findings emphasize the critical role of interpreting practice in language acquisition and underscore the need to refine pedagogical approaches in interpreting courses to support both language learning and interpreter training.

Exploring the Prevalence of Speech and Language Disorders Among Children in Romania

The study investigates the prevalence of speech and language disorders among children in Romania, based on data collected from a total of 160,622 children, including both school-aged children (105,653) and preschoolers (54,969). The findings reveal that 21,531 children were identified with speech and language disorders, accounting for an overall prevalence rate of 14.46%. The prevalence is higher among preschoolers (17.83%) compared to school-aged children (11.10%). The most common types of speech and language disorders observed include pronunciation/articulation disorders (79.51%), rhythm and fluency disorders (2.11%), reading and writing language disorders (7.78%), developmental language disorders (7.10%) and voice disorders (0.34). These results underscore the need for targeted early interventions, especially among preschool populations, to address the diverse range of speech and language difficulties identified. The study provides critical insights into the distribution and characteristics of speech and language disorders in Romanian children, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive screening and specialized support services to improve developmental outcomes.

Prevalence of Neurodiversity in a UK High Secure Psychiatric Hospital Cohort: A Records Study

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe term neurodiversity is an umbrella term for any atypical pattern of cognitive ability, including but not confined to neurodevelopmental disorders. Research suggests that several neurodivergent conditions are overrepresented in offender populations, with a recent survey suggesting that over half of those coming into contact with the criminal justice system may have a neurodivergent condition. Considerable effort has been invested in trying to divert people with such conditions out of long‐stay hospitals, but nevertheless, a few studies in secure hospitals suggest that while prevalence in hospitals may be lower than in prisons, it is high relative to the general population.AimsTo determine the prevalence of recorded neurodivergent conditions in one high secure hospital.MethodsWe conducted a records survey of a resident cohort of men in one high secure hospital in England during December 2022.ResultsRecords were accessed for all 197 resident men. According to these records, over one‐half (115, 58%) of the men had at least one neurodivergent condition; nearly a third (56, 29%) had more than one form of neurodivergent condition. The most frequently recorded form of neurodivergent condition was general cognitive dysfunction (24%), followed by general language difficulties (16%), ADHD (15%) and autism (14%) and those with a history of seizures (14%) and atypical brain scans (12%). Dyslexia was reported within 6.5% of patient notes, acquired brain injury 5% and chromosomal disorders 2%. The survey also suggests some differences in the prevalence of neurodivergent disorders across clinical groups, with higher rates among people with mental illness than with personality disorder. Prevalence was also unevenly distributed across nature of ward type.ConclusionsWith the survey suggesting that the majority of patients in one high secure psychiatric hospital have at least one form of neurodivergent condition, it raises questions around how useful the term is and what the term neurodivergence means in this population. With each form of neurodiversity having different needs, the diversity of conditions present also raises questions around what a ‘neurodiverse informed model of care’ would look like in forensic mental health services.

Narrative generation and narrative recall recruit different executive functions in preschoolers with and without developmental language disorder

ABSTRACT Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are poor at story-telling and show weaknesses in various executive functions (EFs). Narrative tasks are frequently used in clinical assessment to capture the linguistic vulnerabilities of individuals with DLD. But we know little about the demands of different narrative tasks on EFs. This study explores the relationship between EFs in a daily life context and performance on two narrative tasks. Fourteen Mandarin-speaking preschoolers with DLD and 34 typically-developing (TD) controls completed a story generation and a story recall task. Their parents filled out the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Preschool (BRIEF-P). The TD group outperformed the DLD group on narrative macrostructure and microstructure, and the inhibit, shift, and global executive composites of the BRIEF-P. On the story recall task, after controlling for standardised language test scores, working memory scores explained unique variance in both narrative macrostructure and microstructure performance. On the story generation task, after controlling for language skills, macrostructure performance was predicted by inhibit, working memory, and plan/organisation composites, and microstructure performance was predicted by the inhibit composite. Narrative recall relies heavily on working memory capacity as children must recall the details provided in the mature adult model; narrative generation requires multiple EFs as children must plan the organisation of story elements, selectively attend to relevant visual details in the pictorial stimuli, and monitor their own language production. The findings have implications for understanding the sources of language difficulties in DLD and the selection of narrative task in clinical practice.