Language Acquisition Research Articles

Book Review: Zarchy, R. M. & Geer, L. C., A family-centered signed language curriculum to support deaf children’s language acquisition

Book Review: Zarchy, R. M. & Geer, L. C., A family-centered signed language curriculum to support deaf children’s language acquisition

Analysis of the Impact of Teacher's Classroom Discourse Strategies on Students' Second Language Acquisition Level Based on Fieldwork Method

Analysis of the Impact of Teacher's Classroom Discourse Strategies on Students' Second Language Acquisition Level Based on Fieldwork Method

Students’ Perceptions Toward Quizizz as An Assessment Tool in EFL Classroom

This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach to investigate students' perceptions of Quizizz as an online assessment tool for English learning in a Senior High School in Jakarta. The objectives of this study are to describe the implementation of Quizizz and identify the students’ view toward Quizizz as an assessment tool in EFL classrooms. Eight second-year students are participated and selected based on their prior use of Quizizz during English lessons. Data collection involved classroom observations and in-depth interviews. The data were collected, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that Quizizz is effectively employed by teachers, eliciting active engagement from students who appreciate its gamified features. Four key themes emerged from the analysis: Interest in Quizizz, Motivation in Quizizz, Confidence in Quizizz, and English Skills in Quizizz. Participants expressed enthusiasm for Quizizz's gamified learning approach and its integration of technology, which they perceived as enhancing teachers' assessment capabilities. They also noted that Quizizz served as a motivational tool, boosting their confidence and improving their English skills, notably in vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. Overall, Quizizz emerged as an effective and enjoyable tool for enhancing student engagement and facilitating learning outcomes in English. For educators, integrating Quizizz into lesson plans proves to be an efficient method for fostering student involvement and evaluating learning achievements.

A latent profiling approach to foreign language enjoyment and L2 achievement

ABSTRACT Both Broaden-and-Build theory and Control-Value theory (CVT) posit that enjoyment contributes to academic achievement. However, empirical studies show mixed results concerning the predictive effects between these constructs in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). This study examines the link between second language (L2) achievement and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) among 1,360 Chinese tertiary-level students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Participants completed a national standardised English language test and an FLE questionnaire. Data analysis involved the use of Mplus to perform factor mixture modelling (FMM), a technique that identifies latent subgroups within the sample based on their response patterns. Results revealed four distinct profiles, each displaying different FLE-L2 achievement profile characteristics. The importance of this study lies in its analytic approach, which recognises the non-uniform connections between the three dimensions of FLE and L2 achievement across learners. This finding challenges the notion of straightforward correlations and sheds light on the complexities of these relationships, thereby addressing inconsistencies observed in previous studies and paving the way for more nuanced future research.

Exposure to Language in Video and its Impact on Linguistic Development in Children Aged 3-11: A Scoping Review.

Early exposure to books can benefit language acquisition by expanding children's linguistic experience and engaging them in a shared activity (Nation et al. 2022; Dowdall et al., 2020). Video media (including television) could potentially fulfil a similar role by exposing children to new linguistic phenomena in an engaging setting. However, while many studies have examined the impact of screen-time on cognitive development (for a review see Kostyrka-Allchorne et al., 2017), the findings relating specifically to language remain unclear. The aim of this review is to understand how encountering language content in video media might impact a variety of language skills in children aged 3-11. This review maps the methods and findings of 93 studies that met preregistered criteria with the goal of understanding which factors impact learning outcomes following video exposure. Results from observational (N = 31) and experimental (N = 62) studies reveal a divided literature in which video viewing is linked to short-term benefits for learning specific linguistic structures from high-quality video media, as well as having negative or null long-term associations with standardised language measures. Results highlight various methodological difficulties and limitations faced by experimental and observational approaches and reveal the importance of video quality and viewing context for language learning.

Usability of ChatGPT in Second Language Acquisition: Capabilities, Effectiveness, Applications, Challenges, and Solutions

In the realm of language acquisition, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a promising frontier. However, gaps exist in understanding the practical application of AI-driven tools, particularly in second language learning contexts. This study delves into the usability of ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, within the domain of second language acquisition. This paper synthesizes existing literature on ChatGPT’s multifaceted capabilities, its effectiveness, its associated challenges, and the potential solutions to these challenges in language learning environments. This review demonstrates ChatGPT’s substantial potential in enhancing language learning outcomes, including fostering learner autonomy, improving motivation, and developing language proficiency. Yet, nuanced challenges such as preserving academic integrity and difficulties in crafting effective prompts emerge as crucial considerations. To address these issues, possible solutions including enhancing AI literacy among learners and educators are discussed. This paper sheds light on the complex dynamics of AI-assisted language education, urging ongoing research and refinement to fully utilize these technologies in enhancing second language learning.

An analysis of turn-taking behaviors of Japanese learners of English in videoconferencing discussions

To successfully interact in a new language, learners must effectively take turns and manage the floor. Expectations and rules for turn-taking can differ between languages, making this more than a question of grammatical proficiency and vocabulary acquisition. In addition, the increased use of videoconferencing software in education and beyond makes learning to manage the floor in virtual spaces a useful skill for everyone, including language learners. To analyze the turn-taking behaviors of first language (L1) speakers of Japanese using English in videoconferencing interactions, three classes of first-year university students with intermediate level English skills were selected to have their in-class videoconferencing discussions recorded. Three of the recorded discussions were selected and analyzed to identify turn-taking behaviors and to analyze the techniques that influenced the speakers’ ability to succeed. Participants were observed to leave long gaps between speakers at turn transitions and rarely extended discussion topics to include multiple turns per speaker. There were three behaviors that were observed that helped some participants to reduce the gap between speakers. Clearly marking the end of a turn, energetic use of verbal backchannels, and comfort with unintentional overlap all seemed to be correlated with improved transition speed. Increased use of questions did lead to some topics being discussed beyond a single turn per speaker, but the difference was relatively small.

Quizlet's Usefulness for Vocabulary Learning: Perceptions of High-Level and Low-Level Chinese College EFL Learners

This study investigates the perceived usefulness of Quizlet for vocabulary learning among Chinese college EFL learners and examines differences in perceptions between high-level and low-level learners based on their post-test scores. A descriptive research design was employed, utilizing a web-based survey to gather quantitative data from 95 students in Shandong province, China, after an 8-week intervention using Quizlet. The survey was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and focused on perceived usefulness. The findings reveal that overall, students hold a positive attitude towards Quizlet, with an overall mean score of 3.81 (SD = 0.64), indicating its perceived utility in enhancing vocabulary acquisition. Specifically, Quizlet was found to be particularly beneficial for improving both receptive (M=4.18, SD=0.70) and productive (M=4.17, SD=0.68) vocabulary knowledge. However, its perceived usefulness in improving broader language skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening was comparatively lower. An independent samples t-test indicated no significant difference in the overall perceived usefulness between high-level and low- level learners, though high-level learners perceived greater benefits in learning speed and productive vocabulary knowledge. These insights suggest that while Quizlet is a valuable tool for vocabulary learning, its integration should be complemented with other methods to address comprehensive language development. The study’s implications highlight the need for tailored instructional strategies to optimize digital tools like Quizlet across different proficiency levels in EFL contexts.

Early, typical, and late talkers: an exploratory study on predictors of language development in the first two years of life

Background The consensus in scientific literature is that each child undergoes a unique linguistic development path, albeit with shared developmental stages. Some children excel or lag behind their peers in language skills. Consequently, a key challenge in language acquisition research is pinpointing factors influencing individual differences in language development. Methods We observed children longitudinally from 3 to 24 months of life to explore early predictors of vocabulary size. Based on the productive vocabulary size of children at 24 months, 30 children met our sample selection criteria: 10 late talkers and 10 early talkers, and we compared them with 10 typical talkers. We evaluated interactive behaviors at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, considering vocal production, gaze at mother’s face, and gestural production during mother-child interactions, and we considered mothers’ report of children’s actions and gestures and receptive-vocabulary size at 15 and 18 months. Results Results indicated early precursors of language outcome at 24 months identifiable as early as 3 months in vocal productions, 6 months for gaze at mother’s face and 12 months for gestural productions. Conclusions Our research highlights both theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, identifying the early indicators of belonging to the group of late or early talkers underscores the significant role of this developmental period for future studies. On a practical note, our findings emphasize the crucial need for early investigations to identify predictors of vocabulary development before the typical age at which lexical delay is identified.

Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition through Gamification

This study investigates the effects of gamification on vocabulary acquisition and student motivation among 54 students enrolled in the Orientation Program at a higher education institution in Bahrain. The study compared traditional vocabulary instruction with a gamified approach using the Kahoot platform. Results revealed that the gamified group achieved significantly higher vocabulary gains, with a mean post-test score of 86 compared to 78 for the control group. Furthermore, 85% of participants in the gamified group found this method more effective for retention, and 92% preferred it over traditional worksheets. The findings indicate that gamification can considerably enhance vocabulary learning by making the process more engaging and effective. Nevertheless, to fully leverage its benefits, it is essential to overcome challenges such as technical issues and varying levels of student familiarity with the platform.

How Is Vocabulary Learnt? An Acquisitional Sequence of L2 Word Knowledge

AbstractSecond language acquisition (SLA) researchers have long searched for patterning in the development of linguistic elements (e.g., grammar and morphology). However, little attention has been given to the examination of systematicity in vocabulary acquisition, limiting our understanding about how overall vocabulary is learnt. The current study investigates L2 learners' lexical knowledge to explore whether there exists a consistent sequence in the acquisition of vocabulary components in second languages. Written form/meaning‐recall and written form/meaning‐recognition knowledge of four word‐knowledge components (form–meaning, collocations, multiple‐meanings, and derivatives) was assessed on 314 EFL learners from two distinct L1 backgrounds (Chinese and Spanish). Implicational and Mokken scaling analyses revealed a reliable hierarchy of knowledge of vocabulary aspects where recognition knowledge preceded recall knowledge across all components. The scale remained constant across the learner groups when explored independently (using an 80% accuracy threshold) and collectively (under both 75% and 80% accuracy thresholds). This finding indicates that the various aspects of word knowledge seem to be learnt incrementally in a consistent order by EFL learners, regardless of their L1. The study offers an empirically supported framework of word‐knowledge acquisition that improves our current understanding of L2 lexical development and can serve as guidance to further systematize vocabulary instruction in the EFL classroom.

Addressing the Role of “Linguistic Knowledge” in Global Englishes Pedagogy

AbstractOne key tenet of Global Englishes for Language Teaching (GELT) is that the native English speaker should no longer serve as the role model for second language (L2) English users. Such a view does not discount that some degree of linguistic knowledge is necessary for successful global communication. However, GELT scholarship has remained relatively silent on the process and product of L2 acquisition. In this paper, we propose integrating L2 acquisition theory into GELT pedagogical practices without relying on theoretical perspectives steeped in some form of native speakerism. At the heart of our discussion is the concept of linguistic knowledge–implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious)–emphasizing the role of explicit learning processes in GELT classrooms rather than adhering solely to the idealistic goal of implicit competence. Because L2 learners need to reflect on linguistic knowledge (repertoire) and strategies for effective global communication, we propose that their learning should aim to develop skill sets of using explicit and implicit knowledge dynamically and efficiently in varied communicative contexts. We argue that skill acquisition theory offers a useful framework for GELT, as it can account for the development of automatized explicit knowledge alongside implicit knowledge, aligning with GELT objectives of fostering multicompetent English users. We illustrate how this perspective can inform classroom activities such as shadowing and task repetition. These activities not only promote deliberate, explicit learning processes but also integrate seamlessly with awareness–raising activities commonly employed in GELT, enhancing learners' communication strategies and capacity for effective English use in global contexts.

The effects of family, culture and sex on linguistic development across 20 languages.

Languages vary in their complexity; caregivers vary in the way they structure their communicative interactions with children; and boys and girls can differ in their language skills. Using a multilevel modelling approach, we explored how these factors influence the path of language acquisition for young children growing up around the world (mean age 2-years 9-months; 56 girls). Across 43 different sites, we analysed 103 mother-child pairs who spoke 3,170,633 utterances, 16,209,659 morphemes, divided across 20 different languages: Afrikaans, Catalan, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, English, Farsi, French, German, Hebrew, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. Using mean length of utterance (MLU) as a measure of language complexity and developmental skill, we found that variation in children's MLU was significantly explained by (a) between-language differences; namely the rate of child MLU growth was attuned to the complexity of their mother tongue, and (b) between-mother differences; namely mothers who used higher MLUs tended to have children with higher MLUs, regardless of which language they were learning and especially in the very young (<2.5 years-old). Controlling for family and language environment, we found no evidence of MLU sex differences in child speech nor in the speech addressed to boys and girls. By modelling language as a multilevel structure with cross-cultural variation, we were able to disentangle those factors that make children's pathway to language different and those that make it alike. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The speech of 103 mother-child pairs from 20 different languages showed large variation in the path of early language development. Language, family, but not the sex of the child, accounted for a significant proportion of individual differences in child speech, especially in the very young. The rate at which children learned language was attuned to the complexity of their mother tongue, with steeper trajectories for more complex language. Results demonstrate the relative influence of culture, family, and sex in shaping the path of language acquisition for different children.

Queer immigrants’ performative identity and cultural marginality in the context of queering ESL education

Abstract This qualitative study analyzes three gay Chinese immigrants’ experiences and perspectives regarding English hegemony, internalized oppression, and sexual identity using language ideology, social positioning, and performativity. The findings show that speaking English still determines one’s proximity to American culture, and language ideology affects attitudes towards one’s own culture and language. In particular, the study demonstrates a triple marginalization in which participants are more or less marginalized because their inherited American values clash with their marginality, and at the same time, because of their negative experiences with local gay communities and rejection from their own culture, they feel alienated, displaced, and immobile as a result. Additionally, English learning and interacting with LGBTQ content contribute to their language acquisition, sexual identity transformation, and activism development. Queering ESL education is needed because English learners inherit oppressive English ideologies and show discrimination towards other marginalized groups. As a gateway to American society and cultures, ESL classes present opportunities to raise awareness and challenge hegemonic discourse. Furthermore, ESL classrooms can also be powerful places for queer students whose cultures provide little or no validation of their sexuality to cultivate their cultural competence and affirm their place within society.

Learning to Read in Hebrew and Arabic: Challenges and Pedagogical Approaches

Hebrew and Arabic are Semitic languages that use abjad alphabets, a consonant-primary writing system in which vowels are featured as optional diacritics. The relatively predictable morphology of Semitic language renders abjad writing feasible, with literate native speakers relying on grammatical and lexical familiarity to infer vowel sounds from consonantal texts. However, in the context of foreign language acquisition, abjads present unique difficulties in the attainment of literacy. Due to the absence of written vowels, learners of Hebrew and Arabic face manifold challenges, such as phonetic ambiguity, extensive homography, and morphological unpredictability. Therefore, the inherent complexities of abjad alphabets necessitate targeted pedagogical intervention to increase metalinguistic awareness to strengthen learners’ reading skills—specifically, by recreating elements of literacy education for native speakers in the second language context. This article explores the linguistic challenges of abjads for foreign language students and how pedagogical methodologies can be optimized to ameliorate long-term learning outcomes.

The Emotional Face of Language: Sentiment Analysis of English and Korean Subtitles on Barbie

Barbie: A Touch of Magic, Eposide 5th, an English and Korean subtitled Barbie cartoon, is used in this study to investigate the relationship between language culture and emotions. Finding out how language and culture impact emotional expression and what this means for language acquisition, emotional intelligence development, and cross-cultural communication are the key objectives. An in-depth analysis was done on the emotional intonations that change between the Korean and English subtitles, as well as any possible implications for language learning. The study emphasizes the intricate connection between language and society as well as the significance of including affective components in language instruction materials. The results imply that when learning a language and acquiring cross-cultural communication skills, the degree to which an emotion is communicated matters. The study offers helpful data that can be utilized in the domains of communication techniques, translation, and language instruction. It also emphasizes how important cultural sensitivity is for developing good communication and empathy skills. The purpose of this study is to advance knowledge of the relationship between language and culture and establish the framework for further investigation into this field.

Exploring cross-linguistic differences in parental input and their associations with child expressive language in ASD: Bulgarian versus English comparison.

Parental input plays a central role in typical language acquisition and development. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by social communicative and language difficulties, parental input presents an important avenue for investigation as a target for intervention. A rich body of literature has identified which aspects of grammatical complexity and lexical diversity are most associated with child language ability in both typical development and autism. Yet, the majority of these studies are conducted with English-speaking children, thus potentially overlooking nuances in parental input derived from cross-linguistic variation. To examine the differences in verbal parental input to Bulgarian- and English-speaking children with ASD. To examine whether aspects of verbal parental input found to be concurrent predictors of English-speaking children's expressive language ability are also predictors of the expressive language of Bulgarian-speaking children with ASD. We compared parental input to Bulgarian-speaking (N=37; 2;7-9;10 years) and English-speaking (N=37; 1;8-4;9 years) children with ASD matched on expressive language. Parent-child interactions were collected during free play with developmentally appropriate toys. These interactions were transcribed, and key measures of parental input were extracted. English-speaking parents produced more word tokens and word types than Bulgarian-speaking parents. However, Bulgarian parents produced more verbs in relation to nouns and used more statements and exclamations but asked fewer questions than English-speaking parents. In addition, child age and parents' use of questions were significant concurrent predictors of child expressive vocabulary. This is one of the first studies to conduct a cross-linguistic comparison of parental input in ASD. The differences found emphasize the need to further study parental input to Bulgarian children and adapt naturalistic parent-mediated interventions to the local language and its specific characteristics. What is already known on the subject A rich body of literature has identified the specific aspects of grammatical complexity, lexical diversity, and question-asking that are concurrently and longitudinally associated with the language ability of children with typical development and of children with ASD. Yet, the majority of these studies are conducted with English-speaking children. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge The present study finds that there are specific differences in verbal parental input to Bulgarian- and English-speaking children with autism in terms of lexical composition and question-asking. Bulgarian parents used more verbs than nouns, and the opposite pattern was found for English-speaking parents. In addition, Bulgarian parents asked fewer questions but used more statements and exclamations. Nevertheless, parental question use was significantly correlated with children's language ability across both groups, suggesting that question-asking should be further examined as a potential target for parent-mediated language interventions for Bulgarian children with autism. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Most language and social communication interventions for autism are designed and piloted with English-speaking children. These interventions are often simply translated and used in different countries, with different populations and in different contexts. However, considering that one of the defining characteristics of autism is language difficulty, more studies should examine (1) how these language difficulties manifest in languages other than English, and (2) what characterizes verbal parental input in these other contexts. Such research investigations should inform future language and social communication interventions. The present study emphasizes the cross-linguistic differences between Bulgarian- and English-speaking parents' verbal input to their children with autism.

Factors affecting English language high school teachers switching intention to ChatGPT: a Push-Pull-Mooring theory perspective

ABSTRACT This qualitative research investigated the factors that influence the switching intention of teachers from traditional classroom teaching to the use of ChatGPT in English language teaching based on the Mooring Theory framework. The data collection involved in-depth interviews with 26 teachers from Malaysian high schools. The findings revealed that the push factors were related to outdated pedagogical methods and limited creativity and student engagement opportunities. On the other hand, the pull factors were related to ChatGPT as a software-based artificial intelligence for facilitating English language acquisition, influencing content development among teachers and implementing personalised learning approaches. The study identified various mooring factors impacting teaching practices in Malaysian schools. Firstly, the limited functionality of ChatGPT, since it is an automated language model. Secondly, teachers grapple with striking a balance between incorporating technology and maintaining the validity and authenticity of their teaching practices. Finally, students’ lack of critical thinking skills challenges teachers in promoting independent thought and analytical reasoning within the classroom. The study emphasises the significance of enhancing critical thinking skills and incorporating personalised learning strategies to establish a conducive learning environment in Malaysian schools.

Ill-defined constructs in SLA research using event-related potentials

An emerging trend in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research is that proficiency is more important than the age of acquisition (AoA) to account for L2 ultimate attainment. An increasing number of researchers play down the role – or in some cases even deny the very existence – of a critical period (or ‘window of sensitivity’) and state that learners’ proficiency – and its various determinants – may trump age. There is a serious methodological issue with such a stance though. While AoA is easily factorised consistently across most experimental studies, participants’ proficiency is not. Authors of Event-Related Potentials (ERP) studies in particular are extremely vague and discordant as to how they rate participants’ proficiency. This makes the construct ‘proficiency’ unreliable, the results of ERP studies hard to compare, and the claims based on the primacy of proficiency in respect to AoA much weaker. This paper suggests more caution in general and in particular the need for collaboration between neurolinguists and SLA experts in the field of foreign language teaching and testing.

Gamified-flipped English classes and L2 learners’ achievement and perceptions

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the benefits of incorporating gamification within a flipped English classroom to evaluate the resulting synergies on language learners’ overall L2 achievement (grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension) and their perceptions of this didactic approach. A total of 327 lower-intermediate L2 learners were assigned into three groups: gamified-flipped class (GFC), flipped, and control. All participants engaged in numerous L2 activities during the intervention, but the gamified-flipped and flipped groups accessed them via the Moodle learning management system before each session. The gamification plug-in was activated just for the gamified-flipped group members. An explanatory mixed research method was employed using pre-and post-tests of English, a Learning Experience Questionnaire (LEQ), and a written self-report survey. The results revealed that the gamified-flipped intervention significantly enhanced language learners’ L2 achievement across all three components. Moreover, learners perceived this class as fun, traceable, collaborative, and engaging though needed an excessive workload. These findings highlight the potential of using a gamified, free learning management system to improve language acquisition. They also emphasize the importance of considering students' workloads and individual differences when implementing gamification strategies.