Second Language Acquisition Research Articles

FOSTERING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF AI-BASED TOOLS IN SHAPING STUDENT CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Foreign language acquisition extends beyond linguistic competence, offering students access to additional knowledge in subjects like geography, history, and literature. Integrating language learning with other disciplines enables students to use a foreign language as a tool to enhance their understanding of various subjects. This case study illustrates the implementation of AI-based tools in the teaching culture alongside foreign language instruction which aims to impart a foundational critical thinking understanding of the host country's culture. While it shares some similarities with acculturation, the distinction lies in the fact that foreign language learners retain their identity as native speakers of their own culture while enriching their background knowledge with elements from the culture of the language being studied. This process transforms learners into carriers of global culture and enhances their appreciation for their cultural heritage. This article spotlights the revolutionary impact of AI tools in English language education. AI-driven generators have the possibility of transcription and editing capabilities and enhancelistening and speaking skills by offering detailed feedback. It discusses how AI-based instrumentsseamlessly integrate into various learning environments, be in-person or remote, offering personalized guidance for students. The article emphasizes the app's collaborative features, promoting engagement and peer learning, ultimately propelling language education into a new era.

Transferability of the NHS low-calorie diet programme: A qualitative exploration of factors influencing the programme's transfer ahead of wide-scale adoption.

Although behavioural interventions have been found to help control type 2 diabetes (T2D), it is important to understand how the delivery context can influence implementation and outcomes. The NHS committed to testing a low-calorie diet (LCD) programme designed to support people living with excess weight and T2D to lose weight and improve diabetes outcomes. Understanding what influenced implementation during the programme pilot is important in optimising rollout. This study explored the transferability of the NHS LCD Programme prior to wider adoption. Twenty-five interviews were undertaken with stakeholders involved in implementing the LCD programme in pilot sites (health service leads, referring health professionals and programme deliverers). Interviews with programme participants (people living with T2D) were undertaken within a larger programme of work, exploring what worked, for whom and why, which is reported separately. The conceptual Population-Intervention-Environment-Transfer Model of Transferability (PIET-T) guided study design and data collection. Constructs of the model were also used as a deductive coding frame during data analysis. Key themes were identified which informed recommendations to optimise programme transfer. Population: Referral strategies in some areas lacked consideration of population characteristics. Many believed that offering a choice of delivery model would promote acceptability and accessibility of the eligible population. Overall, stakeholders had confidence in the LCD programme due to the robust evidence base along with anecdotal evidence, but some felt the complex referral process hindered engagement from GP practices. Stakeholders described barriers to accessing the programme, including language and learning difficulties. Transferability: Multidisciplinary working and effective communication supported successful implementation. Referral strategies to reach underrepresented groups should be considered during programme transfer, along with timely data from service providers on access and programme benefits. A choice of delivery models may optimise uptake. Knowledge sharing between sites on good working practices is encouraged, including increasing engagement with key stakeholders.

Managing English culture in semi-military academy

The efficient administration of English culture in semi-military academies becomes a substantial area to cover as long as these institutions remain major players in molding future leaders. This research looks at the difficulties, approaches, and results of maintaining English culture in the special setting of a semi-military institution. Language hurdles, cultural misinterpretations, and difficulties between academic independence and military discipline are only a few of the difficulties that are shown by the findings. To promote cultural diversity and strengthen institutional cohesiveness, cutting-edge tactics, including inclusive curriculum design, bilingual programs, and cultural competency training, have been recognized as crucial. The survey also emphasizes the perceived benefits of successful English cultural management, which include better performance in school, better interpersonal abilities, and a stronger feeling of community among students and staff. This study provides theoretical insights into the dynamic interactions between culture, education, and institutional identity by drawing on theories of cultural management, education, and organizational behavior. Moreover, it offers useful suggestions for teachers, administrators, and legislators who want to encourage inclusivity and diversity of culture in semi-military academies and other similar educational environments.

The Tell on Telehealth.

Telehealth in epilepsy care is not new. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, telehealth became more readily used to deliver epilepsy care. However, a summarized guidance of use in caring for people with epilepsy utilizing telehealth is needed. Existing literature was reviewed to provide guidance on various aspects of telehealth. Billing aspects are reviewed. Recommendations and considerations along with benefits and barriers to telehealth are provided. Telehealth can be a preferred delivery route of care for people with epilepsy in specific situations. Examples include psychiatric complaints, medication management, and follow-up visits for noncomplicated epilepsy care. In addition, telehealth is useful for patients who need postoperative visits, are not able to travel, or live in residential facilities. In-person care may be more suitable for patients who are medically complex, have language barriers or difficulty with resource access, hearing impaired, or have neurostimulation devices where remote monitoring or programming options are infeasible. Telehealth care for people with epilepsy can be a useful and important method of care delivery. It should remain an option for providers to use in epilepsy clinical care. It is important for the neurology provider to understand the benefits, billing, and barriers to providing telehealth.

EFL students’ strategies and obstacles in pronunciation self-regulated learning through TikTok: insights from Indonesian universities

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is crucial for mastering English pronunciation, specifically for an autonomous learning environment, including TikTok application. The present study aims to explore students’ experiences while practicing English pronunciation using TikTok as self-regulated learning. This study was designed with a qualitative case study approach. The researcher used reflection sheets and semi-structured interviews to garner data. Data were analyzed employing an interactive model. The selected participants in this research were university EFL students who learned pronunciation via TikTok. The research findings reported that the students used metacognitive strategy for independent planning, knowledge, and problem-solving for learning difficulties. Motivational strategy was also pivotal in learning pronunciation and maintaining motivation. Likewise, behavioral strategy was carried out for practicing process and shaping a conducive environment to learning activities. Nonetheless, several obstacles were encountered by the students, including lack of immediate feedback, unstructured content, low motivation, and distractions during learning. Low motivation and distraction were considered the main obstacles, which made pronunciation one of the most difficult language components in the context of SRL. This study provides practical implications for how TikTok application benefits students’ pronunciation skills, especially in self-regulated learning.

Attitudes and Perceptions of Teachers and Chinese Students Towards Corrective Feedback in L2 Writing

Corrective feedback is a concept of second language acquisition (SLA). Previous studies have investigated the definitions, categories, and effectiveness of corrective feedback from myriad perspectives, often choosing English as a second language to conduct research on ESL students. Writing is a challenge for most L2 learners, and written feedback is part of overall corrective feedback. Much research has emphasized the effectiveness of corrective feedback, but how different types of corrective feedback influence L2 learners differently remains unknown. Few studies have combined students’ with teachers’ perceptions of written corrective feedback. Most only emphasized students’ preferences and few studies concentrated on Chinese students. As such, this paper aims to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of teachers and Chinese students towards written corrective feedback in L2 writing, which is beneficial to determine whether teachers can have awareness of students’ perceptions and satisfy their needs according to individual situations, helping them facilitate the accuracy of L2 writing. The results reveal that differences exist between Chinese students’ and teachers’ preferences for written corrective feedback in L2 writing. Both groups think written corrective feedback is effective to enhance L2 writing, and most Chinese students and teachers affirm that different strategies of written corrective feedback should be given according to different error types. Finally, in teachers’ opinions, the most appropriate written corrective feedback for Chinese students is direct corrective feedback and metalinguistic feedback (e.g. using error codes and metalinguistic codes), while Chinese students believe that the most appropriate written corrective feedback is direct and indirect corrective feedback.

The essence of motivation in learning English as a foreign or second language

This research paper investigates recent studies on the role of motivation in second or foreign language acquisition. Motivation is identified as a critical determinant of success or failure in complex tasks. The paper offers academic definitions of motivation, categorizes different types of motivation, and revisits prior research on its significance in language learning. It also outlines the essential requirements and key aspects of motivation. The literature review underscores the pivotal role of motivation in learning English as a second or foreign language, revealing that motivation significantly enhances language learning outcomes. The findings emphasize that fostering motivation is essential for achieving effective and successful language acquisition. This comprehensive examination provides valuable insights into how motivation can be leveraged to improve language learning processes and outcomes. Keywords: English as a foreign language; impact; motivation; second language.

Learning Media "ARASIK" in Understanding the Meaning of Nouns for SDLB Deaf Students at SLB Negeri Bogor

Deaf children experience speech and language difficulties due to hearing loss. Children with hearing loss experience delays and communication difficulties due to delays in speech and language development. The main problem in language acquisition for deaf children is that they have difficulty understanding the meaning of words. The problem is that children can read, but they do not understand what they read. The title of this article is ``The learning media "ARASIK" in understanding the meaning of nouns in SDLB Deaf students at SLB Negeri Bogor" The theoretical foundations used in this study are: (1) understanding the meaning of words, as stated by Nurbeiti Jamalus that the meaning of a word is the relationship between the sound (language) of the word spoken or written with the object concerned; (2) Augmented Realitiy learning media promoted by scientists, that AR can visualize abstract concepts for understanding and the structure of an object model allows AR as a more effective media in accordance with the objectives of learning media. This research uses a descriptive-qualitative approach, with data collection techniques through observation, interviews and documentation studies. The data analysis technique used refers to Miles and Huberman (1994) which includes three activities, namely: (1) data reduction, (2) data presentation, and (3) conclusion drawing from the application of "ARASIK" media. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the "ARASIK" media can help facilitate SDLB Deaf students in understanding the meaning of nouns.

Detecting contract cheating through linguistic fingerprint

Contract cheating, the act of students enlisting others to complete academic assignments on their behalf, poses a significant challenge in academic settings, undermining the integrity of education and assessment. It involves submitting work that is falsely represented as the student’s own, thus violating academic standards and ethics. The advent of artificial intelligence-based language models, such as ChatGPT, has raised concerns about the potential impact of contract cheating. As these language models can generate human-like text with ease, there are concerns about their role in facilitating and increasing contract cheating incidents. Innovative approaches are thus needed to detect contract cheating and address its implications for academic integrity. This study introduces a machine learning (ML) model focused on identifying deviations from a learner’s unique writing style (or their linguistic fingerprint) to detect contract cheating, complementing traditional plagiarism detection methods. The study involved 150 learners majoring in engineering and business who were studying English as a foreign language at a college in Saudi Arabia. The participants were asked to produce descriptive essays in English within a consistent genre over one semester. The proposed approach involved data preprocessing, followed by transformation using Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF). To address data imbalance, random oversampling was applied, and logistic regression (LR) was trained with optimal hyperparameters obtained through grid search. Performance evaluation was conducted using various metrics. The results showed that the ML model was effective in identifying non-consistent essays with improved accuracy after implementing random oversampling. The LR model achieved an accuracy of 98.03%, precision of 98.52%, recall of 98.03%, and F1-score of 98.24%. The proposed ML model shows promise as an indicator of contract cheating incidents, providing an additional tool for educators and institutions to uphold academic integrity. However, it is essential to interpret the model results cautiously, as they do not constitute unequivocal evidence of cheating but rather serve as grounds for further investigation. We also emphasize the ethical implications of such approaches and suggest avenues for future research to explore the model’s applicability among first-language writers and to conduct longitudinal studies on second-language learners’ language development over longer periods.

Arab minority social workers trained in a foreign language: linguistic challenges and coping mechanisms

ABSTRACT The research highlights challenges involved in ensuring professional authentication faced by social workers working in cultural minorities. The findings contribute to the knowledge corpus that discusses authentication. They describe and explain possible consequences of linguistic difficulties arising in Arab minority social workers’ work in Israel. These workers acquired their profession in a foreign language (Hebrew) but work with their native minority population whose mother tongue is Arabic. A phenomenological study elicited data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 Arab welfare bureau social workers. The workers encounter three language difficulties when working with their service users: They are accused of identifying with the hegemon because they adopt its language; they are viewed as foreign because they have difficulty conveying professional messages accurately; and are seen as alien because the Hebrew terminology they use is anchored in a secularist-individualist culture. The research also identified three coping mechanisms: Ignoring the language barriers; being aware but passive, and adopting three active strategies: self-improvement, getting help from the immediate professional milieu and harnessing external resources. The findings reinforce the requirement of ethical codes for language competence in three fields: lifelong learning, policy design (laws, procedures and guidelines) and implementation (interventions, mentoring and supervision).

A Potential Measure of Premorbid Functioning: Evaluating the Construct Validity of the Author and Magazine Recognition Tests.

To establish convergent and discriminant validity for a combined measure of print exposure (i.e., Author Recognition Test and Magazine Recognition Test [ART/MRT]) and assess its potential utility for estimating premorbid cognitive functioning. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 84; 95% non-Hispanic White) completed the ART/MRT, Test of Premorbid Functioning (ToPF), Dementia Rating Scale - 2nd Edition (DRS-2), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised (HVLT-R-DR), and select subtests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS) as measures of executive functioning (i.e., D-KEFS-EF) and processing speed (i.e., D-KEFS-PS). Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to examine the relationships between the ART/MRT, cognition, and demographics. Cognitive scores, with the exception of HVLT-R-DR, were positively correlated with ART/MRT score such that better cognitive performance was associated with greater print exposure (range r = 0.39-0.49). ART/MRT score was positively correlated with years of education and negatively correlated with age. ToPF and DRS-2 differentially and uniquely predicted ART/MRT score beyond the other cognitive and demographic variables and beyond each other. Findings indicate that measures of print exposure reflect crystallized knowledge but may also capture fluid abilities that may be more vulnerable to age-related decline or neurodegeneration. Assessment of print exposure may offer an alternative to word reading measures that may be inappropriate for translation into other languages and for use with individuals with certain language difficulties.

Using corpora from Natural Language Processing for investigating crosslinguistic influence

Language transfer or crosslinguistic influence (CLI), referring to the influence of an L1 on the learning of an L2, is a significant aspect of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Much work in this area is data-driven, and consequently, large L2 corpora have been constructed for use in CLI analyses. The field of Natural Language Processing, and in particular the specific task of Grammatical Error Correction (GEC), also has corpora that can be of use in these kinds of analyses. In this paper, we take the FCE corpus, a popular dataset of English as a Second Language (ESL) learner texts used for Grammatical Error Correction model training, and use it to analyse the relationship between the distributions of errors and the first languages of the ESL learners. We carry out a detailed analysis of three error types, and demonstrate that the errors made by ESL learners have a statistically significant relationship with linguistic characteristics of their first languages, suggesting the existence of both positive and negative transfer. The analysis aligns with results from the SLA literature, and validates the use of GEC corpora for use in CLI analysis.

An exploratory characterization of speech- and fine-motor coordination in verbal children with Autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder often associated with difficulties in speech production and fine-motor tasks. Thus, there is a need to develop objective measures to assess and understand speech production and other fine-motor challenges in individuals with ASD. In addition, recent research suggests that difficulties with speech production and fine-motor tasks may contribute to language difficulties in ASD. In this paper, we explore the utility of an off-body recording platform, from which we administer a speech- and fine-motor protocol to verbal children with ASD and neurotypical controls. We utilize a correlation-based analysis technique to develop proxy measures of motor coordination from signals derived from recordings of speech- and fine-motor behaviors. Eigenvalues of the resulting correlation matrix are inputs to Gaussian Mixture Models to discriminate between highly-verbal children with ASD and neurotypical controls. These eigenvalues also characterize the complexity (underlying dimensionality) of representative signals of speech- and fine-motor movement dynamics, and form the feature basis to estimate scores on an expressive vocabulary measure. Based on a pilot dataset (15 ASD and 15 controls), features derived from an oral story reading task are used in discriminating between the two groups with AUCs > 0.80, and highlight lower complexity of coordination in children with ASD. Features derived from handwriting and maze tracing tasks led to AUCs of 0.86 and 0.91, however features derived from ocular tasks did not aid in discrimination between the ASD and neurotypical groups. In addition, features derived from free speech and sustained vowel tasks are strongly correlated with expressive vocabulary scores. These results indicate the promise of a correlation-based analysis in elucidating motor differences between individuals with ASD and neurotypical controls.

Early trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles: A longitudinal study in preschoolers.

Language development can greatly vary among autistic children. Children who struggle with language acquisition often face many challenges and experience lower quality of life. However, little is known about the early language trajectories of autistic preschoolers and their moderators. Autistic language can be stratified into three profiles. Language unimpaired experience little to no language difficulties; language impaired show significant difficulties in language; minimally verbal never develop functional language. In this study, we used a longitudinal sample of preschoolers with autism and with typical development (aged 1.5-5.7 years). We replicated the three language profiles through a data-driven approach. We also found that different factors modulated the language outcome within each group. For instance, non-verbal cognition at age 2.4 moderated the participants' attribution to each language profile. Moreover, early intervention moderated verbal outcome in the language impaired profile. In conclusion, we provided a detailed description of how autistic preschoolers acquire language, and what factors might influence their trajectories. Our findings could inspire more personalized intervention for early autistic language difficulties.

Gorani substrate within Kurdish

Abstract The traditional view within Kurdish linguistics is that the split between Central Kurdish (CK) and Northern Kurdish (NK) is mainly the result of a Gorani substrate within the former group. More recent studies refute this hypothesis, arguing instead that Kurdish was initially composed of two distinct but closely related subgroups and that the differences between CK and NK are partly due to distinct source languages and partly due to ensuing contact with neighbouring languages. This study aims to shed new light on the Gorani-substrate hypothesis within CK by examining a corpus-based study of the southernmost CK dialects located within the historical Gorani heartland. Combining recent historical accounts of language shift from Gorani to CK in the region with linguistic data, the paper claims that (i) Gorani borrowings and substrate features reflect different layers of historical contact in Southern CK dialects and (ii) the Gorani substrate has caused a split in the morphosyntactic features across vernaculars of CK, showcasing second-language learning in shaping the historically recent development of Southern CK dialects.

Investigating EFL Students’ Perspectives of the Influence of Podcasts on Enhancing Listening Proficiency

Listening is widely regarded as the predominant language proficiency utilized in virtually all forms of communication. However, its intricacies often engender feelings of complexity and, at times, provoke anxiety and frustration among both foreign and second-language learners. The enhancement of successful communication fundamentally hinges upon the precise comprehension of spoken messages. In this quantitative investigation, the present study delves into the perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students concerning the utilization of podcasts as a tool to cultivate and bolster their listening proficiency. The study cohort comprised female university students enrolled in a preparatory year program. The examination of attitudes toward podcasts was conducted via a survey questionnaire. The findings unveiled that most participants derived enjoyment from utilizing podcasts, which in turn catalyzed their enthusiasm for English language acquisition. Additionally, they conceded that podcasts held promise in augmenting their linguistic abilities, with a primary focus on listening comprehension. These outcomes posit that podcasting serves as a medium with significant implications for students’ learning trajectories, particularly regarding the acquisition of listening proficiencies.

Influence of English and Filipino as Assessment Languages in Word-Problem Performance

Second-language learners frequently encounter challenges when solving word problems that are not written in their first language. This study compares the mathematics word-problem performance of 5th-grade learners using English and Filipino as the languages of assessment. The study consists of 32 5th-grade students from a public elementary school in the Philippines. The lesson delivery focused on problem-solving learning competencies, delivered by an experienced teacher using English-language instruction. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the researchers utilized a researcher-made 30-item test comprising questions expressed in English and 15 questions expressed in Filipino. Each student responds to questions in both languages. It was administered at the beginning and the end of a week-long lesson. Analyses of test scores yielded no significant difference between learners’ performance in English and Filipino items; however, results reveal students’ very low competency in solving word problems. Nonetheless, this study supports the utilization of bilingual instruction and the inclusion of Filipino translations in assessments aside from offering research points for further explorations.

Miscommunication in Stillwater: The Interplay of Social Identities, Language Barriers, and Emotional Dynamics

This paper analyses Stillwater’s (2021) dialogue and action lines to demonstrate how miscommunication, specifically during heightened emotional instances, between Bill, the protagonist, and other characters is due to language barriers and emotional dynamics related to ethnic diversity. The study reveals that language difficulties hinder effective communication between Bill, an out-group member, and French residents, the in-group. Consequently, his limited language skills not only mark him as an outsider by challenging his efforts to integrate into the French culture, but also prove that language is a marker of group identity, influencing emotions, behavior, and interaction. In addition, the study demonstrates that the cultural disparities Bill encounters socially define and categorize him as an “out-group” member (American) from the perspective of the “in-group” (French), thus elucidating out-group biases and discrimination. These findings emphasize the role of language in reflecting linguistic and cultural nuances in intergroup interactions in the screenplay Stillwater.

An English Teacher’s Perception on Students’ Difficulties in Pronunciation

This research aims to determine teachers’ perception on students’ difficulties in pronunciation. The researcher used a qualitative approach and conducted with a semi-structure interview for this research. The data resource in this research was an English teacher that teach grade 7,8, and 9 SMP Sanur Makassar. It was obtained from interview with 9 questions and the English teacher as the respondent. The result of the research concluded that: teachers perceive that on average students have low pronunciation skills, this is influenced by the fact that English is a different language from students' everyday language, students' lack of self-confidence, and students believe that English is the most difficult language. With this challenge, teachers overcome it by giving students motivation, giving students pronunciation practice with friends or groups so that students can be directly involved in activities to improve pronunciation skills. In addition, teachers provide media such as videos and songs in English, so that students can imitate the correct pronunciation of native speakers. The media used by the teacher have a positive impact on the students' pronunciation. difficulties in pronunciation of English can be caused by interference from the student's first language. In addition, in the context of English learning, teachers who understand students' difficulties in understanding and pronouncing sounds can influence the teaching methods they apply. This shows that teachers' perceptions of students' pronunciation abilities can influence the learning approaches they use. Assessing students' pronunciation skills is an important aspect of language education. Furthermore, research has shown that teachers' observations and interactions with students on a daily basis can provide reliable information about students' pronunciation abilities and students demonstrated varying levels of improvement in their pronunciation when speaking English. In conclusion, the data collected by the researcher and the findings are influence of teachers' perceptions on their learning approaches and emphasize the importance of understanding students' pronunciation abilities. This highlights the need for effective pronunciation instruction and assessment methods in language education.Keywords: Teachers’ Perception, Pronunciation.

Influence of Dialect on the English Consonants Perception by English L2 learners: Evidence from Jiangsu Province for Chinese Native Speakers

The native language will have a negative transfer on the acquisition of second language. Dialects, as a branch of Chinese, also have an influence on English acquisition. The perception of consonants is one of the important foundations of English learning. This study will adopt discrimination as an experimental method to investigate whether there is a significant difference in the influence of different dialects on the perception of English consonants. Three major dialects in Jiangsu province will be taken as a study case to verify the hypothesis that there is a significant difference on the perception of English consonants in different dialects. This study will fill the gap in the overall research on the impact of three major dialects in Jiangsu province on the perception of English consonants, help English language learners with dialect background to reduce the influence of dialects on them and provide some teaching key points to teachers, especially for English language learners in Jiangsu province.