Language Learning Environment Research Articles

A Blended Mobile Based Language Learning Environment and its Effectiveness in Developing EFL Communication Skills among Low Achievers in Preparatory Schools and their Attitudes towards it

A Blended Mobile Based Language Learning Environment and its Effectiveness in Developing EFL Communication Skills among Low Achievers in Preparatory Schools and their Attitudes towards it

Teaching strategies for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in English as foreign language classrooms

This literature review focused on effective teaching strategies for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in classrooms where English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is taught, which is undoubtedly a novel and crucial issue that demands immediate attention. This review not only concentrates on identifying the teaching strategies used for students with ADHD but also delves into and considers different teaching approaches and inclusive education adaptations for students with ADHD. The impact of this review might be significant for educators, parents, and stakeholders alike since it could provide valuable recommendations and knowledge based on the evidence gathered. This would lead to developing more effective, efficient, and inclusive teaching strategies or mechanisms for students with ADHD. Programs aimed at teacher training could also benefit from the findings of this review, contributing to the general support and improving the academic experience of students with ADHD in foreign language learning environments.

Unveiling Effective Student Communication Strategies for English Mastery

This research explores how communication strategies assist seventh-grade students in overcoming English-speaking challenges at SMP Muhammadiyah 9 Boarding School Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, Indonesia. Using qualitative methods, including observation and semi-structured interviews, the study identifies various strategies employed by students, such as avoidance, paraphrase, borrowing, appeal for assistance, and mime, with language switch in borrowing being predominant. Findings indicate a positive impact of these strategies on students' ability to achieve communication goals. This study underscores the importance of optimizing communication strategies to enhance English proficiency and facilitate effective communication in language learning environments. Highlight: Diverse Strategies Identified: Students use varied methods to tackle English-speaking difficulties. Dominant Technique: Language switch in borrowing prevails among student strategies. Effective Impact: Communication strategies positively enhance student English proficiency and communication success. Keywoard: Communication Strategies, English Proficiency, Seventh-Grade Students, Qualitative Research, Language Learning.

Gamification as a Didactic Motivator in Low-Resource Public English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classrooms in Ecuador

The present article explores the feasibility and impacts of Gamification as a motivational tool in classrooms within low-resource public institutions in Ecuador, particularly in teaching English as a Foreign Language. By integrating game design elements into the educational process, teachers tend to enhance student motivation, thus creating a more effective environment for language learning. Traditionally, educators in Ecuadorian public institutions face challenges in engaging students in their classes, often due to outdated teaching methodologies and limited access to educational and technological resources. This study focuses on how gamification can increase student motivation and foster a more stimulating and enjoyable learning environment in low-resource settings concerning English as a Foreign Language instruction. Through the incorporation of gaming elements, teachers can improve language acquisition, student engagement, and encourage collaborative learning, as evidenced by previous studies. The utilization of a qualitative-deductive approach allowed for data collection through an extensive literature review across various educational contexts. Results suggest that Gamification offers a promising perspective for overcoming challenges in traditional education, promoting active student participation. Additionally, the findings highlight the potential of Gamification to revolutionize teaching practice and enrich the entire educational experience.

English Speaking Skill through Rosetta Stone Application at Junior High School: Students’ Voices

This study aims to explore the impact of utilizing the Rosetta stone application as a means to improve English speaking skills among second-grade junior high school students. The study employs a qualitative case study approach and data content analysis to delve deeply into the experiences and perceptions of the students regarding their English-speaking skill development through the application. Using a modified questionnaire and depth interviews, the researcher collected data through share the questionnaires to 34 students and interviews conducted with three participants. The results reveal that the majority of students express positive perceptions about the application's impact on English speaking abilities, citing improvements in confidence, vocabulary, accent, and overall learning experience. Overall, these findings underline the dynamic nature of language learning and the potential for continuous improvement in educational technology through targeted enhancements and further empirical exploration. These findings underscore the effectiveness of integrating technology like Rosetta Stone in language learning environments, offering diverse speaking practice opportunities, immersive learning experiences, and targeted feedback that contribute to overall language proficiency. The findings of this study could be useful for language learners who are seeking to improve their language skills as well as for educators and developers who are interested in creating effective language learning tools.

Longitudinal Relationship between L2 Grit and Motivational Regulation Strategy in University Second Language Learning: An Autoregressive Cross-lagged Model Study.

Despite the significance of grit and motivational regulation strategies (MRS) to language learning, limited research has been conducted on their longitudinal interplay. The present study explores the relationship between these two constructs in an English as a second language (L2) learning context through a longitudinal design. This study utilizes repeated measures of L2 grit and MRS at two time points (T1 and T2) to investigate the direction of influence between them and proposes and evaluates four models: an autoregressive model, two unidirectional models, and a bidirectional model. Using questionnaire data from 205 Chinese university students to evaluate the models, results from model assessment revealed that L2 grit at T1 positively predicted L2 grit at T2 and that MRS at T1 positively predicted MRS at T2. While L2 grit showed stability, MRS developed over time. The unidirectional model with L2 grit at T1 as a predictor of MRS at T2 was identified as the model of best fit, indicating that L2 grit at an earlier time unidirectionally influenced MRS at a later time. Based on these findings, we conclude that there is a unidirectional influence between L2 grit and MRS: the former plays an influential role in shaping MRS in L2 learning over time. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics between the two constructs, which in turn impacts language learning persistence and success, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers striving to optimize language learning environments and interventions.

Enhancing language acquisition through personalized learning: The role of collaborative filtering and recommender systems in TESOL

This paper explores the transformative potential of Collaborative Filtering (CF) and Recommender Systems (RS) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). By leveraging data-driven insights from learner interactions, these technologies offer personalized learning experiences that significantly enhance language acquisition, engagement, and retention. Through empirical evidence and quantitative analyses, we demonstrate the positive impact of CF and RS on learners' proficiency, vocabulary acquisition, and communicative competence. The integration of CF and RS into TESOL not only facilitates adaptive learning pathways but also addresses practical implementation challenges, including privacy, ethical concerns, and technological barriers. This study underscores the efficacy of personalized learning recommendations in creating more engaging, efficient, and effective language learning environments.

The effect of animated movies on speaking skills among motivated English foreign language learners: Elementary level

AbstractTechnology has become an integral part of our daily lives, permeating every aspect. One area where technology has shown potential to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning is through the use of animated movies. Despite the growing significance of technology in education, research is scarce in this specific area. Therefore, the aim of this study, conducted in 2023, was to investigate the impact of animated movies on the development of speaking abilities among motivated EFL learners. A total of 370 elementary students studying EFL in various institutions participated by responding to questionnaires. A multiple‐stage cluster sampling approach was employed to select the participants. The students were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). The selection of 15 animated films from a pool of 50 was performed using the Lawsh CVR (content validity ratio) and CVI (content validity index) algorithms, following validation by professionals. The study was designed as an experiment, and descriptive statistics and the ANCOVA test were employed to analyse the quantitative data. The findings revealed a significant difference between the pre‐test and post‐test results of the EG in English‐speaking skills, vocabulary learning, English pronunciation skills, understanding and recognition. According to the study, animated movies have the potential to aid teachers and EFL students in enhancing their speaking skills. This research sheds light on the benefits of incorporating animated movies into language learning environments, offering valuable insights for both educators and learners alike.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Smarter Learning Environments in the New Age of Digital Transformation

Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Smarter Learning Environments in the New Age of Digital Transformation

Eye-tracking research in interactive language learning environments: A systematic review

Eye-tracking research in interactive language learning environments: A systematic review

Opportunities to Respond During Dyadic Caregiver-Child and Naturalistic Family Interactions Among Children With Down Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation.

Dyadic caregiver-child interactions are commonly used to examine children's language learning environments. However, children frequently interact with multiple caregivers and/or siblings if they come from homes with multiple caregivers and siblings. Thus, we examined if and how caregiver opportunities to respond (OTRs) varied when sampled across three interaction configurations. Twelve children with Down syndrome (Mage = 40.82 months) and their biological parents participated in the current study. We collected separate mother-child and father-child dyadic interactions and one family choice interaction (i.e., both caregivers present and occasionally siblings) in families' homes. We analyzed if differences in the caregiver's OTR frequency and type-explicit and implicit-existed among dyadic and family choice configurations. We found that, during family choice interactions, children were exposed to fewer OTRs when combining the total number of father and mother OTRs compared to dyadic caregiver-child interactions. This effect was large for explicit OTRs (mother-dyadic vs. combined family choice: g = -1.99, confidence interval [CI] [-3.00, -1.00]; father-dyadic vs. combined family choice: g = -0.84, CI [-1.84, -0.11]). For implicit OTRs, effects were small for mother-dyadic versus combined family choice (g = -0.34, CI [-1.17, 0.48]) and negligible when comparing father-dyadic with combined family choice (g = -0.08, CI [-0.90, 0.73]). Our preliminary findings highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of children's language learning environments to better understand how caregivers support their children's language development. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25579905.

Strategies to Minimize the Application of Grammar Translation Methods in Cambodian English Classrooms: Why is it Special?

This article aims to provide academic strategies that English teachers in Cambodia can use to reduce their reliance on grammar translation methods (GTM) in their classrooms. Recognizing the limitations of GTM and their potential negative impact on students' language proficiency, this article emphasizes the importance of applying teaching techniques and alternative teaching methods to improve learning outcomes in English. The article offers a series of practical recommendations, including task-based learning (TBL), communicative language teaching (CLT), and learner-centred approaches (LCA), to promote interactive and active language learning environments. These strategies encourage active participation, meaningful communication, and authentic language use, helping students develop their full English proficiency. Besides, the article highlights a new indication of why the mentioned methods are suitable for implementation in the Cambodian context. The article also sheds light on future research. Therefore, future studies can address the challenges of applying the mentioned techniques using quantitative and qualitative methods.

The role of technology in language immersion: a systematic literature review

<span lang="EN-US">Challenges and oppositions related to language immersion implementation are still ongoing, although numerous types of research have shown the positive impact provided by this program in a wide range of aspects. One of the most bulging challenges is that language learners are restrained from conducting language immersion directly in the country where the target language is spoken. To responding such challenges, the researchers, through this systematic literature review, reveal many important aspects that one should consider in achieving successful language immersion and probe the right technology that could provide an immersive language-learning environment. The researchers explored 56 articles covered in this research scope based on the inclusion criteria to answer the existing formulation of problems. The result identified the importance of the environment, the leader and teacher’s vital role in establishing the immersion program’s objective, and translating parents’ expectations when registering their children for the program. Utilizing technology such as virtual reality and games in language learning can imitate an immersive language experience. Developing other kinds of technology is required to bring a vaster preference for the parents who want to apply language immersion through technology in their children’s language learning.</span>

Storytelling as an Educational Tool to Improve Language Acquisition: A Review of the Literature

Storytelling is a well-established means of social interaction, and a wealth of studies has shown its effectiveness as a teaching technique for improving language skills in first (L1) and second (L2) language development, regardless of the age or background of the learners. Furthermore, it is said that storytelling is a more effective method of teaching languages than traditional teaching materials like textbooks. Research generally suggests that the reason storytelling works so well is because it is entertaining, interesting, and very memorable. This makes students want to hear more stories and gets them talking, writing, and reading about them. However, the research that has already been done and published in the literature sometimes needs more detailed information on the techniques used to measure the effects of storytelling or the exact skills that are developed via its application. Furthermore, the vast majority of studies neglect to investigate any potential negative consequences of storytelling on language acquisition, leaving us with the impression that it is a teaching strategy that solely has beneficial impacts on learning a second language. The goal of this review of the literature is to provide a thorough overview of empirical research on the effects of storytelling on L2 language learning. It also seeks to contrast storytelling's efficacy with that of other instructional strategies. It also seeks to identify gaps in the current literature that need to be filled up by future studies. By looking at these questions, scholars and teachers will have a clearer understanding of the value of storytelling in language learning environments, which will help them improve as teachers.

Probabilistic Analysis of English Dative Constructions in Academic Writings of English EFL Learners

Grammatical patterns in learner writings are among the most investigated topics in second/foreign language acquisition, gaining particular momentum thanks to corpus studies. English dative constructions are among those for which comprehensive literature is also available, consisting of different perspectives to explain the linguistic phenomenon on various theoretical grounds. However, except for rare instances, the foci of interest have constantly been on comparing learner data to native speaker data, particularly in terms of frequency of use in the second/foreign language learning environment. Different from other studies, the current study investigated English dative alternation in learner data with a probabilistic point of view, scrutinizing 27 learner corpora of learners with different L1s. Results showed that differences in learners’ native languages had little added value to variations among learners. Moreover, a tendency similar to priming the verb ‘give’ in dative constructions was observed for the other variables in the construction.

INVESTIGATING LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES VIA ACHIEVEMENT EMOTIONS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING CONTEXTS

This study investigates the role of emotion regulation strategies on achievement emotions among tertiary-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. It also explores the strategies employed by students to regulate these emotions. Employing a mixed-method sequential explanatory design, data was collected from forty-nine language learners attending prep-classes at the Department of Foreign Languages in a state university in Türkiye. The participants were categorized based on their utilization of cognitive reappraisal (CR), expressive suppression (ES), or a combination of both emotion regulation strategies (ERSs). They completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Academic Emotions Questionnaire-Foreign Language Classroom to assess differences in achievement emotions among groups. Subsequently, the participants provided narratives regarding their perceptions and regulation of emotions. Thematic analysis using MAXQDA (Version 2020) was conducted. Results revealed significant variations in emotions among groups, with the ES group reporting lower levels of positive emotions and higher levels of negative emotions compared to others. The study underscores the importance of evaluating emotion regulation strategies to foster sustainable and enjoyable language learning environments.

Comparing parent-child interaction during wordless book reading, print book reading and imaginative play.

This study investigated differences in adult-child language interactions when parents and their three-to-four-year old children engage in wordless book reading, text-and-picture book reading and a small-world toy play activity. Twenty-two parents recorded themselves completing each activity at home with their child. Parent input was compared across contexts, focusing on interactive and conceptual domains: use of open prompts, expansions or extensions of children's utterances, and use of decontextualised (abstract) language. Use of linguistic expansions was greater during book reading than toy play. Parents used open questions and added contingent conceptual information more often when reading wordless books than in both other conditions. Findings suggest that wordless books may combine the benefits of open-endedness and linguistic content based around a narrative. Parents' use of abstract language also varied by condition. This study extends understanding of the role of activity context in shaping children's language learning environments.

Monolingual and bilingual infants' attention to talking faces: evidence from eye-tracking and Bayesian modeling.

A substantial amount of research from the last two decades suggests that infants' attention to the eyes and mouth regions of talking faces could be a supporting mechanism by which they acquire their native(s) language(s). Importantly, attentional strategies seem to be sensitive to three types of constraints: the properties of the stimulus, the infants' attentional control skills (which improve with age and brain maturation) and their previous linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge. The goal of the present paper is to present a probabilistic model to simulate infants' visual attention control to talking faces as a function of their language learning environment (monolingual vs. bilingual), attention maturation (i.e., age) and their increasing knowledge concerning the task at stake (detecting and learning to anticipate information displayed in the eyes or the mouth region of the speaker). To test the model, we first considered experimental eye-tracking data from monolingual and bilingual infants (aged between 12 and 18 months; in part already published) exploring a face speaking in their native language. In each of these conditions, we compared the proportion of total looking time on each of the two areas of interest (eyes vs. mouth of the speaker). In line with previous studies, our experimental results show a strong bias for the mouth (over the eyes) region of the speaker, regardless of age. Furthermore, monolingual and bilingual infants appear to have different developmental trajectories, which is consistent with and extends previous results observed in the first year. Comparison of model simulations with experimental data shows that the model successfully captures patterns of visuo-attentional orientation through the three parameters that effectively modulate the simulated visuo-attentional behavior. We interpret parameter values, and find that they adequately reflect evolution of strength and speed of anticipatory learning; we further discuss their descriptive and explanatory power.

Video-mediated collaborative lesson planning in virtual exchange among transnational teams of pre-service language teachers

Abstract Virtual exchange (VE) projects in pre-service language teacher education are increasingly being recognized as an innovative practice due to their affordances for providing teacher learning opportunities in technology-rich environments. This study aims to report these opportunities based on results from a VE project consisting of diverse teacher education activities, including lectures, webinars, asynchronous tasks, and synchronous video-mediated interactions. This project provides a medium for pre-service teachers to collaboratively design a lesson to be implemented in hybrid language learning environments. We specifically deal with the video-mediated interactions of the transnational groups of pre-service language teachers using multimodal conversation analysis (CA) as the research methodology and investigate VE phases to explore how their interactions become consequential for the final pedagogical design. The findings show that the pre-service teachers retrospectively orient to shared practices in the earlier phases of the VE project, and the deployment of retrospective orientation as an interactional resource creates interactional space for collaborative decision-making related to their pedagogical designs. We argue that tracking the video-mediated pedagogical interactions of the pre-service teachers using CA is a methodological innovation that allows researchers to collect interactional evidence for the emergent teacher learning opportunities. The findings bring new insights to the role of the technology-mediated settings (e.g. VEs and telecollaboration) in language learning, teaching, and teacher education and in bridging different cultures, curricula, and physical spaces.

The effect of planning time on vocabulary acquisition in a task-based environment: the mediating roles of working memory and field (in)dependence

This research investigated the impact of planning time, working memory (WM), and cognitive styles on language learning outcomes within the framework of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). Drawing on a diverse sample of language learners, the study employed a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experiment to examine the effects of providing pre-task planning time on language performance. Participants engaged in communicative tasks, with a focus on vocabulary acquisition and task complexity, while their cognitive processes were assessed through measures of WM and cognitive styles. The findings revealed significant interactions between planning time and cognitive styles, particularly field dependence, influencing language production and proficiency such that learners with planning time outperformed learners without planning time; high-WM learners outperformed their low-WM peers, and field independent learners outstripped their field-dependent counterparts. Moreover, the study contributes to the broader understanding of the nuanced relationship between planning time, WM, and cognitive styles in the context of TBLT. The implications of these findings for language teachers, materials developers, syllabus designers, curriculum developers, and policymakers are discussed, offering insights into the design of effective language learning environments. Despite certain limitations, the study provides a foundation for further research exploring cross-cultural variations, longitudinal effects, and the integration of technology in language education, with the aim of advancing pedagogical practices tailored to diverse learner profiles.