Low Proficiency Research Articles

Translanguaging for English Language Education: Uncovering Thai EFL Students’ Insights

Translanguaging pedagogy has gained attention in recent years in language education; yet, there is limited research on how it is utilized and perceived by university students in Thailand. This study therefore examines the translanguaging practices and perceptions of Thai university students regarding incorporating such practices in classrooms with strict language boundary policy. The mixed method study analyzes questionnaire (N=77), observation and interview (N=10) data from students using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis, respectively. While this study participants are only those observed to practice translanguaging in the classroom, however, the results indicated that only 84% of the students found translanguaging (i.e., using their L1 and other repertoire resources) in the classroom for content learning and meaning-making beneficial, while the others (16%) still prefer a strict English only practice. Moreover, the results showed the students’ overall positive views on incorporating translanguaging in different classroom situations to assist low proficiency students’ learning and enhance classroom interaction and participation since most of Thai teachers frequently use their L1 with students. Some students further highlighted challenges in implementing this strategy in Thailand, despite its practical benefits for English language education in Thailand. The study also highlights the implications of this practice for Thailand and beyond.

Saudi Students’ Reluctance to Engage in English Communication: Critical Issues and Considerations

Teaching English as a foreign language is an important aspect of global education. Yet, a common pedagogical hurdle for EFL instructors is fostering students’ confidence in spoken English, an essential skill for cross-cultural communication and collaboration in today’s interconnected world. Therefore, the paper aims to examine why Saudi EFL students may experience comparable challenges in speaking English, akin to those faced by students in other EFL settings. A comprehensive literature review was carried out, exploring speaking reluctance across diverse contexts, including the Saudi EFL setting. The paper adopted an alternative approach to address students’ reservations about speaking. Diverging from the conventional emphasis on motivations and anxiety as primary contributors to speaking reluctance, this study delved deeper, highlighting the underlying conditions that lead to reduced motivation and heightened anxiety. The review’s findings revealed that conditions including, students’ unreadiness, lack of relevance, artificial and limited learning environments, fear, lack of self-confidence, and low proficiency level are critical sources of anxiety, lack of motivation, and interest. The paper concluded with a thorough discussion of potential implications for language instructors, educational administrators, teaching methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and future research directions, all directed toward overcoming speaking reluctance among Saudi EFL students.

That-trace effects in Najdi Arabic L2 learners of English

Abstract The current study is a partial replication of Kim and Goodall (2024), who tested competing predictions of two prominent accounts of that-trace effects, which are argued to emerge due to either syntactic constraints or considerations of the production system. To tease apart these possibilities, Kim and Goodall examine L2 sensitivity to that-trace effects, as the two accounts implicitly have different expectations regarding L2 performance. Their results showed a non-native pattern of acceptability judgments for Korean and Spanish learners of English, whose L1s do not display that-trace effects, which are argued to support a production-based account. The current study extends their experiment to Nadji Arabic L2 learners of English, whose L1 critically exhibits that-trace effects, allowing us to probe whether previous findings can be accounted for by processing difficulties or L1 background. Our results indicated that despite L2 learners’ native-like sensitivity at the group level, lower proficiency was associated with non-native-like subject extraction effects, in line with Kim and Goodall’s results. Overall, findings from an acceptability judgment task suggest that L2 sensitivity to that-trace effects does not involve transfer of a syntactic constraint, but is something that develops with proficiency, more in line with a production-based account.

Peer Tutoring Approach and Academic Performance of Pupils: An Experimental Study

This study examined the effectiveness of peer tutoring on the academic performance of Grade 2 pupils at Gabi Central Elementary School in Gabi, Compostela, Davao de Oro, for the school year 2023-2024. Utilizing a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design, the research focused on pupils who underwent a structured peer tutoring intervention in English. Initial assessments indicated a low proficiency level categorized as "Did Not Meet Expectation." Post-intervention, there was a significant improvement in proficiency, achieving a "Very Satisfactory" performance nearing the "Mastery Level." The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the academic performance of pupils before and after the intervention, underscoring the positive impact of peer tutoring. This improvement highlights the potential of peer tutoring to address learning deficiencies, foster engagement, and enhance academic outcomes among young learners. The study underscored the importance of adopting collaborative learning strategies to support diverse educational needs. The findings suggest that peer tutoring is an effective educational approach, benefiting both tutors and tutees by enhancing understanding, promoting active learning, and building a supportive classroom environment. This research contributes to the body of knowledge advocating for peer tutoring as a valuable tool in educational settings, particularly in regions with limited access to additional academic support at home. The study recommends further exploration of peer tutoring's long-term benefits and its application in other academic disciplines to generalize its efficacy.

The English-language learning difficulties of older migrants in New Zealand: A life course perspective

ABSTRACT Older migrants are often later-life language learners by necessity. While the bulk of extant research on older language learners focuses on those who elect language learning as a constructive leisure pursuit, for older migrants with low proficiency in the dominant host country language, progress in language learning is a key factor that contributes to their independence, social inclusion, and well-being. Drawing on the life-course perspective, this article examines the language-learning difficulties (LLDs) of older Chinese migrants in New Zealand who have attended English courses, and who need basic communicative language ability in their daily lives. We identified three main life-course related factors that contribute to their language-learning difficulties and detract from their commitment to formal learning. These LLDs result from perceived shortcomings in individuals’ prior educational background, factors related to individuals’ current circumstances that impact their sense of agency, and unsatisfactory current formal learning experiences. We offer recommendations aimed at improving formal learning opportunities for this learner group.

A look at biochemistry learning difficulties in the undergraduate level

Learning biochemistry can be a challenge for most university students. They represent a lot of difficulty in studying this module. This is evidenced by numerous failures and a lack of interest in the subject. For them, biochemistry is a dry subject requiring extensive memorization and complex language. They also find it boring. However, biochemistry is a key element in the training of biology students and future teachers of life and earth sciences. It is the basis for understanding the mechanisms of life. It helps students to understand the chemical processes that take place in living beings. The aim of our study is to identify students' difficulties in learning biochemistry, in order to deduce the main causes and factors behind the low proficiency in this subject. For this purpose, we communicated with the undergraduate students at our school using NGT and a questionnaire. Students attribute their difficulties mainly to the complexity of the subject and the large amount of information that must be assimilated in a limited time. In addition, the problem of the language of instruction as well as the lack of tutorials and practical work can represent additional factors hindering the learning process. The lack of basic knowledge and the classical teaching methods can also be considered sources of difficulty. At the end of our study, we were able to elucidate the main factors and obstacles that hinder the learning of biochemistry. The students have suggested some solutions including the adoption of new teaching methods promoting active learning, as well as by diversifying the pedagogical supports used in class and the integration of new communication and information technologies (ICT).

글의 길이와 내용, 학생 상하 수준에 따른 고등학생의 문장 중요도 평정 차이

Purpose: This study analyzed differences in high school students’ rating of sentence importance depending on text length, content, and the students’ proficiency level(upper and lower), aiming to improve the teaching and the learning of reading. Methods: A test was conducted with 173 high school students in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam province. Based on the test, an analysis was performed to examine how text length and content affect the rating of importance. Additionally, participants were divided into two groups based on their proficiency levels in rating sentence importance — upper and lower — and the effects of variables within each group were analyzed. Results: First, text length revealed a statistically significant difference in students’ importance rating scores. Second, concerning content, no statistically significant difference was observed in the scores. Third, dividing participants into upper and lower proficiency groups based on the mean score showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Fourth, regarding text length, students in the upper group exhibited a superior ability to rate sentence importance in shorter passages compared to longer ones, and this difference was statistically significant. In contrast, for the lower group, no statistically significant difference was observed depending on the text length. Consequently, it was determined that students in the lower group face challenges in rating sentence importance regardless of text length. Fifth, concerning content, no statistically significant differences were observed in importance rating abilities for both upper and lower groups. Nevertheless, upon calculating effect sizes, it was discerned that students in both groups exhibited comparatively higher abilities in passages related to humanities than those related to the Natural Sciences. Conclusion: Students’ proficiency in rating sentence importance varied depending on the length of the text, while no significant difference was observed concerning the content. The upper and lower groups showed a great disparity in proficiency, and the variables that caused statistically significant differences varied depending on the proficiency level. These findings show that it is important to adjust the length and content of texts to match students’ proficiency levels when teaching reading strategies such as sentence importance rating. Furthermore, the introduction of sentence importance rating method, which visually illustrates the reading process, into teaching and learning can contribute to enhancing students’ reading abilities.

Development of Literacy Engagement in Chinese Students with Varying Language Proficiencies

The objective of this study is to develop literacy engagement in Chinese students with varying language proficiencies through teacher-written corrective feedback. Drawing on Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Boekaerts and Corno’s self-regulation theory, the research aims to understand how corrective feedback influences literacy engagement and language proficiency. The study employs a qualitative analysis of student responses and reflective journals with quantitative measures of language proficiency and engagement metrics. The research site includes Chinese university classrooms with both low-proficiency (LP) and high-proficiency (HP) students. Key informants are LP and HP students who receive teacher-written corrective feedback. Data analysis involves thematic coding of student responses and statistical analysis of language proficiency scores and engagement levels. Results show that LP students initially display passive engagement but improve with targeted feedback, while HP students demonstrate active engagement and advanced literacy skills. The study suggests tailored pedagogical strategies for LP students and challenges for HP students to enhance literacy engagement and language proficiency.

Do we mean the same? Semantic native-likeness in highly proficient second language users

Research question: Native-likeness (similarity between non-native and native users of the same language) depends on second language proficiency (L2p). However, evidence comes mainly from phonological or syntactic tasks, prompting an underexplored question: can higher L2p also entail a more native-like organization of semantic memory? Methodology: We asked high and low proficiency bilinguals to describe concepts in their second (English) and first (Spanish) language. We then compared their responses with semantic structure norms from native speakers of each language, and derived measures of semantic native-likeness through a validated semantic proximity measure. Data and analysis: We examined whether semantic native-likeness scores discriminated between high and low L2p levels at the group level (via inferential statistics) and at the individual level (via machine learning analyses). Findings: We found that semantic associations in English were more native-like in high than in low L2p bilinguals. Machine learning analyses showed that this pattern was highly consistent across individual subjects. Responses in Spanish did not differ between groups. Originality: This is the first study assessing semantic native-likeness through concept-feature associations in high and low L2p bilinguals, both at the group- and the individual-level. Significance: Our findings suggest that increased L2p entails a more native-like organization of semantic memory, informing models of bilingual cognition and its links with experience-related variables.

A Context-Aligned Two Thousand Test: Toward estimating high-frequency French vocabulary knowledge for beginner-to-low intermediate proficiency adolescent learners in England

Vocabulary knowledge strongly predicts second language reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Yet, few tests have been developed to assess vocabulary knowledge in French. The primary aim of this pilot study was to design and initially validate the Context-Aligned Two Thousand Test (CA-TTT), following open research practices. The CA-TTT is a test of written form–meaning recognition of high-frequency vocabulary aimed at beginner-to-low intermediate learners of French at the end of their fifth year of secondary education. Using an argument-based validation framework, we drew on classical test theory and Rasch modeling, together with correlations with another vocabulary size test and proficiency measures, to assess the CA-TTT’s internal and external validity. Overall, the CA-TTT showed high internal and external validity. Our study highlighted the decisive role of the curriculum in determining vocabulary knowledge in instructed, low-exposure contexts. We discuss how this might contribute to under- or over-estimations of vocabulary size, depending on the relations between the test and curriculum content. Further research using the tool is openly invited, particularly with lower proficiency learners in this context. Following further validation, the test could serve as a tool for assessing high-frequency vocabulary knowledge at beginner-to-low intermediate levels, with due attention paid to alignment with curriculum content.

Professional practice competence of primary school physical education teachers

ABSTRACT This study examined the professional practice competence (PPC) of primary school physical education (PE) teachers. Participants of the study were 382 availably selected primary school PE teachers in Amhara Region, in Ethiopia. Results revealed that, except for their lesson planning (LP), PE teachers’ instructional assessment (IA); their ability to create and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment (CMSSLE), and their overall PPC were low. However, female PE teachers performed their LP better than male teachers. Conversely, female PE teachers, degree holders, beginner and junior teachers, and rural PE teachers demonstrated lower proficiency in IA compared to others. The results also indicated that no significant differences were found in CMSSLE between male and female teachers, rural and urban teachers, and diploma and degree – holder teachers. Accordingly, the regional education bureaus, zonal education departments, and teacher education institutions have to pay due magnanimity and precaution while hiring, training, and deploying PE teachers in different areas of the nation. For the professional development and professional practice competence of PE teachers, need-based and continuous on-the-job capacity-building training should be designed by the concerned education policymakers.

Comparing pragmatic abilities across multiple languages in adults with ADHD: Insights from a self-report questionnaire

ABSTRACT Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with pragmatic language impairments in children, but less is known about the communicative abilities of adults with ADHD, especially when using a second or third language. In this study, we developed a questionnaire to collect self-report measures of a set of pragmatic skills in a person’s first, second and third language, comparing adults with and without an ADHD diagnosis. One hundred seventy-nine multilingual adults with (N = 91) and without ADHD (N = 88) completed the survey. As predicted, adults with ADHD reported more pragmatic difficulties than the control group. More specifically, people with ADHD showed pronounced impairments in regulating their behaviour in spoken interactions in the form of excessive talking, frequently interrupting others, and speaking without thinking first. Notably, these types of hyperactive and impulsive behaviours were significantly reduced when people with ADHD communicated in a second or third language. For pragmatic difficulties related to inattention such as concentrating on a conversation, both groups tended to be more inattentive in their third language compared to their first and second language. The understanding of non-literal language was only affected by ADHD in the first language and was generally more taxing in a language with lower proficiency levels. Our study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how ADHD affects different kinds of communicative abilities in multilingual adults. It also has implications for clinical practice, highlighting the importance of assessing symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in a person’s dominant language.

Post-Pandemic Assessment of Fundamental Reading, Writing and Arithmetic Skills of Grade 5 Learners

This study investigated the proficiency in fundamental reading, writing and arithmetic skills of grade 5 learners in Davao Region, Philippines during a post-pandemic assessment conducted in April 2024. A quantitative descriptive design was used, utilizing data from 195 grade 5 learners randomly selected by DepEd – Bureau of Education Assessment (DepEd - BEA) from six school divisions. Validated test questions aligned with the K to 12 curriculum and Southeast Asia-Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) Band of specification were utilized for reading, writing, and arithmetic assessments. Point-by-serial analysis confirmed acceptable internal consistency for reading (0.32) and arithmetic (0.30) skills tests. Results revealed low proficiency in both reading (mean score = 18.13%, overall proficiency = 37.15%) and arithmetic (mean score = 5.45%, overall proficiency = 34.50%). Writing analysis showed 65% of students scoring in Band 2, which revealed limited writing skills with fragmented ideas and vocabulary. Run-on sentences and dangling modifiers suggest a lack of focus on coherence and correctness. While the pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges, the study revealed that it does not solely account for the decrease in the academic performance of grade 5 learners. These findings highlighted the need to strengthen intervention programs in reading, writing, and arithmetic across all key stages of the K to 12 curriculums. Implementing a wider variety of assessment formats beyond multiple-choice questions may also be beneficial. This study contributes to the growing body of research on the pandemic's effect on educational attainment and underscores the importance of evidence-based interventions to support student recovery.

Anti-staphylococcal activity of a polyphenol-rich citrus extract: synergy with β-lactams and low proficiency to induce resistance.

Antibiotic resistance represents one of the most significant threats to public health in the 21st century. Polyphenols, natural molecules with antibacterial activity produced by plants, are being considered as alternative antimicrobial strategies to manage infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of a polyphenol mixture extracted from citrus fruits, against both antibiotic-susceptible and resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Broth microdilution and time-kill curve experiments were used to test the extract anti-staphylococcal activity. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the hemolysis assay. The interaction between the mixture and antibiotics was investigated by the checkerboard assay. The effect of B alone and in combination with oxacillin on the membrane potential was investigated by the 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide assay. The ability of the extract to induce the development of resistance was verified by propagating S. aureus for 10 transfers in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations. The citrus extract was found to be active against all Staphylococcus strains at remarkably low concentrations (0.0031 and 0.0063%), displaying rapid bactericidal effects without being toxic on erythrocytes. In particular, B was found to rapidly cause membrane depolarization. When combined with methicillin, meropenem, and oxacillin, the mixture displayed synergistic activity exclusively against methicillin-resistant strains. We additionally show that the sequential exposure of S. aureus to sub-inhibitory concentrations did not induce the development of resistance against the extract. Overall, these findings support the potential use of the citrus extract as promising option to manage staphylococcal infections and suggest that it may counteract the mechanism behind methicillin-resistance.

Differences in perceptual representations in multilinguals' first, second, and third language.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the differences in perceptual representations among multilingual individuals. In Experiment 1, the immediate sentence-picture verification paradigm was used to investigate perceptual representations in the working memory stage. The results suggest a match effect within the first language (Cantonese), but not within the second language (Mandarin) or the third language (English), showing perceptual representations only in first language comprehension. In Experiment 2, the delayed sentence-picture verification paradigm was used to investigate perceptual representations in long-term memory. Similarly, the results suggest a match effect within the first language (Mandarin), but not within the second language (English). The findings of both experiments suggest that the first language was perceptually represented, regardless of whether it was Cantonese or Mandarin, regardless of the processing in working memory or long-term memory. No evidence was found for perceptual representations in the later-learned languages, regardless of high or low proficiency. Our study has implications for theories of language comprehension and embodied cognition.

A longitudinal study of Turkish-Dutch children’s language mixing in single-language settings: Language status, language proficiency, cognitive control and developmental language disorder

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of language status, language proficiency, cognitive control and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in bilingual Turkish-Dutch children’s language mixing in single-language settings. We investigated these factors over time following 31 children (20 with typical development, 11 with DLD), from the age of 5 or 6 years until they were 7 or 8 years old. Children more often mix the majority-societal language (Dutch) into the minority-heritage language (Turkish) than the other way around. Higher proficiency in Dutch, lower proficiency in Turkish, and having DLD are linked to more mixing in the Turkish setting. Effects of cognitive control on children’s language mixing are limited. Linguistic factors at a child-external and child-internal level impact on children’s mixing in single-language settings, and are more important than domain-general cognitive control. Increasing language proficiency in Turkish could explain why children mix less as they grow older.

Learning English vowels: The effects of different phonetic training modes on Arabic learners' production and perceptiona).

This study investigated the effect of different types of phonetic training on potential changes in the production and perception of English vowels by Arabic learners of English. Forty-six Arabic learners of English were randomly assigned to one of three high variability vowel training programs: Perception training (High Variability Phonetic Training), Production training, and a Hybrid Training program (production and perception training). Pre- and post-tests (vowel identification, category discrimination, speech recognition in noise, and vowel production) showed that all training types led to improvements in perception and production. There was some evidence that improvements were linked to training type: learners in the Perception Training condition improved in vowel identification but not vowel production, while those in the Production Training condition showed only small improvements in performance on perceptual tasks, but greater improvement in production. However, the effects of training modality were complicated by proficiency, with high proficiency learners benefitting more from different types of training regardless of training mode than lower proficiency learners.

ASSESSING VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES (VLS) ACROSS DIVERSE PROFICIENCY LEVELS

This research paper explores the application of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS) between low level of proficiency students from faculty of Business Management and high level of proficiency students from faculty of Computer Science. This research paper employs quantitative approach where data were collected using purposive sampling from a sample of 71 participants representing various proficiency levels of English language in a public university in Melaka, Malaysia. To gauge learners’ awareness and application of VLS, a survey adapted from Alahmadi’s (2019) version of Schmitt’s (1997, 2000) Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire (VLSQ) was administered to participants. Findings revealed that there are significant differences of VLS utilization among English language learners of various proficiency levels where students with high proficiency levels display better strategy awareness and application contrasted to the lower proficiency level of English language learners. Thus, from these results, it is pertinent for educators to modify vocabulary instructions and strategies to boost vocabulary attainment among different proficiency levels in English language learning settings.

Constructional Emergence in A1–C1: A Bird’s Eye Perspective and Alignment

This study aims to take a usage–based constructionist approach to observing the emergence of constructions in L2 speakers of English from a bird’s eye perspective and aligns some of them with CEFR levels. To do this, five equally balanced subparts from the EFCAMDAT corpus were compiled and analyzed using TAASSC and SPSS. The findings present strong evidence for and confirm previous studies that speakers at lower proficiency levels use fixed or prototypical expressions and do not deviate as much from conventional ways of combining constructions, i.e., collexemes. As proficiency increases, their constructicon gets lexicogrammatically richer and less prototypical, as such prototypical examples serves as training wheels for further expansion. While there seems to be evidence for low–frequency constructions to follow a developmental path through CEFR levels, high–frequency constructions do not seem to follow this path. In the end, the study presents a set of constructions aligned for each CEFR level, which appears to be in line with the characteristics of CEFR levels described at englishprofile.org.

Student Engagement with Teacher Written Corrective Feedback among Chinese Private College Students of Varying Language Proficiencies

While the efficacy of teacher written corrective feedback (WCF) has been extensively explored, a research gap exists in examining the disparities in how low-proficiency (LP) and high-proficiency (HP) students receive such feedback in second language (L2) writing. Through an analysis of five writing tasks distributed over a 16-week course, this research explored the affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions of student engagement with WCF. Six Chinese EFL sophomores, three designated as LP and three as HP students, were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection methods included analysis of students’ L2 writing tasks and stimulated recall sessions. The findings illustrate varying engagement patterns, highlighting LP students’ frustrations and HP students’ reflective and constructive interactions with feedback. These patterns are interpreted through the lens of sociocultural, social cognitive, student engagement, and complex dynamic systems theories, offering a multifaceted framework for understanding the influence of WCF on L2 writing proficiency. These findings also contribute to language learning pedagogy by highlighting the importance of tailored feedback strategies that address the comprehensive dimensions of student engagement to enhance the pedagogical effectiveness of WCF in fostering language proficiency and engagement in EFL settings.