Native Language Research Articles

Foreign language talker identification does not generalize to new talkers.

Listeners identify talkers less accurately in a foreign language than in their native language, but it remains unclear whether this language-familiarity effect arises because listeners (1) simply lack experience identifying foreign-language talkers or (2) gain access to additional talker-specific information during concurrent linguistic processing of talkers' speech. Here, we tested whether sustained practice identifying talkers of an unfamiliar, foreign language could lead to generalizable improvement in learning to identify new talkers speaking that language, even if listeners remained unable to understand the talkers' speech. English-speaking adults with no prior experience with Mandarin practiced learning to identify Mandarin-speaking talkers over four consecutive days and were tested on their ability to generalize their Mandarin talker-identification abilities to new Mandarin-speaking talkers on the fourth day. In a "same-voices" training condition, listeners learned to identify the same talkers for the first 3days and new talkers on the fourth day; in a "different-voices" condition, listeners learned to identify a different set of voices on each day including the fourth day. Listeners in the same-voices condition showed daily improvement in talker identification across the first 3days but returned to baseline when trying to learn new talkers on the fourth day, whereas listeners in the different-voices condition showed no improvement across the 4days. After 4days, neither group demonstrated generalized improvement in learning new Mandarin-speaking talkers versus their baseline performance. These results suggest that, in the absence of specific linguistic knowledge, listeners are unable to develop generalizable foreign-language talker-identification abilities.

Case Study on Positive Effects of Forward Transfer on Chinese College Students' English Writing, based on the Common Underlying Proficiency Hypothesis

When many scholars in China already examined the impact of native language transfer on second language acquisition, they typically focused more on the disadvantages brought by reverse transfer, and then demonstrated how to facilitate second language acquisition by mitigating such effects. In contrast, this paper, based on the Common Underlying Proficiency Hypothesis, delves into the influence of college students' native language writing proficiency on their writing abilities in English, emphasizing the positive influence of conceptual foundation on cognitive academic linguistic proficiency. Jim Cummins came up with the Common Underlying Proficiency Hypothesis which contains two major ideas. The first differentiates between Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills and Cognitive Academic Linguistic Proficiency. The second is called Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis, which highlights the potential mutual reinforcement between mother tongue and second language. Based on the above theory, this work analyses in detail five sets of samples collected, that is, five Chinese and English essays by Chinese university students, to find examples of the positive influence that mother tongue can have on second language learning, i.e., the occurrence of forward transfer. Then, through these concrete examples, this work analyses a way to actively make forward transfer happen and they both deal with the differences and similarities between Chinese and English, since they are the trigger of mother tongue transfer. The feasibility of this approach is supported by analysis of the five couple of samples.

What Did Romanian Mean to Ion? Moving Beyond Methodological Nationalism through Keith Hitchins’s Pedagogy

This article discusses the tension created in Keith Hitchins’s work between his constructivist approach to the nation and his adherence to a certain type of methodological nationalism. Examining Hitchins’s The Romanians , 1774–1866 through the lens of his pedagogy, the article posits that his commitment to methodological nationalism and his use of language associated with this approach obscured his understated argument on the constructed nature of Romanian national identity. It explores the impact of Hitchins’s scholarship and teaching on my own research to show why moving beyond the language of methodological nationalism is important and offers suggestions for doing so.

Multilingual integrated pedagogical model for enhancing mathematical literacy in South Africa

In this conceptual paper, I propose a groundbreaking Multilingual Integrated Pedagogical Model designed to address the intricate challenges of teaching mathematical literacy in South Africa's diverse linguistic context. Drawing from theories of multilingual education, cognitive development, and effective pedagogy, the model emphasises leveraging students' linguistic diversity as a cognitive asset. It outlines a comprehensive approach encompassing curriculum design, dynamic instructional strategies, culturally relevant assessments, and targeted teacher training. By integrating students' native languages and embracing their cultural backgrounds, the model aims to foster deeper engagement, improved comprehension, and enhanced mathematical literacy. Here, I discuss the model's theoretical foundations, development process, and potential benefits, envision its transformative impact on mathematical education in South Africa and offer insights into adaptability for similar multilingual settings globally. Through this innovative model, the aspiration is to bridge the gap between language diversity and effective mathematical communication, ultimately nurturing a generation of empowered learners.

The Direct Method in Language Teaching: A Literature Review of Its Effectiveness

The Direct Method in language teaching, which emphasizes teaching language through immersion and avoiding the use of the learner’s native language, has been widely used in educational settings for over a century. Its focus on oral communication, everyday vocabulary, and inductive grammar teaching has made it a popular approach. However, debates about its effectiveness compared to more modern teaching methods have persisted, particularly in terms of long-term language acquisition and proficiency. This literature review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Direct Method by analyzing studies conducted across various educational contexts. The review examines how this method impacts learners’ speaking, listening, and overall communicative competence. By synthesizing both qualitative and quantitative research, the study provides a comprehensive view of the strengths and limitations of the Direct Method. The findings indicate that while the Direct Method improves oral proficiency and listening skills in the short term, it may not be as effective for developing reading and writing skills. Studies show that the method fosters greater student engagement and motivation but may not adequately address the complexities of advanced grammar and academic language. Furthermore, the method’s effectiveness depends heavily on the teacher’s skill in creating immersive language environments. In conclusion, the Direct Method offers valuable benefits for beginner and intermediate learners, especially in communicative aspects of language. However, it requires supplementation with other approaches to develop comprehensive language proficiency. Future research should explore ways to integrate the Direct Method with more advanced instructional techniques for a balanced approach to language teaching.

ŞAGİRDLƏRİN ORFOEPİK VƏ ORFOQRAFİK VƏRDİŞLƏRİNİN FORMALAŞDIRILMASI ÜZRƏ İŞİN TƏŞKİLİNDƏ SON NƏŞR I SİNİF AZƏRBAYCAN DİLİ DƏRSLİYİNİN İMKANLARI

The article analyzes the possibilities of the latest edition of the textbook of the Azerbaijani language of the 1st grade in terms of the formation of orthoepic-spelling skills of primary school students. It is noted that teaching a native language in the modern era aims to form a number of students' speech, lin¬guistic and communicative competencies. These competencies require compliance with orthoepic-ortho¬graphic norms, along with other norms in the communication process. Therefore, starting from the first stages of education, the need for the formation of students' orthoepic-spelling skills is emphasized. The article examines the possibilities of a grade 1 textbook from the point of view of the problem, and also offers specific types of work to help primary school teachers in this area.

Life values in Russia and China: Semantic analysis and comparison

The paper seeks to explore the core life values of people living in Russia and China using an online survey in the respondents’ native languages with samples of 887 and 559 participants from each country respectively, who were asked to think of three words associated ‘with something most important in life’. The word-association arrays were translated into English by an automatic translator; then we compared the frequencies of individual words or those of their meanings obtained using the Roget’s Thesaurus. The words ‘family’ and ‘love’ were the most frequent in both samples, but the frequencies of these and most of the other words from the semantic core of each sample differed significantly. Analyses at the level of semantic vectors showed that more than half of the meanings that Russian respondents described as important and more than a third of the meanings important to the Chinese respondents had significant differences in frequencies between the samples. The paper presents 62 semantic groups of the Roget’s Thesaurus, the frequencies of which are reliably different; these are the meanings in which the Chinese and Russian samples differ with regard to life values. There are also 26 semantic groups, the frequencies of which are statistically the same and comparatively high in both samples: these are the common meanings. The results may be used in the design of automatic and AI systems to reduce the intercultural barriers.

Low power RTL implementation of Tiny-YOLO-v2 DCNN hardware accelerator on Virtex-7 FPGA

Deep Convolution Neural Networks (DCNNs) are widely used in real-time applications, including image classification, speech recognition, and object detection. However, there are challenges for real-time applications on portable devices like mobile phones or embedded systems. Most object detection models are optimized for desktop configurations, requiring fast GPUs. Shallower networks with fewer computational complexities have been proposed for real-time detection, but ultimately compromise detection accuracy. Performance and complexity trade-offs are significant for computationally complex deep networks. This work aims to implement the CNN-based object detection model Tiny-Yolo-v2 on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) using Register Transfer Logic (RTL) as a native language. Hardware implementation is synthesized on The AMD Virtex 7 FPGA VC709 Connectivity Kit using VHDL code on Vivado 2020.1. This is the first, up to the authors' knowledge, RTL implementation of the Tiny-Yolo-v2 object identification algorithm on FPGA. The power consumed by the CNN layers equals 7.09W at a frequency of 100MHz.

The Impact of Multilingualism on Second Language Acquisition: A Study of Cognitive and Linguistic Proficiency Among Ethnic Minority Groups

This study investigates the cognitive and linguistic differences in second language acquisition (SLA) among multilingual H'mong and Tay students compared to monolingual Kinh students in Vietnam. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examined cognitive proficiency, including working memory and cognitive flexibility, as well as linguistic proficiency in English, focusing on vocabulary size, syntactic knowledge, and phonological accuracy. Quantitative data from cognitive and linguistic tests were analyzed using MANOVA, while qualitative data from focus group discussions provided insights into the sociocultural influences on language learning. The findings reveal that H'mong and Tay students exhibited higher cognitive proficiency, particularly in working memory and cognitive flexibility, than their monolingual Kinh peers. However, despite their cognitive advantages, multilingual students faced greater challenges in English vocabulary acquisition, syntax, and phonological accuracy, likely due to structural differences between their native languages and English. The qualitative findings highlight the role of sociocultural factors, including limited access to resources and the desire to maintain cultural identity, in shaping language learning experiences among ethnic minority students. The study concludes that while multilingualism enhances cognitive abilities, ethnic minority students require targeted instructional support to overcome linguistic barriers in SLA. The findings have implications for language education policies, particularly in designing culturally sensitive curricula and improving access to quality English education in rural and ethnic minority communities.

The Realities of Implementing First Language (L1) for Instruction in Lower Primary Schools in Ghana

In May 2002, Ghana approved the use of English as the language of instruction (LOI) in lower primary schools. In 2012 however, a new policy was declared on using the Ghanaian language, the first language (L1) of learners as LOI. This raised some controversies among stakeholders. Currently, although teachers are required to implement the new policy, there appears to be an apparent lack of literature on what really pertains in the lower primary classrooms. This study provides preliminary findings from a larger study funded by the Jacobs Foundation. The study used a concurrent mixed methods design. In the qualitative phase, 48 participants were interviewed, and their lessons were observed using interview and observation guides. In the quantitative phase, 448 respondents completed a questionnaire. Key findings indicate that while teachers recognise the benefits of using L1 to enhance engagement and comprehension, they often adopt a blended approach that combines both English and L1. Major challenges in implementing the L1 policy include community-parental resistance, unavailability of teaching and learning resources, policy-examination mismatches and issues with teacher postings. Subsequently, participants advocated for a blended LOI approach because of its added merit to help learners understand concepts more easily in their native languages while developing crucial skills in English, and further ease the transition of L1 at the lower primary to English at later years. It is recommended that policymakers should promptly investigate the potential benefits of adopting a blended approach to modify existing policies that mandates the use of L1.

Language of the SMO in its historical and cultural context

This article analyzes the language used in special military operations from a functional and semantic perspective. Nowadays, the language used by the military (the SVO as the special military operation in Ukraine) extends beyond the professional group and, thanks to media and social networks, has become understandable to most Russian speakers. The military jargon has a history dating back three hundred years, influenced by various military campaigns in which Russia and the USSR participated. The jargonisms from the early XX century, developed during the First World War, and the active development of military language in the twentieth century, are still present in modern military language. This is due to events such as the Great Patriotic War and the war in Afghanistan. Currently, there is a growing use of military terminology, alongside well-established slang terms that refer to aspects of military life, clothing, weapons, operations, orders, etc. New terms have emerged due to advancements in science and technology, as well as changes in the military-political situation. The lexemes and phrasemes used in the military sphere serve nominative, characterizing, emotional-evaluative, and gaming functions. These terms form thematic groups that make up the semantic field of military operations, based on the denotative meaning of slang words and their possible connotations. The language of the SVO reflects the historically formed and evolving military sociolect of the national language, primarily through Russian vocabulary and phraseological units, specialized terminology, and everyday slang. A small number of foreign terms, mainly related to weapons, have been adapted to fit the phonetic and grammatical rules of the Russian language. Overall, the language of the SMO used in military-political communication reflects the national and cultural characteristics of the military.

Language policy and linguistic landscapes in the internationalization of a non-Anglophone university

PurposeInternationalization strategies that have been issued for a decade affect non-Anglophone higher education institutions (HEIs) in the clash of importance in preserving national language or using international languages. One of the observable objects of this dilemma is the inconsistent language display of universities’ public signages as a linguistic landscape (LL). To address these issues, the presence of language policy is urgent unless the preservation of the national language is no longer the responsibility of HEIs. However, rigorous discussion about language policy in non-Anglophone HEIs remains limited. This study aims to address the gap by providing a critical analysis of the existing language policy documents in an Indonesian higher education institution that has a multilingual environment and its effect on the LL.Design/methodology/approachThis case study used document analysis and LL analysis. The setting was an Islamic university in Indonesia that represents the trial importance of building religious identity, preserving the national language and engaging with international demands. The data were collected from National Law Enforcement websites, which provided various national policy documents and the institutional documents that were retrieved from the university website by using the document analysis method by Bowen (2009). The secondary data were 216 visual images of public signage in an Islamic university in Indonesia as the representation of multilingual phenomena. The additional data were gathered from a pilot interview with a lecturer and a student.FindingsThis study found that both the national government and institutional administration in Indonesia do not have a language policy that regulates LLs or language preferences in public places for HEIs. The university tends to solely refer to international accreditation policy by using either bilingual English-Indonesian or monolingual English in the public signage. However, the limited use of the Arabic language in specific venues such as mosques and musallas shows that Arabic serves neither as symbolic identity nor communicative functions.Research limitations/implicationsThis study sets a single case study in an Islamic university, and the policy documents were limited to the Indonesian Government and institutions as the representation of non-Anglophone countries. Further studies are expected to have a bigger and larger size of data and settings.Practical implicationsThis study implies that non-Anglophone countries’ governments should start to design and enforce a language policy that preserves national language and facilitates major national and international language communities, such as Thai, Arabic, Javanese and Malay, without being absent in international competitive labeling. A practical implication for religion-based and cultural-based universities is that the function of their Holy Book or local languages can be used as communicative functions to strengthen the religious and local identity.Social implicationsThis study implies that non-Anglophone countries’ governments should start to design and enforce a language policy that preserves their national language without being absent in international competitive labeling.Originality/valueGiven the fact that there is limited awareness to bring the discussion about LL patterns into language policy issues in non-Anglophone countries, this study was originally conducted as a case study to pilot the discussion about the absence of language policy as represented through LLs in Indonesia. This case study was brought up as a pilot discussion to urge non-Anglophone countries lawmakers to issue language policy at the university level. This message is meant to respond to internationalization programs that can potentially jeopardize the existence of the linguistic and cultural diversity of non-Anglophone countries.

Geometric Morphometric and Pattern Discrimination of Handwritten Numeral Characters Based on Local Ethnicities and Native Linguistic Disparities in Malaysia for Forensic Applications

Handwriting can be influenced by factors like culture and native language disparities; however, the specific research to discriminate handwritten numeral characters for forensic questioned document investigation involving the diverse ethnicities (Malay, Chinese and Indian) in Malaysian population remains unreported. Despite its application in forensic anthropology, utilization of the landmark based analysis using the Geometric Morphometric (GMM) technique for examining handwritten numeral character specimens appears sparse. Therefore, this present research that attempted to discriminate ethnicities background of 390 consenting adult participants in Malaysia based on the handwritten numeral characters (0-9) using GMM technique, merits forensic and scientific considerations. Results revealed that while there were universal ones, ethnic-specific handwritten numeral characters that may possibly be influenced by culture and native language (Malay, Chinese and Tamil languages) also prevailed. Significant differences (p < 0.0001) in ethnic-specific characters for the Malay, Chinese and Indian participants who attended the different national primary school settings in Malaysia were also observed. In conclusion, the discrimination of handwritten numeral characters for forensic examination of questioned documents among Malay, Chinese and Indian authors for the development of forensic intelligence is empirically supported.

Implications of Constraints on the Language of Emerging Aided Communicators and Intervention Decisions: A Tutorial

This tutorial offers speech-language pathologists (SLPs) an opportunity to consider the theoretical constructs of language acquisition theory and the multifactorial determinants that can impinge on the language acquisition process for children with complex communication needs. The system of constraints observed through the lens of optimality theory is discussed alongside intrinsic and extrinsic barriers associated with children who acquire their first language simultaneous to their introduction to aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. This examination calls into question whether the language competence of emerging aided communicators may be masked by their ability to produce language that accurately represents their understanding of their native language. Specific to this question is whether vocabularies available to emerging aided communicators, opportunities to access aided language models, and intervention decisions made by SLPs may be implicated in the language acquisition and development process. Suggestions for clinical practice are offered as a means of mitigating adverse outcomes related to extrinsic constraints.

Evaluating Expert-Layperson Agreement in Identifying Jargon Terms in Electronic Health Record Notes: Observational Study.

Studies have shown that patients have difficulty understanding medical jargon in electronic health record (EHR) notes, particularly patients with low health literacy. In creating the NoteAid dictionary of medical jargon for patients, a panel of medical experts selected terms they perceived as needing definitions for patients. This study aims to determine whether experts and laypeople agree on what constitutes medical jargon. Using an observational study design, we compared the ability of medical experts and laypeople to identify medical jargon in EHR notes. The laypeople were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were shown 20 sentences from EHR notes, which contained 325 potential jargon terms as identified by the medical experts. We collected demographic information about the laypeople's age, sex, race or ethnicity, education, native language, and health literacy. Health literacy was measured with the Single Item Literacy Screener. Our evaluation metrics were the proportion of terms rated as jargon, sensitivity, specificity, Fleiss κ for agreement among medical experts and among laypeople, and the Kendall rank correlation statistic between the medical experts and laypeople. We performed subgroup analyses by layperson characteristics. We fit a beta regression model with a logit link to examine the association between layperson characteristics and whether a term was classified as jargon. The average proportion of terms identified as jargon by the medical experts was 59% (1150/1950, 95% CI 56.1%-61.8%), and the average proportion of terms identified as jargon by the laypeople overall was 25.6% (22,480/87,750, 95% CI 25%-26.2%). There was good agreement among medical experts (Fleiss κ=0.781, 95% CI 0.753-0.809) and fair agreement among laypeople (Fleiss κ=0.590, 95% CI 0.589-0.591). The beta regression model had a pseudo-R2 of 0.071, indicating that demographic characteristics explained very little of the variability in the proportion of terms identified as jargon by laypeople. Using laypeople's identification of jargon as the gold standard, the medical experts had high sensitivity (91.7%, 95% CI 90.1%-93.3%) and specificity (88.2%, 95% CI 86%-90.5%) in identifying jargon terms. To ensure coverage of possible jargon terms, the medical experts were loose in selecting terms for inclusion. Fair agreement among laypersons shows that this is needed, as there is a variety of opinions among laypersons about what is considered jargon. We showed that medical experts could accurately identify jargon terms for annotation that would be useful for laypeople.

Enhancing spelling skills in dyslexic primary students: A comparative study of remedial and compensatory interventions in chennai

Learning to spell poses significant challenges for young learners with dyslexia, who often encounter difficulties with phonological awareness and orthographic processing. This study explores the effectiveness of a structured, two-stage intervention aimed at enhancing spelling skills among 25 primary school students in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, whose native language is Tamil. In the initial four-week phase, participants engaged in remedial activities focused on developing phonological and orthographic awareness, essential foundations for accurate spelling. This phase targeted the students’ ability to recognize sound patterns and understand letter-sound associations, providing a base for further learning. In the following sixteen-week phase, the intervention expanded to include compensatory strategies designed to reinforce initial learning and foster a more comprehensive understanding of spelling. This phase incorporated the multimodal learning, combining visual, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques, as well as task-oriented exercises, play-based activities, and gamified methods to make the learning process more engaging and enjoyable. These varied approaches aimed to enhance students’ spelling skills while maintaining their interest and motivation. The study’s findings demonstrated that both the remedial and compensatory interventions had a positive impact on students' spelling abilities. However, while the phonological and orthographic methods helped build essential skills, they required a longer duration to ensure retention beyond the intervention period. Conversely, the integrated, multimodal approach introduced in the second phase resulted in faster and more substantial improvements. This outcome highlights the benefits of a dynamic, interactive approach in supporting dyslexic learners who are acquiring English as a second language, promoting both skill acquisition and engagement.

PENERAPAN PENDEKATAN WHOLE LANGUAGE DALAM MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA DALAM TEKS BERBAHASA INGGRIS

One of the most influential fields in global communication is language. Language is a means of communication exchange that can cross between countries. Learning English is a subject that is considered difficult because English is not the mother tongue or national language used every day, this causes boredom. This type of research is conceptual research. By implementing the Whole Language approach, it is easier for students to read English texts. The aim of the research is to describe the application of the whole language approach in learning English. The results of this research are that the whole language approach in language learning is integrated or cannot be separated and each learning approach has advantages and disadvantages, including the whole language approach. However, this deficiency can certainly be overcome when educators can understand the components or how to apply a whole language approach.

Native American language rights in light of Lau: Overlapping policies and possibilities

ABSTRACT Using a sociocultural approach with Indigenous epistemology, we examine language policies related to Lau. We researched how Lau impacted Native language policies through the Sinajini v. Board of Education of San Juan School District. Native education rights are embedded in treaty rights. As such, Native students have unique statuses with political and racialized identities, both of which Lau references. Native students are also unique as heritage language learners, English language learners, and members of Tribal Nations. Although the Lau case was not intended for Native students, it has possibilities to strengthen the argument for Native heritage languages.

An Investigation on the Influence of Middle School Students' Grammar Learning Self-efficacy on Their Learning Performance

In middle school English teaching, grammar instruction has always been an important and challenging aspect. Due to the strong influence of grammar explanation in Chinese, learning English grammar may be affected by negative transfer from their native language, which could pose certain obstacles to English acquisition. Self-efficacy, as a major emotional factor influencing learners' internal regulation strategies, has attracted wide attention from researchers both domestically and internationally for its impact on learning performance. High self-efficacy helps learners develop a more positive mindset towards learning, thereby contributing to improved learning performance. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the relationship between grammatical self-efficacy and learning performance of English grammar among middle school students. This research contributes to a complementary understanding of grammatical self-efficacy among educators, enhancing their teaching skills, and effectively guiding students to learn English grammar with a more positive and healthy mindset, presenting a future grammar instruction in middle school English teaching.

Combining linguistic and non-linguistic expression in reading in the performative university

ABSTRACT This study investigates the complementarity between linguistic and non-linguistic modes of expression in reading in Higher Education and how this combination can counterbalance the accountability that characterises the measured university in current times. Participants are Argentine college students aged 21–22 at the time of data collection. They read a literary narrative text in Spanish about a culturally familiar theme – a regional Christmas celebration. The hypothesis that the native language and the familiar topic would facilitate cultural understanding was not confirmed. The case is innovative because cultural understanding is generally investigated using research instruments and measures of analysis that focus on memory and recall. By contrast, here participants completed a reading response task and a visual reformulation, which enabled the combination of linguistic and non-linguistic modes of expression – the latter not usually favoured by schools and universities. Content analysis shows the complexity and fluidity of cultural understanding in Higher Education even when students read about familiar cultural content in their native language. The article is of interest to educators and researchers involved with reading-mediated courses, activities and tasks in Higher Education. Implications for pedagogy are explored.