Language Learning Theories Research Articles

Tashmiimu As’ilati at-Taqyiimi Lita’liimi al-Lughati al-Arabiyati a’la Asasi adz-Dzakaati al-Mutaaddidati

This research aims to design evaluation questions for Arabic language learning based on multiple intelligences. The research methodology employed is qualitative descriptive with a literature study approach. Data collection is conducted through documentation by analyzing relevant literature, references, and sources related to Arabic language learning and multiple intelligences theory. The data analysis results indicate that for linguistic intelligence, independent tasks can be used as the form of evaluation questions. In the context of kinesthetic intelligence, project-based tasks such as Arabic language dramas can be utilized. For musical intelligence, students can be asked to create children's songs using Arabic vocabulary. Regarding intrapersonal intelligence, group work methods such as the jigsaw method can be employed as the form of evaluation questions. In conclusion, by considering multiple intelligences in evaluating Arabic language learning, teachers can provide equal opportunities for all students to showcase their intelligence in Arabic language acquisition.

The development of tone discrimination in infancy: Evidence from a cross-linguistic, multi-lab report.

We report the findings of a multi-language and multi-lab investigation of young infants' ability to discriminate lexical tones as a function of their native language, age and language experience, as well as of tone properties. Given the high prevalence of lexical tones across human languages, understanding lexical tone acquisition is fundamental for comprehensive theories of language learning. While there are some similarities between the developmental course of lexical tone perception and that of vowels and consonants, findings for lexical tones tend to vary greatly across different laboratories. To reconcile these differences and to assess the developmental trajectory of native and non-native perception of tone contrasts, this study employed a single experimental paradigm with the same two pairs of Cantonese tone contrasts (perceptually similar vs. distinct) across 13 laboratories in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North-America testing 5-, 10- and 17-month-old monolingual (tone, pitch-accent, non-tone) and bilingual (tone/non-tone, non-tone/non-tone) infants. Across the age range and language backgrounds, infants who were not exposed to Cantonese showed robust discrimination of the two non-native lexical tone contrasts. Contrary to this overall finding, the statistical model assessing native discrimination by Cantonese-learning infants failed to yield significant effects. These findings indicate that lexical tone sensitivity is maintained from 5 to 17 months in infants acquiring tone and non-tone languages, challenging the generalisability of the existing theoretical accounts of perceptual narrowing in the first months of life. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This is a multi-language and multi-lab investigation of young infants' ability to discriminate lexical tones. This study included data from 13 laboratories testing 5-, 10-, and 17-month-old monolingual (tone, pitch-accent, non-tone) and bilingual (tone/non-tone, non-tone/non-tone) infants. Overall, infants discriminated a perceptually similar and a distinct non-native tone contrast, although there was no evidence of a native tone-language advantage in discrimination. These results demonstrate maintenance of tone discrimination throughout development.

Optimizing Foreign Language Learning in Virtual Reality: A Comprehensive Theoretical Framework Based on Constructivism and Cognitive Load Theory (VR-CCL)

With the widespread application of virtual reality (VR) in education, optimizing foreign language learning in VR has become a focal point of research. This paper introduces a comprehensive theoretical framework (VR-CCL) based on constructivism and cognitive load theory to enhance foreign language learning in VR. Through a literature review, we explore the applications of VR in education, foreign language learning theories, and prior works on technology-assisted language learning. We further detail the three main components of the VR-CCL framework and validate its effectiveness through two case studies: Duolingo VR and Rosetta Stone VR. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limitations of the framework and its implications for educators and developers.

EFL Students' Language Learning Strategies at Argumentative Writing Class at UNIROW Tuban

The focus of this research is on EFL students’ language learning strategies used in Argumentative Writing class at UNIROW Tuban. It sought to determine the students’ most frequent language learning strategies and the strategies’ distinctions between students, both male and female. The descriptive qualitative was employed as the design of research for this study. The study's participants are 15 EFL students enrolled in Argumentative Writing class from English Language Education department undergraduate program of UNIROW Tuban. The questionnaire and interview data were qualitatively examined using Oxford's (1990) theories of language learning. It was identified that there were six kinds of language learning strategies used by the students, namely memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies. The findings showed that in the Argumentative Writing class, both genders of students most frequently employed cognitive strategies (30,1%). Additionally, it was discovered that female students (23,5%) employed more varied language learning strategies than male students (22,5%). The cognitive strategies appear to be the finest support strategies employed in Argumentative Writing class that can overcome students' writing limitations.

Retrospective on ESP Courses in the Global English Era

With the rise of the medical tourism industry in Taiwan and changes in the country's population structure, nurses are facing greater challenges than ever before. Both professional knowledge and English proficiency are indispensable. Various types of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses have emerged to assist healthcare professionals to build their English abilities and cope with the changing demands of their profession. However, related research indicates that the deficient state of English communication skills among nurses in Taiwan may hinder the country's ability to effectively promote medical internationalization and handle ongoing changes in its population structure. To effectively face this predicament, educators must re-examine the current design of ESP courses. Therefore, this article was developed to explore ESP courses from the three perspectives of language descriptions, needs analysis, and learning theories. Furthermore, the concepts and research related to these three perspectives, including the nurse-patient relationship, community of practice, situated learning, and English as a medium of instruction, were reviewed. Some insights into how these concepts may be applied to ESP courses are also proposed with the goals of better incorporating the needs of learners into course designs and placing learners at the center of language learning.

Impacts of Emotional Intelligence on Second Language Acquisition: English-Major Students’ Perspectives

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a critical role in English learning, as it fosters a better understanding of language nuances, enhances learner motivation, and improves communication skills, thereby leading to a more effective and enriching learning experience. However, the impact of EI on English language acquisition among Vietnamese learners remains underexplored creating a gap in educational studies. This study aimed to investigate the Vietnamese students’ perspectives of the impacts of EI on their second language acquisition (SLA). A mixed-methods approach was employed combining quantitative data collected through a questionnaire and qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews. The study involved 105 English-major students selected through convenience sampling. The findings revealed a positive correlation between EI and SLA, with characteristics such as motivation, self-confidence, interpersonal skills, a goal-oriented mindset, and emotional openness significantly impacting language learning outcomes. These findings have implications for language learning theory, pedagogy, and curriculum development, emphasizing the need to address learners’ emotional well-being and incorporate EI skills within language learning contexts. By integrating these elements, educators can create a conducive learning environment that enhances both linguistic and emotional competencies.

Enhancing Motivation and Developing Positive Attitudes in an ESP Context

ESP has been enriched by many theoretical inputs, but ESP itself does not have any universally accepted theory. From primary to tertiary, second/ foreign language English teaching/ learning depends on the motivation and attitude toward the target language. The present article outlines the theoretical foundation of an English for Specific Purpose (ESP) writing course, which was designed, implemented and assessed to enhance the proficiency of English writing skills of engineering students in six colleges under MAKAUT in West Bengal. India tops the world in terms of the number of engineering students and colleges. To meet engineering students' academic and workplace writing needs, the most important requirement is a writing course. Implementing the ESP course required multi-dimensional theoretical considerations drawn from areas like ESP, needs analysis, theories of language and language learning, syllabus design, motivation and attitude, and writing as a language skill. In this study, the theoretical underpinnings applied in classroom teaching related to enhancing motivation and improving attitude are discussed. The difference in the mean, median and mode scores with regards to pre and post writing tests and highly positive student feedback on materials, methodology, techniques, and sub components of writing skill indicated a significant improvement and established the efficacy of such an eclectic approach, which can be used in subsequent ESP course designs.

The Comprehensive Instructional Language Learning Model: Exploring its Feasibility and Characteristics

The necessity for a comprehensive theoretical framework is underscored, given that current theories, such as behaviorism, cognitivism, or constructivism, concentrate on distinct facets of language learning. Scholars contend that language learning and teaching necessitate a comprehensive theoretical framework. The theory under consideration is characterized as possessing descriptive, instructional, and evaluative qualities, thereby offering a pragmatic framework for practitioners in English language teaching. This article introduces a comprehensive theoretical framework for language learning that seeks to encompass all the elements inherent in language learning, namely cross-linguistic applicability, psychological adequacy, contextual variables, and a comprehensive and cooperative learning process that is initiated with input, followed by competency building, and ends with engagement. The theory is expounded upon through the utilization of the Evaluative Matrix of a Comprehensive Instructional Language Learning Theory (EMCILLT), which evaluates the various aspects of the teaching-learning experience, utilizing Grice’s maxims (1975) quantity, quality, manner, and relevance. This comprehensive model that encompasses all the aspects of the learning process serves as a basis for comprehending and delineating the intricate nature of language learning. Moreover, it assists teachers in engaging in self-evaluation of their instructional strategies and practices and/or in evaluating methods, approaches, and techniques to enhance the overall teaching-learning experience.

Self-regulated Learning and Second Language Writing: Fostering Strategic Language Learners (Book Review)

Over the past 40 years, experts in the field of educational psychology have conducted extensive research on self-regulated learning (SRL) as a learning theory. The theory of SRL refers to a learner’s ability to understand and control their learning environment through goal setting, self-monitoring, self-instruction, and self-reinforcement in order to succeed in their studies (Schraw et al., 2006). Teachers who understand the application of self-regulated learning strategies may help their students gain important insight for transferring knowledge, skills, and abilities from one field to another. Furthermore, it helps the students prepare for lifelong learning and become autonomous learners. In her recent book Self-regulated Learning and Second Language Writing: Fostering Strategic Language Learners, Lin Sophie Teng explains the principles of using SRL theory in language learning, specifically through the application of SRL to students in a second language (L2) writing class. The book offers valuable knowledge for teachers to understand how to foster integrated strategies of SRL and language learning strategies in all of their students to succeed in language learning. [First paragraph]

Do Online Courses Change Teachers’ Beliefs? A Study of Omani Teacher-trainees’ Beliefs in Second Language Acquisition

Teachers’ beliefs on language learning play a pivotal role in teachers’ classroom practices and are thought to be stable. This article aims to show the change in the teacher-trainees’ beliefs after taking an online second language acquisition (SLA) course as opposed to the traditional face-to-face SLA course from previous studies. The participants are sixteen teacher-trainees from a rural university in Oman. All participants attended a 16-week online SLA course. The data was captured by juxtaposing pre-course and post-course questionnaires. The results show that teachers’ beliefs on language learning theories, language policies, and classroom practices present a change, whereas teachers’ beliefs on error correction are resistant to change. Furthermore, teacher-trainees with some teaching experience reported dramatic changes in their beliefs regarding classroom practices. This study provides preliminary evidence that semester-long online courses may affect teachers’ beliefs.

Enhancing Reading Abilities: Exploring the Interrelationships among Speed, Critical, and Creative Reading through Classroom-Based Action Research

When students have good level of speed, critical and creative reading abilities, they will easily understand scientific knowledge and able to understand big volume of reading sources. However, most of teaching reading are dominated with conventional methods emphasizing on reading with question-and-answer. For the reasons, this study explores how do reading skills for speed, critical, and creative interrelate to one another, what specific techniques can be applied to enhance the level of students’ speed, critical, and creative reading abilities, and how were the three readings skills interrelation and connected to Foreign Language Learning theories. The research design was classroom action research with the participants of 35 students from English Literature Study Program. Two types of data: quantitative and qualitative were gained by using test and non-test. They were analysed descriptively by using interactive data analysis consisting of reduction, presentation, and verification. The data showed that students’ speed, critical, and creative reading abilities were still under standard but after the treatments, they made improvement. Their speed, critical and creative reading abilities reached standard scores. There is interrelation among speed, critical, and creative reading abilities. While integrating them in the reading class, students’ level of reading skills enhanced. They could employ speed-reading strategies to quickly comprehend the texts before engaging in critical and creative reading. In critical reading, students could optimize their ability in questioning, problematizing and not passively follow the information given by the authors. Yet, students can read the text by optimizing their imagination in understanding the text information.

English first additional language learning and teaching with digital resources

This paper investigates the learning and teaching of English as a first additional Language (EFAL) using digital resources. It was a qualitative study conducted in a Grade 10 township classroom in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data were collected through observation of a traditional classroom, a computer laboratory and a media room. In addition, using semi-structured interviews, an EFAL teacher, the head of department for languages and the school principal, were interviewed. The research aimed to understand whether the pedagogical digital literacy practices and the use of digital resources enhance the learning of EFAL. In South Africa, English is the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) for the majority of learners that are non-English speakers. Through the lens of computer assisted language learning (CALL) theory and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), this article argues that the integration of technology helps teachers to deliver the EFAL content in a flexible and enhanced way. The findings reveal that teachers who teach in impoverished backgrounds and in other languages need to be equipped with digital literacy skills. These skills will address the challenges of literacy currently faced by the country. In conclusion, the amalgamation of an e-education policy with the ...

Enhancing English Language Proficiency: Strategies For Improving Student Skills

English language proficiency is a critical skill for academic success, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse students. This article aims to provide educators with effective strategies to assist these students in developing the literacy skills necessary for academic success. The problem is that English language learners (ELLs) have particular educational needs that require specialized teaching approaches. The purpose of this article is to provide educators with effective strategies to assist ELLs in developing literacy skills crucial for academic success. The Qualitative method used is a review of literature, including theories of language acquisition and learning, differences in social and academic language, and effective English language learning strategies employed by successful language learners. The participants of this study were Thirty Students in one of the senior high schools in Lombok Timur. The results of this review include six essential strategies for teaching ELLs, including cultivating relationships and being culturally responsive, teaching language skills across the curriculum, using real objects to illustrate concepts, role-playing or pantomiming, pointing to pictures, and employing total physical response.

Bias Gender on Language Learning

The diversity in the process of learning language is wonderful, especially the diversity between males and female student on their understanding in learning English as foreign language which is relate to their language learning competence. In this case the language learning abilities are biased by gender which affected their learning output. Hypothetically, there must be relations between the gender identity and learning ability toward English learning output. To verify the hypothesis, the authors begin with the formulation of collective data collection that collected from the student`s English written text products from the secondary school which targeted high school students, then the data will be analyzed with systemic functional linguistics and feminist stylistics approach to understand the gender bias on the texts construction and to investigating the structural choice of language. The data analysis also elaborates with language learning theory to support the evidence and to verify the hypothesis. This research is designed for the development of language learning especially in English as foreign language. The development is addressed the future researchers and language teachers to develop the theory and to arrange the language learning strategies for better future of language education.

Complexity, accuracy, and fluency improvements through massively multiplayer online gaming: a longitudinal mixed-methods case study

ABSTRACT Many English as a foreign language (EFL) learners worldwide spend hours playing commercial-off-the-shelf massively multiplayer online games. They engage in a multitude of different interactions with the game environment and possibly with other gamers, using English as the predominant medium of communication. This raises the question of whether playing such games improves these learners’/gamers’ speaking performance over time. Drawing on usage-based theories of language learning, this longitudinal mixed-methods case study addressed this question by measuring six EFL gamers’ speaking performance in terms of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) over the course of six months, and exploring their perceptions relating to the gaming environment and their language learning. The participants played in two teams: Team 1 with low-intermediate and Team 2 with high-intermediate proficiency. Each team comprised three EFL gamers and a native English speaker. Overall, the results appeared positive for the EFL gamers on both teams but in different ways. Their speaking performance showed improvements in 50% of the CAF indices. These results are discussed in light of the gamers’ perceptions about the dynamics of in-game communication, the game’s socio-affective environment, and the development of their speaking performance.

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and multiple intelligences theory: Curricular design in vocational formation in Spain

This study aims to design a class proposal to improve student motivation in English as a foreign language in vocational formation in Spain through computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and gamification. Our main objective is to ensure that through this project, they not only gain a series of new tools, but that they can also learn both specific contents of the target subject: English as a foreign language in vocational formation in Spain. For this last objective, the use of multiple intelligences (MIs) in teaching can serve to destigmatize atypical intelligences. Atypical intelligences are understood as profiles that have historically stood out less in classic intelligence tests, which mainly measure logical-mathematical intelligence. This is because of the strong presence of this type of test throughout the 20th century and early 21st century that culturally more value has been given to individuals who stood out in types of intelligence like those rewarded by these IQ tests. Gardner (2011) noted the problem of putting the education system and MIs on the same plane: the fact that the education system primarily rewards linguistic and logical-mathematical skills, leaving the others in the background. As far as gamification is concerned, we could say that it is apparent that teaching-learning processes benefit from elements common to games, such as rewards, incentives, and social and individual reinforcement.

Guided by theory? An investigation of teachers’ beliefs about TELL and CALL at a university in Japan

Before the 2019 COVID pandemic, universities in Japan had been slow to transition from paper-based to digital methods and materials. In addition, the most applicable theories for teaching and learning languages with digital technologies had not been considered deeply by many university teachers, and their beliefs about these theories had not been thoroughly investigated. This paper presents an investigation of the theoretical beliefs of English teachers at a university in Japan. It evaluates the extent to which these beliefs are in accordance with established theories of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Technology Enhanced Language Learning (TELL). The investigation shows that English teachers at Japanese universities are guided by established theories of CALL and TELL to some extent, but such theoretical considerations are constrained by more pragmatic ones. Although teachers do not necessarily perceive there to be a significant difference between theories of traditional and digital language teaching and learning, there may be a need to reassess the theoretical underpinnings of traditional language teaching methodologies in the post-COVID word of hybrid and blended education.

Applying DBR to design protocols for synchronous online Chinese learning: An activity theoretic perspective

While research on synchronous online language learning has increased rapidly over the past twenty years, little attention has been given to the design, implementation, and interactions associated with the synchronous online Chinese learning environment and students' learning experiences. To fill this research gap, this study applies a design-based research (DBR) method to design, implement, evaluate, revise, and redesign protocols iteratively from an activity theory perspective. During three iterations, multiple qualitative data sources were collected to explore the influences of protocols on the experiences of an instructor and 12 students in a synchronous online Chinese course. The study reveals seven major modifications made during the development of the protocols with regard to the tasks of presenters and commentators (division of labor); time, the sequence of speeches, the submission of notes, and the use of videos (rules); and communication methods and network testing requirements (tools). These findings are used to shape the final protocol and improve its effectiveness for students' learning experiences. In addition, the process shows how the elements of activity theory dynamically mediate learning. The present study emphasizes a set of contextualized design, implementation, and evaluation experiences that contribute to synchronous online language learning, protocol pedagogy, and activity theory.

On the Educational Theory and Application of Mobile-assisted Language Learning and Independent Learning in College English Teaching

Globally, educational psychology and theory have advanced the knowledge of various ways college students learn and retain information. Low academic performance in college education is directly attributed to learning disabilities. Using the underlying mechanism of mobile-assisted language learning, the present study explored how self-monitoring impacted self-management, as well as beliefs about language learning skills. The present study hypothesized that college students' beliefs about the problems associated with mobile phones to learn a language serve as a moderator in the relationship between self-management and beliefs about how their language skills are improving. Furthermore, this study investigated the role of self-management as a mediator in the relationship between self-monitoring and beliefs about mobile-assisted language skills. The data was gathered from 329 college students in the Chinese city of Shanghai. The PLS-based SEM results highlighted a direct relationship between self-monitoring and self-management, during mobile-assisted language learning in college English teaching. The findings also confirmed the underlying role of college students' beliefs on the issues associated with using mobile phones to learn a second language. Importantly, the findings highlighted the implications of the widely expanding mobile-assisted language learning in the education industry.

Toward Blended Language Learning Frameworks

Over the past decades, but particularly as a response to the global pandemic, online language technologies have made blended approaches increasingly practical for the language learning classroom. Despite the growing interest in blended learning generally, research has shown an overemphasis on comparative studies (Goertler, 2019), and left the field with a lack of summative research in blended language learning (BLL). For this article, therefore, we reviewed 208 peer-reviewed studies on BLL to identify predominant scholarly trends, including gaps in the literature, and to encourage further investigation in targeted areas. We specifically advocate for scholarship that addresses language proficiency outcomes, connects the domains of language learning theory and blended instruction, and centers on design-based aims. We invite educators within blended education, foreign language acquisition, and other relevant fields to work collaboratively across disciplines, using our review as a springboard to develop a more complete BLL design framework to better use the affordances of technology to advance BLL.