Pub Date : 2026-03-10DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101521
YouJin Kim, Caroline Payant, Stephen Skalicky, Yoon Namkung
Over the past decade, there has been growing use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) applications such as Duolingo. The effectiveness of MALL applications is thus of great interest among language acquisition researchers and practitioners. This study compared French language development among beginners in three learning conditions: Classroom-Only ( n = 58), Duolingo-Only ( n = 65), and Classroom + Duolingo ( n = 60). The Classroom-Only group completed a standard first-semester curriculum, the Classroom + Duolingo group used Duolingo as supplemental material, and the Duolingo-Only group learned exclusively through the app. All participants completed pretests and posttests measuring overall proficiency, grammar, vocabulary, pragmatics ( tu vs. vous ), and communicative competence over a 16-week period. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that all three groups showed significant improvement across nearly all measures between pretest and posttest, with similar magnitudes of improvement. The only exception was in learning tu vs. vous (pragmatic competence), where the Classroom + Duolingo group showed larger gains than Classroom-Only and Duolingo-Only groups. Results suggest that both traditional classroom instruction and Duolingo are comparably effective for beginning French language learners. Results are discussed in light of mobile app-based language learning with the potential role of learner characteristics.
{"title":"Comparing the effectiveness of Duolingo, Classroom instruction, and Classroom + Duolingo instruction conditions on beginner-level French language development","authors":"YouJin Kim, Caroline Payant, Stephen Skalicky, Yoon Namkung","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101521","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101521","url":null,"abstract":"Over the past decade, there has been growing use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) applications such as Duolingo. The effectiveness of MALL applications is thus of great interest among language acquisition researchers and practitioners. This study compared French language development among beginners in three learning conditions: Classroom-Only ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 58), Duolingo-Only ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 65), and Classroom + Duolingo ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 60). The Classroom-Only group completed a standard first-semester curriculum, the Classroom + Duolingo group used Duolingo as supplemental material, and the Duolingo-Only group learned exclusively through the app. All participants completed pretests and posttests measuring overall proficiency, grammar, vocabulary, pragmatics ( <jats:italic>tu</jats:italic> vs. <jats:italic>vous</jats:italic> ), and communicative competence over a 16-week period. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that all three groups showed significant improvement across nearly all measures between pretest and posttest, with similar magnitudes of improvement. The only exception was in learning <jats:italic>tu</jats:italic> vs. <jats:italic>vous</jats:italic> (pragmatic competence), where the Classroom + Duolingo group showed larger gains than Classroom-Only and Duolingo-Only groups. Results suggest that both traditional classroom instruction and Duolingo are comparably effective for beginning French language learners. Results are discussed in light of mobile app-based language learning with the potential role of learner characteristics.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147383466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-10DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101624
Ekaterina Sudina, Yazhuo Quan, Hande Ozdemir
Measurement invariance (MI) ensures that a given measure holds the same conceptual meaning for individuals from different groups and across multiple measurement occasions. Structural invariance (SI) is a logical extension of MI that examines whether relationships between latent constructs (e.g., structural paths within the model) hold equally across groups. To examine the status quo of MI and SI in second-language (L2) research, we systematically investigated the extent to which primary studies adhered to best practices in invariance testing and reporting. A total of 4,272 full-text records were screened, and 113 articles (116 independent samples; 147,856 participants) were included. The sample was fully double-coded to ensure accuracy and reliability. The results indicated alarming inconsistencies in how key invariance steps were implemented and reported. We offer empirically grounded recommendations for (a) improving methodological rigor of invariance assessments in the field and (b) contributing to more equitable and interpretable comparisons in multilingual settings.
{"title":"Measurement and structural invariance testing in L2 research: A methodological synthesis","authors":"Ekaterina Sudina, Yazhuo Quan, Hande Ozdemir","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101624","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101624","url":null,"abstract":"Measurement invariance (MI) ensures that a given measure holds the same conceptual meaning for individuals from different groups and across multiple measurement occasions. Structural invariance (SI) is a logical extension of MI that examines whether relationships between latent constructs (e.g., structural paths within the model) hold equally across groups. To examine the status quo of MI and SI in second-language (L2) research, we systematically investigated the extent to which primary studies adhered to best practices in invariance testing and reporting. A total of 4,272 full-text records were screened, and 113 articles (116 independent samples; 147,856 participants) were included. The sample was fully double-coded to ensure accuracy and reliability. The results indicated alarming inconsistencies in how key invariance steps were implemented and reported. We offer empirically grounded recommendations for (a) improving methodological rigor of invariance assessments in the field and (b) contributing to more equitable and interpretable comparisons in multilingual settings.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147383407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-25DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101600
Vahid Aryadoust, Yichen Jia
Regardless of whether one is analyzing quantitative data from research involving generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) or more classical methods, testing for normality remains a necessary step in statistical analysis. Although over 60 methods have been proposed for assessing univariate normality, previous systematic reviews show that normality testing remains underreported in L2 research. This paper addresses this gap by first reviewing the concept of normality and its role in parametric statistical inference. We then examine 12 normality assessment methods including five graphical and seven analytical methods selected based on their prominence in statistical literature and availability in commonly used software. Each method is explained in terms of its underlying mechanism and sensitivity to specific forms of nonnormality, such as skewness, tail heaviness, and multimodality. In the second part of the study, we review 237 empirical articles published between 2020 and 2025 in ten selected L2-focused Q1 journals, using AI-assisted annotation. Our findings reveal inconsistencies in how graphical tests are reported, a tendency to rely on tests such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov without explicit attention to sample size constraints, and limited justification provided for critical values of skewness and kurtosis. These results indicate some divergence between recommended statistical practices and the procedures for normality testing reported in the L2 publications examined. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for selecting and interpreting normality tests in L2 research contexts.
{"title":"Univariate normality checking practices in L2 research: An AI-assisted systematic review","authors":"Vahid Aryadoust, Yichen Jia","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101600","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101600","url":null,"abstract":"Regardless of whether one is analyzing quantitative data from research involving generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) or more classical methods, testing for normality remains a necessary step in statistical analysis. Although over 60 methods have been proposed for assessing univariate normality, previous systematic reviews show that normality testing remains underreported in L2 research. This paper addresses this gap by first reviewing the concept of normality and its role in parametric statistical inference. We then examine 12 normality assessment methods including five graphical and seven analytical methods selected based on their prominence in statistical literature and availability in commonly used software. Each method is explained in terms of its underlying mechanism and sensitivity to specific forms of nonnormality, such as skewness, tail heaviness, and multimodality. In the second part of the study, we review 237 empirical articles published between 2020 and 2025 in ten selected L2-focused Q1 journals, using AI-assisted annotation. Our findings reveal inconsistencies in how graphical tests are reported, a tendency to rely on tests such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov without explicit attention to sample size constraints, and limited justification provided for critical values of skewness and kurtosis. These results indicate some divergence between recommended statistical practices and the procedures for normality testing reported in the L2 publications examined. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for selecting and interpreting normality tests in L2 research contexts.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"342 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147278874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101594
Caitlin Cornell, Robert Alan Randez
In this commentary contextualizing the complexities at the nexus of disability and applied linguistics (AL), the authors highlight the paucity of conscientious attention to disabled populations in AL research, explore the intricacies of choosing appropriate terminology to describe disability and disabled people, challenge scholars in the field to reflect on and make explicit their emic or etic positionality vis-à-vis disability in their research, and call researchers to consider researching with , rather than merely about , disabled second language learners. The authors (a) illustrate how a collection of emergent research studies illuminates critical considerations at this underresearched interdisciplinary intersection in the field, and (b) demonstrate, via example studies in other areas of AL, how scholars may choose to center the disabled second-language learning experience rather than relegate it to the far corners of the field.
{"title":"Disability and second language learning: Implications for interdisciplinary research in applied linguistics","authors":"Caitlin Cornell, Robert Alan Randez","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101594","url":null,"abstract":"In this commentary contextualizing the complexities at the nexus of disability and applied linguistics (AL), the authors highlight the paucity of conscientious attention to disabled populations in AL research, explore the intricacies of choosing appropriate terminology to describe disability and disabled people, challenge scholars in the field to reflect on and make explicit their emic or etic positionality vis-à-vis disability in their research, and call researchers to consider researching <jats:italic>with</jats:italic> , rather than merely <jats:italic>about</jats:italic> , disabled second language learners. The authors (a) illustrate how a collection of emergent research studies illuminates critical considerations at this underresearched interdisciplinary intersection in the field, and (b) demonstrate, via example studies in other areas of AL, how scholars may choose to center the disabled second-language learning experience rather than relegate it to the far corners of the field.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"333 1","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146261162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-18DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101570
Vanessa De Wilde
The present study investigated how initial proficiency impacted development in adolescent learners’ L2 speaking. The study reports on a longitudinal study with dense measurements with twelve adolescent L2 English learners. The participants were tested every week throughout their first year of secondary school (30 datapoints). The participants’ learning trajectory was modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). Results showed large differences in development between various lexical and syntactic measures and between individual learners. The learners’ initial proficiency had a significant impact on their development. Overall, more periods of growth were observed in lexical measures than in syntactic measures. In line with previous results, some stabilization was observed once learners reached a certain proficiency level, but this stabilization was dependent on task type. Closed tasks lead to a ceiling effect in some measures, whereas more open tasks give learners from various proficiency levels opportunities to demonstrate their L2 English speaking skills.
{"title":"The role of initial proficiency in L2 English speaking development of adolescent learners","authors":"Vanessa De Wilde","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101570","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101570","url":null,"abstract":"The present study investigated how initial proficiency impacted development in adolescent learners’ L2 speaking. The study reports on a longitudinal study with dense measurements with twelve adolescent L2 English learners. The participants were tested every week throughout their first year of secondary school (30 datapoints). The participants’ learning trajectory was modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). Results showed large differences in development between various lexical and syntactic measures and between individual learners. The learners’ initial proficiency had a significant impact on their development. Overall, more periods of growth were observed in lexical measures than in syntactic measures. In line with previous results, some stabilization was observed once learners reached a certain proficiency level, but this stabilization was dependent on task type. Closed tasks lead to a ceiling effect in some measures, whereas more open tasks give learners from various proficiency levels opportunities to demonstrate their L2 English speaking skills.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"107 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146215715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-18DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101612
Dru Sutton, Stuart Webb
This meta-analysis investigates the contributions of viewing audiovisual input on second language (L2) learning. We calculated 75 effect sizes from 56 experiments ( n = 1954) and assessed the effects of audiovisual input on language learning using a within-group (pre-post) meta-analytic approach. Fifteen moderator variables were included in the analysis. Results showed that a) there was a small effect of audiovisual input on L2 learning ( g = .89); b) no differences were found between the effects of viewing audiovisual input on different areas of L2 learning (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, speaking, listening proficiency); and c) video category had a significant impact on L2 learning with entertainment-focused videos (e.g., TV series, movies, and mixed videos) yielding lower effects than educational videos (e.g., TED Talks, documentaries, and language-focused).
{"title":"The effects of audiovisual input on second language learning A meta-analysis","authors":"Dru Sutton, Stuart Webb","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101612","url":null,"abstract":"This meta-analysis investigates the contributions of viewing audiovisual input on second language (L2) learning. We calculated 75 effect sizes from 56 experiments ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 1954) and assessed the effects of audiovisual input on language learning using a within-group (pre-post) meta-analytic approach. Fifteen moderator variables were included in the analysis. Results showed that a) there was a small effect of audiovisual input on L2 learning ( <jats:italic>g</jats:italic> = .89); b) no differences were found between the effects of viewing audiovisual input on different areas of L2 learning (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, speaking, listening proficiency); and c) video category had a significant impact on L2 learning with entertainment-focused videos (e.g., TV series, movies, and mixed videos) yielding lower effects than educational videos (e.g., TED Talks, documentaries, and language-focused).","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"73 1","pages":"1-25"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146261161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-12DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101569
Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Yo In’nami, Phil Hiver
Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a powerful and flexible modeling framework for testing complex relationships among observed and latent variables. However, its methodological complexity and analytical flexibility also increase the risk of questionable research practices (QRPs), especially in fields like applied linguistics, where training in advanced statistics may be limited. This article synthesizes the literature on QRPs and applies it to SEM by identifying seven categories of problematic practices: not checking assumptions, not validating a measurement model, not testing competing models, not sufficiently justifying modeling decisions, relying on post hoc model modification, overemphasizing global fit indices, and incomplete or nontransparent reporting. Each practice is described with examples and linked to broader issues in research ethics and transparency. The paper concludes with concrete recommendations for improving the credibility and reproducibility of SEM research, emphasizing the integration of best practices with the principles of open science.
{"title":"Fit-hacking: Questionable research practices in structural equation modeling","authors":"Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Yo In’nami, Phil Hiver","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101569","url":null,"abstract":"Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a powerful and flexible modeling framework for testing complex relationships among observed and latent variables. However, its methodological complexity and analytical flexibility also increase the risk of questionable research practices (QRPs), especially in fields like applied linguistics, where training in advanced statistics may be limited. This article synthesizes the literature on QRPs and applies it to SEM by identifying seven categories of problematic practices: not checking assumptions, not validating a measurement model, not testing competing models, not sufficiently justifying modeling decisions, relying on post hoc model modification, overemphasizing global fit indices, and incomplete or nontransparent reporting. Each practice is described with examples and linked to broader issues in research ethics and transparency. The paper concludes with concrete recommendations for improving the credibility and reproducibility of SEM research, emphasizing the integration of best practices with the principles of open science.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"abs/2301.03111 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146160328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-11DOI: 10.1017/s0272263126101582
Taichi Yamashita
Second language (L2) pronunciation research has measured speech comprehensibility by asking listeners to assess L2 learners’ speaking performance with rating scales. While some studies have provided validity evidence for these rating scales, few studies have examined the extent to which those scales effectively distinguish among L2 speakers. To fill this gap, the present study examines the 9-point scale used in Saito et al. (2020: Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 40 , 9–25.) and the 100-point scale in Huensch and Nagle (2023: Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 45 (2), 571–585.) from a Rasch measurement perspective and showcases post hoc score category collapsing as a potential countermeasure against suboptimal rating scale functioning. Findings suggested that different score categories represented the same ability level and were therefore interchangeable. Collapsing these score categories yielded shorter but more functional scales without compromising the psychometric qualities of the original scales. These findings suggest that researchers need to empirically refine their scale lengths rather than uncritically following their conventional measurement practices.
{"title":"Post hoc score category collapsing for L2 pronunciation research","authors":"Taichi Yamashita","doi":"10.1017/s0272263126101582","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263126101582","url":null,"abstract":"Second language (L2) pronunciation research has measured speech comprehensibility by asking listeners to assess L2 learners’ speaking performance with rating scales. While some studies have provided validity evidence for these rating scales, few studies have examined the extent to which those scales effectively distinguish among L2 speakers. To fill this gap, the present study examines the 9-point scale used in Saito et al. (2020: <jats:italic>Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 40</jats:italic> , 9–25.) and the 100-point scale in Huensch and Nagle (2023: <jats:italic>Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 45</jats:italic> (2), 571–585.) from a Rasch measurement perspective and showcases post hoc score category collapsing as a potential countermeasure against suboptimal rating scale functioning. Findings suggested that different score categories represented the same ability level and were therefore interchangeable. Collapsing these score categories yielded shorter but more functional scales without compromising the psychometric qualities of the original scales. These findings suggest that researchers need to empirically refine their scale lengths rather than uncritically following their conventional measurement practices.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146153482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1017/s0272263125101459
Yuxin Ge, Susana Correia, João Dinis Fernandes, Kirsty Hanson, Anabela Rato, Patrick Rebuschat
Recent research has shown that adult learners can rapidly acquire novel words of a foreign language by tracking cross-situational statistics, but learning is substantially reduced when the target words are phonologically similar and contain non-native contrasts. We expand on this research by investigating whether perceptual discrimination training on non-native target contrasts facilitates cross-situational learning of new words (CSWL). Our design combines perceptual training and CSWL to test the transfer of perceptual gains to lexical learning—an approach that integrates methods from L2 speech and statistical learning. In two studies, we tested English-native and Portuguese-native speakers’ learning of 24 Portuguese pseudowords via a CSWL task. In Study 1, we examined baseline learning in both language groups without prior training. In Study 2, English-native speakers were assigned to one of three conditions: phonetic training with an AX discrimination task, phonetic training with an oddity discrimination task, or no phonetic training prior to the CSWL task. Results confirmed that adults can learn non-native words from cross-situational statistics, and that phonological overlap between words decreases learning. Perceptual training improved the discrimination of target contrasts, but this did not transfer to statistical learning of words that contain these contrasts. These findings suggest that phonetic training alone may not be sufficient for vocabulary acquisition, suggesting the need for instructional approaches that integrate phonetic training with more explicit teaching methods or meaning-based practice.
{"title":"Does phonetic training benefit word learning?","authors":"Yuxin Ge, Susana Correia, João Dinis Fernandes, Kirsty Hanson, Anabela Rato, Patrick Rebuschat","doi":"10.1017/s0272263125101459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263125101459","url":null,"abstract":"Recent research has shown that adult learners can rapidly acquire novel words of a foreign language by tracking cross-situational statistics, but learning is substantially reduced when the target words are phonologically similar and contain non-native contrasts. We expand on this research by investigating whether perceptual discrimination training on non-native target contrasts facilitates cross-situational learning of new words (CSWL). Our design combines perceptual training and CSWL to test the transfer of perceptual gains to lexical learning—an approach that integrates methods from L2 speech and statistical learning. In two studies, we tested English-native and Portuguese-native speakers’ learning of 24 Portuguese pseudowords via a CSWL task. In Study 1, we examined baseline learning in both language groups without prior training. In Study 2, English-native speakers were assigned to one of three conditions: phonetic training with an AX discrimination task, phonetic training with an oddity discrimination task, or no phonetic training prior to the CSWL task. Results confirmed that adults can learn non-native words from cross-situational statistics, and that phonological overlap between words decreases learning. Perceptual training improved the discrimination of target contrasts, but this did not transfer to statistical learning of words that contain these contrasts. These findings suggest that phonetic training alone may not be sufficient for vocabulary acquisition, suggesting the need for instructional approaches that integrate phonetic training with more explicit teaching methods or meaning-based practice.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1017/s0272263125101514
Louise Hannah Shepperd, Sam Hellmuth, Leah Roberts
Many adults learn languages with written forms that differ from their first language(s). Empirical research has demonstrated the influential role of written input on developing L2 phonology. However, existing studies are limited by (1) focusing on learning languages that share the same orthographic script, predominantly the Latin alphabet, (2) small sample sizes, and (3) limited consideration of L2 proficiency. This study investigated the influence of Arabic and English written input when lexically encoding the difficult /f-v/ phonological contrast for L1 Arabic-speaking learners of L2 English. A word learning study was completed by 114 L1 Arabic speakers, with varying English proficiency, and 117 L1 English-speaking controls. Mixed-effects modeling of L1 Arabic accuracy revealed an inhibitory effect of any written input when learning words differing by the difficult contrast. Performance improved with increasing L2 proficiency; however, the inhibitory effect of written input for words differing by /f-v/ persisted into high levels of L2 proficiency.
{"title":"Written input and the encoding of L2 phonological contrasts: L1 Arabic learners of L2 English","authors":"Louise Hannah Shepperd, Sam Hellmuth, Leah Roberts","doi":"10.1017/s0272263125101514","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263125101514","url":null,"abstract":"Many adults learn languages with written forms that differ from their first language(s). Empirical research has demonstrated the influential role of written input on developing L2 phonology. However, existing studies are limited by (1) focusing on learning languages that share the same orthographic script, predominantly the Latin alphabet, (2) small sample sizes, and (3) limited consideration of L2 proficiency. This study investigated the influence of Arabic and English written input when lexically encoding the difficult /f-v/ phonological contrast for L1 Arabic-speaking learners of L2 English. A word learning study was completed by 114 L1 Arabic speakers, with varying English proficiency, and 117 L1 English-speaking controls. Mixed-effects modeling of L1 Arabic accuracy revealed an inhibitory effect of any written input when learning words differing by the difficult contrast. Performance improved with increasing L2 proficiency; however, the inhibitory effect of written input for words differing by /f-v/ persisted into high levels of L2 proficiency.","PeriodicalId":22008,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Second Language Acquisition","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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