International Journal of Applied Linguistics最新文献

This study explores the potential of data-driven learning (DDL) as a complement to traditional coursebooks for multilingual learners of French as a foreign language. Motivated by the need to address insufficiencies in coursebooks, such as oversimplified and misrepresented grammar rules, the study aims to examine how DDL facilitates the learning of French, focusing on adjective placement. To investigate this, the study employed a mixed-methods experimental design incorporating corpus analyses to inform DDL materials, as well as pre-, post-, and delayed post-tests, questionnaires, focus group interviews, and field recordings. Findings indicate that while DDL and traditional instruction yielded comparable short-term outcomes, DDL enhanced long-term retention, critical thinking, and learner autonomy. By exposing learners to authentic language data, DDL heightened awareness of linguistic gradience and variability, supporting its role as a valuable complement to coursebooks in foreign language education.

This study explores the relationship between L2 self-guides and the affective, continuance, and normative professional commitment of 98 pre-service English teachers in China. The multiple regression results reveal that the ought L2 self/own significantly predicted each of the three dimensions of professional commitment, indicating that internalized responsibilities that develop during language learning play a crucial role in fostering persistence, obligation, and emotional attachment to teaching in this context. The ought L2 self/other negatively predicted affective commitment, suggesting that external pressures may hinder emotional alignment with the profession. The ideal L2 selves did not significantly predict commitment, implying that the participants’ professional dedication may rely more on perceived obligations than aspirational goals. The findings highlight the enduring influence of language learning experiences in shaping pre-service language teachers’ professional dedication and yield implications for understanding the developmental pathways of professional commitment in language teacher education.

An increasing body of research has investigated the role of enjoyment in second language acquisition (SLA); however, few studies have explored whether learners of Chinese as a second/foreign language (CS/FL) experience enjoyment in learning Hanzi (Chinese characters) and how enjoyment impacts Hanzi recognition performance. To address this gap, a Hanzi Learning Enjoyment Scale was developed and administered to 446 Arabic CS/FL learners, 144 of whom also completed a Hanzi recognition test. Two key findings emerged. First, the results of factor analysis revealed four factors underlying Hanzi learning enjoyment: Hanzi culture, personal attitudes, teacher support, and personal fulfillment. Second, enjoyment did not emerge as a significant predictor of Hanzi recognition performance. Notably, the variance in Hanzi recognition scores explained by enjoyment ranked among the top three explanatory variables, comparable to the predictive power of years spent learning Chinese. This study concludes with theoretical insights into the construct of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) across different languages and language components, as well as practical recommendations for enhancing Hanzi instruction.

Email is a tool used often for developing rapport between students and teachers. A professor's email mistakes may affect the attributions students make about the professor's competence and professionalism. This study used an experimental, between-subjects design to analyze the impact of professors’ typographical mistakes during initial email interactions and the moderating role of instructor demographics in those perceptions. The final sample consisted of 426 participants (64.6% female, 75.8% Caucasian) across eight universities representing five regions of the United States. The results of this study showed an instructor's email mistakes do lead to negative perceptions. Furthermore, it showed a professor's internationalized status moderated student attributions while gender did not. Though email has a low barrier to entry, mistakes are common and easy to make. The findings of this study highlight the importance of careful communication as a practice, especially during the early stages of a course.

Amid the increasing research on language learner agency, attention has rarely been paid to the psychological process of agency construction. Specifically, the role that emotions play in this process requires further investigation due to the emotion-laden nature of foreign language learning. Drawing on Bandura's (1989) social cognitive theory, this study examined the interplay between agency and emotions in the English learning experiences of secondary school EFL learners who achieved high levels of English proficiency. The data were collected from 10 secondary school students in China through written Critical Incident Technique reports and semi-structured interviews. All the data were analyzed in NVivo using both deductive and inductive approaches. Results showed that learner emotions were both resources for and results of agency. Positive emotions and the process of overcoming negative emotions nurtured the learners’ sense of agency, while a high level of agency generated more positive feelings and mitigated the negative emotions’ impact on learning motivation and engagement. Practical implications for language teachers and parents are discussed.

Motivation research has traditionally prioritized English over languages other than English (LOTE), leaving gaps in understanding LOTE learning motivation, and its unique dynamics. This study addresses these gaps by investigating the fluctuating motivational dynamics of Chinese learners studying LOTEs and examining how their learning experiences shape their ideal and ought-to L2 selves. Using longitudinal qualitative data from seven participants within the L2 motivational self system (L2MSS) framework, the findings reveal a complex, non-linear trajectory. Learners initially faced motivational decline due to academic challenges and doubts about LOTE's practical value. However, a recovery phase emerged, catalyzed by accumulated positive learning experiences, including support from teachers and peers, which helped learners realign their language selves with personal meaning and intrinsic goals. These shifts embedded in the learning experience further led to the development of more personally meaningful ideal L2 selves and a strengthened ought-to L2 self, contributing to the fluctuating motivational dynamics. This study thus expands understanding of LOTE motivation in China by emphasizing the essential role of learning experiences in the evolution of L2 selves, highlighting the value of promoting various facets of learning experience to sustain LOTE motivation.