Pub Date : 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101122
Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig
This paper examines replication research in pragmatics. The paper has three goals: to understand how replication has been used in pragmatics, to explore how replication research can enrich research in pragmatics and language learning, and to offer some suggestions for replication projects in L2 pragmatics. The paper examines sets of original and replicated studies in both L1 and L2 pragmatics to understand the range of research that has been conducted. It then considers the status of item replications (repeated scenarios) that characterize L2 pragmatics research. And it concludes by considering specific issues in L2 pragmatics research that can be insightfully investigated via replication.
{"title":"Replication in L2 pragmatics","authors":"Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101122","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines replication research in pragmatics. The paper has three goals: to understand how replication has been used in pragmatics, to explore how replication research can enrich research in pragmatics and language learning, and to offer some suggestions for replication projects in L2 pragmatics. The paper examines sets of original and replicated studies in both L1 and L2 pragmatics to understand the range of research that has been conducted. It then considers the status of item replications (repeated scenarios) that characterize L2 pragmatics research. And it concludes by considering specific issues in L2 pragmatics research that can be insightfully investigated via replication.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"90 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146101448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1017/s0261444826101141
Yohei Nakanishi, Osamu Takeuchi
This study conducted an approximate replication of Teravainen-Goff (2023) to validate the Intensity and Perceived Quality of Engagement Scale for university students in the Japanese EFL context. Teravainen-Goff (2023) developed this scale based on an action-oriented definition of engagement and proposed a novel approach to measuring engagement among secondary school language learners in the UK. The study identified an 18-item, five-factor structure from a pool of 36 items through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In this replication, we examined the validity and reliability of Teravainen-Goff’s scale in a different context, focusing on the replicability of the EFA results. We undertook this replication because engagement is context-dependent and EFA results can vary across samples. We compared the factorial structure with that of the initial study while modifying the target language and participant demographic. Results revealed a 22-item, six-factor structure with good fit. Although the same underlying factors emerged, several notable differences were observed. This approximate replication provided stronger evidence for the psychometric properties of the scale in a new context. Transparent documentation of modifications to the initial study and systematic comparison offered a promising approach to building robust evidence for engagement research and improving the rigour of questionnaire-based research overall.
{"title":"Revisiting the intensity and perceived quality of L2 engagement scale in a different context: An approximate replication of Teravainen-Goff ()","authors":"Yohei Nakanishi, Osamu Takeuchi","doi":"10.1017/s0261444826101141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444826101141","url":null,"abstract":"This study conducted an approximate replication of Teravainen-Goff (2023) to validate the Intensity and Perceived Quality of Engagement Scale for university students in the Japanese EFL context. Teravainen-Goff (2023) developed this scale based on an action-oriented definition of engagement and proposed a novel approach to measuring engagement among secondary school language learners in the UK. The study identified an 18-item, five-factor structure from a pool of 36 items through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In this replication, we examined the validity and reliability of Teravainen-Goff’s scale in a different context, focusing on the replicability of the EFA results. We undertook this replication because engagement is context-dependent and EFA results can vary across samples. We compared the factorial structure with that of the initial study while modifying the target language and participant demographic. Results revealed a 22-item, six-factor structure with good fit. Although the same underlying factors emerged, several notable differences were observed. This approximate replication provided stronger evidence for the psychometric properties of the scale in a new context. Transparent documentation of modifications to the initial study and systematic comparison offered a promising approach to building robust evidence for engagement research and improving the rigour of questionnaire-based research overall.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101109
Pascual Pérez-Paredes
This talk examines how corpus linguistics and artificial intelligence treasure the potential to reshape contemporary language learning ecologies. It argues that the rapid normalisation of generative AI has intensified the need for pedagogical models that combine low-friction access to language support with transparent methods grounded in attested usage. Drawing on ecological perspectives and recent empirical research, the talk shows how AI-driven environments expand opportunities for language learning while creating risks related to opacity and over-reliance. Corpus linguistics, data-driven learning and corpus literacy offer a complementary foundation by providing traceable evidence, reproducible analyses, and practices that foster learners’ critical judgement. Two convergence scenarios are proposed: AI as an extension of DDL, and corpus literacy as the operational core of critical AI literacy. Together, these scenarios illustrate how open-box pedagogies can reconcile responsiveness and accountability, ensuring that AI-mediated learning remains anchored in transparent processes and empirically grounded language knowledge.
{"title":"Corpus linguistics and AI in the reconfiguration of language learning ecologies","authors":"Pascual Pérez-Paredes","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101109","url":null,"abstract":"This talk examines how corpus linguistics and artificial intelligence treasure the potential to reshape contemporary language learning ecologies. It argues that the rapid normalisation of generative AI has intensified the need for pedagogical models that combine low-friction access to language support with transparent methods grounded in attested usage. Drawing on ecological perspectives and recent empirical research, the talk shows how AI-driven environments expand opportunities for language learning while creating risks related to opacity and over-reliance. Corpus linguistics, data-driven learning and corpus literacy offer a complementary foundation by providing traceable evidence, reproducible analyses, and practices that foster learners’ critical judgement. Two convergence scenarios are proposed: AI as an extension of DDL, and corpus literacy as the operational core of critical AI literacy. Together, these scenarios illustrate how open-box pedagogies can reconcile responsiveness and accountability, ensuring that AI-mediated learning remains anchored in transparent processes and empirically grounded language knowledge.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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/s0261444825101110
Yujie Zhang, Lawrence Jun Zhang
Task-based language teaching is believed to facilitate language learning opportunities that arise when performing tasks. Although the synergies between task and learner variables in this process rose to prominence recently, little has been undertaken to explore the individual difference-task interaction in textual meaning-making activities. This study thus explored how second language (L2) writing performance under different task complexity conditions was impacted by L2 writing willingness to communicate (WTC) and L2 writing proficiency. Participants with upper-intermediate English proficiency were recruited following a within-between-participant factorial research design. The results confirmed that WTC significantly influenced syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency in L2 writing, suggesting that conative individual differences (IDs) might play a more prominent role in L2 writing than cognitive IDs. Among the sub-components of WTC, motivational predispositions performed better than emotional, cognitive, and writing-specific features in affecting L2 writing performance. Additionally, WTC played a more pronounced role in the complex task, supporting the claim of Robinson’s cognition hypothesis that ID effects are more evident in complex tasks than simple tasks. However, no interaction between L2 writing WTC and proficiency was found. Theoretical and pedagogical implications were offered on considering both L2 WTC and task complexity in task-based writing instruction.
{"title":"Do conative individual differences enhance language use? Evidence from task-mediated L2 writing performance","authors":"Yujie Zhang, Lawrence Jun Zhang","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101110","url":null,"abstract":"Task-based language teaching is believed to facilitate language learning opportunities that arise when performing tasks. Although the synergies between task and learner variables in this process rose to prominence recently, little has been undertaken to explore the individual difference-task interaction in textual meaning-making activities. This study thus explored how second language (L2) writing performance under different task complexity conditions was impacted by L2 writing willingness to communicate (WTC) and L2 writing proficiency. Participants with upper-intermediate English proficiency were recruited following a within-between-participant factorial research design. The results confirmed that WTC significantly influenced syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency in L2 writing, suggesting that conative individual differences (IDs) might play a more prominent role in L2 writing than cognitive IDs. Among the sub-components of WTC, motivational predispositions performed better than emotional, cognitive, and writing-specific features in affecting L2 writing performance. Additionally, WTC played a more pronounced role in the complex task, supporting the claim of Robinson’s cognition hypothesis that ID effects are more evident in complex tasks than simple tasks. However, no interaction between L2 writing WTC and proficiency was found. Theoretical and pedagogical implications were offered on considering both L2 WTC and task complexity in task-based writing instruction.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-26DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101080
Zsuzsanna Bárkányi, Bärbel Brash
As increasing numbers of students disclose mental health conditions, this study is the first to examine mental health status as a critical variable in foreign language anxiety research. Using a mixed-methods approach and drawing on data from 262 languages students at the Open University, it systematically compares foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) experiences between students with and without declared mental health conditions. Vocabulary retrieval emerged as the primary anxiety trigger common to all learners, however, significant distinctions emerged: students without mental health conditions expressed more academic-focused anxieties, whereas those with mental health conditions faced confidence and identity-based barriers. Students with mental health challenges are less likely to speak spontaneously and undertake spoken assessments, often opting to avoid online synchronous sessions entirely, requiring different coping strategies. The findings are analysed through a Universal Learning Design lens and reveal the need for tailored support and innovative pedagogical solutions, including AI-powered practice environments and self-compassion interventions specifically designed for online language learning contexts, to address the emotional barriers faced by students with mental health conditions. The study offers broader implications for inclusive (language) course design and learner engagement.
{"title":"Foreign language speaking anxiety, mental health, and online learning: Overcoming barriers in the digital age","authors":"Zsuzsanna Bárkányi, Bärbel Brash","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101080","url":null,"abstract":"As increasing numbers of students disclose mental health conditions, this study is the first to examine mental health status as a critical variable in foreign language anxiety research. Using a mixed-methods approach and drawing on data from 262 languages students at the Open University, it systematically compares foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) experiences between students with and without declared mental health conditions. Vocabulary retrieval emerged as the primary anxiety trigger common to all learners, however, significant distinctions emerged: students without mental health conditions expressed more academic-focused anxieties, whereas those with mental health conditions faced confidence and identity-based barriers. Students with mental health challenges are less likely to speak spontaneously and undertake spoken assessments, often opting to avoid online synchronous sessions entirely, requiring different coping strategies. The findings are analysed through a Universal Learning Design lens and reveal the need for tailored support and innovative pedagogical solutions, including AI-powered practice environments and self-compassion interventions specifically designed for online language learning contexts, to address the emotional barriers faced by students with mental health conditions. The study offers broader implications for inclusive (language) course design and learner engagement.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"257 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145829980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101031
Pia Resnik, Jean-Marc Dewaele, Chengchen Li, Elouise Botes
The past decade has seen a blossoming of emotion research in applied linguistics, which led to a deeper understanding of the crucial role both positive and negative emotions play in the context of foreign language (FL) learning. In this paper, we will outline a research agenda arising from the rich knowledge gained so far, which we hope inspires researchers to pursue future directions which we consider highly relevant for both researchers and practitioners alike. Firstly, we review the development of foreign language learner emotion research and identify research gaps. This will be followed by a discussion of four broad areas in which we perceive the pressing need for future research to advance our understanding of the role of emotions in foreign language learning. These include 1) the diversification of emotions studied, 2) a better understanding of emotion dynamics, 3) the need to diversify research contexts, and 4) bridging the research-practice gap. For each of these areas, we will outline tasks, taking into account the latest developments in theory and methodology, which we hope will advance our knowledge gained from this dynamic, thriving field of study.
{"title":"The role of positive and negative emotions in foreign language learning: A research agenda","authors":"Pia Resnik, Jean-Marc Dewaele, Chengchen Li, Elouise Botes","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101031","url":null,"abstract":"The past decade has seen a blossoming of emotion research in applied linguistics, which led to a deeper understanding of the crucial role both positive and negative emotions play in the context of foreign language (FL) learning. In this paper, we will outline a research agenda arising from the rich knowledge gained so far, which we hope inspires researchers to pursue future directions which we consider highly relevant for both researchers and practitioners alike. Firstly, we review the development of foreign language learner emotion research and identify research gaps. This will be followed by a discussion of four broad areas in which we perceive the pressing need for future research to advance our understanding of the role of emotions in foreign language learning. These include 1) the diversification of emotions studied, 2) a better understanding of emotion dynamics, 3) the need to diversify research contexts, and 4) bridging the research-practice gap. For each of these areas, we will outline tasks, taking into account the latest developments in theory and methodology, which we hope will advance our knowledge gained from this dynamic, thriving field of study.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145717865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101043
Phil Hiver, Phung Dao, Joseph S. Yamazaki
In this research agenda, we first review the thematic landscape of task engagement research, providing definitions and elaborating on the core theoretical infrastructure for task engagement. We then summarize consensus perspectives from this body of work and identify important contributions that task engagement research stands to make to second language (L2) learning and teaching research. Following this, we outline five key research tasks that we believe will broaden the field’s understanding of task engagement, sharpen insights from empirical work, and accelerate the contribution of this research. Our goals are, first, to highlight for readers the shared understandings that exist in this important area of language learning research and, second, to draw attention to specific areas where additional L2 task engagement research is needed to push the field forward productively.
{"title":"L2 task engagement: A research agenda","authors":"Phil Hiver, Phung Dao, Joseph S. Yamazaki","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101043","url":null,"abstract":"In this research agenda, we first review the thematic landscape of task engagement research, providing definitions and elaborating on the core theoretical infrastructure for task engagement. We then summarize consensus perspectives from this body of work and identify important contributions that task engagement research stands to make to second language (L2) learning and teaching research. Following this, we outline five key research tasks that we believe will broaden the field’s understanding of task engagement, sharpen insights from empirical work, and accelerate the contribution of this research. Our goals are, first, to highlight for readers the shared understandings that exist in this important area of language learning research and, second, to draw attention to specific areas where additional L2 task engagement research is needed to push the field forward productively.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-17DOI: 10.1017/s026144482510102x
Joan C. Mora
This article provides an overview of key challenges in second language (L2) pronunciation learning and teaching within the context of instructed second language acquisition (SLA), with the goal of identifying promising directions for future research. It begins by examining persistent difficulties in L2 pronunciation instruction, such as the typically limited quality of input and the dominant emphasis on grammar and vocabulary in communicative language teaching (CLT). These conditions often result in learners having limited awareness of their pronunciation needs and teachers facing challenges in incorporating pronunciation instruction into CLT-based curricula. The article then reviews emerging instructional approaches that aim to integrate attention to phonetic form within CLT, highlighting the need for further empirical investigation. In addition, several pronunciation training techniques, some underexplored (HVPT, shadowing, embodied pronunciation training, captioned video, accent imitation, and pronunciation self-assessment), are briefly described, with an emphasis on their pedagogical potential both inside and outside the classroom. Finally, the article considers the role of individual differences in L2 pronunciation development and proposes directions for future research in instructed SLA.
{"title":"Phonological acquisition in instructed SLA: L2 pronunciation training in and beyond the classroom and individual differences","authors":"Joan C. Mora","doi":"10.1017/s026144482510102x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s026144482510102x","url":null,"abstract":"This article provides an overview of key challenges in second language (L2) pronunciation learning and teaching within the context of instructed second language acquisition (SLA), with the goal of identifying promising directions for future research. It begins by examining persistent difficulties in L2 pronunciation instruction, such as the typically limited quality of input and the dominant emphasis on grammar and vocabulary in communicative language teaching (CLT). These conditions often result in learners having limited awareness of their pronunciation needs and teachers facing challenges in incorporating pronunciation instruction into CLT-based curricula. The article then reviews emerging instructional approaches that aim to integrate attention to phonetic form within CLT, highlighting the need for further empirical investigation. In addition, several pronunciation training techniques, some underexplored (HVPT, shadowing, embodied pronunciation training, captioned video, accent imitation, and pronunciation self-assessment), are briefly described, with an emphasis on their pedagogical potential both inside and outside the classroom. Finally, the article considers the role of individual differences in L2 pronunciation development and proposes directions for future research in instructed SLA.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145531475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825101018
Ken Hyland
With research showing the benefits of feedback, teachers have come under increasing pressure to provide more, including more personalised, and more detailed responses to students. This often places heavy demands on teachers and with ever-larger class sizes and heavier workloads, teacher fatigue and burn-out are common. Automation has the potential to change all this and new digital resources have already proven to be valuable in supporting L2 writing. In this paper I look at the contribution of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programmes and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to feedback. The ability to provide instant local and global feedback across multiple drafts targeted to student needs and in greater quantities promises to increase learner motivation and autonomy while relieving teachers of hours of marking. But haven’t we heard this all before? Are these empty claims which raise our expectations of removing some of the drudgery of mundane grammar correction? Most importantly, what is the role of teachers in all this, and can AI really improve writers and not just texts?
{"title":"EFL teachers and feedback fatigue: AI to the rescue?","authors":"Ken Hyland","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825101018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825101018","url":null,"abstract":"With research showing the benefits of feedback, teachers have come under increasing pressure to provide more, including more personalised, and more detailed responses to students. This often places heavy demands on teachers and with ever-larger class sizes and heavier workloads, teacher fatigue and burn-out are common. Automation has the potential to change all this and new digital resources have already proven to be valuable in supporting L2 writing. In this paper I look at the contribution of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programmes and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to feedback. The ability to provide instant local and global feedback across multiple drafts targeted to student needs and in greater quantities promises to increase learner motivation and autonomy while relieving teachers of hours of marking. But haven’t we heard this all before? Are these empty claims which raise our expectations of removing some of the drudgery of mundane grammar correction? Most importantly, what is the role of teachers in all this, and can AI really improve writers and not just texts?","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"140 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145477819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1017/s0261444825100876
Lia Plakans, Kwangmin Lee
This State-of-the-Art review examines second language (L2) writing assessment research over the past 25 years through a framework of fairness, justice, and criticality. Recognizing the socio-political implications of assessment, the authors argue for a shift toward more equitable and socially conscious approaches. Drawing from a corpus of 869 peer-reviewed articles across leading journals, the review identifies five major themes: (1) features of writing performance, (2) rating and scoring, (3) integrated assessment, (4) teacher and learner perspectives, and (5) feedback. Each theme is reviewed for foundational findings, then critiqued through questions related to fairness and justice using a critical lens. The authors advocate for a multilingual turn in writing assessment, greater attention to teacher and student voices, and questioning dominant norms embedded in assessment practices. The review concludes with a call for future research to engage with fairness, justice, and criticality in both theory and practice, ensuring that writing assessments serve as tools for empowerment rather than exclusion.
{"title":"Fairness, justice, and criticality: Reviewing second language writing assessment","authors":"Lia Plakans, Kwangmin Lee","doi":"10.1017/s0261444825100876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444825100876","url":null,"abstract":"This State-of-the-Art review examines second language (L2) writing assessment research over the past 25 years through a framework of fairness, justice, and criticality. Recognizing the socio-political implications of assessment, the authors argue for a shift toward more equitable and socially conscious approaches. Drawing from a corpus of 869 peer-reviewed articles across leading journals, the review identifies five major themes: (1) features of writing performance, (2) rating and scoring, (3) integrated assessment, (4) teacher and learner perspectives, and (5) feedback. Each theme is reviewed for foundational findings, then critiqued through questions related to fairness and justice using a critical lens. The authors advocate for a multilingual turn in writing assessment, greater attention to teacher and student voices, and questioning dominant norms embedded in assessment practices. The review concludes with a call for future research to engage with fairness, justice, and criticality in both theory and practice, ensuring that writing assessments serve as tools for empowerment rather than exclusion.","PeriodicalId":47770,"journal":{"name":"Language Teaching","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145182886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}