Why do adults seem to struggle more than children in learning a second language, despite being better at a range of other cognitive skills? The source of L1-L2 differences in language learning is one of the most debated topics in the study of language. One hypothesis is that L1-L2 differences are primarily experience-based, with language learning…

The number of pupils learning modern foreign languages (MFLs) beyond the age of 14 has fallen substantially over the last decade. Among other reasons, shortcomings in teaching methodology have been blamed for this situation. The methodology has been accused of applying the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach in a selective way and not…

Research has confirmed the benefits of pragmatics instruction for a variety of speech acts, including suggestions and requests. However, less is known about the effectiveness of instruction for disagreements, which are face-threatening acts that establish a point of view counter to the interlocutor. Therefore, the current study explored the effect…

Studies on oral corrective feedback have been mainly directed towards cognitive factors. Practical aspects of error correction have been ignored to a large extent. The present study attempted to fill this gap by investigating teachers' practice and beliefs about oral error correction and the priorities they set for themselves and comparing the…

Research into the psychology of language learning has grown exponentially in the last decade, yet, teacher perspectives on the field have been surprisingly absent from this body of research. The present study was designed to address this gap. Drawing on a survey with 311 foreign language teachers working at different school levels in 3 European…

Recent findings in the field of pragmatics have revealed that pragmatic accuracy (knowledge) and pragmatic speed (processing ability) function as two distinct and non-parallel components of pragmatic competence. Anderson's adaptive control of thought--rational (ACT-R) model, which emphasises the development of skill through repeated practice,…

The use of the Initiation-Response-Evaluation (IRE) sequence is common in education and, although classroom research does not preclude its practice in pedagogy, it recommends introducing other forms of talk into teaching. The present study, inspired by Task-Based Language Teaching research on learner language, uses Conversation Analysis to explore…

This study uses Ryan's Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ) as a data collection tool to explore the motivational factors which distinguish groups of Korean university language learners based on English proficiency and degree of multilingualism. The data were analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), multivariate analysis of variance…

This paper documents the identity negotiation and strategic language efforts of a female postgraduate learner of English from a rural Arab background. She needed to obtain a high score in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam as a prerequisite to getting an unconditional offer from a UK university. The narrative inquiry reported…

Phonological decoding, defined here as converting the written forms of words (or letter strings) into the phonological forms they represent, has been argued to play an important role in various aspects of L2 learning. Previous studies have emphasised the importance of transfer in L2 decoding, interpretable as the automatic triggering of L1-based…

Language teachers are positioned differently depending on whether they are L1 or L2 speakers of the target language. In this article I suggest that, in language teacher education, it can be useful to think explicitly about this positioning as it pertains to both languages rather than just one. I propose a relational two-language continuum based on…

The progression from receptive vocabulary knowledge to productive word use in language learning to date is unclear. Vocabulary size has been the primary focus of receptive and productive vocabulary research. The present study looks at the internal structure of vocabulary knowledge along the receptive and productive continuum within a multi-aspect…

Reflection as a tool for the development of an intercultural dimension in language learning is mentioned to varying degrees in curriculum documents, guidelines and the literature. While there is a call for teachers to encourage language learners to engage in reflection for the development of intercultural competence (IC), studies show it can be…

This study proposes a novel, context-specific, theoretical framework for understanding language learning motivation among secondary pupils in Anglophone settings. It builds on much recent theoretical and empirical work in language learning motivation which has placed increasing emphasis on both the dynamic, fluid nature of motivation, as well as…

One of the key topics on any Modern Languages Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course in the United Kingdom is the hotly debated issue of target language (TL) use. When and why do teachers use the TL in delivering lessons and when and why do they code switch into the learners' language? Does their practice change over time? Does it…