Dimensions of L2 Performance and Proficiency


Book Description

Research into complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) as basic dimensions of second language performance, proficiency and development has received increased attention in SLA. However, the larger picture in this field of research is often obscured by the breadth of scope, multiple objectives and lack of clarity as to how complexity, accuracy and fluency should be defined, operationalized and measured. The present volume showcases current research on CAF by bringing together eleven contributions from renowned international researchers in the field. These contributions not only add to the body of empirical knowledge about L2 use and L2 development by bringing new research findings to light but they also address fundamental theoretical and methodological issues by responding to questions about the nature, manifestation, development and assessment of CAF as multifaceted constructs. Collectively, the chapters in this book illustrate the converging and sometimes diverging approaches that different disciplines bring to CAF research.




Language Learners with Special Needs


Book Description

This book provides an overview of topics related to the language learning processes of learners with special needs including students with learning disabilities as well as Deaf language learners and methods of teaching foreign languages to them. The chapters written by authors in a wide variety of educational settings discuss individual learner characteristics and profiles, diagnosis and assessment issues and instructional programs.




Components of L2 Reading


Book Description

The book investigates the linguistic and processing factors underpinning Japanese EFL learners' reading comprehension performance.




Measuring L2 Proficiency


Book Description

This volume brings together concrete ideas on identifying and measuring second language (L2) proficiency from different branches of SLA. The chapters introduce a range of tools for the evaluation of learners' language level with respect to both productive and receptive skills and provide a variety of answers to the question of how to assess L2 proficiency in a valid, reliable and practical manner.




The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Speaking


Book Description

This Handbook is a comprehensive volume outlining the foremost issues regarding research and teaching of second language speaking, examining such diverse topics as cognitive processing, articulation, knowledge of pragmatics, instruction in sub-components of speaking (e.g., grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary) and the attrition of the first language. Outstanding academics have contributed chapters to provide an integrated and inclusive perspective on oral language skills. Specialized contexts for speaking are also explored (e.g., English as a Lingua Franca, workplace, and interpreting). The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Speaking will be an indispensable resource for students and scholars in applied linguistics, cognitive psychology, linguistics, and education.




Positive Psychology and Learning a Second or Third Language


Book Description

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.




Exploring L1-L2 Relationships


Book Description

This book traces and summarizes the author’s theoretical insights and empirical findings in the field of foreign language education. The volume explores themes such as individual differences in L1 ability and their connection to L2 aptitude and L2 achievement, L2 anxiety as an affective or cognitive variable, and the relationship between L1 and L2 reading. The book includes the author’s previously published works, presented together with newly written commentaries on those topics, as well as commentaries on new empirical work. It will be of interest to students and researchers in SLA, educational practitioners and language policymakers.




The Affective Dimension in English-Medium Instruction in Higher Education


Book Description

This book brings together current research on the impact of affective factors on learning in English-medium instruction (EMI), exploring both student and teacher perspectives. With the number of EMI programs rapidly increasing around the world, it offers a timely investigation into the affective dimension in these settings to provide a better understanding of how programs can be streamlined and enhanced. The chapters cover topics such as learner motivation, anxiety, emotions, willingness to communicate, teacher motivation and teacher beliefs. They offer new insights into the field with data from Anglophone and non-Anglophone countries, monolingual and multilingual territories as well as migration contexts. Each chapter concludes with recommendations for both language and content teachers in higher education settings. This book will be of interest to researchers working in the fields of applied linguistics, bilingual education, multilingualism and language teaching as well as teacher trainers and adult education instructors seeking to expand their knowledge on the affective dimension.




Understanding L2 Proficiency


Book Description

This edited volume is a collection of theoretical and empirical overviews of second language (L2) proficiency based on four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Each skill is reviewed in terms of how it has been conceptualized, measured, and studied over the years in relation to relevant (sub-) constructs of the language skill under discussion. This is followed by meta-analyses of correlation coefficients that examine the relationship between the L2 skill in question and its component variables. Unlike most meta-analyses that have a limited range of variables under investigation, our meta-analyses are much larger in scope to better clarify such relationships. By combining theoretical and empirical approaches, the book is helpful in deepening the understanding of how subcomponents or various variables are related to a particular L2 skill.




Essential Topics in Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism


Book Description

This book brings together papers dealing with essential issues in applied linguistics and multilingualism that have been contributed by leading figures in these two fields and present state-of-the-art developments in theory and research. The first part includes articles touching on various aspects of multiple-language acquisition, with a particular emphasis on the role of affordances, the interfaces between language and thought, and factors influencing the process of language learning. Part Two deals with individual variations in the acquisition of additional languages, focusing in particular on the impact of such variables as age, aptitude, motivation and learning deficits. Finally, Part Three presents contributions illuminating key issues in the acquisition of different subsystems and skills, such as grammar, phonology, lexis and writing systems. Thanks to the diversity of perspectives on applied linguistics and multilingualism, as well as the cutting-edge nature of some of the proposals, this edited collection will be an important reference work and a source of inspiration for theorists and researchers.