Abstract Despite the prevalence of lexical production models, how bilinguals produce a sentence in context remains underexplored and unclear. To this end, this paper outlines a new model for second language (L2) sentence production by bilinguals by drawing on recent theoretical and empirical advances. Termed as the dynamic competition-control model, it explains how L2 is developmentally represented and accessed, how candidates from first language (L1) and L2 conceptual representations, lexical knowledge, and grammatical knowledge are activated and compete for selection, and how nontarget competitors are inhibited in conceptualization, formulation, and articulation at three L2 developmental stages: the L1-mediation stage where L2 is largely accessed and retrieved via L1 translation, the dual-route stage where L2 is accessed and retrieved directly and via L1-mediation, and the autonomous stage where L2 is accessed and retrieved directly.
Abstract Writing is one of the most challenging skills to teach in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. With the rise of artificial intelligence tools, ChatGPT has emerged as a potential assistant in writing instruction. This mixed-methods study explores the impact of integrating ChatGPT into narrative writing classes, focusing on learners’ performance and experiences throughout the writing process. Sixty EFL learners at two proficiency levels (Pre-intermediate and Upper-intermediate) were divided into a control group with traditional instruction and an experimental group using ChatGPT-assisted instruction over five weeks. Quantitative findings showed that the ChatGPT group outperformed the control group in grammatical accuracy, lexical range, and cohesion. Qualitative results highlighted increased engagement, better feedback, and improved vocabulary and grammar use, though some participants noted reduced creativity and dependence on the tool. The study suggests that ChatGPT can enhance narrative writing when used alongside pedagogical strategies that promote critical thinking and learner autonomy.
Many factors are involved in determining how and when mindsets affect learning outcomes and recent second language (L2) research has begun to explore the impact of language mindset (LM) on a variety of learning outcomes, including willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). However, it still remains unclear how LM may contribute to L2 WTC. The present study addresses this gap and explores how learners' engagement, particularly emotional engagement (EE) and behavioral engagement (BE), mediate the relationship between LM and L2 WTC. Two-hundred and five English as a foreign language learners took part in an online survey containing questionnaires measuring the research variables. The construct validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by a confirmatory factor analysis, ensuring their accuracy and relevance. Additionally, structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the anticipated connections between the variables and analyze the proposed structural relationships. Findings showed that growth language mindset (GLM) is positively associated with L2 WTC, and their association was mediated by EE and BE. This study presents practical suggestions for implementing classroom-ready strategies that operationalize GLM to enhance BE, EE, and L2 WTC.
Writing is one of the most challenging skills to teach in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. With the rise of artificial intelligence tools, ChatGPT has emerged as a potential assistant in writing instruction. This mixed-methods study explores the impact of integrating ChatGPT into narrative writing classes, focusing on learners' performance and experiences throughout the writing process. Sixty EFL learners at two proficiency levels (Pre-intermediate and Upper-intermediate) were divided into a control group with traditional instruction and an experimental group using ChatGPT-assisted instruction over five weeks. Quantitative findings showed that the ChatGPT group outperformed the control group in grammatical accuracy, lexical range, and cohesion. Qualitative results highlighted increased engagement, better feedback, and improved vocabulary and grammar use, though some participants noted reduced creativity and dependence on the tool. The study suggests that ChatGPT can enhance narrative writing when used alongside pedagogical strategies that promote critical thinking and learner autonomy.
This study examined the impact of sound-and-spelling consistency of L2 English words on written vocabulary knowledge among Japanese learners studying English as a foreign language (EFL). In Study 1, 162 Japanese participants completed a multiple-choice meaning recognition test based on the updated Vocabulary Levels Test [VLT]; in Study 2, 107 Japanese participants completed a spelling test, adapted from the VLT used in Study 1. Two directions of consistency at the rime level (i.e., phonology to orthography and orthography to phonology) were analyzed, while controlling for other word-related variables (e.g., word frequency and cognateness). Although exploratory analyses revealed that the consistency effect emerged under controlled conditions for specific word types (i.e., noncognates) and frequency bands (i.e., high-frequency vocabulary), no reliable consistency effect was observed irrespective of test formats. These findings suggest that consistent words are not necessarily easier to learn, particularly for EFL learners whose L1 writing system is not alphabetic.
