Research Methods in Applied Linguistics最新文献

Toward ethical praxis in longitudinal research with children: Reflecting on ethical tensions in participatory research 儿童纵向研究中的伦理实践：参与性研究中的伦理张力反思

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-30 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100173

Karoliina Inha

{"title":"Toward ethical praxis in longitudinal research with children: Reflecting on ethical tensions in participatory research","authors":"Karoliina Inha","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100173","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The field of early foreign language learning research has witnessed an increasing trend to employ participatory methods, stemming from a paradigm shift in how children are viewed in research. In contrast to more traditional approaches that place children as the objects of research, children are considered active agents and participants in research with expert knowledge of their own lives. In this paper I discuss the ethical tensions that surfaced prior, during, and after a research project that employed participatory methods with young children. I reflect on how the methodology broadened understanding of emerging power differences in the researcher–participant relationship, such as how asymmetry in knowledge and participation alternate and manifest during a longitudinal project, engaging the researcher and the children in recurring negotiation of roles and power. While ethical considerations are often presented as a checklist with do's and don't’s for how to proceed, with this article I draw on experiences from my own project and aim to dismantle the complex and messy picture of the ethical process in research with young children. I argue that while the application of participatory methods in early foreign language learning research alleviates ethical tensions to an extent, such as by helping reduce epistemic and institutional power between the researcher and the participants, it is essential to report and reflect on the ethical weighing and reflection undertaken throughout the study as unequal power structures will remain regardless of method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100173"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142756979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A conversation analysis-complex dynamics systems theory (CA-CDST) approach for analyzing longitudinal development in L2 pragmatics 会话分析-复杂动态系统理论（CA-CDST）分析二语语用纵向发展的方法

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-28 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100169

Aki Siegel , Paul Seedhouse

{"title":"A conversation analysis-complex dynamics systems theory (CA-CDST) approach for analyzing longitudinal development in L2 pragmatics","authors":"Aki Siegel , Paul Seedhouse","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The compatibility of Conversation Analysis (CA) and Complex Dynamics Systems Theory Approach (CDST) in analyzing second language (L2) development has long been discussed (e.g., Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008a). Nevertheless, how CA and CDST are compatible and how the method can be applied to data to analyze L2 development has been rarely demonstrated, with a few exceptions (e.g., Siegel & Seedhouse, 2024). This paper builds upon these prior discussions, explaining the compatibility of CA and CDST and a demonstration of the Conversation Analysis-Complex Dynamics Systems Theory (CA-CDST) approach to holistically analyze L2 pragmatic development. The CA-CDST approach is exemplified through the analysis of the use of code-switching in L2 interaction. The analysis demonstrates that unmarked code-switching in L2 interaction is not an omnipresent interactional phenomenon. Rather, it is learned; it is an interactional resource that is co-constructed through the sequential process of multiple encounters, adaptation, and accommodation to both the interlocutor and the interactional setting. Moreover, the analysis demonstrates the adaptable nature of CA and how the CA-CDST can elucidate the non-linear nature of L2 pragmatic development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142743722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Categorising speakers’ language background: Theoretical assumptions and methodological challenges for learner corpus research 发言者语言背景分类：学习者语料库研究的理论假设和方法挑战

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100170

Olga Lopopolo , Arianna Bienati , Jennifer-Carmen Frey , Aivars Glaznieks , Stefania Spina

{"title":"Categorising speakers’ language background: Theoretical assumptions and methodological challenges for learner corpus research","authors":"Olga Lopopolo , Arianna Bienati , Jennifer-Carmen Frey , Aivars Glaznieks , Stefania Spina","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this article, we investigate how speakers can be categorised based on their language background in the field of Learner Corpus Research (LCR). Specifically, we discuss three key aspects: first, the theoretical assumptions and methodological choices made in learner corpus design, second the integration of a holistic perspective for speaker categorisation in LCR and third the consequences that different categorisations might have on study outcomes. Through a comprehensive review of corpora used in the field, we identify the most common terms, definitions and criteria of categorisation used to describe a speaker's language background. Focusing on the most central metadata encoding language backgrounds, the <em>L1</em> metadata, we inspect different operationalisations made and scrutinise the theoretical assumptions underlying them. Drawing on research on plurilingualism, we propose a holistic view of speaker's language background for Learner Corpus Research, combining various aspects of speaker's language use by methods inspired from the Dominant Language Constellation framework. We apply this methodology to re-evaluate the language categorisation system in LEONIDE, a multilingual corpus of Italian, German and English texts from secondary school students of diverse language backgrounds. We use the same corpus to evaluate the consequences of using different categorisations of the students on the outcome of possible linguistic studies. Despite a generally high overlap between study results across categorisations, we observe that variables combining multiple aspects of the speakers’ language backgrounds seem to explain group differences for more of the linguistic features investigated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Data from role plays and elicited conversations: What do they show about L2 interactional competence? 来自角色扮演和诱导会话的数据：这些数据说明了什么？

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100165

Jingxuan Wu , Carsten Roever

{"title":"Data from role plays and elicited conversations: What do they show about L2 interactional competence?","authors":"Jingxuan Wu , Carsten Roever","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In research on second language (L2) interactional competence (IC), data elicitation is commonly done either through role plays or elicited conversation tasks. It is unclear, however, what aspects of IC these two methods make visible, where they elicit similar or different data and which research questions they are most suited to answer. In the current study we compare performances in role play tasks with those in elicited conversation tasks from 54 learners of L2 Mandarin Chinese and 12 native Mandarin Chinese speakers. Using conversation analysis to analyze learners’ performance, we found that role plays were highly suitable for making visible the sequential and linguistic tools interactants deploy for preference organization. Elicited conversation was useful for making topic management visible, including topic extension and topic shift. While role plays also included features of topic management and elicited conversations included features of preference organization, these did not occur with sufficient frequency and elaboration to allow defensible conclusions to be drawn. We suggest that role plays and elicited conversations can supplement each other to provide a well rounded picture of interactants’ IC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Estimating lexical diversity using the moving average type-token ratio (MATTR): Pros and cons 使用移动平均类型-标记词比率（MATTR）估算词汇多样性：利与弊

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-21 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100168

Yves Bestgen

引用次数: 0

Diverse population, homogenous ability: The development of a new receptive vocabulary size test for young language learners in England using Rasch analysis 多样化的人群，同质化的能力：利用拉氏分析法为英格兰年轻语言学习者开发新的接受性词汇量测试

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100166

Nicola Morea , Rowena Eloise Kasprowicz , Astrid Morrison , Carmen Silvestri

{"title":"Diverse population, homogenous ability: The development of a new receptive vocabulary size test for young language learners in England using Rasch analysis","authors":"Nicola Morea , Rowena Eloise Kasprowicz , Astrid Morrison , Carmen Silvestri","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100166","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100166","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With mandatory second language learning in primary education becoming the norm worldwide, research investigating young language learners’ (YLLs) linguistic development has increased. However, designing language tests appropriate for YLLs poses unique challenges due to population characteristics and variability in national and institutional contexts. In this article, we present a new vocabulary test designed to track the rate of progression in receptive vocabulary size of primary school children learning French, German or Spanish in England.</div><div>Test content was selected after an analysis of programmes of study commonly used in primary schools in England. The test required two validation phases using Rasch analysis. The initial tests were administered to 1662 students from Year 3 (7–8 years old) to Year 5 (9–10 years old). All tests showed poor person reliability, which was driven by a mismatch between item difficulties and participant abilities. Various actions were taken in relation to vocabulary identification, test format and length, and sampling procedures, and the revised tests were re-administered to 2202 students from Year 3 to Year 6 the following year. As a result, person reliability considerably improved, and all test versions showed good fit to the Rasch model.</div><div>Drawing on the lessons learnt, we discuss some of the key population- and context-related challenges of designing robust language tests for beginner YLLs learning a language other than English in input-poor, instructed contexts. Further, we provide recommendations on suitable approaches for test-item identification, test format and length, and data analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"3 3","pages":"Article 100166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142653573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

What automatic speech recognition can and cannot do for conversational speech transcription 自动语音识别在会话语音转录方面能做什么，不能做什么

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-10 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100163

Sam O’Connor Russell , Iona Gessinger , Anna Krason , Gabriella Vigliocco , Naomi Harte

{"title":"What automatic speech recognition can and cannot do for conversational speech transcription","authors":"Sam O’Connor Russell , Iona Gessinger , Anna Krason , Gabriella Vigliocco , Naomi Harte","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100163","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transcripts are vital in any research involving conversation. Most transcription is conducted manually, by experts; a process which can take many times longer than the conversation itself. Recently, there has been interest in using automatic speech recognition (ASR) to automate transcription, driven by the wide availability of ASR platforms such as OpenAI’s Whisper. However as studies typically focus on metrics such as the word error rate, there is a lack of detail about ASR transcript quality and the practicalities of ASR use in research. In this paper we review six state-of-the-art ASR technologies, three commercial and three open-source. We assess their capabilities as automatic transcription tools. We find that the commercial ASR systems mostly capture an accurate representation of what was said, and overlapping speech is handled well. Unlike prior work, we show that commercial ASR also preserves the location, but not necessarily the spelling of a large majority of non-lexical tokens: short words such as <em>uh-hum</em> which play vital roles in conversation. We show that the open-source ASR systems produce substantially more errors than their commercial counterparts. However, we highlight how the cost and privacy advantages of open-source ASR may outweigh performance issues in certain applications. We discuss practical considerations for ASR deployment in research, concluding that present ASR technology cannot yet replace the trained transcriber. However, a high-quality initial transcript generated by ASR can provide a good starting point and may be further refined by manual correction. We make all ASR-generated transcripts available for future research in the supplementary material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"3 3","pages":"Article 100163"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142653572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Validating the foreign language enjoyment scale for young learners: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach 验证针对年轻学习者的外语乐趣量表：探索性结构方程模型方法

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-09 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100167

Yohei Nakanishi, Osamu Takeuchi

{"title":"Validating the foreign language enjoyment scale for young learners: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach","authors":"Yohei Nakanishi, Osamu Takeuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foreign language enjoyment (FLE) has garnered scholarly attention within the framework of positive psychology. However, FLE-related studies have predominantly focused on adult learners, with little exploration into FLE among young language learners (YLLs). Consequently, little is known about the factorial structure of FLE and its sources for YLLs. This study aims to develop and validate the foreign language enjoyment scale (FLES) designed for YLLs by comparing four models: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), bifactor CFA, ESEM, and bifactor ESEM, based on Alamer's (2022) guidelines for ESEM. 510 Japanese elementary ESL learners in the 5th and 6th grades participated in this study. The analysis of the four models revealed that the bifactor ESEM outperformed the others in terms of model fit and comparative indices, identifying a three-factor model of FLE, which is consistent with prior studies on adult learners. The findings from this study not only contribute to further understanding of FLE within a less-studied population but also advance methodological approaches for scale validation in applied linguistics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"3 3","pages":"Article 100167"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142653570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A social media simulation for investigating humor in speech acts 用于研究言语行为中的幽默的社交媒体模拟

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-09 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100157

Xiaoying Liles

引用次数: 0

Exploring the dynamics of engagement in the language classroom: A critical examination of methodological approaches 探索语文课堂参与的动力：对教学方法的批判性研究

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2024-11-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100162

Giulia Sulis

{"title":"Exploring the dynamics of engagement in the language classroom: A critical examination of methodological approaches","authors":"Giulia Sulis","doi":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100162","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100162","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Engagement defines the depth and quality of the learning experience, and is thus considered as an essential component of learning. Researchers agree on three defining characteristics of engagement in language learning; it is action-oriented, dynamic, and context-dependent. Engagement changes over time as learners interact with their environment. As such, by investigating the temporal dynamics of engagement in authentic learning contexts, we can gain insights into how engagement can be triggered and sustained over time. Yet, much of the existing research on language learning engagement has relied on cross-sectional surveys, without explicitly accounting for the temporal dimension of engagement in the research design. Furthermore, only a limited yet growing body of applied linguistics research to date has investigated engagement in authentic learning contexts and intact lessons.</div><div>Drawing on qualitative data collected during one English lesson in an Austrian middle school, this article critically evaluates three distinct research approaches that can be employed to examine the temporal dynamics of language learning engagement in the context of authentic classroom life: Experience Sampling Method (ESM), Video Enhanced Observation (VEO), and stimulated recall. The article will reflect on the advantages and challenges of each research approach, illustrating its use and the kind of insights generated in the Austrian language classroom. To conclude, the article will propose an integrated approach that combines the strengths of the three methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101075,"journal":{"name":"Research Methods in Applied Linguistics","volume":"3 3","pages":"Article 100162"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142653569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0