{"title":"Investigation of factors underlying foreign language classroom anxiety in Chinese university English majors","authors":"Shuting Zhang, Chun Lai","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2021-0062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2021-0062","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Previous research on foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) has reported inconsistent findings. One significant reason is that these studies mainly adopted a data-driven approach and lacked a strong theoretical basis. This study thus examined the factors underlying FLCA with worry-emotionality theorization of anxiety (Liebert, Robert M. & Larry W. Morris. 1967. Cognitive and emotional components of test anxiety: A distinction and some initial data. Psychological Reports 20. 975–978). A preliminary survey was conducted to validate the original FLCAS with 603 English majors from two Chinese universities, and 20 of them were invited for individual interviews to better understand the factors contributing to their FLCA. Based on these, a questionnaire was constructed through adapting the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and used in a main survey among 557 Chinese university English majors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to analyse the survey data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. In addition to three factors reported in the FLCA factor validation literature, communication apprehension, self-confidence in speaking English and fear of negative evaluation, this study identified peer pressure as a new factor. The findings reveal the multidimensional nature of FLCA and support the worry-emotionality theorization of anxiety. Implications for the conceptualization of FLCA are discussed.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45653763","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}
{"title":"A scientometric analysis of applied linguistics research (1970–2022): methodology and future directions","authors":"Azrifah Zakaria, Vahid Aryadoust","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0210","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this study, we provide a scientometric analysis of 43,685 studies published in 51 quartile-1 journals in the field of applied linguistics (1970–2022). Scientometric analysis uses citation records to quantitatively compute networks of cited works and map out how published works have been cited. We adapted a multi-stage scientometric method consisting of database identification, dataset generation, document co-citation analysis, research cluster identification, and cluster characterization. A number of major research clusters were identified and a high degree of interconnectedness in terms of theoretical base was observed between the clusters. The pre-2000 publications had a conspicuous focus on theories derived from language use, which might be said had set the tone for the maturation of the field. By contrast, the clusters that emerged from the 2000s showed more specificity and granularity in focus and scope, suggesting the beginning of a research era with more specialized directions. Despite this trend, we identified influential publications which received several spikes in citations in different eras, indicating their continued temporal and thematic relevance in different clusters. In addition, we found evidence of inter-cluster cross-pollinations. We discuss how each cluster should be characterized in terms of its knowledge base and knowledge front. Highly cited works form the knowledge base of a cluster while novel works form the knowledge fronts of a cluster. Future directions are mentioned and highlighted.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43169267","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}
{"title":"Topics, publication patterns, and reporting quality in systematic reviews in language education. Lessons from the international database of education systematic reviews (IDESR)","authors":"Hamish Chalmers, Jess Brown, Anastasia Koryakina","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0190","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The International Database of Education Systematic Reviews (IDESR.org) contains summary records of published systematic reviews in education and protocols for unpublished reviews and reviews in preparation. During its pilot phase, IDESR is concentrating exclusively on curating systematic reviews in language education. IDESR makes ready access to extant evidence syntheses for researchers, who can use this information to assess the strength of the warrant for any proposed new primary research and/or additional evidence syntheses. By using IDESR to publish review protocols prospectively, review authors commit to high standards of transparency and rigour in producing their research. We have used the data held in IDESR to assess the topics, publication patterns, and reporting quality in the language education literature. We found (i) that language education has seen exponential growth in systematic reviews of research; (ii) that a variety of topics have been addressed, but those related to educational technology have dominated; (iii) that reviews are published in a wide range of outlets, going beyond language education journals; and (iv) that there is room for improvement in the quality of reporting evidence syntheses in language education.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46426925","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}
{"title":"The relationships between young FL learners’ classroom emotions (anxiety, boredom, & enjoyment), engagement, and FL proficiency","authors":"Art Tsang, Jean–Marc Dewaele","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0077","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The last decade has seen a proliferation of studies about emotions in FL teaching and learning. The present study examined three of the most researched and well-known FL emotions to date, namely anxiety, boredom, and enjoyment, and their relationships with learners’ engagement in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classes and their EFL proficiency. One hundred and eleven Grade 3–4 EFL children completed a questionnaire and English tests. Various statistical analyses (correlation, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis) revealed that all five variables were significantly inter-correlated. Enjoyment was the strongest predictor of engagement and proficiency, followed by boredom. The path analysis indicated that the hypothetical path of emotions→engagement→proficiency did not exist; rather, only two direct relationships were found in the model: Enjoyment→engagement and enjoyment→proficiency. The findings highlight the crucial role of enjoyment for young learners in FL teaching and learning.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42456799","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}
{"title":"“Church is like a mini Korea”: the potential of migrant religious organisations for promoting heritage language maintenance","authors":"S. Joo, Alice Chik, Emilia Djonov","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0052","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Immigration from diverse countries of origin has brought to Australia a great linguistic diversity. Moving to Australia, many migrant communities tend to shift from their heritage languages (HLs) and shift to English. Korean migrant communities, however, buck this trend. Notable within the Korean communities are ethnic church congregations, which offer social networks to maintain Korean identity. Focusing on the Korean communities in Australia, this study extends the limited knowledge about the potential of migrant religious organisations to promote HL maintenance. Specifically, drawing on data from 300 surveys collected from parents and semi-structured interviews with eight parents and their children, this study compares experiences of HL maintenance among families who attend a Korean church with those who do not. A key finding is that families affiliated with a Korean church are more likely to prioritise HL learning, practise the language and be proficient in the language than those who are not. Additionally, participants in this study reported that Korean churches provide valuable opportunities for HL learning. This study contributes to an understanding of the intertwined dynamics of migration, religion and language.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44619574","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}
{"title":"A systematic review of meta-analyses in second language research: current practices, issues, and recommendations","authors":"Alyssa Vuogan, Shaofeng Li","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0192","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0192","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study provides a systematic review of the methodological features of meta-analyses in second language learning. The synthesis aims to inform how meta-analyses in L2 learning have been conducted, evaluate whether methodological decisions are aligned with norms and standards, identify issues, and suggest solutions based on expert advice, statistical guides, and best practices. A total of 120 meta-analyses were retrieved and coded for key features related to bibliographic and demographic characteristics, search and selection, publication bias, quality control, data coding, data analysis, and effect size interpretation. The synthesis showed that 98 meta-analyses examined the effectiveness of instructional treatments, 21 investigated correlations, and one explored the occurrence of events. These meta-analyses included an average of 37 primary studies (range = 9–302). Common selection criteria the meta-analyses applied included publication type, availability of data for effect size calculation, learner traits, learners’ target languages, publication dates, publication language, independent variables, and dependent variables. Major strategies used to detect publication bias included creating a funnel plot, using trim-and-fill analysis, and calculating a fail-safe N. Typical moderators examined in the meta-analyses related to research context, treatment features, sample characteristics, and outcome measures. The synthesis also identified a number of issues, including failure to report key features such as model selection (fixed- vs. random-effects model), effect size weighting, and so on; conducting moderator analysis based on very small cell sizes (e.g., only one study in a subgroup); lack of justification for certain methodological decisions such as using d instead of g, using confidence intervals rather than Q-tests to identify significant moderators; lack of quality control; and confounding study-based and synthesis-based moderators. We offer advice on identified issues and call for more transparency of reporting.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46006694","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}
{"title":"Why can’t I teach English? A case study of the racialized experiences of a female Ugandan teacher of English in an EFL context","authors":"Youngjoo Seo","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0044","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Despite an increase in ethnic diversity within the country, the English language teaching workforce remains undeniably binary in Korea. Using an intersectionality lens, this study was an exploration of the racialized experiences of one Ugandan female teacher of English working in Korean ELT. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate how she perceived herself as an English speaker and teacher and how Koreans’ stereotypes of ideal English teachers and Black people affected her professional identity and self-perceptions. Findings suggest that the Ugandan woman was rejected by the formal accreditation process and faced considerable challenges in her efforts to be accepted as a qualified English teacher in Korea. On the other hand, she perceived herself as a native-like English speaker and a fully qualified English teacher with an MA degree in TESOL and years of English teaching experience. This study reveals not only the practical difficulties of a biased assessment system, but also the narrow discourse concerning who can legitimately be recognized as an English teacher in Korea, which is at odds with the Korean policy of a pursuing multicultural society and honoring diversity and with the global trend of recognizing multiple English.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44804533","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}
{"title":"Primary-concern solicitation in Chinese medical encounters","authors":"Zi Yang, Xueming Wang, Tianzhu Li","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2022-0059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0059","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Drawing on conversation analysis, this study examines primary-concern solicitation in Mandarin-speaking medical encounters in China. Based on the observation of naturally occurring solicitation sequences, we identify the major question formats and problem-solicitation patterns in China’s mainland. It is found that Chinese medical openings feature both the dominance of generic solicitation in primary-concern solicitation and the recurrence of phase-skipping business-specific solicitation. Chinese primary-concern solicitation tends to be both more permissive and restrictive than its English counterpart, driven by the same concern of consultation efficiency. The study contributes to a cross-cultural comparison of the medical activity and enriches the understanding of culture and language’s influence on performing social actions in medical encounters.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135277035","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}
{"title":"Stylistic alignment in natural conversation involving second language speakers","authors":"Y. Jung, S. Crossley","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2020-0048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2020-0048","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract To date, a growing body of second language (L2) research has investigated linguistic alignment as a pedagogical intervention, focusing on L2 learners’ alignment behaviors in task-based interactions (e.g., Jung, YeonJoo, YouJin Kim & John Murphy. 2017. The role of task repetition in learning word-stress patterns through auditory priming tasks. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 39(2). 319–346; Kim, YouJin, YeonJoo Jung & Stephen Skalicky. 2019. Linguistic alignment, learner characteristics, and the production of stranded prepositions in relative clauses: Comparing FTF and SCMC contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 41(5). 937–969). Linguistic alignment refers to a tendency where one speaker’s utterances align with particular language features of those of the other speaker in dialogue. The current study investigated how L2 speakers’ alignment behaviors differ in natural dialogues between L2-L1 and L2-L2 dyads in terms of language style (i.e., stylistic alignment) and the role of non-linguistic factors in the occurrence of stylistic alignment. The study analyzed a corpus of 360 texts using a computational tool. Results showed that stylistic alignment occurred to a greater extent in the L2-L2 dyad than in the L2-L1 dyad with respect to the word range, word frequency, word imageability, and proportion of bigrams proportion produced by the interlocutors. Furthermore, findings demonstrated the degree of stylistic alignment on each of the four selected lexical features was affected by numerous factors including age, group membership, nonnative speaker status, familiarity between interlocutors, and linguistic distance between L1 and L2. The effect of each factor on stylistic alignment in conversation is discussed in detail.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48422514","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}
{"title":"Exploring open consonantal environments for at-home testing of vowel perception in advanced L2 speakers","authors":"J. Jones","doi":"10.1515/applirev-2021-0201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2021-0201","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Recent work has called for increased investigation into methods used to explore second language (L2) speech perception (Flege 2021). The present study attends to this call, examining a common practice for developing listening prompts in the context of at-home administrations. Vowel perception studies have historically used fixed consonantal frames to determine how well participants can discriminate between target L2 vowels, and the present study compares the effects of employing a fixed consonant-vowel-consonant frame (h-vowel-d) with open (phonologically diverse) consonantal environments using real and nonce words. Thirty-eight Mandarin (n = 31) and English (n = 8) first language speakers participated in a listening experiment and a post-experiment question. Data were framed within Best and Tyler’s (2007) Perceptual Assimilation Model-L2. Internal consistency and proportion correct were calculated and a generalised linear mixed model design was used to investigate how well performance with h-vowel-d prompts predicts performance with the more diverse prompt types. Results suggest an inflation of scores for the fixed frame prompt and support the use of diverse words for listening prompt designs. Findings have implications for vowel perception researchers as well as computer (and mobile) assisted language learning developers wishing to inform their designs with relevant empirical evidence.","PeriodicalId":46472,"journal":{"name":"Applied Linguistics Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48570893","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}