Volume 29 Number 1, 2025
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Item Attention and learning in L2 multimodality: A webcam-based eye-tracking study(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-04-21) Zhang, Pengchong; Zhang, ShiMultimodal input can significantly support second language (L2) vocabulary learning and comprehension. However, very little research has examined how L2 learners, especially young learners, allocate attention when exposed to such input and whether learning from multimodal input can be explained by attention allocation. This study therefore investigated individual differences in attention allocation during L2 vocabulary learning with multimodal input and how vocabulary learning and comprehension were influenced by these differences. Forty young learners of French watched two types of multimodal input (Written+Audio+Picture vs. Written+Speaker+Video) and had their eye-movements recorded through online webcam-based eye-tracking technology. They also completed tests of comprehension, vocabulary, and phonological short-term memory (PSTM). We show that greater attention was allocated to the non-verbal input in video than in picture format, and such attention allocation differences were further negatively predicted by learners’ PSTM capacity. Additionally, increased attention to the non-verbal element, whether video or picture, resulted in better overall comprehension and larger vocabulary gains in meaning recognition and recall. Our findings give new insights into the role of attention and how it can be maximized, with both theoretical and pedagogical implications for multimodal L2 learning.Item First- and second-language subtitles and cognitive load: An EEG study(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-04-07) Lee, Taegang; Lee, Yoohyoung; Choi, SungmookEmpirical evidence remains sparse about how videos enhanced with first-language (L1) and secondlanguage (L2) subtitles influence cognitive load in L2 learners. To address this point, 25 Korean undergraduate students were exposed to six short videos: baseline, L1-subtitled, and L2-subtitled videos at both high and low difficulty levels (determined by linguistic complexity and speech rate). Baseline videos included subtitles in Arabic, a language unfamiliar to the participants. As participants viewed the videos, their brains’ electrical activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). After each video, participants completed a self-report questionnaire based on the video they had just watched. Analyses of the EEG data and questionnaire responses consistently suggested that, compared to baseline videos, L1-subtitled videos reduce cognitive load in L2 learners. However, findings for L2-subtitled videos were less consistent. While the EEG results indicated no significant difference in cognitive load between L2-subtitled and baseline videos, participants reported significantly higher cognitive effort for baseline videos than for L2-subtitled videos. Notably, these results did not vary according to the difficulty levels of the videos.Item Fostering intercultural sensitivity in language learning: Quality talk in telecollaboration(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-03-24) You, Huey-Jye; Yeh, Hui-Chin; Qi, Grace YueTelecollaboration has received growing interest in language education as a way of fostering intercultural learning. While the body of literature primarily focuses on the impact of telecollaborative processes on intercultural learning, the effect of supportive mechanisms on intercultural telecollaboration has received little academic attention. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the impact of the Quality Talk (QT) model—an instructional framework that provides linguistic resources to facilitate constructive discussions—on fostering intercultural sensitivity among language learners in higher education settings. Sixty-five students, including 46 Taiwanese students and 19 New Zealand students, voluntarily participated in the study. We used a mixed-methods approach in the research design to analyze pre- and post-tests on an intercultural sensitivity scale and students’ reflective essays. Findings indicate that the QT modelintegrated telecollaboration enhanced students’ intercultural understanding and sensitivity. It helped learners build confidence and made intercultural telecollaboration more enjoyable. Learners also reported that meaningful conversations with their foreign counterparts deepened their understanding of their own cultures and others’ cultures and encouraged reflection on cultural differences, resulting in their appreciation of cultural divides. The potential of the QT model in telecollaboration to facilitate intercultural learning and its implications are discussed.Item Computer-assisted pronunciation training for foreign language learning of grammatical features(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-03-11) Issa, Elsayed; Hahn-Powell, GusThis study investigates the effectiveness of a computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) system on second language learners’ acquisition of three grammatical features. It presents a CAPT system on top of a phoneme-based, fine-tuned speech recognition model, and is intended to deliver explicit, corrective feedback on the pronunciation of the Arabic feminine grammatical morpheme tied /taa/ in three Arabic phrases: the construct state, the definite noun-adjective, and the indefinite noun-adjective. A total of 26 American college students studying Arabic were assigned to two groups. The control group received the traditional in-class instruction while the experimental group used the CAPT system. Prior to the experiment, a pretest was administered to examine learners’ pronunciation performance, and a posttest was carried out after the experiment. The results showed that the experimental group performed significantly better in the posttest than the control group, suggesting that the explicit, corrective feedback helped learners improve their pronunciation of the three phrases. It also showed that learners were more knowledgeable about the three phrases based on grammatical cues, suggesting that CAPT systems are a promising method for supplementing pronunciation-based instruction and improving awareness of grammatical features reflected in the phonology of a language.Item Review of The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and technology(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-03-11) Stickler, Ursula; Rock, KristinItem Integrating chatbot technology in language teacher education: A TPACK-based analysis of pre-service teachers’ professional development(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-02-24) Choi, Lee Jin; Kim, Rakhun; Chung, Sun JooAs many EFL countries introduce digital textbooks and AI-based language education, the importance of enhancing pre-service language teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in language teacher education is increasingly being emphasized. This qualitative case study examined how 13 pre-service English teachers applied various elements of TPACK through their participation in a chatbot-integrated course designed to provide hands-on, design-based experience. Analysis of participants' weekly reflection journals revealed their evolving engagement with TPACK elements, Design Knowledge, and contextual considerations. As the semester progressed, the pre-service English teachers demonstrated enhanced TPACK contribution through their growing capacity to integrate technology in language instruction and deeper understanding of pedagogical implications. The preservice teachers were also able to better combine chatbot and language teaching and became more confident in situating themselves as effective English teachers through the course. The study provides a comprehensive TPACK-based framework for language teacher educators to evaluate and develop preservice teachers' technological, pedagogical, and content competencies in technology-enhanced instruction. These findings offer practical implications for language teacher educators seeking to incorporate TPACK-informed approaches in their course design and professional development programs.Item Memes and identity in language teacher education(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-02-24) Vazquez-Calvo, Boris; Paz-López, Alba; Rey-Godoy, SergioMemes are a popular form of digitally mediated discourse that allow users to express thoughts and emotions, often leaving identity traces of their creators or sharers. This study uses the classroom activity Story by Memes as both a narrative tool for self-presentation in language teacher education and a method for exploring identity representation through memes created by preservice language teachers from two cohorts: the Pedagogy cohort (PC) and the Linguistics cohort (LC). By discursively and thematically analyzing 777 memes from 84 preservice teachers’ stories, we capture identity configurations that shape their language learning and teaching dispositions across academic, professional, and personal contexts. Our findings reveal key differences between cohorts: the PC emphasizes language learning experiences, personal affinities, and a vocation for teaching, while the LC focuses on motivations to learn languages, teaching anxieties, and a pragmatic view of teaching as a career. Examining translingual and humorous meme configurations offers deeper insights into identity formation among preservice teachers. These findings suggest that integrating digital literacies like memes could complement traditional reflective journals as well as serve as diagnostic tools for identifying learner needs in both language learning and language teacher education.Item Effects of digital game elements on engagement and vocabulary development(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-02-10) Zhang, Ruofei; Cheng, Gary; Zou, DiDigital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) integrates key game elements such as Challenges, Rewards, Human-Computer Interactions (HCI), Multimedia, and Fantasy. Although the overall effectiveness of digital games in enhancing English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) vocabulary knowledge development is well-established, the specific roles of individual game elements remain underexplored. To fill the gap, we developed a DGBVL program incorporating the five elements to examine their impact on learner engagement and vocabulary acquisition among 50 Chinese university students. Data collection methods included an eye-tracker, pre-post-delayed tests, and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that Challenges significantly engaged learners, while deep engagement in HCI and limited engagement in Fantasy positively influenced vocabulary knowledge development. Our findings refine existing theories on DGBVL by elucidating how game elements individually and collaboratively facilitate learner engagement and vocabulary knowledge development across the phases of Preactional/Forethought, Actional/Performance, and Post-actional/Self-reflection learning.Item Review of New directions in technology for writing instruction(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-01-27) Zhao, Kai; Kristin RockItem A systematic review of research on AI in language education: Current status and future implications(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-01-27) Zhu, Meina; Wang, Chaoran; Yu-Ju LanGiven the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for language education, this article provides a review of selected empirical studies on artificial intelligence in language education, spanning from 2013 to October 2023. Data for this review were gathered from the Web of Science, Eric ProQuest, Scopus, and five top specialized language education journals. A total of 125 studies met the selection criteria and were analyzed using multiple methodologies, including selected bibliometrics, content analysis, and topic modeling. This article furnishes an up-to-date overview of the current landscape of AI in language education research, emphasizing specific AI technologies, their applications, and their educational impact. The most prevalent AI technologies encompass automated writing evaluation, bots, machine translation, automatic speech recognition, and intelligent systems. The results also reveal frequent utilization of AI to assist students in learning writing and speaking. Extensive discussions about practical implications and outlines for future research directions are provided from multiple perspectives. The evolution of AI necessitates initiatives addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) concerns in language education. Future research demands large-scale collaborative efforts with a focus on long-term research and development endeavors.