This article is concerned with how developing writers use grammar knowledge to make choices in writing and the extent to which this knowledge is conscious and the choices deliberate. Drawing on case study data with 24 school-aged writers involved in a three-year longitudinal study, the article reports the pattern of conscious and unconscious…

This experimental study investigated the impact of explicit and implicit feedback on acquiring Arabic grammar for second learners. The participants were forty-five lower-intermediate male participants studying Arabic as a second language in a Saudi Arabian language institution. All participants were equally divided into three groups; the explicit…

This paper synthesises aspects of functional grammar and cognitive stylistics to posit a theoretical approach to the teaching of the grammar of narrative writing to upper primary and lower secondary students. It is argued the development of students' metalinguistic understanding is essential if they are to make informed language choices as they…

The concept of noticing, which emphasizes the role of attention and awareness in language learning, has exerted a strong influence on second language acquisition (SLA) theory and practice. The current research analyzes instances of noticing evident across a 26-week period as the first author, an absolute beginner, was taught Turkish by the second…

Corrective feedback (CF) has long been a hot topic in language education circles and has received extensive research attention. However, there is still controversy over the effectiveness of CF use and error correction in language classes. To address this discrepancy, the current study probed the effectiveness of different CF types in improving…

Responding to a lack of attention to language in transfer pedagogies, this study examines the potential effects that direct language-level instruction has on the metalinguistic awareness of students who were enrolled in stretch and corequisite courses at two four-year, public universities. Informed by a functional view of language, the instruction…

Whereas scholars have extensively researched the pedagogical potential of 4/3/2 activities (i.e. increasing time pressure in task repetition) for enhancing second language (L2) fluency, its impact on L2 accuracy remains unclear. To help L2 learners improve both fluency and accuracy, the present study examined the effects of adding accuracy…

As an established educational institute, the University of Jordan promotes intercultural exchange through language support. This thesis addresses the question of heterogeneity of German language teaching at the University of Jordan and develops a didactic strategy for improving language acquisition at the A2 and B1 levels. The focus is on…

The abstract nature of grammar makes metalinguistic thinking a challenge for both teachers and students. However, it is suggested writing conferences in which students are encouraged to reflect on grammatical choices and their impact on meaning may be an effective means to develop metalinguistic awareness. This paper draws on cognitive linguistics…

Purpose: Insights from linguistic variation research illustrate a linguistically diverse population, in which even speakers who can be classified as speaking a "mainstream" variety have grammatical knowledge of vernacular or "nonmainstream" features. However, there is a gap in our knowledge regarding how vernacular features are…

Lexical ability, an umbrella term to cover various knowledge and skills pertaining to words in print, is a key component in reading comprehension. Little is known how different facets of lexical ability jointly contribute to L2 reading comprehension and how the contributions may differ between higher- and lower-proficiency L2 learners. This study,…

Developing L2 learners' productive mastery of vocabulary is a challenging task. Recent research has called for greater attention to understanding how receptive vocabulary may be transformed for productive use (Schmitt, 2019). Using a design-based research methodology, this study investigated adult ESL learners' productive oral vocabulary…

While studies have shown that additional language (Lx) learners build on knowledge of previously acquired languages (Ringbom 2007), the natural interaction between languages is rarely exploited in Lx classrooms. This study explores the nature of metalinguistic reflections and crosslinguistic connections during plurilingual consciousness-raising…

Very few studies have investigated second language (L2) knowledge of word parts. The present study was set to measure L2 recognition of 35 English prefixes and the factors that might predict scores. The form and meaning sections of Sasao and Webb's Word Part Levels Test were administered to 152 Arabic learners of English as a foreign language…

Explicit knowledge of language is posited as a core component of language teachers' professional knowledge, as it impacts on their classroom practice, cognition and professional reflection. In response to a sociocultural turn in teacher education, this paper presents a sociocultural rationale for the implementation of an explicit-inductive…