In this study, we examined the effect of visual cues in a second language listening test on test takers' viewing behaviours and their test performance. Fifty-seven learners of English in Korea took a video-based listening test, with their eye movements recorded, and 23 of them were interviewed individually after the test. The participants viewed…

Many universities in Korea have implemented teaching TOEIC based courses in their core curriculums as a result of the increased popularity of the TOEIC test. With the assumption that reading and listening scores are inter-related with each other, a focus of this study is to find the distribution patterns of the reading comprehension (RC) and the…

This study explores effects of e-book and audio-book on EFL comprehension. It was conducted at a university in Korea with 75 college students. The whole experiment lasted for five weeks in 2020. To determine effectiveness of multiple modalities, participants were assigned to three different experimental groups: e-book, audio-book, and e-audiobook…

This study investigated the effects of working memory capacity (WMC), first language (L1) syllogistic inferencing ability, and second-language (L2) linguistic knowledge on L2 listening comprehension for passages of different lengths. Participants were 193 Korean ninth-grade learners of English. A path analysis was used to examine multivariate…

Numerous empirical studies confirm the role of self-efficacy in the foreign/second language (L2) learning context. Despite this, few studies have explored the construct of L2 English self-efficacy (L2 self-efficacy) from a longitudinal perspective. This study investigates the developmental features of self-efficacy in English L2 learning by…

In the current globalized world, English is an international language that makes it possible for people from different language backgrounds to communicate with each other. In this situation, English users in EIL (English as an international language) should be able to comprehend various accents spoken by English speakers from all over the world.…

Test-taker characteristics (TTCs), or individual difference variables, are known to be a systematic source of variance in language test performance. Although previous research has documented the impact of a range of TTCs on second language (L2) learners' test performance, few of these studies have involved young learners. Given that young L2…

Metacognition in L2 listening has garnered attention, but there is limited research on concrete methods to practice it in high school EFL contexts. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of self-annotation interventions in a high school EFL listening classroom. Through the analysis of pre- and post-listening tests, students' annotations…

Positive and significant correlations ranging from 0.34 to 0.51 were found between self-reported pleasure reading (books, newspapers and magazines) and self-reported competence in speaking, listening, reading and writing English, among teachers in Korea whose responsibilities included teaching English as a foreign language. This result confirms…

This study examines the relationships among various major factors that may affect the difficulty level of language tests in an attempt to enhance the robustness of item difficulty estimation, which constitutes a crucial factor ensuring the equivalency of high-stakes tests. The observed difficulties of the reading and listening sections of two EFL…

Adopting a cognitive perspective, this study examined roles of working memory capacity (WMC), first language (L1) syllogistic inferencing, and second language (L2) linguistic knowledge on literal and inferential understanding of L2 reading comprehension in adolescent L2 learners. Participants were 193 Korean ninth-grade learners of English. The…

High-stakes reading tests significantly influence one's future success, leading many second language learners to engage in intensive test preparation. This study examines nine TOEFL reading preparation lectures from two popular cram schools, or [foreign characters omitted] "hagwons," in Korea, with a total duration of five hours and…

This study investigates whether statistical learning ability, conceptualized as a cognitive ability to learn regularities implicitly, is a good predictor for L2 learners' online language processing performance. Native-English-speaking adults, as a control group, and native-Korean-speaking adult L2 learners of English participated. They completed:…

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is a fast-developing field that is constantly growing and evolving in education. There is a lack of publications focusing on implementation studies of MALL as a means to enhance second language/foreign language (L2) reading comprehension. Building on Burston's (2013). Mobile-Assisted Language Learning: a…

Understanding how second language proficiency and other key learner characteristics relate to language learning anxiety subcomponents can help inform the type and quantity of content instructors approach foreign language (FL) students with when teaching English. This study seeks to understand how FL proficiency (i.e., TOEIC reading, TOEIC…