Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable death and disease worldwide (World Health Organization, 2023), which increasingly become the target of more forceful anti-tobacco measures, such as outright cigarette sales bans (Branston & Gilmore, 2020). The UK’s proposal to raise the legal smoking age every year represents one of

In the development of the 'Health' module for the "Core University English" EAP course, my objective was to guide students from the basic writing level typical in IELTS to the rigorous standards of scholarly communication in higher education.

In China, English fluency is more than a linguistic ability; it is increasingly seen as a strategic asset linked to improved educational and career prospects, with implications for social mobility (Wei, 2013). As China's economic and cultural dimensions rapidly align with international norms (Goldstein, 2020; Mingjiang, 2008), this

This essay argues that the digital and globalized age, while introducing complexities like colloquial internet terminologies, also brings forward unmatched opportunities for immersive learning.

Language testing and assessment, especially in the context of second language acquisition, are instrumental in shaping educational trajectories and societal integration (Lynch, 2001). These processes, however, are not merely technical or administrative tasks; they are deeply embedded with ethical considerations that directly influence their fairness, transparency, and accountability (Estaji, 2011)

Q1: How and why is acquiring a second language unlike acquiring a first language? Unravelling the complexities that underlie the phenomenon of acquiring a second language (L2) in contrast to a first language (L1) unveils remarkable distinctions that can be attributed to (1) the order of acquisition and (2) the

In the pursuit of comprehensive language education, it is essential to examine the social dynamics inherent in digital language learning platforms (Faizi et al., 2014; Zhou, 2021). As online resources become increasingly vital for acquiring knowledge, exploring the discourses they propagate warrants further investigation (Witschge, 2008). This study employs Fairclough&

The emergence of English as an international language has instigated a paradigm shift in the approach to English language teaching. This transformation raises questions regarding the most suitable candidates for instructing English, thus contesting the conventional assumption that native English-speaking teachers are the most adept. This essay concentrates on exploring

In an increasingly globalized world, linguistic competence plays a vital role in transcending national and cultural boundaries, fostering cross-cultural communication (Crystal, 2003). Proficiency in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is particularly important for navigating this interconnected landscape. However, EFL teaching and learning environments often perpetuate colonial legacies, marginalizing and

Introduction This essay will examine the process of second language acquisition (SLA) within the context of Chomsky's Universal Grammar (UG) approach. UG posits that the human brain possesses an inherent set of grammatical principles governing the architecture of all natural languages (Chomsky & Lasnik, 2008; Jackendoff & Pinker,

💡This post is a learning note and reflectional thoughts based on Thompson, G., & Dooley, K. (2019). Ensuring translation fidelity in multilingual research. In The Routledge handbook of research methods in applied linguistics (pp. 63-75). Routledge. After reading my post as an introduction, it is recommended to have a look

I have written this short essay for a student learning to write from me. This student possessed a talented gift for language: conjuring up an array of eloquent synonyms, utilizing a sophisticated syntax, and employing a complex and colourful vocabulary. Yet, her ability to craft a complex, meaningful narrative and

Core Function Supposing that the introduction of a treatment, policy, or other intervention is the consequence of a complex web of both deliberate and random factors, propensity score matching (PSM) is a powerful tool with which researchers can observe the effect of this intervention. First presented in an article by

Some interesting background The field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) experienced a period of being dominated by the L2-centred theories, which claimed that the new or target language should be the only medium of instruction without reference to the default linguistic system or own language (Hall & Cook, 2012). In

Why are we doing it? The target learners of this curriculum are 8 exchange scholars at the University of Cambridge. These mature students speak Mandarin Chinese as their first language, with sufficiently high proficiency in receptive English skills but comparatively low competence in productive skills. This pattern can be seen

This is a short critique on Aldukhayel, D. (2021). Vlogs in L2 listening: EFL learners’ and teachers’ perceptions. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 34(8), 1085–1104. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1658608 📖 The paper Arguing for the higher diversity of online resources that may better fit students’ personal

The statement to be discussed is ‘Language processing is predictive’. This short article supported an interactive approach to language processing by critically reviewing studies investigating the role of contextual influence.

Although ‘enough data’ lead to higher accuracy, ‘human-like’ performance in word prediction requires a comprehensive modification of the underlying mechanism of the language model.

Hierarchical regression is a theory-driven method. However, when an exploratory study can benefit from this method, it is rarely discussed what should be done if no well-established theories can be identified.

读书笔记 Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford publications. [p. 17] 相比于其他传统的检验方法（比如ANOVA、多元线性回归），在SEM中，显著性检验的重要性要小很多！ 其中，最核心的原因是，SEM以对模型整体的评估为核心，看待数据分析的角度也更宏观。在很多研究中，相对于模型来说，一条线、某个独立效应的显著与否或许并不是那么重要（更准确的讲，并不是SEM关注的核心）。 即使在一些研究中，某个独立效应的显著性是重点之一，SEM研究者也需要从更加宏观的角度去思考整个模型——是否要拒绝该模型？是否要修正该模型？如果要修正的话，如何修正？因此，我们可以看出，在SEM中，模型整体的判断要远高于独立效应的判断。 第二个原因则是SEM的大样本需求有时让显著性检验不那么准确。如果还不熟悉SEM的样本需求，可以关注一下之前的文章 :) 受过传统统计训练的小伙伴可能清楚，p值受样本量的影响很大。在大样本研究中，我们经常遇到一些非常显著（比如p

读书笔记 Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and practice of structural equation modelling. Guilford publications. [pp. 14 - 16] 相比起“传统”方法来说，SEM更加需要“大样本”。那么，多大的样本叫做“大样本”呢？ 因为影响SEM样本量需求的因素很多，所以我们很难得到一个简单的答案。 我们先来简单总结一下这些影响因素： · 越复杂的模型、变量越多的模型，所需的样本量就越大。这是因为变量越多，我们在统计模型中需要进行的估计就越多。在这种情况下，为了让计算机得出准确的估计值，我们必须要有更大的样本量。 · 数据越“不完美”，需要的样本量就越大。什么是“不完美”的数据呢？比如非连续性变量、不符合正态分布的数据、不符合线性的数据、变量间有交互作用等情况。当然，我们需要在挑选SEM的估计方法时也小心谨慎，

The present essay will argue that identity is a dynamic concept covering all cognitive, affective, and behavioural levels.