This study investigated the impact of Chinese ESL learners’ second language (L2) proficiency on English word recognition in a lexical decision task. The study focused on the interaction among one between-participant variable (L2 proficiency) and three within-participant variables (orthographic neighborhood density, word frequency, and words/nonwords). ANOVA and two-tailed t-test indicated that:...

This research investigated the identification ability of English voiceless fricatives by Japanese listeners with high and low English proficiency. A perceptual experiment was carried out in five listening environments: RT (Reverberation Time) = 0.78 s, 1.12 s, 1.43 s, RT = 0.78 s + background noise at SNR (Signal-to-Noise ratio) = 10 dB, and quiet. Correct identification rates were calculated a...

Foreign language professionals invest considerable time and effort in acquiring foreign language skills. Of key interest is how these skills change over time, and which sustainment, or language training activities, are efficacious in maintaining or improving proficiency. This paper discusses the results of mining more than 800 test/re-test records of foreign language professionals. Analyses inv...

this study examined the effects of task complexity on written narrative production under different task complexity conditions by efl learners at different proficiency levels. task complexity was manipulated along robinson’s (2001b) proposed task complexity dimension of here-and-now (simple) vs. there-and-then (complex) in. accordingly, three specific measures of the written narratives were targ...

Are U.S. immigrants' English proficiency and social outcomes the result of their cultural preferences, or of more fundamental constraints? Using 2000 Census microdata, we relate immigrants' English proficiency, marriage, fertility and residential location variables to their age at arrival in the U.S., and in particular whether that age fell within the "critical period" of language acquisition. ...

A naturalistic experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) can indirectly improve L2 oral proficiency by developing the same cognitive mechanisms underlying spontaneous conversational speech. The theoretical framework guiding this inquiry consists of Levelt’s (1989) model of language production augmented by concepts from Working Memory ...

There has been a scarcity of studies exploring the influence of students' American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency on their academic achievement in ASL/English bilingual programs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ASL proficiency on reading comprehension skills and academic achievement of 85 deaf or hard-of-hearing signing students. Two subgroups, differing in ASL proficienc...

The effect of intellectual impairment on sports performance has received limited attention by researchers. As a contribution to closing this gap, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine the differences in tactical proficiency between table tennis players with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). These groups were matched for training-volume and experience and consisted of...

The aim of this study was to assess differences in fundamental motor skills (FMS) proficiency between boys and girls of each age group, independently, across the entire preschool period. Using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition, FMS proficiency was tested in 325 preschoolers (4.9 ± 1.1 y, range 3-6) using a cross-sectional design. Compared to boys of the same age, 3- an...