Journal of Second Language Studies - Online First

Many factors are involved in determining how and when mindsets affect learning outcomes and recent second language (L2) research has begun to explore the impact of language mindset (LM) on a variety of learning outcomes, including willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). However, it still remains unclear how LM may contribute to L2 WTC. The present study addresses this gap and explores how learners’ engagement, particularly emotional engagement (EE) and behavioral engagement (BE), mediate the relationship between LM and L2 WTC. Two-hundred and five English as a foreign language learners took part in an online survey containing questionnaires measuring the research variables. The construct validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by a confirmatory factor analysis, ensuring their accuracy and relevance. Additionally, structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the anticipated connections between the variables and analyze the proposed structural relationships. Findings showed that growth language mindset (GLM) is positively associated with L2 WTC, and their association was mediated by EE and BE. This study presents practical suggestions for implementing classroom-ready strategies that operationalize GLM to enhance BE, EE, and L2 WTC.

Writing is one of the most challenging skills to teach in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. With the rise of artificial intelligence tools, ChatGPT has emerged as a potential assistant in writing instruction. This mixed-methods study explores the impact of integrating ChatGPT into narrative writing classes, focusing on learners’ performance and experiences throughout the writing process. Sixty EFL learners at two proficiency levels (Pre-intermediate and Upper-intermediate) were divided into a control group with traditional instruction and an experimental group using ChatGPT-assisted instruction over five weeks. Quantitative findings showed that the ChatGPT group outperformed the control group in grammatical accuracy, lexical range, and cohesion. Qualitative results highlighted increased engagement, better feedback, and improved vocabulary and grammar use, though some participants noted reduced creativity and dependence on the tool. The study suggests that ChatGPT can enhance narrative writing when used alongside pedagogical strategies that promote critical thinking and learner autonomy.

This study investigates whether adult learners of Italian as a second language (L2) acquire Obligatory Control (OC) in non-finite gerundive adjuncts, which is the local relationship between the empty subject PRO in the adjunct and the subject of the main clause. Adjunct OC in Italian is neither frequent in input nor explicitly taught. In a self-paced reading experiment with a sentence similarity-judgment task, 34 participants with various L1s and proficiency levels were tested seven months apart. By the second session, participants were more accurate and faster at identifying the main clause subject as the PRO controller and showed faster reading times at the non-finite form in the target-probe matching condition. We explore whether proficiency, exposure, L1, input distribution, or a combination of factors may explain our results.