Skip to main content
Skip to main content

Second Language Acquisition Graduate Research

The Ph.D. program in Second Language Acquisition emphasizes training in cognitive aspects of second and foreign language learning, as well as research methodology.

The course load is kept to a minimum to encourage students to start engaging in research as soon as possible. The faculty have conducted research in a variety of second languages using a wide range of methodologies, from behavioral psycholinguistic experiments and classroom research to participant observation and survey research. A wide variety of research interests are welcome. 

Below is a list of publications authored by our graduate students. For publications authored by the current SLA faculty, visit our SLA People page and select the profile of any faculty member.

Recent Publications (co)authored by SLA Students

2025 Publications

Jia, R., & Hui, B. (in press). Modeling relationships between learning conditions, processes, and outcomes: An introduction to mediation analysis in SLA research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition. Advance online publication.

Malone, J. (in press). Modality effects on contextualized L2 vocabulary processing and learning: Benefits of reading while listening. Language Learning & Technology.

Malone, J., Hui, B., Pandža, N., & Tytko, T. (in press). Eye movements, item modality, and multimodal L2 vocabulary learning: Processing and outcomes. Language Learning.

Park, K., Gor, K., & Jiang, N. (in press). Are L2 orthographic representations fuzzy? Effects of word frequency and spelling proficiency on orthographic priming in L1 and L2. Applied Psycholinguistics.

Wu, Z., Jia, R., & Hui, B. (accepted). Saving the reliability of inhibitory control measures? An extension of Huensch (2024) and Hui & Wu (2024). Studies in Second Language Acquisition.

2025 Conference Presentations

Iizuka, T. (2025, March). Does modality matter? Aural and written vocabulary in second language listening and reading comprehension. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Jia, R. (2025, March). Verifying the lack of L2 lexical competition as a consequence of fuzzy lexical representation. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Lyu, M. (2025, March). Interplay of emotions and achievement in EFL learning: Examining the moderating effect of grit on L2 emotion and achievement. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Malone, J. (2025, March). Toward a theory-based account of the vocabulary processing and learning benefits of multimodal input. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Malone, J. (2025, March). Vocabulary learning from multimodal reading: Why does it help? Paper presented at the TESOL 2025 International Convention & Expo, Long Beach, CA, United States.

Ogawa, S. (2025, March). Facilitating Chinese learners’ perception of Japanese voicing contrasts through HVPT: Role of domain-general auditory processing. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Toda-Cosi, M. (2025, April). Facilitating tasks in LCTLs with AI: A case study of ChatGPT and Catalan. Paper presented at the 2025 Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) Conference (international conference), Groningen, Netherlands.

Tytko, T. (2025, March). The effect of multimodal input on L2 learners’ reading comprehension. Paper presented at the TESOL 2025 International Convention & Expo, Long Beach, CA, United States.

Wu, C. (2025, March). Exploring motivational dispositions’ effects on vocabulary learning: A modified replication of Papi (2018). Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Wu, Z., Jia, R., & Hui, B. (2025, March). Can we ever measure inhibitory control reliably? An extension of Hui & Wu (2024) and Huensch (2024). Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

Yi, W. (2025, March). Contextual and collocational probability effects on predictive sentence comprehension: A visual-world paradigm study. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

2024 Publications

Iizuka, T., & DeKeyser, R. (2024). Scrutinizing LLAMA D as a measure of implicit learning aptitude. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 46(1), 28-50. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263122000559 

Hui, B., & Jia, R. (2024). Reflecting on the use of response times to index linguistic knowledge in SLA. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190524000047 

Hui, B., & Wu, Z. (2024). Estimating reliability for response-time difference measures: Toward a standardized, model-based approach. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 46(1), 227-250. https://doi.org/10.1017/S027226312300027X 

Quan, Y., & Hui, B. (2024). Study screening for meta-research: An overview of AI tools. In Routledge Handbook of Technological Advances in Researching Language Learning (pp. 433–447). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003459088-39/study-screening-meta-research-yazhuo-quan-bronson-hui 

Quan, Y., Tytko, T., & Hui, B. (2024). Utilizing ASReview in screening primary studies for meta-research in SLA: A step-by-step tutorial. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 100101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2024.100101 

Toda-Cosi, M., Wu, Z., & Pandža, N. B. (2024). Online data collection in applied linguistics. In Routledge Handbook of Technological Advances in Researching Language Learning (pp. 13–26). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003459088-3/online-data-collection-applied-linguistics-mireia-toda-cosi-zhiyi-wu-nick-pand%C5%BEa 

Zheng, Q., & Gor, K. (2024). The influence of native phonology, allophony, and phonotactics on nonnative lexical encoding: A vocabulary training study. Language Learning, 74(1), 146–183. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12581 

2024 Conference Presentations

Jia, R., & Jiang, N. (2024, March). The strength of L2 form-meaning connection: Task effect with advanced L2 learners. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Houston, TX, United States.

Ogawa, S. (2024, March). Investigation of differential item functioning analyses in testlet-based assessment due to multiple manifest grouping variables. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Houston, TX, United States.

Ogawa, S., & Jiao, H. (2024, July). Investigation of differential item functioning analyses due to multiple manifest grouping variables: Rasch perspective. Paper presented at the 45th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) (international conference), Innsbruck, Austria.

Tytko, T. (2024, May). L2 incidental acquisition of Spanish lexical items through engagement with dynamic and static images and captions on the Rockalingua language platform. Paper presented at the CALICO 2024 Conference, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Tytko, T. (2024, March). The effect of multimodal input on L2 learners’ reading comprehension: An eye-tracking study. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Houston, TX, United States.

Woodward, J. (2024, March). Un coup d’œil: French as a foreign language processing in an eye-tracking study. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Houston, TX, United States.

2023 Publications

Hui, B., Koh, J., & Ogawa, S. (2023). Voices of three junior scholars: A commentary on “(Why) are open research practices the future for the study of language learning?” Language Learning.  https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12571

2023 Conference Presentations

Wu, Z. (2023, March). The role of native phonology in speech perception and phonolexical encoding among Spanish learners. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference, Portland, OR, United States.

Yotsukura, L., Akinola, A. J., St-Onge, J., Thompson, W., Ogawa, S., & DeDeo, S. (2023, July). “Her behaviour was disgusting”: Emotion and morality in online complaint discourse. Paper presented at the 18th International Pragmatics Conference (international conference), Brussels, Belgium.

2022 Publications

Zhan, P., Man, K., Wind, S. A., & Malone, J. (2022). Cognitive Diagnosis Modeling Incorporating Response Times and Fixation Counts: Providing Comprehensive Feedback and Accurate Diagnosis. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 47(6), 736-776. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986221111085

Struck, J., & Jiang, N. (2022). Language switch costs in a lexical decision task: Symmetry and cognitive correlates. Second Language Research38(4), 813-838. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12581

Fang, S., & Wu, Z. (2022). Syntactic prediction in L2 learners: Evidence from English disjunction processing. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teachinghttps://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2021-0223

Wiener, S., Gao, Z., Li, X., & Wu, Z. (2022). Acquisition of non-sibilant anterior English fricatives by adult second language learners. Journal of Second Language Pronunciationhttps://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.20067.wie

Zheng, Q. (2022). Validating Task-Centered Self-Assessment on Second Language Proficiency Growth: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis. In Longitudinal Studies of Second Language Learning (pp. 171-192). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003087939-10/validating-task-centered-self-assessment-second-language-proficiency-growth-qi-zheng?context=ubx&refId=47148dde-7913-44d8-ac47-ad51f3976afa

Mackey, B. (2022). Investigating Language Aptitude and Attrition. In Longitudinal Studies of Second Language Learning (pp. 67-83). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003087939-5/investigating-language-aptitude-attrition-beth-mackey?context=ubx&refId=d7f57d14-b788-4ea0-bce7-e7754ab0b274

Bikowski, D., Park, H. K., & Tytko, T. (2022). Teaching large-enrollment online language courses: Faculty perspectives and an emerging curricular model. System105, 102711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102711

2021 Publications

Ross, S. & Zheng, Q. (2021). 9 Strategic competence and pragmatic proficiency in L2 role plays. In J. Félix-Brasdefer & R. Shively (Ed.), New Directions in Second Language Pragmatics (pp. 179-194). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110721775-013

Lee, J. J., Tytko, T., & Larkin, R. (2021). (Un)attended this/these in undergraduate student writing: A corpus analysis of high- and low-rated L2 writers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 50, 100967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.100967

2021 Conference Presentations

Bikowski, D., Park, K., & Tytko, T. (2021, March). Teaching large-enrollment EFL courses: Faculty perspectives and curricular models. Paper presented at the TESOL 2021 Convention & English Language Expo. (Virtual Conference.)

Larkin, R., Tytko, T., Oshita, H., Nguyen, A., Sakach, M., & Pack, R. (2021, March). “An earthquake occurred many people to death?!”: Acceptable vs. unacceptable resultative sentences in English. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference. (Virtual Conference.)

Montero, F. (2021, March). Investigating the episodic L2 hypothesis. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference. (Virtual Conference.)

Pulupa, C. (2021, March). Can a short-term language program have a long-term impact on students’ educational or career trajectories? Individual paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference. (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, February). Facilitating L2 writing instruction by introducing web-based collaborative reading tasks. Paper presented at the 13th Annual Meeting of the Illinois Language and Linguistics Society (ILLS13). (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, February). Introducing web-based collaborative strategic reading into L2 instruction. Paper presented at the 27th Arizona State University (ASU) Graduate Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, and TESOL Symposium. (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, March). Can reading be collaborative? Implementing computer-assisted collaborative reading in L2 instruction. Paper presented at the TESOL 2021 Convention & English Language Expo Doctoral Forum. (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, March). Can text messages reveal suicidal thoughts? A case study of a graduate student’s online communication. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Annual Conference. (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, June). Can reading be collaborative? Implementing computer-assisted collaborative reading in L2 instruction. Paper presented at the Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO) Conference. (Virtual Conference.)

Tytko, T. (2021, June). Multidimensional L2 learners’ engagement in technology-mediated TBLT tasks. Paper presented at the Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO) Conference. (Virtual Conference.)