Exploring Lexical Processing and Sustainability Awareness in EFL Learners: A Psycholinguistic Discourse-Cognition Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1703.19Keywords:
word processing, cognitive linguistics, language perception, sustainability texts, discourseAbstract
Despite the increasing emphasis on sustainability literature, limited research has examined how EFL learners cognitively and neurologically process sustainability-related literature in English. This research study investigates this psycholinguistic gap by analyzing how EFL learners are engaged in word processing while comprehending sustainability discourse and developing awareness of worldwide environmental issues. The research endeavors to answer the following question: How do psycholinguistic processes, especially word processing, impact EFL learners’ comprehension and sustainability insights in discourse-intensive contexts? A mixed-method design was used, integrating quantitative visual tracking indicators of word recognition and processing with qualitative reflective narrations and open-ended interviews. Forty intermediate EFL university learners participated in this research study. Data analysis focused on processing cognitive pace, precision, and patterns of cognitive engagement, alongside learners’ reported comprehension of sustainability notions. Findings show that learners’ word processing effectiveness significantly correlates with their full comprehension of sustainability-based discourse. Participants who showed a higher level of lexical and semantic processing demonstrated greater awareness of ecological issues. Further, they reflected a more precise interpretation of discourse meaning. These results suggest that some psycholinguistic factors, such as word recognition and semantic integration, play an essential part in linking language acquisition to content-based insights. The research implications include integrating targeted psycholinguistic activities that promote word processing skills while simultaneously boosting learners’ sustainability insights.
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