Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) emphasizes the role of meaningful human interaction as playing an effective role in language learning, especially in L2 development.  The aim of this paper is to synthesize the main concepts of SCT and to show how it may help to enhance L2 learning practices. A critical review of Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory suggests that human mental performance is basically a process arranged by concepts, social objects, and activities. Learning is, then, seen as an interactive process, representing the learner’s final output in practical community. Applying the Socio-Cultural Theory in practice can be the more suitable approach to provide an all-encompassing framework in which L2 learners can be engaged in various collaborative learning activities for L2 language learning. L2 learners' interaction with various language activities seems to have instructional implications on their cognitive progress and consequently, this can reflect positively on their L2 language performance, leading to meaningful and constructivist L2 learning experience. The critical overview of the SCT in this paper recommends encouraging the use of collaborative techniques that integrate both instructors and L2 learners with the socio-cultural norms that can help exploit the full potential for a successful L2 learning experience.

This study examined the contribution of spacing on facilitating learning and retention of L2 word forms and meanings. 38 Saudi Arabian learners of English studied 30 English words (beyond their current language proficiency) using a spaced and massed displays. The former refers to the frequent distribution of repetition across multiple learning sessions, whereas the latter deals with the repetition of words into one single learning session. The 15 lexemes, hence, under the massed condition were classified into three categories of five words, each set was studied three times in one of the three sessions, whereas the other set of words were studied under the spaced condition in which all 15 words were learned once in each of the three sessions. One offline test was conducted to measure the meaning of word knowledge, and one online lexical decision task measured respondents’ accuracy and speed in recognizing the form of target words. These two tests were administrated in immediate post-test (IPT) and delayed post-test (DPT), conducted two weeks later. The results show that the meaning and form of spaced L2 words are learned and retained better than those of massed L2 words. The reaction time (RT) results also show that L2 learners who are under the spaced condition are faster in recognizing L2 target word forms than those who are under the massed condition. These findings can have meaningful theoretical and pedagogical implications for developing L2 vocabulary learning and retention.

Considering the significance of corrective feedback and its effect on L2 vocabulary building, this study aimed to investigate the extent to which direct corrective feedback (DCF) and metalinguistic corrective feedback (MCF) could contribute to the use of L2 appropriate formal written words among Arabic L2 learners of English. A writing test (IELTS writing Task 2) as a pre and post-test was administered to gauge the participants’ (N= 96) L2 lexical resources. The sample was randomly divided into 3 groups according to the teaching feedback strategy applied: direct, metalinguistic, and control groups. The first two groups were given feedback based on their condition but the control group was given the conventional, unfocused feedback. Ten tutorial sessions on how to write formal words accurately were delivered to boost the appropriate use of L2 formal words in the writing tests. The target components of essay writing measured in the study were word choice, and the correct use of L2 formal words in writing. Findings showed the positive effects of both feedback types but metalinguistic groups outperformed the direct and control groups in the posttest. Additionally, the qualitative dimension of the study demonstrated that those who received metalinguistic feedback had more positive attitude than those who received direct feedback.