This page shows the staff for the 糖心原创's School of English in the UK. Please see here for and .
Shiyang Zheng
Research Student,
Contact
Research Summary
Current Status
PhD (full-time) - currently registered
Research Topic
Modelling Formulaic Sequences: V-Det-N Idiom Learning via App by Chinese EFL Learners
Research Summary
My doctoral research investigates how second language learners acquire, retain and process English idioms. Idioms present a particular learning challenge because knowing their individual words does not necessarily provide access to their figurative meanings.
The project focuses on English idioms with a verb-determiner-noun structure, examining how the distribution of practice and the characteristics of idioms influence learning. It compares massed and spaced practice and investigates whether the position of an idiom's figurative component-in the verb or the noun-affects learning outcomes.
Using digitally delivered learning activities and behavioural assessments, I examine learners' knowledge of idiom form and meaning, their ability to recall expressions, and their response times. These measures help distinguish between successfully remembering an expression and being able to access that knowledge efficiently.
The project aims to clarify how practice schedules interact with the characteristics of formulaic language and to inform the design of learning activities that support durable and accessible idiom knowledge.
Research Interests
- Second language acquisition and psycholinguistics
- Vocabulary and formulaic language learning
- Idiom acquisition and processing
- Spaced practice and long-term retention
- Deliberate and incidental learning
- Technology-enhanced language learning
Research Supervisors
Professor Kathy Conklin
Dr. R眉diger Thul
Dr. Pawe艂 Szudarski
Primary Funding Source/s
(ESRC)
Additional Information
- MA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Beijing Foreign Studies University
- BA in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, Yan'an University
Recent Publications
SHIYANG ZHENG, LIN FAN, QINGXU ZHAI, JIAO ZHANG and RONG WEI, 2026. Languages. 11(10), 198
SHIYANG ZHENG, LIN FAN, QINGXU ZHAI, JIAO ZHANG and RONG WEI, 2026. Languages. 11(10), 198