Exploring English as a Foreign Language Japanese Learners’ Perceptions of Virtual Reality-Based Speaking Practice

Critical thinking is an essential skill for students in the 21st century and plays a pivotal role in language education. With the rapid advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has significantly benefited from tools that support the development of critical thinking. While existing research has examined the impact of ICT on critical thinking in EFL classrooms, there is a lack of systematic reviews focusing specifically on the role of ICT tools in enhancing critical thinking within EFL teaching. This systematic review aims to address that gap by examining recent advancements and the effectiveness of ICT tools used in EFL instruction to foster critical thinking from 2015 to 2024, with a focus on tools such as digital mapping, WebQuest, and online games. The findings indicate that communicative, informative, and constructive ICT tools are widely used in EFL classrooms and are particularly effective in enhancing analysis, evaluation, and inference skills. This study provides an in-depth analysis of how these technologies are currently applied in EFL education to foster critical thinking skills. Additionally, the study also provides guidance for future research, highlighting the need to expand the use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), and explore their integration into diverse EFL contexts to maximize their potential in promoting critical thinking.

The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is a globally recognized standardized test that mainly assesses listening and reading skills necessary for communication in workplace contexts. However, the listening section, which accounts for half of the total score of 990, has been regarded as problematic for some Thai English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. This study, therefore, investigates the listening difficulties of six Thai EFL learners who struggled with the TOEIC test. The participants (fourth-year English majors from a university in Thailand) were asked to complete selected TOEIC listening test items and were interviewed about their listening problems immediately afterwards. The findings provide insights into listening problems in the testing context as task-based and individual-based. We categorized the top three problems as “I answer the choice that has the same or similar words as in the listening text.”, “I cannot catch the text immediately while listening.”, and “I make wrong inferences due to partial understandings.” Based on our findings, we make several pedagogical suggestions for TOEIC teachers and test takers, including an explicit focus on phonological knowledge, paraphrasing skills, automaticity, established vocabulary lists, and extensive listening practice.

This study investigates the influence of integrating a crowdfunding video task into Business English courses on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) scores. This mixed-methods study utilizes a pre-and post-test experimental design to evaluate the influence of crowdfunding-related activities on TOEIC proficiency. The design of the study includes implementing a Crowdfunding Video Task Questionnaire (CVTQ) and conducting semi-structured interviews. A total of 86 sophomore college students participated in the study. The questionnaire and interviews were designed to gather nuanced information about students’ perceptions and experiences in task-based English learning within the ambit of crowdfunding integration. In essence, the study aims to facilitate a broader understanding of task-based learning approaches integrated into the teaching of Business English. Specifically, it aims to shed light on how such approaches could augment English language skills indispensable in the business domain when integrated with the crowdfunding video task. By investigating this combination, the study intends to pave the way for more effective and engaging English instruction tailored to the demands of the professional world.

This paper investigates the relationship between vocabulary size and performance on the reading and listening portions of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). The participants were 973 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners from a technical college who had studied English for at least six years. The learners’ TOEIC listening and reading scores were found to be strongly associated with their receptive vocabulary size with no gender differences. These results indicate that vocabulary size could have a statistically significant effect on TOEIC listening and reading scores, reinforcing the value of vocabulary size for English proficiency. Additionally, English vocabulary size and the prediction of proficiency in the TOEIC listening and reading sections reached statistical significance. These findings demonstrate the importance of receptive vocabulary for EFL learners. Outcomes from the study have implications for EFL learners and teachers as well as future research.

Public speaking is considered the most anxiety-provoking speaking activity for English as a foreign language (EFL) learner. While traditional lecture-based classrooms hinder EFL learners’ constant practice and frequent interaction due to large class sizes and limited time, recent developments in technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automatic Speech Analysis, and Virtual Reality (VR), may enhance language learning by offering accessible and personalized learning experiences. This study aimed to investigate the effects of technology-enhanced learning on reducing EFL learners’ PSA. Thirty-three university students were divided into three groups and received either lecture-based, mobile-assisted, or VR-facilitated instruction for four weeks. The students’ perceived PSA levels were reduced in all three groups after their respective instruction, but only the VR-facilitated group reached statistical significance, and there were no differences in the three groups’ final oral performances. However, the two technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) groups achieved more convergent performances on the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety scale compared with the non-TELL group, which indicated that the impact of individual differences may have been compensated by technology assistance. The findings suggested that the instructional feedback generated by AI decreased the participants’ PSA, although the irreplaceable role of teachers as facilitators was also emphasized, while the potential of using VR in teaching public speaking was evident.

Virtual Reality (VR) as an interactive, illustrative, and immersive learning environment has ample opportunities for the development of language skills. Despite a growing literature on VR-assisted language learning, the benefit of VR for L2 listening is in need of further investigation. To fill this lacuna, the current study surveyed the impact of using 360° monoscopic VR videos as pre-listening tasks on language learners’ development of listening comprehension. Sixty English as a foreign language (EFL) learners participated in the study as the control and the experimental groups. Their entry level of listening comprehension was evaluated by the B1 Preliminary listening paper before the study. Listening was taught to both groups by the comprehension-based model consisting of a pre-during-post listening cycle. The pre-listening activities of the experimental group included watching and working on 360° VR videos related to the topics of the listening parts of the textbook. The pre-listening phase of the control group included the warmup activities of the textbook. Both groups’ listening comprehension was evaluated again at the end of the study. The quantitative data analysis revealed a significant difference between the participants’ listening comprehension in favor of those who had worked with VR video as pre-listening tasks. Also, larger effect sizes for Parts 3 and 4 of the test that focused on understanding monologues were evident. The experimental group members were asked to express their perceptions of the experience of working with 360° VR videos in listening instruction by taking part in a structured interview. The results showed that almost all participants found the activities to be inspiring and pedagogically valuable.

Today, technology plays a pivotal role in language teaching and many teachers are expected to integrate technology into their instruction. Although studies have shown positive results from the incorporation of technology into language learning, many studies have also raised concerns about lack of teacher preparedness to teach with technology. Grounded in the TPACK Framework developed by Koehler and Mishra (2006), the present study examines teachers’ technology literacy for supporting technology-enhanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Maluku, Eastern Indonesia. The participants (n=43) were EFL teachers at public high schools and vocational high schools in Maluku. The data were collected using an online TPACK questionnaire (Schmidt et al. 2009) and semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers. The findings showed teachers’ awareness of the significance of technology use in their EFL instruction. Teachers acknowledged a handful of tools already deployed to improve English skills inside and beyond classrooms, but noted needs for effective CALL enactment, such as continued training and accessible technologies. Based on the findings, recommendations include the provision of training modules for ongoing training of in-service teachers and improved school facilities.

This study investigated Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners' attitudes toward Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in Saudi Arabia. Five research questions were developed: (1) What are the Saudi EFL learners' general attitudes toward CALL at the IPA? (2) What are Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward the CALL software used at the IPA? (3) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward CALL based on their years of English learning? (4) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward CALL based on their current computer knowledge? (5) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward CALL based on their gender? The research questionnaire was administered to a total of 578 participants, including students from several levels of English language proficiency, major areas of study, and three distinct locations. Statistical methods including standard deviation, mean, regression analysis, and t-test were used to analyze data. The findings indicated that the Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward CALL and the software were positive. The results of the regression analysis showed that computer knowledge and gender served as the best predictors of learners' attitudes toward CALL. The t-test findings showed that Saudi female EFL learners had more positive attitudes toward CALL than their male counterparts. The findings of this study will help to improve the use of CALL at the IPA and other college-level institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Instruction in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning is a priority around the globe, but instructional methodologies have not always kept pace with the changing needs of learners. The traditional teacher-centered EFL classroom teaching model can no longer meet the needs of college EFL learners to strengthen and improve their language ability. For years, the flipped classroom teaching model has been widely recognized as an innovative and effective instructional method by language educators. Based upon the analysis of the current EFL teaching and learning situation and the flipped classroom teaching model, the author took two Artificial Intelligent classes from a Chinese public college as the participants in the experiment to explore the impact of the flipped classroom teaching model on their language learning. One Artificial Intelligent class, the Experimental Group (EG), adopted the flipped classroom teaching model in EFL class, and the other Artificial Intelligent class, the Control Group (CG), adopted the traditional teacher-centered method in EFL class. After the survey, implementation of different teaching models, pre-test and post-test comparison, learning time changing curve analysis, and analysis of learners’ acceptance of the new model, the study aims to find out the impact of the flipped classroom teaching model on college EFL learners’ language learning attitudes, perceptions and performance, providing some references for college EFL educators on their EFL teaching to a certain extent.

The present study aims to investigate which variables affect English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ listening comprehension test performance. It examines two types of variables: (1) test formats and (2) test materials. First, three types of test formats are investigated: (1) questions are not written but given orally only once in English and in the students’ first language (L1) after they listen to the spoken text and (2) questions are not written but given orally in English and in the students’ L1 before and after they listen to the spoken text. The third type is a control group: Questions are written and also given orally in English after the students listen to the spoken text. The first type of test is similar to the Test of English as a Foreign Language Paper-Based Testing (TOEFL PBT) and the second type the General Tests of English Language Proficiency (G-TELP). The third type, a control group, is the format of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). Second, this study examines whether there are any differences between dialogues and monologues in terms of students’ performance. The results show that test formats do not make a statistically significant difference to students’ test performance. Repeating questions after listening to the spoken text does not help them perform better, even if they listen to questions not only in English but also in their L1. As for differences in test materials, the results are not decisive. It is not possible to determine whether there are any differences between dialogues and monologues.

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of English teachers regarding the adverse effects of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China, as well as their proposals for improving EFL instruction in the country. By exploring the views of experienced English teachers, this study provides valuable insights into how English as a Foreign Language pedagogy can be improved in China and other countries. The main research question is about the adverse effects of teaching English as a Foreign Language in Chinese higher education and the ways to improve its instruction. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of 20 English teachers who possessed substantial experience teaching in Chinese higher education institutions. The participants’ teaching experience ranged from 3-20 years (SD = 5.3). The analysis involved the establishment of concordant codes and sub-codes, with the aid of two researchers and an external expert, to ensure the reliability and validity of the results. The findings showed that the teachers attributed English as a Foreign Language learners’ English deficiencies to the English teaching curriculum, self-directed learning, and the education system. Finally, the teachers suggested that self-directed learning skills and self-regulation were crucial for effectively applying language in authentic contexts. These findings have implications beyond China and are expected to enhance English pedagogy in other English as a Foreign Language countries. Thus, this research may contribute to improving the effectiveness of English teaching in China and other countries by providing a deeper understanding of the challenges and potential solutions associated with English as a Foreign Language instruction.

In line with recent studies recognizing positive correlation between metalinguistic knowledge and language proficiency, this study aimed to find out how much metalanguage is understood by low to intermediate proficiency English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Japan. A very simple metalanguage test was designed and administered to 1,180 non-English majors at two Japanese private universities. Some of the participants’ metalinguistic ability was compared with their standardized test scores. For 639 participants who took the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) Bridge® test, their reading scores and their metalinguistic ability showed the strongest correlations ( r = .66), and for 87 participants whose scores from the Visualizing English Language Competency (VELC) test were available, the strongest correlation between the two tests was also with the reading section ( r = .80). The results revealed that even very simple metalanguage, such as noun, adverb, and article, was not recognized by many of the participants.

The rapid advancement of AI-based writing assistants has transformed language learning, yet gaps remain in understanding how learners interact with these tools and perceive their feedback. This mixed-methods study explores the dynamics between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners and an AI writing assistant (Type), focusing on interaction patterns, prompt types, and learner perceptions. Data was collected from 27 Saudi male university students who used Type to complete writing tasks, with their interactions logged and analyzed. Pre- and post-surveys assessed their experiences and attitudes toward AI-assisted writing. Findings reveal how learners engage with AI-generated feedback, the nature of their prompts, and their overall perceptions of AI tools in writing development. The study contributes to the literature on AI in education by examining the intersection of automated feedback, learner motivation, and instructional design. Results suggest implications for language educators in integrating AI tools effectively and highlight areas for developers to enhance AI writing assistants. By bridging theoretical frameworks such as the Community of Inquiry (CoI) and Students’ Approaches to Learning (SAL), this research provides insights into optimizing AI’s role in language education while addressing limitations such as over-reliance and feedback quality.

ABSTRACTThis study explored the validity and potential utility for self‐assessment of speaking proficiency in English as a second language (ESL), of a self‐rating scale intended to nominally parallel–in terms of number of points or levels and corresponding descriptions of language‐use behavior–a scale used by members of the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) to rate performance in Language Proficiency Interviews (LPI). The study sample was composed primarily of educated, adult ESL users/learners, most of whom were native‐speakers of either French or German, who provided self‐assessments just prior to taking the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), in employment‐related ESL training contexts in Switzerland. Correlations between self‐ratings and TOEIC scores centered around .7, and the mean ILR‐referenced self‐rating was very close to that for “predicted ILR‐scaled LPI rating”, where prediction was based on a previously developed equation for predicting LPI rating from TOEIC score. Lines of inquiry warranting further research are suggested.

The increasing incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction has garnered much attention on the importance of technological elements in language instruction. However, while AI in education (AIED) is still in its early development, research on how learners’ AI literacy affects their language learning outcomes is insufficient. Furthermore, studies examining the impact of learners’ emotional states within the context of AIED are remarkably few. This study examines the interplay between AI literacy and EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC), emphasizing the mediating roles of learners’ AI learning self-efficacy and foreign language classroom anxiety. This study utilizes structural equation modeling, analyzing data from 517 university students in China to construct a prediction model for WTC in AI-enhanced EFL contexts. The findings indicate that AI literacy improves self-efficacy in AI learning and diminishes classroom anxiety, both of which are significant mediators in the relationship between AI literacy and willingness to communicate. The study highlights the imperative of integrating AI literacy into EFL instruction to enhance learners’ expressive confidence and mitigate fear. The findings improve understanding of the interplay between AI literacy, psychological factors, and language learning outcomes, offering practical insights for the integration of AI in EFL education.