Abstract Virtual Exchange (VE) refers to structured online collaborative learning between geographically and/or culturally diverse groups of students, aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue through digitally mediated project work. VE is a research-informed practice and serves as a valuable tool in advancing Internationalisation at Home (IaH) in Higher Education (HE), integrating intercultural dimensions into curricula, and expanding opportunities for global learning beyond physical mobility. However, despite its potential, we argue that VE is not inherently inclusive or equitable, as it is influenced by Western hegemonies and inequalities in access to technology, socio-economic and socio-political factors, and often also institutional constraints. Critical Virtual Exchange (CVE) has emerged in response to these concerns, focusing on addressing epistemic injustices, promoting inclusive participation, and aligning educational practices with global challenges, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CVE emphasises equitable access to technology, prioritises the needs of underrepresented students, and encourages the systematic integration of local contexts into global learning projects. CVE also advocates for translanguaging, thus promoting multilingualism and multimodal communication as essential components of intercultural exchanges. This article draws on Hauck’s CVE framework ( Hauck, 2023 ; Hauck, 2025 ) and presents and interrogates the tenets of CVE. We use VE project examples from the Global South that “gesture towards” CVE involving HE institutions from Angola, Brazil, and Mexico to illustrate new opportunities in VE when focusing on equitable exchange student project work. Our predominantly conceptual contribution highlights the importance of VE project design that prioritises social justice, addresses power imbalances, and fosters socio-politically relevant intercultural dialogue, i.e., CVE, that can contribute to the decolonisation of HE in the shape of critical IaH.

Abstract In investigating second language (L2) listening, verbal report (VR) can provide direct insight into listeners’ behaviors. However, a concern over this method is its potential for reactivity — that the VR may change (either positively or negatively) the individual’s cognitive processes involved in the task being investigated. Thus far, few studies have examined for reactivity in L2 listener VRs, and none have investigated it from a quantitative perspective, a gap which is addressed in this study. The study involved lower-intermediate to intermediate-level Mandarin-speaking English learners, and it compared the listening comprehension of an experimental group undertaking VRs with that of control groups assessed through recall protocols. No significant impact on comprehension was found for the VRs indicating, by extension, no interference with the listeners’ thought processes, and thus no apparent reactive effect. The study additionally examined for reactivity: (1) among three different VR styles (styles 1 and 2 were mediated styles, with each of these styles mediated in differing ways by researcher prompts, and style 3 was an unmediated VR); and (2) for mediated VRs, in general (the combination of styles 1 and 2). None of the analyses found a significant effect on comprehension. One further analysis, which lacked a control group, though, concluded there was a slight comprehension advantage for one of the mediated VR styles over the other two styles. The study had its limitations, but the findings suggest L2 listener VRs do not generally appear to be reactive, suggesting they are suitable for use by researchers investigating L2 listeners.

Abstract Most reading technologies claim to provide experiences similar to reading on print paper. This study compared reading across different digital platforms and print books. Digital reading mediums used in this study were reading on a PC screen, a handheld e-reader and an iPad. A total of eighty participants enrolled in various university courses took part in this experiment. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the reading conditions, and subsequent eye-tracking measurements were compared. Results indicated that the mean fixation duration was statistically different only for the reading from the PC condition, whereas it was similar across all other conditions. The reading time and the total number of fixations were comparable for the dedicated e-reader, iPad and printed book. This study provides empirical evidence that e-reading tools closely mimic book-reading conditions.

Abstract English-medium instruction (EMI) is rising in importance in higher education, especially for fields such as medicine. However, most students have some degree of linguistic barriers when studying courses in EMI. This study explored the challenges medical students face in studying medicine taught in English; whether these challenges differ by gender, academic discipline or academic level; and students’ perceptions of the relationship between English proficiency and academic performance in EMI. It drew upon cognitive load theory to explain how these linguistic difficulties influence students’ ability to manage the cognitive load of EMI in medical studies. The study included 264 Saudi EFL medical students who had nine years of prior English experience. The English-Medium Instruction Challenges Scale, adapted from Aizawa et al. (2020), measured perceived challenges in writing, speaking, reading, and listening. The participants’ International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores represented their English language proficiency, their specialized-English competence was gauged through English for Specific Purposes (ESP) scores, and their grade point averages (GPA) represented academic success. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed significant differences in challenges according to discipline and academic year, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed differences that were not significant with regard to gender. It was found in the regression analysis that students with lower English proficiency (IELTS scores) reported more language challenges in EMI contexts. However, ESP scores did not significantly affect perceived challenges, becoming insignificant once IELTS scores were obtained. This study emphasises the need for language training to be incorporated into medical EMI settings and calls for policy reforms to include EMP to empower future health care professionals with the needed language skills that clinical settings require.

Abstract The growth of and attention given to English-medium instruction (EMI) and related topics in contemporary higher education research was well-represented at the AILA 2024 World Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Research reports and symposia from around the globe attest to the fact that EMI remains a consistent area of interest and that many questions and research agendas are being engaged in a number of ways and at a range of levels. This paper takes the opportunity offered by one of the AILA 2024 workshops, namely “Comparative guidelines for cross-contextual EMI research: Policies, people, and practices” (Siegel, Kumazawa & Zuaro, 2024), to reflect on some of the key interrogatives that still accompany EMI as an educational approach, regardless of its context of implementation. Set against the backdrop of multiple EMI sessions at the conference, the workshop is foregrounded as an example of successful cross-contextual EMI description, shedding light on the advantages of adopting similar analytical categories in — sometimes very — different contexts. This is done to showcase how structured comparison can facilitate the identification of areas of divergence. In the present paper, then, we argue in favor of clarity and efficiency in EMI contextual description and suggest avenues for future research that could benefit from cross-contextual studies. We do this by recounting our collaborative experiences and articulating when and in what ways aspects of the road-mapping framework (Dafouz & Smit, 2020), deployed in the workshop itself, emerged naturally since the beginning of our joint work.

Abstract The present study explored different types of task value and their associations with the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies across various English as a foreign language (EFL) learning scenarios. The application of SRL strategies is supported by motivational beliefs, including task value. Although prior research has demonstrated the importance of motivational beliefs in SRL, there remains a need for further clarification regarding the characteristics and role of task value, particularly the cost (i.e., a negative aspect of task value) in relation to SRL. Furthermore, given the context-dependent nature of SRL, both values and strategies should be adapted to specific learning environments. In this study, 12 Japanese EFL university students participated in two rounds of semi-structured interviews. The first session focused on their English learning experiences, expectations, and perceptions of the value and cost associated with learning English. In the second session, they roleplayed four scenarios — a homework assignment, an in-class task, preparation for an English certification exam, and learning for personal growth — while using a think-aloud protocol to express their thoughts and feelings. Follow-up interviews were conducted after each roleplay. Thematic analysis was used to identify the participants’ values and costs and to analyze their use of SRL strategies. The findings revealed that participants concurrently hold multiple types of task value, which were tied to and shaped by their past learning experiences. Several patterns were also identified for SRL strategies in each scenario, corresponding to task value.

Abstract Scholarship on language learning strategies has evolved from small-scale, practitioner-oriented studies to predominantly large-scale, questionnaire-driven research. This general shift has been instrumental in contributing to the field’s increased popularity. Robust quantitative studies are valuable. However, many scholars have called for more qualitative research to understand learners’ strategic behaviors in greater depth. Similarly, research on self-regulated learning can also benefit from qualitative inquiry. While self-regulated learning was once considered a replacement for language learning strategies, it is now commonly researched as a complementary construct within the same domain. As such, this special issue showcases recent qualitative studies that explore the complex “why” and “how” of language learning strategies and self-regulated learning. Originating from a symposium at the 2023 AILA World Congress, this collection brings together a range of methodologies, illustrating diversity within qualitative approaches and providing empirical insights that advance both theory and practice. In this introduction, we explain our rationale for proposing this special issue, discuss key issues it addresses, and conclude by providing future directions for research.

Abstract The study focuses on the language learning experiences of adult migrants from refugee backgrounds with limited educational experiences before migration. This group is often referred to as LESLLA learners; LESLLA is an acronym for Literacy Education and Second Language Learning for Adults. The study used Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) — a data-driven, bottom-up methodology for qualitative research — to gain understanding of the conditions that help or hinder LESLLA learners’ language development and of the strategies they use to enhance learning and to overcome obstacles. The dataset is comprised of thirty interviews with adult refugees from Syria and Eritrea learning Dutch in the Netherlands. The analyses identified self-efficacy, which has been described as ‘the soul of strategies’ (Oxford, 2017), as a core category, differentiating between learners who showed contentment about their language learning achievements and expressed confidence in further learning, and those who expressed little confidence and a sense of failure. Conditions hindering self-efficacy include the cognitive conditions ‘forgetting’ and ‘stress’, and the social condition ‘isolation’. Facilitative conditions in the cognitive realm are ‘motivation’ and ‘language learning strategies’. ‘Social strategies in new social networks’ is the condition that stands out as strongly supportive for self-efficacy. The data showed how LESLLA learners are often not in the position of power to build their networks. This means that social strategies are not an individuals’ asset but rather a condition that is distributed in a social system.