English Course Research Articles

Independent corpus consultation for collocation use in academic writing by L2 graduate students

This study investigates the extent to which second language (L2) graduate students’ collocation use in academic writing improves with the independent use of a corpus tool, by analyzing the writing assignments of 115 Chinese EFL graduate students from an academic English course. The experimental group (N = 73) received brief in-class training on the use of a corpus tool developed for collocation use (Linggle) and was required to use it for their two homework assignments, whereas the control group (N = 42) was not made aware of the tool before their homework submission. The mean mutual information (MI) scores of the collocations used in the two writing assignments were compared between the experimental and control groups to evaluate the effect of independent corpus consultation (ICC). Overall, the results showed a marginally higher mean MI score for the experimental group, and the differences varied by collocation type. Survey results further revealed that fewer than 40% of the participants frequently used the tool, and the participants reported difficulties in using the query syntax, understanding corpus results, and maintaining technical access to the tool. Our findings have useful pedagogical implications for considering independent corpus consultation as a supplementary tool for academic English instruction.

Research on the Reform Path of Ideological and Political Education in Tourism English Courses in Higher Vocational Education

Tourism English in higher vocational education has profound humanistic, strong professional orientation, and instrumental characteristics. Through analyzing the current situation of ideological and political teaching in Tourism English courses in higher vocational education, it is found that there are too few ideological and political elements in the curriculum, the skills teaching and ideological education are not unified, and the ideological and political education in the curriculum tends to be empty preaching. The reasons for this are the weak ideological and political awareness of teachers, the emphasis on skills in textbooks over ideological and political education, and the conservatism of teaching methods. Based on the requirements of curriculum ideological and political education and teaching reform, a teaching reform practice path is constructed from four aspects: anchoring curriculum ideological and political goals, improving teachers’ ideological and political awareness and educational ability, creating ideological and political-oriented textbook resources, and integrating ideological and political teaching methods through multiple channels throughout the entire process, in order to cultivate students with patriotism, international vision, and professional skills.

Construction and Application of a Blended Online and Offline University English Course

This paper explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Integrated English 3 blended course, which integrates online learning through massive open online courses (MOOCs) and face-to-face classroom instruction. Guided by the production-oriented approach, the course aims to improve students’ language proficiency and intercultural communication skills. It employs a variety of teaching methods, including online self-study, task-based learning, and collaborative group work, to foster student engagement and promote language output. The study highlights key elements of course construction, such as the use of MOOCs, the design of smart classrooms, and the development of a comprehensive assessment system that combines formative and summative evaluations. The results suggest that the blended teaching model enhances students’ language skills while promoting critical thinking and cultural awareness. The course also emphasizes the importance of developing digital literacy among both students and teachers to effectively utilize online resources.

The Effect of the Mobile Application on Students’ Achievement, Readiness and Technology Acceptance

The purpose of this study is to develop a mobile learning application for teaching vocabulary learning in order to support English as a foreign language education and to test its effectiveness. In this study, carried out in two phases, the multi-phase mixed method, which allows using qualitative and quantitative methods, was used. In the first phase (Phase 1), a Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) application was developed. At this phase, the study group consists of 14 students who have previously taken English courses in web-supported learning environments at a university. In accordance with the ADDIE model, a needs analysis was carried out first, the application was developed in the light of the results and in line with the opinions of the field experts, and the application was finalized with pilot studies. In the second phase of the study (Phase 2), the effectiveness of the mobile learning application was tested. For this purpose, the effects of MALL application on students' academic achievement, technology acceptance and technological readiness were examined. For this study, an experimental study lasting four weeks was conducted using a quasi-experimental design. In the experimental study, whose study group consisted of 61 students taking English courses at the same university; as pre-test and post-test, achievement tests and scales were administered to the experimental and control groups. According to the data obtained from the study, it was found that the mobile assisted language learning environment is more effective than the web supported learning environment in terms of students’ academic achievement; however, no significant difference was observed on students' acceptance levels and readiness. As a result of the research, it is recommended that MALL applications should be used to support language learning. Additionally, it is thought that this study can be a guide for researchers who want to conduct studies for developing mobile-assisted language learning applications.

Exploring EFL Students' Creativity and Engagement with AI Chatbot in Web-Based English Course

This research explores the role of AI-based chatbot tools in promoting creativity and engagement among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in web-based English material development course. A qualitative research design was employed, involving in-depth interviews and observation checklists. The research was conducted at the English Education Faculty in Parangtambung of Universitas Negeri Makassar, with data collection spanning from May 12, 2024, to June 9, 2024. Participants included five undergraduate students from the 6th semester based on their familiarity with AI chatbots. The subjects of this research were undergraduate students enrolled in the English web-based material development course. Specifically, five students with prior experience or familiarity with AI chatbots were chosen to provide detailed insights through interviews and observations. The findings indicate that AI chatbots significantly encourage creativity among EFL students by providing a safe space for language experimentation and immediate feedback. Students reported increased engagement and enjoyment in their learning process. The research concludes that while AI chatbots can effectively foster creativity and engagement, careful integration and continuous monitoring are necessary to maximize their educational benefits.

Didaktiska perspektiv på flerspråkighet i grundlärarutbildningen

This study examines how didactic perspectives on multilingualism and related concepts emerge in primary teacher education at three universities in Sweden. A content analysis of the syllabi for the mandatory courses in Swedish, English, and mathematics in the primary teacher education program focusing on grades 4–6 shows that didactic perspectives on multilingualism were most prominent in the Swedish courses. The extent to which these perspectives are present and made explicit also varies between the three universities, with one adopting a significantly stronger positioning. These differences in how didactic perspectives on multilingualism appear in the syllabi highlight a lack of a common policy regarding the role multilingualism should play in Swedish teacher education.

Unit Teaching Design for English Interpretation Course Based on POA with the Assistance of a Virtual Reality Interpretation Training System

This study introduces the application of virtual reality technology in English interpretation course, as well as the unit teaching design for the course based on the POA. The study first reviews the development history of virtual reality technology and highlights its significant role in driving structural changes in language teaching. Then, this study analyzes the problems existing in current English interpretation course, such as the lack of timeliness in teaching materials, monotonous teaching methods, and single evaluation methods. To address these issues, this study constructs a POA-based unit teaching design for the English Interpretation Course with the assistance of a virtual reality interpretation system.

The Construction of a Blended Case-Based English Reading Class from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education

This study examines the problems within current university English reading courses and proposes the integration of ideological and political education into these classrooms. By employing a specific article as a case study, the research analyzes the strategies for incorporating ideological and political content into a blended case-based English reading curriculum and evaluates their effectiveness in enhancing comprehensive education. Several challenges have been identified through classroom observations and post-class investigations, which will be discussed in detail in the study.

Students’ Performance and Perceptions of Authentic E-Learning Activities in English Intercultural Learning

The study aims to investigate the influence of implementing nine real e-learning components in an online English intercultural course on improving the performance of vocational college students in China. There were 92 students involved in the course spanning thirteen weeks that comprised various task elements of group discussions, information gathering, online communication, and group reflection on the Chaoxing platform. Data were collected through performance data logging, questionnaires on the perception of authentic learning, and interviews. Qualitative and quantitative data results show that the students have improved their performance, with positive feedback on the life-relevant effect of learning activities. This research provides a humanistic perspective for online intercultural English education as it focuses on the fact that the integration of real-life activities during the English intercultural course is necessary for students' performance improvement

Exploration of Academic English Listening and Speaking Teaching Mode for PPE Majors Based on POA

In the era of globalization, PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) is the preferred “composite major” in the field of humanities and social sciences in the world to cultivate new interdisciplinary high-level applied talents. In order to support this interdisciplinary program in the university, academic English courses are offered to PPE majors to meet the students’ interdisciplinary research demand in the world. As part of college English teaching reform carried out in China, academic English courses have been offered in universities for many years, among which academic English listening and speaking courses are not highly valued instead. In order to cultivate multi-talented students who can effectively use English to communicate in academic exchanges in the international field, we attach great importance to the teaching approach of academic English listening and speaking. This paper analyzes the problems in present courses and finds that improvement and innovation should be made in its teaching content and teaching approach. This paper aims to explore the integration of Production-Oriented Approach (POA) and project based blended teaching method in teaching the Academic English Listening and Speaking. Action research methodology will be applied in this research. The teaching design is developed to explore an effective way to help students cultivate the communication skills in the academic study and exchanges.

Merging Self-Regulatory Strategies with GTA Pedagogical Practices: Enhancing Student Autonomy and Engagement

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a dual role in higher education, balancing their research responsibilities with teaching duties. This dual identity provides a unique vantage point for GTAs to implement innovative teaching practices that encourage students to utilize self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies. This paper explores how GTAs can adopt teaching practices centered on promoting SRL among students. Drawing on data from focus groups and surveys conducted with five GTAs, the study identifies key techniques—such as reflective journals, peer assessments, and technology-enhanced learning tools—that GTAs can incorporate into their teaching. The intervention was conducted over one semester in an English proficiency course tailored for students with low English proficiency. Findings indicate that these strategies not only enhance student engagement and motivation but also improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The paper underscores the positive impact of SRL on student learning outcomes and discusses how GTAs can effectively integrate and promote these strategies in their pedagogical practices.

The impact of blended-ESP instructional model on fostering English proficiency among students majoring in traditional Chinese medicine

English proficiency is essential for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) majors to maintain strong connections with the international academic community and promote global academic interaction. However, the English instruction effect was not optimal due to large class sizes, limited class time and learning resources, less interaction, or outdated teaching and evaluation methods (Wang, 2016; Ren, 2017; Chen & Liang, 2020; Liu, 2022). This study aimed to investigate the impact of the blended-ESP instructional model (BEIM) on fostering students’ English proficiency as well as explore their attitudes and perspectives on the implementation of BEIM. The participants were 73 second-year TCM majors enrolled in the TCM English course at a TCM university in China. The instruments were pre- and post-tests, a questionnaire, and an interview. The data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired t-test, segmented analysis, and thematic analysis. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of BEIM on fostering students’ English proficiency for the significant differences between the scores before and after implementing BEIM at 0.000 (P= 0.000). The results of the questionnaire and interview also revealed students’ positive attitudes and perspectives on BEIM. Students’ self-disciplinary, English proficiency, and national culture awareness and confidence should be highlighted when conducting blended-ESP instruction.

Research and Practice of Ideological and Political Reform of Comprehensive English Course in Higher Vocational Colleges from the Perspective of Integration of Competition and Courses

Research and Practice of Ideological and Political Reform of Comprehensive English Course in Higher Vocational Colleges from the Perspective of Integration of Competition and Courses

ChatGPT-Supported Education in Primary Schools: The Potential of ChatGPT for Sustainable Practices

This study aims to evaluate the potential of using ChatGPT at the primary school level from the teachers’ perspective within a sustainability framework. The research was conducted as a qualitative case study involving 40 primary school teachers in Turkey during the 2023–2024 academic year, all of whom had no prior experience with ChatGPT. Data collection tools included semi-structured interview forms and researcher diaries developed by the researchers. The data obtained were analysed using content analysis. The findings indicate that most primary school teachers believe ChatGPT is suitable for primary education and can contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. Additionally, teachers noted that ChatGPT enriches the teaching process and is user-friendly. These findings suggest potential contributions to SDG 4.1 and SDG 4.2. However, concerns were raised regarding ChatGPT’s potential to provide false information, which may negatively impact SDG 4.7. The study also identified that ChatGPT is particularly suitable for mathematics, Turkish, and English courses. This study’s main contribution is that it shows how ChatGPT can help sustainable practices in primary education by getting teachers more involved and meeting specific curriculum needs. This gives us useful information for incorporating AI tools into education that is in line with SDG 4. It is recommended that training programs about ChatGPT and similar AI-supported tools be organised for teachers and parents.

Implementation and Effectiveness Evaluation of Project-Based Learning in Business English Courses

Implementation and Effectiveness Evaluation of Project-Based Learning in Business English Courses

An Empirical Research on Application of Mind Mapping to Business Comprehensive English Course

This research is to explore the effectiveness of applying Mind Mapping to the course of business comprehensive English for students at Sichuan University of Arts and Science. In addition, this research collects students’ feedback on the administration and further application of mind mapping. A total of seven assignments of mind maps were submitted to Xuexitong (an online app) in the teaching practice of the course named Business Comprehensive English by students from two classes of business English major in one academic year. Then, a questionnaire was distributed online, and 72 students responded to the questionnaire. Analyses Findings were based on the 72 respondents’ feedback. The findings show that the vast majority of students hold a positive attitude towards the application of the mind mapping, for it has proved to be an effective way to facilitate their understanding of the structure and main idea of articles. Meanwhile, what needs to be improved is the guidance the teacher gave them about how to apply mind mapping in their studies. Recommendations on the application of mind mapping to other courses of English major and future research are put forward in the end.

Implementing of College English Course Based on a Production-Oriented Approach Combined with a Critical Thinking Process to Enhance the English Writing Ability of Non-English Major Students at Xi’an University

Background and Aims: University foreign language education is crucial in China’s higher education, holding a significant role in promoting the development of students’ knowledge, abilities, and comprehensive qualities. College English, a compulsory foundational course for the majority of non-English majors, plays an irreplaceable role in talent cultivation. The purpose of this research was: (1) to compare students’ English writing ability before and after implementing a College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process. (2) to compare the students’ satisfaction after implementing the College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process with the criterion set at 3.51. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 non-English major first-year students (one class) from Xi’an University were investigated. They were derived from the cluster random sampling method. The research instruments were (1) a College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process and its six lesson plans, (2) an English writing ability test paper with a reliability of 0.931, and (3) a student’ satisfaction questionnaire with a reliability of 0.792. Data were collected and analyzed by means, standard deviation, t-test for dependent samples, and t-test for one sample. Results: After implementing College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process in the classroom, the research results were as follows: (1), the student’s English writing ability post-test scores (M=41.08, SD=4.41) were higher than the pretest scores (M=37.08, SD=4.46) at a statistical significance level of 0.05 (t=45.61, p<.05). (2) The students’ satisfaction (M=4.44, SD=0.63) with the College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process was high level. Conclusion: The College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process has a significant effect on enhancing the English writing ability of non-English major students at Xi’an University. Students are satisfied with the developed College English Course based on a production-oriented approach combined with a critical thinking process.

A Study of the Blended Teaching Model for Oral English under the Production-Oriented Approach

Abstract: With the rapid development of the Internet, the blended teaching model has gradually become more and more popular. In response to this trend, this paper explores how to improve college students oral English skills under the blended teaching mode of online and offline. Moreover, Considering that nowadays many students can only understand knowledge but find it difficult to apply knowledge, this research will be guided by the Production-Oriented Approach to explore new ideas for improving students' productive ability. The study selects the first chapter of Book 2 of Fluent Oral English Course (Second Edition) as the teaching content and adopts a blended teaching method, which includes online pre-class warm-ups, a combination of online and offline teaching during class, and online homework submission after class. To be mentioned, the teaching process is structured around the principles of motivation, enabling, and assessment. It is hoped that this research will provide valuable references for future studies on the blended teaching model guided by the Production-Oriented Approach and offer inspiration for enhancing oral English instruction.

Investigating the Effect of Role-Play Activity With GenAI Agent on EFL Students’ Speaking Performance

Role-play activities are considered a useful instructional design in enhancing the speaking performance of foreign language learners. However, in the traditional classroom context, learners may not readily have access to interlocutors for role-play activities. In this study, we proposed a designed method that integrated the GenAI agent into role-play activities and conducted a quasi-experiment at a Chinese university. A total of 53 Chinese students in an English course were assigned to an experimental group ( n = 29) that engaged in role-playing with a GenAI agent and a control group ( n = 24) that engaged in role-playing with their class peers. The results showed role-play activities with GenAI could facilitate students’ speaking performance, and one-way ANCOVA showed there was no significant difference in speaking performance improvement when compared with traditional role-play activities with peers. Moreover, the paired-sample Wilcoxon test showed that the treatment students had significant intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy improvement, which were higher than the control group. The findings provide important implications for the design and implementation of GenAI-integrated role-play activities for foreign language speaking learning.

Language Learning Motivation in Post-Secondary Courses: English, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Multilingualism

This study explores the motivational profiles of students enrolled in language courses at the post-secondary level, emphasizing the role of the ideal multilingual self. A sample of 280 learners across English, German, Spanish, and Japanese courses participated in the research. Drawing from the L2 Motivational Self System framework and integrating the concept of the ideal multilingual self, the study utilized a questionnaire to investigate the sources of language learning motivation. The findings revealed English and German as the predominant language choices, primarily influenced by external factors such as academic requirements and societal expectations. In contrast, learners engaged in less commonly taught languages, particularly Japanese, demonstrated heightened intrinsic motivation and a more explicit ideal multilingual self-concept. This trend highlights the significance of multilingualism in shaping learners' motivational profiles, with learners of less commonly taught languages expressing a stronger inclination towards linguistic versatility and proficiency. Moreover, the study revealed a positive correlation between speaking multiple languages and the aspiration for multilingualism, suggesting that learners with multilingual backgrounds are more inclined toward embracing linguistic diversity. These findings contribute to understanding the dynamic relationship between language choice, motivational factors, and the ideal multilingual self-concept in the context of post-secondary language education.