English As A Foreign Language Research Articles

The Analysis of the Turkish EFL Students’ Needs for a Translation Course at a State University

Globalization has made translation an integral part of our daily lives, spanning education, technology, and commerce, thus accentuating its significance. This has prompted universities to offer various translation courses, tailored to their specific contexts. However, the diversity in these programs highlights the need to cater to the distinct requirements of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners effectively. This study aims to uncover the specific needs of EFL learners in designing translation courses, with a focus on enhancing their relevance and student-centeredness. By gathering insights into learners’ perspectives on translation courses, the research seeks to understand their preferences and expectations. “What are students’ beliefs and attitudes regarding translation courses in EFL departments?” is the main research question of the present study. To achieve this, 50 EFL students from a state university in Ankara participated in the study, selected through convenience sampling, and responded to a structured questionnaire developed by Hui-Chuan Wang. The questionnaire covered various aspects of course planning, instructional methods, learning objectives, materials, teaching styles, and evaluation techniques. Employing a quantitative approach, the study aims to provide a clear understanding of learners’ expectations and requirements regarding translation courses. Ultimately, the findings are expected to inform improvements to the translation course curriculum at the state university, ensuring it better meets the needs of students.

A correlational study on teacher-student relationships and students’ engagement in EFL classes

This study aims to investigate the levels of teacher-student relationships (TSR) and student engagement (SE) within an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context among general English (GE) level students enrolled in an English course at a private language school in Indonesia. This study also seeks to examine the correlation between TSR and SE in EFL classes. In finding the correlation between TSR and SE in EFL classes, this study attempts to fill a gap in the existing literature by employing a quantitative method, specifically a survey-based approach, to systematically collect and analyze data from a diverse pool of participants. The choice of quantitative method is grounded in the need for standardized data collection and analysis to determine the degree of relationship between TSR and SE among GE-level students. By administering surveys to GE-level students, this study seeks to gain insights into their perceptions of TSR and its impact on their engagement in EFL classes. This study found that the TSR and the SE levels were high. Moreover, this study found a statistically significant positive correlation between TSR and SE. The findings of this research endeavor to provide valuable insights into how TSR can catalyze SE and subsequently enhance language proficiency among EFL learners in Indonesia, with implications for both theory and practice in EFL education.

Enhancing EFL Education: The Role of Metadiscourse in Language Assessment

This study was motivated by students' low ability to write and communicate effectively in English. This study aims to analyze the effect of metadiscourse on language assessment in the context of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) education. This study is a qualitative research. The subjects involved in the study were students learning English as a foreign language. The data collection method was through a robust literature review to establish basic knowledge of metadiscourse and its significance in language assessment. The review also included important works on metadiscourse language evaluation theory and research investigating the relationship between metadiscourse and language skills proficiency. Using a comparative perspective, the analysis of data from language assessment utilizes pass-linguistic and pass-cultural insights to complement the knowledge of metadiscourse in EFL education. By analyzing how metadiscourse operates in specific languages and cultural contexts, the researchers found widespread patterns in addition to particular language variations in the use of metadiscourse. The results showed that metadiscourse plays an important role in shaping students' language skills ability, discourse competence, and universal communicative effectiveness. In conclusion, integrating metadiscourse in language evaluation provides great hope for improving EFL training and promoting stronger language consequences.

Representing Refugees in Children’s Transethnic Literature: Two Multilingual and Intermedial Narratives as a Case Study

This contribution aims to explore two picture books of transethnic literature that open up intermedial narrative paths by supporting each of the proposed books with a free accessible illustrated audio book. Accordingly, it examines the extent to which implementing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lessons with such multimodal stories about migration can engage students in deconstructing such tropes as the idea of a national literature, a mother tongue language, a stable community of belonging and a hostile country of arrival that typically characterise mainstream migration narratives and paradigms.

Towards a more equitable education: a lens into EFL teachers’ pedagogical barriers in online assessments

ABSTRACT Online learning and assessment have become a major concern for educators in the field of education due to the many challenges they present. The coronavirus lockdown has profoundly affected the instruction and evaluation processes for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the perspectives of EFL teachers on the pedagogical barriers in online assessments. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, involving 28 participants from four different educational settings. During the qualitative phase, in-depth discussions were conducted using the Google Meet app, allowing participants to explore the pedagogical barriers associated with online assessments. The results of the qualitative analysis identified five themes of pedagogical barriers under the central category of fairness and equity: feedback, poor internet speed, learners’ lack of digital literacy, online cheating, and instruction. A ranking scale was subsequently used to assess the perceived importance of these categories. The findings of this study have significant implications for EFL teachers, policy makers, and educational assessment organisations. It provides insights that can inform the development of strategies and policies to address the pedagogical barriers associated with online assessments. By recognising and addressing these challenges, educators and policymakers can enhance the quality and fairness of online assessments, ensuring a more equitable learning experience for EFL students.

Unveiling task value and self-regulated language learning strategies among Japanese learners of English

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.

Pre-service English teachers’ beliefs about implementing digital multimodal composing in a teaching practicum context

PurposeDigital multimodal composing (DMC) has received considerable attention in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. While empirical studies on DMC have been widely conducted, there is a scarcity of research specifically examining the experience of pre-service English teachers in employing DMC during their teaching practicum. They might be familiar with DMC concepts, yet their beliefs about implementing DMC-mediated language teaching in classroom settings is worth further investigation. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the perspectives of three pre-service English teachers on DMC-mediated language teaching during their teaching practicum program.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a case study design and was conducted in a state Islamic university in East Java Province, Indonesia. A semi-structured interview was conducted with three pre-service English teachers to collect data about the beliefs of pre-service English teachers in implementing DMC in their teaching practicum. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis.FindingsFrom the analysis, the study unveils three important findings: (1) pre-service teachers' awareness of implementing DMC in English classrooms, (2) pre-service teachers' pedagogical preference for DMC projects and (3) pre-service teachers' perceived challenges in teaching through DMC.Originality/valueThe study suggests that equipping pre-service teachers with adequate pedagogical competence in DMC will enhance their capacity for technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK).

Perceptions of AI-facilitated creativity in language education: A study on digital storytelling

The study investigates perceptions of AI-facilitated creativity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) digital storytelling (DST). Focusing on language learners, instructors, and audience, the research explores how AI influences creative processes and how such creativity is perceived across different perspectives. Over a six-week period, 32 EFL students used AI tools to create digital stories. The study employed pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess students' perceptions of AI-enhanced creativity, while the resulting digital stories were evaluated by instructors as experts, and peers as audiences to gather multi-perspective insights. Findings reveal that while AI tools significantly enhanced visual and audio elements, aiding in the contextualization of stories, the creative essence, particularly in narrative development, was consistently preferred when human input played a central role. The study uncovered favorable attitudes towards AI-facilitated learning, with noticeable improvements in post-intervention surveys. However, despite these technical enhancements, human-created storylines were valued more highly by the audience than AI-generated components. The results suggest that while AI can augment certain aspects of digital storytelling, such as enhancing multimedia elements, it does not replace the core creative input provided by humans. This has implications for the integration of AI in educational settings, particularly in language learning and creative disciplines. The study advocates for a balanced approach where AI supports, but does not substitute, human creativity.

Empowering Learner Autonomy: EFL Teachers' Perspectives and Classroom Dynamics

In the last thirty years, learner autonomy (LA) has become a pivotal notion in language teaching, profoundly transforming instructional methodologies (Benson, 2011). The shift from behaviourist techniques, such as audiolingualism, to communicative methods has emphasised the importance of students taking responsibility for their learning. The viewpoints of educators, especially in public education, remain little examined, despite extensive research highlighting the advantages of Learning Analytics for language acquisition and lifetime learning. This paper examines the learning strategies utilised by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) professors in Moroccan institutions to foster language acquisition and their viewpoints on the matter. This study utilises both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and classroom observations done with a purposive sample of Moroccan EFL instructors. The interviews examined the obstacles instructors encounter in fostering autonomy, the importance they attribute to learner autonomy, and their understanding of learner autonomy. Classroom observations clarified the practical application of LA techniques, enabling a study that links teachers' views with their teaching methods. The study aims to provide enhancements for pedagogical methods and to elucidate how classroom dynamics influence the advancement of LA. The findings enhance the understanding of teachers' responsibilities in promoting autonomy, therefore addressing a gap in the research about teacher perspectives in language education.

Evaluating the quality of AI feedback: A comparative study of AI and human essay grading

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) tools compare with humans in evaluating the essays written by students in a writing course. Using a dataset of 30 essays written by English as a foreign language (EFL) students, the evaluations by the AI tools were compared with those of human evaluators, to examine whether the AI evaluations differed with respect to the quality of the entire essay or specific categories (i.e., content, vocabulary, organization, and accuracy). The results indicated that the AI tools provided high-quality feedback to students across all categories despite differences regarding essay quality. Additionally, AI tools differed in the scores they assigned, consistently grading lower than human raters across multiple evaluation categories while providing more detailed feedback than human raters. The scores assigned by each AI tool for student essays across various assessment categories did not differ significantly from the overall scores assigned by AI tools.

Exemplar-based Instruction in China’s ESL English Writing: From Theory to Practice

This article explores an exemplar-based teaching mode which can be used in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing classrooms for Chinese undergraduates. This project adopts an exemplar-based textbook published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press to prepare freshmen’s writing. Theoretical underpinnings of the use of exemplars, namely scaffolding theory, will be given. The discussion finishes by suggestion of some tasks of this teaching approach for ESL writing instructors who are interested in using exemplars to cultivate students’ writing. This topic of e-education drawn from Contemporary College English Advanced Writing, which is currently used in most of China’s universities, has been chosen to illustrate ways in which this might be achieved. Five tasks are presented in order to highlight the complexity of writing for ESL learners and to illustrate ways in which it can be made more accessible. The possible benefit can be seen in teacher’s and students’ applying this writing practice not just for the current topic but also for other writing topics in ESL writing classrooms. Furthermore, this work sheds some lights on curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher education in various writing contexts.

The impact of video dubbing app on chinese college students’ oral language skills across different proficiency levels

Oral language skills (OLSs) are essential for English language learners, but challenges remain in developing OLSs, especially in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) contexts where traditional teaching methods struggle to effectively engage students. In order to maneuver effective methods to improve Chinese students’ OLSs, the present study explores the use of an English video dubbing app in language learning tasks and investigates its effectiveness in improving OLSs. A mixed-methods approach was used to provide a robust and comprehensive empirical study, including two groups of learners with different proficiency levels. Results from pre- and post-tests, students’ reflection papers, and interviews indicated that the students’ high level of engagement in the dubbing tasks led to significant improvements in students’ OLSs. Particularly in speaking, significant improvements were observed in pronunciation, intonation, fluency, grammar, and lexical use. The study also examined the relationship between the learners’ English proficiency levels and their learning outcomes. The results showed that dubbing tasks had a more significant impact on improving pronunciation for students with lower proficiency levels, while those with higher proficiency levels showed greater improvements in fluency and grammar and lexical use. Pedagogical implications were discussed based on the findings.

Sociocultural Theory in Practice: Addressing Issues Affecting English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teaching-Learning in Hail Remote Schools

Sociocultural theory aims to explain how physical and cultural environments shape learning. The research uses Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory as the lens to investigate sociocultural issues faced by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers in remote areas. Teaching in these areas presents difficulties and obstacles due to geographic distance. This qualitative study was designed to investigate the difficulties encountered by EFL instructors from schools in isolated villages of Hail, Saudi Arabia. Using semi-structured individual interviews with eight EFL teachers, the research uncovers various obstacles affecting the efficacy of EFL teaching. The primary issues identified are religious conservatism and cultural differences, lack of support from family and environment, geographic distance and resource constraints, and lack of awareness of future opportunities. The study highlights how differences in educational quality are made worse due to geographic remoteness. The project seeks to improve EFL instruction in remote places by offering a deeper knowledge of these issues, ultimately working towards equity in learning environments.

Teacher’s belief of metacognitive reading strategies and awareness in reading classrooms

While studies on students' application of reading strategies have gained prominence, there is a paucity of research on teachers. The study aims to investigate how teachers’ beliefs about metacognitive reading strategies impact their metacognitive awareness in reading classrooms. The samples involved 82 teachers from public secondary schools. This study used a quantitative research design. Research findings demonstrated that teachers significantly believed in and used metacognitive reading strategies, whereas a small number of teachers believed in them but did not implement them. The result of this study indicated that teachers possessed high metacognitive awareness levels while teaching reading comprehension. Analysis underscored the significance of implementing metacognitive reading strategies through a series of implications and suggestions. While some teachers believed in metacognitive reading strategies but did not use them, this study found that teachers believed in and employed them. Additionally, the study indicated that teachers exhibited high levels of metacognitive awareness during reading comprehension instruction, suggesting a strong understanding of their cognitive processes. Based on these results, the study suggests that reading classrooms should gradually use metacognitive reading strategies while taking into account the Malaysian English as a Second Language (ESL) context and traditional teaching methods. The implications of this research underscore the importance of fostering teachers' metacognitive awareness and strategically applying reading strategies to enhance student learning outcomes.

From Nervous to Fluent: The Impact of AI Chatbot-Assisted Assessment on English Reading Anxiety and Performance in Indonesia

This study examines the influence of AI Chatbot-assisted assessment on English reading anxiety and performance in Indonesian secondary school pupils. The growing integration of artificial intelligence in educational settings, namely through reading bots, has the potential to improve language acquisition and reduce student anxiety. The study utilizes a quantitative research approach, which compares the performance of an experimental group that interacts with AI chatbot-assisted assessment to a control group that receives traditional teaching led by a teacher. The data were gathered by administering pre- and post-tests of the adopted EFLRAI to assess reading anxiety, and the KET to measure reading performance. The results indicate that engagement with AI chatbots significantly alleviates reading anxiety and improves reading performance. This fosters a conducive learning atmosphere that enhances confidence and engagement in acquiring the English language. This study improves the understanding of the role of AI Chatbot-assisted assessment in language education and its effectiveness in addressing the challenges faced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Indonesia.

‘Grades alone are insufficient!’ Chinese EFL student teachers’ perspectives on teacher written feedback on course essays

ABSTRACT Despite the important role teacher written feedback plays in student learning, it is still an under-researched area at tertiary education level, especially in the field of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher education. Moreover, Chinese university students’ perceptions of teacher feedback have been left unattended. Therefore, this study sets out to uncover EFL student teachers’ perceptions of the current teacher feedback on their course essays and desirable teacher written feedback. Drawing on questionnaires and semi-structured group interviews conducted with 117 pre-service teachers in an undergraduate EFL programme in Central China, the study shows a low level of satisfaction with the current grade-alone feedback practice. High-quality teacher written feedback on course essays was considered as necessary to improve student teachers’ learning. Implications are drawn on how to enhance teacher educators’ written feedback.

The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Academic Achievement Mediated by Learning Motivation and Moderated by Socioeconomic Status Among Jordanian EFL Students

With learning motivation as a mediator and socioeconomic status (SES) as a moderator, this study examined the role of self-efficacy in predicting academic achievement among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Jordan. A survey was conducted among EFL students from Jordanian universities during the 2022-2023 academic year. A stratified random sampling was used, resulting in a total of 429 completed questionnaires. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that self-efficacy is positively related to academic achievement and to learning motivation. Thus, higher self-efficacy is associated with better academic achievement. Furthermore, learning motivation significantly contributes to academic achievement, highlighting its crucial role as a mediator. Additionally, socioeconomic status influences learning motivation and interacts with self-efficacy to affect it. In conclusion, higher self-efficacy is linked to increased learning motivation, leading to improved academic achievement, and socioeconomic status plays a critical role in moderating the relationships between self-efficacy, learning motivation, and academic achievement.

EFL Learners' Receptive Knowledge of Congruent and Non-Congruent Delexical Verb-Noun Collocations

Vocabulary acquisition remains a fundamental yet complex area in language learning, particularly for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Among the various challenges, delexical verbs stand out due to their abstract nature and diverse usage. Understanding these verbs is crucial for achieving fluency and comprehension in English. The aim of this study was to investigate challenging aspects of vocabulary acquisition, focusing specifically on delexical verbs. It assessed the receptive knowledge of university learners regarding both congruent and non-congruent delexical verb-noun combinations. To achieve this, a multiple-choice test comprising 10 items on delexical verbs was administered to evaluate the learners' understanding of these combinations. The sample consisted of 15 EFL learners in their fourth year at a public university in Yemen. The findings revealed that learners exhibited a higher level of receptive knowledge in congruent delexical verbs compared to non-congruent ones, which can be attributed to their limited exposure to these verbs in real-life contexts. Consequently, the study emphasizes the necessity of explicitly teaching delexical verb combinations to second language (L2) learners. It advocates for the integration of vocabulary teaching into English Language Teaching (ELT) materials to enhance learners' proficiency and understanding of delexical verbs. This research underscores the importance of targeted vocabulary instruction in improving the overall language competence of EFL learners.

The Influence of Technology-Enhanced Feedback on Saudi Female EFL Learners’ Writing Gains

The current study examined the influence of online peer feedback on the writing ability and self-efficacy of female learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Saudi Arabia. The participants were 78 learners divided into two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups used Google Docs to complete their writing assignments and exchange comments, whereas the control group received traditional teacher feedback. Pre-test and post-test self-efficacy ratings were collected on a scale of 1 to 5. The results yielded that the experimental groups improved significantly in self-efficacy compared to their counterparts in the control group. Based on these findings, using Google Docs for peer feedback is likely to assist in improving writing skills and substantially boost writing confidence. The present study thus contributes to the existing body of literature and to the field of EFL education by emphasizing the potential benefits of peer feedback through digital tools and platforms.

The Use of ChatGPT for Vocabulary Acquisition: A Literature Review

This literature review investigates the potential of ChatGPT as a tool for vocabulary learning in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Vocabulary knowledge is crucial for overall language proficiency, but memorization and retention are daunting tasks for most EFL learners, particularly those studying in exam-oriented contexts like Vietnam. Guided by Krashen's Input Hypothesis and Cognitive Load Theory, the review explores how ChatGPT may facilitate incidental and intentional vocabulary learning. The findings indicate that ChatGPT enhances retention, mitigates cognitive overload, and engages students in autonomous learning, which presents advantages over traditional tools like dictionaries. However, reliance, privacy, and misinformation issues are not solved. This review ends with a series of recommendations for effective use in the Vietnamese education system, including teacher training and guidelines for responsible application in order to maximize benefits while addressing risks.