This study explores the relationship between the use of digital devices, English academic performance, and attention span among lower primary students. Specifically, it aims to identify how digital device use affects lower primary students’ English academic performance and examine the connection between digital device use and attention span in lower primary students. As technology has become a part of children’s daily lives, the effects on children’s academic performance and attention span have raised concerns among educators and parents. This research focuses on how the time spent on mobile devices may influence the students’ attention span and English academic performance. The study draws an overview of mobile device use among lower primary students, highlighting students’ screen time, focusing span, and English language academic performance. A questionnaire was distributed to 473 lower primary students in the Klang Valley area to collect data on their screen time, and interviews with 7 English language teachers and students’ Term 1 and Term 2 English academic results were collected. Data analysis involves statistical and thematic methods to interpret quantitative and qualitative data findings. The findings highlight the correlation between digital device usage, students’ English performance and their focus span in the classrooms. The findings will help educators and parents understand the influence of digital devices on lower primary students and offer strategies for managing screen time to enhance students’ focus spans and learning experiences.

This study explores how cross-cultural pragmatic choices and code-switching jointly shape social action and interactional competence in multilingual classrooms where English is a foreign language. It addresses a key gap in applied linguistics: although code-switching has been widely studied, little is known about how alternation operates within conversational structure to support learning and participation. Understanding these mechanisms is pedagogically important for using bilingual resources more effectively in English-language education. The research bases on a mixed-method corpus of twenty-six hours of naturally occurring classroom interaction, including teacher-led lessons, pair and group work, and assessment talk. Conversation analysis and quantitative observation identify how different types of code-switching – between and within sentences and in short tags – serve pragmatic and organizational functions such as managing turn entry, maintaining precision, and facilitating closure. Findings show that English predominates in main communicative acts. At the same time, learners’ first languages appear at sequence boundaries to clarify meaning, express politeness, and reinforce inclusion. Alternation patterns typically follow a brief first-language introduction, an English head action, and a short return to the first language, enhancing comprehension and task completion without reducing authenticity. The study redefines code-switching as a strategic pedagogical resource that promotes understanding, collaboration, and pragmatic development

This study investigates how primary school English teachers in Malaysia assess word level writing capacity for upper primary students within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and how they perceive the appropriateness of students' vocabulary use across CEFR levels A1 to B1. Recognizing vocabulary as a key component of writing ability, particularly in multilingual classrooms, the research addresses the challenge teachers face in applying CEFR lexical descriptors—more specifically lexical range, control, and task-appropriateness—with consistency in classroom assessment. While CEFR has been applied across the nation in Malaysia, prior research has established that the majority of teachers rely on intuition rather than standardized descriptors due to a lack of training, a lack of exemplars, and time constraints. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the research gathered quantitative data from 100 Melaka Tengah district English language teachers using a structured questionnaire, followed by qualitative data from three SJKC Ayer Keroh teachers using semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis established trends in CEFR-aligned assessment practice, whereas qualitative findings provided contextual insight into the interpretation and utilization of descriptors by teachers. Results indicate teacher assessment practice variability, with inconsistencies arising from differences in interpretations of vocabulary appropriateness, workload pressures, and learner diversity. While the majority of participants valued CEFR as a guiding framework, the absence of localized rubrics, annotated exemplars, and regular professional development limited its consistent implementation. The study reiterates the need for targeted training modules, collaboratively designed CEFR-based rubrics adapted to Malaysian primary contexts, and inter-rater moderation workshops to determine inter-rater reliability. Such measures can bridge the policy-practice divide to bring more equitable and consistent vocabulary testing and enable students' lexical development in alignment with international standards. The findings contribute to both domestic and foreign studies on CEFR operationalization, vocabulary assessment literacy, and education policy improvement in multilingual primary school settings.

Many vocational schools have been bringing their educational practice closer to industry along with the concept of Teaching Factory (TEFA) to adjust the students’ skills as close as the industry demands. The implementation of TEFA based curriculum in one of vocational higher education in Surabaya for all subjects including English subject has been performed since 2019. In English classes, the Teaching Factory-Based Strategy covers two methods: product-based learning and flipped classroom. This research aims to explore the implementation of TEFA-based strategy and the two methods by revealing students' perceptions and responses on the strategy. This research is descriptive qualitative research in which data were obtained through questionnaires and interviews. The students observed were from 4 different study programs in this PPNS. The results of this study show positive perceptions of students toward TEFA – based strategy implemented in the classroom even though there are some obstacles faced by both students and lecturers. Hopefully this research can contribute practically to English teachers who are adopting TEFA in English language teaching.

Although writing remains essential for effective English language instruction, many teacher interns in Ghanaian tertiary institutions struggle with resource constraints, learner diversity, and pedagogical limitations. Guided by this concern, this study examined the key challenges teacher interns face and the strategies they employ in English language writing within the Ghanaian tertiary setting. A descriptive survey design grounded in a positivist orientation was adopted, and data were gathered from 286 teacher interns at the University of Education, Winneba. Data were collected using a closed-ended questionnaire with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.78 and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that heterogeneous student proficiency levels and adequate teaching and learning resources remain persistent barriers to effective writing instruction. At the same time, scaffolded approaches such as mentor feedback, structured task sequencing, and collaborative writing enhance pedagogical effectiveness and support interns’ confidence as writers and teachers. Drawing on Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory, particularly the notion of Zone of Proximal Development, the study illustrates how mentorship and collaboration mediate learning and professional growth among teacher interns. The study contributes to teacher education discourse by situating scaffolding and mediation within a resource-constrained context and suggesting practical strategies for improving writing instruction during teaching internships.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming English Language Teaching (ELT), yet limited empirical evidence exists on how Malaysian primary ESL teachers perceive and intend to use AI tools in classroom practice. This study investigates teachers’ readiness, perceived usefulness and behavioural intention to integrate AI, addressing a gap in empirical research within the Malaysian primary school context. A quantitative survey design was employed, involving 80 primary ESL teachers who completed a structured questionnaire adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Descriptive statistics indicated moderately high levels of readiness, strong perceptions of usefulness and high intention to adopt AI. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong, positive and statistically significant relationships among the three constructs. Multiple regression results further showed that perceived usefulness was the strongest predictor of intention, followed by teacher readiness. Openended responses provided supplementary insights, highlighting teachers’ need for hands-on training, practical examples and continuous professional development. Overall, the study offers timely empirical evidence on AI adoption in Malaysian primary ESL classrooms and underscores the importance of enhancing teachers’ digital competence and pedagogical capacity for sustainable and meaningful AI integration.

In recent years, artificial intelligence has moved from the margins of education to its very core, profoundly reshaping how English is taught and learned. This study offers a descriptive bibliometric overview of research on AI-assisted English language teaching (AI-ELT) based solely on data retrieved from the Scopus database between 2019 and 2025. Rather than relying on external analytic software, the analysis was conducted directly through Scopus’s built-in tools to ensure transparency and reproducibility. The findings reveal an exceptional surge in academic productivity, especially after 2022, when generative models such as ChatGPT began influencing classroom practice and teacher research alike. Most publications are concentrated in the fields of social sciences and education, followed by computer science and the humanities, confirming the hybrid nature of AI-ELT as both a pedagogical and technological domain. The most active contributors and institutions are clustered in East Asia particularly in Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore reflecting the region’s growing leadership in educational AI. Overall, the results indicate a paradigmatic shift from automation toward cognition and reflection in English pedagogy. AI is increasingly viewed not merely as a tool for efficiency but as a partner in meaning-making, creativity, and learner autonomy. The study concludes that future research should deepen empirical validation, explore teacher AI collaboration, and strengthen ethical frameworks that support human-centered innovation in language education.

This study aims to examine students' perspectives on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing their comprehension of English learning materials within the context of the tourism industry. A qualitative descriptive research methodology was employed, with data collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The sample consisted of 42 students enrolled in the English for the Tourism Industry program. The findings reveal that the majority of students held favorable views regarding the integration of AI in understanding English learning content within tourism industry settings. They expressed the belief that, when used appropriately, AI could significantly facilitate their grasp of the material. Moreover, the AI tools most frequently utilized by students included translation applications, grammar correction tools, and AI-based chat services. This research provides valuable insights for English language teaching within tourism, highlighting the potential of tools like ChatGPT, QuillBot, Claude, and Notebook.im to support language proficiency. However, it also underscores the need for ongoing guidance from instructors to maximize the effectiveness of these technologies.

The digitalization of educational practices has intensified the need for effective Digital Lesson Planning Platforms (DLPPs), yet empirical evidence regarding their implementation in Malaysian private schools remains limited. This study investigates the effectiveness of Planboard, a DLPP, in enhancing instructional planning among English language teachers at a newly established private school in Seremban, Malaysia. Although digital tools are increasingly integrated into education, the use of DLPPs in Malaysian private schools, particularly in ELT, remains underexplored. Addressing this gap, the study aims to evaluate Planboard’s usability, usefulness, and influence on lesson quality, structure, and efficiency, while identifying challenges encountered during its integration. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, a qualitative methodology was employed through five months of classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with two English teachers. Findings indicate that Planboard improved lesson organization, time management and curriculum alignment, particularly when used by digital literate teachers. However, technical challenges such as internet reliability, data retention and limited digital fluency were significant barriers. The study contributed to the understanding of DLPP adoption in underrepresented educational contexts and underscores the importance of infrastructure, training and instructional support for effective implementation. These insights highlight the potential of digital platforms to enhance lesson planning when integrated thoughtfully into pedagogical routines.

This study investigates the impact of digital storytelling (DST) on secondary school students’ speaking proficiency in an ESL classroom. The research was driven by the need for engaging, technology-enhanced approaches that support Malaysian learners who frequently struggle with low confidence, limited vocabulary, and speaking anxiety. Using a qualitative case study design, the study involved 25 Form 4 students and collected data through semi-structured interviews and student reflective journals. The data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. The findings reveal that digital storytelling contributed positively to students’ speaking development. Students reported improvements in confidence, fluency, vocabulary use, and pronunciation awareness. They also felt more motivated and less anxious when speaking, particularly when creating and presenting personally meaningful stories. The project fostered autonomous learning, as students took ownership of their scripts, recordings, and multimedia outputs. Despite these benefits, the study also identified challenges such as scriptwriting difficulty, technical issues, and time constraints. Overall, the study concludes that digital storytelling is an effective pedagogical tool for enhancing speaking proficiency in ESL learners. Its integration in classrooms promotes language development, learner engagement, motivation, and reflective practice. The findings offer valuable implications for English language teaching in Malaysia and suggest that DST can serve as a practical and meaningful addition to current instructional practices in secondary schools.

This study investigates the ‘Influence of Parental Background and Socio-economic Status on the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in English Language in the West Coast region of The Gambia, West Africa’. Recognizing the critical role of English Language education in national development and individual career advancement, the research aims to understand how parental qualifications and economic conditions affect students' achievement in this subject. A quantitative survey methodology was adopted, involving 150 respondents from two selected secondary schools in the region. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed to determine the relationship between parental factors and student performance. The findings reveal a significant correlation between parents’ educational attainment and socio-economic status and students’ performance in English Language. Students whose parents had higher qualifications and better economic means tended to perform better, while those lacking such support faced academic challenges. The study concludes that parental involvement, both in terms of educational support and socio-economic provision, is crucial to improving students' outcomes in English Language. It recommends that parents be more actively engaged in their children's education by providing the necessary academic exposure, encouragement, and material support to foster better performance in the subject.

The passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject receives, rather than performs, the action expressed in the verb, and it plays a central role in shaping discourse organization in English. By shifting the patient or theme into subject position, passive constructions allow writers to emphasize processes, outcomes, and facts instead of human agents, which is particularly valuable in formal and knowledge-oriented genres (Corson & Smollett, n.d.; Hinkel, 2004). In academic and scientific writing, passive structures contribute to an impersonal and objective tone by foregrounding procedures, materials, and results while backgrounding or omitting the researcher (Abualzain, 2019; Leong, 2020). The passive voice also appears frequently in political and journalistic discourse, where it can strategically obscure agency or distance responsibility (Rachma et al., 2025). Pedagogically, scholars note that passive voice should not be regarded as a grammatical flaw but rather as a resource that becomes essential in genres such as lab reports, research articles, and institutional communication (Inzunza, 2020; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d.). At the same time, inappropriate or excessive reliance on the passive voice may lead to ambiguity or reduced clarity, requiring writers to balance active and passive constructions with purpose and awareness (Bada & Ulum, 2018; Grammarly, 2024). This article examines the discourse functions of the passive voice across academic, political, and general communication contexts, and outlines pedagogical considerations for its effective instruction in English language teaching. Understanding how passive structures shift emphasis and construct objectivity enables learners to deploy them strategically rather than avoiding them uncritically.

The research aims to derive the positive and negative values and strange habits included in Ibn Battuta’s journey called “Tuhfat An-Nuzzar fi Ghara’ibal-Amsar wa-‘Aja’ib Al-Asfar” by Shams al-Din bin Abdullah al-Lawati, the Moroccan al-Tanji, known as Ibn Battuta (d. 1377 AD), presented and investigated by Ali al-Muntasir al-Katani (D.T), which was included in Ibn Battuta’s trip, to the peoples of the countries he visited on the African and Asian continents. A total of 440 respondents participated in the study: 195 teachers in the supplementary track and 245 fourth-year regular track students at an Arab College of Education from all disciplines: early childhood, Arabic language, science, mathematics and computer science, English language, and special education. The respondents were asked to select an enrichment text or a story of one or more pages from Ibn Battuta’s travels, with the aim of eliciting the positive and negative values and strange customs of the peoples and countries Ibn Battuta visited in Africa and Asia. The study results indicated that Ibn Battuta’s travelogue, “Tuhfat An-Nuzzar fi Ghara’ibal-Amsar wa-‘Aja’ib Al-Asfar,” is considered an important literary reference, rich with texts and stories from which we can deduce the values and customs of the people of the countries Ibn Battuta visited in Africa and Asia. Teachers can use this information for discussion and constructive dialogue with their students in schools, in various educational subjects such as social studies, religion, literature, Arabic language, history, and geography. Most of the study participants support the idea of integrating Ibn Battuta’s travelogue into various lessons. The study recommends the importance of integrating and expanding it to include other subjects in schools, colleges, and universities. This integration should be systematically built around various activities that achieve “meaningful learning,” ensure active student participation, and enhance value for the learner and society. In conclusion, I recommend conducting detailed studies and research on the educational values derived from travel literature.

This research examines how English instructors in the multilingual Pakistani classrooms can use the Critical Pedagogy approach developed by Freire to promote empowerment among the learners. English language teaching (ELT) in Pakistan remains a teacher centred instructional process that has strict curricula and exam oriented culture. These dominant practises are limiting dialogue, reduce student agency and do not recognise the rich linguistic and cultural resources that students bring to the classroom. The qualitative research design was chosen to explore this problem. The research involved gathering data of forty English teachers by use of semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires that were distributed in the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Four major findings were produced by the thematic analysis. To start with, a large number of teachers tried dialogic and participatory teaching methods, which included discussions in groups, questioning, and problem-posing assignments; such activities helped to raise the confidence of learners and promoted significant interaction. Second, educators engaged the use of multilingual tools, e.g., discussions in native languages and culturally-grounded examples to promote understanding and inclusion. Third, critical pedagogy was hindered by a number of obstacles; they were rigid syllabi, excessive student populations, a lack of chances to facilitate professional growth, and the presence of an institutional counter-force. Lastly, peer support, contextualised content and flexible group work were all methods of coping used by teachers. On the whole, the paper shows that the application of the Freirean principles has significant potential in the multilingual ELT context, but organisational limitations suppress the full implementation of the principles. The results highlight the need to increase teacher education, curriculum design, and favourable institutional practises to make ELT more inclusive, participatory, and empowering to learners in Pakistan.

Factors affecting acceptance of ChatGPT-4o by English language instructors: The extended TAM approach

In this study, we examined the interrelations between motivation and self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies in the context of online English language instruction among Chinese university students. Data were collected from 1100 first-year undergraduates enrolled in an online College English course. Canonical correlation analysis revealed significant multivariate associations between motivational constructs and SRL strategies. Cluster analysis further identified two distinct learner profiles, Engaged Strategic Learners and Disengaged Learners, demonstrating differences in motivation, SRL use, and online learning experiences. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses offered additional insights into students’ perceived challenges and instructional needs. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how motivational and SRL characteristics influence learners’ engagement and outcomes in online English learning environments.

Navigating Bilingualism: Language, power, and the social identity construction of the first Saudi elementary students to receive English language instruction

This community service program aimed to provide training on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to improve TOEFL scores among twelfth-grade students at SMAN 19 Bandung. The method employed in this program involved training and mentoring, which consisted of two main stages: the implementation stage (preparation and training) and the evaluation stage. During the preparation stage, the team coordinated with the school, developed training materials, and set up AI-based learning tools. In the implementation stage, students were trained to use various AI applications and platforms, such as interactive chatbots, automated grammar correction tools, and AI-driven TOEFL simulations. Through intensive mentoring, participants were encouraged to practice their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills with the assistance of AI technologies. The evaluation results indicated that students gained significant knowledge of TOEFL learning strategies as well as the ability to effectively utilize AI to enhance their English proficiency. Furthermore, the program fostered greater motivation and self-confidence among students in preparing for the actual TOEFL test. Therefore, this community service initiative is expected to make a meaningful contribution to improving the quality of English language education at the high school level.

ABSTRACT In this study, we use a participatory narrative approach to trace one English language teacher's journey of relational advocacy building and sustaining Familia ESL , a responsive network connecting multilingual families, schools, and the community. Through conversations captured in four interview recordings and written exchanges, we collaboratively explored how Heidi (Author 3)'s advocacy work developed organically over time. Drawing on four interviews and written exchanges, we collaboratively examined how Heidi's advocacy extended from classroom concerns into broader efforts including long‐term relationship building and community engagement. Framed through a view of advocacy as collaborative and relational, we share this unfolding narrative to illustrate how advocacy, often treated as an individual act, can be understood as inherently relational. At the same time, the participatory process created opportunities for Heidi's own reflection, highlighting how narrative approaches can support teachers' professional growth. By making her's efforts visible, we invite teachers and teacher educators into conversation about possibilities for community‐embedded work, while emphasizing the need for research that centers the voices of participants as co‐creators of both their own work, and the disciplinary knowledge that represents it.

Good communication, especially for students, is important for building relationships with lecturers and peers, as it supports the learning process and prepares students for professional demands. This community service aims to enhance the ethical communication skills of new students, with a focus on verbal and nonverbal aspects. This training involved 70 first-semester students from the English Language Education and English Literature programs, class of 2025, at Universitas Negeri Makassar. The methods employed included lectures, discussions, and practical sessions conducted in a seminar format using a participatory approach. The findings indicated several benefits: (1) Academic – Students learned to express opinions politely, logically, and in an organized manner with lecturers; (2) Social – Students developed empathy, tolerance, and respect for differences; (3) Professional – Students increased awareness of campus dress ethics. The main output of this community service program was an ethical guideline for communication with lecturers and educational staff. The training successfully fostered students' ethical communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal.