English Literature Research Articles

Duodenal Atresia with Apple-peel Intestinal Atresia: a Case with Favorable Outcome

Objective − Duodenal atresia with apple-peel intestinal atresia remains a difficult and complex condition, even with advances in medical and surgical therapies. Due to the significant difference in etiology, the association between these two types of atresia is very rare and is associated with a high rate of mortality. Only twelve of these cases have been described so far in English literature, most often with a poor outcome. Our patient survived and is doing well.Case Report − Here, we present a premature infant in whom intestinal atresia was suspected prenatally. On the first day of life, based on clinical, radiographic and ultrasound examination, suspicion was confirmed and surgical intervention was performed. It was discovered that the proximal part of the duodenum blindly ends with a large dilation. The proximal jejunum also ends blindly and the distal small intestine wraps around a single mesenteric vessel in a spiral fashion reminiscent of an “apple-peel.” At the first operation (on the first day of life), a double enterostomy of the proximal duodenum and the proximal jejunum was performed. On the second operation (on day 10), the continuity of the digestive intestine was established by end-to-end duodeno-jejunal anastomosis. Progress in body mass was confirmed during the postoperative period and normal stool was formed on a regular basis.Conclusion − Based on our case, possible reasons for the good outcome of patients with these rare forms of intestinal atresia are prenatal suspicion, early postnatal diagnosis, and early surgical intervention. Further studies should investigate the possibility of a common cause of duodenal atresia and apple-peel atresia to facilitate early diagnosis and early treatment.

Students' Perceptions of Using ChatGPT for Academic Writing in English

This article explores the perceptions of university students on the use of ChatGPT for academic writing in English. Participants (n = 79) are all students on mandatory English-language courses at a university Language Centre in Finland. They are predominantly first-year bachelor’s degree students from various degree programmes in different faculties. Participants’ insights were collected via a survey that was administered to several intact groups during the autumn semester of 2023. The survey collected quantitative and qualitative data which were analysed and discussed in light of students’ developing academic writing skills in English. The study sheds light on students’ specific uses of the AI-driven tool as well as their perceptions of its impact on not only the writing process and product, but also on their own writing skills. The results indicated that students perceived ChatGPT to have above average usability, a finding which was supported and elucidated by students’ free responses concerning ways in which they have used this technology. Conversely, the reasons that some students had not used it included, amongst others, a lack of need, ethical concerns and doubts about its usefulness. Given the continued development and availability of large language models such as ChatGPT, this research has clear implications for all stakeholders in higher education. In particular, by illustrating how students utilise ChatGPT in their academic writing, the study provides university language teachers with the insights needed to ensure that their course outcomes, content and assessments remain reflective of students’ developing knowledge and study practices.

Outcomes of guidelines from health technology assessment organizations in community-based primary care: a systematic mixed studies review.

Health technology assessment (HTA) organizations generate guidelines to inform healthcare practices toward improved health outcomes. This review sought to identify and classify outcomes of guidelines from HTA organizations within published research. We performed a systematic mixed studies review of empirical studies that (a) referred to a published guideline from an HTA organization and (b) reported an outcome resulting from a guideline. We searched the published literature in English or French within seven databases. Outcome types were classified within five dimensions of an existing framework for online health information (e.g., relevance, cognitive/affective impact, and use). Subdimensions were inductively developed. A two-phase sequential data synthesis was performed. Phase 1: a hybrid deductive-inductive thematic analysis identified the types of outcomes and displayed their relationships on a concept map. Phase 2: descriptive statistics were tabulated by the type of outcome. A total of 6,719 records were retrieved through searches on 6 February 2023. After screening, we included 120 observational studies (twenty-one qualitative, ninety-four quantitative, and five mixed methods). Phase 1 identified twenty-nine types of outcomes. The most frequently reported outcomes were within the organizational dimension (reported in ninety-four studies). The most common subdimensions were "Referrals" (thirty-eight occurrences), the "Quality of Prescriptions" (fifteen occurrences), and the "Quality of Diagnosis" (eight occurrences). For Phase 2, we could only generate descriptive statistics on seventeen outcomes. These were almost equally distributed among positive, neutral, and negative effects. Our results contribute to knowledge about the outcomes of HTA guidelines and options for documenting and measuring them in future evaluations.

Current role of focal therapy in prostate cancer.

Thanks to the improved accuracy of multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) to detect and localize the dominant index lesion on prostate cancer (PCa), the concept of minimally invasive focal treatments (FT) has gained popularity. Nevertheless, although high-quality evidence that FT has favorable functional outcomes, definitive proof of its oncological effectiveness compared to standard treatments remains underreported. This study aims to explore the efficacy, safety, oncologic and functional outcomes of different type of FT for PCa. A non-systematic literature review was conducted by searching on PubMed "prostate cancer" AND "focal treatment" OR "HIFU" OR "irreversible electroporation" OR "cryoablation" OR "focal laser ablation." Overall, 22 articles published in English literature from 2018 to 2023 describing FT techniques for PCa were included. Related to the field ablated, focal therapies include hemiablation (half gland), focal ablation (zonal-base) or targeted therapy (lesion-based). FT modalities can be categorized in thermal and non-thermal energy: thermal energy techniques include high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and focal laser ablation (FLA). Focal brachytherapy, irreversible electroporation (IRE), and vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) are classified as non-thermal ablation. Each focal ablative treatments could be promising alternative to conventional radical therapies to treat PCa in term of mid-term oncologic and functional outcomes, however, limited data are available in comparison with standardized radical treatments. HIFU and Cryo are the most studied techniques and seem to be superior to radical treatments in term of functional outcomes despite associated with higher recurrence and retreatment rate. Current evidences of oncologic and functional outcomes of FT are based mainly on retrospective, non-comparative and single center studies. Thus, none of the focal therapies available should be considered safe alternative to standardized treatments in routine practice and should be offered only for well selected PCa patients with low or at least favorable-intermediate risk disease, unfit for radical options.

BLENDED LEARNING IN TEACHING ENGLISH LITERATURE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS

This study investigates teachers' perceptions of blended learning in the context of English Literature during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research aims to understand how English teachers adapted to the sudden shift from traditional to blended learning environments. The research includes exploring the strategies employed by teachers when integrating literature lessons into a blended learning approach, impacts of blended learning during the pandemic to teachers’ teaching professionalism and problems faced by teachers when designing Literature lessons during the pandemic. Four English Literature teachers from SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Penampang participated in semi-structured interviews, providing different perceptions into their experiences with blended learning. The findings reveal that technology played an essential role in facilitating teaching and learning during the pandemic. The combination of traditional and digital methods allowed for a balanced approach to teaching English Literature, fostering interactive and collaborative learning experiences. Despite these benefits, the transition to blended learning presented significant challenges in terms of adaptation, professional growth and connectivity issues. The study helps to understand the implications of this research especially for researchers, teachers and students. The data gained from this study offer guidance for improving blended learning practices and addressing the needs of students and teachers in a rapidly evolving educational setting.

Abstract 4138603: Adult-onset Kawasaki Disease: An Updated Review of the English-Language Literature from 1980 Through 2023

Introduction: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a pan-vasculitis that primarily affects children and rarely adults. Available data on adult-onset KD are based on case reports and case series, both of which are limited by small sizes. We aimed to characterize the epidemiology, presentation, hospital course, and outcomes of adult-onset KD published in the English literature from 1980 through 2023. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and included published articles with a diagnosis of KD in patients age ≥18 years. We searched PubMed and Google scholar for case reports/series published in English using the keywords “adult”, “Kawasaki disease”, and “mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome”. We extracted data from individual articles onto an Excel spreadsheet for analysis. Outcomes of interest were the demographic characteristics of patients, clinical presentation and hospital course, management, and complications. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 137 patients from 29 countries were included in this study. The majority were male (90/137, 64.9%; M:F ratio 1.8) and the median age was 25 years (range, 18-68). The median time to clinical presentation was 5 days (range, 4-60). The main signs and symptoms were fever (95.7%), skin rash (92.9%), conjunctivitis (89.3%), extremity changes (84.3%), oral changes (85.7%), and cervical lymphadenopathy (73.7%). The majority of the patients had no co-morbidities (125/137, 91.2%). EKG changes were not reported in 48 patients (35%). In the remaining 89, 26 (29.2%) had normal EKG or sinus tachycardia, 9 (10.1%) had ST segment elevation, and 9 (10.1%) had arrythmias or abnormal EKGs. Pharmacotherapy included IVIG (80/137, 58.4%), Aspirin (105/137, 76.6%), steroids (31/137, 22.6%) and antibiotics (68/137, 49.6%). For complications, 18.2% (25/137) had aneurysms, 8% (11/137) had myocardial infarction, 10.9% (15/137) had myocarditis, 10% had pericarditis/pericardial effusion, and 10.9% (15/137) had KD shock syndrome. The median length of stay was 14 days (range, 1-60 days). Three patients (2%) died from KD. Conclusion: Adult-onset KD is rare and is associated with significant cardiovascular complications. Clinicians should have high index of suspicion for prompt diagnoses and initiate appropriate treatment to improve outcomes.

Larger than life: A case of a bleeding giant phyllodes tumor in a COVID-19 positive patient

Introduction: Phyllodes tumor of the breast, also known as cystosarcoma phyllodes, is a rare fibroepithelial tumor that accounts for about 0.3–1% of all breast tumors. Unlike most breast tumors that start from the ducts and gland, phyllodes tumor originates from the stroma. The classification of phyllodes tumor is less important on assessing the risk of recurrence as compared to the presence of tumor-free margins after surgical treatment. Case Report: A 54-year-old female presented at the emergency room with a large, bleeding, left breast mass. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted previously at the isolation ward. After medical management of her current condition, the patient underwent wide excision (total mastectomy), left with en bloc resection of pectoralis major with delayed reconstruction via split thickness skin graft. This case is one of the few reported giant phyllodes tumor in the English literature, measuring 30 cm widest dimension. Conclusion: Malignant phyllodes tumor is a rare form of breast malignancy behaving like a sarcoma. A diagnostic dilemma may be encountered in patients with such tumors due to the rarity of these cases and the different presentation of the tumor. High suspicion shall be entertained for patients with breast masses which tend to appear like benign lesions but with sudden enlargement. Adequate surgical intervention shall be done ensuring tumor-free margins. Adjuvant therapy for malignant phyllodes tumor is still controversial but shall be entertained according to the patient’s actual case needs.

Abstract 4138622: Cardiac Rhabdomyosarcoma: An Updated Review of the English Literature From 1980 Through 2023

Cardiac Rhabdomyosarcoma (CR) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the heart occurring in all age groups and genders. It can arise anywhere in the heart with varied clinical presentation. Available data on CR are mainly from case reports and series that are limited by small sizes. The purpose of this study was to characterize the epidemiology, presentation, management, hospital course, and outcomes of CR published in the English literature from 1980-2023. Methods: We reviewed and included all published case reports with a diagnosis of CR in adult patients (age >18 years) on PubMed and Google Scholar using the keywords “primary cardiac tumor” and “cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma”. Data was extracted onto an Excel spreadsheet for analysis and the outcomes of interest were demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, management, complications, and outcomes. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. Results: Among a total of 97 patients from 19 countries included in this study, 54% were males and the median age was 49 years (range 18-80). The main symptoms were dyspnea (37.1%), palpitations (23.7%), chest pains (16.5%) and syncope (6.5%). Hypotension or heart failure and arrhythmias were present in 10.3% and 9.3%, respectively and 5.2% had pericardial effusion. In addition to those with metastatic tumors, 22.7% had chronic co-morbidities. The majority of the cases were primary tumors (85.6%), and the remainder were (14.4%). All patients had at least one imaging modality including echocardiography (89%) and CT/MRI (84%). The commonest sites of cardiac involvement were the left atrium (35%), right atrium (33%), right ventricle (20%), and left ventricle (12%). Approximately 68% involved a single cardiac site while 32% involved multiple sites. Among the patients, 96% underwent surgery while 33% and 25% had chemotherapy and 25% radiotherapy, respectively. The median length of hospital stay was 11 days (range, 2-68 days), and mortality was recorded in 79.3% (77/97) of the patients. The median survival time was reported in 42 patients, and it was 6 months (range, 0-36 months). Conclusion: Cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignant neoplasm. Most cases are primary tumors with poor outcomes such as a very short median survival time and a very high mortality rate despite the combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. This calls for further research into the early diagnosis and optimal management strategies to improve outcomes.

In our Time: Adult Education and Birkbeck: Extra-Mural — An Experiment 1988–2009

In this article I suggest that three strands of adult education in the nineteenth century contributed to the experiment of the affiliation of Extra-Mural Studies and Birkbeck between 1988 and 2009: those of the mechanics’ institutions, the University of London, and Extra-Mural (‘Extension’). Although these strands had distinct origins, they were all respondents to the popular demand of the day for access to education by adults excluded from further and higher education in Oxbridge, which was full-time, residential, expensive, and confined to Anglicans and young men. The alternatives that adult education offered were secular and non-residential. They included part-time, evening teaching of subjects that reflected student demand. Adult education from the 1820s provided classes in practical science, mathematics, modern languages, English literature, and vocational training in mechanics, and in London University, medicine and law. In their parallel development, during which they all changed radically, these types of adult education were unmistakably hybrid, imitating each other in course selection and delivery, and sometimes competing for students. Extra-Mural joined the university in 1904 as its External Department, while Birkbeck joined the University of London in 1924 as a separate college, giving up, however, its daytime teaching, its intake of students of all ages, and the teaching of economics, to fit into the university without friction. The second part of the article explores one example of a productive partnership in the college between Extra-Mural and a Birkbeck department: English in Extra-Mural and the Department of English over the two decades that Extra-Mural was part of Birkbeck. Lastly, the article considers how the college privileged the other strands of adult education and shed Extra-Mural by integrating its full-time staff and on-site courses, and silently obliterating its vast provision of classes across the capital. A colour-coded Timeline follows this article to help trace the development of adult education that impacted on Birkbeck, and its lurches and adjustments to survive, from 1823 onwards.

Learning Achievement in English of the Students at A Private University in Pathum Thani Province Through the Use of the Padlet Application

Background and Aims: Students who achieve high levels in English are better prepared for both academic success and global engagement. It builds self-assurance and provides access to a wide range of opportunities in various fields. Thus, the objectives of this study were 1) to examine the efficiency of teaching English through the use of the Padlet application the students at a Private university in Pathum Thani province, and 2) to compare the learning achievement in English of the students at a Private university in Pathum Thani Province through the use of the Padlet application. Methodology: The participants in this study were 50 students from a private university in Pathum Thani Province who enrolled in Basic Writing in English in the third semester of the academic year 2023, selected through stratified random sampling and simple random sampling methods. The research instrument consisted of 10 sets of English achievement tests. The data was analyzed by Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation, and t-test. Results: The results found that 1) the efficiency of teaching English through the use of the Padlet application of the students at a private university in Pathum Thani Province (E1/E2) was 81.82/83.18. 2) The learning achievement in English of the students at a Private university in Pathum Thani province through the use of the Padlet application was significantly higher than before at the 0.01 level. Conclusion: At a private university in Pathum Thani Province, the use of the Padlet application dramatically increased student learning achievement and significantly increased the efficiency of teaching English (E1/E2: 81.82/83.18). This shows a significant improvement in English proficiency after the intervention, proving the usefulness of Padlet.

Analysis of Lucy’s Female Consciousness in A Room with a View

Edward Morgan Forster is one of the greatest British writers of the 20th century, and this paper explores the awakening of the protagonist Lucy in Forster's third novel, A Room with a View. Forster directly confronts the problem of female consciousness through this book, reflecting the living conditions of women in the Middle Ages and the spiritual predicament of the British middle and upper classes. Based on the careful reading of the text and the research on the related female consciousness theories, this paper conducts a specific analysis and research on the three stages of Lucy's female consciousness awakening—absence, budding, and awakening. In particular, it pays much attention to the internal and external causes of the suppression of women's consciousness, such as the fundamental suppression of women's self-consciousness by the background of that times and the patriarchal culture, and has a deep insight into the rational inner world of Forster's to deep the understanding of his thoughts and writing style. Finally, the conclusion shows that only by realizing the unity of inner self and outer self, can women truly realize their self-worth. At the same time, the paper hopes to help readers understand the true meaning and beauty of love.

Flipped Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence

This study explores the complex process of integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into a flipped classroom. Employing Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) narrative inquiry framework, the study collected data from class observations and semi-structured interviews with a lecturer and six English-majored undergraduates before, during, and at the end of a 15-week British Literature course. Bhattacharya’s (2017) inductive analysis model was used to inform the thematic narrative sub-approach. The findings revealed both challenges and benefits associated with using GenAI for flipped learning while highlighting its impact on students’ self-regulated learning and teacher self-efficacy. This presentation retells stories from the participants’ lived experiences in a GenAI-enabled and flipped classroom. Exemplary learning resources are showcased to demonstrate how GenAI tools can effectively and efficiently facilitate flipped learning. The insights gained from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential of GenAI in transforming educational practices and enhancing the flipped learning experience.

Developing College English Writing Course by Using Length Approach Combined with Task-based Learning to Enhance Writing Skills of Non-English Major Students in Xi’an University

Background and Aims: This study was a research and development. The objectives of this research were 1) To study the background information relevant to developing College English Writing Courses by using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning to Enhance the Writing Skills of Non-English major students.2) To develop a College English Writing Course by using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning to Enhance the Writing Skills of non-English major students. 3) To study the effectiveness of implementing a College English Writing Course by using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning. Materials and Methods: The samples were 40 first-year students, non-major English at Xi’an University, the People's Republic of China. They were derived by cluster random sampling. The instruments used in this research were 1) a College English Writing Course using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning and its lesson plans, 2) an English writing skills test with .78 of reliability, and 3) a students’ satisfaction questionnaire with .75 of reliability. The statistics used to analyze data included mean, standard deviation, and t-test for one sample. Results: After learning through College English Writing Course by using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning, the English Writing skills of students were higher than before learning with a statistical significance of .05 level, and (2) the student's satisfaction with College English Writing Course by using Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning was at a high level. Conclusion: Learning through College English Writing Course by using the Length Approach combined with Task-based Learning has both theoretical and practical significance, Firstly, the research proposes the role of the Length Approach and task-based learning based on output in second language acquisition. Secondly, it is confirmed in this study that language use and production is an essential part of language learning and that one can learn a Second language through using the language. Length Approach and task-based learning are suitable for daily teaching because they can enhance English writing skills for non-English major students and be helpful in the acquisition of a second language.

‘Ofer eall wifa cyn’: Cultivating Female Agency in David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest and Cynewulf’s Juliana

ABSTRACT David Foster Wallace situates “Infinite Jest” within the tradition of English literary history by mirroring the narrative of Hamlet. This literary-historical grounding intensifies the critical allure of Wallace’s reference to Old English by way of Cynewulf’s “Juliana.” I contend that, in “Infinite Jest,” Joelle van Dyne’s struggle for an independent identity can be read as a parallel to Juliana’s cultivation of an autonomous self through social defiance. For both women, their struggles for autonomy are marked by continued reliance on male figures: Joelle must socially and psychologically maneuver male relationships in order to fashion a sense of independence; similarly, Juliana attempts to construct a strong identity founded on her Christian faith, but this is potentially undercut by her reliance on a specifically male God. The women’s narratives are distinguished by their successes rather than their failures, which are reinforced through tropological elements of Old English exile. The duality between Joelle and Juliana highlights Wallace’s attempt to depict the perpetuation of historical gender roles, while the self-consciousness of his postmodern prose indicates his deep desire to grapple with the social issues that not only pervade literature today but have been woven into the fabric of English literary and social history.

Disabling Pansclerotic Morphea: A century of discovery.

Disabling pansclerotic morphea (DPM) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder at the severe end of the localized scleroderma spectrum which primarily affects children under 14 years of age. The disease is characterized by rapid sclerosis with circumferential involvement that frequently extends to the fascia, muscle, and bone. Disease progression often involves development of sclerotic plaques, chronic skin ulcers, and painful joint contractures leading to patient immobility with a high mortality rate. Internal organ fibrosis is typically absent. The aggressive and systemic nature of the disease leads patients to seek multidisciplinary care where current therapies are targeted towards immunomodulation and measures to preserve mobility while limiting infection, but often have limited efficacy. Here, we summarize all DPM patients in the English literature, common clinical symptoms, laboratory investigations, and treatments reported to date. Assessment of published cases suggest that the number of therapies does not influence disease outcome and that female patients were younger at the time of reported death. Clinician familiarity and awareness of common DPM symptoms are important for an accurate and early diagnosis. Furthermore, knowledge of the treatments that have been reported to be effective in mitigating disease progression may be helpful in expanding the treatment options available to patients.

Global research hotspots and trends of Buyang huanwu decoction: A visual analysis of the literature based on CiteSpace.

Buyang huanwu decoction (BYHWD) has shown significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of several diseases, particularly stroke. However, bibliometric research has not been comprehensive. BYHWD articles were collected from literature databases published from January 1, 1915, to March 31, 2024, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Weipu, Wanfang, Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. Knowledge network graphs of annual publication volume, authors, institutions, countries, keywords, and references were constructed. Nine thousand two hundred thirty-eight Chinese literature and 559 English articles published between 1915 and 2024 showed an overall upward trend. The countries, institutions, journals, and authors with the highest output were China, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangxian Cai, and Changqing Deng, respectively. Research teams outside China were located at Daejeon University, Gachon University, Aga Khan University, Yale University, etc. The results of keyword co-occurrence and burst analysis included clinical applications, animal experiments, action mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and safety evaluations based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Literature co-citation analysis revealed that BYHWD was highly correlated with neuroprotection and reduction of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Both Chinese and English literature have shown overall growth trend since 1984 and 1989, respectively. Clinical applications, pharmacological effects, mechanisms, active ingredients, evaluation of clinical efficacy and safety, modified BYHWD, methods, and biological techniques may be hotspots and focus of future research on BYHWD. Hotspot analytical methods and biological techniques include systematic reviews, meta-analyses, data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Future valuable research fields may include studies on neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory activity, ischemic stroke, bioactive compounds, and their underlying mechanisms.

The Analysis Study of Nutritional Management of Patient with Obesity: A Clinical Nutrition Systematic Review

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial condition influenced by a combination of genetic, behavioral, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The first-line approach for managing obesity typically involves dietary interventions. This systematic review aim to evaluate the current evidence on various nutritional management for obesity based on the literatures of the last 10 years. Methods: The study adhered to PRISMA 2020 standards, examining English literature from 2014 to 2024. It excluded editorials, reviews from the same journal, and submissions without a DOI. PubMed, SagePub, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar were utilized as literature sources. Result: Initially retrieving 360 articles from online databases (PubMed, SagePub, SpringerLink and Google Scholar) eight relevant papers were selected after three rounds of screening for full-text analysis. Conclusion: Different nutritional strategies offer distinct benefits for managing obesity, with Mediterranean, anti-inflammatory, and low-carbohydrate diets showing promise. The key lies in promoting adherence and maintaining weight loss through tailored, sustainable interventions.

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.

Approaches and Benefits of Teaching English through Literature Curriculum at Myanmar Universities: Insights from Stakeholders

The curriculum serves as a fundamental bridge between teachers and students, fostering an effective learning environment. This qualitative research investigates the pedagogical approaches employed by English literature teachers and evaluates the perceived benefits of using an English literature curriculum in EFL classrooms of Myanmar. The study involved 27 English literature teachers, six government officials, and three local business leaders through interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions. Four primary teaching approaches were identified: Paraphrastic, Information-Based, Language-Based, and Integrated Approaches. These methodologies are specifically designed to meet the diverse needs of students, thereby enriching their educational experiences. The research employed purposive sampling to select participants and conducted thematic analysis on the collected data through content and document analysis. The findings underscore the significance of integrating various literature genres, such as prose fiction, short stories, novels, poetry, and drama, into language education. This integration not only enhances language proficiency but also fosters critical thinking and cultural awareness among students. The study highlights the importance of a multifaceted approach to teaching literature, which can cater to different learning styles and preferences. To advance research in EFL education and pedagogy, future studies should focus on investigating specific pedagogical approaches, assessing the impact of digital technologies, and conducting longitudinal studies to deepen the understanding of literature’s role in language learning. The insights from this study provide valuable implications for curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers in enhancing the effectiveness of literature-based language education.

A Study of Common Rhetorical Devices in English Language and Literature

This paper discusses the classification of various rhetorical devices in English language and literature, including semantics, structure and phonetic rhetoric. This paper expounds the value of rhetoric in enhancing the expressive force of works and deepening the theme, and embodies its importance in understanding English literature, feeling the charm of literature and adapting to the creative environment.