This study aims to develop and evaluate an Islamic-based English speaking textbook as an identity-responsive instructional model, defined as a pedagogical approach that integrates learners’ cultural and spiritual identities into CEFR-oriented communicative speaking tasks. This research employed an educational research and development design using the ADDIE model. The textbook was designed, validated, and implemented through pre- and post-tests of CEFR A2–B1 speaking tasks, student questionnaires, classroom observations, and after-class interviews involving 58 students and lecturers at SKM Islamic University. Spiritual identity engagement was examined through thematic analysis supported by indicators of importance, ease, and involvement demonstrated during speaking activities. Expert validation was conducted to evaluate linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and content quality. Statistical results show notable improvements in students’ speaking performance, with fluency increasing from 2.8 to 4.1, vocabulary from 2.7 to 4.0, pronunciation from 3.1 to 4.2, and grammar from 2.9 to 3.8. Thematic analysis indicates that integrating Islamic values into communicative tasks fosters meaningful participation, confidence, and strengthened expression of spiritual identity. Experts confirmed the textbook’s linguistic soundness and cultural alignment. The findings demonstrate that instructional materials incorporating cultural and spiritual identity elements can effectively support students’ communicative ability and value engagement. The developed textbook shows strong pedagogical potential and competitive advantages over comparable materials used in Islamic educational settings. Keywords: english, instructional materials, islamic values, language learning, speaking skills.

Linguistic diversity in higher education institutions plays a critical role in shaping organizational culture, communication, and productivity, yet it also presents unique challenges in fostering inclusivity. This study, therefore, investigated the role of linguistic diversity at the St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) and its implications for human resource (HR) policies and practices. With Tanzania’s rich multilingual landscape-featuring Swahili and English as official languages alongside over 120 indigenous languages-SAUT serves as a compelling case study on managing linguistic diversity in an academic workplace. The research aimed to (1) assess the current state of linguistic diversity at SAUT, (2) identify associated challenges and opportunities, (3) evaluate its impact on employee satisfaction and productivity, and (4) develop tailored HR strategies to promote inclusivity. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected through interviews with faculty, staff, and administrators, supplemented by document analysis. Findings reveal that while linguistic diversity enhances cultural exchange, creativity, and problem-solving, it also creates communication barriers and feelings of exclusion among non-dominant language speakers. Key challenges include difficulties in formal communication, unequal participation in meetings, and occasional misunderstandings. However, the study also highlights opportunities for leveraging this diversity to strengthen institutional cohesion and global competitiveness. To address these challenges, the study recommends implementing structured language training programs (e.g., Kiswahili for international staff and advanced English for non-native speakers), adopting multilingual signage and documentation, and fostering inclusive communication strategies such as translation services and code-switching accommodations. By proactively managing linguistic diversity, SAUT can enhance employee satisfaction, collaboration, and productivity while reinforcing its reputation as an inclusive academic institution. This research contributes to broader discussions on linguistic diversity in higher education and provides practical HR solutions for multicultural workplaces. The findings underscore the importance of intentional language policies in fostering inclusivity, offering valuable insights for universities and organizations operating in linguistically diverse environments.

This paper attempts to explain the differences between British Received Pronunciation (RP) and the Ghebi speakers while communicating in English by using contrastive anal- ysis from Robert Lado’s book Linguistics Across Cultures (1957). Robert Lado was bilingual and talked about the challenges that he encountered while learning a second language. The research gap is that it focuses on a new perspective of differences between the Ghebi speakers and native English speakers when communicating. Praat software is used for data analysis of the words uttered by Ghebi speakers and British Received Pronunciation (RP). The study’s comparative analysis provides in-depth details about the differences between British RP and Ghebi speakers. British speakers have a higher pitch and intensity than the Ghebi speakers, for instance, variations in stress patterns and the influence of L1 over L2. It shows apparent differences based on their pitch and intensity (Lado, 1957; Brown, 2007; Ellis, 2015).

The growing demand for communicative competence in English requires pedagogical models that offer authentic, situated language practice beyond conventional classroom instruction. This Research and Development (R&D) study, employing the ADDIE model, aims to design and evaluate a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model integrated with 360° ecotourism river videos to enhance junior high school students’ English speaking skills. The development process involved needs analysis, product design, expert validation, and a small-group trial. The final product consisted of a 360° immersive video portraying the Lok Baintan Floating Market and an accompanying PjBL-based speaking module. Validation results indicated strong pedagogical viability, with ratings from a technology expert (73.4%), an English teacher (88.6%), and students during the trial phase (92.5%). Qualitative observations further revealed heightened student engagement and motivation during speaking tasks. These findings suggest that integrating immersive video with PjBL creates an authentic, low-anxiety environment conducive to meaningful oral communication. The study contributes to ELT pedagogy by demonstrating how immersive technology can operationalize situated learning principles within project-based speaking instruction while strengthening the use of local cultural content in English language teaching.

This research aims to identify and describe the specific obstacles encountered by English Language Education students at Gorontalo State University (UNG) in developing their speaking proficiency. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing questionnaires (Likert scale) and semi-structured interviews with 4th-semester students. The findings revealed that students face multi-faceted challenges categorized into Linguistic, Personal, Environmental, and Social problems. The dominant obstacles were Linguistic Problems (81% agreement), driven primarily by Mother Tongue Interference and difficulties in choosing appropriate words and maintaining fluency. Personal Problems (70.4%), particularly anxiety and hesitation, were also highly significant, hindering active participation due to the fear of negative evaluation. Environmental Problems (77.4%) highlighted issues with the Teaching Method and limited opportunities for spontaneous speaking practice. Social Problems (67.9%) centered on the fear of committing mistakes and criticism from peers. The research concludes that speaking challenges in this context stem from a strong interplay between linguistic deficits and affective factors. Therefore, effective intervention must address both vocabulary/grammar mastery and psychological support by creating a highly communicative and anxiety-reducing learning environment.

Purpose: This study examined bilingual and monolingual speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') speech intelligibility ratings of nonnative English-speaking children's conversational speech to determine whether differences exist between these two perceiver groups. Bilingual perceiver differences have been shown in previous research and could impact SLPs' intelligibility ratings, which are an important part of an assessment for speech sound disorders. Method: Thirty bilingual and 30 monolingual SLPs rated audio recordings of conversational speech samples from 15 school-aged, typically developing Spanish–English and Mam–English bilingual children. Speech samples were presented in a randomized order in an online experiment. The data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model to determine the effects of SLPs' lingualism on intelligibility ratings. Results: Bilingual and monolingual SLPs' intelligibility ratings were not significantly different from each other. The intelligibility ratings of the Mam–English speaker group were significantly different from those of the Spanish–English speaker group in both listener groups. Conclusions: Bilingual and monolingual SLPs rated the intelligibility of spontaneous speech samples from bilingual child speakers similarly. The familiarity of specific nonnative accents plays a role in SLPs' intelligibility ratings. Clinically, when assessing a bilingual child whose first language is unfamiliar, SLPs must incorporate information from resources such as interpreters. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.30976468

BackgroundNirsevimab is a long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to protect against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease. Its initial rollout during the 2023–2024 respiratory viral season was hindered by a nationwide shortage, leading to delays and inconsistent access for eligible infants. In contrast, the 2024–2025 season saw adequate manufacturer supply. To optimize protection, timely administration of nirsevimab before peak community RSV activity is essential.MethodsFor both the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 seasons, we reviewed all nirsevimab doses administered at our children’s hospital, including inpatient and clinic settings. Included patients were infants who received nirsevimab before 8 months of age during their first RSV season, and high-risk infants eligible during their second RSV season. Electronic health record reminders and clinical care guidelines were available in both seasons. The primary outcome was timely nirsevimab administration, defined as receipt (1) before the peak of community RSV circulation (December 1 of each year) and/or (2) within 30 days of birth for infants born after December 1. We examined associations between timely administration and childhood opportunity index, insurance status, race/ethnicity, and primary language.ResultsOverall, 146 patients received nirsevimab in 2023–2024 and 175 in 2024–2025. The proportion of infants receiving timely doses was similar between the two seasons: 57% (median age 2.0 months) in 2023–2024 and 55% (median age 1.6 months) in 2024–2025. In 2023–2024, timely administration differed by demographic group: white vs. black patients (72.7% vs. 45.0%, p=0.02), commercial vs. government insurance (74.0% vs. 47.9%, p< 0.01), and primary English speakers vs. other languages (60.3% vs. 35.0%, p=0.05). These disparities decreased or were no longer observed in following season.ConclusionAmong patients who received nirsevimab, disparities in timely administration were observed during the first season of availability but improved or resolved in the following year. As new medications are introduced—especially during shortages—health systems should prioritize not only overall access but also timely administration to promote immunization equity.DisclosuresTonya Scardina, PharmD, American Society of Health System Pharmacists: Advisor/Consultant

It is unknown if Language Discordance between patient and provider during telestroke evaluations involves differences in stroke metrics, severity, or outcomes when compared to Language Concordant situations. We sought to evaluate differences in patient demographics, stroke severity, and treatment times for patients where intravenous thrombolysis was recommended for suspected acute ischemic stroke between language concordant and language discordant patient and physician encounters. This cross-sectional study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data after recommendation to administer intravenous tissue plasminogen activator between July 2017 and July 2020. Consecutive patients where thrombolysis was recommended for suspected acute ischemic stroke were included, from a single academic center telestroke network with multiple spoke sites. Primary language, time of telestroke evaluation, time to IV tPA recommendation, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and demographic information was abstracted. Data was dichotomized into Language Concordant for English speaking patients and providers vs. Language Discordant for non-English speaking patients with English speaking providers. 705 Language Concordant patient encounters and 42 Language Discordant patient encounters were identified. Language Discordant patients were older (70 years versus 65 years, p=0.04), and had a trend to higher stroke severity (median NIHSS 7 versus 6, p=0.09) than Language Concordant patients. Limited outcome data was available only for patients transferred to the comprehensive stroke center hub for a higher level of care or consideration for endovascular thrombectomy but no significant outcome findings were seen. Language Discordant patients who are evaluated via telestroke were significantly older, and had a trend to higher stroke severity as measured by initial NIHSS. Further dedicated data collection on the effects of language in acute stroke metrics in larger cohorts are necessary.

While many families experience multiple etiologies of stress during a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, unique stressors arise for certain groups that are at higher risk for disparities in infant outcomes, including Latino families. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of Latino families regarding support received in the NICU while their infant was hospitalized to identify ways to enhance the quality of care. Qualitative study to explore the NICU experience of Latino families through semi-structured interviews and focus groups (FGs) in English or Spanish. Inclusion criteria were self-identification as a Latino family member, English or Spanish speaking, and NICU admission between January 2020-February 2022. Recorded transcripts underwent reflexive thematic analysis. Eight interviews and four FGs were conducted with a total of 20 family members. Themes were categorized as "Experiences" and "Recommendations." Experience themes included: challenges with information sharing, altered provider relationships in the setting of language discordance, language barriers, threats to trust, contributors to stress, and barriers to parent support and family cohesion. Recommendation themes included: inform and engage families (e.g., bilingual resources, orientation to parenting role, inclusion in decision making), address concerns, offer support (e.g., emotional and psychological), and create an inclusive environment. Latino families with recent NICU admissions highlighted their personal and witnessed experiences of language discordance and the impact on information sharing, provider and nurse relationships, and parental support. Families recommended practical strategies to uphold trust and improve the quality of care, including engaging families, providing adequate information, addressing their concerns, providing support, and fostering a language accessible environment.

The advancement of Generative AI (GenAI) has shaped the ways people learn, teach, and perform research in the field of academia. However, there is a lack of studies that explore how GenAI makes differences on both Native English Speaking (NES) and Non-Native English-Speaking (NNES) scholars' academic work and experiences. This study aims to examine the experiences and perceptions of two Asian NNES Ph.D. students and two American NES professors regarding the use of GenAI tools in their academic work, through a Collaborative Autoethnography (CAE) approach. Data were collected through individual and group reflections, analyzed using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study revealed that NNES scholars primarily use GenAI tools to overcome linguistic barriers in academic writing, while NES scholars are more driven by curiosity and the potential for academic innovation. Both groups identified benefits and challenges, including improved writing quality and ethical concerns regarding GenAI use. GenAI tools hold promise for enhancing academic productivity and leveling linguistic disparities in academia. However, there is a need for ethical guidelines and training to mitigate over-reliance, overcome hallucination phenomenon and ensure responsible use. Future research should focus on broader applications and long-term impacts of GenAI in academia.

ABSTRACT While sound change and phonological/phonetic cross-linguistic influence both entail flexibility in the sound system, they are rarely investigated together. This study addresses this gap by examining word-initial /n/ and /l/ in a read-aloud task with multilingual speakers (N = 22) of Cantonese, Mandarin, and English in Guangdong, China, where Cantonese exhibited widespread merger in the 2000s. Results show reduced merger in Cantonese and clear /n/-/l/ distinction in Mandarin and English, suggesting a contact-induced merger reversal driven by the growing dominance of Mandarin. Acoustic analysis indicates no cross-linguistic phonetic similarity for /n/ or /l/, indicating cross-linguistic composite sound categories and supporting an exemplar-based account for L2/L3 to L1 transfer. Building on previous findings, a cognitive mechanism is proposed for contact-induced merger reversal in the presence of extensive cognates. The observed individual variation necessitates further research on the language ideology regarding /n/-/l/ merger in Cantonese.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language instruction has gained momentum in recent years, offering new opportunities to enhance students&amp;rsquo; speaking proficiency, particularly in under-resourced regions. With increasing emphasis on learner-centered approaches, AI tools provide dynamic, real-time feedback and individualized learning pathways that traditional instruction often lacks. This study examines the effectiveness of integrating Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) with AI-supported tools in enhancing the English speaking skills of Grade 6 students at a public primary school in Yunnan Province, China. The study also examines students&amp;rsquo; satisfaction with this integrated teaching approach and its impact on their motivation and engagement. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected via pre- and post-tests and a structured satisfaction questionnaire following a 4-week intervention program. A total of 35 students participated in the study. Results revealed a significant improvement in students&amp;rsquo; speaking performance, with notable gains in fluency and vocabulary usage. The post-test scores (17.11) were considerably higher than the pre-test result (14.74), suggesting the positive impact of the intervention. Furthermore, students reported a moderate satisfaction level with the AI-enhanced CLT model, particularly appreciating the immediate feedback and engaging communicative tasks. They also indicated increased confidence and reduced anxiety when speaking English. These findings highlight the potential of combining AI with communicative pedagogy to foster oral language development and learner motivation in primary education contexts. The study provided practical insights for English language teachers and educators and encouraged the integration of technology-enhanced methodologies into English classrooms.

Abstract Study abroad (SA) English language programmes are now offered in an increasingly globalized market beyond solely Anglophone settings. This shift reflects the demand for English learning opportunities in global settings among speakers of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Websites associated with SA help prospective students evaluate and choose study options, and, given this influence, it is important to understand the SA websites' messaging about English language learning and use. This study examined how language ideologies, that is, beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes around language, are represented and reinforced through promotional narratives of English language learning in SA. A content analysis of 100 websites from language schools and university programmes in diverse international contexts explored this messaging, with particular attention to native speakerism, defined here as the belief that native speakers (of English) represent the ideal language models and teachers. The analysis identified four themes: contradictions between framings of inclusive practices and idealization of native English speakers; globalization of native speakerism; marginalization of multilingual practices in English communication; and marketing English as a pathway to success, but grounded in the authority of standard native English. The findings reveal how global SA marketing can reinforce rather than challenge dominant language ideologies.

When people move to a new location, the way they speak often changes to become more similar to the variety spoken in the area. Rates of second dialect acquisition (SDA) have been shown to be affected by a number of factors, including exposure and the relative prestige of the varieties involved. The current study investigates SDA in speakers of American and Australian English who have moved to Australia and the USA respectively. The participants completed picture-naming, lexical decision, and wordlist reading tasks. We found similar rates of SDA in picture-naming, no SDA in wordlist reading, and some differences in terms of when the SDA features are acquired in lexical decision between the two groups. The results suggest that SDA can manifest in non-mobile participants and be triggered through exposure.

Speaking skills in English is one of the crucial skills in language learning and have received great emphasis in Malaysian education. This is essential not only for global communication but also for higher education and career advancement. Speaking encompasses several components — pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, appropriateness, comprehension — making it particularly challenging for ESL learners to acquire and master. This study investigates the speaking proficiency of Malaysian secondary school students and identifies their learning needs to inform improvements in speaking instruction. This study employs a mixed-methods approach by collecting data through self-assessment questionnaires completed by 90 Form 4 students and semi-structured interviews conducted with five English language teachers in the northern state of Malaysia, Kedah. Quantitative findings revealed that students perceived significant difficulties in appropriateness, grammar, fluency, and vocabulary, which were the lowest ranked components by the students. Qualitative findings from teachers supported these challenges, highlighting persistent issues in the same areas. These complementary perspectives underscore the need to improve speaking instruction that explicitly integrates grammar and vocabulary development as well as pragmatic awareness to better support students’ English speaking proficiency.

We propose Indo-WDSimpleQuAD2.0, a silver standard for an Indonesian-language benchmark dataset developed from SimpleQuestions and LC-QuAD 2.0 based on Wikidata. This dataset development is proposed due to the current absence of a representative KGQA benchmark dataset in Indonesian language. SimpleQuestions and LC-QuAD 2.0 were chosen because, in terms of question type variety and complexity, these datasets serve as supersets of other available datasets. Indo-WDSimpleQuAD2.0 comprises 27,924 questions for SimpleQuestions and 31,821 for LC-QuAD 2.0. Indo-WDSimpleQuAD2.0 was developed through a rigorous translation process by English language experts and native Indonesian speakers. This translation process was conducted in three rigorous stages: initial translation, validation and verification, and finalization of the translation. To ensure the quality of this dataset, the authors applied four criteria: translation accuracy, writing quality, semantic integrity, and annotation process. Indo-WDSimpleQuAD2.0 can serve as the first Indonesian-language KGQA benchmark dataset based on Wikidata, thus supporting future research and development of Indonesian KGQA systems.

French language validation of the USS-PROM questionnaire assessing clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction after urethroplasty.

Exploring the relationship between task difficulty, head-related transfer function and spatial release from masking in a speech-on-speech experiment.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT are revolutionising academic work, particularly for researchers in the Global South who often face inequitable access to resources and publishing support. This article explores how AI can empower early-career scholars, non-native English speakers, and unaffiliated researchers by aiding literature review, scientific writing, and language refinement - functions traditionally limited to those with institutional privileges. Drawing a parallel with the historical evolution from library binders to PubMed, the article challenges prevailing scepticism around AI use in academia. It questions the rationale behind journal policies that stigmatise AI-assisted writing, probing whether such resistance stems from genuine ethical concerns or a form of academic gatekeeping rooted in neo-colonial attitudes. Rather than dismiss AI, the article advocates for transparent, ethical use that democratises academic publishing and bridges global disparities in knowledge production.

Predictors of health literacy among Deaf American Sign Language users.