Foreign Language Context Research Articles

Evaluating the Impact of Senior Five Learners’ English Vocabulary Knowledge on their English-Speaking Skills in Three Selected Schools in Gakenke District, Rwanda

Empirical studies have evidenced the correlation between vocabulary knowledge and English-speaking skills in various English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts but research is scarce in rural Rwandan schools. The present study evaluated the impact of senior five (S5) learners’ vocabulary knowledge on developing their English-speaking skills in three selected schools in the Gakenke District in Rwanda. The current study was guided by Harmer’s and Bygate’s vocabulary knowledge hypothesis and communicative competence theories for developing speaking proficiency. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed and cluster sampling was used to select 90 S5 learners from 116 who made the target population. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess the current status of vocabulary knowledge and English-speaking skills and the impact of vocabulary knowledge on English-speaking skills. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis using MS Excel. Key findings revealed that 73.3% of learners regularly look up new vocabulary, and 100% reported having insufficient vocabulary. Additionally, 84.44% indicated that their speaking proficiency was low to moderate. Despite this low vocabulary knowledge, 95.56% of learners acknowledged that vocabulary enhances speaking skills. However, only 15.5% reported using new vocabulary frequently. Many learners (81.11%) felt that vocabulary development improved their self-expression, and 54.44% noted increased confidence in speaking English. Motivation was the highest-ranked factor influencing speaking skill development (M=4.40, SD=0.85), while assessment ranked lowest (M=2.96, SD=0.97). The study concluded that S5 learners in the selected schools have insufficient vocabulary knowledge to achieve the required level of speaking proficiency. The study recommended reinforcing vocabulary acquisition instructions and opportunities for learners to practice communicative English and assigns that future work should emphasize formal tests that examine English proficiency in correlational and experimental studies.

Pathways to motivation and learning in English language education: a case of two youths engaging in multiliteracies

Purpose This study investigates the effect of digital multimodal composing (DMC) on student motivation and literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. It explores how students engaged in creating digital animations to respond to literary texts and the implications for integrating DMC into traditional literacy practices. Grounded in social semiotic theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study aims to understand how digital composing influences student engagement, motivation and literacy development. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were gathered over a six-month period using a combination of student surveys, semi-structured interviews, reflection logs and student-produced scripts/animations. This study focused on two university students who engaged in multimodal projects as part of their extracurricular EFL activities, examining their processes and reflections. Findings Students demonstrated strong intrinsic motivation during DMC processes, largely due to the social affordances provided by digital multimodal composing. By combining traditional literacy skills with digital practices, students experienced enhanced creative expression, enhanced meaning-making and a deeper understanding of literary texts through the production and sharing of animated videos. This process promoted both emotional and cognitive engagement, emphasizing the importance of teacher guidance and digital tools in creating a more dynamic and supportive learning environment. Practical implications This study outlines a practical approach to DMC through a structured process: selecting and reading a book, proposing a change as if requesting it from the author, creating and sharing a video on YouTube to explain the change and reflecting on the experience. This approach can guide educators in designing activities that deepen student engagement, enhance critical thinking and integrate digital tools with traditional learning methods. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of how digital technologies can transform traditional literacy practices, offering insights into the benefits of multimodal composition for language learning and motivation in EFL contexts. It provides practical examples of how students and teachers can leverage digital tools to enhance literacy education and prepare students for 21st-century challenges.

A Study of Factors That Affect Chinese Tertiary EFL Learners’ Willingness to Communicate in Class

Classroom interaction characterizes communicative language teaching. Effective classroom interaction promotes second language acquisition (SLA) and serves as an important means of using the language especially for students in a foreign language context. Willingness to communicate (WTC) has received constant attention since its application to the SLA field in the 1990s. Students’ WTC ensures the quantity and quality of classroom interaction. By analyzing the data from an end-of-year questionnaire in an ordinary Chinese college English class, the present study aims to examine Chinese non-English major students’ general attitudes towards classroom communication activities and two major categories of factors, namely Teacher Factors and Task Factors, that influence students’ WTC in English classes from students’ perspective. The results show that the factors affecting WTC in college English classrooms are multidimensional, with Teacher’ s Emotions (being patient, encouraging, guiding, positive, happy, lively, passionate, trust), Teacher’ s Professional qualities (content selection, class organization, pronunciation, wait-time) and Task Content (usefulness, degree of difficulty, interest) having relatively greater effects. At the end of the paper, direction for future research is given. Second/foreign language teachers are advised to conduct further classroom research and actively regulate these factors for a more interactive English class and thus improve students’ class participation and learning efficiency.

The Effect of Students' Engagement on Their Learning Achievement in EFL Online Courses

Engagement is an essential aspect of students' success in learning. Even though students' engagement with learning has been widely investigated, the level of learners' online engagement and the relationship between learners' online engagement and their achievement, especially in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context, using a learning management system (i.e. Blackboard), remains unexplored. To fill that gap, this study examines the effects of learner engagement, using its three dimensions (behavioural, emotional, and cognitive), on students' achievement in learning EFL in online courses. In total, 189 college students participated in the study. Data was analysed using the second-generation analysis technique structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the relationships among constructs and test the hypothesis. Results revealed that students' engagement significantly affected their achievement in learning EFL in an online environment.

AI‐Mediated Communication in EFL Classrooms: The Role of Technical and Pedagogical Stimuli and the Mediating Effects of AI Literacy and Enjoyment

ABSTRACTThis study leverages the Stimulus‐Organism‐Response (S‐O‐R) framework to investigate the effects of teacher and technical support (TCHS) on learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) in artificial intelligence (AI)‐enhanced English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, considering the mediating effects of learners' artificial intelligence literacy (AIL) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE). A quantitative survey encompassing 637 non‐English major university students across four institutions was conducted. Structural equation modelling (SEM) results demonstrated that teacher support (TEAS) exerts a direct influence on learners' WTC, whereas TCHS does not. The study also revealed that AIL and FLE significantly mediate the relationship between teacher and TCHS and learners’ WTC. The findings underscore the pivotal role of cognitive and affective factors, emphasising the substantial impact of TEAS and the value of nurturing learners’ AIL and enjoyment of foreign languages. This research offers strategic implications for educational practitioners and policymakers, advocating for the integration of innovative educational technologies and fostering sustainable growth in artificial intelligence in education.

Changes in Language Learners’ Affect: A Complex Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective

AbstractThis study investigated changes in motivation, self‐efficacy beliefs, and a range of emotions, including enjoyment, hope, pride, curiosity, anxiety, boredom, apathy, confusion, and shame, from a complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) perspective over a 2‐year period in the Hungarian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Using the same questionnaire, we collected data four times throughout 4 semesters from 101 participants studying English in two Hungarian high schools. For data analysis, we used latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) to detect the group‐level changes in learners’ motivation, self‐efficacy, and emotions. We also employed dynamic cluster analysis to identify trends in learners’ trajectories regarding these variables. In our panel data, linear models described the data well concerning the ought‐to second language (L2) self, language learning experience, boredom, apathy, and confusion, and for enjoyment, curiosity, anxiety, and shame, nonlinear models had the best fit. We could also identify trajectories depicting attractor states and learner paths that featured influences of perturbations.

The effect of artificial intelligence tools on EFL learners' engagement, enjoyment, and motivation

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has become increasingly prevalent within higher education and numerous studies have indicated the efficacy of AI applications within the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Enhancing student engagement, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and motivation in the field of AI education are significant in promoting effective learning outcomes. The rise of AI in educational settings has led to a paucity of research exploring its impact on various educational constructs. This quasi-experimental research examined the role of utilizing an AI tool, specifically Duolingo, on the engagement of FLE, and motivation of Chinese EFL learners. The present study involved 383 out of 412 Chinese university EFL students, who were assigned to either the experimental or control group. Both groups participated in pre- and post-intervention assessments prior to and following a 12-session intervention. Running a One-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed statistically significant improvements in FLE, engagement, and motivation within the experimental group. On the contrary, the control group demonstrated a minor alteration in the aforementioned variables. AI tools possess the capability to captivate the attention of students and consequently enhance their motivation to actively participate in the educational experience. The results of the study designate that there are significant implications for both teachers and teacher educators concerning the incorporation of AI tools in the EFL classroom environment.

A mixed-methods investigation into complex components of multilingual international students' self-regulated learning in English as a foreign language context: A social cognitive perspective

Self-regulated learning serves as a fundamental framework for understanding the cognitive, motivational, and emotional dimensions of learning. Recently, a growing body of studies on such cognitive processes appears in multilingual populations. Applying a mixed-methods approach, this study examined the key components of the self-regulated learning process among 233 multilingual international students in China, specifically within the context of English as a Foreign Language learning. Qualitative data was analyzed through Pearson's correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and path analysis, while semi-structured interviews were conducted to further confirm the results of the qualitative data analysis. 15 students were purposefully selected through purposive sampling to participate in follow-up interviews. Within the framework of social cognitive theory, the findings revealed that metacognition, motivation, self-efficacy, and feedback loops are the primary components of self-regulated learning. Additionally, path analysis confirmed that the four factors are positive predictors of self-regulated learning proficiency of multilingual international students in China. The interview outcomes further validated the integral role of these primary components in the self-regulated learning process within the context of multilingual study. This study underscores the significance of incorporating translanguaging backgrounds into teaching strategies and language policy. Findings may offer some insights for multilingual international students, language teachers, and language policymakers in the field of Chinese language instruction.

Optimizing EFL learning: exploring the role of learner background factors and the nuances of their effects on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among university students in a mixed-methods study

IntroductionMotivation is a driving force behind man’s behavior which has led to many psychological studies throughout the world. Moreover, it is the fuel for successful learning. While intrinsic motives provide the internal rewards, extrinsic motivation supplies the required external rewards to keep the engine of learning running. Knowing the factors which impact intrinsic/extrinsic motivation helps educators target their efforts at a higher level and make more informed decisions.MethodThis study intends to examine how intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation may be influenced by demographics including learners’ background factors of major, age, and occupation and to determine the relationships that may exist between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. To this end, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research was conducted at one of the public universities in Shiraz on the majors of Elementary Education, Educational Affairs, Social Studies and Theology, and the Arabic language which were selected through cluster sampling. These students were having their English courses at the university. Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s formula for sample size, a questionnaire was administered to 100 participants to collect quantitative data. Moreover, semi-structured interview sessions were conducted with one fourth of the participants.ResultsUsing Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and Pearson correlation, we found that learners’ background factors of age, field of study and professional status did not affect intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation. However, significant and positive relationships were found between intrinsic motivation and total motivation index, and between extrinsic motivation and total motivation index. Qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis. The results of the interviews showed some new illuminating trends as revealed from the participants’ responses and it was found that most interviewees followed intrinsic motives and considered motivation as a factor of great significance.ConclusionIn the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in which our study was conducted, instructors can follow more similar classroom motivational techniques and strategies since neither type of motivation was influenced by the variables of different major, age and occupation. Though many studies have shown that EFL learners are more extrinsically motivated in comparison with ESL ones, our study revealed that participants were more intrinsically motivated. Thus, this study may be replicated in other educational contexts such as an ESL context. The study can also be repeated in some universities in which other educational systems such as coed education is used to see the possible similarities and differences. Motivation is the important stimulant to impel the learners to achieve their learning goals; thus, it should receive sufficient attention in various educational settings.

Estrategias instruccionales efectivas para desarrollar habilidades de escucha en adolescentes con TDAH

Introduction: Natural interactions and understandable linguistic input are essential to build attractive conditions for acquiring the English language. Effective exposure to language, both oral and written, is essential to understanding and producing a language. However, developing listening comprehension skills can be challenging for students with ADHD due to difficulties in attention, behavior, and cognition, as well as the unique characteristics of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Objectives: In this regard, this research aims to document effective instructional strategies to improve listening skills among high school students with ADHD. Methodology: To this end, an exploratory-deductive qualitative research design was applied through an extensive review of the literature. Data were collected from 60 academic sources and analyzed using a neurolinguistic and pedagogical approach using a constant comparative coding method. Results: The results suggest that, to guide students with ADHD in developing English listening competencies, language instructors must build a learning environment that includes simplified inputs and content, clear instructions, multisensory conditions, and student-centered instruction based on individual needs. Conclusions: Simple, linguistically rich, engaging, and multisensory environments facilitate learning for students with ADHD and can have an impact on their overall academic performance and language development. Study Area general: Education. Specific area of study: English as a Foreign Language. Type of study: Literature review.

The Effect of YouTube on Speaking and Listening Skills of Students

In an English as Foreign Language context like Saudi Arabia, university business students face a difficult challenge to speak in English and to understand what is spoken. The students don’t have the opportunity in their daily life to listen to native speakers in or outside the classroom, but they are expected to listen to the text book audios in the classes spoken by the native speakers of English. Therefore, the difficulty rises in Listening and Speaking Skills Course as the students are not exposed to the British accent. In order to solve this problem, the researcher used YouTube videos spoken by the native speakers in the experimental group, and the control group just had the normal practice of listening to only the textbook audios. The researcher adopted quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest in both control and experimental groups and analyzed the performance of the students using SPSS and Excel. The study proved that the results of experimental group improved significantly in their listening comprehension skills and performed better in their presentations than the control group. In the English as Foreign Language contexts, where business students fail to have exposure to the native accent of English, YouTube videos can make a great contribution in improving their listening and speaking skills.

EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices on the Use of Questions in Mozambican Secondary Schools

In this study, the use of questions in a Mozambican English as a Foreign Language context is explored as a technique to develop communicative and critical thinking skills in secondary school students. Therefore, a qualitative approach was adopted using a phenomenological design which allowed the use of classroom audio recordings and semi-structured online interviews for data collection, based on Lowery’s (2005) questioning framework. The results revealed that English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Mozambican public secondary schools are aware of open and closed questions, which they claim to use for checking understanding. However, in practice, they often use open-ended, rhetorical, and procedural questions found in Lowery’s framework. These teachers ignore the relevance of using integrating, confirming, valuing, as well as feeling questions, which foster learners’ communicative skills. These results have strong implications for the decision EFL teachers make on the selection of questions for their classes, as well as the impact of such practices on the students’ outcome at the end of the course or year. Therefore, further studies should be conducted to understand the students’ abilities in the use of English as a result of such practices. In addition, similar studies in Mozambican higher education should examine whether EFL teachers under training are prepared to use questions in class.

Discrimination Against Non-native English Speakers in the English Language Teaching Profession: Evidence from Internship Advertisements

Despite the non-native English-speaking teachers’ (NNESTs) movement, the literature documents widespread discrimination against NNESTs particularly in hiring discourse in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. The present study aims to shed light on another aspect of this discrimination in EFL internship advertisements by investigating the ideal interns’ qualifications and requirements as well as the characteristics of internship locations and fringe benefits attributed to the internship positions. To this aim, 13 international advertisements were chosen as the corpus of the study from the Premier TEFL website and were thematically analyzed. The results pointed to the native speaker fallacy in internship advertisements as all the programs required the candidates to be native speakers of inner-circle English-speaking countries or hold academic degrees from these locations. Additionally, a variety of selling strategies and marketing tactics such as the description of landscapes and outdoor activities along with a diversity of fringe benefits were utilized to attract native speakers. The results are discussed in the light of native speaker dominance in the profession and the ways to fight against this legacy. Finally, the paper ended with the implications the study has for various stakeholders including native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and NNESTs themselves.

Investigating Google Sites in the intensive and extensive listening classroom in EFL context: Implementation and students’ perspectives

Numerous scholarly investigations have been conducted on students' perceptions of implementing Google Sites in various learning environments, including English as a foreign language (EFL) context. However, some existing research lacks specific exploration of the use of Google Sites in both intensive and extensive listening classrooms in tertiary education. This study aims to investigate the implementation of Google Sites in that specific listening classroom. This case study involved twenty-two first-year students in English language education at one of the public universities in Bandung, Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observation, students' reflection, and semi-structured interviews, and they were analyzed thematically using NVivo as a helping tool. Results indicate that, according to the implementation and the ease of using Google Sites in their listening classroom, students generally hold positive attitudes towards Google Sites, finding it beneficial to improve their listening skills along with their creativity. Conversely, some students experience challenges that evolve around poor internet connectivity, accessibility, and adjustability of the website. This study promotes Google Sites as an alternative learning tool to assist both teachers and students in meeting their learning objectives in a fun and creative way.

Challenges of EFL Course Retaking: Toward a Model for Remedial Reading

Course retaking brings pivotal challenges for learning institutions all over the world. This urges many academicians to investigate the reasons why students retake courses. Therefore, this article identifies the micro and macro challenges associated with retaking a reading course. It also generates a remedial reading model for English as foreign language (EFL) contexts. Data was collected from reading course specifications, course report, and focused group discussions with six experienced language instructors at the preparatory year program of a Saudi university. Using grounded theory, the qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed a complex web of challenges associated with different stakeholders: the course retakers, language instructors, administration, and retakers’ families; all of them share the challenge of time constraints, especially after the shift from two to three semesters. At the micro level, course retakers struggle with poor foundational skills and demotivation, focusing on passing exams. They also lack exposure to English and seldom invest office hours for help. Language instructors struggle with learning materials, demotivation, and assessment. At the macro level, students’ families contribute to maximize these challenges. A gap exists between the intended learning outcomes and student levels and admission criteria. These challenges collectively hinder course retakers’ reading skills. The study generates a five-pillar bridging model that integrates learning outcomes, exam-oriented teaching strategies, simplified reading materials, technology-assisted reading, and motivational strategies to foster EFL remedial reading. The study recommends some pedagogical implications for remedial reading classes.

Investigating the Association of Chinese EFL Students' Growth Mindset, Grit, and Foreign Language Enjoyment: A Structural Equation Modelling Study.

The importance of individual differences, personality traits, and psycho-affective factors in second language (L2) learning has been increasingly substantiated by recent research. However, the relationship between students' mindsets and positive emotions has received insufficient attention in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. To fill this research gap, we drew on "broaden-and-build" and "control value" (CVT) theories to examine associations among L2 students' growth mindset, grit, and foreign language enjoyment (FLE). A sample of 750 Chinese students completed three formerly validated scales on each of these constructs. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and correlation analysis illustrated significant, strong, positive correlations among English as a foreign language (EFL) students' growth mindset, L2 grit, and FLE. We found that 56% of changes in Chinese students' FLE could be predicted by changes in their growth mindset and grit. We discuss the obtained results, their implications, and future research directions to highlight the contagious nature of positive emotions in L2 education.

English vocabulary development in the global south context

The aim of the current study was to analyse receptive and productive knowledge development of words belonging to 2000, 3000, and 5000 frequency levels in the Global South setting. The data were collected from 278 first-year university students after they finished both elementary and high school in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study researched the dependency of receptive and productive knowledge on a few variables, namely the students’ grammatical competence, the methods of vocabulary teaching, the use of English within EFL classes, and the outside-school exposure to it. The results revealed a significant relationship between all the aforementioned variables and students’ productive and receptive vocabulary knowledge. Such findings are expected to provide assistance to educators and students in similar environments, giving direct guidelines for practice leading to greater receptive and productive EFL vocabulary knowledge, i.e. showing how EFL vocabulary learning challenges can be faced to open up favorable opportunities for its development.

Developing and validating perceived intercultural communication anxiety/apprehension scale

AbstractIntercultural communication research has highlighted the significance of intercultural communication apprehension/anxiety measurement and instrument development in diverse sociocultural contexts. This study embarked on developing and validating a scale, the Perceived Intercultural Communication Anxiety/Apprehension Scale (PICAS) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. By drawing upon the review of the literature and expert judgment, a Likert scale with 52 items was developed for assessing the construct of intercultural communication anxiety/apprehension, which was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 760 Iranian EFL learners. The ultimate results of exploratory factor analysis evidenced 17 items with a stable five‐factor solution, comprising L2 proficiency, prejudice and stereotypes, significant others' attitudes, status, and context familiarity factors. The subsequent CFA confirmed the five‐factor model. The five‐factor PICAS was found to be psychometrically reliable and valid. Potential applications, future directions, and limitations are finally addressed.

The Role of Digital-Game Based Language Learning in EFL Vocabulary Learning and Retention: A Case Study at a Higher Educational Institute in Oman

This study investigates the role of Digital-Game Based Language Learning (DGBLL) in helping students learn and retain English vocabulary items in a foreign language context. Using a quantitative approach, data was collected from 80 students enrolled in four different levels of the General Foundation Program at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Ibra, Oman. The students were exposed to practice learning the meaning of ten vocabulary items per level using Kahoot and Wordwall games. Three tests were administered: a pre-test in week 1, a post-test after practicing the vocabulary items using the previously mentioned digital games in week 4, and a retention test in week 6. In addition, students’ perceptions regarding the efficacy of DGBLL in the vocabulary learning process were measured via a questionnaire following the post-test. The findings indicated the students’ positive attitudes in terms of utilizing DGBLL as a learning approach to mastering vocabulary regardless of gender or class level. Additionally, the findings demonstrated the effectiveness of DGBLL in vocabulary learning and retention. Hence, the study recommends using digital games to promote vocabulary learning and retention, resulting in a more engaging foreign language educational environment.

A Study of the Impact of English Tests Anxiety on the Development of Language Learning in Foreign Language Contexts

The study aims to explore the impact of anxiety on English learning for preparatory schools students in Iraq, specifically by revealing a strong connection between anxiety and academic challenges in the official context. Sixty-four participants (male and female) were randomly selected from the preparatory schools. The study discovered significant differences in the rates of learning English as a foreign language. The participants indicated a strong relationship between English tests and anxiety in classroom activities. The Chi-square test showed a positive relationship between the two variables: anxiety and speaking skills c2 (63,1),11.00=.003, p<0.05. On the contrary, the Chi-Square test revealed a negative correlation between anxiety and language skills, including listening, reading and writing skills, respectively. In comparison, the results demonstrate that the likelihood of females suffering an anxiety disorder is not statistically significantly higher compared to the case of males (t=.089, Sig.=.930). The participants obtained the lowest mean scores for the four language skills. Based on the responses provided by 31% of the participants to the FLCAS questionnaire (M= 25.3, SD= 3.2), speaking emerges as the most challenging skill for foreign language learners in preparatory schools. The study's recommendations underscore teachers' critical role in alleviating the adverse impact of anxiety on learning. Specifically, it suggests that teachers should identify the root cause of the anxiety and assist students in coping with anxiety while engaging in academic activities. Furthermore, they should establish a safe atmosphere for English learning, which could prove vital for future studies.