Foreign Language Learning Process Research Articles

Incorporating AI in foreign language education: An investigation into ChatGPT’s effect on foreign language learners

AbstractChatGPT, an artificial intelligence application, has emerged as a promising educational tool with a wide range of applications, attracting the attention of researchers and educators. This qualitative case study, chosen for its ability to provide an in-depth exploration of the nuanced effects of AI on the foreign language learning process within its real-world educational context, aimed to utilize ChatGPT in foreign language education, addressing a gap in existing research by offering insights into the potential, benefits, and drawbacks of this innovative approach. The study involved 13 preparatory class students studying at the School of Foreign Languages at a university in Turkey. The students were introduced to ChatGPT through learning experiences over a span of four weeks by the researcher as a language teacher. The qualitative data collected from the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that ChatGPT positively affects students’ learning experiences, especially in writing, grammar, and vocabulary acquisition, and enhances motivation and engagement through its versatile and accessible nature in various learning activities. These insights contribute to understanding the utility and constraints of employing ChatGPT technology in foreign language instruction and can inform educators and researchers in developing effective teaching strategies and in designing curricula.

HAPOVER: A Haptic Pronunciation Improver Device

This research article describes the HAPOVER (a haptic pronunciation improver device), which was produced to help second language learners' pronunciation skills as part of their foreign language learning process. The device comprises eight independent vibration motors connected to the fingers other than the thumb. The developed tactile feedback device was utilized to enhance pronunciation via speech processing and using vibration motor. The acoustic difference between the reference and the participant's recorded pronunciation signal was calculated with the help of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) and converted into haptic codes that guide the speaker. The article describes the haptic codes' features and the creation method thereof. The device was tested by psychophysical evaluation. The results indicate an 80.74% improvement in word pronunciation with haptic guidance post training. Therefore, the results corroborate that word pronunciation data can be transmitted via tactile codes. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Implementation Of Intercultural Learning In English Language Learning In SMAIT Asy-Syukriyyah Tangerang

There is nothing wrong with using English as a knowledge-generating language alongside Indonesian. The most important part is that we as an Indonesian-speaking community must be able to choose and sort out the elements of English that we want to be included in Indonesian without forgetting our identity as Indonesians. Indonesian people as users of the Indonesian language, use Indonesian. Therefore, we need an innovation in foreign language learning (English) that prioritizes local cultural elements so that students only learn elements of the foreign language. However, the learning content still includes elements of local Indonesian culture. Two things can be done as a form of innovation in learning English that can maintain noble Indonesian values, namely by learning with an intercultural perspective. With this model, students who study a foreign language will not necessarily take on the cultural values of native speakers. Still, rather they will have a comparison of values with the students' local culture and students will be able to take the best attitude from the foreign language learning process.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING PROCESSES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

This research aims to examine how students with specific learning difficulties learn a foreign language in a middle school in a province in the Aegean region of Turkey. In this qualitative research, the case study design was employed. The participants were selected through the purposive sampling method. 1 Five students with specific learning difficulties who are currently attending a middle school, three foreign language (English) teachers, five Turkish language teachers, a psychological counselor and two special education teachers who are the experts within the field of special education were included in the study. The data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis techniques. The raw data from these sources were analyzed through descriptive and content analysis. According to the findings, the students' foreign language learning process consists of categories such as affective characteristics, process, sources of difficulties, peer influence, media usage, advantages and disadvantages, strategies, and recommendations. The research concludes that when the affective domain objectives of language education are initiated, plans are made according to students' interests and needs, content is simplified, and appropriate strategies are determined, the learning process can take place. It is recommended that teachers be trained in this field to make these adjustments.

한국어교육에서 멀티리터러시 기반 교육의 의미 탐색

This study reviewed previous studies and explored the meaning of multiliteracies based education in Korean language education. Through prior research, it was confirmed that multiliteracies and language skills were improved through multiliteracies education in the foreign language learning process. Along with the discourse, the Korean learners discussed the need for contextual understanding of the Korean language and the ability to think and understand critically in multimodal. In addition, the educational meaning of Korean language education based on multiliteracies was explored and presented focusing on multimodal. The significance of this study is that it presented the necessity and educational meaning of Korean language education based on multiliteracies. The subsequent studies suggest that the correlation between multiliteracies and Korean language ability should be verified through statistical analysis. Furthermore, they highlight the necessity of developing a systematic teaching model, designing teaching methods and learning activities.

Reconfigurarea procesului de învățare spre o educație plurilingvă

The curricular reform carried out in recent years in all school subjects, including foreign languages, was dictated by the need to connect the educational process to the trends of change in education registered at the inter- national level in order to better adjust to the new political, economic and socio-cultural demands. Based on these, in this article we aimed to elucidate the aspects of the reconfiguration of the foreign language learning process in general education.

Optimization of Independent Work in Foreign Language Learning: Experience With Using Moodle

One of today’s priority tasks of higher education is training specialists that can independently search for and assimilate knowledge. The paper examines independent work as a substantial factor in self-education and learning and cognitive activities in management students and covers the organization of students’ independent work in the study of foreign languages. The study demonstrates that independent work, which used to be carried out immediately during practical classes under the teacher's supervision, in consultations, or in the library can now be organized in a new educational environment. The authors analyze the forms, means, and types of independent work and propose ways to improve the process of foreign language learning by optimizing the work of management students as part of self-study using the Moodle learning management system. It is established that the independent work of management students in studying a foreign language using Moodle contributes to the development of important skills. These include obtaining necessary information and evaluating and applying the available information to effectively solve management problems and communicate in a foreign language. The efficiency of students’ independent work is found to increase when it is organized as a cohesive course created based on a methodologically organized educational information environment. The assimilation of educational material by means of Moodle in the organization of the educational process majorly increases the efficiency of learning, simplifies the perception of learning materials, increases motivation for foreign language learning, and positively affects its outcomes.

Foreign Language Anxiety in Online and In-person Learning Environments: A Case from Chile

Foreign language anxiety (FLA) is a distinct form of anxiety that plays a significant role in the process of acquiring a foreign language. This study aimed to assess the anxiety levels of Chilean undergraduate learners and investigate the potential correlations between foreign language anxiety and oral performance in two distinct learning settings: traditional in-person instruction and online learning. Employing a mixed methods research design, the study incorporated an adapted version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) survey, an oral task, and semi-structured interviews. By triangulating the quantitative and qualitative findings, it was found that there were moderate discrepancies in anxiety levels, with in-person students exhibiting higher levels of anxiety. Furthermore, negative correlations were observed between oral performance and foreign language anxiety, primarily in the context of foreign language learning situations and processes. The outcomes of this study augment the existing body of research on foreign language anxiety in diverse learning environments and hold potential to enrich future pedagogical practices.

Foreign Language Learning Anxiety in Turkey: The Case of Aydın Province

Learning a new language is significant in every aspect, and currently, people are increasingly aware of its significance. In language learning, various aspects affect individuals, and one of the most significant is related to human psychology. The goal is to apply the factors that positively influence language learning to the learning process. Personality traits such as empathy, introversion, and self-esteem (Brown, 1994) are some of the emotional variables that are related to the individual. According to the literature, language learning anxiety is one of the most important factors leading to this problem. It is the main focus of this study.Learning a foreign language is a complex process involving many factors, requiring not only the acquisition of vocabulary and grammatical structures, but also the development of communication skills. While some students approach foreign language learning with confidence, others find this process threatening, moreover,they may develop excessive anxiety in the foreign language classroom. Anxiety is a psychological phenomenon that has a major impact on foreign language learning. In order to improve the foreign language learning process, it is of great importance to determine the anxiety level of students and reduce the existing anxiety. In this study, the level of foreign language learning anxiety among high school students in Aydın Province was investigated.The data collection process of the study was conducted with 385 students attending German classes at Anatolian high schools in Aydın province. The data were collected using the FLCAS scale, which can be statistically analyzed to determine the anxiety level of the students. The obtained data were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0 programme, and the results of the analysis show that the anxiety of the students towards learning a foreign language in German classes is moderate. At the same time, it was found that the level of anxiety varies according to demographic characteristics.

USAGE OF PODCASTS AND VIDEOCASTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AS A METHOD OF DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS

The article investigates and substantiates the peculiarities of introducing podcasts and videocasts into English language classes to develop students' listening skills. The use of podcasts enables a new approach to such an activity as listening. The variety of podcasts and their topics is remarkable, so they can be used at different stages of language learning.The authors reveal the effectiveness of implementing this teaching method in the educational process and highlight the main innovative possibilities of applying podcasting. Foreign language teachers who use audio blogs in the teaching process usually distinguish two ways of using podcasts: firstly, information can be listened to, and secondly, you can create your own products in the classroom or beyond.Thus, in order to achieve the final result, it is necessary to take a learning tool approach to podcasts and videocasts, select the minimum and ensure that this experimental minimum is firmly mastered. The aim is to develop studentsʼ grammar, listening, speaking and writing skills. Ultimately, learners are able to distinguish between podcasts and videocasts when reading and listening, while still receiving meaningful information.It is postulated that specially created educational audio blogs can be aimed at developing the skills of listening and comprehension of coherent audio text, while authentic podcasts provide information for oral or written reflection or discussion. The features and capabilities of podcasts provide a new and relevant quality of the foreign language learning process, contribute to the development of not only the motivation of students, but also their initiative and determination, deepen their listening and hearing abilities, which certainly has a positive impact on improving the effectiveness of the learning process.
 Keywords: podcast; videocast; computerization; audio blog; relevant and authentic audio and video materials; technology of practical work; innovative educational opportunities; development of listening skills.

DEVELOPMENT OF MASTER STUDENTS’ BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE SKILLS DURING BUSINESS FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE

The article deals with the specifics of the development of Master students’ business correspondence skills during the Business Foreign Language course. The authors note that the formation of the competence of foreign language business written communication is an integral part of the foreign language learning process for Master students of economic specialties since the availability of these skills improves the specialists’ professional training and their demand among employers. In order to carry out business communication in a foreign language, future economists should be familiar with its features. It is noted that the term “business letter” refers to administrative documents that serve as a means of communication between institutions, organizations and departments. The article analyses the stages during which the formal business correspondence training of Master students takes place according to the developed educational and methodological сomplex of Business Foreign Language Course at Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University. The authors pay special attention to the use of specific vocabulary inherent in communication on economic topics, correct grammar and the culture of business correspondence. It is noted that students of economic specialties deal with a subgroup of business letters focused on the economic sphere of activity. Since the ability to use modern information technologies is one of the professional competencies of Master students, special attention is paid to communication by e-mail. It is stated that as a result of teaching business written communication to Master students professional competence which is necessary for future activities in the field of business, economy and effective management of affairs with partners and clients is developed.
 Keywords: Master students, business letter; business communication; Business foreign language; Master students in economic specialties; types of business letters; structure of a business letter.

Individual differences in computer-assisted language learning research

In the era of rapid technological expansion, the integration of various technologies into the process of second and foreign language (L2) learning and teaching has become pervasive, making computer-assisted language learning (CALL) a well-established field (Golonka et al., 2014). There is now a consensus that individual differences (IDs) significantly influence the process and product of L2 learning (Pawlak, 2020). With a plethora of technology-based options and functionalities, CALL provides learners with a high degree of autonomy (Pawlak et al., 2016), making it an environment that is ripe for capitalizing on learners’ individuality (p. 17). However, despite their critical role, IDs have not garnered the attention they genuinely merit in this context (Pawlak, 2022). To address this issue, Mirosław Pawlak and Mariusz Kruk put together the volume Individual Differences in Computer-Assisted Language Learning Research, providing timely and insightful guidelines for the exploration of IDs in CALL and the broader realm of second language acquisition (SLA) research.

Positive psychology and language learning: A systematic scoping review

AbstractAlthough emotions are vitally important for achievement and performance in learning a new language, prior research has mainly focused on negative emotions and the cognitive aspects of second language acquisition and foreign language learning. However, the number of studies on the relationship between positive psychology and language learning has increased since 2014. Nevertheless, research is still inconclusive. This study, using a systematic scoping review, aims to analyse and synthesise the studies on the relationship between positive psychology and of second language acquisition and foreign language learning to present implications for practice and future research. It concludes that the use of positive psychology elements effectively enhances foreign language enjoyment, decreases foreign language anxiety, and develops basic language skills. In light of the conclusions reached, implications for practice and further research are presented. Context and implications Rationale for the study Emotions are vital for performance and achievement in the second language acquisition and foreign language learning processes. However, research on these processes has mainly focused on negative emotions and the cognitive aspects until 2014. Although the number of studies has significantly increased after 2014, the results are inconclusive in gaining insight and shaping practice and future research. Why do the new findings matter? The findings in the study are significant for positioning the elements of positive psychology in second language acquisition and foreign language learning and may lead to the emergence of a novel language learning approach. Implications for researchers, teachers, and policy makers Researchers should focus on the relationships between positive psychology and language learning in different cultures and educational and instructional contexts. Language teachers need to attach importance to the mediating role of positive psychology in their classes. To achieve this, they should collaborate with school counsellors. Last, curriculum developers and policy makers should integrate and implement positive psychology elements into the pre‐service and in‐service teaching programmes.

An Investigation into Teaching English to Gifted Individuals: Giving Voice to Turkish EFL Teachers

Foreign language learning process of gifted individuals plays a critical role in both their self-development and academic life. However, EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers may encounter various challenges while teaching to gifted individuals. The purpose of the present research is to reveal the opinions of EFL teachers in Science and Art Centers (SACs) on the challenges they encounter in teaching English, find out possible sources for these difficulties, and their solutions and recommendations. In total, 21 EFL teachers working in different SACs in Turkiye participated in the study. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview based on three main themes: a) the challenges the participants have faced, b) the participants’ views on the source of these problems, and c) their suggested strategies to cope with the mentioned challenges. Content analysis was carried out to analyze the data. The qualitative findings demonstrated that the EFL teachers experienced similar challenges including the lack of an established curriculum, insufficient educational technological equipments and appropriate materials for language teaching, having students with different levels of English proficiency in the same groups, and having long working hours.

Использование электронного курса «Иностранный язык» в системе Moodle при дистанционном обучении сотрудников органов внутренних дел Российской Федерации

The aim of the study is to summarize the experience of designing and implementing the electronic course “Foreign Language” in the educational process of the Barnaul Law Institute of Interior of the Russian Federation. The paper discusses the methodological approaches, pedagogical technologies and principles that ensure the practical significance of the created course. The described methods and means of teaching are illustrated by the examples that are successfully used during practical classes in a foreign language. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the substantiation of the need to implement the principles of interrelated teaching of types of speech activity and visualization. As a result, it was proved that the use of electronic courses in the educational process of foreign language learning improves the quality of knowledge and academic performance of students and can be recommended for distance learning in the system of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia.

Conceptualizing the Use of Blank Comic Strips to Enhance EFL Students’ Writing Motivation

Motivation is considered as an important point in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning process especially when dealing with difficult language skills to teach such as writing. In regards to the difficulties to master writing skills, teachers have a significant role to improve students’ motivation through certain activities or strategies which can be defined motivational strategies. One of motivational strategies that can be adopted by teachers to enhance students’ motivation to write is using blank comic strips in writing classes. The present study applies a conceptual approach by proposing several steps that can be used by teachers when using blank comic strips to improve students’ motivation to write. Firstly, teachers need to suit the blank comic strips used with the learners’ interests. Secondly, teachers need to provide the benefits of writing ideas on blank comic strips. Thirdly, teachers can use technology that allows students to create or publish their works in the internet so that they will be more motivated to produce more creative writing. The present study also discusses implications and further studies.

Формирование метакогнитивных стратегий учебно-познавательной деятельности у студентов-мультилингвов в курсе немецкого как второго иностранного языка в языковом вузе

The paper discusses the idea of teaching multilingual students the second foreign language at a language university based on the activation of their cognitive activities in the process of joint study of language and culture. The aim of the research is to determine the role and essence of metacognitive strategies of educational-cognitive activities (comparison, transfer and switching) in the process of second foreign language learning by multilingual students. The scientific novelty of the research lies in defining metacognitive strategies of educational-cognitive activities as a tool for activating students’ cognitive resources, as methods and techniques for performing language and speech tasks in second foreign language learning by multilingual students at a language university, which contribute to a deeper perception, understanding, memorization and reproduction of new linguistic and cultural information. As a result, the paper showed how the formation of metacognitive strategies – comparison, transfer and switching – can be carried out through the introduction of specially selected didactic content (multilingual texts) and contrastive tasks and exercises for these texts into the process of second foreign language learning (using the example of the grammatical topic “Future Tense” studied by multilingual students in the “German as the second foreign language” course).

Rola nieformalnego uczenia się języków obcych w świadomości studentów filologii francuskiej

The aim of this article is to present the results of a survey conducted in the academic year 2021/2022 among students of French Philology Studies at the University of Wroclaw. The subject of interest was the role they attribute to out-of-class language learning (including French) in the process of acquiring communicative competence. The question asked was formulated in such a way as to make students reflect on informal learning situations. Qualitative analysis of the answers indicates a relatively broad spectrum of situations of informal learning, which, due to their complexity, require deeper reflection in order to increase the awareness of not only the effects, but also of the process of lifelong learning and the breadth of learning itself. We postulate that language classes in a formal context have as one of their main purposes the stimulation of such reflection and should invite students to undertake various informal learning activities. This in turn increase the effectiveness of formal teaching/learning, and encourages further reflection on the overall foreign language learning process.

A study of English learning anxiety regulation strategies based on the deep learning model

Abstract Foreign language learning anxiety is prevalent in students’ foreign language learning process. To better alleviate students’ anxiety situation, this paper constructs a self-coding training model for anxiety regulation strategies based on recurrent neural networks in deep learning models. Anxiety-related factors affecting English learning are input into the recurrent neural network as the input layer. The data are corrected by balancing the data in the input layer through encoding and decoding in the implicit layer. The corrected data is reconstructed and transformed as the input layer of the next level of the recurrent neural network. The above steps were repeated continuously for layer-by-layer training until the same output layer parameters as the pre-trained model were reached. This resulted in a learning anxiety regulation strategy of changing the student learning environment and self-regulation. To verify that the above strategies can reduce the anxiety value, a simulation was conducted, and the results showed that the number of superior students in the multimedia environment was 2% higher than that in the traditional teaching model. Students’ anxiety was reduced from 18% to 7% after active and effective self-regulation. From these results, it is clear that the anxiety regulation strategy derived from the deep learning model is feasible and ensures the healthy development of students.

CODE-SWITCHING IN ELT CLASSROOMSIN THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

Given that much research stresses out the positive homework impact on the students’ achievements in learning a foreign language, this study examines the English languageelementary students’opinionson homeworkin order to depict whether the Republic Kosovo’s elementary schools emphasize the significant role of homework in the foreign language teaching and learning process. Therefore, qualitative interviews with 30 English language elementary students from the sixth grade are conducted as a method for collecting data. The sample consists of 30 interviews’ transcript, and the analysis rests upon coding and the interpretative-inductive approach. The research results showthat the elementary education in the Republic of Kosovo recognizes the homework importance and that homework playsa significant role in students’success, i.e. it helps students to learn the lessons better and also allows them to become independent learners