Eco-pedagogical content's impact on EFL learners' environmental attitudes and behaviors: A structural equation modeling study.

Abstract: This study explores the potential of digital storytelling as an innovative pedagogical tool in developing speaking skills in foreign language education. A case study design, a qualitative research method, was employed in order to investigate the experiences and perceptions of students. The research sample consisted of 9 students enrolled in the class of the Faculty of Medical in the speciality of Public Health. The findings revealed that the integration of digital storytelling contributed positively to students’ retention of knowledge, their motivation to participate actively, and their willingness to express themselves more freely compared to traditional classroom presentations. Many students reported that the use of digital stories made lessons more enjoyable, reduced speaking anxiety, and offered a more comfortable environment for self-expression. Moreover, the combination of images, music, and narration provided a multimodal learning experience that catered to different learner preferences. In addition, students highlighted that digital storytelling not only enhanced their speaking competence but also improved their self-confidence, technological skills, and preparedness for lessons. While some participants raised concerns that reliance on pre-prepared scripts could limit opportunities for improvisational speaking, the majority viewed the method as both pleasant and engaging. The study concludes that digital storytelling can serve as an effective alternative to conventional presentation methods in foreign language classes. It offers a dynamic, student-centered learning environment that fosters creativity and collaboration. Future research is recommended to expand the scope of digital storytelling applications into other language skill areas such as reading, listening, and writing, as well as to explore its impact across different age groups and educational contexts.

Over the past decade, developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have sparked a new wave of debate and research across nearly all areas of life, including education. In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, AI-based technologies are also widely adopted to support learners and instructors. This trend has led to numerous studies focused on understanding AI’s role in identifying potential opportunities and challenges. This study offers a systematic review of relevant research, highlighting the benefits and obstacles of AI use in the Saudi EFL context. About 60 peer-reviewed articles were selected following PRISMA guidelines. The findings reveal multiple opportunities for AI integration in Saudi Arabia, such as improved language skills, personalized learning experiences, increased self-regulated learning, boosted motivation and confidence among learners, expanded learning opportunities, and support for pedagogy and institutional performance. Major challenges include biased and inaccurate data, students’ overdependence on technology, ethical concerns, and a lack of technological skills among users. The study also suggests future directions, including localizing AI tools, conducting long-term impact studies, providing faculty and student training, and establishing ethical guidelines within institutions.

As a localized teaching theory, Production-Oriented Approach (POA) provides important inspirations for foreign language teaching, while the development of generative artificial intelligence tools has also brought new supporting approaches to oral English teaching. This paper combines the Production-Oriented Approach (POA) with AI tools, and conducts a 6-week teaching practice on a college student with relatively weak IELTS speaking foundation but strong learning motivation. This study adopts a case study method, and explores the application process of POA enabled by AI in IELTS speaking teaching and learners' feedback through means including oral transcription analysis, interviews and questionnaires. The results show that the learner has exhibited positive changes in IELTS speaking scores, expression fluency and learning attitude, and has gradually developed the habit of conducting independent oral practice with the assistance of AI tools. Since this study is a single case study, the relevant results are more suitable to serve as an exploratory case of AI-enabled POA-based speaking teaching, and provide references for subsequent larger-scale studies.

Introduction. The digitalization of higher education in Kazakhstan presents future English language teachers with the challenge of developing linguistic and cognitive skills using innovative approaches. One such approach, based on artificial intelligence, is digital storytelling. However, the impact of integrating artificial intelligence tools into digital narrative creation on the development of future teachers’ productive skills in the Kazakhstani context remains understudied. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of artificial intelligence-based digital storytelling on the development of students’ advanced written and oral communication skills.Materials and Methods. 77 students participated in the experiment. The experimental group (n = 39) used artificial intelligence tools (Grammarly, ChatGPT, QuillBot, Unifire, and Hemingway Editor) to create digital storytelling, while the control group (n = 38) completed similar tasks using traditional teaching methods. Common European Framework of Reference criteria were used for assessment, and productive language skills were qualitatively assessed. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, while quantitative data were analyzed using ANOVA.Results. The statistically significant advantage of the experimental group in most components of verbal skills (p 0.05) compared to the control group confirms the positive impact of digital storytelling using artificial intelligence tools on the development of students’ written and oral communication skills. Students in the experimental group outperformed the control group in their ability to paraphrase text, as well as combine and restructure individual sentences in writing. In oral communication, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in fluency, confidence, coherence, active listening, and interaction. No significant differences in pronunciation or intonation were found between the groups.Conclusion. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating digital storytelling with the support of artificial intelligence technologies in improving the productive skills of future English language teachers. This study expands our understanding of the capabilities and potential of using artificial intelligence tools in the educational process, contributing not only to the development of foreign language communicative competence but also to the development of digital literacy and student autonomy. The proposed methodology can be used by university professors and curriculum developers to integrate artificial intelligence technologies into foreign language teacher training courses. The results will be useful for students to independently improve their language proficiency and develop digital literacy.

The increasing use of immersive virtual reality (VR) in English as a foreign language (EFL) education has generated growing interest in its potential to support learner engagement and skill development. However, empirical evidence explaining how engagement in VR-based learning relates to perceptual, motor, and cognitive skills remains limited. This study investigated the structural relationships among VR engagement, perceptual skills, motor skills, and cognitive skills in an EFL context. Data were collected from EFL learners who participated in VR-based English learning tasks and were analyzed using structural equation modeling with SPSS (v27) and AMOS (v24). The measurement model demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity for all constructs. The structural model revealed that VR engagement was a significant predictor of perceptual, motor, and cognitive skills, with the strongest effect observed for cognitive skills. These findings indicate that learner engagement plays a central role in shaping how VR-based activities are experienced and perceived in language learning contexts. The study contributes to immersive language learning research by offering a process-oriented account of VR use that emphasizes engagement as a key mechanism rather than treating technology as an isolated factor. Pedagogical implications highlight the importance of designing VR language tasks that foster active participation and sustained involvement.

ABSTRACT Translanguaging has been widely celebrated in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English-Medium Instruction (EMI) classrooms as an inclusive pedagogy and a marker of progressive multilingual education. Yet beneath this celebratory discourse, scholarly attention to its equity and justice implications remains limited, raising questions about whether translanguaging disrupts systemic inequities or reproduces them in new forms. Addressing this gap, this systematic review applies a justice lens to EFL/EMI translanguaging scholarship, analysing 58 empirical studies published between January 2019 and June 2025 through Nancy Fraser's redistribution, recognition and representation framework, developed in Scales of Justice: Reimagining Political Space in a Globalizing World (2009, Columbia University Press) framework of redistribution, recognition and representation. The findings reveal an emerging socio-critical orientation, though one constrained by a partial critique. While studies predominantly foreground recognition by affirming multilingual identities and legitimising diverse repertoires, issues of redistribution (equitable access to resources) and representation (decision-making power) remain marginal. This imbalance generates a legitimacy bottleneck, where classroom-level recognition does not reliably translate into broader structural reform. To respond to this limitation, the review advances a four-dimensional framework comprising resistance, redesign, redistribution and representation, highlighting implications for equity-oriented assessment practices, resourcing and institutional policy towards sustained multilingual justice.

Learning English is a key skill in Latin American educational contexts, although inequalities persist regarding access, the quality of resources, and opportunities for practice. In this context, artificial intelligence emerges as a pedagogical tool with the potential to transform foreign language teaching. This article presents a narrative review of literature published between 2020 and 2026 on the use of artificial intelligence tools in English language learning, prioritizing Latin American studies without excluding international contributions. The results were organized into three categories: types of tools, pedagogical benefits, and implementation challenges. Adaptive platforms, chatbots, speech recognition systems, writing assistants, smart translators, and gamified applications were identified as relevant resources for personalizing learning, providing immediate feedback, and strengthening language skills. However, their incorporation requires teacher mediation, critical digital literacy, equitable access, data protection, and authentic assessment. It is concluded that artificial intelligence can contribute to English language learning when integrated in an ethical, pedagogical, and contextualized manner, but it should not be viewed as a substitute for teachers or as an automatic solution to educational inequalities.

ABSTRACT This article examines Vietnamese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ reflective writing as a multilingual and multimodal form of professional composition. Drawing on social semiotic, multimodal, and translanguaging perspectives, the study analyses 162 reflective entries written by in-service secondary school teachers during an assessed English-medium professional development (PD) programme. Rather than treating reflection only as evidence of pedagogical reasoning, the article examines how teachers used layout, punctuation, repetition, tone, and Vietnamese-English resources to compose reflective meaning. The analysis identifies three interrelated stylistic dimensions: (1) spatial framing, through which teachers organised experience through headings, line breaks, lists, and segmentation, (2) textual texture, through which punctuation, repetition, rhythm, and tonal shifts signalled affect and professional stance, and (3) expressive hybridity, through which Vietnamese entered English-medium reflection to carry relational, emotional, and culturally situated meanings. The findings show that even within an assessed English-medium task, teachers’ multilingual repertoires shaped how classroom experience was remembered, evaluated, and voiced. The article proposes a heuristic model for reading reflective writing as multilingual and multimodal professional practice.

This study examined the effect of linguistically congruent audio-visual cues on verbal memory in adolescents learning English as a second language. Eighty students from a bilingual school watched a film clip in their native language (L1, Spanish) or in their second language (L2, English), followed by the presentation of a list of related words. Participants were assigned to four conditions that combined the language of the film clip (Spanish or English) and the word list (L1 or L2) in a congruent or incongruent manner. Memory was assessed through free recall and recognition tasks, both immediately and one week later. We expected that linguistic congruency between the audio-visual stimulus and the verbal material would facilitate word recall and recognition. The results indicated that the group with consistent presentation in L1 performed better on immediate free recall and recognition tasks, while the L2 groups had fewer intrusions in free recall. In recognition tasks, there was a general improvement in delayed performance, probably associated with consolidation processes. These findings suggest that linguistic congruence and dominant language differentially modulate access to verbal memory, with differential effects over time. These findings have pedagogical implications for the use of audio-visual material in foreign language teaching.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the level of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ awareness of lesson study (LS) in Injibara, Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach The study used a case study research design within a qualitative research approach. Five grade 11 EFL teachers were selected comprehensively to collect data through in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis technique. Findings The findings of the study revealed that EFL teachers had limited awareness of the concepts of LS. Although they had some orientations about LS, they were limited in clearly articulating the basic concepts underlying it. EFL teachers perceived that LS enhances content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and collaborative skills. However, they were limited in adequately describing the importance of LS on their knowledge of subject matter, curriculum materials, lesson planning, classroom management, assessment strategies, collaborative working culture, collegiality and a sense of shared responsibility. Practical implications This study provides a growing body of research that investigates EFL teachers’ awareness of LS. It also offers potentially useful insights for both research and practical implications. Hence, the study encourages a thorough investigation into the implementation of LS in wider scopes. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge in the Ethiopian context, where EFL teachers have limited awareness of the concepts of LS.

Boredom fuels boredom: An experience sampling study on L2 learner and teacher boredom in reading classes.

The goal of this study is to investigate the variables that may predict Serbian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' acceptance of blogs for language learning purposes. Despite widespread support of the use of blog in EFL education, empirical research on EFL teachers' adoption of blog in Serbia is scarce. Building on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study extends the model by incorporating subjective norm (SN), referring to perceived social pressure from colleagues and important others, as a key external factor influencing blog acceptance. On the basis of the TAM, mutual relationships of six variables were examined: SN, attitude towards blog use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioural intention (BI), and actual use of blog in teaching practice (USE). Structural equation modelling was used for testing the hypothesized model with data obtained from 300 primary school EFL teachers in Serbia. The proposed model had a good fit for explaining EFL teachers' BI and USE, and accounted for 25.4% of the variance in USE and 70.9% of the variance in BI. The results highlight the substantial role of SN, which significantly influenced teachers' perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, attitudes, and BI. The findings also reveal a gap between teachers' intentions to use blog and their actual classroom use. These results suggest that social and contextual influences play an important role in technology adoption, while positive intentions may not ensure actual integration of blog into teaching practice. The implications for theory and practice are addressed.

L2 teachers’ foreign language teaching anxiety (FLTA) in AI-enhanced writing classrooms: A phenomenological nested ecosystem model

BackgroundReading comprehension is a critical skill for English as a foreign language learner. However, many Ethiopian secondary school students have been having trouble in reading comprehension, where English is a medium of instruction. Therefore, this study examined the impact of short stories on secondary school students’ reading comprehension and assessed their attitude towards short stories.MethodsA quasi-experimental design was employed. The participants were two sections of 9th graders (n = 120) that were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 60), and control (n = 60) groups. The data were collected through a pre-and post-intervention reading comprehension test and an interview. Quantitative data were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-tests with effect sizes reported to strengthen statistical interpretation. Qualitative data were collected through interview with seven experimental group participants and analyzed thematically.ResultsResults showed no significant difference between groups at pretest in their reading comprehension skills (t = 0.32, df = 118, p = 0.75). The post-test results showed that the experimental group (m = 10.38, sd = 2.63) significantly outperformed the control group (m = 6.72, sd = 2.57, p = 0.001). Within- groups analysis confirmed that the control group showed no significant change (p = 0.57). However, the experimental group showed significant change in reading comprehension test performance (p = 0.01). Interview findings displayed that short stories improved reading comprehension skills and fostered a positive attitude toward reading.ConclusionThe integration of short stories into English foreign language reading instruction significantly enhanced students’ reading comprehension skills. It also increased students’ positive attitudes in the reading texts. Therefore, it is recommended that English foreign language teachers should supplement reading skills instruction with culturally relevant short stories, and curriculum developers should incorporate more short stories in grade nine English textbooks to develop students’ reading comprehension skills.

Rethinking literature education: A quasi-experimental study of the production-oriented approach for english majors in China.

This article discusses modern methods that serve to form and develop the pedagogical competence of future foreign language teachers. In particular, such innovative methods as the integrative approach, gamification, peer teaching, problem-based learning, and portfolio-based assessment are analysed. The study examines the mechanisms for developing pedagogical competence on the basis of its structural components — didactic, communicative, reflective, technological, and personal approaches. Moreover, on the basis of an analysis of international experience, recommendations are developed that are suitable for the higher education system of Uzbekistan.

ABSTRACT Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly used to support writing in foreign language education, yet their effects on creativity remain controversial. This study examines the impact of Human–LLM collaboration on creative writing in German as a foreign language (GFL). We conducted a controlled experiment comparing three writing conditions: (1) Human-only writing, (2) Human–LLM collaborative writing, and (3) LLM-only writing. Forty Chinese undergraduate GFL students participated in this study, each completing four writing tasks under their assigned conditions. Their writings were evaluated using a Torrance-inspired rubric across four creativity dimensions (Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration). The results revealed that the Human–LLM group achieved the highest creativity scores, specifically in elaboration and originality dimensions. The LLM-only condition achieved the lowest overall creativity scores, with clear limitations in originality. Meanwhile, the Human-only condition demonstrated comparable originality to the Human–LLM condition, with both substantially outperforming the LLM-only condition in originality. Our findings suggest that carefully crafted human–LLM collaboration can amplify creativity in GFL writing, whereas exclusive reliance on LLMs risks homogenization. Pedagogically, the study emphasizes the importance of promoting LLM literacy and guiding learners to utilize LLMs strategically rather than as a substitute. These insights inform instructional design in GFL contexts, illustrating how responsible integration of LLMs can support both language development and creative expression.

ABSTRACT This study investigates (1) the distinct profiles of second or foreign language (L2) teacher grit based on global and specific factors, (2) the extent to which global and specific levels of L2 teacher emotions predict membership in the identified L2 teacher grit profiles, and (3) how L2 teachers’ self-efficacy varies across these profiles. A total of 279 Turkish English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers (178 male and 101 female) participated in the study by completing standardized scales. LPA resulted in the identification of four L2 teacher grit profiles: Low-Grit Teachers, Effortful Teachers, Passionate Teachers, and High-Grit Teachers. Higher enthusiasm and enjoyment significantly predicted membership in the High-Grit and Passionate profiles. Specific factors, such as teaching enthusiasm, subject enthusiasm, personal enjoyment, social enjoyment, and student appreciation, also influenced profile membership. Regarding L2 teacher boredom, teachers in the High-Grit and Passionate profiles reported significantly lower levels of boredom across facets including repetitiveness, monotony, inefficient communication, lack of satisfaction, lack of creativity, and lack of interest. The findings also revealed a clear hierarchy in self-efficacy levels across L2 teachers’ grit profiles, with self-efficacy being highest among High-Grit Teachers and lowest among Low-Grit Teachers. Implications for L2 teaching and teacher development are outlined.

The globalization of world economy has made intercultural communication an indispensable and increasingly important component of contemporary society. Consequently, the demand for intercultural communication talents across various industries has grown significantly. Meanwhile, the rapid development of modern information technology has provided unprecedented opportunities for foreign language education. College English teaching plays a crucial role in cultivating students' intercultural communication competence. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate and analyze the current status of intercultural communication competence cultivation among non-English major college students, and to explore effective approaches utilizing the U-campus platform for intercultural competence development.