Language Classroom Research Articles

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CAMEROONIAN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

The Educational systems imposed by colonization in Cameroon and Africa at large have been cognitively based, relying on memorization or the learners’ capacity to use the brain to process, store and retrieve what the teacher gives them in class during evaluations and intelligence is measured based on that. This situation has made learners whose learning style do not corroborate with such category to go unnoticed, unrepresented, underexploited, excluded during the teaching/learning process and evaluated as slow learners. This is a problem and inaccurate to the Cameroonian language classroom in particular and educational system in general. This paper therefore explores the perception and use of Multiple Intelligence by language teachers in GBHS Ekounou (Yaounde) and GBHS Bayelle-Nkwen (Bamenda) and its role in achieving a more inclusive teaching and greater learning outcomes. A mix survey (quantitative and qualitative) design was adopted for this paper. Through Gardner’s (1983) theory of multiple intelligence and questionnaires administered to key actors in the language classroom, data were designed, collected and analysed. Finding revealed that language teachers have a low perception of the use of multiple intelligences and thus, rarely apply it during their teaching thereby excluding learners from the teaching/learning process. Further findings indicate teachers’ low learners’ achievement as differentiation is rarely practiced during the teaching learning process.

Racial, Linguistic, and Economic Diversity Across Schools with Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Programs: Evidence from the Los Angeles Unified School District

Two-way dual-language immersion (TWDL) programs aim to combine English speakers and speakers of a partner language in the same classroom to receive content instruction in both languages. Stated goals include bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement, and sociocultural competence. In school districts aiming to reduce segregation, TWDL programs also can integrate students from diverse linguistic, racial, and economic backgrounds, although mounting evidence shows that equitable integration does not always happen. Using school-level enrollments and district data on TWDL program growth from 2000 to 2021, this paper describes enrollment and segregation patterns across the Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools with TWDL programs. We find that elementary schools with TWDL programs are enrolling increasing numbers of racially, linguistically, and economically marginalized students and are generally more diverse than schools without TWDL programs, although there appear to be limits on the potential of TWDL programs to foster diversity, especially in a segregated urban context.

Malaysian Primary School Teachers’ Self-Assessment of TPACK and their Blended Learning Practice

With the advent of salient technologies, the education field cannot remain idle as technological development, and the value of knowledge need to go hand in hand. Therefore, teachers, being at the forefront of the education field, need to equip themselves with the necessary knowledge to ensure a successful teaching and learning process. Despite numerous studies examining teachers’ level of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK), there is limited research that investigates how teachers translate their TPACK in a blended learning classroom. Hence, this study investigates teachers’ self-assessment of their TPACK towards blended learning implementation in the primary English as Second Language (ESL) classroom and how their TPACK is congruent with their blended learning practice. The sample consisted of 144 Malaysian primary school teachers in the state of Negeri Sembilan. The instruments used were questionnaires and classroom observations. The findings indicated that teachers overall assessed themselves to have a high level of TPACK towards blended learning implementation. Concurrently, teachers’ high TPACK were congruent with their blended learning practice, suggesting that all participants exhibited various facets of TPACK in their blended learning classrooms. As a consequence, the findings highlight the importance of having adequate TPACK to achieve optimal use of blended learning in line with the current 21st-century learning.

Effects of project-based learning on EFL learners' writing performance.

Connecting language classrooms with 21st-century skills could be the potential framework for enhancing EFL learners' performance in writing classes. However, investigating whether project-based learning, as a new field within ELT with unique pedagogical affordances, can enhance learners' writing skills still needs to be improved in the literature. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the impact of project-based learning on EFL learners' writing performance. It sought to determine whether and to what extent project-based learning could enhance writing skills in an EFL context. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with an interrupted pre-test-post-test time series design with single group participants. Twenty-three third-year EFL undergraduate students enrolled in the Advanced Writing Skills I course were selected using a comprehensive sampling method. An essay writing test and interview were used to gather data. The participants of the study were given a series of three problem-solving essay writing tests before and after the intervention, which employed project-based essay writing instruction. In addition, to discover their attitudes toward the impacts of project-based learning and its applications on the ground, three randomly selected students were interviewed at the end of the intervention. The data collected through the tests were analyzed through a one-way repeated measure ANOVA; narration was also used to analyze the qualitative data gathered through interviews. Accordingly, the quantitative data suggested that project-based learning significantly enhances EFL learners' writing performance. Moreover, interview data showed that students felt optimistic about the impact of project-based learning on their writing performance, idea generation, and cooperation among themselves. Therefore, project-based learning is suggested as another method in ELT writing classes because it enhances learners' writing via idea generation, data collection, organization, cooperation, and general communication skills. As students work on worthwhile projects, its emphasis on real-world applicability and realistic activities can help them become better writers. Hence, teachers can reinforce the relationship between form and purpose by incorporating a variety of genres and collaborative writing to reflect real-world or professional situations.

C Language Classroom Reform Exploration Based On Learning Community Teaching Concept

C Language Classroom Reform Exploration Based On Learning Community Teaching Concept

University foreign language teachers` views on classroom management for science students in Russia and China

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by a considerable growth of cooperation between Russian and Chinese universities and increasing academic mobility involving both teachers and students of the two countries. The aim if the study is to find out and analyze how university foreign language teachers of non-language students in two different countries understand and implement generally shared theoretical and practical assumptions concerning foreign language teaching and learning in their local contexts. Materials and methods. 60 respondents (university foreign language teachers of science students from Russia and China) participated in the study. The teachers filled out a questionnaire that included both open- ended and close-ended (multiple choice) questions. Results. The outcomes of the study reveal that the teachers are familiar with the main models and approaches to foreign language education. They seem to have a very close understanding of the characteristics of the modern university foreign language classroom. All 100% of the participants demonstrated their knowledge of leading models and approaches to foreign language teaching, with 93% of teachers from Russia and 60% of teachers from China being familiar with the ESP model, which is the most well-known in both countries. The STEAM teaching model turned out to be the least known in both countries, with 33% of Chinese teachers and 47% of respondents from Russia being familiar with it. Nevertheless, the choice of the didactic tools that they use differs due to the influence of external factors and national educational traditions (specific approaches to control arrangement, number of the students in the classroom, students` learning preferences, etc.). Conclusion. The authors attempted to identify a few world major tendencies in university foreign language science student education and explored how they are practically implemented in particular universities with foreign language teachers in two different countries. The outcomes revealed a certain gap between theoretical assumptions and everyday practices in professional foreign language education in both countries. Thus, the authors approached the issue under discussion from a different perspective and confirmed the effects of teacher national traditions on their practices. As exchange programs and partnership networks in the field of education, science and technology between Russian and Chinese universities are becoming wide spread, the demand for experts in teaching languages in both countries is growing immensely. These experts, representing universities from both sides, need to find a common language concerning their teaching approaches, strategies, and didactic tools. The study outcomes can be one of the steps in this area. In addition, they can be used in the teachers` in-service training.

Reconsidering the Reliance on Functional Load: The Role of Phonetic Distance in Predicting L2 Segmental Substitutions

Much research agrees that Functional Load (FL), i.e., the extent to which a phoneme pair distinguishes between different words in a language, is a useful feature to consider in prioritizing phoneme pairs for pronunciation instruction in the second language (L2) classroom. However, FL measures are not always easy to access and are often calculated according to different principles, whereas other more easily observable features exist, including Phonetic Distance (PD), or the degree of physiological similarity between phones in a phoneme pair. One way to evaluate features and their interrelatedness is to use them in a linear mixed effects regression (LMER) model to predict the rate of observed L2 substitutions that are actually made in speech. This study examines the relationship between two measures of FL (Brown, 1988; Gilner & Morales, 2010) and an estimate of PD we devised from 22 unique articulatory features of vowels and consonants in their ability to predict substitutions in the L2-ARCTIC dataset (Zhao et al. 2018) while accounting for other sources of variation. It was found that even when PD had a resolution of only 2 points, it was highly associated with variance in substitution rates, but that the best model included FL and PD measures together. This finding suggests that PD may also be an important consideration when deciding which phoneme pairs to prioritize in L2 instruction.

A Review on Perceptions of the Teachers on the Applicability of Post-method Pedagogy in Language Teaching

This study aims to observe how the parameters of post-method pedagogy plays a role in English language teaching from the perspectives of teachers. To acknowledge these perspectives, this study reviewed 19 articles published in the relevant genres, particularly analyzing findings derived from these very writings. The research design employed in this study was qualitative and the methodology that I used was preferred reporting Items for systematic reviews and meta analysis. It elicits teachers’ inclination in the applicability and future scope of post-method pedagogy in English language classrooms. It reveals that many teachers have positive perspectives concerning the parameters of post method pedagogy and its strategies in teaching language; however, they have not succeeded for its complete application because of decade-long challenges existing in the classrooms. The result also discloses that the shift from transmission to transformative teaching techniques embraces a slow move. This study contributes to the practical understanding of the potentiality of three parameters in post-method pedagogy as a new paradigm to evaluate how current practices are ongoing in language teaching. Thus, traditional methods of teaching are constantly under inspection, and teachers’ struggle to transform their pedagogy in language teaching has a trivial impact on ongoing pedagogy.

Sparking Creativity in the World Language Classroom : Strategies and Ideas to Build Your Students' Language Skills

Sparking Creativity in the World Language Classroom : Strategies and Ideas to Build Your Students' Language Skills

Into the void: Re-envisioning silence in foreign language education through a socio-emotional learning lens

Historically marginalized and often misunderstood, silence has predominantly been viewed as a barrier to effective communication and engagement in educational settings. This paper argues for a re-evaluation of silence, viewing it not as an absence of speech, but as a potent tool for fostering deep learning, introspection, and emotional intelligence. By integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) principles, it is posited that silence can enhance, and is an essential element of, affective communicative competence (Pentón Herrera & Darragh, 2024), aiding the development of empathy, self-regulation, and a more profound connection to the language learning process. This conceptual paper explores the nuanced role of silence within the context of foreign language classrooms through a SEL lens. Traditional perceptions of silence are critically examined, a shift towards an asset-based view through SEL is proposed, and practical strategies for educators to incorporate silence meaningfully into their pedagogy are suggested. To conclude, perspectives on utilizing silence as a transformative element in SEL-driven language education are offered, aiming for a harmonious integration that enriches the teaching and learning experience.

Exploring English Language Teachers' Experiences on Extensive Reading: An Interpretive Inquiry

This study explores teachers' perspectives on extensive reading and it also highlights the challenges and support faced by English teachers in implementing Extensive Reading (ER) activities. It also explores whether extensive Reading could enhance students' motivation to read in English and foster positive attitudes towards reading in English. Novice and experienced teachers were involved and semi-structured interview was the main tool of data collection. The study involved two novice and two experienced teachers from private schools in Kathmandu. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers. The findings show that while teachers recognized the benefits of ER and supported its implementation, challenges like tough books, lack of libraries, and lack of knowledge about the selection of level-appropriate books for students makes it hard to use ER. The study also suggests ER could be better way to teach reading in English language classroom because it makes reading fun and allows autonomy to select their reading resources. This study further attempts to contribute to the growth of future research in Extensive Reading in Nepal.

Toward a Reconceptualization of Second Language Classroom Assessment : Praxis and Researcher-Teacher Partnership

Toward a Reconceptualization of Second Language Classroom Assessment : Praxis and Researcher-Teacher Partnership

Gender-specific anxiety in Jordanian EFL settings: Findings from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale

This study analyzes the differing gender-based levels of anxiety that male and female students at Jadara University, Jordan, experience, utilizing the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) to highlight gender disparities in the impact of anxiety on learning. The FLCAS classifies the levels of students at Jadara University and decides whether or not there are statistically significant variations at the level of probability (0.05) in the levels of FLCA among undergraduate students due to gender and the academic level of the students. For the purpose of investigating this topic in Jordan, and more specifically at Jadara University, a descriptive analysis methodology was applied to conduct an empirical investigation into the various types and levels of FLCA on a sample of two hundred undergraduate students. When compared to their male counterparts, the female students, as suggested by the research results, exhibited much higher levels of anxiety when it came to learning a foreign language. Eventually and after conducting an analysis of the findings of the research, the searchers propose that a method of eliminating or controlling anxiety in the classroom should be implemented in order to boost the academic level of the students, as anxiety hinders learning a foreign language and affects students’ overall performance. Further, the limitations of the study as well as its relevance to English literature courses in particular and to the EFL classroom in general are evaluated and addressed. Thus, establishing a secure environment for students to engage in foreign language practice is essential for the process of language acquisition or learning.

Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity in the Language Classroom through Choice, Mastery, and Community: A Motivational Approach

This paper explores how DEI initiatives and a motivational approach to teaching off er a superb synergy that will assist educators in supporting students’ language learning fairly, regardless of available resources, as long as there are students and an eager educator ready to break barriers. In this paper, we discuss how DEI initiatives not onlyhelp us create fair, empowering, and adaptable language learning environments but also how they can support the three most critical motivational needs of our students autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which, according to the self-determination theory, are strong indicators of behavior initiation and continued engagement in language learning beyond our classrooms.

Interpreting teacher talk in the Spanish language classroom: Teachers’ reflections on their beliefs and practice

ABSTRACT In line with the multimodal turn in second language (L2) teaching and learning, this study investigates the ways in which teachers of Spanish as an L2 rely on multimodal resources for classroom communication. Informed by Farrell’s (2015) Framework for Reflecting on Practice, four L2 Spanish teachers in an urban school district in southeast United States reflect on their beliefs regarding target language (TL) and first language (L1) use for instruction and whether these beliefs align with their classroom practice. Using data generated from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, findings indicate that teachers value authentic language use, which for multilinguals can include reliance on a shared L1 and other visual aids, reflective of translanguaging practices. However, in practice, teachers’ language-use is constrained by unique contexts, including individual student needs and programme design. Implications for this work include the benefit of critical reflection as a tool to raise teachers’ self-awareness of language alternations and use of semiotic resources, promoting intentionality behind pedagogically supported teacher talk.

Think Outside the German Box: Plurilingual Awareness Strategies for English Language Classrooms in Berlin

Despite a growing interest in and around multilingualism and plurilingualism in language teaching in school context, many teachers still prescribe to monolingual approaches in their classroom practice. This applies especially to English language classrooms in which English-only policies and native speaker ideologies are still dominant at the expense of leading to feelings of guilt, reluctance, or frustration among students. Therefore, it is crucial to explore practical applications of plurilingual approaches and strategies and what they can offer in classrooms in terms of promoting and advancing a more egalitarian, linguistically just, and pedagogically motivating language instruction. Drawing on a small-scale autoethnographic study, in this article we explore the potential of plurilingual strategies in English language classrooms and how English language teachers can leverage students’ plurilingual abilities. More specifically, the article examines the experiences of a novice teacher implementing plurilingual strategies in a Berlin classroom and the implications for language education policy. It also reveals the teacher’s understanding of plurilingual competence and the various ways that plurilingual strategies can be integrated into English language teaching while in communication and dialogue with the university instructor during the internship. Our findings and understandings suggest that plurilingual strategies can raise awareness of student languages, affirm language identities, and promote more inclusive language classes. 教育現場での言語教育において、多言語主義や複言語主義への関心が高まりつつあるものの、多くの教師が教室内の実践において依然として単一言語アプローチに固執している。この傾向は特に英語教育の現場で顕著であり、英語オンリーポリシーやネイティブスピーカーのイデオロギーが今なお支配的で、その結果として、生徒が罪悪感や消極性、フラストレーションを感じる事態を引き起こすことがある。したがって、複言語アプローチや方略の実践的応用を探り、より平等で言語的に公正で教育学的に動機づけのあるインストラクションを教室内で推進することが重要である。本稿では、オートエスノグラフィー研究に基づき、英語教育の現場における複言語方略の可能性と、英語教師が生徒の複言語能力にどのような影響を与えられるかを探る。とりわけ本稿では、ドイツ・ベルリンの教室で複言語方略を実践した新任教師の経験と言語教育政策への示唆を検証する。また、インターンシップ中に大学講師とのコミュニケーションや対話を通じて得られた教師の複言語能力に対する理解や、英語教育に反映できうる複言語方略を明らかにする。研究結果は、複言語方略が生徒の言語に対する意識を高め、言語的アイデンティティーを肯定し、より包摂的な言語教育を促進する可能性を示唆する。

Exploring Chinese Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions and Implementations of Gamification in Online EFL Classrooms

This study investigates Chinese elementary teachers’ perceptions and implementations of gamification in online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a questionnaire (N = 140) and semi-structured interviews (N = 7). Teachers’ perceptions of gamification were analyzed across three dimensions: technological, cognitive, and pedagogical. Technologically, the results revealed that most teachers perceived gamification tools on the ClassIn platform as user-friendly and engaging, although limited in variety. Cognitively, teachers recognized gamification’s potential to enhance motivation and engagement, but expressed concerns about its potential to distract students. Pedagogically, while gamification was perceived as a complement to traditional teaching methods and a means to foster student-centered learning, it posed challenges such as increased workload and difficulties aligning activities with academic goals. Regarding implementation, gamification was most frequently used in vocabulary and reading activities, whereas its use in writing and listening activities was limited due to higher cognitive demands. Key challenges included managing students’ negative emotions from competition, addressing parental skepticism, overcoming technical and classroom management barriers, allocating sufficient time for effective implementation, and adapting gamification tools to diverse student needs. Key factors shaping implementation included student characteristics and content suitability. The results emphasize the need for tailored professional development, adaptive gamification strategies, and institutional support to maximize the benefits of gamification while addressing its challenges. This study offers actionable insights for enhancing teaching practices and improving student engagement in online EFL classrooms.

The Impact of Motivational Factors on Foreign Language Learning

This study examines how teachers in Albanian high schools employ methods, techniques, and strategies to motivate students in foreign language classrooms. The research highlights the unique cultural and contextual factors influencing motivation within this setting, including students’ adaptation to new academic environments and the interplay between teacher support and socio-cultural expectations. Drawing on interviews and survey data, the study explores both widely recognized and less commonly reported practices—such as localized teaching aids and contextualized storytelling—and clarifies how these strategies resonate with students at different proficiency levels. The findings underscore the importance of a supportive classroom climate, constructive feedback, and real-life connections to the lesson content. Ultimately, this work offers practical recommendations for educators seeking to enhance motivation and improve teaching practices on a global scale.

Von der Nützlichkeit des Unnützen: Über den Sinn der Poesie im fremdsprachlichen Unterricht

The article discusses the role of literature in foreign language teaching, with a specific focus on the genre of poetry. It unequivocally answers the central question of whether incorporating literary texts into foreign language classrooms is meaningful and beneficial. The article challenges the widespread notion that students must have an advanced level of language proficiency to engage with literary texts. Through three very different examples of authentic poetry, it demonstrates how literary texts can be seamlessly integrated into foreign language teaching and which competencies can be developed through poetry. The analysis of the poem Der Apfel (The Apple) by Reinhard Döhl illustrates that literary texts can be meaningfully utilized from the very first lessons of language learning. Furthermore, the article focuses on one of the most prominent figures of contemporary German poetry, Jan Wagner. His linguistically simple haiku titled teebeutel (tea bag), which has also been translated into Slovenian, shows how inspiring, liberating, and creative German language teaching can be when one dares to include literary texts. Finally, the discussion turns to a canonical author, the giant of German literature, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The analysis of his poem Gefunden (The Found Flower) reveals various ways the text can be approached in German lessons: from traditional nature poetry to eco-critical perspectives, and interpretations related to the themes of love and gender discourse at the turn of the 18th century (and beyond). In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of poetry in German as a foreign language teaching is meaningful, not despite the fact but precisely because it confronts students with different, previously unknown, and unusual perspectives on language, society, interpersonal relationships, and aesthetics.

Getting Started—Advising Session Reflections

In order to develop language learner autonomy, educators need to take a different approach from the ‘one size fits all’ language classroom (Kato & Mynard, 2016). One key ingredient in fostering autonomy, particularly in the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) setting, is providing students with opportunities for reflective dialogue (Gardner & Miller, 1999), and the practice of advising in language learning (ALL). In this paper, I reflect on my first advising session with a learner. The session focused on three advising strategies (restating, empathy and complimenting). These strategies were chosen in order to reflect on my ability to use them effectively in an advising setting. Reflection was done through the examination of transcribed excerpts of dialogue, and listening back to the recorded session. It is my hope to add to the field of literature on first-time advising sessions and reflective practice.