Language Teaching Research Articles

Conceptualisation of culture and research methods in studies of language teaching materials: a systematic review

ABSTRACT The critical role of language teaching materials in developing intercultural citizenship has led to increased research on cultural representations within them. It has become necessary to critically review how culture has been conceptualised and the ways in which cultural representations have been methodologically approached in this growing body of research. Applying a qualitative synthesis approach, this systematic review synthesises and critiques current studies on cultural representations in language teaching materials published since 2013, focusing on how culture was conceptualised in these studies and how cultural representations were examined methodologically. Analysis of the reviewed studies reveals that existing research conceptualises culture as a multifaceted construct encompassing quantifiable objects, socially-constructed meaning, and dynamic meaning-making processes. These conceptualizations necessitate the use of diverse methods to explore cultural representations in language teaching materials. The analysis further identifies that quantitative content analysis was the method most commonly used in the reviewed literature, followed by methods associated with critical perspectives and social semiotics approaches. These findings have important implications for future research and practice relating to cultural representations in language teaching materials.

Technology-Enhanced Approaches for Teaching English to Law Students: Innovations and Best Practices

This research paper summarizes an investigation into technology-enhanced English language teaching for law students in Medellín, Colombia. It briefly outlines the study's objectives, methodologies, and key findings, focusing on the improved English language proficiency, legal communication skills, and increased student engagement and autonomy due to technology-enhanced learning. Background: The study addresses the importance of English language proficiency for law students in a global legal context and the challenges in teaching English to this group. It reviews relevant literature on technology in language learning, particularly in legal education, establishing the theoretical basis for the research. Materials and Methods: The paper describes a mixed-methods approach involving 40 law students in Medellín. It explains the use of questionnaires for quantitative data and interviews and observations for qualitative data, alongside the methods of data analysis and ethical considerations of the research. Results: Findings from questionnaires indicate positive student perceptions of technology in learning and improvements in language proficiency. Qualitative data from interviews and observations highlight enhanced legal communication skills and increased engagement and autonomy in learning due to technology use. Conclusions: The conclusion synthesizes the study's findings, underscoring the positive impact of technology in legal English education. It discusses the implications for educators and suggests integrating technology into the curriculum. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, particularly in exploring effective technology-enhanced teaching strategies.

Gamifying the Learning Experience in the Language Classroom

Introduction: This paper provided a comprehensive review of previous research on technologies surrounding gamified Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) and the effects of this amalgamation of Extended Reality (XR) on English language teaching and learning. Methods: A total of 138 articles were examined from six perspectives: explore the development of XR technology for use in education, especially English language learning; examine gamification; its theoretical background and the role motivation plays in gamified contexts; investigate if the pedagogical strategies associated with the integration of gamification techniques with XR technologies can improve English language learning; identify the potential benefits and challenges of using AR/VR technologies for teaching English; and detect current research limitations and gaps. Results: It was found that immersing learners into virtual and augmented worlds can improve vocabulary, bridge formal and informal learning, enable interaction and collaborative learning, provide opportunities for situated learning, and reduce anxiety. Overall, gamified AR had a meaningful effect on student learning outcomes. Discussion: Review implications include the need for: more prepared instructors utilizing XR technology; sufficient theoretical backing, such as frameworks and models; and research that compares traditional approaches and XR technology for teaching English.

The four strands: A simplified approach to SLA for CLIL

AbstractWhile it is widely accepted that language teachers require knowledge of second language acquisition (SLA) (Richards, 2010), what about content teachers, who are increasingly required to help develop their learners' academic language proficiency? How much do they need to know about SLA theories and how can they acquire such knowledge and expertise? This article proposes P. Nation's (2007) four strands framework as a straightforward and accessible model for content and language integrated learning (CLIL) teachers to address the challenge of balancing content and language instruction, a common concern within CLIL programs. The article begins by looking at two well‐known CLIL teacher competence frameworks. It then raises questions about the extent to which CLIL teachers need to master aspects of pedagogical content knowledge about SLA. The authors argue that while CLIL teachers do indeed need knowledge of how languages are learned and of SLA‐informed approaches to developing learners' second language (L2) proficiency, questions about just how much SLA knowledge CLIL teachers need and how they can be equipped with this knowledge remain unanswered. By delineating language learning opportunities into the four strands framework—meaning‐focused input, meaning‐focused output, language‐focused learning, and fluency development—the authors illustrate how this framework offers a practical guide for integrating language and content education effectively in CLIL and bilingual education contexts. The article ends with a presentation of three principles to help CLIL teachers achieve both the content and language teaching objectives of CLIL.

Impact of rubrics on students’ self-assessment and overall performance in an EAP writing course

This study investigates the impact of rubric use on students’ self-assessment and overall performance in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing course. Recognizing the complexity of academic writing, which requires substantial guidance and effort, the research examines how rubrics can help align students’ self-assessments with instructor’s and / or program expectations. The study involved six students from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds who participated in multiple rounds of rubric-related assessments and following reflective activities. The findings suggest that consistent use of rubrics can significantly enhance students’ understanding of writing criteria, improve the correlation between student and instructor evaluations, and consequently lead to better writing outcomes. However, certain challenges such as lower proficiency levels, time constraints, or lack of interest / motivation may limit students’ ability to fully comprehend and utilize rubrics effectively while performing a writing task. The research highlights the need for clear and measurable rubric descriptors to support students’ comprehension, additionally to providing multiple writing samples for reference and allowing adequate practice time. These insights contribute to the ongoing discussion on rubric effectiveness in General English Language Teaching (General ELT) and EAP settings, offering practical suggestions how to improve academic writing instruction and bridge the gap between students’ performance and instructor’s and/ or program expectations.

Exploring beliefs, motivations and emotions: Insights from learning Maltese as a second language

Second language acquisition is a complex process that involves numerous challenges and is influenced by various factors, including linguistic competence and classroom settings. This study examines the concerns and emotions experienced by 43 adult international students learning Maltese as a second language. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the research collected both qualitative and quantitative data through questionnaires and interviews. The results reveal a spectrum of positive and negative emotions experienced by students during a Maltese language learning session that incorporated digital resources. The evidence presented in this research shows that students have both personal and practical goals concerning second language acquisition. The use of non-traditional technological interventions aligned with the learners’ beliefs and motivations, makes the learning process more effective, particularly by eliciting positive emotions. This study underscores the importance of addressing students’ concerns and emotions in second language acquisition and the benefits of integrating technology into language learning. Pedagogically, this study advocates for a nuanced approach to address learners’ emotional concerns, emphasizing the imperative for language instructors to be trained in emotion regulation strategies to help students manage their emotions during the learning process. Moreover, integrating cultural components into language pedagogy can serve as a compass, guiding students through social norms and intricacies, thereby fostering a sense of belonging within the local community. Furthermore, the study highlights the pedagogical merit of immediate feedback mechanisms and the implementation of diverse, inclusive teaching methods and resources tailored to accommodate various learning styles and paces. These pedagogical implications advocate for a holistic and adaptive language teaching paradigm, aiming to foster a more inclusive and emotionally supportive learning environment for international students.

Analysis of Problems and Strategies in College French Writing

This article mainly discusses the problems existing in College French writing and the corresponding strategies. Writing is an important skill that students must master, but there are three main problems in College French teaching: limited vocabulary leading to frequent pragmatic errors; significant negative transfer from native language; and difficulties in closely adhering to the essay topic or the beginning of the paragraph. To address these issues, teachers adopt a variety of targeted teaching strategies, including task-based language teaching, intercultural communication teaching methods, and process writing approaches. The implementation of these strategies has significantly improved the students’ College French writing skills.

Fuzzy Association Rule Mining for Personalized Chinese Language and Literature Teaching from Higher Education

Due to rapid information technology growth, teaching Chinese in higher education has changed, and Chinese literary majors have vigorously evolved. The key teaching difficulties are scalability, individualized teaching, and a lack of resources and methodologies. Research shows individualized education improves topic comprehension, cultural engagement, and learner interest. Fuzzy association rule mining uses fuzzy linguistic values and membership functions to provide more realistic results. Hence, an algorithm, EF-PCL2T, has been proposed to improve personalized Chinese language and literature teaching (PCL2T) using enhanced fuzzy (EF) Apriori association rule mining integrated with the genetic algorithm. Fuzzy Apriori association rule mining identified frequent itemsets with relevant learning patterns and produced applicable association rules from datasets with fuzzy or unclear information, capturing fluctuating itemset importance and providing a flexible representation of relationships to determine student preferences. From fuzzy-related data, a genetic algorithm optimizes skill sets and creates individualized lesson plans considering each student’s competency and preferences for adjusting to personalized teaching tactics. Testing shows that fuzzy enhancement association rule mining for the PCL2T model improves student retention, PET (personalized teaching efficiency), minimal support and confidence update with fuzzy rules, and student involvement compared to other state-of-the-art methods. Students agree that tailored Chinese language and literary instruction is possible. The improvement results show fuzzy rules with minimum confidence levels of 50% to 100%, highly correlated in this model, student retention ratio of 96%, improved assessment grade of various language skills by 40 marks, PTE analysis of 93%, and student involvement ratio of 97%.

A Critical Evaluation of CALL and MALL Products for Learning and Teaching American English

Research conducted in diverse contexts revealed a general tendency among language learners and teachers toward mainstream English varieties. There is even a scientific foundation for this personal preference, suggesting that these varieties (particularly American English) are understood better. Besides, computer- and mobile-assisted technologies have fostered language education in general and the learning and teaching of these varieties. Accordingly, this study evaluated the CALL and MALL products (i.e., three websites, one mobile application, and one corpus) about American English using the adapted frameworks of Baya’a et al. (2009) and Reinders and Pegrum (2017). With a particular focus on the technical and pedagogical features and concerns, the analyses indicated potential advantages to language learners and teachers in grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, listening, reading, intercultural awareness/competence, and pragmatic awareness at varying degrees. The evaluated products’ shortcomings (e.g., insufficient assessment and feedback) were also cited. The study revealed its limitations and made recommendations for further research. It further bridged the gap in the related literature and contributed to our understanding by providing insights.

Investigating EFL English-Majored Students’ Perceptions towards the Use of Technology in Language Teaching

This study investigates EFL English-majored students’ opinions of technology use in language learning at Nam Can Tho University, with an emphasis on both benefits and problems. The study uses a questionnaire survey with 85 participants to evaluate how technology affects students’ engagement, motivation, and overall learning experience. The findings show that students see major benefits from technology, such as increased engagement through multimedia materials, tailored learning experiences via applications, and access to real language input through online tools. Furthermore, students love the opportunity to communicate in real time with native speakers, which improves their language abilities and confidence. In contrast, the research cites a number of hurdles, including difficulty in integrating technology with the curriculum, technical concerns, possible diversions, and the need for more training and support. These findings emphasize the necessity of resolving these issues in order to maximize the usefulness of technology in language instruction, and they offer practical recommendations for educators and legislators.

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.

Identifying Key Instructional Practices in Rational Number Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Impacts of rational number interventions among U.S. students in Grades 3 through 9 with mathematics difficulties are examined using a systematic review and meta-analysis. The primary goal of the meta-analysis was to identify instructional practices that are key drivers of student impacts. From approximately 1,200 published and unpublished study records, we identified 28 studies that met our inclusion criteria and coded the interventions for their instructional practices, intervention characteristics, and study design features. The random-effects mean effect size across all 28 studies (90 effect sizes) was 0.68 ( SE = 0.08, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.51, 0.85]). The 95% prediction interval was −0.36 to 1.8. Using meta-regression techniques, we found the teaching of mathematical language ( β = 0.50) and the use of the number line ( β = 0.47) during intervention to be significantly associated with positive impacts when adjusted for controls. We discuss implications for intervention practice and study limitations along with the challenges of examining complex, multifaceted interventions.

Influence of Eponymous Terms in the Everyday Language of Ecuadorian University Teachers: A Qualitative Analysis

The study investigated the manifestation and evolution of eponymic terms in the everyday language of Ecuadorian university teachers, considering historical, cultural and linguistic factors. It was analysed how the phenomenon of eponymy manifests itself in the everyday language of university professors and conceptualized its training and evolution. Interviews were conducted with 25 teachers. Bibliographic material was evaluated, and data were coded using Atlas.ti version 24. Categories, codes, dimensions and subdimensions emerging from the testimonies were identified and analysed. Three main categories were identified: "Evolution of Eponymic Terms", "Cultural Importance Granted by University Faculty" and "Key Use in the Teaching-Learning Process". The results highlighted the adaptation and familiarity with eponymic terms, their impact on professional identity and communication, and their value in education. Eponymic terms facilitate communication and teaching, creating a professional identity and reflecting technological and cultural changes in the Ecuadorian educational context.

Task-Based Language Teaching in Hospitality Training

This study aims to measure the effectiveness of implementing Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in improving the English language skills of Palembang Hospitality Job Training Institute (LPK) students who will intern at hotels. This research mainly focuses on the speaking and listening skills needed in direct interaction with foreign guests in the hotel environment. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through pre-tests and post-tests on 10 students. The results showed that the average pre-test score of students was 62.8, while the average post-test score increased to 86.1, with an average increase of 23.3 points. This increase shows that implementing TBLT effectively improves students' English proficiency, especially in the context of practical communication relevant to the hospitality industry. Students also reported increased confidence in using English after training due to a task-based learning approach that allowed them to practice in real-life situations. Although the results were positive, the study had some limitations, such as a limited sample size and a short duration of training. This study has implications that TBLT can be implemented more widely in other LPKs that focus on the hospitality sector, and it is recommended that follow-up research with a larger sample and longer training time be conducted to obtain more comprehensive results.

Overview of the Application of Situational Teaching Methods in the Teaching of Chinese as a Foreign Language

Situational law occupies a key position in the education of Chinese as a foreign language. This article has studied and sorted out the relevant materials in recent years, elaborated on the meaning, characteristics and its application and impact of Chinese as a foreign language teaching, and summarized some problems and corresponding solutions encountered by the current situational method in Chinese as a foreign language teaching, hoping to provide Chinese as a foreign language education. Workers bring clear understanding and reference.

Ethiopian EFL Students’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and the Factors Associated With It in Oral Communicative English Classes

Communication, particularly verbal communication, is central to the development of a desired competence in a second or foreign language. Approaches such as communicative language teaching (CLT) in second language acquisition emphasize practical use of the target language for effective learning/acquisition. However, despite the necessity of using a target language to learn it, it has been a common phenomenon to observe most learners exhibiting passiveness, reticence, and unwillingness to participate in oral communicative opportunities in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. This study therefore explored EFL students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in oral communicative English classes together with the factors underlying with it in the Ethiopian higher education context. To this end, primary quantitative data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 450 EFL students taking oral communicative English courses followed by qualitative data from a sample of fifteen students selected again randomly to triangulate the results from the quantitative data. The results revealed that the target students had in general a low level of WTC in oral communicative English classes, and their WTC was affected by both psychological and contextual factors such as self-confidence, motivation, personality, language learning orientation and classroom environments. The findings indicate that EFL students’ WTC is a crucial component to increase students’ participation in oral communicative English classes by raising their self-confidence, motivation and awareness of language learning orientations, coupled with facilitating the language learning environment. It is therefore suggested that WTC needs to be given special consideration while designing and preparing ELT materials, and during instructions as well.

Investigating EFL English-Majored Students’ Perceptions of Interactive Teaching Methods in Language Classes

This study investigates the perceptions of EFL English-major students at Nam Can Tho University regarding interactive teaching methods. Interactive methods, which include activities such as group work, discussions, role-playing, and peer feedback, are increasingly adopted in language education to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Grounded in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and sociocultural theory, the study explores both the benefits and challenges associated with these methods. A 20-item questionnaire, adapted from existing literature, was administered to 70 students to gather data on their experiences. The findings reveal that students recognize significant benefits of interactive methods, including increased motivation, improved language skills, and practical application of English. However, challenges such as difficulties in transitioning from traditional methods, staying focused due to distractions, managing group activities, addressing cultural influences, and ensuring equal participation were also identified. The study highlights the need for targeted support and professional development for educators, effective classroom management strategies, and culturally responsive teaching practices to enhance the effectiveness of interactive teaching methods. These insights contribute to the ongoing discourse on interactive teaching and offer practical recommendations for improving language instruction in EFL contexts.

L2 Learners’ Perspectives on Data-Driven Learning for Identifying Properties of Near-Synonymous Words: A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study

This study examines second language (L2) learners’ perspectives regarding the affordances and challenges of using the Data-Driven Learning (DDL) to identify the properties of near-synonymous words. Employing a convergent mixed-method design, this study deciphers the perceptions of 40 undergraduate L2 learners majoring in English language teaching. After an initial identification of the learners’ vocabulary levels, the experienced benefits and barriers associated with carrying out experiential tasks were elicited via questionnaire data and open-ended survey questions. Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were revealed and thematic analyses of the responses to the survey questions were documented. The results indicate that completing tasks through the corpus was found to enhance their knowledge of collocations. Integrating corpus tasks into YouGlish (an online practice tool for authentic spoken English in context) was found to increase their awareness of the contextual properties of words. The identification of condensed language exposure, lexical inference, and elicitation of flexible and context-specific patterns were reported to be beneficial. Acknowledging these benefits, gaining familiarity with the corpus interface, encountering limited access to search queries, and analyzing large amounts of concordance lines posed challenges for learners. This research presents the implementation of the DDL supported by experiential learning, contextually rich input, and inductive reasoning tasks in vocabulary learning by further offering instructional implications in L2 contexts.

Peer editing and writing proficiency: an experimental study in South Korean higher education

ABSTRACT Peer editing enhances critical thinking, improves student writing, ultimately leading to a more productive learning environment (Kostopoulou and O’Dwyer 2021; Lundstrom and Baker 2009, “To give is better than to receive: The benefits of peer review to the reviewer’s own writing.” Journal of Second Language Writing 18:30–43; Storch 2018, “Written corrective feedback from sociocultural theoretical perspectives: A research agenda.” Language Teaching 51 (02): 262–277; Yao et al. 2021, “How university EFL writers’ beliefs in writing ability impact their perceptions of peer assessment: Perspectives from implicit theories of intelligence.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 46 (1): 151–167). However, reservations toward peer feedback in a university EFL setting persist due to the accuracy of L2 feedback (Braine, 2003; Erdel 2023, “Student feedback literacy (SFL) profiles in an L2 writing classroom and the influence of peer feedback on the SFL features.” International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies 11 (3): 112–125.). This study utilized a pretest-posttest writing assessment to analyze differences in writing outcomes in an academic research writing course at two universities in Seoul, South Korea. The researchers also examined the accuracy of the L2 peer-editing feedback. The sampling consisted of five randomized classes of university undergraduates. Two control groups received feedback via the instructor and two experimental groups received peer-editing feedback. A fifth mixed group was divided between the control and experimental groups but within the same context. The instructors used both in-class and online feedback tools for the control and experimental groups. The analysis used Sengupta’s (1998, “Peer evaluation: ‘I am not the teacher’.” ELT Journal 52 (1): 19–28) revision taxonomy to assess peer feedback accuracy. Participants completed separate pretest and posttest writing assessments. One at the start of the semester (pretest) and one at the end (posttest). The researchers used a MANOVA to compare the pretest and posttest mean average assessment scores between the control and experimental groups. The results show that peer feedback matches the effectiveness of professor feedback for pretest/posttest scores. Researchers also assessed 156 peer-editing assignments for feedback accuracy. Peer editors demonstrated statistically significant accuracy. This study recommends using peer feedback for its benefits to L2 learners and instructors.

(Dis)empowering native speakers? Teachers’ perceptions in Malta

Abstract The article explores the perceptions of English language teachers in Malta with respect to native English-speaking teachers. It discusses the results of a small-scale study involving interviews with teachers working in a boutique English language school. Although the participants acknowledge English’s global significance, the idea of NS supremacy persists. Malta’s colonial heritage reinforces the authority belonging to the NS and influences teachers’ perceptions, with those participants hailing from former colonies struggling with how the NS/NNS dichotomy affected their self-perception. The study discusses the enduring power of the standard varieties possessing prestige, and how British colonialism still impacts teachers’ perceptions. It emphasizes the duty to oppose native-speakerism and promote teachers’ cultural diversity. Finally, the article underscores the necessity for further teacher professional development tailored to the changing Maltese multilingual context amid English’s transformation from the language of power to a lingua franca.