Many learners of English as a foreign language often feel that learning spoken English is frustrating and quite difficult, especially when they have to talk to English-speaking foreigners. In general, because they are unfamiliar with the spoken mode of English and are worried about making grammatical errors, they often feel very scared to speak…

While writing has evolved away from the conventional method of using pens and paper in favor of digital tools (Li et al., 2019), English teachers continue to face difficulties in teaching writing. This study shows how mind-mapping and the program, Writeabout, can be merged for online writing classes in English for Specific Purposes (ESP)…

This study investigates the effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) speaker as a device used for interactions in a foreign language (L2), and a tracking eye installed on the speaker to reduce L2 anxiety. L2 anxiety is an urgent issue since the anxiety derived from a fear of being judged, being negatively evaluated, or being rejected by…

This is a longitudinal case study using a mixed-methods research design to track how two Korean university students improved their English writing competence over one year with the aid of automated writing evaluation (AWE) program, Criterion. The participants wrote essays outside of class every month for one year, submitting first and later second…

For many people, mobile phones are a part of modern life. Although the purpose of this technology revolves around language and communication, its application to language learning still appears to be underutilized. This is changing, as the widespread use of this handheld technology offers numerous opportunities to use functions that are ideal for…

A strong relationship between L2 vocabulary knowledge and L2 reading and listening comprehension is well established. However, less research has been conducted to explore correlations between pedagogic interventions to increase vocabulary knowledge and score gains on standardized L2 proficiency tests. This study addresses this gap in the research…

In 2014, the University of Aizu was accepted for participation in Japan's national TOP Global University (TGU) initiative. In this paper, we describe our use of video interviewing to prepare Japanese students for our Global Experience Gateway study abroad TGU project. Our university specializes in computer science education at undergraduate and…

The error-correction program "Criterion" provides students with an immediate essay feedback using tools that can analyze and review writing automatically. This feedback covers grammar, usage, mechanics, style, organization, and development. With its diagnostic tools for scoring essays and offering relevant feedback, the error-correction…