A prerequisite for learning is that instructions and other learning activities take place in a language that you understand. This may seem self-evident, but fact remains that most learners in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are taught in a European second language (L2) that they are unfamiliar with. Frequently, the role of the home languages in the…

Learners of mathematics who are linguistically disadvantaged for a variety of reasons, including impoverished socioeconomic status, continue to be educationally disadvantaged and at considerable risk of school failure and early dropout. This is the case in many parts of the world. While much has been researched on linguistically disadvantaged…

This book explores the reasons why adult ESL learners drop out of their language classes and suggests explicit strategies for keeping students engaged. The most effective strategies may be personal rather than technical or curricular. Based on a study of a group of Mexican immigrants to the US, the author proposes that "superación" or…

This study examined the differential experience and educational outcomes among two English Language Learning (ELL) student cohorts, namely holders of a high school diploma and individuals who did not complete high school. Our analysis of 39 interviews with ELL respondents demonstrated that premigration experience; personal qualities; interactions…

The current longitudinal case study investigated emotional and motivational states in a self-directed and mobile-assisted language learning environment. The participant of the study was a highly motivated language learner who used the Busuu application for a period of one year to learn German. Tracing the participant's emotional and motivational…

Studies with an explicit focus on dropouts in blended language learning (BLL) are rare and non-existent in the Asian context. This study replicates the early qualitative interview study by Stracke (2007), who explored why foreign language learners drop out of a BLL class. While the 2007 study was carried out in the German higher education context,…

Migration and war are painful events that impact human existence. Due to the unfavourable circumstances in Syria, many Syrians have been forced to relocate to Türkiye. Türkiye has welcomed more than 3.5 million people from Syria, rising to the top spot among countries hosting Syrian refugees globally. One of the groups most impacted by migration…

Despite their popularity, there remains a challenge as to how success should be measured in Language MOOCs. Although traditional metrics such as completion rates have often been adopted, they have failed to take into account the fact that learners enroll in LMOOCs with different learning goals. This study examined how success is perceived in an…

This qualitative study captured the reflections of 53 English language teachers from 40 different contexts including Bangladesh, Colombia, France, India, Scotland, Taiwan, Türkiye and the United Kingdom on teaching English during the times of COVID-19 and its post-effects on their practices. Data were collected through an online form consisting of…

This article provides evidence of critical factors of student retention in Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs). The study used multiple sources: tracked retention data (n=43,000), survey data in correlation with tracking data (n=400), and qualitative data (174 informants) from a survey (Friðriksdóttir, 2018, 2021a, 2021b). The data came…

Teenagers coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds are at a disadvantage when they are accepted to study at an EMI university in terms of their foreign language readiness. Thus, most of them cannot persist in their endeavor and drop out of university. In this mixed-methods design study, we implemented the Technology Enhanced Active Learning Model…

Latinx students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE; ages 18-20), not enrolled in school, often do not fully employ mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) strategies to acquire English and may experience barriers to using MALL strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore what MALL strategies Latinx SLIFE (ages 18-20), not…

This qualitative research study used Tinto's Theory of Social Integration and Retention to investigate the elements that influence Yemeni students' retention and attrition at U.S. higher education institutions in the Northern California. Eight college students were interviewed and seven stakeholders of the students (i.e., parents, high school…

Focusing on five initially committed learners of Chinese who decide to quit the language during their college freshman year, this study is a critique of the institutional structure that disengages foreign language education in American postsecondary schools. The findings reveal three structural issues that may contribute to the declining…

The purpose of the study was to address the Adult TESOL leadership concern of insecure grant funding. It focused on two key performance indicators: Student retention and academic skill level gains. Students dropping out of the program and scoring poorly on assessments are an ongoing concern for leadership. The study used an intervention and…