Studies have shown that raising L2 learners' metaphor awareness contributes to the acquisition of figurative language, which fosters students' development of language skills. However, the instruments measuring metaphor awareness, in the majority of relevant research, did not seem to have undergone proper methodological procedures for checking…

An increasing number of language testing companies are developing and deploying deep learning-based automated essay scoring systems (AES) to replace traditional approaches that rely on handcrafted feature extraction. However, there is hesitation to accept neural network approaches to automated essay scoring because the features are automatically…

This paper discusses the challenges of defining coherence in the context of oral language assessment literacy and proposes that better understanding of the construct can be achieved through a systemic-functional linguistic lens. Coherence is taken to be a foundational quality of written and spoken discourse and is a standard feature in the…

Learner autonomy has been considered an essential goal of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. This capacity empowers students to actively engage in learning activities and gives them greater control over their learning environment. Existing research on learner autonomy has proposed six conceptual models, yet these frameworks have…

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a high-stakes exam where Writing Task 2 significantly influences the overall scores, requiring reliable evaluation. While trained human raters perform this task, concerns about subjectivity and inconsistency have led to growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI)-based assessment…

This experimental study explores how source use features impact raters' judgment of argumentation in a second language (L2) integrated writing test. One hundred four experienced and novice raters were recruited to complete a rating task that simulated the scoring assignment of a local English Placement Test (EPT). Sixty written responses were…

This study introduces the "ChatGPT Usage Scale for Foreign Language Learners," designed to evaluate the usage of AI chatbots in language learning. The scale was developed based on a comprehensive literature review and expert evaluations, ensuring a strong theoretical foundation and content validity. It comprises three sub-dimensions…

Learner autonomy has received growing interest from researchers and educators since the 1980s. Autonomous learners are supposed to monitor their progress and assess their performance. The present study investigated the effects of learner factors on the scorer reliability of self- and peer-assessment of EFL (English as foreign language) writing…

This technical manual describes the purpose and intended uses of the TOEFL iBT test, its target test-taker population, and relevant language use domains. The test design and scoring procedures are presented first, followed by a research agenda intended to support the interpretation and use of test scores. Given the updates to the test starting…

This study investigates the impact of customer willingness to communicate in a second language on the development of employee language skills, with employee oral communication aspiration as a mediator. Additionally, it explores the moderating roles of customer retention management and consumer brand relationship quality in these relationships. The…

This study investigated the role of ChatGPT4o as an AI peer assessor in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) speaking classrooms, with a focus on its scoring reliability and the effectiveness of its feedback. The research involved 40 first-year English major students from two parallel classes at a Chinese university. Twenty from one class served as…

This study investigated the differences between the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer (OPIc) among Spanish learners at a U.S. university. Participants (N = 154) were randomly assigned to take both tests in a counterbalanced order to mitigate test order effects. Data were analyzed using an…

The current paper intends to exploit the Many Facet Rasch Model to investigate and compare the impact of situations (items) and raters on test takers' performance on the Written Discourse Completion Test (WDCT) and Discourse Self-Assessment Tests (DSAT). In this study, the participants were 110 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at…

This study investigates the validity and reliability of generative large language models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT and Google's Bard, in grading student essays in higher education based on an analytical grading rubric. A total of 15 experienced English as a foreign language (EFL) instructors and two LLMs were asked to evaluate three student…

Comparative Judgement (CJ) is an evaluation method, typically conducted online, whereby a rank order is constructed, and scores calculated, from judges' pairwise comparisons of performances. CJ has been researched in various educational contexts, though only rarely in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing settings, and is generally agreed to…