The current study was set to explore the influence of the first (L1) and second (L2) language group discussions on L2 reading comprehension. It also explored two sub-elements that were considered vital to L2 reading comprehension: (a) text genre recognition and (b) character and author's intention and perspective. Participants were 21 college…

While several studies support the appropriateness of tasks delivered through Spoken Dialog Systems (SDSs) for L2 oral communication assessment, few studies have explored the construct of interactional competence (IC) as measured by such tasks. This study aims to address this gap in the literature by investigating the use of IC features by high-…

Working with peers in small groups is conducive to learning, and collaborative learning has been widely adopted in second language classrooms. Leadership, defined as the initiative taken to influence others in a group, plays a significant role in successful teamwork, but has not received due attention in research on collaborative peer work. To…

In many higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world, one of the popular English oral assessments for ESL learners is group discussion. In group discussions, it is vital that they have the ability to manage topics in a discussion by knowing how to initiate a topic, expand on the topic, seamlessly shift from one topic to another as well as…

This study investigated how students' self-reported individual differences predicted second language (L2) spoken discussion task output, an objective behavioral outcome, in the Japanese university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Although numerous psychological theories are used as a rationale for task-based language teaching (TBLT),…

We propose a novel method for repurposing online course discussion posts to explore educators' language ideologies. Drawing on asynchronous discussion posts from a subset of 30 educators enrolled in an online, masters-level, sociolinguistics-for-educators course at a US Southwest university, we "smooth" posts into a dialogue resembling a…

Providing foreign language students with opportunities to engage in meaningful and purposeful communication and culturally authentic interaction with peers and native speakers is critical to successful second language acquisition and the development of intercultural competence . This paper describes research that investigated how selected native…

This article explores how soccer can be used as a lens to teach about German history, culture, and society. I outline three sample modules for an advanced German course at the high school or college level: The first module focuses on soccer in German history, the second on sexism and LGBTQ-related topics in soccer, and the third on soccer and…

Flexible learning in this pandemic combines a specific percentage of synchronous and asynchronous sessions. In this research, the adoption of Zoom as a discussion platform tool in teaching communicative English skills to tertiary education students in a public HEI is discussed; based on the Leapfrog Principle. The study investigated the…

Effective employment of information and communication technology (ICT) in foreign language teaching and learning has become imperative as a means to support second language development when traditional face-to-face instruction and interaction is not possible. Using a design-based research approach and a theoretical framework that integrates…

This study contributes to research on the doctoral experience of international students who are parents, and for whom the temporary experience of living elsewhere is both a challenge and a resource for all members of the family. The study investigated how a group of these students positioned themselves to their children's English and home language…

Despite progress in recent years, Japanese classrooms continue to present challenges for educators seeking to promote language learner autonomy. Adopting an action research/case study design, the present study explored how, in a 5-week student-led project, an intact group of learners could contribute to the development of their own autonomy. Data…

Feedback plays a pivotal role in the development of foreign language writing skills, and within the scope of the new paradigm of feedback, the active role of learners in feedback processes has been acknowledged with the conceptualization of student feedback literacy (SFL). This paper reports on a qualitative inquiry into the SFL profiles of a…

The fusion of education with the digital world is still a developing and crucial phenomenon, especially in light of the growth of metaverse applications and the lingering effects of pandemic-induced educational changes. Learning about the efficacy of platforms like Gather.town becomes increasingly important in this situation. This study explores…

This article examines linguaculturally diverse university students' affective translingual practices of using emojis and languages in computer-mediated communication. Research studies have investigated the sociopragmatic uses of emojis from the perspectives of social semiotics, language socialisation, and translingual practices. This study expands…