This forum examines issues of intercultural competence and language education, discussing the extent to which language courses provide students with intercultural competence and the extent to which intercultural competence and language skills are, or should be, linked. With language education in the West in inarguable decline, the authors face the…

Language teacher identity (LTI) has been a significant and growing field of research in English language teaching (ELT) circles for some time, and the increasing pressure on English language teachers working in higher education to develop researcher identities is well acknowledged (Yuan, 2017). However, the importance of language teachers'…

In a unique learning context, language-positive environments outside the classroom, not enclosed instruction on U.S. campuses, education abroad foreign language instructors develop distinct teaching practices. Education abroad researchers have accounted for informal learning opportunities, yet few have attended to onsite language instruction. This…

A comprehensive needs analysis is crucial to guide the design and teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. However, a number of studies neglect certain elements of needs analysis, which can result in problems in subsequent stages of ESP teaching. This mixed-method study aimed to identify the problems that higher education ESP…

The burgeoning interest in integrating technology into language education has necessitated language teachers to enhance their competencies and literacies. Consequently, a pressing need arises for a framework tailored to meet teachers' evolving requirements. To address this imperative, I conducted two studies within two distinct teaching contexts.…

Higher education has undergone important shifts over the past two decades, with U.S. universities placing more emphasis on career readiness and internships becoming an integral part of academia (National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE], 2021). Moreover, the student population in U.S. universities has become more diverse (National…

Higher education consists of a wide array of education programs, some of which closely involve both domestic politics and issues that transcend national boundaries. This paper explores a controversial and highly contested higher education program that is shaped by a post-conflict affected context and transnational politics. Based on the case study…

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on English for Specific Purposes (ESP) within China's higher education language programs. However, the shift towards ESP presents a multifaceted challenge, particularly for business English teaching at higher education, where speaking proficiency is crucial yet often falls below…

The decline in foreign language learners in tertiary education is a concern in many countries. While factors influencing students' persistence in second language learning have been explored, there has been limited discussion on the potential of language programmes that develop students' self-formation alongside language learning. This study aimed…

The recent trend of the internationalization of higher education has increased the significance of English as a medium of instruction and communication on campus in non-English speaking countries. Within this context, this study explores emotional vulnerability of teachers of Korean as a second language (KSL) over their foreign language…

Transformative learning has been widely used in the field of adult education for over twenty years, but until recently has received little attention in the field of world languages. Drawing on best practices and the research of distinguished international world language experts, this volume provides theoretical and classroom-tested models of…

Among the barriers facing refugee-background students (RBS) in accessing Higher Education (HE) in the UK is reaching the required academic English standard, and accessing courses to support them with this (Ashlee & Gladwell 2020: 13). In response to these barriers, the Universities of Leicester and Leeds (both in the UK) have developed the…

Language builds social and economic connections within countries as the most effective communication tool. It has the potential to introduce new opportunities and helps the speakers become world citizens. Although second language teaching focuses more on early education in many countries, it is still crucial for university students to acquire a…

Internationalization at institutions of higher education in the United States results in greater linguistic diversity of the student body. Admission policies for international students include English proficiency standards which are meant to ensure that multilingual students for whom English is an additional language can function linguistically in…

The state of language education in Australia has long been described as paradoxical. Oscillating between periods of increased attention and seeming invisibility, over the last thirty years, the language learning sector has been punctuated by a succession of aspirational declarations and funding injections with little long-term impact on its…