While psychologists often use a combination of physiological and self-reported data to examine the dynamic effects of stress on performance, the impact of affective states on Foreign Language (FL) speaking performance has almost exclusively been assessed using self-report methodology (e.g., questionnaires, interviews). In fact, studies that…

Professional and academic communication is changing rapidly due to the evolution of new technologies. In the context of language teaching, this scenario offers possibilities for genre innovation (Hafner & Miller, 2018) while also encouraging teachers' reflection on how to best prepare students for effective communication. To this end, it has…

Public speaking, especially in a foreign language, is associated with increased anxiety. Research has shown the potential of virtual reality (VR) for simulating real-life experiences, allowing for public speaking practice in an ecological and safe environment. This between-subjects study investigated the effect of VR on foreign language anxiety…

The assessment of English speaking in EFL environments can be inherently subjective and influenced by various factors beyond linguistic ability, including choice of assessment criteria, and even the rubric type. In classroom assessment, the type of rubric recommended for English speaking tasks is the analytical rubric. Driven by three aims, this…

Learners' anxiety has drawn widespread attention in the field of second language/foreign language (L2/FL) teaching and learning (e.g. classroom anxiety, communication (with foreigners) anxiety, and anxiety associated with the four macro-skills, namely listening, reading, speaking, and writing). However, this topic is under-explored in L2/FL public…

By utilizing a massive corpus of textual data, large language models can generate unique human-like outputs to questions and interact with users in a natural conversational way. ChatGPT is one such platform, and since it emerged into the public consciousness in November 2022, it has generated both excitement and concern among educators. A growing…

Persuasiveness in oral communication in English can be expressed with various vocal phonetic cues that may not be readily accessible to English second language (L2) learners whose native language may employ a different set of cues. With a goal to increase L2 learners' perceived spoken confidence and persuasiveness, and obtain empirical evidence…

Traditional English education in China, with its emphasis on grammatical proficiency and written accuracy, often neglects public speaking, resulting in a notable deficiency in practical language application. This study investigated the potential of project-based learning to address this problem by promoting more interactive, student-centered…

An oral presentation is an essential skill for successful academic and professional careers. Trainees' attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs about oral presentation play significant roles in their oral presentation development in a foreign language context. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore TEFL trainees' attitudes to and self-efficacy…

Blended learning environments appear in many forms and include a variety of models with differing instructional resources. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are one of the primary asynchronous learning management systems used to teach the English language. This study's objectives were to identify student learning achievement in a blended…

This research investigates the enhancement of English public speaking skills among Thai EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students through imitating TED Talks videos. By applying Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Krashen's Input Hypothesis, the study integrates authentic materials for effective learning. A mixed methods approach,…

Anxiety in spoken English is a common topic in ELT research. However, little is discussed in the literature regarding anxiety in English public speaking particularly in a very awaited yet the most thrilling event called a Thesis Defence Examination (TDE). Therefore, this study aims at investigating postgraduate students' anxiety in facing TDE at…

Rhetoric plays an important role in helping information technology (IT) professionals communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. By employing rhetorical devices when speaking about technology topics, IT professionals can present logical and convincing arguments, and demonstrate their knowledge and expertise while engaging the audience and…

This dissertation examines heritage language learners of Spanish enrolled in university Spanish courses, focusing on their strategic use of suprasegmental speech features in two speaking tasks. The research investigates attitudes' influence on heritage language learners' speech production in different task types. Participants engaged in two…

This study aims to investigate preservice English teachers' motivations for choosing the teaching career, and their student burnout levels. The correlation between these variables, and the participants' perspectives about student burnout reasons in English Language Teaching departments were examined. The sample consisted of 466 preservice English…