This article conveys one practitioner's career-long journey related to teaching reading. The author gained valuable information from relevant research reports regarding the keys to effective reading instruction and has learned even more while implementing a systematic approach to teaching reading as a volunteer tutor.

Extensive reading is an approach to language learning that encourages learners to read a large quantity of easy reading material. A substantial body of research confirms the effectiveness of this approach for developing proficiency in both first (L1) and second (L2) languages. This paper explains what extensive reading is, why it is important, and…

Engagement in extensive reading (ER) on the internet provides learners with unparalleled access to diverse digital resources, positioning online extensive reading (OER) as a transformative extension of traditional ER practices. OER combines the principles of ER with the affordances of modern technology, offering interactivity, multimedia features,…

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) benefits from undeniable steps forward such as the use of authentic materials, real communicative contexts and the ubiquity of learning. However, to discriminate the quality of digital resources for autonomous language learning from a critical perspective is not an easy task due to its diversity. This…

Open Educational Resources (OER) aim to provide equal access to education. Yet, as the language level used in OER presents a barrier to many learners, there is a need to make these resources more comprehensible. This study combined eye-tracking methodology and comprehension assessment to explore the effect of text simplification on English second…

This article introduces the structure and content of an online learning platform called "SMART Teacher Lab" (STL, henceforth) implemented at the authors' university since 2014. "STL" is an online platform specifically built for the professional development of pre- and in-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers,…

In this article, the authors describe the redesign of a first-semester Spanish course at the United States Air Force Academy due to the COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent transition from traditional, face-to-face instruction to fully online language teaching during the fall of 2020. More than 200 learners were enrolled across 11 course sections…

This case study addresses the language-culture divide contributing to curricular bifurcation in many collegiate language departments and presents a lesson plan to help language instructors bridge the gap. The lesson on public transportation is designed for first-semester second language (L2) German students and focuses on a guided reading of a…

A need exists to facilitate social as well as communal constructivism while fostering self-directed learning in language classrooms at university level. In this regard, videos can be used as a means to motivate students to critically interact with content and to engage collaboratively with new technologies. Furthermore, it is important to consider…

Using open educational resources (OER) in post-secondary settings has shown to reduce costs for students, advance accessibility and equity, generate motivation, boost enrollment, and improve academic outcomes. This article details innovative coursework and assessment tools for a Spanish for the Professions course designed around OER content…

Despite a rapid growth of Open Educational Resource (OER) availability, Thoms and Thoms (2014) note that few empirical studies examine the impact of OERs on foreign language learning and teaching. This paper presents an action research study investigating the embedding of selected components of DigiLanguages, an OER for Digital Literacies (DLs)…

The pandemic in 2020 has profoundly impacted millions of people all around the world. We have experienced intense disruption in our daily lives. We have lost loved ones, jobs, motivation, and precious time that could have been used more productively. The pandemic did not distinguish between borders, race, or gender. It affected everyone but not…

This small-scale pilot study enquired into the Open Educational Practices (OEPs) that freelance English language teachers in Switzerland are engaging in and the role these played in their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Participants are members of a teaching association and work in adult education. Freelancers are often faced with…

This activity report describes a sample unit (Effective Data Presentation) from a communication course prepared as part of an Intellectual Output within the BADGE Project, which was carried out by 12 partner universities from 10 countries during 3 academic years (2019-2022). The article first describes the results of a survey which show that…

Although open educational resources (OERs) can help bridge high school-university vocabulary gaps, central questions remain unanswered regarding effective design that enables students to go beyond the "small chunks" that typically characterize vocabulary learning in mobile learning environments (MLEs). This bi-national study adopted a…