Various pedagogical strategies promote the development of communication skills that enable graduates to leave their mark and make positive changes in society. This article focuses on instructional lessons learned from undergraduate student perspectives of the pedagogy of the lightning talk, a three-minute oral presentation delivered without the…

The use of grades as an extrinsic motivator in formal schooling has been demonstrated in previous research to have negative implications for students' learning and mental health. This subject matter has been particularly absent from the research literature in Vietnam, where the obsession with grades is self-evident. The present study aims to…

Reflection journal writing is recognized as an effective learning activity in facilitating learners' self-regulative skills and abilities and their academic performance in the literature. It is evident that self-regulation is of vital importance in learning. Hence, this study aims to investigate self-reflective journal writing on university…

Communication Apprehension (CA) is a pervasive challenge that significantly affects students, particularly those pursuing higher education in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. This study serves a threefold purpose: (1) to quantify and compare the levels of CA experienced by students across different EFL educational levels, (2) to…

This study investigated phase transitions in EFL students' speech fluency development using a complex dynamic systems perspective. Two students with different proficiency levels were selected from an intact speaking class. These students learned and practiced specific strategies to improve their speech fluency. Phase transitions were analyzed…

This study aimed to evaluate whether or not students engage in self-help behavior when they encounter difficulties during their presentations. The participants were second year EFL college trainees; the data were obtained from their classroom presentations. The audio recorded data has been transcribed, coded, and categorized into quantitative and…

The current era of globalization and emergence of English as an international language (EIL) has brought about new opportunities for L2 pragmatic learning and teaching. The common view of pragmatic learning as an approximation to native-likeness is changing towards conceiving pragmatic ability as a tool to interact with people of different…

Research proved that anxiety plays an essential role in foreign language speaking, especially when it comes to speaking in front of others. Learners in the department of English always show a negative attitude in speaking presentations and tasks in full view of people. The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors that contribute to…

The use of peer-assisted learning/mentoring (PALM) and translanguaging (TRL) as inclusive learning strategies to support students' transition into Higher Education and enhance their wellbeing in the post-Covid era has not been widely explored. Lecturers express their deep concern about the mental health issues and lack of confidence an increasing…

A study examined grades on speech assignments in a college public speaking course as a function of students' preferred learning strategies and expressed learning motives. Subjects, 112 undergraduate students enrolled in the basic public speaking course, had their levels of communication apprehension and motives for learning measured early in the…

The public speaking course has been around for a long time but, while there have been changes, the heart of the course remains intact. The many skills and sensitivities instructors try to cultivate in their students come together in three fundamental metaphors that may reflect deep tendencies in what is taught. In the first metaphor, student as…

This paper begins by pointing out that approximately 15-20% of college students suffer from a fear of public speaking, and that a 1993 study of 369 students at Northern Kentucky University revealed high levels of speech apprehension (SA) at the beginning of the semester in the introductory speech course. The paper reports that although…