Entrance to prestigious four-year colleges in South Korea depends heavily on secondary school curricula and scoring high enough on the university entrance exam known as the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). The current national policy has elevated English to the same level of importance as math and Korean on the CSAT. Private English…

This paper examined to what extent causal explanation speaking tasks (CESTs) are cognitively appropriate for assessing young language learners' (YLLs) L2 speaking. Ninety-six YLLs (48 from Grade 4 and 6 each) in China performed two CESTs in both L1 (Chinese) and L2 (English). They also completed receptive and productive L2 vocabulary size tests.…

This paper proposes a tripartite model describing the lexical categories across different registers and levels of formality in the Cantonese language in contemporary Hong Kong: (1) native Cantonese words; (2) Sino-Cantonese words, and (3) Anglo-Cantonese words. Examples of authentic Cantonese use were used to illustrate the histories and etymology…

This study investigated primary teachers' knowledge of pronunciation instruction, and its manifestation in classroom practices in Korean EFL contexts. To this end, the questionnaire data collected from 47 teachers were quantitatively analyzed. The emerging themes from 5 teachers' interviews were qualitatively analyzed, based on content analysis.…

In many English language teaching contexts, listening activities resemble listening comprehension tests. Scholars have argued that this product-oriented approach is not particularly effective in helping learners improve their listening skills and have advocated for the inclusion of instruction that targets specific features of spoken language. The…

The present study investigates the multiple constraints on the processing of English dative alternation by Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners. The intermediate and advanced learners completed an acceptability judgment task which was composed of 30 dative alternations selected from a spoken corpus. The results showed that the…

Intellectual engagement is essential for international students' academic success. However, academic speaking challenges associated with communicative language anxiety and inadequate prior learning experience could impede students' academic communication abilities in foreign universities. Thus, students adopt academic speaking strategies to tackle…

Building on Success, was the second phase of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP). The programme, funded by the Department of Education and delivered by Education Development Trust with key subject specialist partners, was aimed at improving practitioners' understanding and skills in supporting the development of the most…

The present study analyses 3- to 6-year-old children's dialect-standard repertoires in an Austrian-Bavarian sociolinguistic setting and investigates how far individual repertoires can be explained by input and sociodemographic factors. Adults' linguistic repertoires in the area typically comprise a certain spectrum on the dialect-standard…

This paper presents IdiomsTube (https://www.idiomstube.com), the first-ever computer-assisted language learning tool for facilitating the learning of English idiomatic expressions from YouTube videos. The web-based tool is designed to automatically (1) assess the speech rate and lexical difficulty level of any learner-chosen English-captioned…

This paper compares the speaking scores generated by two online systems that are designed to automatically grade student speech and provide personalized speaking feedback in an EFL context. The first system, "Speech Assessment for Moodle" ("SAM"), is an open-source solution developed by the author that makes use of Google's…

Being able to speak or communicate orally is an ultimate goal for most English language learners. Thus, teaching speaking is a main component of the curriculum in most communicative-based English language classrooms. However, teachers struggle to teach speaking in English language classrooms. Two main reasons contribute to this struggle:…

Globalization in the banking industry has demonstrated one of the most significant necessities of today, English for Specific Purposes (ESP)-based curricula. ESP drives contemporary organizations to communicate effectively with customers, suppliers, and competitors across geographical boundaries. Therefore, it is imperative to examine learners'…

Representations of bilingualism and foreign cultures on American television merit investigation. This case study examines one fictionalized show focusing on international cooperation. CBS's Madam Secretary (2014-2019) showcased American diplomats managing international crises. Analyzing all episodes across four seasons, this study examines the…

The article raises the topical issue of teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language to Arab students. Representatives of the Arab world have specific features in behavior, attitude to the organization of the educational process associated with cultural traditions, and upbringing. The Ukrainian system of higher education offers high-quality training.…