The papers in this special issue provide support for continued scrutiny of interactional competence (IC) as an important component of the speaking construct. The contributions underscore the complex nature of IC and remind us of the multiple factors that affect any construct definition. At the same time, each study offers insights into those…

Culture, language, and learning strategies form a grand tapestry, which is this article's theme. The authors explain each part of the tapestry, provide ideas for teaching all parts in a smoothly united way, and explore key cultural issues (i.e., cognitive flexibility, ethnocultural empathy, intercultural understanding, and needs of intercultural…

This paper offers a retrospective narrative review of research on L2 writing strategies and a prospective discussion of potential theoretical and pedagogical relevant lines of inquiry to be explored in future research agendas. The retrospective analysis will synthesize the main trends observed in the conceptualization of writing strategies as well…

Purpose: This exploratory study investigates the development of oral narrative retell proficiency among Spanish-English emergent bilingual children longitudinally from kindergarten to second grade in Spanish and English as they learned literacy in the 2 languages concurrently. Method: Oral narrative retell assessments were conducted with children…

A short review of first- and second-year German instructional material in the U.S. shows that, by design, cultural competence is either frequently conveyed in isolation from other language skills, or culture topics are approached merely in a utilitarian way to test comprehension or practice grammar. The contribution at hand presents a multi-modal,…

Music is universally pleasurable and important, and no known society is without it. Flutes have been found around the campfire in Neanderthal cave sites in artifacts that date back 53,000 years (Leutwyler 2001). Young adults in particular listen to music almost nonstop, and their playlists form an important part of their identities. It only makes…

Benefits of the study-abroad (SA) experience have been reported in many studies. However, most prior studies on EFL students' SA experiences track students in relatively short ESL programs during school vacation months. In addition, EFL learners' SA experiences in non-English-speaking countries, where English is not the L1, remain underexplored.…

The paper shares some insights of the ideas in giving the response to literature for the students and the teachers in EFL/ESL classrooms. Understanding and appreciating a piece of literature is determined by how one can convey the concepts and words to new situations. During this process, several types of interaction happen: interaction between…

Since 1997, "Language Teaching Research" (LTR) has published hundreds of research articles, most of which have reported on empirical studies whose broad purpose was to increase understanding on how second or foreign language teaching can be improved. These articles, as a collective whole, can be viewed as an artifact of the research…

In many environments in which foreign languages (FL) are taught, the emergent bilingual status of FL learners is often overlooked. The dominant monolingual language pedagogies of conventional FL classrooms do not fundamentally recognise the natural interaction of the first language (L1) and second language (L2) in the learners' minds. Although the…

While it is common knowledge that language shapes how we think about gender and sexual identity there is no standard educational practice to create awareness about the place of sexual and gender diversity in the context of language learning. This article draws on queer pedagogy and queer theory to devise teaching practices that acknowledge queer…

Home and English language learning is essential for young DLLs with disabilities. Early educators as well as parents and other caregivers can implement promising strategies to support home and second language development for young children who are DLLs. This article reviews the importance of adult (e.g., teacher, parent) feedback and language…

Language testing is an integral part of teaching and learning, yet most language faculty do not receive adequate training for developing tests (Taylor, [Taylor, L., 2009]). Most have advanced degrees in literary and cultural studies in the target language but often have insufficient training in pedagogy and assessment. This shortcoming is alarming…

The development of intercultural communicative competence in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) education in many countries is still a difficult goal to achieve. EFL teachers and learners require more tangible and concrete methodological approaches to foster this important competence in the classroom. Therefore, this reflection article aims at…

Research has been conducted on the detrimental effects of using a foreign language for learning in Tanzania's secondary schools. While most studies recommend the use of a familiar language for instruction, the use of a foreign language in secondary education in Tanzania has been maintained. This has many consequences on the quality of education,…