This study investigates the most common reasons Jordanian users adopt nicknames on social media, focusing on the influence of three key factors: psychological, social and privacy. It also explores how nickname use relates to users' educational background, examines whether cultural differences exist between Jordanians and non-Jordanians, and identifies any significant gender differences in this practice. Data were collected through a Google Form questionnaire completed by 150 participants, comprising 100 Jordanians and 50 non-Jordanian social media users. These participants were drawn from two universities and two secondary schools in Jordan using a non-probability purposive sampling procedure. The results showed that privacy and security recorded the highest mean and percentage among Jordanian users, suggesting these concerns are the dominant motivation. School students were more motivated to use nicknames than university students, indicating that age and educational level shape this behaviour. Cultural factors also played a role, with non-Jordanian users scoring higher than Jordanian users. In terms of gender, male users scored higher than female users. The findings suggest that nickname use on social media is a pervasive phenomenon, with several reasons working in tandem.
This study investigates the moment-to-moment fluctuations in Willingness to Communicate (WTC) among Malaysian ESL undergraduates during small-group speaking tasks. Six English major students were divided into two groups of three, and each group completed a guided discussion. Afterwards, the participants carried out video-based self-ratings using the Idiodynamic Software, followed by stimulated recall interviews. The findings show that learners’ WTC did not progress steadily but shifted sharply within the same interaction as they responded to real-time conversational conditions. WTC increased when learners discussed familiar or personally meaningful topics, received supportive peer responses, or perceived a communicative purpose such as persuading or maintaining conversational flow. In contrast, WTC declined when learners lacked topic knowledge, stepped back to allow others to speak, or experienced brief insecurity or idea exhaustion. These rapid shifts, occurring within seconds, indicate that WTC operates as a real-time state shaped by immediate emotional and situational cues rather than fixed personal traits. The study contributes to Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST)-informed WTC research and demonstrates the value of the idiodynamic method for capturing micro-level communicative behaviour. Pedagogically, the findings highlight the importance of context-sensitive and emotionally attuned classroom practices that can support learners’ willingness to participate in L2 communication.
This study investigated Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies in promoting English language learning from the perspective of Chinese university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. The study had a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. A questionnaire was used to gather data from 1,601 EFL students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 participants. The results showed that Chinese university EFL students rarely saw their teachers performing AfL strategies in the classroom and that the AfL strategies were slightly important in promoting English language learning. There was a positive relationship between how students perceived their teachers to perform AfL strategies and what these students perceived to be essential in promoting English language learning. This shows that students did not observe these strategies in practice, which may explain why they undervalued their importance.
This study examines translanguaging practices and their impact on student gratitude, mindset, and cognition in Southern Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. A survey was conducted with 565 secondary and high school students from private Islamic and public schools in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, where Pattani Malay (Yawi) is widely spoken. Findings show that strategic use of translanguaging significantly enhances student gratitude, confidence, and classroom engagement. Using both students’ first language and English helped clarify concepts and increase participation. While students generally displayed a growth mindset and motivation through peer success, public failure persisted, indicating a need for more supportive learning environments. The study highlights the benefits of asset-based, multilingual approaches and recommends policy reform, teacher training, and bilingual learning materials to better support multilingual learners in Thailand.
Assessment in teacher education has become increasingly learner-centred, and it is now dedicated to reflection and autonomy of preservice teachers. This study investigated the process of self-assessment among preservice teachers of English education in South Korea in the framework of requirements of academic courses and preparations to take the national teacher certification exam. The study employed qualitative thematic analysis based on reflection notes and semi-structured interviews with nine participants. The findings revealed that self-assessment functions in three mutually dependent dimensions in a way that: 1) facilitates professional competence in exam preparation, 2) facilitates metacognitive monitoring of learning, and 3) contributes to the construction of teacher identity. These dimensions identify self-assessment as one of the tools of academic preparedness and a professional development and identity construction process. This study suggests that teacher education programmes should integrate structured self-assessment activities into coursework and teacher certification preparation programmes to promote preservice teachers’ metacognitive awareness, reflective practice, and professional identity formation. The findings also imply that teacher education curricula in South Korea should balance examination-oriented preparation with reflective and identity-based pedagogical training so that preservice teachers can develop academic competence and sustainable professional self-awareness.
Mastering academic vocabulary is crucial for post-secondary English as a Second Language (ESL) learners as academic language plays a key role in their academic success. However, many Malaysian ESL learners struggle to acquire and use academic vocabulary effectively, often due to the limitations of traditional instructional approaches. This study examines the effect of a web-based learning resource on the learning of academic vocabulary among 33 pre-university ESL learners from a Centre of Foundation Studies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A one-group pre-test post-test research design was employed over an eight-week intervention programme. Results, analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, revealed an improvement that was statistically significant in academic vocabulary scores (z = -4.25, p < 0.005) with a large effect size (r = 0.52). Key features of the web-based resource, which include sentence-writing activities, explicit instruction, and a flexible learning environment, have likely contributed to these outcomes. This study showcases the potential effectiveness of web-based learning tools in enhancing the learning of academic vocabulary among post-secondary ESL students by offering engaging and interactive learning opportunities.
Many EFL educators have reported difficulties in keeping learners engaged in task-based interaction. A factor identified as a challenge for learner engagement is the level of familiarity with the interlocutor. This factor affects language learning and social interaction, whereby a deeper familiarity would typically promote effective communication, which may lead to an improvement in language competence. To determine the extent of familiarity that supports meaningful interaction, this study investigated Chinese EFL learners’ perceptions. Specifically, levels of familiarity were examined through cognitive, affective, and social dimensions. The context of this study was an L2 task-based assignment. Data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The findings indicated that interlocutor familiarity level had significant effects on learner engagement, especially in terms of social and cognitive dimensions. The study provided pedagogical implications for teachers to focus on the beneficial impact of interlocutor familiarity level on both social and cognitive dimensions of learner engagement and foster a supportive and conducive classroom environment to enhance peer interaction during interactive tasks.
This study examines the level of learner autonomy and its relationship with academic performance among 420 EFL students across four academic years. Using quantitative methods, learner autonomy was measured through self-initiation and self-regulation scales, along with their subscales. Findings indicate moderately high levels of learner autonomy across all years, with Year Three students showing lower self-regulation ability than others. Spearman correlation analysis reveals a modest but positive correlation between learner autonomy and academic performance, suggesting that higher autonomy is associated with better academic outcomes. Notably, Year Two students exhibit the strongest correlations between learner autonomy and academic performance, indicating that the impact of autonomy varies across different stages of study. These findings highlight the need for action from key stakeholders. For teachers, the results support adopting learner-centred approaches that encourage goal setting, self-assessment, and motivation-driven activities to foster autonomy and improve academic outcomes. For policymakers, the study emphasises the importance of supporting teacher training programmes that equip educators with strategies to nurture learner autonomy
This study investigates the alignment of Outcome-Based English for Nursing curriculum with the language needs of healthcare settings in Indonesia. Despite national curriculum reforms and the increasing global demand for nursing professionals, there remains a gap in research examining whether current curricula adequately prepare students for English mediated clinical communication. This qualitative case study employed document analysis and semi-structured interviews with seven nursing alumni and three nurse managers. Guided by Tyler’s (1949) curriculum rationale and Brown’s (2016) needs analysis framework, the study explored curriculum structure, stakeholder expectations, and actual communicative needs in healthcare sector. Results revealed that while the curriculum supported foundational communication skills and aligned with national nursing competencies, it needed improvement in terms of materials authenticity, international relevance, and performance-based assessment. Key gaps included insufficient integration of discipline-specific vocabulary, limited instructional time, underutilisation of task-based learning, and minimal stakeholder involvement in course design. Speaking emerged as the most essential skill, yet participants emphasised inadequate practice and the need for structured, context-rich language support. The findings underscore the need for curriculum reform that embeds authentic clinical tasks, stakeholder-driven content, and performance-based assessment. This study offers practical recommendations for enhancing English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in nursing education, particularly in multilingual and export-oriented healthcare contexts.
research has examined whether metacognitive reading strategies (MCRS) improve pre-service teachers’ reading comprehension outcomes. This study investigated Moroccan pre-service teachers’ awareness of MCRS and its relationship with their reading comprehension performance. A total of 180 participants from a public institution in Morocco filled in the Metacognitive Reading Strategy Questionnaire (MRSQ) and took a reading comprehension test. Mean scores were analysed to determine the frequency of metacognitive reading strategy awareness, and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was employed to identify the correlation between the two variables. Results indicated that pre-service teachers exhibited high awareness of MCRS. However, there was a weak positive correlation between the participants’ knowledge of these strategies and reading comprehension performance, highlighting a gap between knowledge of MCRS and their application in the reading process. This suggests that although pre-service teachers showed heightened awareness of MCRS, they still did not translate this knowledge into practice. The findings indicate the importance of incorporating hands-on activities to help pre-service teachers put their knowledge of MCRS into practice to boost their reading comprehension ability and enable them to transmit their skills to their future learners.
Ilmu i‘rab atau fleksi merupakan cabang tatabahasa Arab yang kompleks dan sukar difahami kerana kebiasaannya disampaikan dalam bentuk kitab yang sukar diakses oleh pelajar. Infografik boleh dijadikan medium alternatif untuk menyampaikan maklumat kompleks dengan lebih menarik dan mudah. Justeru, kajian ini bertujuan membangunkan modul Infografik Fleksi al-Quran (i-FleQ) yang menggunakan infografik sebagai alat bantu pengajaran. Pembangunan modul ini berasaskan pendekatan Reka Bentuk dan Pembangunan, serta gabungan Model Diskrepansi, Model Pembinaan Modul Sidek, Infographic Design Model, dan Teori Konstruktivisme. Kajian dilaksanakan dalam dua fasa: analisis keperluan dan reka bentuk modul. Penilaian elemen dan komponen modul melibatkan sepuluh pakar menggunakan kaedah Fuzzy Delphi, manakala kesahan kandungan diuji oleh lima pakar menggunakan soal selidik. Modul yang dibangunkan merangkumi lima komponen utama, iaitu objektif, isi kandungan, reka bentuk, aktiviti pembelajaran dan penilaian. Dapatan menunjukkan bahawa modul mempunyai kesahan kandungan yang tinggi. Modul i-FleQ ini berpotensi dimanfaatkan oleh pelajar, guru, pensyarah dan orang awam dalam pembelajaran ilmu fleksi bahasa Arab. Ia membantu pelajar memahami struktur ayat al-Quran dengan lebih baik dan meningkatkan penguasaan ilmu i‘rab secara berkesan.
In today’s globalised and competitive job market, graduates must meet the rising industry expectations for effective real-world communication skills, alongside technical expertise. In the era where English proficiency often defines employability, employers increasingly prioritise graduates with strong language proficiency and effective communication skills as key indicators for employability. However, the specific communicative competencies required in professional settings is still not well-understood. Using Canale and Swain’s (1980) framework, this study investigates the employers’ perception of communicative competence perceived as important for effective communication in the workplace. Data were collected through a questionnaire analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that sociolinguistic competence was most valued as it emphasises the importance of contextually appropriate language use in workplace communication. This study highlights the significance of adopting established second language framework beyond academic contexts to better align language education with industry expectations hence offering an alternative language curriculum for educators and policymakers to enhance English language training and graduate employability.
This study investigates the strategic use of boosters, a type of interactional metadiscourse, in informative social media postings within the culturally diverse contexts of Malaysia and Singapore. Drawing on Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, this qualitative study examines 30 informative social media (Instagram) postings from two private medical centres: Subang Jaya Medical Centre and Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Both private medical centres strategically use boosters to highlight expertise, assert authority, and influence the public’s perception, particularly in promoting advanced technology and positive health outcomes. Due to the cultural differences, the use of booster varies between these two, with Malaysia favouring superlatives and Singapore employing more affective language, reflecting the influence of cultural and market factors. This study highlights the persuasive nature of the informative social media postings and the healthcare industry's reliance on assertive language to establish credibility and influence health-related decisions. This study contributes to an understanding of how cultural differences and genre conventions intersect in shaping persuasive language within online healthcare communication.
This study addresses the challenge faced by foreign language curriculum developers in Thailand concerning oral communication courses in the EFL secondary school curriculum. It aims at investigating the problems and needs of EFL students, develops curriculum principles based on competency-based and differentiated instruction, and explore the effects of this approach on oral communication ability. The research involved interviews, questionnaires, and oral communication tests with 30 Mini English Programme students in Bangkok. Key findings include a lack of English-speaking opportunities, a misalignment between textbooks and teaching focus, a need for engaging practices, and a demand for differentiated approaches. The result also showed a significant of improvement of the participants’ oral communication ability after receiving competency-based differentiated instruction at .05. The study proposes curriculum principles to enhance English oral communication and demonstrates a significant improvement in students' abilities after receiving competency-based differentiated instruction indicating the use of CBDI benefited the students’ oral communication ability . The suggested principles have the potential to guide curriculum development in terms of objectives, content, instruction, and assessment strategies.
Inverted structures have received ample attention in the related literature throughout the past few decades. Meanwhile, two theoretically competing positions, namely Markedness Differential Hypothesis and Salience Hypothesis, are frequently referred to when it comes to the acquisition of such language structures in EFL contexts. A review of the local literature in the Iranian context, however, reveals that little attention has been paid to this matter. The present study, thus, was an attempt to investigate the existence of any possible relationship between markedness and salience in the acquisition of inversion among Iranian EFL learners. A total number of 102 participants at three proficiency levels at two language centers took part in this study. In order to obtain evidence on the object of inquiry, a grammar test was developed that served a dual purpose, reallocating the participants to new groups according to their grammar proficiency as well as providing evidence on the variable of the study. Based on the results of the Chi-square test, it was found that the instructed group outperformed the other. A further analysis of Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that the acquisition of such constructions, despite their relative salience, is largely explained by markedness differential hypothesis.
Arabo, Sino-Tibetan, and Dravidian peripheral lexis can demonstrate the internationality of the Malay language, establishing it as one of the world’s most critical languages. One can research it through the history of the inclusion of non-Austronesian languages, such as the assimilation of Arabic from the Semitic language family, the assimilation of Chinese lexis, which is in the branch of the Sino-Tibetan family and Tamil language in the Dravidian language family, which is used as Malay lexis. The approach used in this study involves conducting a literature review and performing content analysis that is described in the basic descriptive. In this analysis, the researchers verified a lot of assimilated lexis, especially from non-Austronesian languages such as Arabic, Sino-Tibetan and Dravidian, used in spoken and written Malay adapted according to the Malay language. Accordingly, it verified that the non-Austronesian lexicons have been assimilated and adapted as Malay lexicons. Hence, this assimilation of Arabo, Sino-Tibetan and Dravidian lexis authenticated the internationality image of the Malay language, in which, through the assimilation of the foreign lexis, it recognised Malay to be the dominant language, the language of diplomacy, and global knowledge.
The use of Digital Discussion Forums (DDFs) has not been researched sufficiently in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses to enhance communication and collaboration skills. Therefore, this paper explores the impact of DDFs usage on these skills through digital discussions among undergraduates. DDF was incorporated into an ESP language classroom and involves a group project outside of classroom time, namely, Company Profile (CP). The qualitative study involved 26 students enrolled in English for Business Professional Communication. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Thematic analysis was conducted and themes on critical components of 21st Century skills development were analysed. Inter-rater reliability analysis utilising Cohen Kappa analysis showed nearly perfect scores, indicating data reliability. The findings revealed a positive impact of online engagement on students’ overall communication and collaboration skills alongside their English language skill. The findings suggest the usefulness of DDF in developing communicative and collaborative skills.
This study investigates the influence of learners’ attitudes, motivation, and beliefs on their Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. By employing survey design, this study recruited 85 students through purposive sampling in a state senior high school in Purbalingga, Indonesia. Using multiple linear regression analysis, the findings reveal that these three variables collectively explain 34.3% of the variance in WTC (R² = 0.343), indicating that additional factors play a significant role in influencing students’ communication behaviors. Among the independent variables, attitude has the strongest and most significant effect on WTC (β = 0.570, p < 0.05), while motivation and beliefs exhibit weak and statistically insignificant relationships. The overall model is significant (F = 14.098, p < 0.05), confirming that attitude, motivation, and beliefs together contribute to WTC. These findings suggest that fostering positive attitudes toward language learning is essential for enhancing students’ willingness to engage in communication. The study highlights the need for pedagogical strategies that promote confidence, reduce communication anxiety, and create a supportive classroom environment. Future research should explore additional factors such as self-confidence, anxiety, peer influence, and teacher interaction to better understand the complexities of WTC in EFL contexts.
The rising demand for BIPA (Indonesian for Foreign Speakers) programs reflects the global interest in mastering Indonesian for various purposes. This study aims to explore trends, challenges, and opportunities in research related to teaching Indonesian for Foreign Speakers. This research uses bibliometric analysis by using data from the Scopus and Dimension databases. The number of articles used in the analysis from Scopus database is 92 while from dimension is 716 articles. The keywords applied in this research include "BIPA" OR "Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers" OR "Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers" OR "Indonesian for Foreign Speakers". The analysis and visualization were conducted using bibliometric tools (VOSviewer, Biblioshiny). The main findings of this study include BIPA research trends by annual production and country, analysis of keywords and relevant articles, and examination of significant sources, authors, and affiliations in this field. This research analysis indicates an increasing interest in Indonesian language education among foreign speakers, as evidenced by the increasing annual production and international participation in BIPA research. However, challenges such as the gap between research output and impact highlight the importance of strategies to increase visibility and engagement within the academic community.
Flipped classroom is a methodology which refers to the teaching process that reverses the way in which the contents of a subject are worked on. Several studies have shown that the flipped classroom methodology increases student participation and interaction with teachers. In this study, we analysed the degree of improvement in students’ English written comprehension after taking a subject in English for a semester using the flipped classroom methodology. A quantitative study was conducted using a written test both at the beginning (pre) and end (post) of the semester to find differences in the results obtained in both tests through direct observation. The study was conducted at a Spanish public university with students of the Early Childhood Education Degree during the last academic year. For the selection of the instrument, checking its external validity relationship, five experts conducted the validation process providing a quantitative assessment on a Likert scale following Lawshe’s content validity relationship model. Results showed a significant improvement in their written comprehension after the data was analysed using the JASP statistical programme. We could observe that the difference in the means obtained in each part of the test and in the overall standing is close to or exceeds the point difference.
