This study assessed the impact of integrating the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model with two approaches to bilingual education - both with and without Bilingual Problem-Based Learning (BPBL) - in the context of teaching mathematics to physical therapy students in Chile. A total of 89 students participated, divided into two groups: 48 students engaged in SIOP with bilingual instruction without BPBL, and 41 students involved in SIOP with BPBL. The implementation process included pre- and post-assessments to gauge linguistic progress, complemented by student surveys and interviews with the educator. Additionally, discipline-specific tasks were assigned, with the BPBL group receiving an extra investigative assignment. Instructional practices were observed throughout each session. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis -including Student's t-test, statistical examination of Likert scale responses, and evaluations of tasks centered on quadratic functions- with qualitative analysis through content analysis of educator interviews and student responses to open-ended questions. The findings demonstrated improvements in both the educator's linguistic skills and the students' mathematical understanding and language proficiency across both approaches. Notably, the combination of BPBL with SIOP yielded more significant advancements. This analysis underscores the viability of bilingual education using the SIOP model and highlights the enhanced effectiveness of integrating BPBL with SIOP in higher education settings.
Digital technologies are now fully incorporated into English Language Teaching (ELT). Yet, research in this area has largely emphasized their technical and instructional value for improving language skills, paying comparatively little attention to their potential to cultivate learners' critical awareness or influence identity construction. This study responds to that limitation by examining the use of a critical digital pedagogy in a university-level advanced writing course. Framed as a qualitative case study, the research explores students' experiences of this instructional approach and investigates how multimodal digital production enables them to construct, negotiate, and communicate their identities. Over one academic semester, data were gathered from twelve participants through semi-structured interviews, examination of student-produced digital texts (including blogs, video essays, and podcasts), and the instructor's reflective journal. Thematic analysis generated four central insights: (1) students moved from receptive roles toward becoming active and critical creators of meaning; (2) they developed stronger capacities to assess, question, and navigate digital sources; (3) their multimodal projects became spaces for expressing personal and cultural identities; and (4) they demonstrated growing awareness of the risks and ethical obligations connected to sharing authentic voices in public digital spaces. The findings indicate that critical digital pedagogy extends beyond improving language competence. It supports development of literacies necessary for contemporary civic participation and offers meaningful opportunities for identity formation in a second language. The article concludes with practical implications for ELT professionals, illustrating how technology can be integrated to promote deeper, more transformative learning experiences rather than merely serving functional instructional purposes.
The L2 Motivational Self System (L2 MSS), proposed by D & ouml;rnyei two decades ago, has become the hegemonic model for explaining the motivational elements operating on second language learners. However, how these learning dispositions stimulate different types of motivation in favour of willingness to communicate (L2 WTC) remains largely unknown. This study investigates how the L2 Ideal Self and the Ought-to L2 Self, two of the key aspects of the L2 MSS, influence L2 WTC in Portuguese university students learning Spanish as a foreign language. Analysing a sample of 182 participants, and using structural equation modelling, the effects of these two aspects of the L2 MSS on L2 WTC, both direct and mediated by instrumental and integrative types of motivation, were examined. The results showed a positive and significant effect on both types of motivation, especially integrative motivation, which translated into an indirect effect on L2 WTC. The Ought-to L2 Self showed a positive direct effect on L2 WTC not mediated by either type of motivation. These findings emphasise the importance of fostering integrative motivation in the development of educational policies and pedagogical practices to encourage L2 use.
The Higher Education system of Kazakhstan has moved from depending on the Soviet legacies toward internationalization, adopting a trilingual education policy, joining the Bologna Process, aligning with the European Higher Education Area, strengthening collaborations with international universities, and fostering academic mobility. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs offered by Kazakhstani universities. However, despite the growing popularity of EMI, there is very little empirical evidence on university students' transition experiences from non-EMI backgrounds to EMI studies. Using a qualitative research design, this study investigated university students' experiences of EMI studies, particularly their transition from L1 to EMI studies at Kazakhstani universities. Specifically, the study looked at the students' language practices, challenges, beliefs, and management strategies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions with students and instructors from eight purposefully selected EMI universities across five main cities. The findings revealed a divergence in the experiences of students transitioning from non-EMI to EMI contexts. The role of pre-immersion exposure to English, the impact of diverse educational backgrounds, students' coping strategies, and the perceived benefits and opportunities of EMI studies emerged as key findings of this study. Understanding the students' experiences of transition to EMI and associated challenges may help policymakers revisit EMI policies to address the tensions between macro-level EMI policies and the micro-level student struggles, calling to align policy aspirations with on-the-ground realities.
The advent of generative AI marks a pivotal moment for Higher Education, presenting both transformative opportunities and complex challenges. This conceptual paper argues that meaningful learning -defined as deep, critical, and applied knowledge engagement- must be the central objective as universities integrate AI. While AI can personalise educational experiences, automate tasks, and provide adaptive feedback, uncritical adoption risks fostering superficial engagement, intellectual dependency, and the erosion of essential critical skills. The article proposes a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder framework for ethical and inclusive AI integration, positioning AI as an enabler, augmenting human capacities such as reasoning, creativity, and ethical judgment rather than replacing them. Key actions include institutional leadership establishing robust ethical policies and equitable infrastructure, educators cultivating critical AI literacy and metacognitive awareness, students actively engaging with AI tools while critically evaluating their outputs, and employers articulating the competencies and dispositions expected from graduates in AI-mediated professional environments. The article advocates for deliberate, collaborative action to shape an educational landscape where AI empowers human potential. This involves developing a foundational vision for AI that prioritises equitable access and meaningful learning, establishing robust ethical governance with clear policies on academic integrity and data privacy, and strategically investing in infrastructure and capacity building. Finally, the three-phase framework proposed highlights continuous implementation and evaluation through systematic stakeholder feedback. This is crucial for iterative improvement and ensuring AI integration remains aligned with a university's core educational mission, so that graduates will be equipped with technical competencies and the ethical discernment required for an AI-mediated world.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has received increased attention in university-level teaching over the past few decades. This article examines the attitudes of university language centre teachers (N = 43) in Finland towards sustainable development (SD) and the methods they use to implement ESD. The quantitative data were analysed using percentage distributions and correlation analysis, while the open-ended responses were examined using data-driven qualitative content analysis. The teachers' attitudes towards sustainability in language teaching were generally positive. More than half of them created their own teaching materials, most commonly using pair or group discussions to teach SD topics. The reasons why teachers addressed sustainability topics into their teaching were categorised into teacher-driven, student-driven, language-related and external reasons. Teacher-driven reasons emerged as the most prominent, reflecting motivations rooted in the teachers' own initiative and values. These reasons centred on encouraging students to change their behaviour, strengthen their critical thinking skills and contribute to positive change. For student-driven reasons, language teachers emphasised students' interest and motivation to learn about SD topics as well as the importance of ESD for students' future careers.
This study investigates individual differences among Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in language learning traits and intercultural competence in relation to their self-efficacy across four language skills, with a focus on identifying learner characteristics associated with balanced and imbalanced skill development. Data were collected using two structured questionnaires, which were individually administered to 37 college students who had achieved upper-intermediate or above level scores on standardized English proficiency tests and had recently returned from 12 to 14 months of studying abroad in English-speaking countries. Their functional preferences in language use, perceived sensitivities and capacities in language processing, efforts toward language development, and experiences with intercultural adaptation were assessed. The results indicated that aural-oral sensitivity, verbal memory, and engaged learning contributed the most to the students' overall L2 efficacy, whereas differences in functional preferences and intercultural competence did not have significant effects. Four distinct learner profiles were identified with respect to balanced development across L2 skills: balanced (23 %), uneven by sensory mode (23 %), uneven by processing modality (49 %), and those reporting higher self-efficacy in speaking and reading than in listening and writing (6 %). A tendency to avoid interpersonal-practical language use and a lack of aural-oral sensitivity, accompanied by increased crosslinguistic-multimodal interference, appeared to cause the intensification of imbalanced skill development. The study provides a detailed account of the relationships among the observed variables and learner profiles associated with imbalanced development.
This paper reports on the design and development of ESP-XR, an augmented reality (AR)-enhanced application aimed at supporting learners of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), with a particular focus on Legal English (LE). The application facilitates context-driven, dialogic interaction through semi-immersive AR scenarios, enabling users to engage in situated language practice (see Section 3). Leveraging AR functionalities, ESP-XR fosters experiential and multimodal learning by integrating interactive, dynamically generated content aligned with real-world professional contexts. Grounded in pedagogical and multimodal frameworks, the development process underscores pedagogically informed design choices intended to enhance learner engagement and disciplinary language competence. By critically examining both the affordances and limitations of AR integration in Legal English Teaching (LET), this paper contributes to the broader discourse on the digital transformation of ESP instruction. The findings offer insights for educators, instructional designers, and edtech developers seeking to implement immersive technologies in domain-specific language education.
Spanish learners of English frequently struggle with listening comprehension and pronunciation. While phonetic transcription and guided practice with audiobooks and graded readers have proven effective, this study expands the scope by integrating a wider range of multimedia resources (including films, TV series, YouTube channels, TED Talks, mobile apps, and podcasts) into a structured educational intervention. The aim was to assess the relative effectiveness of these tools in improving learners' oral skills, particularly listening and pronunciation. The five-month intervention combined theoretical instruction in phonetics with self-directed practice using one of five media formats. Sixteen university students participated and completed three pre- and post-intervention assessments: the Oxford Placement Test, a vowel recognition test, and an oral reading task. Quantitative results showed statistically significant improvement in grammar and listening comprehension, with large effect sizes. However, gains in phonological perception (e.g. minimal pair discrimination) were smaller and not statistically significant. Oral production also improved, with fewer and less severe pronunciation errors. Qualitative data from focus group interviews reinforced the test results: participants perceived clear progress, especially in listening comprehension, and found the intervention motivating. The combination of audio and written texts emerged as particularly effective. This study highlights the benefits of multimodal input for enhancing oral proficiency and offers a replicable methodology for English as a Modern Foreign Language (EMFL) contexts. It also suggests that while general listening skills can be improved through regular exposure to multimedia content, phonological perception may require more targeted and sustained practice.
The Integration of Content and Language in Higher Education (ICLHE) is a progressive pedagogical approach that develops both language and subject skills simultaneously. This paper examines the design, implementation, and outcomes of pilot ICLHE courses aimed at supporting students' understanding and use of disciplinary content in digital technology, business, and finance. It examines the benefits and challenges of the pilot courses, assesses their impact on student outcomes and makes recommendations for educators and institutions wishing to implement ICLHE on a larger scale. The pilot study (N = 72) involved the design and implementation of courses in ICT, project management and technical sales at Karelia University of Applied Sciences (UAS). The study was conducted over one academic semester and focused on evaluating students' perceptions of the development of the English language courses they had participated in after completing the study. The affective subscale consisted of 10 items (alpha = 0.729). Factor analysis identified 2 factors associated with self-confidence and motivation constructs. Though the results are not conclusive, it allows to provide indications of the impact of the pilot courses on student outcomes and make recommendations for educators and institutions wishing to implement ICLHE on a larger scale.
This paper describes how integrating a tandem project into the language curriculum can promote autonomy among Spanish and German learners. It also demonstrates that this approach contributes to the development of students' intercultural communicative competence. The theoretical basis is provided by Byram's (1997. Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Bristol: Multilingual Matters) linguistic approach to intercultural communication and Bennett's (1993. Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In Michael R. Paige (ed.), Education for the intercultural experience, 21-71. Yarmouth, ME: Nicholas Brealey Publishing) approach to intercultural sensitivity. The institutional framework for the project is provided by the transnational university alliance EULiST. The study on which this article is based is situated within this context. This study is based on an empirical analysis of a bilateral tandem project involving 174 students. Running since November 2022, the project involves the Leibniz Language Centre (LLC) at Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) in Germany and the Centro Universitario de Idiomas (CUI) at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) in Madrid, Spain. The article also presents teaching scenarios in which asynchronous tandem elements are integrated into face-to-face sessions in a targeted, curriculum-based manner. The aim is to consider the implications of opening the classroom to unfiltered encounters with native-speaking linguistic and cultural realities (L1, C1) in foreign language learning (L2, C2). Presenting this project highlights the fundamental potential and challenges of promoting learner and teacher autonomy in language acquisition. At the same time, it examines the extent to which these aspects are realised within the given institutional framework. The analysis reveals key considerations for the systematic integration of tandem elements into curricula. The focus is on establishing these elements as integral to language acquisition, self-assessment, and intercultural communicative competence.
This study presents a bibliometric analysis of highly researched topics and thematic trends concerning ethical issues in applied linguistics from 2010 to 2024, utilizing CiteSpace as the primary analytical tool. Drawing data from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), 100 peer-reviewed articles were systematically selected and analyzed to map the intellectual landscape of ethics in applied linguistics. The results reveal a rapid increase in scholarly attention to ethical concerns, particularly since 2021, driven by technological advancements, globalization, and increasing methodological complexity. Key research thematic foci include ethics in academic writing, language education, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. The analysis also highlights the dominance of research from Anglophone countries, though contributions from Asia and the Middle East are on the rise; this finding, however, is limited to English-language publications indexed in WoSCC. Emerging trends suggest a continued focus on technology-related ethical challenges, equity in multilingual and multicultural contexts, and the development of context-sensitive ethical frameworks. The findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and localized approaches to ethics in applied linguistics research and practice.
This study examines the impact of collaborative tasks on learner engagement in a fully online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course at B2 level. While collaborative learning has been widely recognised as beneficial for language development, learners in online contexts often express reluctance to groupwork due to preferences for autonomous study and challenges such as scheduling and uneven participation. Drawing on data from courses enrolling over 8,000 students across three semesters at a Spanish online university, the study explores learners' perceptions of collaboration (RQ1). To address RQ2, the analysis zooms into one semester, examining the effect of collaboration on motivation, emotional connection, perceived learning gains, and course outcomes. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining descriptive statistics from end-of-course surveys with inferential analyses (ANOVA, t-tests, regression) of longitudinal survey data and final marks. Results reveal ambivalence towards groupwork: although many students expressed a preference for working alone, collaborative tasks were associated with increased feelings of closeness to classmates and groupmates, higher perceptions of language improvement, and a positive correlation between participation in groupwork and overall course performance. Motivation fluctuated during the course but rose significantly by the end. The findings highlight both the potential and challenges of integrating collaborative activities in online EFL settings and offer implications for task design, teacher support, and future research.
Argumentative writing is important to achieve success in academia and life in general. However, arguing a case is quite challenging. As they transition from secondary education to higher level, many students are required to be proficient in writing argumentative essays. Yet, not all of them had the opportunity to write argumentative essays in their pre-university education. Students in the Kosovo's pre-university education system hardly ever receive any formal instruction in argumentative writing. Writing exercises in their native tongue tend to focus on creative or narrative writing. Similar practices are used in English classrooms, when teachers mostly offer brief descriptive or narrative writing tasks, failing to help students learn how to make an argument. This study aimed to explore students' perceptions about the explicit teaching of argumentative writing that they had received for one semester. A focus group interview and an open-ended questionnaire were used to gather the data. According to the findings, explicit teaching is crucial for equipping students with skills to produce their written arguments. Therefore, it is suggested that explicit teaching be used to teach tertiary students how to write argumentative essays.
The study aims to explore the digital literacy (DL) of EFL teachers at Vietnamese universities using both a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Teachers' DL is a critical issue in the digitalization of education systems worldwide, including in Vietnam, as technology integration in education is only effective when teachers are digitally competent. In this regard, DL is one of the key factors influencing technology adoption and driving innovation within educational institutions. The questionnaire was used to evaluate teachers' DL and was proven to be reliable and valid for use in the current study, demonstrating construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis. The findings indicate that the majority of EFL teachers exhibited good levels of DL. Although teachers' competence in assessment was the highest, their competence in digital self-learning and updating was the lowest. Qualitative data from the in-depth interviews partially support the quantitative findings by reinforcing the questionnaire results and enabling a more comprehensive understanding of teachers' DL within their teaching context. Regarding gender differences in DL levels, male teachers demonstrated higher digital literacy than female teachers, although the difference was not statistically significant.
This paper presents a research project, funded by Durham University, investigating the potential of Generative AI (GenAI) for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) learning, teaching and assessment within the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLaC) at Durham University. The study explores how Generative AI can support writing skills and feedback in the MFL context. Through comparative analysis of tasks completed with and without ChatGPT, and feedback by both teachers and ChatGPT, the study investigates the pedagogical implications of emerging technologies in language teaching, with a focus on writing. The project involves 8 language areas, namely: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, and recruited two participants for each language with a CEFR-level of B1-B2. Participants completed diagnostic surveys, written tasks with reflections, sought feedback from ChatGPT and their teachers and reflected on them, and engaged in semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The project highlights the potential of GenAI for supporting students' learning and concerns about its implications for academic integrity and the development of linguistic skills, especially for beginner learners. It also emphasizes the need for clear institutional guidelines on the ways in which students can and cannot use GenAI to complete their academic work.
Drawing on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study explored how writing a learner diary impacts students' ability to learn autonomously in an intermediate Korean language class. Researchers conducted a qualitative analysis involving nine participants who used weekly learner diaries, questionnaires, and exit interviews. The findings revealed that through a learner diary, students carried out a series of self-regulated acts, such as setting a goal, searching for learning resources, assessing their performances, and expressing a sense of accomplishments, which boosted their overall confidence. While writing a weekly learner diary, students' learning behaviors have undergone to satisfy the three key elements of SDT, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, resulting in students' increased motivation to learn Korean. More importantly, the result was confirmed consistently regardless of individual students' level of proficiency. Initially thought of as a difficult task, all participants began to enjoy writing a learner diary, and the writing a diary in the target language was more enjoyable and rewarding as they continued into the middle of the semester and thereafter. Positive feedback and encouragement from the teacher also played a crucial role in enhancing the students' self-efficacy. The participants reported that the diary was accountable for improving their autonomous learning.
This study explores the evolving nature of students' sense of belonging in Finnish higher education, particularly as learning environments shift between in-person, online, and hybrid modes. While much research has focused on belonging in Higher Education, the experiences of Language Centre students remain underexplored. The aim of this study is to understand how belonging is experienced by these students and how teachers can foster it within diverse learning contexts. Through qualitative interviews with 11 Language Centre students, the study finds that belonging is a multifaceted and dynamic process. Students experience belonging not only through direct participation in the course community but also through connections to broader language communities. Belonging often emerges from brief, purpose-driven interactions centred around shared learning goals. Teachers play a pivotal role in fostering belonging by offering cognitive, social, and emotional support, and by organising inclusive spaces that encourage meaningful interaction. The findings have important pedagogical implications. Educators are encouraged to adopt intentional strategies that promote collaboration, communication, and knowledge-sharing, particularly in hybrid and online settings. This study challenges the traditional view that belonging relies solely on deep emotional connections, emphasising that it can also arise from momentary interactions centred around shared purposes.
Information units (IUs) have been proposed as a way of grading students' notes. However, little work has been done to validate and check the reliability of such an approach. This study explores how teacher-researchers (TRs) use information units (IUs) to rate content items in students' listening notes using a rubric. Data were collected from six TRs who graded four students' listening notes. Each TR identified and rated the IUs in the students' notes using a 4-point rubric scoring system before commenting on the notes they had graded. The main aim of this study was to examine if each TR awarded similar IU ratings between the items they graded. The results showed there were inconsistencies between the TRs ratings of the students' notes. However, each TR consistently interpreted the IUs in the same way internally across multiple texts. These findings indicate that further training in using IUs is needed to add validity and reliability to the potential rating system for grading students' listening notes.
