Reading comprehension remains one of the major challenges faced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in junior high school contexts where students often demonstrate limited engagement and difficulty in understanding texts. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative learning assisted with lapbook media in improving EFL learners’ reading comprehension and learning engagement. The research employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design involving 34 eighth-grade EFL learners at a public junior high school. Quantitative data were collected through reading comprehension pre-test and post-test measurements, while qualitative data were obtained from structured classroom observations to explain the learning processes underlying students’ improvement. The quantitative findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ reading comprehension achievement, with the mean score increasing from 74.18 in the pre-test to 81.82 in the post-test. Statistical analysis indicated that collaborative learning assisted with lapbook media had a positive influence on learners’ reading comprehension performance. Qualitative results further demonstrated that the learning model enhanced students’ engagement, collaborative interaction, motivation, and strategic reading behaviors. The use of lapbook media enabled students to visually organize textual information, summarize ideas, and collaboratively construct meaning, thereby facilitating deeper comprehension and retention of reading materials. The integration of collaborative learning and lapbook media created an interactive and student-centered learning environment that supported both cognitive and social aspects of language learning. This study contributes pedagogical insight into the application of constructivist-based collaborative instruction combined with visual learning media in EFL reading classrooms. The findings suggest that lapbook-assisted collaborative learning can serve as an effective instructional strategy for improving reading comprehension among EFL learners.
This study examines the Korean plosives phonological errors uttered by self-taught Korean language learners from Indonesia who have Javanese as their L1. This study reveal systematic difficulties learners face in perceiving and producing target-language sounds that often influenced by their first language. Analyzing these errors helps explain developmental patterns in pronunciation learning and informs effective teaching strategies. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach and uses distinctive features by Schane (1973) from generative phonology transformational theory to identify the phonological process that happened in those errors and explain speech sounds using systematic features. The data from this study is collected from observing the pronunciation of fifteen Korean language learners through video calls by providing them texts to read in hangeul (the Korean writing system). We recorded the data, transcribed the phonetic transcriptions, analyzed and classified the phonological processes, discovered, and concluded the analysis. As a result, the findings show that learners produced twenty Korean plosives errors. These errors can be grouped into three main phonological processes, all of which are influenced by interference from Javanese phonology. This findings suggest that Korean pronunciation teaching for Indonesian learners should focus more on plosives and deal with the influence of the first language.
TikTok has quickly become one of the most widely used short-form video platforms worldwide, and its presence in language learning continues to grow. Although many digital-native learners engage with the platform daily, there is still limited research that brings together its pedagogical strengths and structural challenges in a systematic way. This study examines how TikTok can be integrated into language-learning contexts and what factors may limit its effective use. A systematic review of twenty peer-reviewed studies published between 2022 and 2024 was conducted to capture recent developments in post-pandemic digital learning. The selected studies focused on TikTok’s use in formal or semi-formal language-learning settings and were analyzed using qualitative thematic synthesis. The findings show that TikTok’s short-form and multimodal features support vocabulary development, speaking practice, pronunciation awareness, and learner engagement. Its brief and repeatable content encourages frequent exposure to language input. However, the platform’s entertainment-driven algorithm, limited capacity for deeper explanation, unequal digital access, and varying levels of teacher readiness pose challenges for structured classroom integration. Overall, TikTok offers meaningful pedagogical value when used intentionally within clear instructional frameworks. Its effectiveness depends on thoughtful alignment with learning objectives and careful integration into broader teaching strategies.
Writing is widely regarded as one of the most challenging skills for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), particularly in academic contexts, where students are required to produce coherent, linguistically accurate texts. This study investigates the types and frequencies of writing errors produced by EFL students across three academic paragraph genres: descriptive, comparison–contrast, and cause–effect. Adopting a qualitative descriptive design with an error-analysis approach, the study analyzed academic paragraphs written by 24 undergraduate students during a time-controlled final examination in a paragraph-writing course. Students’ writing errors were identified, categorized into grammatical, lexical, mechanical, and organizational errors, and compared across paragraph genres. The findings reveal that grammatical errors were the most prevalent across all genres, whereas mechanical and organizational errors varied by genre. Descriptive paragraphs exhibited high frequencies of grammatical and mechanical errors, comparison–contrast paragraphs showed prominent organizational difficulties, and cause–effect paragraphs demonstrated fewer errors overall but persistent grammatical challenges. These results demonstrate clear cross-genre differences in error patterns, indicating that paragraph genre significantly influences students’ writing difficulties. The study contributes to EFL writing research by highlighting the genre-sensitive nature of writing errors and underscores the need for genre-based instruction, feedback, and assessment in EFL paragraph writing pedagogy.
Arabic language learning in Indonesia is facing a critical transformation in the 21st century, shifting from conventional teacher-centered models to technology-integrated ecosystems. Despite the potential of mobile technology, there is a significant gap in empirical validation regarding which specific applications are effective and how they can be pedagogically integrated within the Indonesian curriculum . This study aims to fill this gap by identifying prior research, analyzing the effectiveness of mobile applications, and providing evidence-based recommendations for Arabic language educators. This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) design following the PRISMA framework. Data were systematically retrieved from DOAJ and Semantic Scholar databases using PICOS criteria and strictly limited to the 2021-2025 publication period. Study quality was rigorously assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The findings reveal that mobile applications significantly enhance learning outcomes, particularly in vocabulary retention, motivation, and specific skills such as reading, listening, and vocabulary mastery. Key tools identified include Lectora Inspire, Duolingo, Memrise, and Plotagon Studio. The study concludes that while highly effective, implementation is hindered by technical barriers and low teacher digital competency. Practical implications suggest that for direct classroom application, educators must transition from traditional models to facilitator roles, integrating gamified features like leaderboards and interactive feedback to foster student engagement . Furthermore, successful integration requires curriculum-aligned content and the adoption of offline-capable applications to bridge the digital divide in diverse educational settings.
