This study investigates what L2 learners perceive as the impacts of their engagement through self-made video (SMV) creation on their vocabulary development (VD). Employing a qualitative inquiry, this study involved 12 Indonesian L2 learners attending an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Vocabulary in Context course at a private university in Indonesia. A semi-structured interview was used to collect the data. The study found that L2 engagement in SMV creation led to repeated-driven retention, contextualisation, and vocabulary comprehension, promoting VD. The findings suggest that L2 engagement in SMV creation promotes high exposure to new vocabulary through planning, researching, scripting, filming, and editing. The findings also indicate the importance of L2 learners’ engagement in the vocabulary learning process, as it fosters the ownership of learning, leading to improved learning motivation and vocabulary knowledge. The study provides implications for L2 instructors and educators, suggesting incorporating SMV creation into language instruction to promote VD, improve long-term retention, and enhance learner engagement and motivation.
The presented research conducted at the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Bratislava within the English language course elaborates on the issue of changes in teaching concepts. The research problem was identified based on a specific teaching experience, which indicates that a behavioural approach to teaching and learning is primarily applied in English language classes at the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Bratislava. The concept of constructionist teaching was used, and through qualitative phenomenological research, the student’s perspective on the implemented changes in the teaching process was examined. Focus group tools and phenomenological interviews were used to collect research material. In analysing the research material, the strategy of applying the constant comparison method was utilised. The research sample consisted of 26 students who interpreted their experience with the changed teaching concept, emphasising terms like chaos and fear of the new in their statements. The authors of the study comment on probable causal relationships and point out what is hypothetically possible in the teacher-didactics-learner relationship. Through their research activities, the authors also reflect on currently emphasised intentions, where attention is focused on changes or transformations in teaching strategies, in which the behavioural approach should no longer prevail.
This article examines evaluations of entities associated with countries in English language textbooks for junior high school students in Japan. Drawing on an APPRAISAL analysis and interviews, the study explores how evaluations of national entities are realized in the textbooks. Eighteen textbooks were analyzed, and three interviews were conducted, one with a textbook writer and two with textbook editors. The findings reveal that the English language textbooks evaluated entities associated with Japan in a positive light much more frequently than those related to other countries. This was realized by the writer and editors’ intention that the textbooks be used to teach aspects of Japanese culture and to nurture learners’ diverse perspectives toward countries and their cultures.
Undergraduate students’ attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing countries like Vietnam are rarely explored despite AI’s increasing presence in higher education. This study aims to investigate the attitudes of undergraduate students towards AI. A quantitative research method was used, involving a self-reported survey questionnaire. The sample consisted of 460 undergraduate students (196 males and 264 females) from five public and private universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Data collection took place through a cross-sectional survey in November and December 2023. The General Attitudes Towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), originally developed and validated in English by Schepman and Rodway (2020), was adapted to Vietnamese for this study. The scale comprised 20 items to evaluate students’ attitudes towards AI. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, t-tests, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicated a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.705 for the total variable, demonstrating acceptable reliability. Consequently, Vietnamese undergraduate students displayed moderately positive attitudes towards AI. The findings also revealed no significant difference in attitudes based on gender, but there was a notable variation based on the student’s year of study at university.
The study assesses the English writing level of South Indian native Tamil language post-graduate students. The paper highlights the impact of native language sources in English writing and discusses the strategic implications. The study framed an English writing test instrument applying Bloom's Taxonomy to assess the level of writing. Quantitatively, 300 randomly sampled written transcriptions were taken for analysis. Qualitatively, a structured oneto-one interview was conducted among 27 language instructors, and 127 transcripts were observed to highlight the usage of native language sources, which resulted in poor writing. It assessed the students' level in L2 writing as mediocre, which was explained by 74% of the sampled responses. It found that the interference of native language in English writing made students make more mistakes in the order of words, subject-verb agreement, usage of tenses, and application of grammar rules. Further, it discussed the strategic implications for improvement as - a) repetitive incremental practice - teaching structures, tenses, and grammar rules of native and target language, b) conversational instruction - sharing differences in native and target languages, sharing of mistakes and errors, and c) timely feedback - a part of follow up mechanism for assessment.
