Volume 14, Issue 2

This article explains how shared leadership can be recognised and established in project-based learning as a situated English practice. It specifically explores the task characteristics of Cox et al.’s (2003) leadership model, which illustrates the functional relations between the procedural features of project work and its outcomes. The result of the analysis is that project work underlies the collective and highly integrative potential of the group of students, transforming them into a community of practice. The findings indicate that factors contributing to facilitating shared leadership are the interdependence of tasks between individuals driven by intrinsic motivation to act and the low complexity of tasks. The analysis also suggests that, although low complexity tasks may weaken shared leadership, they maximise relevance, thereby minimising cognitive effort. Consequently, this response strategy can help boost collaboration.

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has been increasingly used in Higher Education institutions in countries where English is spoken as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). Research over the last decade has predominantly focused on EMI implementation, perceptions, and attitudes of stakeholders towards EMI as well as the challenges experienced by both teachers and students. However, little research, thus far, has focused on the coping strategies used by students to overcome challenges and manage their EMI study. The present study duly aims to fill this gap and contribute to the advancement of EMI research and pedagogy in this under-researched area. The study particularly attempts to explore group work and translanguaging as coping strategies that students employ to overcome content learning challenges and succeed in their EMI study. The study adopted a qualitative methodology and semi-structured interviews were used as the main method of data collection. Twenty participants voluntarily took part in the study. The data were analysed thematically and inductively. Results showed that students utilised several coping strategies to overcome EMI learning challenges and described these strategies as being helpful for them to understand EMI subject content. The pedagogical implications are discussed.

While translanguaging has gained significant traction as a theory of language that holds implications for educational settings with students from various language backgrounds, its viability in content assessment remains an unresolved issue. Students in English-medium instruction (EMI) programs at a private university in Türkiye participated in content exams that did not impose any language constraints, and follow-up interviews were conducted to probe into the participants’ language-related EMI experiences and the factors that affected their language use in their responses. Student reports showed that L1 was used by instructors to explain complex concepts or when students’ comprehension was challenged. Students used both English and L1 materials for studying, and in group and individual work, a mix of English and L1 was common, driven by the aim of cognitive efficiency and overcoming language barriers. In the content exams, both monolingual and translingual practices were employed by the participants, and their language use was mainly associated with relative proficiency in L2, encoding-retrieval match, and compartmentalization of languages. The study demonstrates that students encounter challenges in L2 comprehension and production in lessons and exams and that offering language flexibility in content exams may serve as a temporary accommodation that allows fuller expression of content knowledge, particularly in time-constrained exams.

Corpus-based studies of lexical bundles have opened new avenues for language teaching research. The fact that naturally occurring language consists of patterns of lexical repetition and multi-word units has given rise to the question of chunkiness in learner language. This study was designed to examine lexical bundles and their functions in a small, specialized learner corpus of opinion paragraphs written by Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at the University of Jeddah. The study takes a frequency-driven approach to identify common lexical bundles. A learner corpus of 237 writing tasks produced by Saudi undergraduate students from 11 different sections is compiled and explored. The primary aim was to identify high-frequency five-word lexical bundles and explore their functions in the learner corpus, as well as investigate any distributional differences in bundle use across the various student sections. The findings revealed that learners utilized lexical bundles primarily to serve four key functions: expressing stance, supporting a point, introducing an item, and making recommendations. Notably, variations were observed in the distribution of these functional categories among the different student groups. The study concludes by outlining some pedagogical applications for educators and language practitioners, highlighting the value of learner corpus-informed approaches to enhancing learners’ awareness and mastery of lexical patterning in academic writing. By better understanding the role of formulaic language in learner production, instructors can tailor their teaching to more effectively support students’ linguistic development.

Dynamic assessment (DA) integrates assessment and instruction between the instructor and learners. It emphasizes the learning process. DA was introduced to 24 undergraduates and 9 graduate students in two academic writing courses in Taiwan. The analysis of the pre- and post-tests, writing portfolios, observations, and interviews reached the following major conclusions. First, participants had a positive attitude toward DA, particularly regarding expert evaluation as the mediation for identifying global and local errors. Secondly, the integration of DA influenced the participants’ academic writing on research proposals, particularly the structure and the use of the APA format. Thirdly, participants regarded the instructor’s model writing and the exemplary journal articles as useful mediations. Suggestions on the effective integration of DA into academic writing courses are provided.

The present two-phased sequential explanatory mixed-methods research investigates first and second-year Japanese university students’ perceptions of peer evaluation through self-reflection and its relation to learner autonomy satisfaction in English presentation activities. First, the qualitative data were collected through an open-ended survey questionnaire ( n  = 17). The findings revealed that students held a positive view of the peer evaluation process, which was facilitated by structured evaluation criteria developed collaboratively with the students using the Leaderful Classroom Practices framework. Furthermore, students’ ownership of the evaluation process enhanced their motivation and commitment to their own presentations. To explore the relationship between the peer evaluation process and students’ autonomy satisfaction, we conducted a survey with advanced-level first-year English major students ( n  = 87). Despite the small sample size, our multiple regression analysis also supported the qualitative findings, indicating a significant correlation between peer evaluation and learner autonomy satisfaction in English presentation activities. While peer-based activities have been thoroughly studied in the context of academic writing courses, we recommend that the influence of peer evaluation activities on learner autonomy satisfaction be further explored in oral communication activities within the Japanese university EFL settings.

In the rapidly evolving educational landscape, this study investigates the effectiveness of hybrid teaching methods in enhancing oral communication skills in Indonesian higher education, marking a critical exploration at the intersection of digital and traditional pedagogies. Anchored in a qualitative research methodology, it seeks to unpack the complex experiences of Indonesian lecturers using hybrid teaching methods to enhance university students’ oral communication skills. Data were meticulously gathered through a Google Forms survey consisting of 12 open-ended questions. The survey, conducted from March to August 2023, targeted lecturers from diverse geographical regions of Indonesia, ensuring a wide range of teaching experiences. Results reveal that lecturers are motivated by the need to adapt to pandemic restrictions, expand educational accessibility, and integrate technology into teaching. They employ a variety of hybrid teaching methods, including live online lectures, in-person workshops, flipped classrooms, and project-based learning. These strategies are supported by various technological tools such as Zoom, Google Classroom, Slack, Padlet, and Mentimeter. Despite the benefits, lecturers face challenges such as varying levels of technological access and proficiency among students, maintaining engagement, and managing increased workloads. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive teaching practices, integrating culturally relevant materials, and using interactive digital tools to enhance oral communication skills. Continuous professional development and institutional support are essential for the success of hybrid teaching methods. This research offers valuable insights and recommendations for optimizing oral communication skills in hybrid learning, with lessons adaptable to multicultural and multilingual contexts worldwide.

Teacher cognition shapes teachers’ pedagogical decision-making and influences their teaching practices, including grammar instruction, even when their cognition and practices might be inconsistent. This study explores English language teachers’ cognition regarding grammar instruction and analyses (in)consistencies in teacher cognition and classroom practices. The study employed a structured questionnaire administered to over 210 teachers teaching English language to undergraduate classes at various universities in Pakistan. The results of the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The findings reveal that, despite using focus on forms (FonFs) instruction, teachers support focus on meaning (FonM) instruction, but consider focus on form (FonF) as the most suitable choice for language teaching. Moreover, the content and materials used by teachers reveal their actual classroom practices which tend to favour FonFs instruction, conflicting with their beliefs. This misalignment also indicates teachers’ insufficient knowledge of L2 learning theories and the intricate nature of their grammar cognition. The study implies the need for research on mediating factors in teacher cognition-practice and training programs promoting L2 theory and practical strategies.

While study-abroad students generally prefer destinations where the local language relates to their personal, academic, or professional pursuits, the Czech Republic ranks as the 25th most popular destination for U.S. study abroad, signalling an interest in exploring beyond traditional language choices. This study addresses the gap in the literature on learning a less commonly taught language in the study abroad setting, which is unrelated to the student’s major fields of study (Czech). Over thirteen weeks, data were gathered through a qualitative methodology involving initial questionnaires, learner diaries, and semi-structured interviews with a sample of five students. Drawing on the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), the research underscores the impact of the L2 learning experience and the construct of the ideal L2 self on motivation. Findings revealed a general increase in motivation for learning Czech throughout the semester, accompanied by a decline in the ideal Czech self by the end and an indicative enhancement in the ideal multilingual self-concept. This study additionally emphasizes the vital role of mandatory language courses in augmenting motivation, particularly when aligned with learners’ objectives. These insights broaden the understanding of motivational dynamics in acquiring languages other than English (LOTEs), highlighting the necessity for continued exploration of the multilingual motivational self-system within study-abroad contexts.

This paper analyses the language educator’s experience of delivering an Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) in an Irish University. It uses a focus group to explore the experiences of six International Language Tutors who delivered modules on a pilot IWLP between 2021 and 2024. The findings indicate that designing and delivering the programme was a predominantly rewarding experience for the tutors involved. Positive aspects included engagement levels among students who completed the programme, the freedom to design, deliver and assess modules in a flexible and innovative manner, and the supportive nature of the tutor team. Negative aspects relate to policy issues concerning student eligibility for the programme, operational issues such as (de-)registration, attendance and attrition rates, and misalignment between student and module proficiency levels. Recommendations relate to IWLP design and administration as well as to supports for IWLP language educators. They include the use of hybrid teaching as standard, the opening of IWLPs to all staff and students (using caps on numbers and waiting lists), clear communication to potential participants in relation to the relationship between IWLP language modules and main degrees reflected in simplified registration, deregistration and certification processes, the provision of training in hybrid design and delivery of language modules as well as of appropriate teaching infrastructure, and full integration of the IWLP teaching team into institutional support structures.

Plurilingual competence or repertoire of languages refers to all individuals being potentially plurilingual. As plurilingual competence and language repertoires are individual, assessment modes targeted to the individual and localized to the context should be encouraged. This study explored and depicted the plurilingual profile of Italian Studies students (and thus student language teachers) in the Greek context through various modes. The role of the Italian language in this localized context was also explored and the language trajectory was attempted to be de-picted qualitatively. The instruments used were the Language Passport, the DIALANG diagnostic test, the ECML ‘Self-evaluate your language skills’ tool, a plurilingual portrait (to make the language repertoire visible), and a short personal written narrative. It is mainly a qualitative study, and instances of multi-method research are also present. Moreover, the whole procedure contributed to incorporating plurilingualism and multiculturalism into language teacher education for student Italian language teachers in higher education.