Search

Teachers' language assessment literacy (LAL) refers to teachers' ability to perform assessment-related tasks. Despite the significant role of language assessment literacy in English language teaching and learning, many teachers reported to have an inadequate ability to perform assessment-related tasks because of the lack of assessment training programs that prepared them for the tasks. This study aimed at investigating the existing assessment training programs to develop EFL teachers' LAL. A systematic literature review was conducted to observe trends in how assessment training programs were carried out in the past decades. PRISMA model was used for identifying, screening, and selecting. Twenty-eight studies published between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed. The results reveal that the assessment training models comprised theoretical and practical components of language assessments. The results also show that the methods for delivering the content are collaborative and reflective practices. The findings of this study should be considered in the design of EFL teacher training programs on assessment.

Over the past two decades, multiple empirical studies have examined how teacher audio feedback works in EFL/ESL writing courses. This review explores instructor audio feedback studies in higher education writing contexts. Seventy empirical studies were identified in literature searches published between 2000 and 2022 in several academic databases. Then, based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, thirteen relevant studies were reviewed. The results indicate that interest in instructor audio feedback research has risen since 2000. This overview presents what empirical studies on teacher audio feedback in L2 writing courses aimed to find out, how they were conducted, and what they found. As many research designs and findings were underexplored, more studies are required to investigate this feedback type to benefit L2 writing learning and teaching and enrich studies on audio feedback practices. The gaps identified in the selected studies offer ideas for future explorations of teacher audio feedback in L2 writing contexts.

Although group work activities are commonly employed in communicative second language (L2) classes, there are few studies that investigate how much teachers and students, the two main stakeholders, agree or differ on how group work activities should be conducted. To fill this gap, this study, which was carried out at a public university in Vietnam, examined the perceptions of both teachers and students to uncover matches and mismatches in their perceptions of important issues for effective group work implementation. The study explored the actual experiences of six teachers and ten students, who were chosen by convenience sampling. Thematic analysis of the interviews indicated that the benefits of group work were widely agreed upon, as were the preferences for group size and self-selection of group members. However, there was disagreement over ways of grouping, the role of leadership, and the use of peer assessment. The findings have significant implications for relevant stakeholders, especially in the Asian English as a foreign language (EFL) context, about what would work well and what needs to be addressed to maximize the effectiveness of group work implementation.

Numerous researchers have developed technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) instruments for English language teaching; however, a valid and reliable instrument to unbox the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile from graduates of the primary school teacher education study program does not yet exist. Consequently, this study aimed to design and validate a questionnaire to unbox the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile. This study used a mixed-methods approach. First, qualitative methods were employed to verify and validate the content of each construct. The items were generated through experts' and a primary English teacher's reviews. As a quantitative method, the questionnaire was then validated through explanatory factor analysis (EFA). The result of EFA yielded a comprehensive set of 40 items: technological knowledge (TK) section (consisting of 5 items), content knowledge (CK) section (consisting of 6 items), pedagogical knowledge (PK) section (consisting of 6 items), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) section (consisting of 5 items), technological content knowledge (TCK) section (consisting of 5 items), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) section (consisting of 7 items), and TPACK section (consisting of 5 items). The reliability coefficients of each construct were acceptable. In conclusion, the study obtained a fruitful questionnaire for unboxing the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile.

English language teaching (ELT) in Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, commonly known as "pesantren," presents a unique context that requires a tailored pedagogical approach. This study aimed to explore the application of context-responsive pedagogy in ELT within the unique context of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. This qualitative study employed semistructured interviews and classroom observation as data generation methods to gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of English language teachers regarding the implementation of context-responsive pedagogy in English language instruction. The findings revealed the importance of understanding learner needs, incorporating authentic materials, promoting cultural sensitivity, and effective use of technology in ELT practices in Islamic boarding school contexts. This study delves into how English language teachers navigated and negotiated their practices with the sociocultural and religious values entrenched in this institution. It also highlighted the challenges English language teachers in this school context faced in the implementation of context-responsive pedagogy. Eventually, this research provides valuable insights for ELT practitioners, policymakers, and researchers interested in incorporating context-specific pedagogy to optimize ELT in Islamic boarding schools and similar educational contexts.

This study explores the educational methodologies employed by Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher, with a specific emphasis on contrasting teacher-centered approaches and student-centered approaches. Additionally, the research examines the teachers' personal beliefs regarding the most effective approach for implementation in EFL classrooms. To gather data, an online questionnaire was administered to 42 EFL teachers across Saudi K-12 schools in the Southern part of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised two sections: a demographic information segment and an inquiry into teachers' perspectives and practices. The results of the study showed a dichotomy. While a majority of participants professed that both teacher-centered and student-centered methodologies carry equal importance, a more nuanced picture emerged when examining their claimed practices versus actual classroom behavior. The majority of EFL K-12 instructors in Saudi classrooms leaned toward adopting teacher-centered approaches. These findings hold significant implications for EFL teacher training and professional development courses. This may be due to teachers' lack of confidence in implementing student-centered approaches, the traditional educational culture in Saudi Arabia, or pressure to prepare students for high-stakes exams. The study suggests that teacher education programs should focus on developing teachers' understanding and confidence in using student-centered approaches and that the Ministry of Education should create a more supportive environment for student-centered teaching approaches.

English for young learners (EYL) teachers have practiced some creative activities to maintain their pupils' learning with natural exposure to the target language amidst the pandemic. One activity practiced by Indonesian and Korean teachers was an international collaboration to perform a virtual drama of each country's folktale. This phenomenological research aimed at tapping the teachers' perceptions regarding interculturality and world Englishes (WE) in the virtual dramatic play collaboratively conducted and delving into their commitments in honing interculturality and WE. Two Indonesian and Korean teachers were involved in three sessions of in-depth interviews using pre-prepared interview questions. The trustworthiness of the data was achieved by the group discussions allowing the participants to comment on and revise the transcribed data, as well as triangulation by two international collaborators. Thematic analysis was performed to identify emerging themes and to provide novel insights into EYL teachers' encounters with interculturality and WE. The Indonesian and Korean teachers admitted the compatibility between language and culture, the urgency of introducing varieties of English, and the merits of conducting international collaboration to promote interculturality and WE. The teachers are committed to integrate interculturality and WE in their instructions despite some differences in the stipulated curricula.

Purpose: This study aims to find out ESL teachers' perceptions of imported CEFR textbooks currently in use in the classroom. Additionally, it seeks to determine how teachers have adapted and localized the contents of these books. Methodology: A total of 331 lower secondary school teachers participated in the survey and six were selected for face-to-face interviews. A questionnaire, utilizing a semantic differential scale ranging from one to six, was administered to collect quantitative data, while qualitative data was gathered through a semi-structured interview protocol. Findings: The results indicate that the majority of the teachers were fully aware of the CEFR imported textbooks currently being used in schools. Interestingly, more than half of the surveyed teachers (53.8%) agreed that these books were suitable and matched CEFR levels B1 and B2 set for the secondary school level. Significance: Findings from the interviews highlighted the necessity for teachers to adapt materials, although it also meant extra workload for them. As expected, the teachers added, modified, and simplified the contents of the textbooks. In short, materials adaptation is inevitable as long as the imported CEFR textbooks remain the main teaching materials.

Idiomatics--the scientific study of idiomatic language and figurative language--is a pervasive theme in global literature, yet its precise terminology often lacks clear definition. This article addresses this challenge directly by delving into the etymology, significance, and universality of idiomatics. It emphasizes the pivotal role of idiomatics in understanding human behavior and language development, stressing its interdisciplinary relevance. Advocating for idiomatics to gain recognition as a distinct academic discipline, the article calls for the establishment of clear boundaries and methodologies within academia. It concludes with a compelling appeal for collective action, urging idiomatists worldwide to unite under the imperative "Make it happen!" To this end, it presents ten strategic priorities that transcend geographical and linguistic divides, uniting researchers and language professionals in a common mission to advance idiomatics. These priorities underscore the urgency of addressing the current state of idiomatics and shaping its future trajectory, emphasizing the need for decisive action and collaboration. Through concerted efforts, the article seeks to propel idiomatics into new heights of understanding and application across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts, one priority at a time.

Idioms are highly conventionalized expressions that allow users to express beyond literal meanings. Despite the language difference, counterparts of idioms may overlap cross-culturally due to similar origin, social habits, and experiences. It is therefore interesting to probe whether L2 learners may benefit from deliberate instructions built on shared counterparts existing in both L1 and L2, known as cross-language overlaps. Although the phenomenon of cross-language overlap has been reported by lexical and collocation processing research (e.g., Carrol & Conklin, 2017; Hubers et al., 2020), it is yet uncertain whether its impact is influential for L2 idiom learning with the absence of semantic or syntactical similarity. To address this gap, the current study attempted to investigate whether raising English as a foreign language learners' awareness of cross-language overlap may facilitate L2 idiom teaching and how such overlap-enhancement instruction may change over different congruence conditions (congruence-available and incongruence conditions) and time. The study collected L2 idiom learning data from forty-five Chinese English learners, following a pretest-posttest design. While the experimental group (n=26) learned twenty-eight target L2 idioms with an enhancement instruction emphasizing the overlaps, the control group (n=28) learned these idioms with a conventional instruction method. Findings of this study revealed that participants were able to benefit from cross-language overlaps from both conditions, and the enhancement instruction on the semantic overlaps would result in significant learning improvement. It is therefore pedagogically advisable for language teachers to marry up L1-L2 idiom phrases containing similar counterparts and deliberately focus on the semantic congruency.

Scaffolding is a contributing factor to the effectiveness of pragmatic instruction. Although there is a large body of research on the means of scaffolding in second language teaching, research on scaffolding in L2 pragmatic instruction, especially in online teaching, is still in its infancy. To bridge the gap, this study investigated the means of scaffolding (feedback, giving hints, instructing, explaining, modeling, and questioning) utilized by teachers to aid learners in producing pragmatically appropriate speech acts of request and refusal. The data from 18 hours of online pragmatic instruction to 21 intermediate EFL learners via the Skyroom platform showed that the most frequent means of scaffolding used by three teachers participating in this study were questioning and explaining. Employing questioning, teachers used display questions to guide learners toward the appropriate production of request and refusal. Moreover, explaining, as a means of scaffolding, helped learners establish connections between new pragmatic knowledge and their prior knowledge of the speech act. The other three means of scaffolding, including feedback, giving hints, and modeling, were characterized by almost the same rate of frequency. The least frequent means of scaffolding was found to be instructing. It can be concluded that teachers tend to use questioning as a means of scaffolding more frequently because pragmatic knowledge needs to be improved through interaction. The findings can help teacher educators heighten the teachers' knowledge of various means of scaffolding to enable them to employ different means of scaffolding instead of overusing questioning and explaining.

Relational goals newly added to the teachers' goal orientation framework have been identified as one of the central features of effective teaching. However, little research has taken such goals into account, specifically in higher education contexts. Concerning the association between self-efficacy and goal orientations, this study was undertaken to investigate the predictive power of instructors' relational goals over teaching-related outcomes with teaching self-efficacy as a mediator. Three hundred thirty-eight Iranian EFL university instructors participated in the study. Their relational goals and teaching-related cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes were assessed through four scales (Instructors' Achievement Goals for Teaching, Attitudes towards Help-Seeking, Positive Affect, and SEEQ (Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality) Self-Reported Teaching Quality). Through a Structural Equation Modeling method, the proposed model was tested. The results confirmed the mediating effect of teaching self-efficacy on the relationship between instructors' relational goals and their teaching-related outcomes. Relational goal-oriented instructors with teaching self-efficacy viewed help-seeking (cognitive outcomes) as a beneficial performance rather than a threat. Regarding their positive affect (affective outcomes), the results indicated instructors' great enthusiasm for more effective teaching. Considering instructors' self-reported teaching quality (behavioral outcomes), their engagement and commitment in teaching were shown. In conclusion, the results emphasized the importance of instructors' relational goals in establishing high-quality learning and teaching environments.

The relation between English language teaching and religion has not been given sufficient attention. Most of the existing explorations of this relationship have tended to reify Western-biased outlooks of this phenomenon, which rightly highlight serious moral dilemmas derived from a focus on Christian evangelization, neo-imperialist dynamics attached to the spread of English, and valid questions about the quality of teaching while proselytizing (e.g. Edge, 2003; Pennycook & Coutand-Marin, 2003). This body of work, however, fails to consider other possible and multiple ways in which religious values come to bear in ELT considering, for instance, non-Western, less globalized, and less diverse contexts such as rural locales in a South American country. This paper presents an alternative outlook, drawing on a narrative study of the current state of ELT in rural Colombia. The analysis uncovers religion-informed metaphors that illuminate how the spiritual values of eight teachers intersect with their professional identities. It suggests that spirituality plays a central role in helping teachers navigate the complex sociocultural conditions of teaching English in rural areas, influencing their roles beyond language instruction.

This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the effect of polite corrective feedback (CF) on Iranian EFL learners' immediate and delayed grammatical accuracy. The participants included a convenient sample of 60 intermediate male/female EFL learners (four 15-member groups) selected from a private language institute in Tabriz. After the researcher ensured the homogeneity of the participants, a researcher-made multiple-choice pre-test on present and past English tenses was administered. Later, the first and second experimental groups were treated with +Polite Explicit Feedback (in the form of elicitations) and +Polite Implicit CF (in the form of recasts), respectively while the control groups were provided with -Polite Feedback of the same forms. Following the assessment of the learners' oral grammatical accuracy immediately after the treatment (uptake), a multiple-choice post-test was administered two weeks after the immediate post-test to assess their delayed recall. The independent samples t-test and ANCOVA conducted on the pre-test, immediate learning scores, and delayed post-test scores indicated that, although polite CF in both groups had a significant effect on learners' grammatical accuracy, +Polite Explicit Feedback had a more significant effect on participants' performance than -Polite Explicit Feedback and +Polite Implicit Feedback. The results underscore the significance of integrating politeness element into CF discourse, bearing implications for educational planners, materials developers, and EFL instructors.

After the curriculum reforms from 2021 to 2023, public universities in Thailand have been adapting to integrate ICT and digital literacy into their teaching. This research explores the changes experienced by ICT teachers when integrating digital literacy with student teachers in English teacher education programs after the pandemic. During COVID-19, online learning was mandatory, necessitating significant adjustments. This study also investigates the challenges associated with these changes. The participants were six teachers from six public universities with firsthand experience with the revised curriculum from 2021 to 2023. Semi-structured interviews were used as the research instrument. The interview data were grouped into themes according to the degree of change and challenges encountered by the teachers. The findings showed four levels of changes due to the curriculum reforms: changing course names, descriptions, topics, and assessments. Along with these changes, the teachers faced several challenges: selecting appropriate ICT resources, insufficient digital literacy knowledge, the need for pedagogical adjustments, insufficient training and support, infrastructure limitations, and time constraints. The study suggests that universities should offer ongoing professional development to help teachers keep up with the changing digital literacy landscape. Additionally, institutional infrastructure and support need improvement. Teacher education programs should incorporate comprehensive training on using ICT in teaching, emphasizing practical applications. Future research should study the effectiveness of professional development models in enhancing teachers' ICT skills and their ability to integrate technology into their teaching. It should also identify the impact of collaborative teaching approaches on ICT integration in teacher education programs.

The student exchange programs are venues for learning opportunities by offering multicultural contexts. This study reports on the experiences of ten prospective English language teachers in a virtual student exchange program to investigate likely skill development in a multicultural and open and distance learning setting. This descriptive study used the qualitative method. The textual data were elicited through eighty reflective essays written by the participants. Virtual classroom observations and WhatsApp chat data ensured data triangulation. The results revealed the themes as developed learning and life skills and enhanced internal gains. It was found that internal outcomes, such as self-confidence, empathy, and self-reliance, were enhanced rather than external gains. One of the limitations of this study was the brevity of the exchange program, which lasted only eight days. Additionally, the current study is a small-scale study, which limits the generalizability of the results. Last but not least, only two participants placed in the researcher's class were observed. The study poses a few implications for education policymakers, curriculum developers, and teachers. In light of the results, it is posed that adding a multicultural aspect to the teacher training curriculum is imperative for teacher empowerment. Though the literature on student exchange reports findings on the gains and challenges, there is a scarcity of studies delving into what skills students develop and how with vivid examples. In this respect, this study adds to the relevant literature.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' instructional innovativeness on student engagement, with specific reference to behavioral and emotional aspects of engagement as perceived by the teachers. Given the ever-changing demands of contemporary education, this study underscores the importance of innovativeness and its influence on student engagement in L2 learning and teaching. The study adopted a cross-sectional design, utilizing a predictive moderated model, also assessing whether various teacher background variables such as educational status, gender, and field of graduation moderate the relationship between instructional innovativeness and student engagement. Data from 144 EFL teachers across Turkiye underwent analysis through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). It was shown that instructional innovativeness significantly predicts both behavioral and emotional student engagement. However, only educational status, particularly differences between BA and PhD degrees, was found to moderate the impact on behavioral engagement, with no significant moderating effects identified for emotional engagement. In conclusion, this study highlights the merit of cultivating and fostering a culture of innovation among ELT practitioners to benefit students.

Once the pandemic concluded, the Foreign Languages Department of a Chilean state university hired a Canadian company to implement a pre-designed language learning system (PLLS). This platform was to be used by all teachers and students, as it contained various activities to develop all four language skills, including pronunciation practice through AI-based voice recognition. This study explores the attitudes of 17 university teachers towards using these pre-elaborated resources, activities, and assessments in their communicative English and German courses. A mixed-method approach was used, involving a survey based on the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) and individual interviews. Descriptive statistics were obtained from the survey responses, and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis techniques. The results indicate that teachers' attitudes towards the PLLS were generally neutral to negative. Instructors expressed their concerns about the system's pre-designed content and perceived functionality. Perceived ease of use and usefulness were rated low, reporting difficulties in navigation and alignment with their teaching styles. Perceived enjoyment received the lowest rating, mentioning issues such as disconnected content and lack of progressive structure. Qualitative data revealed technical problems, increased workload, and concerns about the system's impact on student motivation and learning outcomes. While some positive aspects were noted, the overall attitude towards the PLLS was predominantly negative, highlighting the need for better alignment with pedagogical goals and improved implementation strategies.

The paucity of English teachers in Namibia's research output as well as practicing the scholarship of teaching and learning has been noticed and noted. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the views of English teachers in the Kalahari Circuit in the ||Kharas Region in Namibia on the effect of an intervention to enhance their willingness to conduct research and publish. The study used a questionnaire to collect qualitative and quantitative biographical data from the participants. The quantitative data were analysed using simple description while qualitative data were analysed using Renner and Tylor-Powell's five steps for analysing narratives. The study revealed that, after participating in the research workshop, English teachers showed confidence to conduct research and publish their work. Furthermore, the participants suggested that the workshop should include all teachers, who need support from the agents in education. It was also found that the duration of the workshop should be extended and resources should be availed to teachers to conduct research for publication. The study recommended that this training should be rolled out to other regions while broadening the target scope.

Autonomous learning in EFL refers to learner involvement, reflection and target language use. Teachers play a vital role of mediators and facilitators in self-regulated method. Thus, their perception of self-regulated practices dictates their implementation of this approach. While research has predominantly focused on inadequate management of autonomous learning in school mostly due to lack of appropriate teacher training, this study examined whether novice teachers who were exposed to extensive autonomous practices were likely to implement this method in their teaching. Twelve novice teachers were interviewed to examine their perception of learner autonomy and their management of this method. It was found that three-thirds of the respondents experienced a gap between familiarity with autonomous learning and a favorable attitude to this approach and their deficient integration of self-regulated learning. Although learner-related and institution-oriented factors played a role in this gap, it was mostly caused by the respondents' not being genuinely autonomous. This may be due to indirect exposure rather than explicit introduction of the learner autonomy approach. The insights of this research may assist curriculum designers and heads of teacher training programs to rethink course composition to guarantee the transfer of methodologies into EFL classes.

Two major earthquakes, measuring 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, occurred within a nine-hour period in Türkiye's southern region on February 6, 2023. These earthquakes affected 11 provinces, including various aspects of life such as education. Consequently, the Higher Education Council (YOK) in Türkiye postponed the commencement date of the spring term in all higher education institutions until further notice. To support the affected universities, YOK paired eight universities from the impacted areas with eight other universities to collaborate in commencing and conducting educational practices. This study aimed to investigate how Amy, a senior English lecturer at one of these host universities, negotiated her teacher identity while supporting an earthquake-affected university. The participant was selected through the purposeful sampling method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and written teacher reflections to gain a better understanding of identity negotiations during times of uncertainty. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The results of this qualitative case study suggest that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers negotiate their identities in response to challenging crises. One of the significant findings of this study is that EFL teachers need to learn how to manage trauma-sensitive classrooms by employing strategic adaptations to minimize the impact of crises.

Parallel with the growth of research on the role of religious ideologies in teachers' professional lives, the present study drew on an ecological perspective and explored how religious ideology (i.e., Islamic principles) intersected with Iranian English language teachers' agency and identity. The study was methodologically situated within a narrative inquiry methodology, and data were collected from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews. Data analyses revealed that Islamic principles intersected with teachers' agency and identity in three major ways: Islamic principles as a humiliating cult, agency-demolishing nature of ideology, and resisting Islamic ideologies. The study shows that, on the one hand, ideology can serve as a source of humiliation and harm to teachers' agencies and identities. On the other hand, teachers also influence ideology by not only showing resistance, but practicing certain instructional initiatives that raise students' awareness of the destructive nature of Islamic principles. The study concludes with implications for teachers on how to communalize their agentic initiatives so that they can construct their identities in more constructive ways.

The current study is located among the body of language teacher identity research by focusing on the identities of pre-service language teachers in Japan. This study looks at how pre-service language teacher identities are situated among Japanese values and belief systems and investigates how participants are coping with disrupted language teacher identities as they are preparing to embark on teaching careers. Three pre-service teachers took part in this study, and data originated from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews. These participants are preparing for future employment as K-12 English teachers in Japan. Drawing upon grounded theory and Gross' (2015) process model of emotional regulation, findings illustrate the conflicted manner in which pre-service teachers are constructing their nascent language teacher identities against the backdrop of Japanese values and belief systems and the realities of teaching in Japan. In this context, the participants are approaching their future careers with deeply held emotions of both hope and dread, complicating the development of empowered language teacher identities. Additionally, this study found that the participants were able to employ Gross' (2015) emotional regulation strategies to varying degrees of success. This article concludes with implications for pre-service teachers and pre-service teacher training programs in Japan and abroad.

Informed by Huber's (2021) framework of critical ethnography from a social justice perspective, this study aimed to (a) figure out how language teachers struggle for equity embedded within their socio-cultural contexts of schooling; (b) examine the micro, meso, and macro-factors affecting their identities with the impact of dominating ideologies; (c) uncover how they position themselves in challenging such practices and constraints. This study employs an exploratory qualitative case study design and an inductive data analysis method to document the voices of two in-service and three pre-service English language teachers and two teacher educators as professionals in K-12 school settings in Türkiye. The study addressed how ideologies stemming from power, authority, and institutional structures shape their ongoing teacher identity formation. As a result, language educators referred to oppression stemming from imposed decisions, decontextualized in-service and pre-service teacher training practices, and limited space for decision-making. Bringing in a social justice orientation, this study documented language educators' ways of challenging the dominant ideologies and schooling practices. This research brought voices from various layers to provide a composite picture of the potential gap(s) between their practice contexts and initial and in-service teacher-training practices.

Purpose: This study investigates university in-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' perceptions of technology integration and the relevant factors that may affect their technology integration in the classroom. Design/Approach/Methods: This multiple case study applies Teo's extended technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of teacher value beliefs associated with using technology to explore seven in-service EFL teachers' perceptions of effective technology integration and the challenges they encountered. Findings: This study suggests that (1) perceived usefulness and (2) teacher value beliefs are two important factors that influence in-service teachers' technology integration. Additional factors are (3) subjective norm, (4) facilitating conditions of the environment, and (5) cultural values. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the existing literature on in-service EFL teachers' technology integration and increases the applicability of the extended TAM in China. This study also provides insights into these teachers' perceptions and practices of technology integration. Finally, insights gleaned from this study will guide school-level, local, and national educational policy groups on optimally supporting in-service teachers' future technology integration.

This study examined the role of technology integration and teachers' professional competence in developing 21st-century learning. Present studies show a significant gap between technology integration and teachers' competency in developing 21st-century learning. This study highlights the pivotal roles of technology integration and teacher competence in modern education. In an era where technology has transformed teaching and learning, understanding the synergy between these two factors is crucial for educational advancements. The study employs a descriptive quantitative approach. It seeks to understand the current state of technology integration and teacher competence by collecting data from in-service teachers within the English teacher's forum. The data collection methods encompass questionnaires and interviews to gain comprehensive insights into the subject matter. The research design of this study primarily relies on a descriptive approach, which involves the systematic collection and analysis of data to describe and understand the existing situation. The data-gathering process, through questionnaires and interviews, ensures a comprehensive exploration of the research questions. The results show that technology integration and teacher competency significantly influence the development of 21st-century learning.

The purpose of this study is to find out the views of a group of instructors and the administrators of the School of Foreign Languages (SFLs) on the Pearson Assured (PA) accreditation process in terms of the quality management of their institutions. To achieve this purpose, we employed document review and semi-structured interviews. To analyze the data; therefore, we used both document analysis and content analysis. The document analysis showed that the PA accreditation provides basic quality measurements with examples so that institutions can present their quality performances with evidence in order to ensure that the requirements in several headings are met. The qualitative content analysis of the verbal data captured in interviews revealed a change in the participants' views in time. Despite the partially negative opinions on the process held before and during accreditation, the high workload and immense amount of time required to provide necessary evidence, the participants generally had favorable opinions of PA accreditation and stated their wishes for it to continue, believing that accreditation process contributes to the quality management of their institutions as a whole.

Although technology has been seamlessly integrated into classroom teaching, there is room for improvement in the way professional development is implemented. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Thai teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in implementing digital literacy training. Focusing on technologically illiterate teachers (and particularly older ones), the study aimed to investigate the production of online videos by these teachers to be used in their classrooms. The study was conducted in Trang, Thailand, and involved 36 Thai EFL teachers who underwent a one-month training programme in 2020. Data was collected through a questionnaire, observation, and interviews. The results showed that the participants required additional training time, and faced challenges such as teaching style, computer specifications, and Internet accessibility. Despite these challenges, the teachers reported a positive perceptions of teaching English with technology, and found it was easier than they had anticipated. These findings have pedagogical implications for future implementations of digital literacy training for somewhat technologically illiterate language teachers.

The process of humanization, placing a person at the heart of learning and teaching, has become a key movement in education to meet the requirements of the 21st century. In this regard, designing innovations to serve the human needs first is essential. Personalized learning (PL), being an example of a human-centric innovation, is a promising methodology that leads to positive student's outcomes. However, it has not found ts way in the practical implementation and has become a topic for heated debates among different stakeholders. This study investigates PL at the secondary education level underpinned by a digital platform. The PL integration is analyzed from the perspective of teacher practice (TP) which integrates the digital platform built on the PL methodology. In accordance with the thematic analysis of the interviews and the developed matrix of indicators for TP, PL has found its realization in four scenarios. In order to construct the scenarios, the study involves 24 semi-structured interviews with secondary school teachers. Prior to the interviewing, the participants were categorized in nine profiles due to the survey results of NorBa (traditionalconstructivist beliefs) and technology readiness index (TRI). The results indicate that TP embraces four scenarios of the PL integration. The study outlines personalized learning as one of the scenarios, partial personalization (individualization and differentiation), non-personalized TP (traditionalism), and TP without digital platform embedding.

This study examined the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) professional development needs of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers. EFL teachers participated in semi-structured interviews from seven primary schools in a middle-sized urban school district in the east part of China. Content analysis with frequency tables and quotations from the interview transcription were conducted. The results indicated that though primary EFL teachers in China have the basic technological knowledge to support teaching, they lack appropriate knowledge and training particularly in areas of TPACK related to EFL teaching. Results from the present study indicate that there is a need for professional development (PD) that helps EFL teachers integrate technology in teaching reading, speaking, and writing.

The aim of this study is to examine the utilization of 21st century skills by secondary school English language teachers and to investigate whether their background has a role in using these skills. The study also aims to shed light on the challenges teachers face when integrating these skills into their teaching practices. A mixed-methods research design, which incorporates the scale and an online survey with open-ended questions, was used to accomplish the aims of the study. The data were obtained online using 21st century teaching and learning scale developed by Hixson et al. (2012) and an online survey. A total of 119 teachers were reached using convenience and snowball sampling methods, with 26 of them participating in the online survey. The quantitative findings of the study showed that teachers used 21st century skills approximately once or three times a month, and the most used skill was using technology as a tool for learning, while local connections were the least. According to the t-test results, a significant difference was found in the use of these skills between private and public school teachers, with private school teachers employing these skills more frequently than their public school counterparts. Furthermore, it was revealed that teachers who received 21st century skills training integrated some of the 21st century skills into their lessons more often than those who did not. In addition, it was found that years of experience played a role in the implementation of these skills. According to the post-hoc test, less experienced teachers integrated 21st century skills more frequently than more experienced teachers. On the other hand, the teachers' educational background did not show any significant difference in using these skills. According to the findings obtained from the content analysis of the online survey, the lack of qualified in-service and pre-service training on 21st century skills, poor curricula, lack of required materials and infrastructure, and unsupportive attitudes of the administrators were the challenges encountered by teachers.

The paper examines how new age pedagogies and neoliberal policies consciously work towards "naturalizing" English language's hegemony in institutions of Higher Education (IHE) in India. An ethnographic study the paper foregrounds the precarious positioning of non-English Indian languages "vis-à-vis" the pervading discourses of internationalization and education as job/skill oriented. Hegemony of English in the present is coupled with a restructuring of language departments as well as fleeting market demands for human capital. The paper also brings into question the role of the Internet and related technologies in reorganizing the linguistic dynamics of HE. Instead of democratizing, the Internet produces new monopolies in knowledge production, controls knowledge traffic from global North to South and further legitimizes the language hegemony. The paper argues that, in the last two decades, the neoliberal rupture has been leading HE institutions to a death of vernaculars within their physical, cultural and academic spaces.

Research on organizational trust and job satisfaction is an over-researched domain within organizational settings. However, whether such a connection extends to educational or language school contexts, has been scarcely investigated in education research. In this study, we report the connection between trust and job satisfaction among English teachers across private language schools and the extent to which age, gender, and experience moderate this relationship. The participants of the present study were selected from among the English teachers of several English schools in Urmia, Iran. We adopted two main questionnaires, namely, job satisfaction and interpersonal trust scales, to collect data. In this study, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to detect multi-group relationships among the variables. The findings yielded a positive association between English teachers' interpersonal trust and their job satisfaction and illustrated that age and experience moderated the relationship between the two variables. We found that teachers with a higher degree of interpersonal trust were more satisfied with their jobs. The findings warrant taking heed of language teachers' job satisfaction at language schools and creating an educational workplace with cooperation and trust among supervisors and teachers.

The present study explores the perspectives and instructional approaches adopted by five university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Thailand about using translanguaging pedagogy in monolingual English instruction. Examining the concept of translanguaging pedagogy and framed in an exploratory-descriptive qualitative research design through individual interviews, the findings emphasize the significance of acknowledging students' first language, emphasizing the favorable opinions of the participants toward the use of translanguaging in English language classrooms. The findings also demonstrate that translanguaging pedagogy serves as a scaffolding mechanism, enabling students to leverage their pre-existing linguistic abilities to enhance their proficiency in the English language. This study makes a valuable contribution to the existing body of research on translanguaging pedagogy, as it does not only place importance on students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds, fostering a classroom environment that is safe and inclusive, but it also emphasizes the significance of language teachers recognizing and accepting the coexistence of translanguaging pedagogy in classrooms where English monolingual policies are mandated. We discuss the implications and offer research recommendations.

Teaching English speaking has become a centre of attention among scholars and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) practitioners for a few decades. However, the issue of teaching English speaking in "Kampung Inggris"/English Village remains under-researched, notably viewed from the tutors' challenges and solutions in the Indonesian English as a foreign language (EFL) milieu. This study addressed this gap. Two English tutors from "Kampung Inggris"/English Village got involved as the participants. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with thematic analysis. The findings reported that there were five challenges encountered by tutors when teaching English speaking, namely tutors' inability of exploring English language teaching materials, tutors' insufficient English vocabulary, tutors' ineffective time management during language teaching practices, demotivated tutees to learn English, and perceived teaching anxiety. In addition, the tutors stipulated four solutions to cope with such challenges, namely building a good rapport between tutor and tutees, tutors' self-motivation to English vocabulary enrichment, selecting appropriate and providing updated English language teaching materials, and motivating English language tutees. Therefore, teaching English speaking should not only rely on immersing students in fluency-based activities but also manage tutees' psychological factors to attain more effective teaching English speaking objectives.

Digital literacy is essential in writing research articles for publication in today's digital age, particularly for novice English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher trying to publish their research articles. This qualitative research explores the digital literacy practices of novice EFL teachers in writing research articles for publication, including the digital tools they use, their purposes for using these tools, and the challenges they face in using them. The data were collected using a questionnaire and interview. The study found that novice EFL teachers conceptualized digital literacy as the ability to search and evaluate credible online sources, using word processing and digital editing tools, collaborating online, and publishing their work digitally. Novice EFL teachers use various digital tools, such as word processing software, reference management software, and online academic databases, to improve their research and writing process. They use these tools for various purposes, such as collaborating with peers, improving their writing skills, and publishing their work online. However, novice EFL teachers face limited technical issues, limited access, inadequate technology infrastructure, and time management. It is recommended that academic institutions provide support to help novice EFL teachers develop their digital literacy skills, including technical support services, and training programs.

The fact that English teachers encounter challenges while employing student-centered pedagogy and assessment practices is beyond argument. Empirical evidence indicates that, particularly in the context of Najran University, relatively little attention has been paid to researching the issue and offering solutions to coping with it. Consequently, this study examined English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' employment of student-centered pedagogy and assessment practices in the Saudi EFL context concerning execution, challenges, and solutions. Also, it correlated the respondents' answers with their gender, experience, degree, and specialization. The descriptive survey design was used to achieve the study objectives. The study tools, a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were applied to a convenient sample of (73) faculty members. The results showed that the study sample highly employs pedagogy and assessment practices focused on students. In addition, the demographic variables of gender, experience, degree, and specialization did not have any significant role in affecting the responses to employing pedagogy and assessment practices. Finally, the content analysis of the semi-structured interview revealed the challenges and solutions to employing pedagogy and assessment practices. In light of the current results, the researchers proposed recommendations and implications.

Although many issues about the use of transcripts for studying classroom interactions have been addressed in other studies, little attention has been given to the use of transcripts to study student teachers' classroom interactions. To achieve a deeper understanding of student teachers' perspectives and permit the formulation of a more appropriate framework, it is crucial to hear from student teachers and investigate their experiences about the use of transcripts. Therefore, in the study reported on here we used 7 focus-group interviews of approximately 6 Saudi EFL (English as a foreign language) student teachers in each group to investigate their perceptions on the use of transcripts for studying their classroom interactions. The data were thematically analysed. Three themes that represented the participants' experiences of using transcripts to study their classroom interactions emerged: using the transcript analysis, learning from the transcript analysis, and committing to using the transcript analysis. The findings reveal that most participants felt they had autonomy in using transcripts to study their classroom interactions, but experienced some challenges. Most students were determined to change their classroom interaction based on their analyses of classroom interactions but only a few demonstrated the determination to continue using the transcript analysis approach.

There is an urgent need to establish classroom libraries, especially in rural areas where learners hardly come across any reading material. The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers set up classroom libraries in rural areas of the Mogodumo circuit in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The study was qualitative in nature. Fifteen English First Additional Language (EFAL) teachers from 12 schools participated in the study. Observation and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data. It was found that while all participants recognised the importance of reading for their learners, only 7 of the 15 teachers managed to establish classroom libraries. The study revealed that teacher self-efficacy (TSE) played a crucial role in setting up classroom libraries, given the serious challenges of funding, resources and support experienced by rural schoolteachers. Teachers with high TSE managed to establish classroom libraries by using their own time, money, and resources, while those with low TSE failed to establish classroom libraries. We recommend that school managers should make time and resources available to rural schoolteachers to enable them to establish classroom libraries.

This article investigates two language teacher identity dilemmas encountered by EFL preservice teachers (PSTs) during their last practicum and how they navigated them to reconcile their identities. Dilemmas, characterised as inner conflicts and challenges PSTs face in resolving contradictory demands and different roles in their profession (Cabaroglu & Tillema, 2011), can illuminate how PSTs understand their teaching roles and language teacher identity (LTI) amidst the complexities of the teaching practice. The article begins by contextualising the study, presenting an overview of the ELT national curriculum and how this is reflected in the practicum. Next, an exploration of LTI and how dilemmas can serve as tools for reconciling this identity will be drawn. Lastly, findings and conclusions will be presented. This study suggests that a locally responsive ELT pedagogy could empower PSTs to better navigate and transform challenges into valuable learning-to-teach opportunities. Accordingly, caring emerged as a tool for PSTs to better navigate political dilemmas in underprivileged contexts. By integrating contextual knowledge into curricula, PSTs could align their language teaching identities with specific needs, enhancing student engagement, motivation, and success in diverse educational settings.

Rapid economic growth and globalization have made higher education internationalization no longer the exclusive arena for developed countries but also open for players from the non-English speaking, developing world. A quality learning environment is among determinants for the success of international students mobility and should be taken into serious consideration by countries that want to prevail. However, much of the existing learning environment literature has targeted international students, ignoring the insights of other stakeholders, especially those from the host country side. This mixed-methods study investigated the perception and attitudes of EFL teachers and students towards the quality of the classroom learning environment (CLE) with the participation of international students in a university in Vietnam. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were used to interpret quantitative data collected via questionnaire surveys with 136 student participants. Findings showed a positive assessment of CLEs in the studied context. CLE factors such as student cohesiveness and task orientation were believed to be affected by the presence of international students, which could be attributed to communication barriers and challenges in organizing class activities. The findings contribute a robust understanding for further exploration of the under-researched realm of classroom environment with international students.

The demand for proficient English language teachers has increased significantly in non-native English-speaking countries, emphasizing the need for effective teacher training programs. This study investigated the influence of the CELTA/TESOL certification on non-native English teachers' practical teaching knowledge and efficacy perceptions in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. A qualitative approach was employed, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. The participants comprised eight Iranian EFL teachers who completed the CELTA/TESOL certification program. Before the certification course, the teachers exhibited diverse teaching approaches, emphasizing teacher-centered methods. Their confidence levels varied, and they faced challenges in classroom management and addressing student needs. The lack of formal training in practical teaching techniques was evident among participants. Following the certification course, significant positive changes were observed in the teachers' self-reported practices and self-efficacy perceptions. Participants also showed positive dispositions towards student-centered approaches, integrated learner needs and interests, and utilized diverse instructional strategies. The course contributed to effective lesson planning and classroom management. Collaborative learning and ongoing professional development were fostered, enhancing the teachers' reflective practice. As a result, the non-native English teachers reported increased confidence in their teaching abilities. This study contributes to understanding the benefits of the CELTA/TESOL certification program for non-native English teachers and emphasizes the importance of practical teacher training in EFL contexts. It highlights the transformative potential of such certification courses in bridging the gap in practical teaching knowledge and supporting the professional growth of non-native English teachers.

Fluency development is one of the prominent components of a well-balanced language course. In particular, speaking fluency interests second language (L2) researchers who have continuously tried to look for the finest approach for helping L2 learners attain a certain level of fluency to achieve effective communication. To this end, the primary purpose of this research is to explore what factors affect English-speaking fluency and what strategies can effectively boost its development among a cohort of Vietnamese university students. The participants were 142 English majors who filled out a questionnaire measuring their perceived self-efficacy concerning English-speaking fluency. Four teachers and six students joined the semi-structured interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed that the most influential factors were linguistic elements, followed by performance, and affective factors. The most effective strategy for enhancing fluency was task repetition. Notably, the findings revealed a mismatch between teachers' and students' understandings of speaking fluency, which may negatively impact the achievement of fluent speech. Based on these results, pedagogical implications are discussed for English teachers and students regarding fluency development.

Critical writing seeks to enhance university students' ability to think causally and reason effectively, and this improvement should be evident in their language use in the assignments. An example of such language is interactional metadiscourse, the expression of attitudes and opinions in line with the intended audience. In pursuit of these objectives, this study investigated the textual characteristics of critical thinking by examining interactional metadiscourse markers (MDMs) in the critical response papers authored by English Language Teaching (ELT) undergraduate students throughout a semester at a Turkish state university. The findings revealed shifts in the use of interactional MDMs by the end of the semester. While markers for engagement, hedging, and boosting remained prevalent across various tasks, the utilization of self-mentions and attitude markers declined, indicating a transition from the students' sharing personal opinions and experiences to relying on evidence from research in academic texts to support their arguments. Additionally, the study highlighted the impact of topic selection on how students incorporated metadiscourse markers into their response papers.

English academic writing is fundamental at tertiary level as it is the main medium of communication in the academe. Over the years, ESL lecturers have not only struggled to search for the most suitable teaching approach(es) to teach academic writing but have encountered several other problems in their teaching, such as class size, students' English proficiency levels, heavy workload, and others. Given these circumstances, a review of the literature has indicated there are scant studies that explore the problems faced by ESL lecturers where comparisons are made between public and private universities. Grounded in multiple case studies, four ESL lecturers from two public and two private Malaysian universities were purposively selected for the study. Data were collected from semi-structured in-depth interviews, lesson observations, and document analysis. A total of 12 interview transcripts were transcribed verbatim by the researchers, and data were analysed thematically using thematic analysis and cross-case analysis, where emerging themes were used to present the findings. Findings reveal that ESL lecturers at higher education institutions encountered problems, such as constraints in time, marking issues, students' lack of interests and motivations, lecturers' lack of interest in writing, lecturers' lack of content and pedagogical content knowledge, and lack of institutional support. Hence, professional support should be given to ESL lecturers to overcome their teaching problems, and future research should explore the strategies employed by ESL lecturers to alleviate their teaching problems.

This research explores the collaboration between Indonesian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in content development. Employing a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted to delve into the perspectives, experiences, and interactions of educators in the realm of AI-enhanced content creation. The study adopts a phenomenological approach, seeking to uncover the underlying essence of the evolving educator-AI relationship in content development. The findings reveal a spectrum of AI integration among educators, from heavy reliance to a balanced approach. Educators demonstrate adaptability and resourcefulness, combining school textbooks with AI-powered tools, such as ChatGPT, magicschool.ai, and you.com, creating dynamic and engaging instructional strategies. Their approaches to lesson planning, content development, presentation, teaching methods, and assessment display a diverse range of AI incorporation, emphasizing flexibility and student-centred learning. Educators are blending textbook analysis, AI tools, and multimedia resources to enhance learning environments. Interactive and student-centred teaching methods, such as pair work, role-play scenarios, and dialogue practice, foster language acquisition, communication skills, and student confidence. In assessment and evaluation, the integration of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Twee, and Questionwell is emerging, enriching evaluation methods and promising improved student learning experiences. This research sheds light on the dynamic nature of AI-augmented content development in Indonesian EFL education, highlighting educators' adaptability and resourcefulness in embracing technology to enhance pedagogical practices and foster enriched language acquisition experiences for their students.

Although there are claims that ChatGPT, an AI-based language model, is capable of assessing the writing of L2 learners accurately and consistently in the classroom, a number of recent studies have shown discrepancies between AI and human raters. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies investigating the intrareliability of ChatGPT scores. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the accuracy and consistency of ChatGPT compared to teachers, as well as with itself, after being trained on a rubric. To accomplish this goal, the study adopted a quantitative correlational non-experimental design. A dataset of 100 writing assignments, submitted by a cohort of B1-level students at an international branch university in Egypt, was analyzed quantitatively. These assignments were initially evaluated and moderated by trained teachers (n=11), and subsequently, the same assignments were also assessed twice by ChatGPT. The findings indicated that teachers' scores exhibited a higher level of accuracy compared to those generated by ChatGPT. The results also revealed that ChatGPT exhibits a moderate, yet questioned, level of intra-rater reliability. The weak-to-moderate correlations between ChatGPT and teacher scores raise concerns about the accuracy and consistency of ChatGPT's scoring of writing assignments. The implications of the findings highlight the potential applications and limitations of ChatGPT in L2 writing assessment. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the use of AI technologies in language education and provides insights into the accuracy and reliability of ChatGPT as an evaluation tool for L2 writing.

Teachers must foster within themselves the idea that technology is a part of civilization that must inevitably go hand in hand with teaching and learning, including assessment. Technology-based assessment should assist teachers in dealing with digital native students who are already aware of their own needs, requiring teachers to integrate differentiated instruction. This qualitative study reported EFL teachers' perceptions and challenges regarding technology-based assessment for learning (AfL) and assessment as learning (AaL) within the differentiated instruction framework. Gathering the data involved conducting structured interviews with 60 EFL teachers hailing from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and utilizing the grounded theory framework as the analytical foundation. This study used content analysis. The transcribed interview data underwent coding through a systematic step-by-step process. It involved repeatedly reviewing the data to identify common patterns and recurring themes. The findings showed that EFL teachers had different perspectives about technology-based AfL and AaL within English-differentiated instruction. Most EFL teachers could be better at giving feedback after using the AfL process. They need more time to prepare technology-based AfL and AaL for differentiated instruction and group students based on their needs and abilities. Internet connectivity disrupts student engagement. Teachers mainly focus on professional development activities. The study suggests that EFL teachers and trainers should use a technology-based model for AfL and AaL to support differentiated instruction.

Adopting a sequential mixed-methods approach, the current inquiry examined English major students' perceptions of the role of teacher confirmation and teacher credibility in enhancing their academic engagement in the Chinese context. In doing so, through WeChat messenger, three scales were provided to 1168 English major students chosen from different English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. For the sake of triangulation, 40 participants were invited to take part in interview sessions as well. The inspection of the correlations between the constructs indicated a strong association between student academic engagement and teacher confirmation as well as a close connection between student academic engagement and teacher credibility. This showed that the academic engagement of Chinese EFL students is tied to these teacher interpersonal behaviors. The contribution of teacher confirmation and credibility to Chinese EFL students' academic engagement was also examined using path analysis, which demonstrated that Chinese EFL students' academic engagement was predicted by teacher credibility and confirmation. Additionally, the interview outcomes proved the integral role of these two communication behaviors in increasing Chinese students' engagement. Findings may have some noteworthy implications for teacher educators and language instructors.