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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.

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.

Developments in information and communication technologies, especially with the increase in internet use, have caused some important changes in the tourism industry, as in all sectors. Marketing strategies in the tourism sector have also undergone a transformation affected by these changes. As information and communication technologies develop, not only there is a decrease in communication costs, but also the regional borders of marketing activities have expanded and global studies have emerged. Transition to the digital world with the Internet; sharing information that will affect consumers' purchasing decisions, from destinations to tourism businesses and the diversity of services in tourism, has become one of the important variables of tourism marketing. The widespread use of information and communication technologies in the tourism sector has significantly changed the strategies and activities in tourism marketing, and especially the widespread use of social media has led to radical changes in the structure of promotional activities in tourism. In this study, which compares the social media usage of 5-star chain hotels, which are tourism businesses operating in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus, the Republic of Turkey and France, it is aimed to evaluate the effects of developments in information and communication technologies on tourism business marketing and the consumer-educational role of social media used in tourism marketing. Study; in addition to the advantageous and disadvantageous effects of technology and social media on tourism marketing, it also reveals the dimensions of the educational aspect.

Mastery of the art of crafting online reviews and responses is essential as a valuable additional tool for enhancing learners' English proficiency in specialised contexts. This study aims to: 1) Examine the formality levels in crafting reviews and responses; 2) Explore face-threatening acts utilised in reviews and politeness strategies employed in responses; and 3) Uncover moves and steps in composing reviews and responses. Data was collected from the Top 25 Hotels in the World in 2022 according to Tripadvisor.com. Six distinct corpora were formed, comprising positive, negative, and mixed reviews, along with corresponding responses, resulting in 87,973 tokens. Findings show reviewers leaned towards casual language (85.87%), while respondents used a consultative style (82.67%) in their responses. The shift from casual to consultative occurred most frequently (70.67%). For politeness, admiration (73.07%) and expressions of complaints/reprimands (64.53%) were common in reviews. In responses, strategies like offering, promising, or giving gifts (72.00%) and apologising and begging for forgiveness (50.40%) were prevalent. Reviews used three moves and ten steps, while responses employed six moves and 16 steps. These insights can be integrated into ESP classrooms to enhance review and response writing skills effectively.

In this qualitative study, we analyzed the processes of a collaborative online international learning (COIL) collaboration between two higher education institutions in Japan and the United States from the perspective of the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework. The research question this study aimed to address was: What is the utility of the TPACK framework, as a lens of analysis, for this online cultural exchange? To address this question, we conducted semi-structured interviews with student participants and examined their written works. From the student participants' learning experiences, we identified evidence of cultural exchange as well as evidence of missed opportunities for cultural exchange arising from the limited knowledge of technology, pedagogy, content, and culture. COIL and TPACK both share a common goal of increasing students' access to multiple knowledge systems using educational technology. As a result, COIL conceptually aligns well with the TPACK framework. This collaboration showed an ongoing need for the centering of cultural knowledge and cultural exchange in both COIL and TPACK. We, accordingly, outline potential for a TPACCK, a modified TPACK framework to center cultural knowledge in both with the hope of taking steps towards a more culturally sustaining framework of international collaboration.

Engagement with online media among learners is closely linked to language proficiency and cultural comprehension, offering a platform for enhancing English language skills. This has given rise to the field of online informal learning of English (OILE), with numerous studies exploring learners' habits in this domain and indicating positive impacts on language proficiency. However, disparities in OILE engagement exist among learners, with individual factors like motivation and attitude playing a role. Recent research has affirmed the positive correlation between learners' motivation, global outlook, and their involvement in informal learning. Yet, the connection between motivation and OILE remains insufficiently explored. This mixed-methods study, conducted with female university students in Saudi Arabia, utilized a questionnaire (n = 550) and subsequent semi-structured interviews (n = 19) to scrutinize students' motivations, International Posture (IP), and frequency of OILE use within the framework of the L2 Motivational Self System. The investigation aimed to elucidate how students' motivation and global outlook influence their OILE practices. Results indicated that participants were moderate OILE users with a relatively restricted global outlook, displaying diverse levels of motivation. Moreover, participants' engagement with OILE was notably shaped by their Ideal L2 selves and IP. The findings propose that participants perceived OILE as a means to connect with the international English-speaking community. Pedagogically, the study advocates for educating learners about the potential advantages of OILE use and emphasizes the need for institutions in this context to cultivate learners' International Posture.

Translators are expected to have expertise and experience in the relevant field. For this reason, the study aimed to examine the professional competence, academic self-efficacy and intercultural communication competence perceptions of translator candidates on a relational basis. In this research, the relational screening model, one of the quantitative research approaches, was used. The sample of the study consists of student translators who are studying or have recently graduated from public universities in Kazakhstan. In this context, 214 translator candidates who studied at 4 different state universities in Kazakhstan and graduated in the 2023 academic year were included in the research. 'Translator Professional Competence Scale', 'Academic Self-Efficacy Scale' and 'Intercultural Communication Scale' were used as research data collection tools. Descriptive analyzes and structural equation modeling analyzes were carried out using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 24.0 programs. According to the research findings, it was found that the professional competence, academic self-efficacy and intercultural communication competence of translator candidates in Kazakhstan were at medium levels. According to SEM analyses, the academic self-efficacy and intercultural communication competencies of translator candidates significantly affect their professional competencies, both separately and together.

As American universities become increasingly diverse, students often encounter cross-cultural challenges. Chinese students represent a substantial international U.S. student community, with distinctive pragmatic norms and values. This study investigates Chinese international and American graduate students' intercultural pragmatic strategies towards a face-threatening critical incident: expressing disagreement to a professor. Our mixed-methods design revealed quantitative and qualitative differences in participants' strategies and judgments of alternatives, demonstrating distinctive underlying norms and values. Many American participants preferred to express different opinions in class, while Chinese students privileged more indirect options, though each group included participants with alternate preferences. Implications for cross-cultural communication and pedagogy are offered.

This case study was undertaken in a London-based business school and explores the cross-cultural challenges faced by students who have relocated from India to the UK for one-year postgraduate (PG) business master's courses. Primary data were collected in two stages: semi-structured interviews, followed by a survey. The paper draws on the literature related to socio-cultural theory. It then reviews the findings of the research as to the cultural challenges the students have faced in the UK, whether in their studies, or their wider social lives. Finally, it integrates these findings into the extant literature and proposes a set of recommendations for consideration by the business school. Some of these may also have relevance for other Higher Education (HE) institutions working with Indian students.

This article explores strategies for inclusive education and intercultural communication in primary schools. The primary objective of this study was to identify effective practices that address the challenges faced by primary school educators, such as inadequate training, limited resources, and managing large class sizes. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collected through surveys of 75 novice teachers in Sofia, Stara Zagora, and Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to identify trends, strategies, and barriers to current practices. The results highlighted the predominant use of differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, and culturally sensitive teaching as key strategies for fostering inclusion and intercultural communication. Based on these findings, this study recommends enhancing teacher training programs, improving access to resources, and promoting co-teaching partnerships between primary and resource teachers to better support inclusive practices in primary education.

This research paper delved into the critical issue of applying English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) assessment principles in local English language tests used for non-native English speakers in Iranian language institutes. A qualitative content analysis was made on 60 local tests, dissecting them into domains, dimensions, and rating rubrics to scrutinize their alignment with ELF assessment principles. The study unveiled that despite some alignment with ELF assessment principles, key aspects like local communicative context, intercultural competence, and linguistic diversity are often overlooked. In particular, writing and reading tests failed to fully reflect these principles, and listening and speaking assessments showed biases towards native English varieties. The study provides crucial insights for test developers to foster a more nuanced and accurate assessment of non-native English speakers' abilities. Moreover, it highlights the need to embed ELF principles into test construction, argues for broader assessment scopes and a focus on locally relevant tasks, and contributes to more equitable and contextually relevant English language proficiency tests by emphasizing linguistic diversity in assessment frameworks.

Balancing teaching national, regional, and foreign languages presents a challenge for higher education, illustrated by the use of hypertext for multilingual communication. This study investigates the correlation between proficiency in multilingualism and cultural awareness among higher education students. Embedded mixed methods design explores the relationship between multilingualism and cultural awareness quantitatively and qualitatively in higher education in Indonesia. Participants are from various universities in Indonesia, including the State University of Makassar, the State University of Jakarta, the State University of Surabaya, Palangka Raya State Islamic Institute, Timor University, and the University of Northern Sumatra, and they have diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The questionnaire distributed via Google Form passed validity and reliability tests. The quantitative research used Pearson's r analysis of the relationship between multilingualism learning and cultural awareness. In the qualitative strand, thematic analysis investigates cultural awareness-based multilingualism learning strategies. The research findings reinforce the positive and significant relationship between multilingual learning and cultural awareness, suggesting multilingual competence not only enhances cultural knowledge and participation in cultural practices but deepens understanding of the socio-cultural context and strengthens capacity and positive attitudes towards cultural learning. The study aids practitioners in developing inclusive learning strategies and provides policymakers with empirical evidence for crafting policies to empower multicultural communities.

This study investigates the effect of integrating different versions of Cinderella in a regular English classroom for Thai grade 10 students to enhance students' intercultural competence (IC), employing Deardorff's (2009) and Byram's (1997, 2021) model as the theoretical frameworks. A mixed-methods research approach was used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, assessing the impact of implementing Cinderella stories on learners' intercultural competence. Various research instruments, including versions of Cinderella stories, designed lesson plans, an intercultural competence assessment questionnaire, and students' reflective writing, were employed. The findings indicated a significant improvement across all IC dimensions, with the most notable enhancement observed in cultural knowledge. Additionally, students demonstrated increased sensitivity to social discrimination, developed positive attitudes towards cultural differences, and improved intercultural communication skills. Reflective writing was crucial for fostering more profound understanding, self-awareness, and empathy. The study underscores the effectiveness of multicultural narratives and reflective practices in cultivating students' appreciation of cultural diversity and highlights the importance of student-centred activities in developing intercultural competence. Teachers are encouraged to adopt these strategies to create a more culturally aware and empathetic learning environment.

This paper explored students' experiences in an international virtual student mobility (VSM) program at a Japanese national university implemented in collaboration with partner universities in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. Through students' narratives, the study discerned how students perceive "mobility" and the concept of "international students" after participating in a virtual student mobility program. Findings revealed a tension between students' understanding of "mobility," official narratives, and students' actual experiences. While VSM programs facilitate communication and knowledge exchange across borders and develop cross-cultural communications, prevailing binary definitions in student mobility, such as "inbound" vs. "outbound," "domestic" vs. "international," or "study abroad" vs. "internationalization at home," limit VSM potential to be fully realized. This misalignment of the traditional understanding of student mobility that emphasizes place and borders challenges the official narrative of student mobility and urges educators to re-align and re-frame how we understand "international students."

This study investigates the role of speaking the Jing language in the contemporary context of China's active engagement with Vietnam. Based on the fieldwork conducted in Dongxing Guangxi in January 2024, the study shows that the Jing language plays an important role in both maintaining the cultural heritage as pride and empowering the educational and employment trajectories as profit. More importantly, the capacity of speaking the Jing language can contribute to the social and medical communication between China and Vietnam. This can be manifested in terms of cultural communication with Vietnam and medical treatment for Vietnamese migrants. However, speaking the Jing language as pride is not always consistent with speaking the Jing language as profit. The internal differentiation within Vietnamese varieties may cause communication barriers for Jing speakers. The limited development of the Jing language also creates another layer of communication challenges for Jing people engaging in professional practices. How to mobilize the Jing language to facilitate the bilateral communication between China and Vietnam deserves our attention for future studies. The study has enriched the scope of the studies on language planning and policy in the borderlands. The study can shed lights on implementing language policy in China's border provinces and provide practical implications to facilitate the political and economic communication between China and other neighbouring countries for border prosperity and border stability.

The cultural challenge of educating Haitian rehabilitation professionals was identified by a Canadian francophone university which collaborated in the implementation and organization of international internships. Ethical cross-border internationalization should ensure reciprocity for partners. With this as a central value and in a context of pedagogical resource scarcity in Haiti, an intercultural educational partnership involved Haitian and Canadian university students situated in their respective countries in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) course. Teachers and students applied principles of decolonization of health pedagogy principles were applied by teacher and students throughout this cross-border virtual synchronous PBL course. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and to identify facilitators and obstacles to conducting a cross-border virtual synchronous PBL course and its perceived benefits in the development of professional competencies. Five Canadian students and five Haitian students, all volunteers, took part in a 3-week cross-border virtual synchronous PBL course. Deductive qualitative content analysis of the transcripts from a 120-minute focus group discussion held one week after the course and a logbook kept during the project was conducted. The criteria deemed important to successfully replicate this project relate to: 1) The attributes of the students and teachers involved; 2) pedagogical preparation activities; and 3) the use of multiple communication strategies and connectivity plans. In addition to the acquisition of course content not readily available in Haiti, the student interactions inherent in the PBL method supported the acquisition of competencies such as collaboration, communication, and change agent advocacy promoted by the Canadian association of occupational therapy which contribute greatly to strengthening the students' professional identity.

Language reflects how people think and behave in their culture. To have successful conversations, both language use and cultural awareness should be taken into consideration. Undeniably, Japanese grammar is different from Thai making it even harder for Thai learners to have fluent and appropriate conversations in the Japanese language. In the classroom, typically teachers often focus on grammar, leaving less time for students to practice conversation. Consequently, beginner learners often miss cultural details in conversations and are unable to communicate effectively. Thus, it is important for teachers to immerse students in the Japanese culture to improve their speaking skills and cultural understanding. In so doing, Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) and Reader's Theater (RT) were integrated and used to aid beginners in understanding language contexts in order to help users grasp conversational contexts and interlocutors, and use scripted practices to simulate real-life scenarios. This study aims to investigate the impact of an instructional model based on CMM and RT on improving oral communication skills in Thai beginner-level Japanese learners. The study employed an experimental design with 11th-grade Japanese-major students from a secondary school in Bangkok, involving 48 classes over 16 weeks. Instruments included a Japanese oral communication skills test and video-recorded classroom observations. Descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyze quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-tests. Moreover, the model has raised students' phonetics awareness. Phonetic features like short and long sounds, pauses, and flapping received more attention. Interestingly, they adapted Japanese pronunciation for Thai or English words enhancing communication with native speakers and avoided using personal pronouns like "anata" opting to address interlocutors by name, adhering to Japanese cultural norms. This instructional model effectively improved both linguistic and cultural competences in Japanese language learners.

English has become an international language (EIL) as speakers around the world use it as a universal means of communication. Accordingly, scholars have investigated different aspects of EIL affecting communicative success. Speech scholars have been interested in speech constructs like accentedness, comprehensibility, and acceptability (e.g., Kang et al., 2023). On the other hand, pragmatic researchers have examined lexico-grammatical features of EIL that contribute to first language (L1) English listeners' perceptions of appropriateness in speech acts (e.g., Taguchi, 2006). However, little is known about: a) how appropriateness is perceived by users of EIL of diverse L1s and b) how those appropriateness perceptions are related to lexico-grammatical and phonological features. Therefore, the present study had 184 listeners (L1 = English, Spanish, Chinese, and Indian languages) evaluate 40 speech acts performed by 20 speakers (L1 English and Chinese, 50% each) in terms of appropriateness on a 9-point numerical scale. Results from linear mixed-effects regressions suggested that: a) listener L1 did not contribute to listener ratings and b) speakers' rhythm and lexico-grammatical features (i.e., use of different pragmatic strategies) significantly contributed to listener appropriateness ratings. The findings provide empirical evidence to support the phonology-pragmatics link in appropriateness perceptions and offer implications regarding the operationalization of English interactional appropriateness.

In the twenty-first century, the teaching and learning of foreign languages (FL) has shifted towards providing English as a foreign language (EFL) learner with the necessary skills in a cross-cultural encounter widely known as intercultural competence. Based on the notion that one's intercultural savvy depends on having a clear conception of what intercultural competence involves, this study aimed to explore Thai students!" interpretations of intercultural competence (IC). The study was carried out through interviews with 20 Thai undergraduate students from two Thai universities in Bangkok. All participants took part in both one-on-one and group interviews. The study used Byram's (1997) model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC). The findings show that the participants had little understanding of the concepts underlying IC, and how students perceived IC was essentially influenced by their intercultural learning experiences in their classrooms%" Overall, the findings of this study offered a wide range of recommendations, specifically regarding classroom practices for intercultural learning.

Linguistic personality, in the domain of applied linguistics and discourse analysis, has risen to the form, content and style of a genre in the contemporary linguistic paradigm. It is determined by an individual's language behaviors, inter-cultural interactions, and self-expression, and is shaped by the educational environment. The current study aimed to examine the issues faced by students in developing their linguistic personality in higher education institutions and understand the impact on students' pragmatic self-esteem. The intent of this study was to raise students' awareness about the quality of an individual's speech and word choice, which can help them become more adept at assessing and analyzing their own speaking abilities. A descriptive research design was used in the study, employing cognitive and linguistic analysis along with content and semantic processing of the language data to investigate the linguistic personality and literary impact of the well-known Kazakh author Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961) on readers. Results made evident many ethnic realia, terms and phrases and images abound in Auezov's literary works. Students must be trained to study literary works and classic writers from their adolescence. This can help preserve literary continuity, foster the growth of future generations, and advance literary excellence. The study's findings will support educational initiatives that teach literature and languages and create efficient methods for developing a language's personality.

The translation of Russian literature into Chinese requires careful consideration due to the linguistic nuances and cultural subtleties involved. The works of Chekhov present challenges for translators aiming to maintain the original narrative's richness and cultural resonance in the Chinese context. The main objective of this study is to analyse the translation strategies used to make Chekhov's literary masterpiece accessible to Chinese readers. This study examines translators' decisions regarding functional equivalence, cultural adaptation, and the treatment of special expressions. It provides valuable insights into the wider discussion on literary translation. This research aims to fill a gap in the existing literature by examining a specific work in the Russian literary canon. By doing so, it contributes to our understanding of cross-cultural literary transmission. This study utilises a close reading methodology and participant analysis with a sample of five translators to investigate the translation process by analysing key passages. The study employs a qualitative analysis approach to examine linguistic and cultural aspects, providing a comprehensive perspective on the translation challenges and opportunities when translating Chekhov's works into Chinese. The findings highlight the translators' ability to maintain fidelity to the source text while adapting to Chinese linguistic and cultural nuances. The study identifies strategies used to handle special expressions and emphasises the choices made in linguistic and cultural adaptation. This study provides new contributions to the field of translation studies by examining the translation dynamics of Chekhov's work in the context of Russian Chinese literary exchange. The study is significant as it can provide insights into translation practices and enhance our understanding of the interplay between cultural and linguistic elements in literary translation.

Educators' rhetorical skills are pivotal in virtual collaboration between teachers and parents, enhancing communication clarity and overcoming cultural barriers, thereby enriching educational experience and fostering intercultural understanding. A review of scientific databases such as Academic Search Complete, ERIC, SCOPUS, and Web of Science, was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles from 2018 onwards that explore the role of rhetoric in teacher virtual exchanges. Articles were analysed for themes, findings, biases, and research gaps. A notable finding is the lack of research on rhetoric in virtual teacher exchanges, despite its potential to overcome cultural barriers and enhance collaboration. The study reveals that effective rhetorical techniques can improve clarity, persuasiveness, and intercultural understanding in virtual exchanges, indicating a need for more research and educational programs in this area. Furthermore, the study extends to virtual communication between teachers and parents, especially with non-native speakers or those with limited proficiency in the official language. This highlights the need for teachers to use sophisticated rhetorical strategies in diverse linguistic situations to improve understanding and involvement. In summary, the research underscores the significant impact of rhetorical skills in virtual teacher exchanges, with broader implications for global collaboration and intercultural understanding in the educational sphere.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of Duolingo's game-based methodology in improving speaking proficiency within mobile language learning, while also examining the specific attributes and strategies contributing to its success and exploring implications for language education and learner optimization. Given the growing prevalence of mobile language learning platforms, the research meticulously scrutinizes the specific attributes and strategies employed by Duolingo that contribute to the refinement of oral fluency. This study employs a mixed methods design, integrating phenomenological and experimental approaches through a pre, post and attainment speaking tests with a control group design supported with metaphorical perceptions. The findings underscore the pivotal role of assimilating technological advancements and gamified pedagogical approaches within language education to expedite effective intercultural communication across multifarious linguistic landscapes. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of continuously adapting language learning methodologies to leverage emerging technologies and gamification strategies in order to foster effective communication skills in diverse linguistic contexts. The implications for prospective inquiries advocate for longitudinal investigations delving into the enduring implications of mobile game-based language learning on comprehensive linguistic acquisition, necessitating comparative inquiries to ascertain the comparative efficacy of diverse mobile applications in fostering distinct language proficiencies. Additionally, probing the influence of individual learner attributes and predilections in optimizing the utilization of mobile language learning applications could yield valuable insights for tailoring language acquisition paradigms.

This study develops and validates an English communicative competence model for Korean high school students, in response to the need to redefine the relevant concepts and components of competence that are demanded by the rapidly evolving future society. Drawing on Celce-Murcia's (2008) theoretical model on communicative competence, this research conceptualized a model that could assess high school students' English communicative competence by examining relevant domestic and international studies as well as theoretical reflections. Expert opinions from a two-stage Delphi survey were compiled and incorporated to revise, supplement, and validate the English communicative competence among high school students reflecting Korea's English education environment. Following this process, the conceptual model for English communicative competence was reorganized into five sub-competences (sociolinguistic, discourse, linguistic, interactional, and strategic competence) and 15 corresponding subfactors. The content validity ratio values for the conceptual definition and factor structure of this model were all above 0.64, thus affirming the validity of the conceptual definition and factor structure.

Integrating internationalized songs into English language teaching has emerged as a dynamic strategy to ignite students' interest and enhance their language proficiency. This article comprehensively explores internationalized songs' significance in language education. A central focus lies on a detailed case study that demonstrates how the expertise of a Turkish musician was leveraged to select and that of field experts to translate and refine a local children's song for educational purposes. The study meticulously details the collaborative efforts among educators to tailor the song's content to meet language learning objectives, highlighting the transformative potential of such initiatives in the English language classroom. By immersing themselves in this practical example, educators can gain invaluable insights into the versatility of internationalized songs as effective tools for language instruction, thereby enhancing their teaching practices. Furthermore, the article underscores the importance of incorporating cultural elements into language teaching materials to foster intercultural competence among students. Educators can create immersive learning experiences that promote linguistic proficiency, cultural awareness, and appreciation by integrating internationalised songs.

Achieving higher levels of proficiency in a foreign language depends on more than an extensive knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. Evidence is mounting that true proficiency depends on cultural awareness about how and when language is used. This suggests that teachers in foreign language classrooms must incorporate explicit cultural lessons into their teaching plans. Yet, there remains a stubborn resistance to doing so. This paper outlines the main reasons in teaching culture and how cultural instruction and awareness lead to increased intercultural communicative competence (ICC). It addresses teachers' concerns about teaching culture and outlines their roles. The paper provides a strategy for designing successful activities that will build intercultural communicative competence and critical thinking skills.

Culture is an inseparable part of English Language Teaching (ELT), and ELT textbooks, as one of the main instructional resources are bound to include cultural and linguistic content. However, the kind of cultural content in these books has been a controversial issue for decades. It is recommended that curriculum designers use intercultural content, which represents different countries. However, it is repeatedly observed that the cultural contents in course books are mainly drawn from some specific countries where English is the first language. In this study, the authors investigated an English textbook series named "Touchstone" to determine the representativeness of the cultural content in those books based on Kachru's (1992) three concentric circles of countries in which the English language is spoken, namely the inner circle, the outer circle, and the expanding circle. Although the results were promising and a tendency to include expanding circle countries' cultures was found, the outer circle countries were yet culturally under-represented. The findings of this research can shed light on the intercultural representativeness of this particular series of textbooks and help raise English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and learners' awareness of the cultural landscape of ELT textbooks. The findings would also benefit ELT materials developers who wish to produce course books with more internationally representative cultural content.

The study aims at addressing the role of teachers in implementing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) in a diverse classroom. In response to the increasing demand on multiculturalism and ethnicity in the US classrooms, CRP can work as a bridge between the compartmentalized education system and the needs of the students (Richards, et al. 2007). A number of researchers have discussed the significant role teachers play in fostering cultural-linguistic pedagogical practices in the classroom; nonetheless, limited or no research has focused on how teacher's discourse fosters CRP in diverse contexts. This paper highlights how the teacher's classroom discourse can facilitate CRP practices for diverse learners. For this purpose, the study examines one course taught at a Midwest University of USA and that course instructor's specific discourses used in the classroom to address the goals of CRP. The research method involves Participatory Action Research (PAR) conducted through interviews and questionnaire. At the end, the research focuses on how teachers can foster the goals of CRP to leverage the gaps in the existing education system.

Promoting Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) through telecollaborative exchange (TE) in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) milieu has attracted many scholars. Despite a voluminous literature study on TE in EFL settings, studies on how teachers implement TE and perceive these intercultural exchange meetings are scant. Thus, this case study aimed to fill the empirical void by delving into the implementation of TE in non-Anglophone settings mediated by "Zoom" and the teachers' perceptions of these intercultural exchanges enactment. To meet these research objectives, four English teachers from Croatia, Indonesia, Belarus, and India were recruited. Empirical data were amassed through observational field notes and interviews. The study showcased how the teachers organized TE and revealed their performed roles to scaffold the students in TE. The findings also portrayed their perception of TE grounded within their motives and pedagogical beliefs. Drawing upon these results, the study offers some implications for teacher professional development.

It is possible for an individual to adapt to the society in the different country he lives in by learning the culture of that society and socializing. This study aims to enable Nigerian foreign students studying in Cyprus to learn the culture of a foreign country through cinema. The problem of culture conflict forms the basis of the study. The movie "Eagle's Nest", which tells the story of Christian Merie, who has just joined the Turkish family, learning and adapting to Turkish culture, was used as teaching material in the course. Different scenes from the selected movie were shown and the students were asked to write an evaluation note. Students' grades and reactions were examined using the qualitative content analysis method. After all; It was found that students were able to relate the content of the film to cultural theories and concepts very well and produce solutions to intercultural problems.

While acquiring a second language, learners may encounter challenges and difficulties in effectively carrying out verbal communication in the second language. Mastering the apology speech act is a challenge for L2 learners. The objective of this study is to identify the apology strategies utilized by individuals learning the Japanese language, as well as the specific types and underlying causes of errors produced during the execution of apologetic speech acts. The results of this study were gathered via the Discourse Completion Test (DCT), which encompassed a sample of 150 Japanese language learners. The gathered data were further classified using eight semantic formulas based on the research conducted by Haristiani and Sopiyanti (2019), while the various types and sources of error categorization were conducted based on the theories proposed by Corder (1981) and Richards (1975). The results of this study suggest that Japanese learners utilize the same primary strategies in apology speech acts. Furthermore, the study findings indicated that learners at the intermediate level displayed a higher frequency of errors in their speech compared to learners at the beginner levels and pre-intermediate levels, particularly in the strategy of taking responsibility. The main reason for this was primarily a lack of familiarity with the conventions of sentence structures, the proper use of language, and the appropriate use of expressions. The other sources of errors in language learning are likely to be ignoring language rule restrictions, incomplete application of rules, the learner's false hypothesis, overgeneralization, and language transfer. This study is anticipated to function as a point of reference for research in interlanguage pragmatics, second-language acquisition, and error analysis. Gaining comprehension of the various problems and difficulties encountered when performing the speech act of apology in Japanese can assist both learners and educators in reducing these errors.

This research explores the issues of applying bilingual education in China Panorama Curriculum, with purpose to enhance cross-cultural adaptability of ASEAN students in higher education. Employing questionnaires and interviews with a longitudinal analysis based on factors like age, gender, nationality, and time in China, to investigate the cross-cultural adaptability of ASEAN students in China, focusing on psychological and learning environment adaptation. The research uncovers challenges in adapting to the Chinese cultural landscape and proposes solutions. Cultural disparities between China and ASEAN nations are identified, with the bilingual education approach proving beneficial in fostering classroom participation and cultural exchange. However, psychological challenges persist, impacting mental well-being and academic performance. The research reveals the limited social life of ASEAN students in China, confined to campus interactions, suggesting improvements in English proficiency among teachers and encouraging active student participation in social activities. While bilingual education holds promise, the research emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies, including teacher training and addressing socioeconomic disparities. The findings offer insights into cross-cultural adaptation complexities, highlighting the potential of bilingual education within the Panorama Curriculum. Caution is advised when generalizing beyond ASEAN students in Guangxi, China, considering potential variations in cultural, social, and educational contexts internationally.

This research aims to analyze global diversity values present in Indonesian language textbooks for fourth-grade elementary school students. The study employs a qualitative approach with content analysis as the method. The research objects consist of four textbooks published by Erlangga, Yudistira, Bumi Aksara, and Puskurbuk Kemdikbudristek. The analysis process involves selecting relevant material samples, developing analytical categories, coding the content, and interpreting emerging patterns. The research findings indicate that the Indonesian language textbooks for fourth-grade elementary school students provide activities and experiences that enrich their understanding of cultural diversity in Indonesia. Students are taught to develop attitudes of tolerance and intercultural communication, as well as reflection and responsibility towards diversity. These books contribute to shaping students who are inclusive, tolerant, and capable of communicating in a multicultural environment, embodying the values of global diversity character. The importance of fostering global diversity character in primary school students is highlighted through education, particularly using meticulously designed Indonesian language textbooks. These textbooks introduce students to various aspects of Indonesian and other cultures, promoting understanding, appreciation, and tolerance for cultural diversity. Emphasizing character development, the textbooks instruct students in intercultural communication and encourage interactions with culturally diverse peers, fostering effective communication skills for multicultural environments. Furthermore, students are prompted to reflect on their own multicultural experiences, shaping their global perspectives. In summary, Indonesian language textbooks serve as a vital resource in shaping students into inclusive, tolerant individuals proficient in effective communication within multicultural contexts.

This exploratory case study analyzes Colombian university students' experiences as English users during international mobility. Data collected through surveys and interviews were examined based on content analysis and principles of grounded theory. The students' self-perceived English proficiency and communicative performance before and during international mobility were analyzed, while challenging areas were identified. The results evidence that mobility students have insufficient levels of English proficiency to engage in academic and social activities due to inadequate production skills and a lack of practice. The students also perceive university academic English opportunities for practice as basic, and they underutilize practice spaces. Nonetheless, they highlight that active engagement in autonomous language exposure and developed interpersonal skills positively impact their perception of language performance.

Because intercultural communication has become one of the most demanded skills in the current digitalized world, many educational institutions aspire to graduate students who possess intercultural skills and are able to successfully communicate with people from diverse cultures. However, intercultural communication has not received much attention in the Lebanese context, especially in schools. To this end, this paper examines the Lebanese high school directors' perceptions of intercultural communication. As pragmatists, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the problem under investigation. Using a snowball sampling, they surveyed the perceptions of 55 Lebanese directors in private and public high schools and interviewed two informants in the Center for Educational Research and Development. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, the derived conclusions were compared to ensure trustworthiness of the findings. Major findings showed that though intercultural communication is a learning outcome in most schools, it is mostly taught at the knowledge level in the foreign language classrooms. Assessment of this outcome is neither systematic nor consistent. It was also shown that directors in private schools tend to be more informed than those in the public sector. Recommendations are made for enhancing intercultural communication skills in Lebanese educational institutions.

Playmobil pro is an innovative modelling kit for adults that encourages creative thinking in the university/workplace. International multilingual students often disclose that they have little opportunity to develop their intercultural awareness, and cross-cultural and multilingual communicative competencies while engaging in meaningful activities that foster sustainable content and language learning. In the present study, 35 students were involved in two Playmobil pro workshops. They worked individually to present themselves to their peers, referring to their cultural background. They then worked in groups to explore intercultural differences among people working for organizations operating in the UK and another country of their choice and offer recommendations to help organizations avoid cross-cultural conflicts. The aim was to actively engage students to work on their final assignment and develop their intercultural awareness and cross-cultural communicative skills. This case study used a qualitative design and explored students' attitudes by asking them to write a short anonymous report at the end of the implementation and provide anonymous feedback via Mentimeter after each workshop. The lecturer also kept notes in the form of a diary during this implementation. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data which revealed that Playmobil pro facilitated intercultural communication in the post-COVID-19 era as students seemed to be unwilling to work with their peers in face-to-face classes, possibly suffering from trauma. However, learners confessed that they needed more time, support, and artefacts to fully present their ideas and thoughts. Recommendations for the effective implementation of Playmobil pro with multilingual students will be offered.

In the field of applied linguistics, Diane Larsen-Freeman is widely recognized, among her numerous contributions, as the originator of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST). Over the years since her seminal publication (Larsen-Freeman, 1997), CDST has evolved into a meta-theory that guides the field's thinking on a variety of developmental phenomena, not least the study of second language acquisition. As its theoretical potency rises, so does the need to achieve a tangible understanding of CDST's core constructs. In this paper, we empirically examine one such construct, co-adaptation, in the context of asynchronous dyadic interaction. A data corpus of 39 emails sent between two college students in China and the United States over the course of seven weeks is analyzed using NVivo 12. Co-adaptation is observed at the pragmatic, discourse, and linguistic levels. True to the spirit of CDST, we describe, and discuss the nuances of, our findings. Considering the novelty of our approach to data analysis, we end by reflecting on the limitations specific to our study, as well as worthwhile directions for future pursuits.

Global perspectives instruction often focuses on current news events, neglecting deeper human connections between local and global issues. This paper proposes "ecopedagogy" as a solution. Ecopedagogy is a critical approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of people and the environment. By integrating ecopedagogy into interdisciplinary units, teachers can engage students in meaningful activities that develop critical thinking, cultural competence, and a sense of responsibility for the planet. Examples of ecopedagogical strategies include collaborative projects addressing local environmental challenges, journal prompts reflecting on personal connections to nature, and outdoor learning experiences. By fostering social-environmental awareness, ecopedagogy empowers students to become stewards of the earth and active agents of change who contribute to a more sustainable future. Exploring environmental issues through a global lens exposes students to diverse cultural perspectives and worldviews. This exposure fosters respect for environmental and social values, laying the foundation for meaningful cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration.

This conceptual paper explores the characteristics of education for sustainable development (ESD) within urban secondary schools. Despite the discourse about the importance of sustainability, there has been a lack of research on this topic. The authors employed theory synthesis, which resulted in a concept for Education for Sustainable Development in Urban Contexts (ESDUC). This presents a comprehensive view on the interconnected characteristics that facilitate the successful implementation of ESD in urban secondary schools, (1) developing sustainability competences among both students and teachers, encompassing intercultural competences for teachers and self-regulating skills for students, (2) utilizing teaching methods that are both transformative and culturally responsive, (3) engaging the wider community in the educational process, and (4) shifting the school culture toward embracing diversity and adopting a whole-school approach. This study is valuable for researchers and urban secondary schools seeking to effectively integrate ESD into their educational framework.

This study investigates a virtual reality (VR) cross-cultural interactive learning environment that combines a 360-degree video camera for content creation, a viewing tool, and a video conference platform for real-time interaction. This environment aims to address the limitations of traditional 360-degree VR tools, particularly in enabling simultaneous, interactive engagement among multiple users. The study recruited 31 university students from China and Indonesia utilizing convenience sampling to test the efficacy of the environment in fostering cognitive development and challenging cross-cultural stereotypes. The methodology included analysing student-created content, questionnaire responses, and insights from semistructured interviews. The analysis, grounded in a cognitive development taxonomy and an assessment of stereotype changes, revealed that the students reached the "remember" and "understand" cognitive levels. Additionally, prevalent stereotypes held by the students were addressed. The immersive nature of the VR environment and the interactions with foreign peers were highly appreciated, significantly contributing to cognitive growth and stereotype mitigation. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and researchers in technology-assisted cross-cultural education, emphasizing the importance of designing interactive VR-based activities that effectively facilitate cognitive development and address cross-cultural stereotypes.

This essay shows how one professor teaching "Introduction to Buddhism" sought to counteract his students' view that Chinese and Tibetan forms of Buddhism represented a deviation from a "pure" Indian Buddhism rather than worthwhile forms of creativity and religiosity in themselves. A simple comparative assignment that asked a group of primarily monolingual students from Minnesota to translate a 500-year-old French ditty into English helped illustrate the inextricability of form and content, that all translation is interpretation, that translations target specific audiences, and that religious systems that might be intuitively conceptualized as perversions of a pure original can be more charitably understood as valuable systems of thought and practice in their own right. The assignment shows that linguistic translation can be a valuable form of comparative pedagogy in the undergraduate classroom beyond language classes, especially as a proxy for simulating the challenges and possibilities of intercultural translation.

Internationalization in higher education is essential, and although active learning methodologies are increasing and allow students to develop transversal skills, most still have a very local scope. In this context, the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology is an interesting approach to benefit the students' development. It consists of an online program that involves creating multicultural teams to develop a specific learning project. Although this methodology is expanding, its use in physiology is still scarce. This paper aims to show an example of applying COIL methodology in physiology topics to enhance higher-education students' innovation and business skills. Our example project developed a sports-assessment service concept focused on physiology and biomechanics assessments. The program involved teams from Brazil, Germany, and Spain, comprising undergraduate and master students. Over 7 weeks, these teams, mentored by professors and researchers, engaged in workshops covering COIL methodology, business model design, executive summary planning, economic analyses, and communication techniques. Key outcomes included learning new concepts, developing soft skills, building confidence in innovative solution proposals, and experiencing diverse cultures. Challenges faced were language barriers, scheduling, task complexity, and logistical issues. This experience confirms the effectiveness of incorporating programs using COIL methodology into educational curriculums. Doing so exposes physiology students to innovation, entrepreneurship, and business creation while strengthening their professional connections and opening up postgraduation opportunities.

This study involves translating, cross-culturally adapting, and validating the "Literary Response Questionnaire" (LRQ) for 413 Spanish adolescents. It explores the evolution of literary education in Spain and its alignment with the Reading Responses paradigm. The LRQ, adapted across various locations, is validated in Spanish through Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The research analyzes reading responses in dimensions like Leisure Escape, Insight, Empathy, Story-driven Reading, Concern with Author, Imagery Vividness, and Rejecting Literary Values. Findings reveal widespread indifference and rejection toward literary reading among the adolescents, along with a clear disapproval of the historicist-authorial approach to literary education. Significant variations were identified based on students' gender, enrollment in a bilingual program, and notably, the number of books read per year. This underscores the significance of introducing literary reading practices in secondary education that align with the leisure preferences of adolescents, encouraging personal and experiential engagement with texts. This could materialize in the classroom the shift from a historicist to a reader-centered approach suggested by the current Spanish curriculum.

Contrary to prevailing research on willingness to communicate (WTC) which treats spoken second language (L2) as the predominant indicator of WTC, this study examines a young English as a second language (ESL) learner's WTC expressed through multimodal means and her utilization of multimodal and multilingual resources for mediating WTC in translingual environments. Data were collected from videotaped ESL lessons and an interview. Adopting a multimodal conversation analysis (CA) approach, this cross-disciplinary study analyzes the ESL novice's WTC expressions in two communicative settings: small-group interactions in ESL class and a multilingual triad conversation in an interview. Findings reveal that (1) gestural WTC display can signify more than one's intention to enter discourse, (2) contrary to previous WTC studies, first language (L1) use can indicate L2 WTC, and (3) the learner used diverse semiotic resources to mediate WTC and sustain discursive engagement. Implications are discussed with respect to the findings. This study extends the understanding of WTC beyond spoken L2 expressions, emphasizing embodied display and L1 use in the learner's communicative repertoire. Additionally, it sheds light on the learner's strategic use of multimodal resources to sustain engagement in translingual environments, contributing to the broader field of language education and multimodal analysis.