English is especially challenging for English second language (ESL) learners because of its significant cultural and societal implications. For example, idioms--multiworded expressions with multiple meanings--are problematic for ESL learners because of ambiguity in literal translation and reliance on the societal context. This quantitative…

This quasi-experimental study investigated the impacts of two instructional conditions on the fluency of learners' performance. In the first condition (strategy training), learners were provided with explicit fluency strategy training for a portion of each lesson before rehearsing versions of the speaking task for the remainder of the lesson. In…

This classroom study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-teaching communication strategies before learners undertake an information-gap speaking task. A convenience sample of 67 first-year students taking mandatory English classes at a private Japanese university was subject to one of two instructional approaches. The experimental group (n=37)…

Searching for unknown words is a common interactional practice of learners in EFL classrooms. Language teachers exploit learner-initiated word searches in several ways to promote learning opportunities. However, it can be more challenging for pre-service teachers during their teaching practicum, as it is their first contact with students in a real…

Most EFL classrooms focus on building students' grammatical accuracy by learning rules and demonstrating mastery of form through exam-oriented assessments, rather than building fluency in the language by applying grammar in communication to make meaning. Moreover, grammar instruction is often rooted in materials that lack relevance to students'…

Natural Language Processing (NLP) has emerged as a transformative tool for EFL speaking instruction. However, prior research lacks robust empirical investigations into how distinct NLP tools independently enhance adaptability, accuracy, and fluency--particularly through controlled, large-scale interventions. Most studies focus on short-term…

Language learning activities involving time-pressured repetition of similar content have been shown to facilitate improvements in fluency. However, concerns have been voiced about whether these gains might be offset by reduced levels of grammatical accuracy. This descriptive study tracked the oral proficiency of 32 Japanese university students…

This article reports a qualitative action research study regarding the influence of strategies that may be used in oral conversation to avoid communication breakdowns. After analyzing college students' performance in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes, the problem was that many adult learners exhibited poor oral English communication…

This study reports on anxiety, enjoyment, and breakdown fluency of L2 English learners under the monologue and dialogue conditions using an idiodynamic approach. Eight Mandarin-speaking undergraduates from a top university in China voluntarily participated in the study, with half completing in a monologue condition and the other half in a dialogue…

Whereas scholars have extensively researched the pedagogical potential of 4/3/2 activities (i.e. increasing time pressure in task repetition) for enhancing second language (L2) fluency, its impact on L2 accuracy remains unclear. To help L2 learners improve both fluency and accuracy, the present study examined the effects of adding accuracy…

Task design features have different effects on second language (L2) production and can be adopted for different pedagogical purposes. However, the synergistic effects of task features were left unexplored in the extant task-based literature. The present study investigated the synergistic effects of two task design features, namely, prior knowledge…

Owing to the complex nature of the English Grammar, teachers of English language and linguistics face many challenges when teaching Grammar. Besides, it is difficult for students to master grammar structures though English teachers in Albania try hard to make grammar teaching as engaging as possible but through the traditional grammar teaching…

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of explicit formal instruction (EFI) on speaking and pronunciation skills among a Kurdish university's first-year EFL students. The researcher was teaching a communications unit, where the focus was on speaking skills and pronunciation: speech rate (words per minute), fluency (number of pauses and…

Although several researchers have demonstrated that foreign language (FL) learning experience has a limited effect on the short-term development of second language (L2) fluency, recent studies have suggested that learners can gain long-term (over one year) benefits from FL learning experiences. As a part of the present study, 50 Japanese…

This study explores the effect of collaborative writing (CW) and peer feedback (PF) practices on subsequent individual writing assignments. Two groups of university students in a Spanish as a foreign language course experienced both CW and PF (Group 1 CW then PF; Group 2 PF then CW), and pre and posttests were analyzed for syntactic complexity,…