Second language (L2) learning research suggests that virtual reality (VR) has the potential to enhance the development of language skills due to its immersive nature and its situated learning opportunities. This quantitative, between-subjects study compared the effectiveness of three learning conditions. University students (N = 63) studied…

The extensive adoption of online education by universities worldwide was further propelled by the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), giving rise to a key challenge: high dropout rates. Previous studies based on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework have examined the effects of social presence (SP), cognitive presence (CP), and teaching…

A wide range of English for academic purposes (EAP) programs are offered in British Columbia and across Canada. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of an English for general academic purposes (EGAP) approach can provide important insights into how students might most benefit from their EAP program experiences. The insights in this…

This study examines the second language academic discourse socialization of two Chinese students who attended British Columbia (Canada) offshore schools in China. After an overview of offshore school structures in China, this article describes the perspectives and experiences of recent offshore school graduates interviewed at a Canadian…

The study aimed to examine the effect of using Blended Content-Based Instruction (BCBI) to enhance EFL university students' oral communication skills. The study begins with a review of literature and previous studies dealing with blended content-based instruction (BCBI) and oral communication skills. The researcher prepared a list of oral…

To contribute to existing research that describes how L2 speakers avoid misunderstanding during conversation, the current study examines the strategies used by university students in Canada. The students (N = 104) were audio-recorded while carrying out two communicative tasks in pairs: exchanging personal experiences about moving to Canada, and…

Besides linguistic benefits, e-tandem virtual exchanges provide opportunities for intercultural meaning negotiation in interaction. However, several studies showed that learners in such exchanges often engage in lengthy interactions but do not always succeed in intercultural communication. The present paper examines intercultural negotiation of…

This mixed methods explanatory case study intends to explain low utilization of a joint initiative to improve language skills targeted to English as an additional language (EAL)/multilingual students (MLSs) in a disciplinary context. Considering the importance of discipline-specific language and literacy skills, a university health sciences…

This article describes how discourses of professionalism, insecurity, and exploitation among English as a second language/English for Academic Purposes (hereinafter ESL/EAP) instructors and curriculum-level administrators at two Canadian universities relate to their understanding of fair work. These understandings are examined in a nested manner,…

In order to promote Canadian students' mobility to China, it is essential to understand their motivations to study in Chinese universities because it influences their learning experiences. Through the application of the push-pull model as a conceptual framework (Altbach, 1998; Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002), this study explores the factors that…

This study compared English L2 writers' (N =111) performance on an integrated writing task from the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment under three prewriting planning conditions: required self-timed planning required fixed time planning, and suggested (i.e., optional) planning. The participants' integrated essays were scored…

This study examined number marking comprehension among Japanese learners of second language (L2) English, whose first language (L1) does not have an obligatory number marking system. The study conducted an online sentence comprehension experiment with 96 L1-Japanese learners and 32 native speakers of English, wherein participants engaged in a…

Placement tests are used to support a particular need in a local context--to determine the best starting place for a student entering a specific programme of language study. This brief report will focus on the development of an innovative placement test with self-directed elements for our local needs at a university in Canada for students studying…

Non-binary speakers often struggle to describe themselves within the binary gender system of Spanish. This is even more of a challenge for learners of Spanish who are used to describing themselves in English without having to identify their gender. Our study investigates how we can create a more inclusive learning experience in our Spanish…

To prepare students for an increasingly globalized world, intercultural group work (IGW) holds promise as a pedagogical tool, because it may help them develop intercultural competence and second-language proficiency. These skills also are needed to complete the discipline-specific aspects of group work successfully. This study investigates the…