Early foreign language teaching has recently been made compulsory in Finland, making this an area open to development and innovation where policy-makers and teachers play a significant role in creating new kinds of learning environments, operating cultures, and pedagogy for foreign language learning. This article discusses the early foreign…

French-as-a-second-language (FSL) teacher candidates' French proficiency and confidence are key indicators of recruitment and retention of FSL teachers. This paper outlines a pilot project, the Conversation Club, that was used to address linguistic insecurity and proficiency in FSL teacher candidates at one university. The Conversation Club was a…

Technology is increasingly being used to foster engagement, enhance classroom dynamics, promote autonomy and improve the student learning experience in language learning environments. Many teachers have begun to employ digital apps and tools (e.g. Mentimeter and GoSoapBox) as a more interactive alternative to traditional activities. One product…

Background: In Norway, games were introduced into the 2020 English curriculum; acknowledging games as language learning resources alongside other text-based material. However, little is known about the type of games selected by English teachers, reasons for doing so, or how games are actually used in teaching. This is particularly relevant in…

Differentiated instruction (DI) has shown positive effects on the success of language learning as compared to traditional teaching. Examining teachers' beliefs pertaining to differentiation is important owing to the fact that teachers' beliefs shape their pedagogical practices. Therefore, this study is aimed at exploring English teachers' beliefs…

With the advances in understanding contemporary instruction and the emphasis on online learning, alternative ways to keep instruction functional are sought constantly. Gamified environments are among the most widespread techniques used to enrich online instructional experiences due to motivation and engagement dimensions. In this context, the…

Gamification is a controversial topic in the field of education, with both proponents and opponents. However, what exactly gamification is and why it has become popular are worth exploring. This academic article first defines the terms "game" and "gamification" in order to differentiate them. Next, the article provides core…

In this paper, we argue that current research on games in language education, predominantly framed as "digital game-based language learning" (DGBLL), is lacking details regarding the role of teachers, or more precisely, the verbalization of the pedagogical underpinnings, scaffolds, and techniques teachers use to successfully integrate…

English grammar proficiency is essential for all teachers, especially English teachers, to be able to effectively deliver lessons. Yet, many still struggle with constructing grammatically correct sentences. Thus, this action-research investigated the effectiveness of a gamified approach, the Language Ladder Quest, in improving grammar proficiency…

The purpose of this study is to identify key factors and barriers to implementing gamification in English Foreign language teaching. In alignment with the purpose of the study, the perspectives of English teachers (which grades) were obtained. This study was designed as a qualitative study. A total of 16 teachers participated in the study.…

A persistent issue exists in Kazakh higher education institutions regarding the nonsystematic approach to teaching grammar. Although some believe that grammar is acquired automatically, thus requiring no separate study, this sentiment may not be entirely accurate. Knowledge may sometimes be presented in an unsystematic manner, lacking structure…

This paper investigates pre-service English teachers' perceptions on their online teaching practice during pandemic times, focusing on issues related to technology, materials development and gamification. Accordingly, a qualitative narrative research approach was implemented to deeply inquiry pre-service English teachers through interviews and…

In the last decades, the focus of ESP teaching has been shifting from the grammatical analysis of technical texts to discourse analysis, and, more recently, to learner-centred approaches. This change is quite challenging and demanding for ESP teachers, in particular regarding the choice of effective teaching and learning methodologies and,…

English language education nowadays is not merely about the instruction and acquisition of linguistic knowledge and skills. Instead, it has progressed to the real-life applications of the target language, which further requires a mastery of cultural knowledge and skills. In terms of culture, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, compared…