Originally designed for first language classrooms, literature circles have been adapted for second language (L2) contexts to enhance reading proficiency and discourse skills. While traditional practice in L2 settings involves assigning roles to students for engaging with texts, critiques have highlighted potential constraints on participation and…

This classroom study investigated the effectiveness of form-focused instruction and peer feedback training to improve grammatical accuracy and thereby maximize learning opportunities during peer interaction. Eighty-seven third-semester learners of German were assigned to a PI group (peer interaction only), an FFI group (peer interaction and…

The purpose of this study was to construct a local preliminary model of online Teacher Professional Development (OTPD) by implementing a netnographic (virtual ethnographic) approach. Over a period of two years in a Telegram group in Iran, the researchers, working collaboratively with 10 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and 6…

Virtual exchange (VE) has gained prominence as a means to improve students' intercultural competence and foreign language abilities through forums and other supplemental activities. This study examines a supplemental activity referred to as the student-generated survey (SGS) implemented in the IVEProject, a large-scale VE with, at the time of this…

Working with peers in small groups is conducive to learning, and collaborative learning has been widely adopted in second language classrooms. Leadership, defined as the initiative taken to influence others in a group, plays a significant role in successful teamwork, but has not received due attention in research on collaborative peer work. To…

This article investigates the effect of concept-based instruction (CBI), a pedagogy based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, on second language (L2) learners' writing development. A quasi-experimental intervention lasting 16 weeks was conducted involving 88 first-year Chinese university students of English. The participants were assigned to three…

The increasing use of digital platforms in education has opened new avenues for peer interaction, particularly in the realm of language learning. This study explores the role of informal peer feedback on reflective blog posts in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. Drawing on sociocultural theory and the concept of dialogic…

This study investigates how intelligent personal assistants (IPAs, e.g., Google Assistant), AI language learning applications, and peer interactions shape the learning experiences of 201 seventh-grade Korean EFL students. The students participated in a 12-week intervention and were categorized into four groups: Google Assistant, AI app, peer…

While much research supports the benefits of computer-mediated collaborative writing (CW) in second language (L2) classrooms, the assessment of CW has received scant attention. This study proposed an assessment scheme considering both the products and processes when assessing online synchronous CW, and explored its effects on learners'…

This case study was conducted in an American university between two international students from China Mainland in an effort to contribute insights into the sources of managing foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA). Data was collected through qualitative techniques in a period of 16 weeks. The "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety…

In the context of language instruction and learning, willingness to communicate (WTC) is an important factor in learners' language use. It is viewed as a volitional process influenced by individual, social, linguistic, and situationally dependent factors. Foundational research focused on trait and state WTC-influencing factors as separate…

Secondary English education in Japan, despite widespread policy reform, has been identified as a context in which problems with learner motivation are commonplace and persistent. Numerous quantitative studies have highlighted student dissatisfaction with a range of pedagogical factors including a disproportionate focus on rote memorization for…

Language teachers' resilience, or their socially-mediated capacity to adapt to adverse conditions and thrive, has garnered attention amidst evolving challenges to language education and bilingual teachers in diverse spaces. Taking an ecological-collective perspective towards language teacher resilience, this qualitative case study examined the…

The past decade has witnessed a surge of research interest in diverse emotions that foreign/second language (L2) learners experience. However, research on L2 boredom is just starting. The current study focuses on foreign language learning boredom (FLLB) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and examines how they are associated with a wide range of…

Emergent bilingual learners (EBLs) comprise 10% of U.S. students, yet evidence less academic success as a group compared to their non-EBL counterparts. While research has documented the struggles of EBLs in pursuing post-secondary educational pathways, this qualitative study examines factors that are associated with successfully pursuing…