This paper reports on part of a larger study of critical language pedagogy (CLP) in university EFL classes in Japan. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, we examined the philosophies, approaches, pedagogic choices, and adaptations of nineteen self-identifying critical pedagogues. Here, we focus on the theme of student receptivity to the…

This qualitative case study examines the role of international youth literature in enhancing the English language learning and global competence of Chinese university students. Through engaging in meaningful literacy activities, this study reveals the potential of a critical-global-literacies-based approach to foster cultural sensitivity and…

Despite a growing body of research demonstrating the pluralistic nature of English today, ELT globally still tends to uphold traditional 'native-speaker' norms. A Global Englishes language teaching (GELT) approach to teacher education is one way of breaking down that gap, yet it is not well known how the effects of this approach might hold up over…

Critical pedagogy in ELT mainly aims to encourage learners to address current sociopolitical issues and speak up for change. Thus, encountering a real-world issue might aid in deconstructing a given order of discourse found in the textbooks and gaining a more realistic perspective. This reflective study was conducted at a Turkish university and is…

The introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to the wider public could have a huge impact on EFL learning and teaching. Researchers have voiced concerns that learners might lean too much on technology. Previous studies have investigated the use of AI tools in L2 writing with various populations and found that it was difficult for…

The study examined how L2 engagement is associated with students' general life satisfaction, a core element of well-being. A total of 1,109 seventh-grade EFL learners from a rural secondary school in China completed a measure of life satisfaction (family satisfaction, environment satisfaction, academic satisfaction, school satisfaction, freedom…

This qualitative study sets out to understand the beliefs, functions, and practices of using L1 among EFL learners while they learned new L2 vocabulary. Forty-two Saudi male university students were randomly assigned to 21 pairs and asked to complete three reading comprehension tasks. All pair interactions were audio-recorded. Afterward,…

Taking notes while listening not only aids comprehension and concentration in the moment but also creates an external storage repository of information for later use. As the number of students taking content courses in their L2 in English medium instruction contexts grows, L2 notetaking abilities are beginning to receive much-needed pedagogic and…

This paper focuses on Seligman's (2011) PERMA components (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) of well-being. Teachers' reflection data have been analysed deductively to identify components of PERMA as relevant to themselves as well their perceptions of their learners' well-being during and after a longitudinal…

Building on the concept of Freirean culture circles, this study reports on the development of supplementary materials to incorporate critical literacy into high school EFL textbooks. Collaborating with two experienced high school EFL teachers in South Korea, critical supplementary materials were developed to compensate for the speaking sections of…

This article investigates the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in an intensive English program for non-matriculated university students. Interventions based on the PERMA model were implemented through weekly 65-minute lessons given during the first class of each week. These were followed by short daily activities during…

Over the last 25 years, scholars have proposed several recommendations for including spoken grammar in second language classrooms. However, recent studies point to potential challenges in this endeavour: learners may feel inauthentic when using what they see as 'native-speaker' forms, and interlocutors may see these forms as less acceptable when…

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…

This study explores the concept of 'Academic Coloniality' in ELT at an Algerian University. Academic Coloniality refers to the practices and beliefs of people involved in ELT that contribute to the production, manifestation, and reproduction of power patterns between the 'native speakers' of English and its learners. Through this, we aim to show…

In this article, we report on a mixed-methods study which investigated teachers' attitudes towards and experiences with teaching environmental issues within their ELT classes. Given the rising importance of ecoliteracy and its inclusion as a transversal learning objective for all subjects in many national state curricula, it is critically…