This study investigated more than 3600 online comments responding to an incident in 2019 where a controversial memo was sent to instruct Chinese graduate students at a US university not to speak Chinese in the department. A text analysis based on Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software showed that these comments included more negative-emotion…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover and understand international graduate students' experiences with "microaggressions" that stem from "native speaker fallacy;" microaggressions are the subtle discriminatory behaviors executed toward marginalized groups and native speaker fallacy is the false belief that…

In the post-pandemic situation, where hybrid learning has become prevalent, effective communication between lecturers and students is very important. Self-efficacy is a crucial factor that affects their communication or speaking in class. Nowadays, research on students' self-efficacy in speaking has received considerable attention among…

Our study examined the difficulties Vietnamese Masters (MA) in TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) students encountered while writing their MA theses. Using a a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, data were collected from 29 MA TESOL students who had completed their theses at a university in central Vietnam. Fifteen…

The undeniable importance of reading in higher education prompted this investigation into the reading skills of a group often overlooked in previous research: master's level students studying in English-medium instruction (EMI) environments. Participants (148 master's-level students of engineering) completed the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Form G),…

This article offers a critical review of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology English Proficiency Test (MSRT), a high-stakes exam required for postgraduate graduation, scholarships, and certain employment positions in Iran. Despite its widespread use, the design and implementation of the MSRT raise concerns about its validity and…

Academic reading in English requires processing of challenging advanced texts for comprehension. Highly proficient second language (L2) readers, such as graduate students, are expected to interpret complex texts fluently and efficiently for academic success, yet the field has little evidence on how these readers process texts. Through two…

English is an international language with diverse varieties around the world that are referred to as Global Englishes (GE). Numerous studies demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of integrating GE-informed materials in English Language Teaching (ELT) practices but in the context of the Gulf countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia, such…

Purpose: International students with low proficiency in the English language remain at high risk of academic, social and psychological maladjustment. Using an acculturation theoretical framework, this study aims to show that acculturation stress and social support mediate the relationship between language proficiency and academic, social, and…

This study explores Chinese English-major students' intertextual competence and factors shaping their ability to paraphrase in academic writing. Multiple instruments were employed to collect data from 212 English-major students at different academic levels from nine universities in mainland China. The data were analyzed to determine how a range of…

Scant research exists on international student status and global virtual teams (GVTs). Yet, study abroad post-COVID-19 Pandemic is rebounding and GVTs are frequently used in classrooms and workplaces. This article fills this literary gap through developing and testing models examining student status, performance, creativity, and leadership, while…

Despite the importance of academic reading in higher education, the current literature lacks a valid instrument comprising different components of academic reading at a graduate level. This article reports on the development of an academic reading instrument for (Iranian) MA students of applied linguistics. To this end, based on a thorough review…

Language proficiency policies act as critical gatekeepers for multilingual international students (MIS) who intend to pursue an education at English-medium universities. The current study revisits the question of the predictive validity of a standardized English proficiency exam--International English Language Testing System (IELTS)--in comparison…

Little is known about what academics focus on when providing assessment feedback to international students for whom English is an additional language (EAL). This study examines written assessment feedback provided to 11 EAL-speaking international students throughout a two-year Master of Social Work programme and investigates their perspectives of…

This study aims to investigate performances and strategies of EFL graduate students in terms of language proficiency, language background and type of writing task. The participants were 12 graduate students pursuing their doctoral studies in ELT at a Turkish university. A chosen text was used for data collection and the students' paraphrased texts…