This narrative essay describes a basic writing instructor's engagement with student confusion in a hybrid Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) course. The story examines the ways confusion can mark sites of engagement for students and teachers and how ALP courses, in particular, might mediate effective (and ineffective) forms of confusion.

This study examines the swift shift to online learning prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing the effectiveness of a faculty distance training program based on the TMOC (Training for the Management of Online Courses) model. The training program aimed to equip faculty with essential skills for online learning, emphasizing a blend of…

The aim of this personal reflection is to revisit the major concepts that have informed my academic research in the area of applied linguistics and second language development, and show how my overall pedagogical approach has evolved, thanks to the contribution of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory (SCT). The main focus of this paper is on the…

This study explores the dynamics of ChatGPT on perceptions and challenges encountered by students and lecturers in a South African open distance e-learning [ODeL] university. It investigates whether ChatGPT disrupts traditional perceptions of online distance education held by students and lecturers and identifies specific functions and features of…

Playmobil pro is an innovative modelling kit for adults that encourages creative thinking in the university/workplace. International multilingual students often disclose that they have little opportunity to develop their intercultural awareness, and cross-cultural and multilingual communicative competencies while engaging in meaningful activities…

Developing effective oral business English (OBE) curricula requires clearly understanding student needs. This study evaluated the speaking needs of Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduates majoring in business English for specific purposes (ESP), aiming to inform the design of a teaching module that bridges the gap between…

Discourse markers (DMs) as linguistic devices have a significant role in the coherence of conversation--a speakers' fluency. With the growing use of English worldwide, it is of great importance to focus on DMs as an essential part of communication which provides discourse coherence. This study was conducted to develop a description of spoken…

Speaking in a foreign language is considered challenging to both teach and learn. Virtual humans (VHs), as conversational agents (CAs), provide opportunities to practise speaking skills. Lower secondary school students (N = 25) engaged in an AI-based spoken dialogue system (SDS) and interacted verbally with VHs in simulated everyday-life scenarios…

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is considered to be an important factor contributing to successful foreign language learning. Many studies aim at finding effective tools for enhancing WTC. With the support of AI and Automatic Speech Recognition technology, intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) seem to have potentials in improving foreign…

Parents of children who are newly identified as deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) face many decisions surrounding communication and intervention, including where to receive early intervention (EI) services. This study explored the experiences and perspectives of parents of DHH children enrolled in a center-based, family-centered EI program focused on…

The impact of global mobility and technology innovations on urban linguistic diversity poses a key challenge to understand how and to what extent international students are immersed in the target language. Such diversity of languages and modes of communication has pointed to a fundamental transformation in the way that international students…

Previous research in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) has revealed that deviations in lexicogrammar are not always random, but a result of underlying communicative processes (Cogo & Dewey, 2012; Guziurová, 2020; Jafari, 2021; Ranta, 2013, 2022). Most previous studies relied upon spoken interactions, particularly in business and academic…

Intellectual engagement is essential for international students' academic success. However, academic speaking challenges associated with communicative language anxiety and inadequate prior learning experience could impede students' academic communication abilities in foreign universities. Thus, students adopt academic speaking strategies to tackle…

The purpose of this case study was to understand the perspectives and experiences of general education teachers who teach high school students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive education with respect to challenges teachers face, strategies and interventions they use to manage the classroom, and relationships they build to create an…

Building on Success, was the second phase of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP). The programme, funded by the Department of Education and delivered by Education Development Trust with key subject specialist partners, was aimed at improving practitioners' understanding and skills in supporting the development of the most…