In this study we conducted behavioral analyses to gain insights into patterns of user interaction in a video discussion platform, "Vialogues." Vialogues provides an asynchronous online discussion environment around video. Using a hierarchical clustering analysis on users' clickstream data, we identified four different behavior patterns:…

The article discusses the outcomes of the research on dialogic interactive skills assessment in teaching Technical English to tertiary school students. The authors propose to implement dialogic collaborative interaction as both the medium of instruction and an alternative assessment tool. Theoretically, the study relies on the assumption that…

During spoken interaction with peers, ESL or ELF learners use peer feedback to negotiate and converge on mutually intelligible pronunciation. In contrast, for EFL learners who interact mainly with same-L1 peers, it is not clear whether the giving and receiving of peer feedback on intelligibility can facilitate uptake leading to improved…

Language tandem exchanges offer students valuable opportunities for autonomous learning and authentic intercultural communication encounters. This paper will discuss the key principles of tandem language exchange, and in particular online ones, and then present the EU-funded European University Tandem (EUniTa) project which was developed by…

This paper is aimed to examine the effects of scaffolding on the development of higher-order thinking skills as evidenced in the academic writing of undergraduates at tertiary levels in the university education system. A lot of empirical research so far has examined the applicability of scaffolding in acquiring writing skills; however, few of them…

Drawing on conversation analysis (CA), this study examines reported thought (e.g., "you're like 'do I really have to do that?'") and its function in writing center talk. Previous related studies, which are informed by Goffman's (1981) notion of footing, have demonstrated how reported thought (RT) is a resource for modeling undesirable…

One way of increasing caregivers' language accessibility when interacting with a deaf child is through visual communication strategies. By using both a longitudinal and cross-sectional approach, this study will reveal which strategies deaf and hearing parents prefer and implement in their daily communication with their deaf children. First, the…

Effective strategies to address communication and behavior challenges are critical in early intervention programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on vocal mands and aggressive behavior displayed by a child with autism in China. One 4-year-old boy with autism participated…

Increasingly, pragmatic language skills are viewed as playing a crucial role in the relationship between language and behaviour difficulties. This study aimed to explore whether Social Stories, a familiar intervention for children with autism, would lead to improvements in problematic behaviour for children with both behaviour and pragmatic…

Students' perceptions of the learning process are important because they are stakeholders in their education. The authors measured student perceptions on active learning exercises that promote comfort with technology and oral communication skills. The findings noted that there was a significant difference in the mean of certain survey questions…

Children with a history of developmental language disorder (DLD) entering school are a challenge for classroom teachers. Teachers are often not very familiar with DLD, and language difficulties in school age children are often not obvious in context-supported everyday language. However, their language is still vulnerable. The teachers' way of…

This research report examines the occurrence of listener visual cues during nonunderstanding episodes and investigates raters' sensitivity to those cues. Nonunderstanding episodes (n = 21) and length-matched understanding episodes (n = 21) were taken from a larger dataset of video-recorded conversations between second language (L2) English…

The convenience and pervasiveness of smartphones have created an environment where teacher-parent communication can be easily fostered through mobile apps. The current study aims to explore the role of instant messaging apps in teacher-parent communication. Social capital and the uses and gratifications theory were used to develop a theoretical…

Applied linguists have developed complex theories of the ability to communicate in a second language (L2). However, the perspectives on L2 communication ability of speakers who are not trained language professionals have been incorporated neither into theories of communication ability nor in the criteria for assessing performance on…

Introduction: Students of English as a foreign language must possess intercultural communicative skills in order to be able to interpret and discuss the cultural diversity that surrounds them when they use English for communicational purposes. This paper claims, and is based on the conviction, that the development of these skills takes place…