The goal of research was to achieve a deep comprehension of English speech acts of illocutionary force. The method applied was ethnography of communication. In relation with an approach, I applied the qualitative one. In the data collection procedures, I applied the ethnography method, i.e. field observation, recording, transcription, interview,…

The papers in this special issue provide support for continued scrutiny of interactional competence (IC) as an important component of the speaking construct. The contributions underscore the complex nature of IC and remind us of the multiple factors that affect any construct definition. At the same time, each study offers insights into those…

Culture, language, and learning strategies form a grand tapestry, which is this article's theme. The authors explain each part of the tapestry, provide ideas for teaching all parts in a smoothly united way, and explore key cultural issues (i.e., cognitive flexibility, ethnocultural empathy, intercultural understanding, and needs of intercultural…

This article demonstrates and reinforces the role that well-told stories play in the success of the job-search process. Building on narrative theory, impression management, and an increased use of behavioral-based questions in interviews, well-crafted stories about work and educational experiences demonstrate skills applicants possess and convey…

As a concept, 'belonging' is acknowledged to be complex, culturally determined and multifaceted. The processes of supporting belonging through early childhood education, especially where different cultural beliefs require understanding and negotiation, are not well understood. This is certainly the case for refugee children and families within…

This study explores the choices made by parents of children who are severely hearing-impaired or deaf. It also gives ideas how to support these children at school. In a six-year longitudinal study, eleven families completed the study questionnaire four times. Questions were related to choice of hearing aid, methods of communication and educational…

In the present study, we refer to Carr's theory on the nature of educational practice for evaluating teaching as a praxis in relation to two major changes, i.e. ubiquitous learning and massive communication caused by MOOCs. With regard to the first change, we argue that the teacher is faced with the problem of encouraging the learners to get…

Recent research shows that negotiation of meaning in online task-oriented interactions can be a catalyst for L2 (second/foreign/additional language) development. However, how learners undertake such negotiation work and what kind of an impact it has on interactional development in an L2 are still largely unknown mainly due to a lack of focus on…

This single-class activity expands current literature on person-centered messages by providing attention to message quality in mediated contexts. Students begin the activity by reviewing a hypothetical scenario in which a friend has posted about a family death loss on social media. After reviewing this scenario, students then create sample…

The six essays published in this issue all seek to extend principles of communication and instruction. They share an instrumental view of communication as a way to address problems and deficiencies and simultaneously position instructional communication research squarely within larger organizational and professional communication contexts. In…

Many universities in different parts of the world are seeking to enhance the cultural diversity of their staff and student body and yet repeated studies have shown that good integration can be difficult to achieve. Although several studies have examined the reasons why such integration is difficult, there has been very little research into the…

The purpose of this study is to begin describing the variety of social spaces that have been created on Twitter to support teachers and to describe the specific ways in which they vary. In particular, I have focused on Regional Educational Twitter Hashtags (RETHs)--hashtags that group tweets related to education within particular geographic…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how exceptional student education (ESE) administrators and educators describe their lived experiences with regard to employing strategies and tools to enhance communication skills for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) students. The method of data collection used was…

Telecollaboration, or 'virtual exchange', are terms used to refer to the engagement of groups of learners in online intercultural interactions and collaboration projects with partners from other cultural contexts or geographical locations as an integrated part of their educational programmes. In recent years, approaches to virtual exchange have…

Some level of understanding of and about nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST) has been suggested as being relevant in up-to-date scientific literacy for all. Research scientists working in these fields are central in current efforts to inform and engage the public in NST. Earlier research has shown that scientists can contribute to authentic…