The current study explores utilizing the ACTFL cultural framework to structure synchronous video-based speaking activities and subsequent class discussions. The study includes 39 students in two... Show More

The current study explores utilizing the ACTFL cultural framework to structure synchronous video-based speaking activities and subsequent class discussions. The study includes 39 students in two sections of an intermediate-level college Spanish course who engaged in five 30-minute conversations with native speakers of Spanish via Talk Abroad during one semester. Quantitative and qualitative data from the semester suggest students' oral proficiency and critical cultural awareness improved. A comparison of survey data indicates that student-reported satisfaction and learning via Talk Abroad was comparable to that of virtual exchanges coordinated by professors during previous semesters. These findings suggest third-party providers can provide students a similar level of learning and engagement for less of an investment in time, technology, and institutional resources than has been reported in previous studies.

In recent years, the widespread growth of mobile-assisted language learning using apps has made English vocabulary learning increasingly accessible. This study investigated students' perceptions of... Show More

In recent years, the widespread growth of mobile-assisted language learning using apps has made English vocabulary learning increasingly accessible. This study investigated students' perceptions of a vocabulary learning app developed by the researcher as a tool to help them to improve their L2 receptive vocabulary. The app, containing 20 levels, works with both iOS and Android. The participants were 14 undergraduate students at an English-medium university in Hong Kong. A qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews captured a holistic overview and revealed students' perceptions of the app. The results suggested that Hong Kong university students have a strong motivation for acquiring an L2 vocabulary. Participants also indicated a preference for mobile applications using gamified features. The study highlights directions for future research into apps for English language learning.

This study investigates English language learner (ELL) perceptions of using a prototype virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) designed for teaching and learning writing structure. A... Show More

This study investigates English language learner (ELL) perceptions of using a prototype virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) designed for teaching and learning writing structure. A mixed-methods approach was used, incorporating pre- and post-participation questionnaires, as well as semi-structured interviews. Participants consisted of 10 ELLs enrolled in first year English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses at a university in Mainland, China. Results indicate that while the majority of students enjoyed using the VRLE, they maintained varying attitudes regarding the usefulness of the VRLE. Additionally, results from a correlation analysis suggest that learners' attitudes towards the material or content being learned (EAP writing) significantly correlates with learners' attitudes towards using the VRLE for learning writing structure.

In virtual reality, language learners can experience the foreign culture by exploring authentic and contextualized learning environments. To date, there is a lack of studies investigating the use of... Show More

In virtual reality, language learners can experience the foreign culture by exploring authentic and contextualized learning environments. To date, there is a lack of studies investigating the use of highly immersive virtual reality for cultural understanding as well as learners' attitudes toward its implementation in the language classroom. This study addresses this gap by exploring language learners' stereotypes and generalizations of the foreign culture experienced in highly immersive virtual reality, and their beliefs regarding its use in the educational setting. Undergraduate students enrolled in beginner Italian courses viewed three ordinary Italian environments with the use of their smartphones, headphones, and Google Cardboard. Through surveys, written reflections, and a focus group interview participants shared their cultural understandings and attitudes toward virtual reality. Results show that virtual reality was positively perceived and helped learners discover new cultural layers generally not encountered in traditional pedagogical materials.

Pronunciation teaching is an important stage in language learning activities. This article tackles the pronunciation scoring problem where research has demonstrated relatively low human-human and... Show More

Pronunciation teaching is an important stage in language learning activities. This article tackles the pronunciation scoring problem where research has demonstrated relatively low human-human and low human-machine agreement rates, which makes teachers skeptical about their relevance. To overcome these limitations, a fuzzy combination of two machines scores is suggested. The experiments were carried in the context of Algerian pupils learning to read Arabic. Although the native language of Algerian pupils is a dialect of Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic remains difficult for them with difficult sounds to master and letters close in their pronunciation. The article presents a fuzzy evaluation system including both oral reading fluency, and intelligibility. The fuzzy system has shown that despite the disparities between human ratings, its scores correspond at least to one of their ratings and most of the time its ratings are in favor of learners. Therefore, fuzzy logic, more favorable than thresholding systems, encourages learners to pursue their training.

This study was designed to investigate the adequacy of EFL learners' abilities in three major dimensions of digital literacy skills and whether self-assessments of competence were consistent with... Show More

This study was designed to investigate the adequacy of EFL learners' abilities in three major dimensions of digital literacy skills and whether self-assessments of competence were consistent with their actual performance. It also identified factors that affected learners' use of the selected digital literacy skills. To this end, 60 Saudi EFL learners (41 male and 19 female) responded to a five-part, cross-sectional questionnaire of 36 items categorized according to the three dimensions of digital literacy skills. They also engaged in 11 predetermined real-time Internet search tasks. The participants' on-screen online search activities were recorded and subjected to a search log analysis. Short, semi-structured post-search interviews were conducted to capture the participants' reflections on the search process. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. The participants' success in searches was measured by the total number of tasks completed accurately. The results indicated that the participants were ill-equipped to efficiently handle the three key L2 digital literacy skills. Participants' low self-perceived ability to use them adequately was consistent with their actual poor online search performance. Further, the participants scored low in search accuracy, with the exception of search results interpretation skills and, to some extent, skills to evaluate a website's usefulness, and exhibited a wide range of areas for improvement and challenges in Web information search. The implications of the study and potential areas of future research are discussed.

This study reveals the impact of using parallel corpora on EFL students' writing, and how students perceive it. Female undergraduates (n=46) in an EFL writing course in Saudi Arabia were divided... Show More

This study reveals the impact of using parallel corpora on EFL students' writing, and how students perceive it. Female undergraduates (n=46) in an EFL writing course in Saudi Arabia were divided randomly into experimental and control groups taught by the same instructor, using the same materials. Students in the experimental group were introduced to three parallel corpora and encouraged to use them in their writing. Tests at the beginning of the semester showed no difference in English proficiency or writing ability between groups. Over the semester, students in both groups also wrote 5 writing assignments and took three writing exams. To examine students' perceptions of parallel corpora, students in the experimental group were asked to write a self-evaluation report and answer an evaluation questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative analysis showed significant improvement in their writing but no significant difference between groups. However, students' perception of parallel corpora was generally positive.

This study explored how 26 Chinese EFL teachers perceived community-based, technology-supported professional development practices. The methods of data collection in this study blend quantitative... Show More

This study explored how 26 Chinese EFL teachers perceived community-based, technology-supported professional development practices. The methods of data collection in this study blend quantitative and qualitative techniques: 1) questionnaire survey of teachers' satisfaction about community-based technology-supported professional development practices; 2) online teacher discussion postings; 3) teacher self-reflection journals; and 4) semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed a generally positive attitude and empowering feelings in these Chinese EFL teachers who viewed technology-facilitated practices as affording constructive functions for their professional development. Results also revealed a range of factors that apparently mediated/limited EFL teachers' participation in the professional development activities. This study thus contributes to the understanding of the reality in relation to actual utilization of technological resources in second-language teacher development in the context of a developing country such as China.

The study is the second in a series of mixed-methods studies on the integration of The Sims 4, a life-simulation game, into language classrooms. In this study, the researcher explores the effect of... Show More

The study is the second in a series of mixed-methods studies on the integration of The Sims 4, a life-simulation game, into language classrooms. In this study, the researcher explores the effect of game-based language learning (GBLL) on students' English communicative competence from three aspects, interaction, fluency and content, in a Japanese university. In class, students received instruction from the teacher on game language and gameplay skills, played the game on their own and presented gameplay stories. The presentations were recorded for evaluation. Surveys were also administered for students' perceptions on the GBLL classroom. Results showed that no clear improvement in communicative competence was suggested by quantitative evaluation. Qualitatively data, however, indicated that the game afforded students interesting events and proper expressions in presentations and that the teacher played a vital role in ensuring ample interactional opportunities and linguistic support. Suggestions for future research in classroom-situated GBLL were also proposed.

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) benefits from undeniable steps forward such as the use of authentic materials, real communicative contexts and the ubiquity of learning. However, to... Show More

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) benefits from undeniable steps forward such as the use of authentic materials, real communicative contexts and the ubiquity of learning. However, to discriminate the quality of digital resources for autonomous language learning from a critical perspective is not an easy task due to its diversity. This article offers the evaluation of a selected set of open-access and institutional websites for the learning of English as a Second Language (ESL) as the result of a research project for which expert-validated tools have been used. The statistical analyses carried out offer interesting data on the highest- and lowest-ranked ESL sites from both technical and academic viewpoints related to the quality of the resources offered. The conclusions address at a valuable contribution to the orientation of autonomous learning as an inherently human activity, but which nowadays still needs professional guidance and support.

The following research investigates the effect that unprescribed1 conversation with native speakers of the target language had on learners' L2 listening comprehension skills at the beginning (n=21)... Show More

The following research investigates the effect that unprescribed1 conversation with native speakers of the target language had on learners' L2 listening comprehension skills at the beginning (n=21) and advanced intermediate levels of Spanish (n=27). Treatment groups completed two-thirty-minute conversations with native speakers via videoconferencing throughout the semester, while the control groups carried out unilateral oral exams using the Canvas course management system. Data was collected using the Avant Stamp Test, an online testing program that is based on the national standards outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (i.e., ACTFL). The results of the study revealed that learners at the Intermediate I (InterI) level significantly improved as a result of the oral interactions, while the Intermediate II learners (InterII)—who possessed more developed grammatical and lexical skills, as well as overall experience in L2 than their Intermediate I level counterparts—did not significantly improve as a result of the treatment. Although many of the studies in this area of inquiry emphasize the need for guided instruction, explicit strategy and lexical recognition in aural development, it is argued here that unprescribed conversation with native speakers—a much less contrived and more authentic approach to aural acquisition—can also significantly improve listening ability in L2. Therefore, with the present study, the authors contribute to current literature in Second Language Acquisition that centers on aural development and the role of native speaker interaction in learners' auditory growth.

This article outlines the results of an ongoing research project into student experiences of virtual learning platforms. The project is driven by low engagement with online courses and a perceived... Show More

This article outlines the results of an ongoing research project into student experiences of virtual learning platforms. The project is driven by low engagement with online courses and a perceived lack of enthusiasm for Moodle. The author hopes to develop working practices to be used across departments that put students at the centre of designing the VLE spaces they are required to use. Underlying this project is the conviction that “if we want to enhance online learning, we need to enhance online learner participation,” as said by Hrastinski. This stage of data gathering included Photovoice to create screen recordings or visual representations of the students' digital learning journey, focus groups with international students and interviews with experts in digital learning. The article investigates students views and experiences of engaging with VLEs and concludes that if these digital platforms are to be of greater relevance to academic departments than mere PDF dumping grounds, then student participation in their design is essential.

This article reports a qualitative case study about the implementation of a translanguaging strategy with EFL learners belonging to the Language Learning Support programs at a private university... Show More

This article reports a qualitative case study about the implementation of a translanguaging strategy with EFL learners belonging to the Language Learning Support programs at a private university, who struggled when speaking in English. In order to address this problem, this strategy aim to help participants to reflect and self-direct their oral performance development. Multimodal tools were used for learners to undertake a specific course of action to cope with their speaking difficulties. Data gathered from tutor's journals, student's e-portfolio and interviews, showed how confidence and self-regulation were fostered after including student's mother tongue and ICT tools. These findings suggest a need to expand this implementation with learners of different proficiency levels who also find it difficult to verbally express their ideas. Moreover, it takes a look at the use of the mother tongue as an advantage rather than as an obstacle to learning a foreign language.

This study applied pedagogically-focused project design by using Instagram as a platform to investigate how the use of social media such as Instagram in a multimodal digital storytelling model could... Show More

This study applied pedagogically-focused project design by using Instagram as a platform to investigate how the use of social media such as Instagram in a multimodal digital storytelling model could bridge the skills English language learners (ELLs) learn in the classroom to out-of-school literacy practices. The study applied the five learning objectives of the bridging-activities framework to investigate to what extent ELLs achieve these objectives. There were forty-two participants (female: n= 22; male: n= 17), international arts and media students. The study collected their main Instagram posts, questionnaires were given with a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions, and individual follow-up interviews for content analysis. A cross-tabulation was conducted to investigate the relationships between ELLs' Instagram use and how they perceive Instagram as a meaningful way of communication for professional purposes. The findings revealed pedagogical practices of using Instagram as a tool for professional purposes and how ELLs achieved the bridging-activities learning outcomes.

This study was conducted in order to better understand how, if at all, language centers (LCs) are relevant in current technological and methodological contexts of second language education. Five... Show More

This study was conducted in order to better understand how, if at all, language centers (LCs) are relevant in current technological and methodological contexts of second language education. Five language centers housed by four different institutions of higher education in the western United States were examined. Two representatives from each of the five centers were interviewed either in-person or over the phone (N = 10). Data was collected in the form of semi-structured interviews and on-site visits. The data was analyzed using a flexible combination of multi-level qualitative coding, descriptive statistics, and narrative analysis. This study confirms recent findings that have shown LCs to be a highly diverse group of institutions, particularly with respect to form and function. With respect to relevance, a common framework for discussing different language centers is outlined in the form of three paradigms: center/department, center/institution, and center/community.

This article proposes a Standard Model of CALL, i.e., a compilation of fundamental theories and practices that should always be considered when creating an instructional design for the Computer... Show More

This article proposes a Standard Model of CALL, i.e., a compilation of fundamental theories and practices that should always be considered when creating an instructional design for the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). This proposed model is inspired by the standard model of physics which is the widely accepted understanding about how the fundamental particles and forces of the universe operate. The authors propose that the following concepts be considered the foundational components of the Standard Model of CALL which should shape the CALL context: (1) Reverse engineering of instructional requirements from outcome goals; (2) Instructional design based on affordances; (3) Constructivism embodied in student-centered active learning; (4) Communicative Language theory (CLT); (5) Authentic learning materials and experiences, (6) Incremental learning; (7) Task-Based Instructional Design; (8) Gamification; and (9) Long term use via curriculum integration. They collectively form a foundation and framework for common contextual elements that all CALL instructional design should consider.

This software review evaluates the Moodle plugin Level Up, which aims to add a gamification element to this commonly-used online education platform. The reviewers report their use of the plugin... Show More

This software review evaluates the Moodle plugin Level Up, which aims to add a gamification element to this commonly-used online education platform. The reviewers report their use of the plugin, describing its strengths, weakness and future potential. In doing so, they share their experiences of using it during a recent project that developed a Moodle-based activity for study of the Academic Word List (AWL) at a Sino-British university in China. This activity aimed to enhance student engagement and motivation to learn more academic vocabulary, and Level Up was selected for its claimed gamification potential. The activity's end product, and student responses to it are considered, and positive recommendations are given regarding Level Up's potential for enhancing Moodle.

Studies into the use of Twitter for language learning have mostly been small-scale evaluations undertaken by teachers researching the effectiveness of their own initiatives to use it with their... Show More

Studies into the use of Twitter for language learning have mostly been small-scale evaluations undertaken by teachers researching the effectiveness of their own initiatives to use it with their students. To date, there has not been a large quantitative study of how language learners use Twitter autonomously. This paper reports on a large-scale study (n=370) of language learners who use Twitter. It provides a participant profile, their practices, and beliefs about how helpful Twitter is as a tool for language learning. The results provide the first profile of the autonomous user of Twitter as a language learning tool, show very positive attitudes towards the use of Twitter, and provide evidence that learners learn new vocabulary and culturally-relevant information about the areas where the target language is spoken. Many learners engage in production of target language output and make the most of the opportunities Twitter presents to be exposed to target language input and interaction with native speakers, making Twitter a useful tool for their autonomous language learning development.

This study incorporated Google Street View into a 3D virtual environment, known as VECAR, in which EFL learners controlled their avatars to learn vocabulary in a context of New York City. New York... Show More

This study incorporated Google Street View into a 3D virtual environment, known as VECAR, in which EFL learners controlled their avatars to learn vocabulary in a context of New York City. New York City's Times Square is full of real-life materials, realia, which can be used to assist situated incidental vocabulary learning and to connect vocabulary acquisition to the real world. The case study design combining both qualitative and quantitative analysis was used mainly to investigate the program's impact on vocabulary acquisition, and to track the ongoing dynamics of the vocabulary acquisition across the four research phases, learner motivation in terms of self-efficacy and attitudes toward vocabulary learning, and strategy use across learners. The results showed that all participants involved in the study acquired the target vocabulary, increased motivation, and deepened strategy use gradually over time. The program supported both contextualized and motivated vocabulary learning processes in realistic situations.

Discussing and reasoning remain essential activities in a 21st educational and professional ecosystem, which are often supported by multimodal communication. This paper links learning English as a... Show More

Discussing and reasoning remain essential activities in a 21st educational and professional ecosystem, which are often supported by multimodal communication. This paper links learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to a professional and communicative approach through the debate task, which is supported by a ubiquitous CALL/MALL environment. This study will show the proposed structure of the debate in order to establish interdependent and collaborative work that can be successfully planned by means of combining 21st cognitive and communicative skills that will enhance students' EFL performance in Higher Education. Students' decisions to explore target content, role positions, and the production of well-linked communicative messages in EFL will be shown at upper intermediate level B1+/B2. The empirical data suggests that interactive patterns and argumentative rebuttals in English encourage a multimodal educational and professional ecosystem for 21st century learners, who use face-to-face and technological devices to interact with each other and to access ubiquitous information.

In 2016, a number of language applications released chatbots to complement their programmes. Used primarily in informal learning settings, chatbots enable language learners to engage in... Show More

In 2016, a number of language applications released chatbots to complement their programmes. Used primarily in informal learning settings, chatbots enable language learners to engage in conversational speaking practice, which can be perceived as less threatening than face-to-face interactions with native speakers. This study takes a closer look at four second language (L2) chatbots—Duolingo, Eggbun, Memrise, and Mondly—and analyses the experiences which informal language learners expressed on various online platforms (e.g., Duolingo forum, Memrise community, Reddit). Results indicate a degree of curiosity and a willingness to engage in conversation with chatbots. However, learners expressed frustration if the dialogues did not correspond to their learning goals or if they were excluded from using the bots because of technical or payment issues, or discontinuation of services.

iSTART-E is a web-based intelligent tutor developed for Spanish-speaking students to improve their reading comprehension through self-explanation strategy training. This study examined the effects... Show More

iSTART-E is a web-based intelligent tutor developed for Spanish-speaking students to improve their reading comprehension through self-explanation strategy training. This study examined the effects of a blended comprehension strategy intervention on students' reading comprehension skill. Chilean high school students (N = 22) completed nine iSTART-E sessions and a face-to-face classroom lesson that included integrative video and additional examples of self-explanation. Survey data indicated that students thought that iSTART-E was useful and that they had improved their reading skills. Critically, this was supported by objective assessment—students' standardized reading comprehension test (Lectum) performance improved from pre-training to post-training. These findings demonstrate promise for the use of iSTART-E as a computer-supported learning environment for Spanish readers.

Mobile technology melds the mobile learner's authentic real and virtual worlds, enabling increasingly untethered personalized, learner-determined language learning opportunities. This article... Show More

Mobile technology melds the mobile learner's authentic real and virtual worlds, enabling increasingly untethered personalized, learner-determined language learning opportunities. This article introduces an evidence-based framework founded upon cumulative findings from a number of the authors' recent and ongoing research projects. This framework provides guidance for designing mobile language learning activities within the learner's evolving personal, authentic situational learning context. The framework consists of three learner dimensions and four external contextual affordances that synergistically define the dynamics of this learning context. The merger of these dimensions and external contextual elements yields three interdependent learning concepts—personalization, adaptation, and relevancy—which enhance the mobile learner's motivation and self-determination. Application of these concepts enables instructors and learners to design mobile language activities that consider the interplay of numerous factors impacting language learning in context.