LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network

Enhancing Multidimensional Communicative Competence among Thai Lower Secondary EFL Students through Task-Based Grammar Instruction

Maythaporn Tangkanchanayuenyong, Virasuda Sribayak — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines the effects of task-based grammar instruction on the multidimensional communicative competence of lower-secondary students in Bangkok, Thailand. Employing a mixed-methods, one-group pretest-posttest design, 30 students participated in twelve task-based grammar lessons developed within a conceptual framework. Communicative competence—encompassing linguistic, strategic, formulaic, sociocultural, interactional, and discourse components—was assessed through a constructed communicative competence scale before and after the intervention. Students’ perceptions were explored via semi-structured focus group interviews, while teacher insights were gained through twelve reflective journals. The findings indicated that task-based grammar instruction significantly enhanced students’ overall multidimensional communicative competence, with a notable improvement in interactional competence. The effect size, as measured by Cohen’s d for paired samples, was 0.34, indicating a small to moderate effect. Qualitative data supported gains in five multiple dimensions, except sociocultural competence. Students expressed positive perceptions, valuing real-life communicative contexts and authentic grammar use. Teacher reflections highlighted the importance of detailed lesson planning, effective materials, and well-designed tasks. The study offers practical insights for implementing task-based grammar instruction to promote communicative competence among lower-secondary EFL learners.

Exploring Students’ Preferences for Courses and Instructional Strategies in Thai NNEST-Led Classes

Kwanjira Chatpunnarangsee, Varisa Osatananda — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Studies of learners’ attitudes toward native English teachers (NESTs) and non-native English teachers (NNESTs) show that native-speakerism is widespread, including in Thailand, where local teachers greatly outnumber native speakers. In this qualitative study of ways to optimize learning outcomes in settings where only Thai instructors are available, open-ended questionnaires and focus groups were employed to gauge students’ preference for English courses taught by Thai instructors as well as the instructors’ pedagogical practices. This research also explores both Thai instructors’ and students' perspectives on effective instructional strategies. Participants included 63 students in Phase 1, and 16 students and 6 Thai instructors in Phase 2. The results support previous studies indicating students’ preference for NESTs, with the additional finding that Thai students exhibit the least preference for Thai instructors in listening-speaking classes. However, the findings also suggest that the students prioritize their instructors’ supportive attitudes and personalities and their teaching proficiency over the proximity of their accents to native-speaker standards. The paper concludes by offering pedagogical recommendations that can be applied to contexts sharing similarities with the scenario discussed.

Rethinking Teacher Third Turns in Thai EFL Classrooms: An Analysis Beyond Feedback

Kyaw Kyaw Khaing, Kemtong Sinwongsuwat — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Using Conversation Analysis (CA), the study examines a single Thai undergraduate English as a foreign language (EFL) conversation class to explore the interactional work accomplished through the teacher’s third turns within the initiation-response-feedback (IRF) sequence. Focusing on naturally occurring classroom interaction, the analysis is situated within Seedhouse’s (2004) four micro-pedagogical contexts, i.e., procedural, task-oriented, form-and-accuracy, and meaning-and-fluency. Adopting CA’s commitment to local logic, emic rationality, and situated action, the study foregrounds how the interactional work of the third turn emerges moment-by-moment in response to students’ prior turns and displayed understandings. The findings show that, unlike much previous research that prioritized a single pedagogical context, the teacher’s third-turn practices recur across the different contexts examined, while their interactional functions vary depending on local pedagogical orientations. Rather than operating as uniform acts of feedback or evaluation, teacher third turns are shaped by unfolding pedagogical contexts. The study concludes by suggesting that future research adopt collective case analysis to examine the extent to which such interactional patterns recur across classrooms and pedagogical settings.

From Output to Input: Using Echo-STT Rehearsal to Enhance L2 Listening Comprehension

Ching-Jung Yang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This mixed-methods study investigated the integration of the Echo Method with speech-to-text (STT) technology to enhance TOEIC listening instruction. The intervention addresses the washback effects of high-stakes testing—the influence of TOEIC on teaching and learning—by transforming test-focused drills into authentic, learner-centered listening practice. Forty-five Applied English majors at a Taiwanese technological university participated in an 18-week intervention featuring reflective echoing, STT-based self-monitoring, and collaborative transcript analysis. Quantitative results from four diagnostic tests (normalized to a 0–100 scale) showed significant listening gains, with weighted overall means rising from 73.98 (pretest) to 87.87 (posttest) (d = 1.12). Improvements were greatest in sections with lower cognitive load: Part 1 (Picture Descriptions, d = 1.48) and Part 2 (Question-Response, d = 1.52). Regression analysis revealed that STT engagement frequency, rather than class attendance, predicted listening gains (β = .62, p < .001). Qualitative data from journals, interviews, and surveys indicated that STT feedback enhanced metacognitive awareness (73%) and reduced listening anxiety (60%) by externalizing errors in a non-judgmental format. Learners also reported perceived improvements in speaking naturalness, suggesting receptive-to-productive transfer effects. Overall, the findings demonstrate that technology-enhanced articulatory rehearsal can bridge the gap between test-focused drills and communicative competence, transforming high-stakes preparation into a learner-centered experience.

Using Automated Writing Evaluation to Improve EFL Students’ IELTS Writing: Effects Across Proficiency Levels and Learning Behaviours

Napat Jitpaisarnwattana, Nick Saville — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines the impact of Write & Improve, an Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) tool, on Thai university students' performance in IELTS writing. Additionally, it explores learning behaviors that may contribute to writing development. Employing a quantitative approach, the study gathered data from 53 students enrolled in an English Preparation for Standardized Tests course at a Thai public university. The effectiveness of the AWE tool was assessed through a comparative analysis of pre- and post-test scores, while learning behaviors were examined using program-generated learning logs. The findings indicate that the Write & Improve intervention led to significant improvements in students’ post-test writing performance across both writing tasks and all assessment criteria, with the most notable gains observed in grammatical range and accuracy. The most substantial progress was evident among intermediate-level students (IELTS Band 5.5 and below). Furthermore, learning analytics suggests that students who engaged in a greater number of writing tasks demonstrated stronger post-test performance. The study concludes that while AWE tools can facilitate improvements in specific writing components, their integration should be guided by well-defined pedagogical objectives, with teacher involvement remaining essential in the feedback process.

Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors and Communication Anxiety among University Students in EFL

Sucharat Rimkeeratikul, Sugunya Ruangjaroon — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The study was undertaken with 68 public university students at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels to compare their communication apprehension (CA) and their nonverbal immediacy behaviors. The research was conducted using a quantitative design, employing the Personal Report on Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) to measure CA and the Nonverbal Immediacy Scale-Self Report (NIS-S) to measure nonverbal immediacy behaviors. ANOVA was utilized to compare the mean scores of CA and NIS-S of the three groups of university students in the study. No significant differences were found among groups for CA and NIS-S. However, those with lower CA were found to use nonverbal immediacy behaviors more often than those demonstrating higher CA. Moreover, it was indicated that students of different ages vary in their use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors. The research results provide insights into how students feel when they use English (L2) and their self-perceptions regarding the use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors. These insights can help teachers and university administrators foster and maintain positive relationships and trust with students, which are essential for the well-being of all parties involved in teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the university level.

Revisiting Three Decades of L2 Vocabulary Research in Higher Education (1992–2025): A Multidimensional Bibliometric Analysis

Apisak Sukying, ThiTuyet Tran — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study presents a multidimensional bibliometric and thematic analysis of L2 vocabulary learning research in higher education from 1992 to 2025. Leveraging a two-database framework that integrates data from Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection, the paper applies Hallinger and Kovačević’s Four-Dimensional Bibliometric Framework to analyze the evolution, intellectual landscape, and methodological trends of the field. 557 peer-reviewed journal articles were quantitatively mapped, and thematic clusters were identified using Bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer. The findings reveal three stages of scholarly development, diversification of institutions and regions involved, and varying methodological orientations between databases. Seven thematic clusters emerged, including technology-enhanced vocabulary instruction, modeling vocabulary knowledge, and incidental acquisition processes. In addition to validating dominant research paradigms, the paper places special focus on emerging and yet-to-be-explored domains such as informal digital learning, psychological network analysis, and vocabulary pedagogy for equity. A comparison of Scopus and WoS suggests a need for dual-source indexing to justify large-scale bibliometric synthesis. The study concludes by proposing an agenda for future research that is inclusive in methodology, theory-driven, and context-sensitive in its responsiveness to global language learning dynamics.

Climate-Integrated EFL Instruction: A Design-Based Study to Develop Ecoliteracy and Scientific Reading Comprehension

Sary Silvhiany, Endah Purwandani, Rita Inderawati, Artanti Puspita Sari — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Climate change, as a global emergency, increasingly shapes the lived experiences of teachers and students, necessitating multidisciplinary and pedagogically innovative educational responses that foster climate change awareness. This study examines the integration of climate change education into English language teaching in a rural public junior high school located in a deforested area dominated by palm oil plantations and mining activities. The intervention was implemented in an eighth-grade classroom using an inquiry-based learning approach to explore four core dimensions of climate change: causes, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation. The study pursued two main objectives: (1) to cultivate students’ ecoliteracy and scientific reading comprehension, and (2) to develop students’ ecological awareness and eco-identity. Employing a design-based research, data were collected through quantitative measures (pre-test, mid-intervention test, and post-test) and qualitative sources (classroom observations and reflective journals). Quantitative data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD tests, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicate a statistically significant improvement in students’ ecological scientific reading comprehension between pre- and post-intervention, with 64.71% of students demonstrating substantial learning gains. Qualitative findings further reveal a balanced development of ecological knowledge, values, and action-oriented dispositions, contributing to the formation of positive eco-identities among students.

Development and Preliminary Validation of a CEFR-Aligned Evaluation Checklist for Job Application Writing

Wee Chun Tan — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study presents the development and preliminary validation of the Job Application Writing Evaluation Checklist (JAWEC), a CEFR-aligned instrument designed to assess job application letters produced by graduating university students in an English for Professional Purposes (EPP) course. Although the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has been extensively applied to academic writing assessment, its application to professional writing genres, such as job application letters, remains underexplored. To address this gap, the JAWEC was developed through the integration of CEFR B2+ descriptors, established genre frameworks for job application writing, and established principles of checklist-based assessment design. The instrument was refined through expert consultation to ensure content relevance, clarity, and applicability. To provide preliminary empirical support, the JAWEC was piloted with 25 student-produced job application letters independently assessed by two experienced EPP instructors. Inter-rater reliability analysis revealed good agreement, suggesting that the instrument can be applied with reasonable consistency across raters in this pilot context. The results suggest that the JAWEC provides a theoretically grounded and pedagogically practical instrument for formative and summative assessment of job application writing, with the potential to enhance feedback practices and support students’ workplace communication readiness.

“Un-/dis-connected” Aren’t They Interchangeable?: Investigating L2 English Learners’ Sensitivity to the Form-Meaning Link of Words with Negative Prefix Rivalry

Natcha Limpapattana, Nattama Pongpairoj — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This mixed-method study investigates L2 acquisition of English negative prefix rivalry, a topic still underexplored. The central question is whether L1 Thai learners realize that English un-dis word pairs (e.g., unconnected versus disconnected) have different meanings. English has many negative prefixes, so such word pairs are prevalent, causing critical challenges. Despite both being negative, they differ in nuances, and are mostly not interchangeable. Un- and dis- are the most polysemous prefixes whose meanings also overlap, adding further confusion. Under the joint framework of cognitive semantics and the interlanguage hypothesis, we designed two form-meaning link tasks (i.e., without and with contexts) with follow-up interviews. Results indicated deeper problems at the prefix level. The flawed knowledge of negative prefixes caused them to have low sensitivity to each word’s meaning. L1 interference and ineffective instruction tended to be the main causes. However, with contexts, their sensitivity significantly improved (p < .001), indicating the necessity that contexts be present for the inference of this kind of word. The findings could reflect similar yet unnoticed problems in other L2 or even L1 contexts, as negative prefixation is filled with inherent complexities. The implications for material developers and teachers are therefore broadly applicable.

Effects of Written Loop Feedback on Student Feedback Literacy in Second Language Writing Assessment

Benjawan Plengkham, Patsawut Sukserm, Sonthaya Rattanasak — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

One central element in enhancing written communication skills in second language writing (SLW) classrooms is how feedback is processed. This study investigates how written loop feedback, an iterative process in which written production is continuously reviewed and revised through peer assessment to develop SLW feedback literacy, influences student feedback literacy and helps inform learners about areas needing attention for progressive improvement. An intact group of 28 EFL students participated in a written loop feedback workshop. A student writing feedback literacy questionnaire was employed to assess their beliefs and competence in evaluating and using writing feedback across five aspects, namely appreciating feedback, acknowledging different sources, making judgments, managing affect, and taking action, along with open-ended questions to gain deeper insights into the loop feedback process. A peer feedback worksheet was adopted to record students’ progress during the implementation. The written feedback loop consisted of five main phases: sharing and initial feedback, reflection and response, discussion for clarification, repetition of the feedback loop, and reflection on the feedback process. The data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and thematic analysis. The overall results indicated that there were statistically significant improvements in several aspects, particularly in acknowledging different feedback sources; moreover, the relationship between the components of feedback also became more pronounced. These findings suggest that, post-intervention, students tended to be more open to various sources of feedback. They also demonstrated a stronger willingness to respond to and engage with them. Incorporating a structured feedback loop may thus serve as an effective pedagogical intervention within SLW assessment to enhance EFL learners’ feedback literacy. The findings here extend our current knowledge of SLW assessment, particularly in students’ writing feedback literacy.

Reassessing the Determinants of English Pronunciation: Musical Aptitude vs. L1

Zhumageldina Aruzhan — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study compared the effects of musical aptitude (MA) and native language (L1) on second language (L2) English segmental pronunciation proficiency. The uniqueness lies in the cross-linguistic analysis between native Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese EFL learners. Musical aptitude of the participants was assessed through Seashore Musical Aptitude Test, while the Pronunciation Test involved the Elicited Imitation Task with emphasis on segmental pronunciation performance, where the most problematic phonemes for the native speakers of each three language groups were included. Contrary to some prior research, results revealed a non significant to weak relationship between MA and pronunciation accuracy. Instead, L1 background was the dominant predictor, with a clear performance hierarchy (Russian > Chinese > Japanese) emerging regardless of MA scores. The findings suggest that the influence of MA is not universal but is augmented by musical training or the specific phonological relationship between the L1 and L2. A concurrent indication is that innate musical aptitude alone is insufficient for mastering L2 phonemes, underscoring the primacy of L1 transfer and the potential need for targeted pedagogical intervention over reliance on innate auditory talent.

Integrating Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) into Essay Writing Instruction for Low-Achieving Students: A Two-Cycle Collaborative Action Research Study

Sylvester Yueh Wei Lau, Zuraini Seruji, Noor Aina Dani — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Many educators believe that low-achieving students can’t handle higher-order thinking tasks, which may hinder their growth and potential. This study employed a two-cycle collaborative action research design using a mixed-methods approach, and incorporating classroom observations, teacher interviews, and pre- and post-writing assessments, which were analysed using a paired-samples t-test. The participants were 3 Malay language teachers and 47 low-achieving students, all aged 16, from 3 rural secondary schools in Sarawak, Malaysia. The students’ writing performance was analysed quantitatively, while the teachers participated in classroom implementation, intervention and interview. The classroom observation results indicate that teachers rely more on the analysing cognitive domain. A process-based approach enhances higher-order thinking skills in essay writing among low achievers, thereby improving classroom teaching and learning. There was a significant difference between pre- and post-writing assessments, with average essay scores improving by approximately -19.47 points after the intervention. In conclusion, educators knowledgeable about HOTS cognitive domains play a crucial role in supporting struggling students to foster essay-writing abilities. For low achievers, a process-based approach is more effective than a modular approach for enhancing higher-order thinking in essay writing. Teachers should motivate students at all academic levels to participate in tasks that utilise higher-order thinking skills.

The Washback Effects of the Thai General Aptitude Test (TGAT1) (English Communication) on Teaching in the Upper Secondary School Level in the Bangkok Area

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Despite increasing attention to assessment-driven instruction in Thailand, the mechanisms and extent of the washback effects of the Thailand General Aptitude Test (English for Communication), or TGAT1, on English language teaching at the upper secondary level remain underexplored. This study investigated the washback effects of TGAT1, which serves as a university entrance examination, on English language teaching practices. A mixed-methods research design was employed. One hundred upper secondary school English teachers responded to a questionnaire, and 17 of them were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that TGAT1 notably influenced teachers to prioritize test demands. Teachers put substantial effort into developing teaching materials and adapting instructional strategies to meet test requirements and motivate students to improve their English proficiency. Moreover, teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of the TGAT1 were found to mediate the relationship between the test and their teaching practices. The study also underscores the importance of enhancing teachers’ assessment literacy to promote more positive washback effects and highlights the necessity of integrating critical thinking into the test design.

Perceptions of Translanguaging and Its Pedagogical Benefits from Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in English Teacher Education

Vu Hoai Nhan Dang, Anh Thi Nguyen — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Translanguaging has gained increasing recognition as a transformative approach in multilingual education, yet its application within teacher education contexts, particularly in Vietnam, remains limited. This study explored perceptions of translanguaging and its pedagogical benefits among undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in English teacher education programs at a public university in the Mekong Delta region, Vietnam. A mixed-methods design was employed, beginning with a quantitative phase using a questionnaire (N=193; 117 undergraduate and 76 postgraduate students), followed by qualitative interviews with 18 purposefully selected participants (9 undergraduates and 9 postgraduates). Quantitative results indicated overall positive perceptions toward translanguaging, with undergraduates expressing significantly stronger agreement regarding instructional effectiveness, support for clearer explanations, emotional safety, and reducing confusion, while postgraduates displayed greater recognition of translanguaging’s ideological role in promoting linguistic equity. Regarding pedagogical benefits, both groups acknowledged translanguaging as highly beneficial for comprehension, classroom participation, and increasing communication confidence; undergraduates particularly valued enhancing content understanding, whereas postgraduates emphasized validating students’ identities and linguistic resources. Qualitative data triangulated these findings and revealed two additional benefits: fostering linguistic creativity and promoting critical reflection on language and culture. Findings underscore translanguaging’s potential to foster inclusive pedagogy, linguistic equity, and transformative educational practices in Vietnamese contexts.

AI Literacy, Integration, and Challenges in EFL Education: Perspectives of Higher Education Teachers in Thailand

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The growing use of AI in education highlights the need for AI literacy among teachers; however, research on Thai EFL university teachers remains limited. To address this gap, the present study aims to investigate the AI literacy of Thai EFL university teachers, as well as the integration and challenges of using AI tools in English classrooms. This study employed a mixed methods design involving 102 Thai EFL university teachers. The quantitative phase was guided by Ma et al.’s (2024) six-construct framework, which includes benefits, limitations, prompts, evaluation, assessment, and ethics, to assess AI literacy. The scope was expanded to include AI tools beyond ChatGPT. Semi-structured group interviews were conducted to gain deeper qualitative insights, and the data was analyzed using both statistical and thematic approaches. The findings of the present study demonstrate that Thai EFL university teachers are clearly aware of the benefits of AI tools in language teaching, with awareness often linked to the length of their experience using such tools. Teachers with advanced familiarity were able to provide detailed examples of how specific AI tools can be applied in their teaching. AI tools were most commonly used for preparing instructional materials, while assessment emerged as a key area of weakness, highlighting the need for further support in this aspect of classroom practice. These findings offer valuable insights for designing teacher training programs that support AI-informed teaching practices in higher education.

“I Didn’t Have to Go Abroad to Be Global”: Narrating Investment and Global Identity Formation in Vietnamese EMI

Le Truong An, Adcharawan Buripakdi — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explores the nonlinear journey of a Vietnamese student across different English-Medium Instruction (EMI) contexts. Drawing on Investment Theory, Poststructuralist Identity Theory, and Bourdieu’s concept of capital, the study uses narrative inquiry to examine identity construction through a critical case of educational withdrawal and reentry. The findings show that the participant initially invested in English as a pathway to opportunity, status, and global belonging. However, this investment weakened when institutional hierarchies, unequal language expectations, and English-only practices in a transnational joint program undermined her sense of belonging. During a liminal “silent year,” she rethought her goals, her relationship with English, and her understanding of what it means to be global. Her journey challenges linear views of EMI success by showing that becoming “global” is a negotiated process shaped by reflection, resistance, and change. Rather than treating withdrawal as a failure, the study conceptualizes reinvestment as a distinct phase of identity reconstruction. The findings offer a counter-story to the English-only fallacy and call for EMI pedagogies that better support students’ emotional and ideological struggles in Global South contexts.

Localizing Integrated Performance Assessment in Chinese Tertiary EFL Contexts: Effects of the LT-IPA Model on English Speaking Proficiency and Willingness to Speak

Lingyi Liu, Punchalee Wasanasomsithi — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

China represents one of the world’s largest English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Despite decades of curriculum reforms, tertiary English teaching and assessment in China remain dominated by traditional, discrete-point written tests, resulting in limited spoken language use and consequently weak speaking proficiency and low willingness to speak (WTS) among undergraduates. This mixed-methods, quasi-experimental study addressed these challenges by incorporating localized tasks into the ACTFL’s Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) framework, referred to as the Localized Task-IPA (LT-IPA) Model. Conducted at a private college in southwest China, the study aimed to (1) investigate the effects of the LT-IPA Model on Chinese undergraduates’ English speaking proficiency, and (2) examine their levels of WTS. Data were collected from 29 first-year undergraduates through speaking pre- and post-tests, a WTS questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed significant improvement in participants’ English speaking proficiency following 16 weeks of LT-IPA implementation, accompanied by high levels of WTS. These findings provided empirical evidence for the feasibility of localizing the IPA framework in tertiary EFL contexts in China, thereby extending its theoretical applicability beyond Western settings. The study also offered insights into how pedagogical factors can shape students’ WTS in classrooms.

Global Englishes Orientation: A Content Analysis of China's Senior High School Textbooks

Lin Chen, Jutarat Vibulphol — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Since China is placing increasing emphasis on international engagement in education and English is functioning more widely as a lingua franca (ELF), this study examines the extent to which senior high school English textbooks reflect a Global Englishes (GE) orientation. Using qualitative content analysis, the textual, visual, and auditory elements of three textbooks officially approved by China’s Ministry of Education (MoE) were analyzed through the lens of the 2018 GE framework. The analysis focused on six dimensions: target interlocutors, ownership, norms, cultures, needs, and assessment criteria. The results show that all three textbooks exhibit aspects that are in line with a GE orientation, including representation of diverse English users, acknowledgment of global ownership of English, inclusion of lexical variation, pluralistic cultural representations, communicative assessment forms, and attention to global communication needs. However, native-speakerism remains influential. Although cultural content appears diverse and fluid, it often lacks sufficient depth to foster critical intercultural awareness. Overall, the results reveal both progress and continuing limitations in integrating GE principles into Chinese English language teaching (ELT). These findings highlight the need for more inclusive and pedagogically coherent resources to better prepare students for effective communication in global contexts.

Exploring English Native-Speakerism in Thai Society through English Tutorial School Advertisements: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis

Anuchit Toomaneejinda — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This exploratory qualitative study attempts to elucidate how and the extent to which the concept of native speakerism is conceived and commodified multimodally and aesthetically in Facebook advertisements posted by English tutorial schools in Thailand. Through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis and Multimodal Discourse Analysis, 60 advertisements posted between March and November 2025 were purposively selected, all of which explicitly or implicitly provided semiotic references to superiority based on nativeness, expertise, and supposed global accolade. Verbal elements were analysed for recurring discourses of authenticity, legitimacy, and aspiration, while visual elements were examined for representational and compositional strategies such as teacher depiction, gaze, social distance, colour, and branding. The analysis identified four recurring discursive patterns through which native speakers are framed: authenticity, professional/global-standard legitimacy, aspirational self-transformation, and culturally attuned nativeness. These verbal patterns were reinforced through visual strategies that idealise white Western instructors, use gaze and social distance to naturalise pedagogical hierarchy, and incorporate Western cultural authority through colour palettes, branding, and lifestyle-oriented imagery. The emergence of “localised nativeness,” through which native speakers were presented as culturally comparable to local teachers, further illustrates how native-speakerism was adapted to address critiques of contextual mismatch. The findings indicate that native-speakerism remains prevalent despite the rise of Global Englishes and has, in some respects, become even more commercially powerful by aligning Western linguistic superiority with local stakeholders’ aspirations for economic, cultural, and social mobility through identity transformation. By shedding light on the existing ELT discourse that continues to reiterate Western norms despite academic calls from academia for plurality in English use, this study invites further debate on the tension between ideological critique and context-responsive stakeholder desires in the age of neoliberalism.

From Feeling Incapable to Becoming Agentic: Language Mindset Transformation Through Reflective Dialogue in a Thai EFL Classroom

Sitah Thayati, Ruedeerath Chusanachoti, Wichai Sawekngam — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates how language mindset transforms over time and enables agency development among Thai undergraduate EFL learners. It aims to examine how mindset dimensions change during a reflective dialogue intervention, identify temporal patterns of belief transformation, and explore relationships between these beliefs and agentic behaviors. Employing a multi-method case study design, twenty-five students participated in a six-week intervention; data comprised 100 learning logs and pre-post semi-structured interviews with six focal participants, analyzed using paired-samples t-tests and thematic analysis. All six mindset dimensions—participation, motivation, effort, strategy, failure, and ability—shifted from fixed to growth-oriented perspectives. Three distinct pathways emerged: participation and motivation beliefs transformed rapidly through peer validation; effort and strategy beliefs shifted moderately through guided experimentation; failure and ability beliefs changed gradually through accumulated evidence. These sequential transformations enabled behavioral agency, cognitive agency, and identity agency. Students developed interdependent agency—aligning autonomous action with collectivist values. Findings demonstrate that mindset transformation requires differentiated support mechanisms and realistic timeframes. Educators should employ targeted interventions; behavioral changes emerge within weeks, while identity transformation requires sustained practice over months.

Teaching and Learning Development of English for Social Administration

Warangkana Pongsatornpipat, Sukhuma Aroonjit — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

To redesign English for Social Administration, a branch of ESP aiming to prepare pre-service social work students for their future profession, the present study investigated the opinions of 248 Thai pre-service social work students who had experienced the course and a field internship. Data collected from the survey questionnaire and focus group discussions revealed what was needed, and the key necessity is the ability to use a specialized language register aligned with social work practice in Thailand. In terms of the students’ wants, the findings revealed their learning preferences specifically for tasks that are in line with what professional social workers do in different areas or stages of social work practice in Thailand. Additionally, they highlighted a lack of knowledge of the language used in the target situation. The study suggested that the syllabus should be redesigned based on the stages of social work practice in Thailand and its subfields, such as medical or correctional social work, in order to provide more specific vocabulary or grammatical structures and engaging tasks that stimulate professional social workers’ tasks. More importantly, it is suggested that other stakeholders, including in-service social workers, are encouraged to work collaboratively in designing the course and materials to ensure that the content is completely valid in the social work community and meets their professional needs.

Medical messages and the art of storytelling: Exploring creative communication techniques in TEDMED talks

Napanant Montkhongtham — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Storytelling is a powerful communicative means applied across various fields, including medical communication. This study aims to analyze narrative elements used in popular TEDMED talks from the 2010s to 2020s. Freytag’s five-stage pyramid combined with Burroway’s (2003) diagram of power struggle and the key constructs of social cognitive theory were used to examine the data. The majority of TEDMED speeches were found to use the stages of exposition, complication, climax, falling action, and resolution, as well as emphasize the power struggle to convey particular messages. Among the conflicts of man versus man, man versus nature, man versus society, man versus society and nature, and man versus himself, the man-versus-society conflict was the most common, highlighting challenges concerning medical systems and traditional beliefs. Different types of speaker-story proximity were used, with the portrayal of the speaker as the main character or the speaker being partially involved topping the list, indicating the key advantage of the first-person point of view, with its sense of intimacy. All key constructs of social cognitive theory were applied. The two most common were behavioral capability and locus of control, suggesting the significance of the power of information and the power of making one’s own choices. Further research could compare narrative elements applied in TED talks in other fields, including the humanities, social sciences, technology, and business.

An Analysis of Pausing Patterns in English Presentations by Thai Undergraduate Students: Types and Underlying Causes

Sawaros Jaiprasong — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Pausing plays a vital role in second language speech production, enhancing fluency, cognitive processing, and discourse organization. This study investigated Thai EFL undergraduate learners' pausing patterns in their English presentations, focusing on pause types, variations across speaking tasks, and the underlying causes of pausing. The participants were twenty first-year students, selected through purposive sampling. The participants completed two speaking tasks and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while interview data were analyzed thematically. The findings showed that the participants made 412 pauses, with silent pauses being the most prominent, followed by unlexicalized and lexicalized fillers, respectively. Most of the pauses were observed at clause boundaries, reflecting their function as rhetorical organizers rather than mere hesitation markers. There were also differences across speaking tasks. Participants employed more silent and unlexicalized pauses in less familiar topics and used more lexicalized discourse markers in more familiar ones. Thematic analysis further indicated that the four major factors affecting pausing were lexical access, grammatical focus, affective conditions, and rhetorical control. The pedagogical implications suggest that pause lessons should be integrated into speaking classes to improve learners' speech. Future research should increase the sample size and examine pausing in different contexts.

Main or Subordinate? An Exploratory Diagnosis of Clausal Hierarchy Confusion Among Thai EFL Undergraduates

On-Usa Phimsawat — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Diagnostic exploration of syntactic analytical competencies in complex sentence analysis remains underexplored in EFL settings despite its importance to academic language proficiency. In this study, a diagnosis of the clause analysis proficiency of 200 Thai EFL undergraduates was conducted, using a purpose-designed clause analysis assessment (CAA) grounded in Burton-Roberts’s (2022) abbreviated clausal analysis (ACA) framework. The participants were administered the CAA and individually produced 1,400 sentence diagrams that were analyzed for procedural and conceptual error patterns using descriptive statistics and error frequency analysis. The average proficiency was found to be moderate (M = 18.2/35, SD = 4.8). Two patterns of errors were identified: (a) procedural errors related mainly to segmenting sentences into clauses (61.0%) and (b) a conceptual bottleneck involving main–subordinate clause confusion, accounting for 28.0% of clause-type misidentifications. This suggests that the participants faced not only surface-level procedural difficulty but also a systematic misrepresentation of the hierarchical structure of complex sentences. Therefore, in EFL syntax instruction, hierarchical clause awareness should be prioritized before moving on to sentence diagramming. Visual-syntactic scaffolding is also recommended to build learners’ conceptual understanding of main-subordinate clause relationships.

“I am now satisfied with all changes ...”: a corpus analysis of self-mentions in transparent peer review reports across review rounds

Erdem Akbaş, Betül Bal-Gezegin, Nur Yiğitoğlu-Aptoula — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explored how interpersonal communication is established between parties involved in transparent peer review reports (TPR). Although traditional peer review is a long-standing practice, TPR is considered an emerging genre because the recent institutional practice of making reports publicly accessible alters the rhetorical context and the reviewer’s authorial visibility compared to traditional ‘hidden’ reviews. In this study, we investigated how reviewers construct their authorial identity in the TPR genre through self-mentions. To this end, we used corpus tools to examine 150 TPRs on the same published articles across three consecutive rounds. The findings show that reviewers employed self-mentions to fulfill a range of rhetorical functions, from highlighting flaws and requesting clarifications to suggesting structural changes, expressing approval, and offering praise. Additionally, the data suggest that reviewers tend to be more critical in the initial review rounds, gradually adopting a more appreciative tone in subsequent rounds. Based on the results of the study, we offer pedagogical implications for reviewer training sessions, exploring how transparency and constructive criticism are conveyed through language, thereby contributing to a healthier discourse in the scientific community. We suggest that analyzing these changes through the lens of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) offers valuable insights into the specialized language and discourse patterns emerging within these contexts.

Intelligibility and Comprehensibility of Thai-Accented English: The Role of Listener L1 in ELF Communication

Suthinee Peerachachayanee, Sujinat Jitwiriyanont — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates how listeners from six first language (L1) backgrounds: Thai, Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, and English, perceive Thai-accented English in terms of intelligibility and comprehensibility. Using a mixed-methods design, participants completed two tasks: (1) a sentence transcription task measuring objective intelligibility, and (2) a rating task evaluating subjective comprehensibility of unscripted speech. Results show a strong effect of listener L1 on both outcomes. Thai listeners demonstrated the highest intelligibility and comprehensibility, confirming the Interlanguage Speech Intelligibility Benefit (ISIB) in matched-L1 contexts. Burmese listeners performed comparably to native English speakers in intelligibility and rated Thai-accented English as highly comprehensible, likely due to phonological similarities and regional exposure. Mandarin Chinese listeners achieved moderate scores in both intelligibility and comprehensibility, with notable individual variation. Japanese and Korean listeners performed lower in both tasks, which reflects greater phonological distance from both Thai and English. Native English listeners achieved a moderately high score on the intelligibility task, yet rated Thai-accented English as the least comprehensible, illustrating the native listener paradox. These findings add to English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) research by underscoring the listener-dependent nature of intelligibility and questioning the continued reliance on native-speaker norms in speech assessment and pedagogy.

Bridging Teacher Competence and Efficacy in EMI: Evidence from Thai EMI Teachers

Nattharmma Namfah, Arthitaya Narathakoon — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines teacher competence and teacher efficacy in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) and explores the relationship between these constructs in a Thai school context. Data were collected from 83 Thai EFL teachers in the EMI context using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. The results indicate that teachers reported a high level of competence (M = 3.64, SD = 0.79), encompassing pedagogical, language-related, assessment, and inclusive practices, but only a moderate level of efficacy (M = 3.26, SD = 0.93), revealing a gap between perceived ability and confidence in practice. A strong and statistically significant positive relationship was found between competence and efficacy (r = .818, p < .01), suggesting that competence serves as an important foundation for teachers’ efficacy in EMI. However, the moderate level of efficacy highlights the influence of linguistic and contextual factors, particularly teachers’ self-perceived English proficiency. The findings also indicate that teacher competence and teacher efficacy in EMI extend beyond general pedagogy and involve linguistic, interactional, and translanguaging-related aspects of classroom practice. Furthermore, the results suggest that teacher competence and teacher efficacy in EMI are closely intertwined, highlighting the need for more context-sensitive conceptualizations of EMI teaching.

An Exploratory Study on First Year University Students’ English Language Learning Experiences through a Netflix Animated Film: Over the Moon

Watjana Suriyatham — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

English movies have emerged as invaluable resources and language learning tool for language educators seeking to enhance the language proficiency of learners. (Brown, 2001; Ho & Le, 2025; Pervan, 2024; Rao, 2019;) However, there is a research gap to explore on how to integrate movies into language instruction to offer an insight into effective strategies, and how to address potential benefits and limitations of incorporating tasks on movies into classroom. This research study aims to probe language learning experiences a group of 21 first year university students gained through completing language tasks such as vocabulary, and content comprehension through watching a Netflix musical fantasy animation, Over the Moon. The study also engaged a group of three volunteer participants to reflect their own learning experiences in a mini focus group interview. The findings showed that the learners could acquire the right meanings of words. Before watching the film, the average score = 8.43 out of 20 words, and after watching, the average scores increased to 17.71. Most students performed strongly on the while- and post-watching tasks, with mean scores of 9/9 (100%) for character identification, 14/15 (93.3%) for quote recognition, and 8.9/10 (89%) for event sequencing. Additionally, the results from the questionnaire presented the overall picture that this group of participants had moderate to very high positive perceptions toward learning English through movies, with mean scores ranging from 3.24 to 4.29. The qualitative data analysis from the mini focus group interview was in line with the quantitative data analysis, and also gave an insight on what the participants actually learned through the movie and learning tasks, and shed light on how to integrate the movie to promote their learning experiences.

Examining the Acceptance and Effects of Moodle for Online EFL Instruction in the Age of New Normal

Husnawadi, Elke Stracke — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Despite the frequent use of Moodle for online English language instruction in the age of New Normal, studies examining its acceptance and effects on the students’ perceived learning outcomes (PLO) and satisfaction (PSC) for learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in such a learning condition remains under-researched. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this concurrent mixed methods study aimed to examine students’ acceptance of Moodle for online EFL instruction and its effects on their PLO and PSC and the challenges they encountered. The results showed that the students moderately accepted the use of Moodle for learning English in the age of New Normal. The core elements of TAM, perceived ease of use (PEU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) had a significant effect on the students’ attitude (ATU) and Intention to Use (ITU), indicating their acceptance to use the LMS. PEU and PU significantly affected the students’ PSC, yet PEU did not significantly affect the students’ PLO. The students’ main challenges were the inadequacy of internet access, quota, technical errors, the impracticality of language skills practice, and unclear instructions. This study highlights that TAM alone, particularly PEU, cannot guarantee the success of students’ learning, highlighting the importance of instructors’ vivid instructions and scaffolding. This study provides insights into an enhanced employment of Moodle for online EFL learning and teaching in the age of New Normal and beyond and offers recommendations for further research.

Exploring Taiwanese EFL Learners’ Lexical Avoidance Strategies in Handling Chinese Culture-Loaded Words in Chinese-to-English Translation

Tawei Wang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Culture-loaded words are common and often pose challenges for translators seeking equivalent terms. Observations in an undergraduate translation class indicated that Taiwanese EFL learners frequently employed lexical avoidance (Schachter, 1974) as a strategy. However, a deeper investigation is necessary to gain a fuller understanding of this behavior. Therefore, the objectives of this study are threefold: 1) to analyze the types and frequencies of lexical avoidance used by students, using Blum & Levenston's (1977) model as a framework, 2) to identify any new categories of lexical avoidance that may emerge, and 3) to offer suggestions for enhancing translation training in the undergraduate EFL context. The study involved 28 sophomore EFL students at a public university in northern Taiwan. Data were gathered from a translation assignment called “translation diagnosis”, which included 28 copies of written translation for analysis. The results showed that when translating Chinese culture-loaded terms—specifically those related to body expressions and other non-social or non-body-related concepts—over half of the students (67.8%) resorted to using synonyms or paraphrasing. A smaller proportion, ranging from 3.6% to 10.7% depending on the term, used total avoidance (i.e., leaving the term untranslated), a new category of avoidance strategy that was not previously recognized in the adopted model. Based on these findings, recommendations for improving translation training were offered.

English Loanwords and Transliterations in Thai Fan Tweets and Their Rendering in English by Automatic Translation

Nicha Klinkajorn — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Fan tweets vividly reflect fan register, a distinctive variety of digital language marked by creative and culturally embedded linguistic practices. Among its most salient features in Thai is the use of English loanwords and transliterations. The present study investigates 172 instances of English loanwords and transliterations drawn from two datasets of Thai fan tweets (June 2024-May 2025 and April-May 2026), examining their forms, functions, and rendering in English by automatic translation tool of Twitter (X). Five forms are identified: direct loanwords, semantic extensions, transliterations, hybrid compounds, and clippings and abbreviations, serving five functions: lexical gap filling, in-group identity marking, expressive function, economy of expression, and prestige and modernism. The study further examines how these items are rendered in English by automatic translation, identifying four translation strategies, namely, back-translation, naturalisation, substitution, and deletion, alongside two mechanisms underlying mistranslation: orthographic ambiguity and semantic misinterpretation. The findings demonstrate that while automatic translation can facilitate interlingual and intercultural fan communication, it continues to struggle with the orthographic instability, fan-specific meanings, and pragmatically embedded language use that characterise English loanwords and transliterations in Thai fan tweets, posing barriers to pragmatic equivalence and highlighting the need for developers to address variant spellings, community-specific semantics, and pragmatic context.

AI-Scaffolded English Oral Performance and Learner Perceptions: A Comparative Case Study of Thai and Chinese University Students

Monthon Kanokpermpoon, Thayakorn Klomkaew, Yuwei Liang — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explored how AI scaffolding helped support English oral communication among Thai and Chinese EFL university students and investigated how these students perceived the usefulness and ease of use of AI tools. Using a comparative mixed-methods analysis, the study purposively selected ten first-year undergraduate students (five Thai and five Chinese participants). The students completed three phases of scaffolded speaking tasks using ChatGPT (for Thai participants) or Doubao (for Chinese participants), along with an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire. Speaking performances were analyzed using the Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency Framework and an Analytic Scoring Rubric, while questionnaire data were examined through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that students from both groups improved their vocabulary and idea organization, particularly during structured question-and-answer interactions. By contrast, grammatical accuracy showed little improvement across the three phases. Overall, both Thai and Chinese students viewed AI tools positively and considered them useful and easy to use, although cultural differences influenced what they valued most in the learning experience. The study suggests that generative AI works best as a supportive speaking partner that complements, rather than replaces, human language teachers.

Investigating Critical Thinking in the Interactive Learning Environment for EFL Learners

Pranee Seenak, Nareema Sangwiman — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss the main characteristics of project-based learning (PBL) to promote learners’ critical learning skills after reading business texts in a course titled Critical Reading in Business. A mixed-methods research design was used to investigate a total of 54 students. The research instruments in this study were 1) reading logs, 2) a four-level stance questioning form and 3) the student project. Data was collected from the reading logs, four-level stance questioning forms, and projects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the five participants who had the most reading logs to verify the effect of reading business texts on learners and collect additional data. Quantitative data was analyzed using percentages, while qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis. The study reveals that there is a pattern between the number of reading logs, students’ ability to ask more complex questions, and their tendency to use a higher level of vocabulary, suggesting stronger reading comprehension skills. Secondly, the study also demonstrates that undergraduate students who have a higher number of reading logs tend to exhibit a higher percentage of credibility judgments in reading business texts.

A Comparative Move Analysis of Principals’ Messages of Independent Schools in the UK and British International School in Thailand

Chanaradee Tupjaiharn, Chanika Gampper — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study compares the moves and passive voice found in principals' messages from British international schools in Thailand and independent schools in the UK. The increasing trend of Thai students studying abroad and the importance of principals' messages in school marketing provide the background of parent decision making. The objectives were to compare the moves in the promotional genre and the passive voice used in these messages. A corpus of 64 principals' messages (32 from each country) was analyzed for rhetorical moves and passive voice. The findings indicated that while both types of schools generally adhere to standard promotional genre norms, fine differences in linguistic features can be seen, particularly in the use of passive voice, and in the specific emphasis of their persuasive appeals. British international schools in Thailand used passive voice more extensively, especially in relaying information on curriculum and standards, allegedly to formalize their offer and emphasize their British heritage. Thai schools emphasized international recognition and UK quality, whereas UK schools highlighted tradition and cultural values. The study provides insight into the rhetorical climate of education marketing across markets and cultures.

Sociocultural Influences on Communication Strategies in Synchronous Online ELF Video Discussions: Implications for Young Chinese Adults’ Language Learning

Hui Liu, Stefanie Pillai, Shin Yi Chew — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates how young Chinese adults (YCAs) use communication strategies (CSs) under the influence of their sociocultural norms in synchronous online English as a lingua franca (ELF) video discussions. Adopting a mixed-methods approach combining video observations and stimulated recall interviews (SRIs), this study revealed a gap between the YCAs’ CS repertoire, which focused on self-monitoring, and the collaborative demands of ELF communication. Quantitative analysis indicates that YCAs relied heavily on self-monitoring CSs (e.g., fillers, self-repetition) to ensure linguistic accuracy but made limited use of other-initiated CSs for meaning negotiation and co-creation compared with their Malaysian peers. Qualitative analysis confirms that the YCAs' relatively passive use of interactional CSs was shaped by sociocultural concerns related to politeness and face-saving, which led to unequal interactional labor. The online context further amplified this sociocultural inhibition. This study identifies a politeness dilemma: sociocultural obligations to maintain harmony may hinder effective ELF communication. The findings, therefore, challenge the common assumption of proactive collaboration in ELF contexts. Pedagogical interventions should instead reframe meaning negotiations, which tend to be perceived as a face-threatening imposition, as a constructive and collaborative communicative resource.

Explicit Lexical Inferencing Instruction and Performance on Inferencing Related Reading Tasks in a Thai University EFL Context

Kittitouch Soontornwipast, Rob Waring — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The study investigated whether explicit lexical inferencing instruction was associated with higher performance on reading comprehension tasks that contained inferencing related items among Thai university learners. It sought to address the gap in the literature, as some previous studies have focused on a limited number of strategies or short-term interventions. Two intact classes of Thai undergraduate EFL students at the B1 to B2 level were assigned as experimental and control groups in a quasi-experimental design lasting six weeks. The experimental group received explicit instruction in a five-step inferencing strategy and eight types of contextual clues. The control group followed standard reading instruction without the explicit inferencing training. Three post-tests were administered after the reading tasks and included items that required inferring word meanings from context. The raw scores favored the experimental group across all three tests, suggesting a directional pattern in favor of the treatment. However, after controlling for initial baseline ability, a significant group effect was found on only one measure. Ceiling effects, including zero variance in the experimental group on two post-tests, limited the sensitivity of the measures. These findings suggest that structured explicit inferencing instruction may support performance on reading comprehension tasks involving lexical inferencing, but they should be interpreted cautiously because the study did not directly measure general lexical inferencing ability.

From Cultural Knowledge to Empathic Perspective-Shifting: A Study of Intercultural Understanding in a Short-Term Virtual Exchange among Asian University Students

Samanan Sudsa-ard, Wimonnit Chaokongjakra, Khai Xian Loh — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Virtual exchange (VE) has become an increasingly important approach for promoting intercultural learning in higher education, particularly where physical mobility is limited. However, less is known about how short-term intercultural interaction contributes to different dimensions of intercultural understanding and empathy. This study examines how university students’ intercultural understanding and empathy changed after a short-term online intercultural exchange activity and identifies which dimensions of intercultural competence were most visible in their written reflections. The activity connected students from three universities in different cultural contexts through guided online intercultural conversations. Data consisted of pre- and post-activity questionnaire responses and written reflections collected across three interaction sessions. Nineteen students with matched pre- and post-activity questionnaire responses were included in the quantitative analysis, while 23 students’ coded reflections were examined qualitatively. The questionnaire contained 29 Likert-scale items related to intercultural understanding, empathy, openness, communication, cultural awareness, and respect for diversity. Negatively worded items were reverse-scored, and paired-samples analysis was used to compare composite pre- and post-activity scores. Results showed a statistically significant positive change in students’ intercultural understanding and empathy. The largest gains appeared in students’ confidence introducing their own culture, comfort discussing cultural topics, effort to understand their own culture, empathic response to people from other cultures, and ability to adapt communication. Qualitative findings showed that knowledge was the most visible dimension in reflections, followed by internal shift, attitudes, interpreting/relating, and discovery/interaction. The findings suggest that short-term online intercultural exchange can support measurable gains in confidence, empathy, and intercultural awareness while also revealing the need for stronger scaffolding of active discovery and interaction strategies. The article contributes to intercultural competence and virtual exchange research by integrating pre/post measurement with coded reflective evidence of students’ intercultural learning.

English Competence through a SWOT-Based Intervention for Accounting Students at a Peruvian Higher Education Institution

Vladimir Román Gutiérrez-Huancayo — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study presents the results of applying a SWOT program to improve oral competencies in 65 students at a Peruvian higher education institution. Therefore, a mixed-methods approach and a pre-experimental design were employed in the study. Thus, the first quantitative part was divided into two stages: in the first, students’ oral competencies were assessed by sex in relation to the applied program; in the second, an adjusted model was developed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of four constructs: unconscious incompetence (UI), conscious incompetence (IC), conscious competence (CC), and unconscious competence (CI). On the other hand, the qualitative phase consisted of a semi-structured interview in which students were asked about the program they had completed. Among the most notable results, a significant difference in oral competencies was observed among the students. Furthermore, women performed better on this skill. A well-fitting model (RMSEA = 0.047, CFI = 0.962, TLI = 0.953, and IFI = 0.964) indicates strong correlations between CC and UC (0.82), moderate correlations between UI and CI (0.67), and weak correlations between CI and CC (0.39). Finally, very positive perceptions were observed among the participating students.

An Implementation of Business Self-Practicing Role-Play Animated Media to Promote Speaking Ability and Perceptions: A Case Study of Thai Business English Undergraduate Students

Pimpan Tangngamchit, Panna Chaturongakul — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigated the effectiveness of Business Self-Practicing Role-Play (BSPRP) animated media to enhance undergraduate EFL business students speaking ability and examined their perceptions of the instructional approach. This situation-based animated media was developed under the ADDIE instructional framework. The research participants consisted of 33 undergraduate EFL business students at a private educational institute located in Thailand who were selected through the convenience sampling method. This study employed the sequential embedded mixed method research design with a one-group pre-posttest model. The pre-posttest task was administered to collect quantitative data. Subsequent semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to gather qualitative data to survey the learners’ perceptions. The findings indicated that the use of BSPRP animated media potentially improved the students’ speaking abilities and that the instructional approach was perceived positively.

Perception of EFL Learners towards Technology-mediated Teacher Feedback

Saifa Haque, Shamima Akter Shanta , Syeda Shabnam Mahmud — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Research reveals that technology-mediated teacher feedback can enhance feedback quality, motivate digital natives, and minimize dissatisfaction (Mao & Crosthwaite, 2019). Making use of digital intervention, this study intends to enhance feedback quality provided in composition writing to motivate students and to engage them more effectively with feedback. The aim of the study is to present students’ perception regarding feedback given, using two different digital tools (i.e., Google Docs & Screencastify) on the composition tasks of 94 undergraduate students from a private university in Bangladesh. A mixed-methods case study approach was adopted to analyze data received from two survey questions and interviews after receiving feedback from teachers on students’ composition writing using the digital tools. The study results show a positive perception of students towards technology-mediated teacher feedback. It also presents the reasons for students’ positive perception. Hopefully, the study will contribute to the empirical research literature on feedback literacy in writing.

A Critical Analysis of Research on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in English Language Teaching in Thailand: Conflicting Results and Methodological Limitations

Supong Tangkiengsirisin, Le Van Canh, Sethawut Techasan — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed modern education by offering adaptive learning environments and transforming traditional pedagogical approaches. This article examines empirical findings surrounding the benefits, challenges, and applications AI tools into English Language Teaching (ELT), specifically focusing on the Thai ELT context, to uncover current controversies and methodological limitations. The review reveals that while AI offers significant affordances, such as personalizing learning, reducing student anxiety, lowering teacher workload, and improving language skills, it also introduces critical pedagogical tensions. Notable challenges include ethical concerns such as plagiarism, learners' over-reliance on technology, accent biases, and the inability of AI to detect cultural nuances and authentic human emotions. Furthermore, the analysis highlights prominent methodological shortcomings in existing Thai ELT research, including positive publication bias, an over-reliance on short-term qualitative self-reports, and a lack of robust mixed-methods or longitudinal studies capable of controlling for novelty effects. The study concludes that current literature frequently overlooks the practical integration of AI within traditional, human-centric teaching methodologies. To achieve a mature and sustainable AI-enhanced ELT paradigm, the paper recommends a forward-looking research agenda prioritizing longitudinal, mixed-methods studies and the development of balanced pedagogies that harmonize AI innovations with the traditional teacher-student relationships deeply rooted in Thai culture.

A Critical Review of English-Medium Instruction in Thailand: Emergence, Conceptualization, Implementation, and Recommendations

Attapol Khamkhien, Wen-hsien Yang, Budsaba Kanoksilapatham — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Driven by the forces of globalization, internationalization agendas, ASEAN regional integration, and increasing competition within higher education institutions, English-medium instruction (EMI) has expanded rapidly across Thai universities. Despite its growing prominence, EMI implementation in Thailand remains conceptually contested and pedagogically uneven. This article examines the emergence, conceptualization, and implementation of EMI in Thai higher education by synthesizing contemporary research on policy, pedagogy, language, and assessment. It then identifies five persistent conceptual ambiguities that result in EMI development, including the conflation of EMI with English language teaching, the belief that native-like English proficiency is necessary for EMI teaching, the assumption that EMI automatically improves students’ English proficiency, the perception that EMI guarantees educational quality and internationalization, and the belief that effective EMI requires English-only instruction. The review reveals a range of implementation challenges, including uneven English proficiency among students and lecturers, limited pedagogical preparation, assessment and curriculum tensions, institutional resource disparities, and the absence of a coherent national EMI framework. Taken together, these issues reflect a broader policy–practice disconnect in which internationalization goals often exceed local institutional capacity and classroom realities. Drawing on comparative insights from Taiwan’s Bilingual 2030 initiative, the article argues that sustainable EMI development requires moving beyond monolingual and deficit-oriented assumptions toward multilingual, context-sensitive approaches that integrate language support, disciplinary learning, and educational equity. The paper concludes with policy, pedagogical, institutional, and research recommendations for strengthening EMI implementation in Thai higher education.

Unraveling Epistemological Supremacy in the Teaching of English: A Decolonial Stance

Phachara Saiphet — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The teaching of English in a world replete with inequalities requires sensitivity to social, cultural, political, and pedagogical dimensions. Through the lenses of critical applied linguistics and decolonial thinking, this conceptual paper discusses how English language education can be instrumental in defying the status quo. It particularly aims to unveil the hegemony of English language teaching and present fundamental ideas about how it perpetuates unequal power structures in society. This article argues that English language teaching is not apolitical, in that it constitutes an epistemological supremacy adhering to a long-standing coloniality of power that constructs asymmetrical power hierarchies and brings about unjust phenomena across society. Finally, it points to a decolonial future for English language teaching that challenges, problematizes, and dismantles uneven power relations.

Constructing CEFR-Aligned English Reading Assessments with AI: A Practical Guide for Thai English Teachers in Higher Education

Sun-Young Shin, Suchada Sanonguthai — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This paper provides practical guidance for developing English reading assessments aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) with the support of generative AI. Although the CEFR is widely used in curriculum design, instruction, and assessment, many instructors face challenges when translating reading descriptors into assessment tasks that appropriately reflect specific proficiency levels, particularly transitional levels such as B1+ and B2+. AI tools offer new opportunities for generating reading materials and assessment tasks, but recent studies show that CEFR level labels alone do not ensure appropriate alignment. Drawing on language assessment theory and recent research on AI-generated CEFR-aligned texts, this paper proposes a specification-driven approach in which reading test specifications are derived from CEFR-aligned instructional materials and target CEFR descriptors to guide AI-assisted assessment development through a three-stage prompting process consisting of reading test specification development, reading assessment generation, and optional review and revision. For illustrative purposes, a baseline prompting approach based on CEFR-aligned textbook tasks and target CEFR descriptors is also presented to represent a realistic classroom assessment development process. Illustrative applications at the B1, B1+, and B2 levels show how reading test specifications can be incorporated into AI prompts to guide the development of CEFR-aligned reading assessments. The paper concludes with practical guidance for adapting AI-assisted assessment development to classroom contexts while maintaining instructor judgment and alignment with the intended reading construct.