Day One

Abstract. Schools worldwide are reconsidering student smartphone access, yet evidence on social and academic consequences remains mixed. This study examines student perceptions at a private high school that implemented a zero-access phone ban during the 2024–2025 school year. Two anonymous surveys were fielded at policy launch (October 2024) and three months later (January 2025), yielding a combined N = 494. Primary outcomes were perceived changes in in-person interaction frequency and quality, perceived connectedness, perceived classroom focus, perceived productivity during school, and self-reported academic performance. Most respondents perceived social benefits, including more frequent face-to-face conversations, while a minority reported diminished connectedness. Nearly half perceived higher productivity during school, yet most perceived no change in academic performance. Over half reported increased phone use during homework, which may offset in-school gains. Findings underscore heterogeneity in responses and suggest that bans, without complementary supports, can improve opportunities for in-person interaction for many students but may disadvantage students who rely on digital scaffolds for social engagement.

Abstract Over past decades, there has been a paradigm shift in WL instruction, moving away from traditional, grammar‐based programs and toward instruction that promotes student proficiency in the target language. Despite this growing attention to proficiency‐based instruction, few studies have investigated the relationship between proficiency‐based programs and student outcomes. Thus, in the present study, the researchers used a mixed methods approach, involving the collection and analysis of assessment and interview data, to investigate the relationship between approach to language teaching and oral proficiency outcomes of high school students enrolled in Level III Spanish, French, and Chinese classrooms. More specifically, the study explored how a proficiency‐based approach enhanced the oral proficiency outcomes of students in comparison to a traditional grammar‐based approach, and how teachers and students perceived the different learning environments. Quantitative data revealed varied oral proficiency development, based on language of study, and that students in the proficiency‐based program had greater oral proficiency than their counterparts who completed the traditional grammar‐based program. Qualitative data suggested that when compared with the grammar‐based program, instruction in the proficiency‐based program was perceived by students to be more relevant and led to more motivated and confident students. Recommendations are provided based upon these critical findings.