"Higher order thinking skills in the language classroom: A concise guide." Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), pp. 1–2

"Technology in Second Language Writing: Advances in Composing, Translation, Writing Pedagogy and Data-Driven Learning." Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), pp. 1–2 Additional informationFundingThis review was supported by the Guangdong Planning Project of Philosophy and Social Science: Research on Factors Influencing Students English Learning with AI Speaking Software in Informal Learning Environment (GD23WZXC01-14) and the Featured Innovative Project, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies 2023 Grant (XJ2023004001).

ABSTRACT This study examines the extent to which verb argument construction (VAC) based indices of syntactic complexity could predict four different writing task conditions: a simple task with no repetition (S + NR), a simple task with repetition (S + R), a complex task with no repetition (C + NR), and a complex task with repetition (C + R). Ninety-six high-intermediate second language (L2) learners of English performed two argumentative writing tasks and repeated them at one-week intervals, with the order of the tasks counterbalanced. The 384 essays collected at four different time points were analyzed in terms of VAC sophistication measures using the Tool for the Automatic Analysis of Syntactic Sophistication and Complexity (Kyle 2016). Results indicated that S + R as well as C + NR and C + R conditions led to more lower-frequency VAC-verb combined structures used in the essays. Further analyses revealed a significant average association strength between verbs and VACs for the C + R group, showing the superiority of this condition over the others in developing syntactically complex argumentative essays. The implications for L2 writing pedagogy and assessment will be discussed.

ABSTRACT This article introduced a teaching innovation practice, i.e., digital multimodal composing, in College English course in mainland China. The purpose of this practice is to respond to the developing L2 student writers’ difficulty of lacking linguistic resources to express their creative ideas, and empower them to leverage multiple modes other than the language mode to make their meaning, and meanwhile to raise their interest, motivation, and enjoyment in L2 writing. Data were collected from student interviews in conjunction with DMC samples. It was reported that a majority of the developing L2 student writers positively perceived the affordances of DMC, that is, having access to multiple modes to fully express creative ideas, feeling more enjoyable and less anxious in L2 writing, being more motivated to interact with authentic audiences, and forming the habit of constantly revising scripts. This points to important pedagogical implications for the future implementation of digital multimodal composing projects by launching individual digital multimodal composing tasks, constructing and validating DMC rubrics, and enhancing collaboration between teachers and researchers to bring innovative DMC pedagogy into L2 writing instruction practice.

ABSTRACT Multimedia input can enhance vocabulary learning in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Drawing upon a mixed method, this study explores the potential of multimedia input in vocabulary learning. EFL vocabulary learning was assessed under four input conditions (definition + word information + video, definition + word information + audio, definition + word information, and definition-only). One hundred twenty-five Chinese-speaking university students were randomly allocated to the four conditions. The vocabulary knowledge test focused on receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge and served as a pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed test after 2 weeks. Participants also completed a survey related to their perceptions of the assigned learning mode. Five participants from each input condition completed an individual interview as well. Analyses of covariance supported the pronounced effects of the definition + word information + video condition on vocabulary learning and retention. The questionnaire and interview findings explained the value of multimedia input, particularly in the definition + word information + video condition. Overall, results highlight the importance of audiovisual input in vocabulary learning and retention. Relevant theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed based on the findings.

ABSTRACT Purpose The growing body of knowledge on language teacher agency highlights the positive contributions of agency for teacher identity construction. However, teachers may face challenges in effectively exercising agency, and their agentive actions may be impeded by multiple contextual factors. The present study adopts a narrative inquiry methodology and reports on experiences that featured language teachers’ impeded agency. Design Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, narrative frames, and open-ended questionnaires. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Findings The findings indicated that institutional policies were the major factor impeding the teachers’ agentive initiatives. The top-down policies of the school had negatively influenced the teachers’ autonomy, self-efficacy, and emotions, and had created tensions in and conflicts for the teachers’ interpersonal and institutional identities. Value The study argues that agency may negatively influence language teacher identity construction when teachers’ subjectivity clashes with power relations that leave little room for teachers’ agentive action and performativity.

ABSTRACT This paper introduces an innovative practice: post tagging as a way to enhance the use of ePortfolios in foreign language teacher education programs. The ePortfolio system is a WordPress multi-author blog, and a student-teacher’s ePortfolio is a page comprised of the posts they have written. Tags are keywords for a post. In this innovation, ePortfolio post tags are matched with content learning areas in the teacher education program. When student-teachers tag a post, they first choose a relevant content area from the teacher education curriculum, e.g. Methods, and then select an appropriate tag or keyword from that area, e.g. Focus on form. Tagging has the following benefits. First, it can encourage student-teachers to reconcile pedagogical concepts from their teacher education program with their professional goals, teaching practice, and teaching beliefs. Second, tags can be used as a means to understand the types of pedagogical concepts that student-teachers deem important. Lastly, tagging can inform the teacher educators about how to improve their programs. On the other hand, using tags to match one’s reflective writing with pedagogical concepts does not come naturally to student-teachers and needs to be carefully introduced. The paper concludes by presenting some guidelines for using ePortfolios with tagging.

ABSTRACT Humor can provide a multitude of benefits for language learners, including improvement of classroom atmosphere (Dewaele et al. 2018) and a reduction of anxiety (Tarone 2000). Moreover, the integration of humor into language lessons has been strongly endorsed by both students and instructors (Askildson 2005; Azizinezhad and Hashemi 2011). What is less clear is which types of humor strategies are seen to be most effective, as well as the degree to which learner characteristics affect their responses to humor. This study examines the influence of L2 proficiency, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and attitudes about humor language learning on L2 learners’ (N = 243) reactions to a variety of humor strategies used in the language classroom. Regression analysis revealed that proficiency had little bearing on learner preferences, whereas FLE, and especially attitude towards in-class humor, had a much greater influence on preferred strategies. Overall, spontaneous humor, memes and cartoons were the most strongly endorsed strategies.

ABSTRACT There has been an increasing interest in Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) in terms of research and number of courses offered, shown by the monographic volumes and systematic reviews that have been published so far. This study aims to consolidate this emerging field by exploring research from 2019 to 2021. The origin of scientific contributions, methodologies used, and the most discussed topics have been considered. Results show that the distribution of papers remain concentrated in a few countries and universities -such as Spain, UK and China, which are producing progressively more high-impact research. Also, the consistent use of mixed methods has implied the optimisation of available data and allowed for more fine-grained conclusions. Lastly, it has been proved that LMOOC publications are evolving to a more mature phase, with an increase of conceptual papers that has contributed to consolidate core theoretical foundations. It can be then said that LMOOC research has reached its coming of age and is now considered a well-established sub-field of Computer Assisted Language Learning, with substantial practice and high-quality scholarly publications.