Castledown Journals
Not a member yet
968 research outputs found
Sort by
English language learners’ experiences of using interactive videos in EFL listening
No full textAs blended and online courses are becoming more prevalent, there is need for research into how digital tools might help teachers increase learner motivation and engagement in online learning. This qualitative case study explores learners’ perceptions of interactive videos, with a particular focus on perceived levels of learner motivation and engagement, along with the apparent value of the interactive elements in providing feedback and improving listening comprehension. The participants were 37 freshmen EFL learners, majoring in English language teaching. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six participants and the learning analytics module of the interactive video software. The six interview participants, along with 31 others, also responded to reflective journal prompts. The participants reported that interactive videos provided them with meaningful input and timely feedback, and the perceived improvement in their listening skills motivated them. Most of the participants reported that they preferred interactive components for promoting higher engagement, but they also highlighted that having frequent interactive elements distracted them from the content
Investigating the digital proficiency of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators in association with their professional identity
No full textThe current technological disruption involves educational reorientation as an enhancement of education for sustainable development. In the realm of English language education, teachers’ professional development is expected to better overcome new educational circumstances, of which one of the variables is digital competence as the influential factor for technology integration in the educational field. A case study involving 5 EFL teachers from different domains and educational backgrounds was intended to dismantle EFL teachers’ digital competence manifested in their professional identity (PI). DigCompEdu framework (Redecker & Punie, 2017) and teachers’ personal interpretative framework (Kelchtermans, 1993) guided the thematic analysis. Following the DigCompEdu framework, organizational communication, professional collaboration & reflective practice were disclosed as contributing factors to support EFL teachers’ PI development. Besides, abreasting the teachers’ personal interpretative framework, task perception and job motivation were unraveled as digital competency manifested in EFL teachers’ PI. In general, the accentuated data analysis pointed out that EFL teachers possessed multiple identities that are alternate in social interaction and pedagogical implication. The findings are deemed valuable to inform the teachers’ excessive values and beliefs of digital competency in relation to their PI. EFL practitioners are able to self reflect the findings into their contextual experiences. Educational institutions, government, and other nested education stakeholders are suggested to equip practical supports towards EFL teachers’ digital competence development. Finally, limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Keywords : CALL; digital competency; EFL teacher; professional identity; teacher professional development
Exploring the potential of ChatGPT in facilitating consciousness-raising tasks: A promising solution for alleviating the burden on educators
No full textWhen studying grammar, students must not only focus on its structure but also on its form. Form-focused activities are integral to this process, requiring students to identify and manipulate language forms. A well-established technique for facilitating language acquisition is the consciousness-raising task (CR), which aims to heighten learners' awareness of language form. By prioritizing the language input, students can cultivate a more precise comprehension of grammar structures, thereby enhancing their own language proficiency. This approach entails various strategies, such as inferring grammatical rules from examples, comparing different forms of expression, and examining differences between a learner's usage of a grammar item and that of native speakers. However, designing effective CR tasks is cognitively demanding, time-intensive, and laborious for teachers, as it entails accommodating numerous requirements, including the definition of clear objectives, task relevance, and task engagement. To address these challenges, it is worth utilizing ChatGPT which is an advanced conversational AI system with the capability to process and generate various modalities of language. It has access to extensive databases and can produce written content that is frequently indistinguishable from human-written text. Accordingly, ChatGPT can be utilized to generate CR tasks or materials that may be applied in class. The present study endeavors to offer a range of CR tasks for grammar teaching that have been generated by ChatGPT. The tasks include identification tasks, text correction tasks, word choice tasks, and others
The future of language education: Teachers’ perceptions about the surge of AI writing tools
No full textMachine translation (MT) tools have been causing language educators distress since 2006, when GoogleTranslate was first launched. With its ever-increasing efficiency, it has become a reference for language learners looking for shortcuts, and the bane of second language (L2) educators concerned with academic honesty. Henshaw (2020) notes that, over the years, educators have developed a range of approaches for dealing with MT, from incorporating translation activities to outright bans. Educators' anxiety over the surge of new tools is completely normal. “When confronted with a new phenomenon, especially one that can be perceived as an existential threat, a common human reaction is to wish the problem away” (Urlaub & Dessein, 2022, p. 52). While many would seem to wish away ChatGPT and other AI writing tools, they are here to stay. Proliferating at an astronomical rate (ChatGPT garnered over 100 million users just two months after its release) and armed with the ability to imitate natural speech in any genre and language, these tools are poised to accelerate the academic disruption MT tools started. The goal of this study is to examine the perceptions and solutions of L2 educators facing a tool that is arguably more powerful than GoogleTranslate. We surveyed over 100 language instructors, asking questions about their ideas for AI-proofing assignments, their policies, and their perceptions of how this tool will impact the profession. Data was collected through an anonymous survey and analyzed through a constructivist lens. Preliminary results show a mixture of sentiments toward the use of these tools in the language classroom, with some fearful for their job security and others excited about the tools’ potentialities. The second part of this article looks towards the future and seeks to provide an overview of faculty approaches to AI tools, including ideas for assignments and policies
Review of Cognitive Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition
No full textCognitive Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition: Theories, Assessment and Pedagogy by Zhisheng Edward Wen, Richard L. Sparks, Adriana Biedroń, Mark Feng Teng, Walter de Gruyter, ISBN 978-1-61451-676-7
Enhancing ESL learners' executive function and cognitive ability: A hybrid approach of situated learning and task-based language teaching
No full textIn the contemporary era of globalization, learning a second language has become a pivotal means to broaden individual perspectives and enhance competitiveness. English, as the lingua franca of international communication, assumes particular importance. This paper delves into the integrated application of situated learning (SL) and task-based language teaching (TBLT) in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, aiming to augment learners' executive function (EF) and cognitive ability (CA). SL theory underscores the interplay between learning and context, whereas TBLT emphasizes task-centric pedagogical approaches. These two methodologies share numerous parallels in ESL instruction, both prioritizing the cultivation of students' active participation and communicative competencies. Consequently, the integration of SL with TBLT mutually catalyzes, collectively enhancing students' learning outcomes. In the design and implementation of ESL instruction, a framework comprising stages such as preparation, introduction, task preparation, task implementation, task completion, language feedback, language summary, and task evaluation is proposed to ensure the effectiveness and appeal of teaching. Despite potential challenges in practice, such as insufficient teaching resources, the complexity of instructional implementation, and imperfect assessment and reflection mechanisms, the integrated approach of SL and TBLT still harbors immense potential and value. Thus, further in-depth research and practice are warranted to explore this integrative teaching methodology
Does collocation congruency between L2 and L3 play a role in processing L3 collocations?
No full textPrevious research has shown that L1-L2 congruency is a facilitative factor in collocation processing. The present study explores the effect of congruency between learners’ L2 and L3. Thirty three proficient Norwegian learners with Lithuanian as their L1 and English as L2 took a phase acceptability task consisting of three groups of Norwegian collocations: congruent with L2, congruent with both L1 and L2, and incongruent with both. The results revealed that collocation L2-L3 congruency facilitates collocation processing
Vocabulary networks workshop 4: Changing the connections in a vocabulary network
No full textThis paper is the fourth in a series of workshops that examine the implications of the vocabulary network metaphor. This workshop is looks at how a model vocabulary network reacts when changes are made to the links between the words that the network is comprised of. The workshop presents a set of computer programs that allow readers to examine these processes for themselves
Profiling lexical diversity in college-level writing
No full textThe present paper reports on a study that examined the contribution of lexical frequency to lexical diversity in narrative texts composed by 119 multilingual and monolingual English-speaking students enrolled in first-year college writing courses. The Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD) quantifed lexical diversity and the BNC-COCA 25 strand in Lextutor’s VocabProfle Compleat sorted the words according to frequency band. Overall, results from statistical analyses indicated that sample’s lexical diversity was not significantly impacted by the use of high-frequency (1,000-3,000 bands) or low-frequency (9,000+ bands) terms. Instead, texts showed greater differences in the mid-frequency (3,000-9,000) bands (p<0.05). There were also significant differences between MTLD writers’ written productive use of mid-frequency words. Consequently, findings suggest that mid-frequency vocabulary may play a greater role in academic writing quality than the attention it is typically given in the L2 writing classroom
Virtual reality exposure therapy for reducing students’ public speaking anxiety: A systematic review
No full textPublic speaking often imposes a nerve-wracking atmosphere in the L2 classrooms. Consequently, an alternative to the anxiety-arousing activity by using advanced technology for pedagogy is urgent. Prior publications reported the use of virtual reality (VR) for training public speaking and alleviating students’ public speaking anxiety (PSA). However, no latest review in this area has been published. This present study employed a systematic review to delineate the trends in the latest decade (between 2011 and 2023), synthesizing research outcomes, methodologies, loci, participants, treatment duration, and research focuses. This systematic review was based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Conceptual and theoretical studies were removed, yielding 16 studies with empirical data to be thoroughly examined. Most studies indicated the effectiveness of VR for teaching public speaking and reducing speech apprehension. Several gaps were disclosed, such as the inconsistency of the research findings regarding whether the short duration of VR exposure resulted in the statistically non-significant effects, the unequal distribution of research loci which were mostly reported from the US, the UK, and Europe, and the major focus on English as L1 instead of L2 public speaking training. The results of this review suggest that more pertinent studies in countries with EFL or L2 learning contexts and longer treatment duration be conducted and reported in the globally renowned English-language journals to verify the effectiveness of VR technology in treating PSA