Issues in Language Studies

ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING CRISES: AN ASSESSMENT FROM CHINESE STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

2025-07-20T19:08:12+08:00

This study investigated Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies in promoting English language learning from the perspective of Chinese university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. The study had a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. A questionnaire was used to gather data from 1,601 EFL students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 participants. The results showed that Chinese university EFL students rarely saw their teachers performing AfL strategies in the classroom and that the AfL strategies were slightly important in promoting English language learning. There was a positive relationship between how students perceived their teachers to perform AfL strategies and what these students perceived to be essential in promoting English language learning. This shows that students did not observe these strategies in practice, which may explain why they undervalued their importance.

INFLUENCE OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND ON USE OF NICKNAMES AMONG UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN JORDAN

2025-11-11T11:30:55+08:00

This study investigates the most common reasons Jordanian users adopt nicknames on social media, focusing on the influence of three key factors: psychological, social and privacy. It also explores how nickname use relates to users' educational background, examines whether cultural differences exist between Jordanians and non-Jordanians, and identifies any significant gender differences in this practice. Data were collected through a Google Form questionnaire completed by 150 participants, comprising 100 Jordanians and 50 non-Jordanian social media users. These participants were drawn from two universities and two secondary schools in Jordan using a non-probability purposive sampling procedure. The results showed that privacy and security recorded the highest mean and percentage among Jordanian users, suggesting these concerns are the dominant motivation. School students were more motivated to use nicknames than university students, indicating that age and educational level shape this behaviour. Cultural factors also played a role, with non-Jordanian users scoring higher than Jordanian users. In terms of gender, male users scored higher than female users. The findings suggest that nickname use on social media is a pervasive phenomenon, with several reasons working in tandem.

MOMENT-TO-MOMENT FLUCTUATIONS IN WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE: AN IDIODYNAMIC STUDY OF MALAYSIAN ESL LEARNERS

2025-10-10T06:27:22+08:00

This study investigates the moment-to-moment fluctuations in Willingness to Communicate (WTC) among Malaysian ESL undergraduates during small-group speaking tasks. Six English major students were divided into two groups of three, and each group completed a guided discussion. Afterwards, the participants carried out video-based self-ratings using the Idiodynamic Software, followed by stimulated recall interviews. The findings show that learners’ WTC did not progress steadily but shifted sharply within the same interaction as they responded to real-time conversational conditions. WTC increased when learners discussed familiar or personally meaningful topics, received supportive peer responses, or perceived a communicative purpose such as persuading or maintaining conversational flow. In contrast, WTC declined when learners lacked topic knowledge, stepped back to allow others to speak, or experienced brief insecurity or idea exhaustion. These rapid shifts, occurring within seconds, indicate that WTC operates as a real-time state shaped by immediate emotional and situational cues rather than fixed personal traits. The study contributes to Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST)-informed WTC research and demonstrates the value of the idiodynamic method for capturing micro-level communicative behaviour. Pedagogically, the findings highlight the importance of context-sensitive and emotionally attuned classroom practices that can support learners’ willingness to participate in L2 communication.

SELF-ASSESSMENT AS A TOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN EFL PRESERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION

2025-11-02T10:49:25+08:00

Assessment in teacher education has become increasingly learner-centred, and it is now dedicated to reflection and autonomy of preservice teachers. This study investigated the process of self-assessment among preservice teachers of English education in South Korea in the framework of requirements of academic courses and preparations to take the national teacher certification exam. The study employed qualitative thematic analysis based on reflection notes and semi-structured interviews with nine participants. The findings revealed that self-assessment functions in three mutually dependent dimensions in a way that: 1) facilitates professional competence in exam preparation, 2) facilitates metacognitive monitoring of learning, and 3) contributes to the construction of teacher identity. These dimensions identify self-assessment as one of the tools of academic preparedness and a professional development and identity construction process. This study suggests that teacher education programmes should integrate structured self-assessment activities into coursework and teacher certification preparation programmes to promote preservice teachers’ metacognitive awareness, reflective practice, and professional identity formation. The findings also imply that teacher education curricula in South Korea should balance examination-oriented preparation with reflective and identity-based pedagogical training so that preservice teachers can develop academic competence and sustainable professional self-awareness.

STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION TEST ACHIEVEMENT, READING SELF-EFFICACY AND RELATIONSHIPS IN DIFFERENT TIME CONSTRAINTS

2025-05-13T21:00:00+08:00

Reading self-efficacy was believed to be a crucial factor for students’ reading comprehension ability and achievement. Unfortunately, most research was performed only in a normal test situation with no emphasis on time constraints. This study investigates students’ reading comprehension achievement level, reading self-efficacy level, and the relationship between the two aspects within different time constraints. The data were gathered from 119 ’first-year students at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin through reading comprehension tests and the adapted version of the Self-Efficacy for Reading (SER) questionnaire in three reading comprehension tests with different time constraint namely standard, mild and severe time constraint. The data were analysed and compared through frequency distribution and correlation. Results indicated an increase in students’ reading comprehension achievements and a stagnant moderate level of reading self-efficacy. A weak but significant, positive correlation was found in the test conducted under extreme time constraint. Extreme time constraint was concluded to be the most impactful not only towards the students’ reading comprehension achievement but also towards the relationship between their reading comprehension achievement and reading self-efficacy.

TRANSLANGUAGING IN SOUTHERN THAILAND: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF HOW GRATITUDE, MINDSET, AND EMOTIONAL–COGNITIVE FACTORS INFLUENCE ENGLISH LEARNING

2025-10-10T06:37:06+08:00

This study examines translanguaging practices and their impact on student gratitude, mindset, and cognition in Southern Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. A survey was conducted with 565 secondary and high school students from private Islamic and public schools in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, where Pattani Malay (Yawi) is widely spoken. Findings show that strategic use of translanguaging significantly enhances student gratitude, confidence, and classroom engagement. Using both students’ first language and English helped clarify concepts and increase participation. While students generally displayed a growth mindset and motivation through peer success, public failure persisted, indicating a need for more supportive learning environments. The study highlights the benefits of asset-based, multilingual approaches and recommends policy reform, teacher training, and bilingual learning materials to better support multilingual learners in Thailand.