A Case Study of Chinese Students Learning Thai as a Foreign Language: Flanders Interaction Analysis Category System

Interaction in foreign language classrooms has been regarded as a key factor in enhancing learning outcomes (Allwright, 1984; Ginting, 2017; Hanum, 2016). This study examined interactions in a specific university classroom context in Thailand where 28 Chinese students were learning Thai as a foreign language with a Thai teacher. It employed a mix-method design. Quantitative data were gathered based on a modified Flanders’ model (Flanders Interaction Analysis Category System or FIACS), and the qualitative data were gathered from classroom observations. The analysis of 90-minute video records and field notes from the observations of three classes reveal the domination of teacher’s talk (77.59%), and the minimal students’ talk (6.16%). Besides, silence time occupies 16.25%. Out of the total of 22 categories of interaction, no student talk can be categorized as an initiation of talk, and no teacher talk can be categorized as procedural lectures and assigning homework. Characteristics of the interaction varied according to the quantity and categories of talk. Transcription of verbatim from the videos reveals details of the interaction. Findings suggest that quantity, category, and characteristics of talk are interrelated and must all be improved together to increase the quality of interaction to affect student learning outcomes.

Toward a new normal in foreign language classrooms

Although Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is relied upon heavily in these disruptive times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about committed learners’ reactions to CALL as they actively voiced their questions and concerns during crisis-prompted remote learning. Employing a qualitative research method, findings reveal that their attitudes toward remote learning were ambivalent. While they viewed online tools as useful learning resources, they also expressed hesitation in adopting them. Meanwhile, they welcomed innovative ad hoc curriculum quickly developed by the instructor; however, the innovative curriculum was also viewed as less organized. These findings shed light on pedagogical implications for world language education in higher education and urge researchers to further investigate how remote language teaching and learning would affect committed students during the new normal times as foreign language enrollments continue to decline.

Investigating Creativity in Online K-12 World Language Classrooms

This chapter outlines creativity in the world language classroom through the results of a mixed-methods study during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there has been a growing interest in creativity within education, little has been researched related to creative and uncreative factors in the language classroom, specifically in an online teaching context. For this reason, this research study explores creativity in the online world language K-12 classroom by examining teaching artifacts self-selected by K-12 language teachers, as well as interviews with interested participants. Findings suggest that creativity is multidimensional with creative factors overlapping within artifacts. Additionally, teachers have persisted throughout the pandemic to integrate creativity in order to engage students with the content in various ways, harness student attention, and give students choice. In addition, teachers have used various technologies to provide opportunities for students to work asynchronously and synchronously.

Fostering Active Learning via Critical Pedagogies

This chapter aims to provide a guideline for pre-service and in-service teachers to apply reflective research in language classrooms to gain a multidimensional overview of language teaching strategies in increasing active learning via critical pedagogies. A previously conducted reflective research will be used throughout the chapter to reach the stated aim. Analyzing language teaching techniques and strategies in an English for Academic Purposes classroom where all the students are originally from East Asia, the sample reflective research illustrates the needs and expectations of East Asian students in language learning through the research students, and also it aims to provide clues for TESOL educators to implement a similar study in classrooms employing critical pedagogies to develop language instruction.

Motivation in Virtual English Language Classrooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This chapter aims to investigate the perceptions of English language teachers on motivation in the virtual English language classroom. The participants are 17 English language teachers at elementary and secondary schools. Interview questions were used to collect data, and thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the data. The findings revealed that student motivation in virtual English lessons was lower compared to their motivation in lessons conducted face-to-face. Another finding was that there were various factors that impact student motivation negatively and positively in synchronous English classes such as interaction, inequality, student education environments, and effective use of synchronous virtual classroom platforms.

Phonodidactics is not so black as it is painted: traditions and trends in FL pronunciation teaching

By a curious paradox, the indispensability of intelligible, comprehensible and minimally accented foreign language (FL) speech in oral communication does not translate into intensive pronunciation practice in instructed settings. Teaching pronunciation usually poses a major challenge to language instructors both at the level of planning and implementation of pronunciation teaching activities, and is therefore frequently frowned upon to the advantage of the remaining language subsystems. However, underdeveloped FL pronunciation skills carry negative consequences every time learners enter into oral conversations. The problem takes on yet greater significance nowadays when the increased mobility of 21st century societies raises the likelihood of students making contacts with native and non-native speakers of the target language (TL). On having, firstly, enumerated some of the culprits responsible for the inferiority of pronunciation component in everyday language classroom routine and, secondly, demonstrated the importance of the subskill in establishing contacts with native and non-native speakers of the TL, we attempt to provide a general overview of the well-established traditions and main trends in the field of phonodidactics. In view of the above, our primary objective is to first and foremost overcome deep-rooted prejudices against including the pronunciation component in language classrooms by developing readers’ awareness on the fundamentals of pronunciation teaching.

Relanguaging Language from a South African Township School

Using data from a long-term ethnographic study of English language classrooms in a South African township, this book conceptualises language teaching not as a progression from one fixed language to another, but as a circular sorting process between linguistic heterogeneity (languaging) and homogeneity (a standard language).

Games in foreign language classrooms: Taiwanese students’ perspective

The study has been designed in order to answer the growing demand for systematic implementation of English language games into FL curriculum at the university level. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how Taiwan-based learners perceive the use of games in the classroom. The qualitative data has been obtained from in-depth interviews with three individuals majoring in EFL and Slavic languages. Among the main benefits of game-supported instruction, students mentioned breaking the routine and raising motivation, along with educational aspects related to introducing, reviewing, and testing the material. They also offered guidance for instructors who plan to deploy games in class. Their overall perception was very positive, which allows the conclusion that it is advisable to introduce games to a wider audience of Taiwanese students. If doing so really can raise motivation to master foreign languages and whether it will translate into measurable progress in Taiwanese students’ linguistic advancement is another issue worth future investigation.