語文與國際研究/Languages and International Studies
文藻外語大學,正常發行
選擇卷期
- 期刊
Research on English as the medium of instruction has proliferated in the past decades. To date, few studies have investigated the influence of pedagogical tools used by teachers to foster the learning of college students in EMI contexts. This paper reports preliminary findings from classroom research investigating 26 college students' perceptions of reflective writing in a general education course taught in English. The participants were enrolled in a reading course at a private university in northern Taiwan. They were of varying English proficiency levels and majoring in different fields. Analyses on their responses to eleven Likert-scale questions and three open-ended questions were conducted. The findings benefit not only students taking EMI courses but also instructors who are teaching a large size class in English and teachers whose classes have students of diverse professions and varying English proficiency levels.
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Augmented Reality (AR) is a new technology compared with other technologies (e.g., virtual reality, game, corpus). Past research has indicated the facilitative effect of AR on vocabulary learning achievement. However, no investigation with substantial evidence of the effect size has been conducted to understand how AR can be applied to vocabulary learning. The present meta-analytic study examines the overall effect size and uncover the effect's moderating factors. Generated from 13 primary studies, implementing AR for vocabulary learning showed a sizeable overall effect (d = 0.84). The moderator analysis indicated that the practical application of AR was still limited in its scope for English vocabulary learning in a foreign language context. Elementary school students were found to benefit the most from AR programs. Teacher-directed and task-based approaches were essential for learning vocabulary in an AR environment. The present study also discusses AR vocabulary learning research gaps for future investigations.
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Most Taiwanese student-athletes have trouble developing English as a communication tool; therefore, it is vital to understand their English learning motivation. Research examining non-native English-speaking student-athletes motivation to learn English remains scarce. This study involved 51 elite Taiwanese student-athletes from 18 sports at a national sports training center to help fill this research gap. It employed a mixed-methods approach utilizing quantitative questionnaires, qualitative interviews, and open-ended surveys. Findings revealed that they perceived learning English as necessary; however, their interest in learning English was moderately low. Extrinsic factors were identified as their primary motivation, followed by intrinsic motivation, while they exhibited very low English learning self-efficacy. Active English learners exhibit higher intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy than passive English learners. However, there was no difference in their extrinsic motivation and anxiety levels. When they applied their competitive spirit, active English learners had the potential to transfer extrinsic and intrinsic motivation into an internal drive, which boosted self-efficacy. The present study evidenced that self-efficacy is associated more with intrinsic motivation than extrinsic motivation. Therefore, we urge language teachers to emphasize intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy for student-athletes while transforming them into active English learners.
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Telecollaboration, a type of computer-mediated communication, has recently emerged as a popular approach to developing intercultural communicative competence amongst foreign language students. Various sociocultural learning theories support the notion that interactions between peers of different backgrounds may expedite intercultural familiarity and understanding. Thus, instructors at two universities in Taiwan and the USA cooperated on a project to develop students' intercultural communicative competence by having them engage in online telecollaborations. Instructors prepared topics of discussion that could highlight cultural comparisons and prompt discussion. While instructors supplied a foundation for discourse, the students autonomously led their discussions through their personal interactions utilizing modern digital technology. Data collection included typed transcripts of discussions, reflection logs, interviews, and questionnaires. Over the course of the telecollaborations, participants clarified their stereotypes of expected sociocultural norms of their interlocutors, and they re-examined how their cultural moorings have shaped and influenced their social biases. This study may provide insights into how intercultural telecollaborations can be used and refined in future EFL pedagogy and to what extent educators can expect an increase in their learners' intercultural awareness.
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Academic English skills have been challenging for many students in English-medium universities in Hong Kong. Thus, the high demand for writing assistance has made peer tutoring an essential alternative to make up for the inadequate teaching resources. Extensive research on the language use (using both first language L1 and second language L2) in peer tutoring has laid a solid foundation in improving English writing and communication skills, yet limited empirical studies are available to examine the effects of peer tutoring in an English-medium (L2 only) context. The present study analyzes the effects of a writing consultation project to complement the existing English writing support services offered on English-medium university campuses. The study employs a triangulated approach in which a 360-degree monitoring and evaluation mechanism was set up to regulate the progress and effectiveness of the project at different implementation stages. Findings demonstrate that peer tutors play a key intermediary role between tutees and course teachers, suggesting that the project not only met the writing needs of non-native English-speaking students, but also fostered tutors' whole personal growth and enhanced the meaningful use of their linguistic knowledge.
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China's expanding collaboration with the rest of the world entails an urgent need for significant professional talent with excellent intercultural communication skills. Guo and Gallo's (2017) study reveals that a talent shortage has constrained China's business development. Of all the challenges, language and culture are seen as the major threats for young business professionals when undertaking various roles in a global setting. The present study investigates language and cultural challenges that Chinese business professionals encounter in intercultural communication at work and examines the strategies that professionals apply in coping with these challenges. The semi-structured interview data were gathered from 11 interviewees to explore the challenges encountered, their reasons, and the strategies used to meet these challenges. The findings of this study can facilitate more effective ESP teaching/learning and business communication practice.
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The ability to communicate interculturally is considered a primary attribute in people conducting business globally. Recent studies suggest that training in ethnographic techniques helps people develop intercultural communication competence. Ethnographers are trained to observe and attempt to understand cultural ＂others＂ carefully. However, few studies demonstrate how business practitioners use ethnography for intercultural communication. This study analyzes data collected by longitudinal engagement with people who work in China-Japan intercultural workplaces. Chinese and Japanese share commonalities as well as differences. The relationship of the two cultural groups is not easily understood by applying ready-made cultural dimensions. To examine the participants' behavior in this complex interculturality, in-depth unstructured interviews were conducted periodically over three years. Since the data collection period included the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the data also illustrate how the pandemic-induced constraints influenced the ethnographer-business practitioners. Two research questions were posed: ＂How do the business practitioners use ethnographic techniques to understand the ＂culturally similar＂ others? Moreover, ＂How does the pandemic situation influence their efforts?＂ The data demonstrate the participants' use of persistent observation, working hypotheses building, data validation by peer debriefing and triangulation, and their application of the findings to their practice.