Abstract: This article explores intercultural contact as a pathway for the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among EFL undergraduates in China during the post-pandemic era. Adopting an exploratory qualitative design with self-reports and focus group interviews as instruments, the challenges faced by EFL undergraduates in intercultural communication and intercultural contact pathways for ICC development were elicited with... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study investigates Jordanian EFL teachers' perspectives on the impact of Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) technology on word identification enhancement. Drawing on the theory of Multimedia Learning, the research aims to address a gap in the literature regarding EFL educators' perceptions of using IWBs to improve word identification skills. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 124 Jordanian EFL teachers, and data were analyzed using... [...] Read more

Abstract: The present study evaluated faculty and student perceptions of the challenges and benefits of intercultural and multicultural education in EFL college classrooms. Using the descriptive approach through survey, the study further investigates the benefits and barriers to inter/multicultural education in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, including content integration, acculturation pedagogy, and the incorporation of cultural knowledge in English as a... [...] Read more

Abstract: This research explores the intercultural competence of Mexican pre-service English language teachers, focusing on the dimensions of attitude, knowledge, skills of interpreting and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, and critical cultural awareness. Using a comprehensive model of intercultural competence as a theoretical framework, the study adapted a self-report questionnaire to assess these dimensions within a non-multicultural... [...] Read more

Abstract: The paucity of studies on plagiarism in some under-explored contexts, such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan, highlight the necessity of conducting this study. To this end, 200 Iranian, 185 Afghan, and 170 Tajik EFL students, who share certain commonalities regarding culture and language, participated in the study. The iThenticate (2013) questionnaire and two essay-type questions on the main reasons for committing plagiarism and possible ways to... [...] Read more

Abstract: This research aims to determine whether or not it is possible to use artificial intelligence (AI) in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses and review previous research pertinent to artificial intelligence in EFL/ESL instruction to present a comprehensive picture of the current degree of artificial intelligence in EFL/ESL instruction. Utilization of intelligent teaching systems, self-regulated learning, virtual reality,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study focuses on the employment of AI technology in regular, day-to-day activities, such as when Google Translate or Bing Translator are encouraged alongside various programs and applications. It also evaluates and empirically demonstrates the subjects of writing with AI technologies, computer-assisted language learning (CALL), machine translation (MT), and automatic evaluation systems (AESs) in order to offer solutions for enhanced... [...] Read more

Abstract: The purpose of the study is to synthesize how reflective journal writing may facilitate English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students with exploring their ethnocentric framing of learning activities. The paper is divided into four sections. The first contextualizes EFL students in zone of proximal development (ZPD) to be able to internalize learning activities, and challenges with mediating support of interlocutors or cultural artifacts. The... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study intended to propose a model of intercultural communicative competence integrating international posture, L2 motivational self-system, autonomy, and cognitive learning strategies. To do so, 180 EFL learners in the Iranian EFL context, selected by convenience sampling procedure, participated in the study. The findings, derived from structural equation modeling, showed that the model adequately fits to the data. That was discussed... [...] Read more

Abstract: The mission to promote national unity has become more strenuous with the decline of intercultural engagement among multicultural students in Malaysian public universities. Underpinned by Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) theory, this article examines barriers to intercultural communication by integrating ethnocentrism as an additional barrier. Based on a quantitative approach, 449 valid responses were collected from undergraduates from... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study, grounded in a mixed-methods framework, examines the hindrances affecting the speaking skills of low-proficiency ESL undergraduates at a public university, with a specific focus on the perceived role of language anxiety. The study collected quantitative data by using a well-structured questionnaire, whereas qualitative insights were captured through semi-structured interviews to examine learners’ reported classroom experiences.... [...] Read more

Abstract: This cross-cultural study examines the speech act of reminding by Iranian English learners and American English native speakers. The primary objective is to study how Iranian EFL learners perform much understudied speech act of reminding in English. To this end, the participants are selected from Iranian learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and American English native speakers through an open-ended questionnaire in the form of a... [...] Read more

Abstract: Literature in a given language is the ultimate culmination of cultural expression. However, in Saudi universities, the literature of the English language, mainly British and American, is meagrely taught due to dogmatic religious considerations. This study reviews relevant research on culture and literature teaching in EFL, and further delves into an exploration of the perceptions and attitudes of faculty and students with regard to why... [...] Read more

Abstract: The current study aimed to assess the intercultural competence (IC) of Chinese students of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) using Chen's (2019) Chinese Intercultural Competence Scale (CICS), as well as to investigate which external factors influence the acquisition of IC in the field of SFL. The quantitative data from the study show that the participants' IC level was neither high nor low. Their level of IC was affected by age, study... [...] Read more

Abstract: Body language is considered as one of the most fundamental components of communication. Many factors including culture, gender, age, and psyche can affect the use of body language among different people. However, related literature shows that culture and gender are more effective in causing variability of kinesics. This study is an attempt to examine the effect of these two factors on the nonverbal behavior of Persian EFL learners. In other... [...] Read more

Abstract: International students often face challenges in adapting to new living and learning environments. This study investigated the levels of acculturative stress and its contributing factors among Asian and African international students in five internationally recognized universities in Wuhan, Hubei. A total of 243 students participated in the study, completing a questionnaire based on an adapted version of the Acculturative Stress Scale for... [...] Read more

Abstract: In recent times, the advancement of technology and globalization has significantly impacted educational practices worldwide, making teaching and learning increasingly complex and interconnected. In the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), these changes have challenged traditional approaches and necessitated the integration of more culturally diverse materials to reflect the global usage of English. Against this backdrop, this study aims... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines the use of suggestion speech acts in Instagram comments, with particular attention to how Saudi EFL users demonstrate pragmatic competence in digital communication. Drawing on Martínez Flor’s taxonomy of suggestion strategies, the study analyzes 103 suggestion-oriented comments selected from an initial dataset of 150 Instagram comments. A mixed-methods design was adopted: qualitative analysis was used to classify... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of gender and academic major on student performance in two English language assessments—the English Placement Test (EPT), administered by the National Center for Assessment (NCA), and the Preparatory Year Program Tests (PYPT), conducted in-house at a Saudi university. The primary aim was to examine whether these demographic variables significantly affect English language proficiency during the Preparatory... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines how Vietnamese postgraduate students interpret (im)politeness during clinical consultations with doctors in English-speaking countries. Drawing on narrative reflective reports from 14 Vietnamese university academics who completed their doctoral studies in TESOL and Applied Linguistics abroad, the research analyzes participants’ retrospective accounts of critical medical encounters in which they evaluated native... [...] Read more

Abstract: This research comprises two studies that examined cultural differences in nonverbal expressivity between Japan and Korea. While prior research has highlighted East–West contrasts, less attention has been given to distinctions within collectivistic cultures. Employing the psychological construct of self-construal (subjective, objective, and autonomous selves), which is thought to distinguish Japanese and Korean cultures, we investigated how... [...] Read more

Abstract: There is an increasing conviction that foreign language teaching should focus not only on making students achieve native-like proficiency but on enabling them to function as competent communicators in situations involving speakers of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Real-life experiences are of utmost importance in forming language learners’ intercultural awareness and competences. This study explores advanced Hungarian EFL... [...] Read more

Abstract: Higher vocational English education places significant emphasis on intercultural understanding. However, there is a notable lack of research on the reliability and validity of blended intercultural awareness teaching methodologies in higher vocational English reading education in Henan, China. This project addresses this gap by building an Intercultural Awareness Experiential Teaching (IAET) model. A pilot study conducted in a higher... [...] Read more

Abstract: Over the past 40 years, China has become progressively more open and integrated into globalization, including foreign-made movies and TV shows. The influence of American popular culture extends to English majors, who are among the most likely to be shaped by Hollywood’s ‘soft power.’ This research examines how their attitudes and behaviors are influenced by these depictions of American culture and values, and how this shapes their future... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study attempts to explore and compare the cognitive, affective and procedural aspects of EFL elementary textbooks in Syria and Germany. It analyses a corpus which consists of three Syrian elementary textbooks,  Starters I-III , and their German counterparts,  Kooky I-II . Based on the paradigmatic change from instructivism to constructivism, a descriptive-analytical approach is used to examine the content-material in terms of... [...] Read more

Abstract: The current study focuses on the effects of English language instruction using Education 4.0 in Telangana's engineering institutions. Telangana has many educational facilities that offer Education 4.0, or technology-based learning. It fosters creativity in education. At the fundamental level, students can learn by being provided with a self-learning opportunity. The majority of the subjects were learned through Education 4.0. As a result,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines the employment of persuasive strategies in informational emails that market products and/or services, illustrating how these strategies influence target customers and persuade them to make purchases. A corpus of 850 emails, encompassing over a million words, was compiled and analyzed using a mixed-method approach that integrated both quantitative and qualitative measures. The emails were collected between 2020 and 2021.... [...] Read more

Abstract: Developing intercultural communicative competence among Chinese university students is essential in the era of globalization; however, disparities persist between ranked universities and general universities. While RUs benefit from extensive internationalization resources, general universities often lack structured intercultural communication instruction and opportunities due to resource disparities, prestige, or geographic constraints, and... [...] Read more

Abstract: Today’s EFL students need both advanced language skills and an appreciation of other cultures. Technology for language learning, however, is usually focused on language skills. Cultural understanding is rarely a primary goal. Intercultural competence was the primary goal of this study, using a technically-mediated and culturally-oriented online learning community to cultivate intercultural competence using social collaboration, understanding,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study aims to examine the intercultural sensitivity (IS) of in-service teachers in Greece by providing a nationwide profile across the five dimensions of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS). Addressing a gap in previous Greek research, which has largely focused on pre-service teachers, specific specializations, or geographically limited samples, the study investigates whether Greek teachers’ intercultural sensitivity is balanced... [...] Read more

Abstract: Pragmalinguistic (PML) failure complicates intercultural communication in both productive and receptive modes. This paper attempts to unravel the persuasive strategies used by Albanians writing in Greek and further record the overall suitability score they received when assessed by Greek teachers (n=176). A protocol sample of extracted persuasive strategies was created to be used for further investigation, with respect to their suitability.... [...] Read more

Abstract: Most existing digital platforms for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) suffer from low user engagement, limited interactivity, and insufficiently emotional or immersive content, factors that hinder their potential to sustain and promote traditional crafts. This study designs and evaluates a culturally informed bamboo weaving interface for ICH by integrating the Garrett User Experience (UX) Model with selected visual communication principles.... [...] Read more

Abstract: Prior research has shown that academic reading poses a significant challenge for university students. One of the primary explanations is the lack of a positive reading culture among university students. Several studies have demonstrated the positive and negative effects of various factors on reading cultures. Notably, some studies indicate that university students do not read books regularly, and their cultural surroundings discourage them... [...] Read more

Abstract: Team teaching has become a common practice in English classrooms across Japan, but since its inception, a number of problems have been observed. It is believed that the majority of these issues are due to miscommunication caused by cultural differences between the Japanese (JTs) and native-English teachers (NETs). Unfortunately, few studies have offered solutions on how teachers could improve their intercultural communication competence (ICC)... [...] Read more

Abstract: The importance of developing intercultural competence as one of the key competences in today’s rapidly changing and multicultural society has been spoken of often. The requirement of preparing interculturally competent communicators has therefore become one of the goals of today’s foreign language education. The aim of the present paper is to shed light on the practice of fostering intercultural skills in teaching English as a foreign... [...] Read more

Abstract: Amid the resurgence of exclusionary nationalism and intercultural tensions, understanding how linguistic diversity shapes social attitudes has become increasingly vital. This study investigates how multilingual experience influences nationalism-related affective orientations among Chinese participants, focusing on the ways in which multilingual exposure interacts with mental aggression and intercultural communicative attitudes to shape... [...] Read more

Abstract: This SLR was conducted in the field of digital communication in the specific context of intercultural communication. The main purpose of this SLR was to assess studies on psychological outcomes, anxiety, self-efficacy, and social media fatigue (SMF) among digital natives and digital immigrants who use social media and experience social media overload (SMO). Unlike meta-analyses, which statistically combine effect sizes, the present study was... [...] Read more