Towards Lessening Learners’Aversive Emotions and Promoting Their Mental Health:Developing and Validating a Measurement of English Speaking Demotivation in the Chinese EFL Context

While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,little research explores the measures to quantify L2 speaking demotivation.The present two-phase study attempts to develop and validate an English Speaking Demotivation Scale(ESDS).To this end,an independent sample of 207 Chinese tertiary learners of English as a Foreign Language(EFL)participated in the development phase,and another group of 188 Chinese EFL learners was recruited for the validation of the scale.Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were employed to determine the factor structure of the scale.The EFA results revealed a six-factor solution with Teacher-related Factors in Learning Spoken English(TFLSE),Interest and Valence in Learning Spoken English(IVLSE),Self-efficacy in Learning Spoken English(SELSE),Negative Peer Influence in Learning Spoken English(NPILSE),Undesirable Environment for Learning Spoken English(UELSE),and Negative Influence of Assessment and Learning Materials in speaking class(NIALM).In the validation phase,Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)was performed to validate the internal structure of the scale.The CFA results showed that the model fits the data well.Overall,the ESDS is a robust and trustworthy psychometric tool that could be utilized to examine L2 speaking demotivation.Implications for diminishing EFL learners’demotivation,lessening their aversive emotions and promoting their mental health are also discussed.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in the EFL College-Level Classroom Through Online Collaborative Document Tools

This paper explores the potential of applying online collaborative documents to foster critical thinking skills in EFL college-level classrooms.Considering the limitations of traditional teacher-centered approaches and the need for innovative methods,the study examines the integration of online collaborative tools,using Tencent Docs as an example.The discussion highlights the importance of critical thinking in the academic and professional spheres and introduces the concept of online collaborative documents for enhancing this cognitive skill.Through a detailed exploration,the paper presents a model of employing collaborative documents within a college English class,demonstrating how students collaboratively learning an article.Then,the paper discusses the pros and cons of employing this technology in classroom.The conclusion emphasizes the transformative potential of integrating technology into pedagogy and its role in creating a dynamic learning environment.The paper underscores the importance of striking a balance between technology and traditional methods,foreseeing avenues for further research and development.

Reading Instruction in EFL Context

Reading, either in native language or in another language, can be both a purposeful process as well as an interactive process. Teaching reading in a foreign language is far more than an easy work. The paper discusses teaching reading in EFL context from several perspectives, namely objectives of a reading; criteria in selecting texts; task design and lesson procedure; testing. To obtain effective reading instruction, teachers should always evaluate carefully any descriptive insights before taking them wholly to heart as teaching points.

Learning Style Preferences and the Level of L2 Achievement: A Case Study of EFL College Students

This study investigated the relationship between learning styles preferences of English as foreign language (EFL)college students from three different achievement levels and to explore whether there is statistically significantdifference between different achievement levels and different learning styles. A total of 120 EFL freshman collegestudents from high, intermediate, and basic levels in Taiwan participated in the present study. Using a learning stylepreference checklist, students’ perceptional learning styles were first explored in terms of preferences. 120participants with different levels were classified based on their English scores on College Entrance Exam. With theuse of descriptive statistics and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the results indicated that specificlearning style preference correlated with certain achievement levels of students. Students with differentachievement levels preferred significantly certain style preference to other style comparing to other achievementlevels. It seems that learning styles preferences may not definitely relate to a student’s achievement levels. Certainvariables may also probably affect learning style preferences with respect to English performance.

A content analysis related to the cross-cultural/intercultural elements used in EFL coursebooks

This study aimed to examine some coursebooks of English as a Foreign Language （EFL） to see whether they involve any cross-cultural topics belonging to different cultures from different countries in the world. Assuming that EFL coursebooks written after the communicative movements in foreign language teaching and learning in the 1970s and the 1980s would have a plenty of cross-cultural elements, it was expected to see these coursebooks would also have a lot of cross-cultural elements, especially regarding their publication dates. This study aimed to investigate to what extent teaching materials used in EFL setting involve intercultural elements. Accordingly, 5 coursebooks were evaluated, and topics and number of cross-cultural elements were presented. The coursebooks used in the study were published in 1998, 1999, 1999, 2001 and 2006 namely. However, as the results displayed, the frequency of cross-cultural elements were not mutually related to their publication dates. The distribution and frequency of cross-cultural elements were not balanced with the dates chronologically.

On the Factors Influencing Learner Autonomy in Chinese EFL Contexts

Since late 1970s, worldwide EFL classrooms have witnessed the change from teacher-centered learning to learner-centered and more effective language learning. Research findings have shown repeatedly the importance of developing learner autonomy. Based on the review of the relevant literature both in China and around the world, the present paper discusses the main factors affecting the promotion of EFL learner autonomy in China, including motivation, learners＇ metacognitive knowledge and learning environment. Some strategies for fostering learner autonomy are also recommended.

Teaching Grammar in a Communicative Framework in the Chinese EFL Context

Communicative language teaching(CLT) has been introduced to the English-as-a-foreign-language(EFL) context in China for four decades.One of the most significant remaining issues is related to whether this approach to grammar teaching is more effective and efficient than traditional ones.Based on an overview of trends in approaches to grammar instruction,discussion on both advantages of teaching grammar communicatively and the challenges posed by the Chinese EFL context are provided.It is proposed that grammar instruction should be integrated into a communicative framework and this would be the optimal approach to grammar teaching on condition that some constraints in the EFL context in China are dealt with carefully.Teaching implications conclude this paper.

Approach and Challenges of Teaching English in EFL Context

It is significant to connect contexts and approaches to English language teaching,and it is also necessary to realize the challenges faced by English language learners in particular contexts so that we can get a better understanding of teaching based on our own contexts and approaches.This article is the discussion of approach and the challenges in EFL context.

Building a Web-based EFL Course with Open Source CMS in Vocational Colleges

Aiming to solve the existing problems with the Quality Course,an EFL online course is developed with an Open Source Course Management System(CMS).The principles and strategies of designing and constructing the course are discussed.The process of developing vocational college students'professional and social competence in the web-based environment is ex plored.Research results show the students are satisfied with the web-based EFL course and the teaching.

Use Authentic Materials in CLT Curriculum: Challenges and Solutions of Utilizing Authentic Materials in EFL Context

Since the approach of communicative language teaching has been strongly encouraged to implement into the English classroom in recent years,the use of authentic materials that may be benefit for CLT has also been discussed by a number of researchers in the area of second language teaching.Most of them pointed that utilizing authentic materials in English teaching programs may provide various advantages that do not adhere to the artificial materials,but only few objections had been mentioned.In fact,like the difficulties that take place in the implement of CLT,the use of authentic materials also face to an amount of obstacles,particularly in EFL curriculum.Therefore,following the definition and characteristics of authentic materials,this article aims to discuss those challenges facing the use of authentic materials and also present some possible solutions for utilizing such materials in ELF classroom.

The Emergence of Loving Pedagogy in the L2 Affective Domain:How Affective Pedagogy Accounts for Chinese EFL Teachers’Professional Success and Job Satisfaction?

The success of teachers in professional environments has a desirable influence on their mental condition.Simply said,teachers’professional success plays a crucial role in improving their mental health.Due to the invaluable role of professional success in teachers’mental health,personal and professional variables helping teachers succeed in their profession need to be uncovered.While the role of teachers’personal qualities has been well researched,the function of professional variables has remained unknown.To address the existing gap,the current investigation measured the role of two professional variables,namely job satisfaction and loving pedagogy,in Chinese EFL teachers’professional success.To do this,three validated scales were provided to 1591 Chinese EFL teachers.Participants’answers to the questionnaires were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test and structural equation modeling.The data analysis demonstrated a strong,positive link between the variables.Moreover,loving pedagogy was found to be the positive,strong predictor of Chinese EFL teachers’job satisfaction and professional success.The findings of the current inquiry may help educational administrators enhance their instructors’professional success,which in turn promotes their mental and psychological conditions at work.

基于EFL学习者心理表征模式的一词多义教学研究

文章运用认知语言学相关理论如隐喻及转喻等,基于EFL学习者一词多义的心理表征模式,实施教学实验。实验前实验组和对照组对一词多义的表征都不分明;在实验组进行教学实验后,其词汇测试成绩优于对照组;实验后实验组的表征模式更加清晰。结果表明:实验组掌握隐喻及转喻方式对单词进行识解,能够使其对一词多义的心理表征模式更加分明。

“见字如见人”——大学生EFL写作比赛辅导中声音形象面具意识的培养

近十年来,外研社每年举办的大学生英语写作比赛是国内最具分量的EFL写作比赛。这种常模参考性写作测试与常见的标准参考性写作测试相比,既考查学生的语言能力和批判性思维能力,更考查创造力。声音形象是创造力的语言外壳,它具有多形态性。教师可以通过帮助学生找到声音、模仿声音、找到新的声音,以一套渐进式的辅导方式培养学生的声音形象面具意识,让学生面对不同场合以合适的身份角色完成相应的写作任务。

Research on College Studentst'Autonomous EFL Learning Affer Course Exemption

By analyzing the English learning logs of 12 students in a provincial university in south-west China after they had been exempted from taking college English courses,this study investigated college students’autonomous EFL(English as a foreign language)learning after course exemption,including the use of mediational means in EFL learning,EFL learning hours,and other factors affecting EFL learning,in the hope of giving new perspectives on college ELF curriculum design,teaching,and education management.

A Comparison between Deductive and Inductive Approaches for Teaching EFL Grammar to High School Students

This study had the purpose of testingtwo methods for teaching grammar in Englishasa Foreign Language(EFL)class:the deductive and inductive approaches in terms of effectiveness and rapport.This research was conducted in a public high school in Ecuador.Seventy students enrolled in the second year of senior high school participated.One in-service teacher taught the EFL classes during the process of intervention(10 weeks),and two EFL teachers observed all of these classes and recorded the information by filling in observation sheets.The students were administered grammar pretests and post-tests in order to assess their grammar knowledge.The results of the tests showed a significant difference in the scores in favor of the inductive approach.After the statistical analysis of the data obtained from the tests and observation sheets,we concluded that the inductive approach is more effective for teaching grammar in the EFL classroom in terms of instruction and rapport.

Relationships Between Chinese EFL Learners’IELTS Band Score and Motivated Strategies for Learning

EFL learners,who study English as a foreign language,often use different learning strategies in the learning process,with positive and negative results in their academic performance.Whether these learning strategies are effective or not are questions to be explored.So,the author examined the relationship between Chinese EFL learners’test results and the use of motivated strategies for learning in English learning.Participants are students who have taken a high-stake standardized English proficiency test:IELTS(International English Language Testing System)with band score obtained.The results show that students’performance on high-stakes assessment is significantly associated with the use of motivated learning strategies like internal value in sharp contrast to test anxiety,which bears no relevance.Interviews are then implemented to candidates with different levels of English proficiency to figure out other related factors contributing to the test results.

A Comparative Study on Verb-Noun Collocation Errors of Chinese EFL Learners with Different Language Proficiency

This study presents a comparative analysis of verb-noun collocation errors made by Chinese EFL learners with different language proficiency.Linguistic data from two sub-corpora of CLEC(Chinese Learner English Corpus,Gui&Yang,1999)consist of the compositions written freely by Chinese senior high school students(ST2)and the 3rd-and 4th-year English majors of Chinese universities(ST6).The study results show that four types of verb-noun collocation errors are frequently made due to incorrect L1 translation,misuse of relative synonyms,misuse of delexical verbs,and misuse of part of speech;the number of errors decreases with the development of language proficiency,especially errors by incorrect L1 translation and relative synonyms.And for both ST2 and ST6 EFL learners,errors resulted from incorrect L1 translation account for nearly a half with the same high-frequency words.It is also found that ST6 learners’competence in collocation and synonym identification doesn’t grow with the increase of their vocabulary,as is shown in the case of overusing delexical verbs in collocation,the same error made by ST2 learners,who have a significantly weaker command of delexical verbs.Implications of the findings are also discussed with the purpose of raising the awareness of collocation pedagogy and enhancing EFL learners’collocation competence.

The Effect of Self-Questioning Strategy on EFL Tenth-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension

This study investigated the effect of the self-questioning strategy on English as a Foreign Language(EFL)for tenth-grade students’reading comprehension.A quasi-experimental design with two groups was employed.The researcher randomly assigned two whole sections of grade 10 from Al Samtt Secondary school for Boys,a public school,Directorate of Education in Irbid(AL Kora Directorate of Education).First,the experimental group of 25 students selected and second the control group of 25 students was selected.To achieve the purpose of the study,a pre-/post reading comprehension test was designed.In addition,self-questioning strategywas used to teach the experimental group,whereas a control group was taught by the conventional teaching strategies,as suggested in the Teacher’s Book.Results showed that there were significant statistically differences between the control and the experimental groups in favor of the experimental group.Considering the research results,the researcher recommended to use self-questioning strategy on different EFL skills and different levels of students.Teachers also should enroll in in-service training courses that provide more information about the curriculum revisions and programs that focus on improving their questioning abilities.

The Effect of Inquiry-Based Learning Strategy on EFL Tenth-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension

This study examined the potential effect of Inquiry-Based Learning Strategy(IBL)on the tenth-grade students’reading comprehension.Two groups and a quasi-experimental design were used.Two complete sections of grade 10 students from a public Secondary School for Girls in Irbid was randomly assigned by the researcher.The experimental group of 30 students was chosen first,and then the control group of 30 students.A pre-post reading comprehension test was designed before and after the study in order to fulfill its goals.Additionally,the experimental group was taught using the IBL strategy,whereas the control group was taught using the traditional teaching methods recommended in the tenth-grade Teacher’s Book.According to the findings,there were significant statistical differences favoring the experimental group over the control group.In light of the findings,the researcher recommended employing the IBL strategy to students with various levels and EFL skills.

人工智能对话系统对EFL大学生互动能力的影响——基于系统综述的研究

研究表明,利用人工智能(AI)对话系统进行英语作为外语(EFL)教育能够有效提高大学生的阅读、写作和听力能力。基于PRISMA流程,从多个数据库中筛选关于EFL大学生互动能力方面研究论文,确定了影响人工智能对话系统在EFL学习中应用的6个维度和25个子维度,通过系统综述探讨人工智能对话系统对提升EFL大学生互动能力的影响。研究发现,在AI对话系统设计中未充分考虑嵌入文化背景、情感识别和幽默元素的重要性,忽视了辩论和解决问题能力的培养。未来研究应开发适用且用户友好的口语活动,以完善大学教育中对话系统的框架。