Jul 2026· Arab World English Journal· 0 citations· 17 references
Abstract
This study investigates students’ perceived development of sociolinguistic competence following their participation in an extracurricular intercultural online exchange. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach with 198 first-year English majors at the A2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) who were enrolled in Essential Listening and Speaking and Introduction to the English Language courses at a university in Vietnam. The 12-week exchange program was conducted in parallel to formal coursework. The researchers collected quantitative data through a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire measuring pragmatic awareness, communicative appropriateness, politeness strategies, and cultural sensitivity. The researchers conducted descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, a one-sample t-test, and Pearson correlations using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results indicated that the overall post-exchange perception score was significantly higher than the neutral midpoint (p < .001), with cultural sensitivity receiving the highest rating. Correlation analysis revealed moderate positive relationships among the four dimensions. To elaborate on these findings, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 participants. Thematic analysis indicated increased awareness of sociocultural norms, perceived improvement in pragmatic adjustment, and enhanced communicative confidence. Overall, the findings suggest that scaffolded extracurricular virtual exchange may support early-stage sociolinguistic development among lower-proficiency English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. By focusing on lower-proficiency English majors in the Vietnamese higher education context, this study addresses the limited empirical evidence on how scaffolded intercultural online exchange supports sociolinguistic development and offers pedagogical implications for integrating virtual exchange into EFL speaking instruction.
The use of social media platforms has been popular among EFL learners and has become a topic of interest to researchers around the world in various academic contexts. This study, therefore, investigated the perceived effects of TikTok on self-regulated language learning strategies of English majors at a private university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, for comprehensive insights. The study involved 103 English-majored freshmen, who participated in the completion of the questionnaire; concurrently, 10 of them were recruited for the semi-structured interviews via convenience sampling. Subsequently, quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS 27, and qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. There were 64 females (62.1%) and 39 males ( 37.9%), whose responses were considered valid for the analysis procedures. The findings of the numerical data and interview responses indicated that the use of TikTok for SRL activities was frequent and regular, with general positive perceptions towards its effects on autonomous learning, which were illustrated through 4 dimensions: Metacognition, Cognition, Motivation, and Behavioural/Emotional aspects. Moreover, the results of Skewness and Kurtosis fell within the recommended thresholds of ±1, suggesting acceptable normality of the data distribution. By acknowledging the favourable results, this study demonstrates TikTok’s potential as a valuable tool for self-regulated English learning, fostering learners’ autonomous behaviour and motivation. However, limited generalizability due to small sample size, reliance on self-reported data, cross-sectional design, and the focus on one group of participants remained the limitations of the current study, leaving room for future suggestions on longitudinal and multi-context studies.
Nguyen Thanh Sang, Nguyen Thi Anh Thu· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations
The increasing participation of students in international mobility programs has created new challenges related to cross-cultural adaptation, particularly in communication processes within unfamiliar cultural environments. The Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program provides opportunities for students to gain global academic experiences; however, differences in language, cultural values, communication patterns, and social norms may influence their adaptation processes. This study aimed to analyze the role of cross-cultural communication in the adaptation process of 2024 IISMA participants from Mulawarman University based on Young Yun Kim’s Integrative Communication Theory. This research employed a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and literature reviews, while data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman model, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The findings indicated that cross-cultural communication played a significant role in supporting students’ adaptation through six dimensions: host social communication, ethnic social communication, personal communication, environmental factors, predisposing factors, and cross-cultural transformation. Interactions with host communities and exposure to local media enhanced cultural understanding, while communication barriers and cultural differences initially generated stress during the adaptation process. Nevertheless, continuous interaction enabled students to develop communication competence, cultural awareness, and a cross-cultural identity. This study concluded that effective cross-cultural communication facilitated the transition from stress to adaptation and personal growth, enabling international students to successfully integrate into new cultural environments.
Ananda Nazeli Ahsan, Johantan Alfando Wikandana Sucipta, Dony Kristian· Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sain...· 0 citations
In everyday conversations, people frequently use compliments as a means of interaction. Because of societal and cultural considerations, compliment behaviors vary across countries. This study examined the socio-pragmatic competence of EFL students by comparing compliment strategies between Jordanian and Iraqi speakers in an academic setting. The sample of the study includes undergraduate students at Jerash University and Knowledge University in Erbil who study in the English departments. It is a qualitative study that adopts a mixed-methods approach using two research tools, namely observation and interviews. The analytical framework used to analyze the data is proposed by Herbert's (1986,1990). The expected results aim to identify the various types of compliment responses employed by both groups. The compliment strategies mentioned in the analytical framework are acceptance, mitigation/deflection, rejection, no response, and request interpretation. This study recommends future research comparing the expected findings with students in other cultural contexts in other countries.
Shafiq Banat· International journal of Eng...· 0 citations
This study examines how lecturers in a Brazilian public university perceive English-medium instruction (EMI) and the development of intercultural competence (IC) within their teaching. It aims to understand the importance they assign to IC, the challenges they encounter and the types of institutional support they consider necessary for integrating IC into EMI.
This study draws on data from an online questionnaire completed by 31 lecturers across multiple disciplinary fields. Closed-ended items generated descriptive statistics on language use and proficiency, while open-ended responses underwent qualitative content analysis, combining deductive and inductive coding procedures. The instrument was part of a larger project that collected comparable data in Brazil and Portugal.
EMI use was selective and concentrated in course materials, readings and slides rather than full English-medium course delivery. Lecturers identified insufficient English proficiency, lack of training, limited institutional policies and restricted opportunities for intercultural exposure as major barriers. They viewed IC as a multidimensional competence encompassing educational, social and professional dimensions. Participants emphasized the need for continuous pedagogical training, sustained language support and institutional recognition of EMI- and IC-related work.
Findings highlight the urgency of coordinated institutional policies, integrated EMI–IC professional development, expanded language support and opportunities for intercultural engagement to sustain EMI initiatives in Brazilian higher education.
This study provides one of the few empirical examinations of how Brazilian lecturers conceptualize IC within EMI practice. It offers context-specific insights into how structural inequalities and limited institutional frameworks shape EMI adoption in public, tuition-free systems.
Marcelo Kremer, Susana Pinto· Journal for Multicultural Ed...· 0 citations
The characteristics of social media influencers (charismatic personas, storytelling, humour and the use of layman’s terms) have increasingly permeated into higher education, but there has been little empirical research on how the delivery of social media influencers influences the attitudes of students in formal university setting, especially in Southeast Asian settings. The study investigates the attitudes of university students towards the use of influencer’s pedagogical style, based on Petty and Cacioppo’s (1986) Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), which distinguishes between the academic content quality (central route) and the stylistic/persona cues (peripheral route). A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 120 students (70 from Brunei Darussalam and 50 from Bandung, Indonesia) with five-point Likert scales and analysed with SPSS with Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression and independent samples t-text. The reliability of all constructs was very high (α = .908 – .951) The results showed that there was a strong and positive correlation between content quality and attitudes (r = .860) and also between stylistic/persona cues and attitudes (r = .796). The overall model accounted 80.2% of the variance in attitude, with content quality being the more powerful predictor (β = .597) and stylistic/persona cues being a significant independent predictor (β = .363). A significant difference in positive attitudes was found between the Indonesian (M – 3.83) and Bruneian (M = 3.51) respondents. Lastly, the study suggests that the influence-pedagogy approach combine intellectual rigour with entertaining presentations and be applied culturally appropriate to each country’s higher education system.
The disconnect between formal language instruction and real-world communicative competence remains a core challenge in global EFL education. This convergent mixed-methods study examines an innovative experiential learning model at the TSES English Club in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where university students practise their English skills via structured, authentic interactions with international tourists in public spaces. The quantitative data, collected over an 18-week intervention period, comprised pre/post-test scores of 11 students assessed using a 100-point rubric, alongside student post-intervention perception surveys from 71 students and 7 expert facilitators. The qualitative data, gathered via semi-structured interviews with 3 facilitators and 5 students, underwent reflexive thematic analysis and were supplemented by ethnographic observation. Findings reveal significant practical communication score gains (t(10)=24.06, p<.001, d=7.25), indicating an extremely large effect. Post-intervention surveys indicated over 77% of students improved across all criteria. Thematic analysis revealed three primary catalysts: authentic communicative pressure, intrinsic motivation from meaningful cross-cultural exchange, and peer scaffolding with emotional support. Three principal barriers emerged: accent-triggered anxiety, cultural and pragmatic misunderstandings, and environmental noise. The study theoretically operationalises experiential learning and intercultural competence frameworks within this non-institutional, tourism-driven context. Practically, it offers ten evidence-based, actionable recommendations to maximise pedagogical impact for language clubs.
Ho Nhut Quang· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations