In an effort to develop disciplinary literacy in English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in tertiary-level learning contexts, there have been various linguistically responsive instructional (LRI) approaches to fostering the learning of both language and content. The LRI approaches point to the importance of nurturing discipline-specific literacies of students as apprentice scholars who can appropriately participate in the scholarly conversations and practices of a discipline. There is, however, little known about whether and in what ways tertiary-level LRI-based approach can be realized and contribute to students’ empowered identities as legitimate participants in the consumption, construction, and representation of disciplinary knowledge.
This autoethnographic teaching reflective account chronicles a ground-up pedagogical effort by university educators in Canada aiming to develop the disciplinary literacies of international undergraduate students in a course integrating content and language in conjunction with the content of first-year history, psychology, and geography courses. Illuminating specific instructional examples, this article illustrates how such a pedagogical effort informed by task-based, functional approaches to language learning may create an educational space within which students are invited to position themselves and others as producers of meaning. Drawing on students’ reflective voices, the article closes with pedagogical implications for fostering students’ empowered identities with a stronger sense ofaffective, cognitive, and communicative dispositions (beyond being “non-native” speakers/writers of English) while critically exploring the inextricable relationship between language and disciplinary knowledge.
Dans le but de développer la littératie disciplinaire chez les étudiants dont l’anglais est une langue additionnelle (ALA) dans des contextes d’enseignement supérieur, diverses approches pédagogiques adaptées sur le plan linguistique ont été mises en place pour favoriser l’apprentissage à la fois de la langue et du contenu. Ces approches soulignent l’importance de cultiver les littératies disciplinaires spécifiques des étudiants en tant qu’apprentis chercheurs, capables de participer de manière appropriée aux conversations et aux pratiques savantes d’une discipline. On sait toutefois peu de chose sur si, et de quelle manière, une approche adaptée sur le plan linguistique au niveau tertiaire peut être mise en oeuvre et contribuer à renforcer l’identité des étudiants en tant que participants légitimes à la consommation, à la production et à la représentation des connaissances disciplinaires.
Ce récit réflexif d’enseignement autoethnographique rend compte d’un effort pédagogique mené sur le terrain par des enseignants universitaires au Canada, visant à développer les littératies disciplinaires d’étudiants internationaux de premier cycle dans un cours intégrant le contenu et la langue, en lien avec les cours de première année en histoire, psychologie et géographie. À travers des exemples pédagogiques concrets, cet article illustre de quelle manière une telle initiative, inspirée par des approches d’apprentissage des langues fonctionnelles et basées sur les tâches, peut créer un espace éducatif dans lequel les étudiants sont invités à se positionner, eux-mêmes et les uns les autres, en tant que producteurs de sens. En s’appuyant sur les réflexions des étudiants, l’article conclut avec des implications pédagogiques visant à favoriser le développement d’identités autonomes chez les étudiants, dotées d’un sens accru des dispositions affectives, cognitives et communicatives (au-delà du simple statut de locuteurs/scripteurs « non natifs » de l’anglais), tout en explorant de manière critique la relation inextricable entre la langue et les connaissances disciplinaires.
This study aims at exploring a change in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) education by means of transforming traditional teacher-centered methods into a more engaging and agentic approach utilizing the Linguistic Landscape (LL), defined as visible displays of language components in a context. This new framework can be viewed as a driver on the way to fostering learner agency and the 4Cs of skills. The study highlights the LL as a key tool for developing learner agency and important 21st-century skills in a university setting. It closely examines a 14-week project where 98 ELF preparatory students from two state universities in Türkiye acted as language detectives, investigating their semiotic environments. The study integrated collaboration, communication, and creativity through group fieldwork, LL content creation, and presentations. Designed as exploratory qualitative research, the data were gathered using an online survey, reflection journals, and informal interviews. The findings show positive results from this project in terms of students` points of view related to LL. Given that, the students started to recognize LL around them as valuable tools for effective learning instead of seeing these language manifestations as meaningless letters. The results also revealed that ELF learners became active participants in their own learning environments rather than being just passive receivers of information when they engaged with LL-based materials. Moreover, data explored that the intervention systematically promoted the 4Cs of 21st-century skills: critical thinking was encouraged as students deconstructed the functions and grammatical correctness of English across various contexts (e.g., commercial clothing vs. practical menus) and conveyed nuanced perspectives on its sociocultural impact as well as they were collaborating and communicating with their peers. These findings point to the fact that LL-based pedagogy should be considered a crucial component of a contemporary ELF curriculum, designed to empower students as active, critical, and collaborative communicators in the complex language environments surrounding them.
Betül Güleryüz Adamhasan, E. Yatağanbaba· Sakarya University Journal o...· 0 citations
Abstract:In this article, I discuss the pedagogical considerations involved in restructuring a college-level Biblical Hebrew curriculum at Yale University. The pilot class involved designing the first semester of Biblical Hebrew using approaches drawn from theories and methods of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), commonly used in modern language instruction. These approaches are adapted to the needs and motivations of 21st-century students who wish to confidently read and comprehend ancient texts. The focus is on a revised version of the Grammar-Translation Method, incorporating functional grammar and a flexible pointing system (niqqud), with an emphasis on the systematic acquisition of frequently occurring vocabulary presented in its original biblical context. Oral engagement is incorporated to support listening comprehension, recitation, accurate pronunciation, and basic interaction. A Digital Humanities orientation forms the basis of the Multiliteracies approach, situated within a technological, multichannel learning environment. Community Building and Intercultural Competence are fostered through experiential activities outside the classroom. These methods, which have proven effective in modern language acquisition, are integrated into the teaching of Biblical Hebrew. Students’ performance and feedback attest to the effectiveness of this model.Abstract:במאמר זה אציג שיקולים פדגוגיים שהובילו אותי לעיצוב מחדש של תוכנית לימודים להוראת עברית מקראית לתלמידי תואר ראשון (תלמידי קולג' אמריקאיים) באוניברסיטת ייל. כיתת הניסוי ("פיילוט") כללה בניה מחדש של הסמסטר הראשון של עברית מקראית, על בסיס תאוריות ומתודות הלקוחות מתחום רכישת שפה שניה (SLA) הנפוצות בהוראת שפות מודרניות. גישות אלו הותאמו לצרכים ומוטיבציות של תלמידי המאה ה-21 המעוניינים לקרוא באופן קולח ולהבין טקסטים עתיקים. הפדגוגיה החדשה מדגישה יצירת גרסה מותאמת של שיטת הדקדוק-תרגום (GTM), תוך שימוש בגישת דקדוק פונקציונלי ושיטת ניקוד גמישה, לצד רכישה שיטתית של אוצר המילים השכיח במקרא, המוצג בהקשרו המקורי. אלמנטים אורליים משולבים בכדי לסייע בהבנת הנשמע, בהגיה נכונה, ובאינטרקציה בסיסית. הפדגוגיה החדשה מובנית לתוך עידן מדעי הרוח הדיגיטליים (Digital Humanities), ונשענת על גישת הרב-אורייניות (Multiliteracies), תוך שימוש בטכנולוגיה רב-ערוצית. פעילויות לימודיות חוויתיות מחוץ לכיתה תומכות במטרות הפדגוגיות של יצירת קהילת לומדים ופיתוח יכולת הבנה בין-תרבותית. גישות אלה, שיעילותן הוכחה ברכישת שפות מודרניות, נשזרו לתוך תוכנית הלימודים של הקניית העברית המקראית. השגי התלמידים כמו גם המשובים שלהם מעידים על יעילותו של מודל זה.
Dina Roginsky· Hebrew higher education· 0 citations
This study examined how an experienced Thai instructor in a PhD‐level EMI course implemented
linguistically responsive instruction
(LRI) to support student learning, the rationales behind his practices, and students' perceptions of them. Data from classroom observations and instructor and student interviews were analyzed and interpreted through an LRI lens. The findings suggested that the instructor employed a range of LRI practices to help students meet the epistemic demands of PhD education and develop as competent members of their academic community. Participating students valued these practices and did not perceive them as English language support. Compared to prior LRI‐informed research, which primarily focused on undergraduate settings, the study suggests that LRI at the PhD level may have a broader scope and operate at the course level rather than solely at the lesson level. This study provides empirical support for conceptualizing LRI in higher education, which positions EMI instructors as teachers of both content and disciplinary language and suggests that effective instruction for L2 English‐speaking students in content courses may need to extend beyond general good pedagogical practices to include disciplinary language support. Practical implications for EMI pedagogy, faculty development, and PhD‐level course policy are discussed.
In the global higher education landscape, the efficacy of English for Academic Purposes courses often falls short, particularly in the Global South, where Western-oriented educational models frequently misalign with local linguistic and cultural contexts. This study addresses the challenge of decolonizing academic literacy by examining the integration of African languages within EAP frameworks at a Namibian university, aiming to bridge this pedagogical gap and foster academic inclusivity. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research investigates students’ use of rhetorical patterns in academic essays written in both English and African languages, and their implications for academic writing skills acquisition. Results reveal significant differences in the rhetorical conventions employed by students, highlighting how these conventions influence the organization of their writing in academic settings. The study’s findings have broad implications, suggesting transformative strategies for academic literacy courses that acknowledge and leverage students' linguistic repertoires, especially in multilingual contexts. Recommendations for educators and policymakers emphasize the importance of incorporating translanguaging into curriculum design to cultivate a more inclusive and effective learning environment that reflects and respects the multilingual realities of students.
Rhodes Muyunda, Leketi Makalela· Journal for Language Teachin...· 0 citations
Despite increasingly diverse student populations, including international and home students with multilingual backgrounds, higher education teaching practices often remain implicitly oriented towards monolingual English norms, alongside a continued emphasis on standardised academic English. This linguistic landscape can inadvertently disadvantage multilingual students, shaping their participation and, at times, their assessment performance.
Drawing on exploratory practice research conducted within my own teaching context (Bulut Al Baba, 2024), alongside a review of relevant literature (Darling, 2026; Ryder and Lazar, 2025), I propose a self-evaluation tool designed to support teaching academics in assessing linguistic inclusion in their practice. The tool conceptualises three broad stages of engagement: multilingualism phobic, multilingualism tolerant, and multilingualism cheerleader.
This self-evaluation framework is grounded in the premise that linguistic inclusion requires not only pedagogical awareness but also cultural acceptance and intentional pedagogical strategies. It encourages academics to critically reflect on their underlying assumptions about language, challenge monolingual biases, and explore how multilingual pedagogies can be meaningfully integrated into their teaching.
By connecting research insights with practical, actionable approaches, this work invites higher education educators to reconceptualise linguistic diversity not as a challenge or deficit, but as a valuable resource for enriching teaching and learning.
Melike Bulut Al Baba· Journal of Scholarship of Te...· 0 citations
Speaking fluency is a key component of communicative competence in English as a Foreign Language, as it enables students to express their ideas clearly and at the same participate actively, and interact in meaningful contexts inside and outside the classroom. However, in many high school contexts, this skill still presents limitations due to inflexible teaching practices that do not always respond adequately to learner diversity, students’ confidence levels, or their different ways of participating. In response to this problem, the present study aimed to examine the impact of applying Universal Design for Learning principles on the development of speaking fluency in second-year Bachillerato students in Ecuador. This research adopted a pedagogical intervention design with a mixed-methods approach. The intervention incorporated strategies based on the UDL principles of engagement, representation, action and expression. The Data was collected through speaking pre- and post-tests, a Likert-scale survey applying open-ended questions for students, post-intervention interviews, an observation checklist, and a Likert-scale survey for the teacher. A comparative between before and after the intervention was applied for Quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to participation, confidence, engagement, and perception. The findings show an improvement in students’ speaking fluency, especially in more continuous oral production, reduced hesitation, and greater participation in speaking activities. In addition, students reported feeling more motivated and confident when tasks included visual support, choice, scaffolding, and flexible ways of expression. In conclusion, the application of UDL principles contributed to the creation of a more inclusive learning environment and showed potential for strengthening speaking fluency in second-year Bachillerato students.
