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This paper aims to examine the impact of using visual grammar on learning participle adjectives by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners.

The study follows an experimental design in which two groups participated in the study. The experimental group used visual grammar tools in learning participle adjectives. The control group was taught the participle adjectives in a traditional way. A pre–post test was designed and presented to the participants in the two groups.

The results showed that the experimental group made statistically significant improvements in their performance in using participle adjectives due to the use of visual grammar tools.

The current study is only limited to the effect of visual images on a particular grammatical issue, that is participle adjectives. Besides, the study does not include the gender variable; there may be variation in the results depending on the variable of gender.

The present study can provide language instructors with some guidelines on how to incorporate visual grammar applications in teaching grammar aspects. Learners can also be encouraged to have a better understanding of English grammar, using the different connotations of visual images.

Using visual images in teaching grammar will increase the learners' ability to think beyond their classroom environment. They can use this experience whenever they face visual images in different societal activities.

This paper is one of the initial attempts to investigate the effect of using visual grammar on learning participle adjectives.

The global prominence of languages and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which supports the necessity of German proficiency for the nation’s socioeconomic evolution, necessitate a deeper understanding of German teaching in Saudi international schools. This study delves into the influence of various teaching strategies on students' German writing skills. The research particularly focuses on traditional and innovative methods and considers the factors that drive these teaching approaches.

Data were collected from 304 students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, through a questionnaire. The relationships between teaching strategies and students' German writing abilities were analyzed using regression techniques.

The results indicate that both traditional and innovative teaching strategies positively influence students' writing skills. The regression analysis shows that the independent variables (traditional teaching strategies, innovative teaching strategies and factors influencing teaching strategies) collectively account for 68.9% of the variation in students' German writing skills. Even though a variety of techniques influence students' academic performance, the study’s findings indicate that several strategies – such as self-evaluation, pair work, oral feedback, grammar instruction and translation – have a major impact on students' German writing abilities.

This research brings unique insights into the German teaching realm of Saudi international schools, emphasizing the harmony between Vision 2030 goals and effective teaching methodologies. It elucidates the considerable influence of both traditional and innovative strategies on student writing outcomes. For educators in Saudi Arabia’s international educational environment, the study’s findings underline the importance of adopting student-centric approaches in the writing process, ensuring students evolve as proficient writers. Additionally, the research underscores the significant role of variables affecting teaching strategies, spotlighting their pivotal role in shaping student outcomes.

The development of written accuracy among learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) has always been a primary concern for ESL teachers and researchers in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (SLA). While a vast body of research has examined written corrective feedback on students’ written products, few studies have focused on the development of written accuracy among Arabic speaking learners of English using automated feedback tools. This case study first examined the level of written accuracy of Bahraini learners of English in their second year at a higher education institute, highlighting the frequency of errors influenced by their first language (Arabic). The course following this first stage included a significant component of automated feedback on students’ writing; and this study explored the impact that the use of these feedback tools had on learners’ writing in English, tracking development over the course of an academic semester. A corpus of students’ initial writings and subsequent revisions was analysed to identify whether there was an improvement in the accuracy of students’ texts; and students’ perceptions were elicited.

ﻟط ﺎﻟ ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎ ن ﺗ طوﯾ ر اﻟدﻗﺔ ﻓ ﻲ ﻣﮭﺎ رة اﻟ ﻛﺗﺎﺑﺔ ﺑﯾ ن ﻣﺗ ﻌﻠ ﻣ ﻲ اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻹﻧ ﺟﻠﯾ زﯾﺔ ﻛﻠ ﻐﺔ ﺛﺎﻧﯾﺔ اﻟ ﺷـ ﻐ ل اﻟ ﺷـﺎ ﻏل ﻟ ﻣﻌﻠ ﻣ ﻲ اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻹﻧﺟ ﻠﯾ زﯾﺔ واﻟﺑﺎﺣ ﺛﯾ ن ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﻠ ﻐو ﯾﺎ ت اﻟ ﺗ ط ﺑﯾﻘﯾ ﺔ و ا ﻛﺗ ﺳ ـﺎ ب اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ اﻟ ﺛﺎﻧﯾ ﺔ. ﻓ ﻲ ﺣ ﯾ ن أ ن ﻣ ﺟ ﻣو ﻋ ﺔ ﻛﺑﯾ ر ة ﻣ ن ا ﻷ ﺑ ﺣ ﺎ ث ﻗد د ر ﺳ ـ ت ﻣ ﻼ ﺣ ظ ﺎ ت ﺗ ﺻ ـ ﺣ ﯾ ﺣ ﯾ ﺔ ﺧ ط ﯾ ﺔ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻛﺗﺎﺑﺎ ت اﻟط ﻼ ب ، ﻓﻘ د رﻛز ت د را ﺳ ــﺎ ت ﻗﻠﯾﻠ ﺔ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺗ ط وﯾ ر اﻟ دﻗﺔ ﻓ ﻲ ﻣﮭﺎ رة اﻟ ﻛﺗﺎﺑ ﺔ ﺑﯾ ن ﻣﺗ ﻌﻠ ﻣ ﻲ اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻹ ﻧ ﺟ ﻠﯾ زﯾ ﺔ اﻟﻧﺎ ط ﻘﯾ ن ﺑﺎﻟ ﻌرﺑﯾ ﺔ ﺑﺎ ﺳ ــﺗ ﺧ دا م أدو ا ت اﻟ ﺗ ﻐذﯾ ﺔ ا ﻻ ﺳ ـــﺗ ر ﺟ ﺎ ﻋ ﯾ ﺔ ﻋ ﺑ ر ا ﻹ ﻧﺗ ر ﻧ ت . ﺗ ﺗ ﻧ ﺎ و ل د ر ا ﺳ ـ ـ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺣ ﺎ ﻟ ﺔ ھ ذ ه أ و ﻻً ﻣ ﺳ ـ ـ ﺗ و ى ا ﻟ د ﻗ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻛ ﺗ و ﺑ ﺔ ﻟ ﻠ ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﻣ ﯾ ن ا ﻟ ﺑ ﺣ ر ﯾ ﻧ ﯾ ﯾ ن ﻟ ﻠ ﻐ ﺔ ا ﻹ ﻧ ﺟ ﻠ ﯾ ز ﯾ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ ﺳـ ﻧﺗ ﮭم اﻟﺛﺎﻧﯾ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ ﻣؤﺳـ ﺳـ ﺔ ﻟﻠﺗ ﻌﻠﯾم اﻟﻌﺎﻟ ﻲ ، ﻣﻊ اﻟﺗ رﻛﯾ ز ﻋﻠ ﻰ ﺗﻛرا ر أ ﺧطﺎ ء اﻟﺗدا ﺧل ﺑﯾ ن اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻻوﻟ ﻰ واﻟﺛﺎﻧﯾﺔ. ﺛم ﺗ ﺳـﺗﻛ ﺷـ ف اﻟد را ﺳـ ﺔ ﺗﺄﺛﯾ ر أ دو ا ت اﻟ ﻣ ﻼﺣظﺎ ت ﻋﺑ ر ا ﻹﻧﺗ رﻧ ت ﻋﻠ ﻰ ﻛﺗﺎﺑﺔ اﻟ ﻣﺗ ﻌﻠ ﻣﯾ ن ﺑﺎﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ ا ﻹﻧ ﺟﻠﯾ زﯾﺔ ﻛﻠ ﻐﺔ ﺛﺎ ﻧﯾ ﺔ، وﺗ ﺗﺑ ﻊ اﻟﺗ طور ﺧﻼل اﻟﻔ ﺻ ـــ ل اﻟ د را ﺳـــ ﻲ. ﯾﺗ ﺿ ـــ ﻣ ن ا ﻟ ﺗ د ﺧ ل ا ﻟ ﻣ ط ﺑ ق ﻟ ﺗ ﺣ ﺳـ ﯾ ن ﺗ ﻧ ﻣ ﯾ ﺔ ﻣ ﮭ ﺎ ر ا ت ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﻣ ﯾ ن ﻣ ﻛ و ﻧًﺎ ﻣ ﮭ ﻣً ﺎ ﻟ ﻠ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﯾ ق ﻋ ﺑ ر ا ﻹ ﻧ ﺗ ر ﻧ ت . ﻗ ﺎ ﻣ ت ا ﻟ د ر ا ﺳـ ﺔ ﺑ ﺗ ﺣ ﻠ ﯾ ل ﻣ ﺟ ﻣ و ﻋ ﺔ ﻣ ن ا ﻟ ﻛ ﺗ ﺎ ﺑ ﺎ ت ا ﻷ و ﻟ ﯾ ﺔ وا ﻟ ﻣرا ﺟﻌﺎ ت اﻟ ﻼﺣ ﻘﺔ ﻟﻠط ﻼ ب ، ﺑﺎﻹ ﺿ ﺎﻓﺔ إﻟ ﻰ ﻣر ا ﺟ ﻌﺎ ت اﻟ ﻧ ظ ر ا ء، ﻟﺗﺣ دﯾد ﻣﺎ إ ذا ﻛﺎ ن ھﻧﺎ ك ﺗ ﺣ ﺳ ن ﻓ ﻲ دﻗﺔ اﻟﻧ ﺻ و ص اﻟﻣﻛﺗ و ﺑ ﺔ ﻟﻠط ﻼ ب .

This study investigates how game design, which divides players into static teams, can reinforce group polarisation. The authors study this phenomenon from the perspective of social identity in the context of team-based location-based games, with a focus on game slang.

The authors performed an exploratory data analysis on an original dataset of n = 242,852 messages from five communication channels to find differences in game slang adoption between three teams in the location-based augmented reality game Pokémon GO. A divisive word “jym” (i.e. a Finnish slang derivative of the word “gym”) was discovered, and players' attitudes towards the word were further probed with a survey (n = 185). Finally, selected participants (n = 25) were interviewed in person to discover any underlying reasons for the observed polarised attitudes.

The players' teams were correlated with attitudes towards “jym”. Face-to-face interviews revealed association of the word to a particular player subgroup and it being used with improper grammar as reasons for the observed negative attitudes. Conflict over (virtual) territorial resources reinforced the polarisation.

Game design with static teams and inter-team conflict influences players' social and linguistic identity, which subsequently may result in divisive stratification among otherwise cooperative or friendly player-base.

The presented multi-method study connecting linguistic and social stratification is a novel approach to gaining insight on human social interactions, polarisation and group behaviour in the context of location-based games.

This study examines the test's predictive validity of English language performance and compares test constructs to identify the most effective predictors of English language performance.

Data were collected and analysed from test scores of students enrolled in the foundation year (N = 84) and level 2 (N = 127) in the faculty of English at a Saudi university using correlation and regression tests.

The findings revealed that the General Aptitude Test (GAT) is effective in predicting English performance for students in level 2 and that the error detection task is the most effective predictor of performance in English reading.

The study provides support for the validity of the GAT as a university admission requirement for English language courses in the Arabic-speaking world.

This study examines the GAT's power using a fine-grained approach by deriving scores from its breakdown constructs to predict the performance of English skills at the university level.

This study aims to explore the use of technology-based strategies by Yemeni undergraduate students to develop their English as a foreign language skills in informal learning settings.

A mixed methods research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 110 undergraduate students enrolled at the English Departments in two universities in Yemen. In the first phase of the study, 10 students were interviewed to obtain information about their use of technology to develop their English language skills and subsystems in informal settings. Following the analysis of the interview data, a questionnaire was built to collect quantitative data, and the second phase of the study was carried out with 100 undergraduate students.

The findings revealed that students developed four technology-based strategies that they used in informal settings. These strategies included using social media, being inspired by someone, accessing social networks and websites. Students reported that these strategies helped them develop their listening, speaking and reading skills, while they also reported that their vocabulary was enhanced over grammar and pronunciation.

The study findings can be of benefit not only for helping to raise students’ awareness of informal learning strategies to develop their English skills outside the classroom but also for teachers to rethink the importance of integrating technology tools and digital resources in their teaching practice. The results could also guide curriculum designers to augment textbook materials by integrating technology-based informal learning strategies.

This is the first study on this topic conducted in the context of higher education in Yemen and offers unique insights into informal learning practices of Yemeni students. In addition, the findings of the study open new dimensions for rethinking the classification of language learning strategies to include those that are technology-based and mainly useful for independent informal learning.

English instructors' pragmatic competence (PC) is an aspect of the overall communicative competence forming the basis of language instructors' knowledge. Their knowledge of pragmatics should not be overlooked when seeking to understand foreign language learners' communicative ability. This study aims to investigate the pragmatic awareness and teaching practices of non-native EFL instructors with different qualifications and from various cultural backgrounds in Saudi Arabia.

To obtain a broader perspective, this study adopted a quantitative research design. An online questionnaire, developed from Ivanova (2018) and Tulgar (2016), was accessed by 320 instructors at one English teaching institute in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information about participants and 12 closed Likert-type questions.

The data analysis showed that most of the language instructors were aware of PC. However, some variations were evident in their views of the importance of pragmatics in teaching and learning and in their actual pragmatic teaching practices.

This study emphasizes the importance of pragmatic awareness for EFL instructors. It indicates that while non-native English instructors' academic levels and cumulative experience in teaching English play a major role in teaching, instructors have several challenges in teaching pragmatics and promoting students' awareness of pragmatics in this context. For effective second language teaching of pragmatics, instructors, managers and policymakers need to recognize the importance of pragmatics and competencies that students need to develop in EFL contexts.

The overall aim of this article is to discuss the conditions and character of collective protest in schools. When do pupils as a collective gain the ability to express critical views on the policies of schools, and what is that criticism about? Using Sweden as an example, I discuss this question by studying the collective organisation of pupils from the 1920s to the 1980s.

The article discusses and compares two phases of pupils' collective organisation in Sweden: one dominated by pupil councils, one by national organisations. The article discusses how pupil councils at individual schools arose in the wake of the 1928 grammar school charter, and illustrates its influence using a case study of a grammar school in Stockholm. Furthermore, the article investigates how national organisations, first formed in 1952, expressed their concerns about national school policies.

The first phase (ca. 1928–1951) was dominated by the idea of discipline, and the main task of pupil councils was to help teachers in maintaining discipline. The second phase (ca. 1952–1989) was instead characterised by a heightened focus on protests and democracy. From then on, the main idea was that pupil councils and national pupil organisations should change the school, making it more suited to the needs of the pupils.

There is much research on university students and student uprisings. However, much of the previous research on the student voice is related to the upheavals of the long 1968. By concentrating its efforts on a limited time period when protest was more obvious, previous research has arguably not been able to discuss transformations over time.

Existing research has examined English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ attitudes towards flipped learning. However, no study seems to have correlated students’ achievement and their attitudes towards flipped learning. Yemeni EFL students also face pronunciation problems and they lack technology-enhanced language learning. The flipped learning approach promotes active learning and increases students’ learning outcomes. This study aims to measure the achievement level and the attitudes of Yemeni EFL students towards flipped pronunciation classrooms. It also correlates between achievement and attitudes towards this new experience.

Using a correlational research design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a test, questionnaire and structured interview from an intact class of Yemeni EFL students at the College of Education in Socotra.

The one-sample t-test analysis shows that the respondents scored high in the achievement test. The analysis of both the questionnaire and the structured interview revealed that the students have a positive attitude towards the flipped pronunciation classroom. The correlation analysis indicated a high-level positive relationship between students’ achievement and their attitudes where r = 0.779 with p < 0.001, two-tailed.

The present study has some limitations regarding the sample size. This context-specific study recruited the available EFL class at the College of Education in Socotra, Hadhramout University. It would be more reliable should the study compared large groups of students so that the results can be generalized.

The study recommends using flipped learning to enhance pronunciation among EFL students.

This study contributes to the correlational studies in flipped learning.

Using a newly compiled corpus module consisting of utterances from Asian learners during L2 English interviews, this study examined how Asian EFL learners' L1s (Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Thai), their L2 proficiency levels (A2, B1 low, B1 upper and B2+) and speech task types (picture descriptions, roleplays and QA-based conversations) affected four aspects of vocabulary usage (number of tokens, standardized type/token ratio, mean word length and mean sentence length).

Four aspects concern speech fluency, lexical richness, lexical complexity and structural complexity, respectively.

Subsequent corpus-based quantitative data analyses revealed that (1) learner/native speaker differences existed during the conversation and roleplay tasks in terms of the number of tokens, type/token ratio and sentence length; (2) an L1 group effect existed in all three task types in terms of the number of tokens and sentence length; (3) an L2 proficiency effect existed in all three task types in terms of the number of tokens, type-token ratio and sentence length; and (4) the usage of high-frequency vocabulary was influenced more strongly by the task type and it was classified into four types: Type A vocabulary for grammar control, Type B vocabulary for speech maintenance, Type C vocabulary for negotiation and persuasion and Type D vocabulary for novice learners.

These findings provide clues for better understanding L2 English vocabulary usage among Asian learners during speech.