Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-07-05 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100231

Md Kawser Ahmed

{"title":"Navigating English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in tertiary education: Challenges, opportunities, and pedagogical strategies for EFL learners","authors":"Md Kawser Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing adoption of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in tertiary education has sparked discussions on its potential benefits and challenges for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This study explores the experiences of EFL learners regarding EMI implementation, focusing on linguistic, academic, and pedagogical dimensions. Employing a qualitative descriptive research design, data were collected through semi-structured surveys from 85 students enrolled in EMI programs. Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti to identify key patterns in learner experiences. Findings reveal that while EMI enhances language proficiency, career readiness, and access to academic resources, it also presents significant challenges, including comprehension difficulties, inconsistent teaching methodologies, and reduced classroom participation due to language anxiety. The study underscores the need for gradual <span>EMI</span> implementation, supplementary language support, and faculty training to optimize student learning experiences. The results contribute to the broader discourse on EMI by providing insights into effective pedagogical strategies and policy considerations for higher education institutions. Addressing these challenges through structured adaptation and targeted interventions can enhance EMI effectiveness, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for non-native English-speaking students worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"15 ","pages":"Article 100231"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144595407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Positive impacts of negative feedback: A deep dive into Vietnamese EFL learners’ experiences and responses 负面反馈的正面影响：越南英语学习者的经验与反应

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-06-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100228

Le Thanh Thao , Pham Trut Thuy

{"title":"Positive impacts of negative feedback: A deep dive into Vietnamese EFL learners’ experiences and responses","authors":"Le Thanh Thao , Pham Trut Thuy","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study delves into the intricate perceptions of Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students towards negative feedback in their learning journey. Through qualitative interviews with 15 participants, the research unravels six predominant themes: the dual role of negative feedback, feedback as a social connection, the clarity conundrum, cultural contexts and feedback reception, optimizing growth through feedback timing and emotional preparedness, and the power of constructive framing in negative feedback. Findings reveal that negative feedback, while initially perceived as demotivating, often acts as a catalyst for renewed vigor and focus in students. Furthermore, the source and manner of feedback, as well as its clarity, play pivotal roles in its reception. The cultural fabric of Vietnam significantly shapes students' interpretations, emphasizing respect for authority and collective identity. Feedback's timing, aligned with students' emotional preparedness, determines its efficacy. Importantly, framing feedback constructively, emphasizing growth and improvement, enhances its positive impact. Through the lenses of the Social Identity Theory and Self-Determination Theory, the study offers profound insights into the social and motivational dynamics of feedback reception among Vietnamese EFL learners. The findings hold significant implications for educators, curriculum developers, and stakeholders in EFL settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"15 ","pages":"Article 100228"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144330408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The online primary and secondary transfer-of-training effects of structured input on the acquisition of English past tense and third person singular present tense markers: A self-paced reading study measuring accuracy and response time 结构化输入对英语过去时和第三人称单数现在时标记物习得的在线一级和二级训练迁移效应：一项测量准确性和反应时间的自定节奏阅读研究

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-06-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100229

Alessandro Benati , Grace Benati

引用次数: 0

Toward optimal second language acquisition and proficiency: Addressing limited exposure and educational inequality in EFL contexts through home-based approaches and interdisciplinary insights 迈向最佳的第二语言习得和熟练程度：通过基于家庭的方法和跨学科的见解来解决英语背景下有限的接触和教育不平等问题

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-06-05 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100226

Sun Youn Lee , Joo Bong Kim

{"title":"Toward optimal second language acquisition and proficiency: Addressing limited exposure and educational inequality in EFL contexts through home-based approaches and interdisciplinary insights","authors":"Sun Youn Lee , Joo Bong Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100226","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100226","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings, second language acquisition (SLA) is often challenging due to limited English exposure and structural constraints within school systems. This study focuses on South Korea, a country that has invested heavily in English education reforms yet continues to struggle with developing learners' functional language skills and equitable access to quality instruction. Over the past 20 years, a grassroots, home-based English acquisition initiative has emerged, led by Korean caregivers. This initiative aims to offer natural and relaxed English exposure at home through daily routines aligned with the child's developmental stage, extending learning beyond classroom limitations. Using data from a nationwide survey of 1020 mothers of first-grade children (age 6, turning 7 during the academic year), this study examines whether home-based English exposure during the preschool period enhances children's English proficiency and interest in English learning, and whether it has the potential to mitigate educational inequality. Children's English proficiency and interest were assessed via maternal self-reports, using the Cambridge English placement test, national education standards, and evaluations of the child's learning engagement. Findings suggest that this home-based, parent-led approach significantly improves children's English outcomes and is adopted across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The Korean case, analyzed through an interdisciplinary lens combining linguistic, educational, and economic perspectives, may offer valuable insights for other EFL contexts, demonstrating how home-based SLA can serve as a cost-effective, scalable supplement to formal education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"15 ","pages":"Article 100226"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144330431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Bilingualism matters: Interdisciplinary research on socially-relevant aspects of bilingualism 双语问题：双语社会相关方面的跨学科研究

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-06-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2024.100212

Anna Balas, Georgia Fotiadou, Tanja Rinker, Yang Wang

引用次数: 0

Navigating Bilingualism: Language, power, and the social identity construction of the first Saudi elementary students to receive English language instruction 驾驭双语：第一批接受英语教学的沙特小学生的语言、权力与社会认同建构

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-05-26 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100227

Ghanem Alghuwainem

引用次数: 0

The MuLeCo project: A learner corpus of L1 German learners of romance languages MuLeCo项目：学习罗曼语的L1德语学习者语料库

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100225

Stephan Lücke , Patricia de Crignis , Johanna Wolf , Florian Zacherl

{"title":"The MuLeCo project: A learner corpus of L1 German learners of romance languages","authors":"Stephan Lücke , Patricia de Crignis , Johanna Wolf , Florian Zacherl","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The importance of learner corpora for foreign language acquisition research as well as their role in data-driven learning and other learning contexts is now widely recognised. They have become a valuable resource for both foreign language teaching and learning. To date, there is no extensive collection of learner language data from L1 German speakers for the Romance languages taught in schools (French, Spanish, Italian). This desideratum is addressed by the error-annotated learner corpus MuLeCo (Munich Learner Corpus). The collection of written learner productions aims to shed light on persistent challenges faced by learners of French, Spanish, and Italian, while also providing a solid empirical basis for developing didactic and data-driven materials for foreign language teaching—thus helping to bridge the gap between Foreign Language Acquisition (FLA) and Foreign Language Teaching (FLT). In addition, MuLeCo creates a space for critically revisiting key concepts such as “error,” “variation,” and “norm” in the context of interlanguage phenomena. This article aims to demonstrate how a learner corpus can be constructed to identify persistent problem areas in foreign language learning and processing. Following an outline of the linguistic and didactic objectives, the article presents in detail the methodology employed to collect, structure, organise, analyse, and make the corpus data accessible. The entire workflow is designed to be fully digital. At the core of the corpus lies the categorisation of errors. The relational database used for storing and handling the highly structured corpus data allows for multifold analysis. The article concludes with initial analytical approaches and selected findings</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"15 ","pages":"Article 100225"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

AI-driven chatbots in second language education: A systematic review of their efficacy and pedagogical implications 人工智能驱动的聊天机器人在第二语言教育中的应用：对其有效性和教学意义的系统回顾

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-05-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100224

Watcharapol Wiboolyasarin , Kanokpan Wiboolyasarin , Phornrat Tiranant , Nattawut Jinowat , Poomipat Boonyakitanont

{"title":"AI-driven chatbots in second language education: A systematic review of their efficacy and pedagogical implications","authors":"Watcharapol Wiboolyasarin , Kanokpan Wiboolyasarin , Phornrat Tiranant , Nattawut Jinowat , Poomipat Boonyakitanont","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This systematic review explores the efficacy of AI-driven chatbots in second language (L2) acquisition and examines their pedagogical implications. AI-powered chatbots have gained prominence in language education by offering personalized, adaptive learning experiences and continuous practice opportunities. Synthesizing findings from 30 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2024, this review investigates the impact of chatbots use across core language skills, including speaking, writing, reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary. Results indicate notable improvements in learners' productive and receptive skills, especially in speaking and writing, due to features such as real-time feedback, anxiety reduction, and increase practice opportunities. While reading and listening also showed positive outcomes, their development was often constrained by chatbots’ limited capacity for deep contextual interaction. Despite their benefits, chatbots faced challenges in replicating human-like emotional engagement and nuanced communication. Pedagogically, chatbots are promising tools for fostering personalized, autonomous L2 learning; however, their optimal use may depend on thoughtful integration with human instruction to enhance affective support and scaffold complex tasks. Further research is needed to enhance emotional responsiveness and support complex language processing in chatbot design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100224"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

University students’ use and metalinguistic understanding of code glosses: A cross-linguistic study of students’ L1 Arabic and L2 English argumentative writing 大学生对代码注释的使用和元语言理解：学生第一语言阿拉伯语和第二语言英语议论文写作的跨语言研究

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-03-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100223

Abdelhamid M. Ahmed , Lameya M. Rezk

{"title":"University students’ use and metalinguistic understanding of code glosses: A cross-linguistic study of students’ L1 Arabic and L2 English argumentative writing","authors":"Abdelhamid M. Ahmed , Lameya M. Rezk","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the use of interactive metadiscourse markers, known as code glosses, in argumentative texts produced by Qatari university students writing in both their L1 Arabic and L2 English. An analysis of 390 texts from the Qatari Corpus of Argumentative Writing identified 1249 instances of code glosses in Arabic and 620 in English. The results indicate that Arabic texts exhibit a higher frequency of both reformulation and exemplification markers compared to their English counterparts. Specifically, the findings suggest that Arabic favours detailed explanations, whereas English is characterised by a preference for concise, illustrative examples. Interviews further support these findings by revealing that exemplification markers effectively engage readers through the use of relatable examples that reinforce evidence and enhance clarity. Additionally, reformulation strategies—such as rephrasing, editing, and restructuring—play a significant role in improving coherence and comprehension. These insights have important implications for curriculum design, suggesting that targeted instruction in the proficient use of code glosses in both L1 Arabic and L2 English could enhance the clarity and overall engagement of students' writing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100223"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143682931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Thai EFL learners’ use of the discourse marker like in discourse marker combinations 泰国英语学习者在语篇标记语组合中对语篇标记语的使用

Ampersand Pub Date : 2025-03-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2025.100222

Zhaoyi Pan

{"title":"Thai EFL learners’ use of the discourse marker like in discourse marker combinations","authors":"Zhaoyi Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.amper.2025.100222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although Discourse marker (DM) combinations (DMCs) used by first language (L1) speakers of English have been studied, DMCs have not been examined in the field of interlanguage pragmatics. This research examined the use of the DM <em>like</em> in DMCs produced by Thai intermediate-level and advanced-level learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in spoken interactions. In total, 80 Thai EFL participants were involved in the collection of naturally occurring data, including 40 Thai intermediate-level and 40 Thai advanced-level EFL learners. Both the DM + <em>like</em> and the <em>like</em> + DM patterns were identified. In the DM + <em>like</em> pattern, the frequently used DMs that co-occurred with the DM <em>like</em> were <em>and</em>, <em>yeah</em>, and <em>I mean</em>, while the DMs that co-occurred with the DM <em>like</em> in the <em>like</em> + DM pattern were <em>uh</em>/<em>um</em>, <em>yeah</em>, and <em>you know</em>. The juxtaposition type was used most often by the Thai EFL learners with both English proficiency levels, followed by the composition subtype and the addition subtype. Although the Thai advanced-level EFL participants used the DM <em>like</em> more often compared to the Thai intermediate-level EFL participants, the Thai intermediate-level EFL participants used more DMCs that contained the DM <em>like</em> compared to the Thai advanced-level EFL participants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":35076,"journal":{"name":"Ampersand","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100222"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

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