Journal of English Language and Linguistics

Application of microlearning to develop university students’ speaking skills: A case study of Udon Thani Rajabhat University

Piyanut Thomol, Worawoot Tutwisoot, Prayong Klanrit, Napasup Lertpreedakorn — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This paper discusses how microlearning can serve as an innovative pedagogical intervention to enhance the speaking proficiency of university students in the Thai EFL context, with specific reference to Udon Thani Rajabhat University. Despite years of English learning, most students in Thailand have not yet achieved speaking proficiency due to insufficient authentic communication practice and a lack of confidence. Microlearning provides a practical and effective solution by offering frequent speaking practice in low-stress environments and promoting learner autonomy through short, focused, and flexible learning segments. It enhances students' speaking ability by reducing speaking anxiety and increasing motivation through flexible, learner-centered activities. Drawing on a literature review and contextual analysis, the study describes how microlearning supports the development of key speaking skills—fluency, pronunciation, and communicative competence—through repeated, meaningful, and self-regulated tasks. Although reducing speaking anxiety is a secondary benefit, the primary focus lies in how learners are enabled to become more proficient speakers through cognitively manageable and affectively supportive experiences. The discussion encompasses theoretical underpinnings, pedagogical features, and classroom applications, including emerging teacher and learner roles and implications for curriculum design. The paper concludes that microlearning holds strong potential as a sustainable and learner-centered approach to improving students’ speaking proficiency, motivation, and communicative confidence in higher education.

Translation learning needs and motivations within blended teaching at a Chinese application-oriented university

Yuxin Shan, Marilyn Fernandez Deocampo — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

With the rapid development and popularization of information technology and online learning platforms, university teaching no longer needs to rely solely on traditional face-to-face instruction. This is particularly relevant for translation courses, which are both theoretically demanding and practically challenging. Blended teaching integrates online platforms with diverse learning materials to support flexible student learning. This enables students to learn anytime, anywhere, at a pace suited to their individual needs. Prior to designing such instruction and intervention, it is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of students’ specific translation learning needs, including their bilingual competence in English and Chinese, as well as their academic and career aspirations. The present study, designed and conducted by the researcher, involved 96 junior English-major undergraduates from a Chinese Application-Oriented University. As an empirical investigation, it sought to identify the translation learning needs of students at application-oriented universities and to explore how blended teaching, informed by social constructivism approaches, influences learners’ L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), particularly its three core dimensions: the ideal self, ought-to self and learning experience. Participants included two intact classes (EC and CC) selected via convenience sampling, EC demonstrated more pronounced improvement in translation proficiency. The research findings aim to provide both empirical evidence and theoretical insights for the enhancement of translation pedagogy in Chinese application-oriented universities, offering implications for improving translation curriculum design, aligning blended teaching with students’ professional development, and strengthening sustained translation learning motivation.

Developing English spelling skills through TGT cooperative learning with Wordwall for grade 4 students

Osatee Sadudeeprasertsut, Chayapon Chomchaiya, Jira Jitsupa — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study aimed to (1) examine the effectiveness of instructional intervention on grade 4 students’ English spelling performance, (2) compare the efficacy of the Teams-Games-Tournament (TGT) technique integrated with the Wordwall application against conventional teaching methods, and (3) evaluate students’ satisfaction with the TGT–Wordwall instructional model. The sample comprised 32 grade 4 students enrolled at La-orutis Demonstration School, Suan Dusit University. Participants were selected via cluster random sampling and allocated equally into experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. Instructional materials included lesson plans incorporating the TGT framework alongside Wordwall-based activities, standardized pre- and post-intervention spelling assessments, and a student satisfaction questionnaire. The experimental group outperformed the control group after instruction, and the difference was statistically significant, with post-test scores surpassing those of the control group (pre-test scores for the experimental group: M = 7.94, SD = 3.36; control group: M = 8.00, SD = 6.01). Furthermore, satisfaction ratings for the TGT–Wordwall approach were exceptionally high (M = 4.73, SD = 0.16), indicating strong positive reception among participants.

Native speakerism ideology underlying English education policy in Thailand

Nareethip Nitsaisook, Denchai Prabjandee, Punwalai Kewara — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Language policy is known to embody language ideology. Previous studies have argued that language policy in Thailand is grounded in native speakerism, an ideology that positions native speakers as better role models than non-native speakers. Since native speakerism is a prevalent ideology, this research aims to investigate its origins in the discourse surrounding English education policy in Thailand, with a focus on the evolution of relevant policy discourse since 1898. A qualitative research method is employed in this study, which involves analyzing English educational policy discourses. An iterative framework was created to facilitate ongoing meaning-making and focused analysis. The findings indicated that native speakerism became ingrained in education policy after changes in the political system and persisted during the 1999 educational reform era. Today, the globalization era does not explicitly reflect native-speaker standards in policy, but it still appears in practice.

English language needs of elderly entrepreneurs in a rural organic rice seed community in northeastern Thailand

Kamonchanok Sanmuang, Atipat Boonmoh, Sirinna Khamtanet — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

In rural Thailand, many elderly community members continue to take part in small-scale entrepreneurship, especially in areas connected to local or organic products. This study explores the English language needs of elderly entrepreneurs from the Dow Lom Duan Organic Rice Seed Community Enterprise in Sakon Nakhon Province. The enterprise produces and sells chemical-free rice products such as organic brown rice, banana leaf sticky rice (Khao Tom Mad), crispy rice cakes (Khaotan), and puffed rice (Khao Pong). As the group seeks to expand its market and communicate with foreign customers, the role of English becomes more important. However, most members are older adults with limited formal education and little experience learning English. This study used structured interviews with 48 entrepreneurs to examine how they currently use English, the challenges they face, and the types of English they wish to learn. Findings show that participants mainly need English for product descriptions, greetings, price negotiation, and online posts. They prefer short phrases, visual support, and oral learning methods. The study highlights the importance of practical, task-based English lessons and gives suggestions for future training or materials that support elderly entrepreneurs in similar rural communities.

Learning needs in consecutive interpreting: Survey of English majors at a private Chinese university

Fu Yunyun, Marilyn Fernandez Deocampo — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines the learning needs of English major undergraduates in consecutive interpreting (CI) at a private Chinese university, with a particular focus on their perceived linguistic and cognitive challenges, learning motivations and attitudes toward computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) tools, aiming to inform curriculum design and pedagogical practice. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating a needs analysis questionnaire issued to 72 students. The findings reveal that students identify idiom translation and vocabulary expansion as the most significant linguistic difficulties; while listening comprehension and short-term memory (STM) emerge as their primary cognitive challenges. Investigation into student motivations demonstrates a hierarchical structure, with academic requirements as the primary driver, followed by career preparation and personal skill enhancement. Participants also demonstrated a strong enthusiasm for integrating CAI tools into their learning process. These results underscore the necessity of designing interpreter education curricula that simultaneously address cognitive and linguistic challenges while leveraging students’ strategic approach to technology. This study offers an empirical basis for refining the CI curriculum design and pedagogical practices.

English of Pattaya Ladies: Syntactic patterns and adaptive strategies in ELF communication

Kanokporn Pinitgun — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates the syntactic patterns of English utterances produced by Pattaya Ladies in Thailand, a group of speakers who regularly use English in their daily lives and workplaces where interaction with international interlocutors is constant. Rather than judging grammatical accuracy, the study focuses on understanding structural tendencies in naturally occurring spoken English within the framework of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Grounded in the World Englishes framework, this study interprets syntactic variation as a communicative strategy that reflects speakers’ adaptability and local identity in intercultural encounters. The data consist of 100 utterances collected as speech-to-text transcriptions of authentic spoken interaction from 15 Thai female participants in videos uploaded on the “Queen of Pattaya” YouTube channel. The data were analyzed through a qualitative descriptive approach supported by simple quantitative counts to examine each syntactic pattern's frequency and communicative functions. The utterances were categorized into three syntactic patterns: (1) Elliptical Patterns, where certain elements are omitted but meaning is retained; (2) Extended Patterns, where sentence structures expand or vary from canonical word order through added elements, omissions, or shifted sequences while still maintaining clarity and communicative meaning in real speech; and (3) Canonical Patterns, where utterances align with conventional English syntactic structures. Extended Patterns were the most frequent, followed by Canonical and Elliptical. The findings demonstrate that Pattaya Ladies employ syntactic flexibility to ensure communicative success in intercultural contexts. This study contributes to ELF-aware pedagogy by positioning syntactic variation as a communicative resource rather than a deviation from standard grammar.