Open Knowledge Hub

Dr Angel M. Y. Lin

Abstract

This chapter addresses translanguaging and trans-semiotizing as theoretical concepts and communicative practices and explores the different contextual influences of related scholarship. The ‘trans’ prefix has been increasingly used in discourse on globalization, and it refers to creativity and fluidity as much as to crossings. When applied to communication, the speakers/communicators constitute the focus, rather than languages. Different languages are not conceptualized to be discrete entities in themselves but are acknowledged to be social constructs and linguistic analytic descriptions. These social constructs and descriptions are commonly applied to the practices that people leverage from a larger linguistic and semiotic repertoire. In the chapter, the emergence of translanguaging and trans-semiotizing both as concepts and as specific terms to offer a dynamic process-oriented theorizing of communicative practices is discussed, and their evolution and take up according to particular goals and contexts is demonstrated. The term ‘translanguaging’ has strong links to pedagogy thus the chapter has a special focus on formal education, as well as on scholarship from different regions around the world.

• McKinney, C., Makoe, P., & Zavala, V. (2024). The Routledge Handbook of Multilingualism. Routledge. 

Research Details

Angel M. Y. Lin

Abstract

Upholding a critical, ethical, multilingual stance presents numerous challenges amidst a myriad of institutional, infrastructural, and societal pressures. Despite significant breakthroughs, such as translanguaging theories and pedagogies and the evolution of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) principles, the journey towards a more inclusive and equitable English language education remains fraught with difficulties. Monolingual English continues to dominate assessments and academic publishing, and critical scholarship often appears powerless. I discuss the need for critical research to be grounded in praxis and discuss the struggle of EMI researchers against entrenched and renewed coloniality within increasingly neoliberalized academic institutions. I explore these contradictions in an imaginary dialogue between multiple voices. I then propose a research initiative (‘PAA-STELE’) aimed at overcoming the dominance of monolingual English assessment. I conclude that through collective action and a steadfast commitment to critical-ethical principles, we may effect change, albeit slowly and incrementally, within the English language education field.

• Lin, A. M. Y. (2024). Can the Monkey King break through the ‘Jin-Gang-Quan’ (金剛圈)? Overcoming the multiple contradictions in EMI education. Language and Education, 38(1), 139–147. 

Research Details

Dr ZHANG, Yue Ellen

Abstract

When multilingual learners traverse across cross-border and study-abroad contexts, they enter different sociocultural spaces, negotiate conflicting identities, and may or may not invest in these identities. Addressing the lacuna, this longitudinal case study draws upon the model of investment to conduct a long-term, systematic investigation of the identities and investment of Miranda, a multilingual learner, and a pre-service teacher—as she studied, over seven years, as a university student (B.A.) in mainland China, a taught postgraduate student (M.Ed.) in Hong Kong, and a research student (M.Phil. and Ph.D.) in New Zealand. Findings reveal how Miranda negotiated, constructed, and performed multiple identities in shifting contexts and how the way her capital was valued shaped the way she positioned herself and was positioned by others. Attending to the fluidity and complexity of identities, this study provides educational authorities and teachers with implications for helping to chart the path for empowering students across contexts.

• Zhang, Y., & Huang, J. (2024). Learner Identity and Investment in EFL, EMI, and ESL contexts: A longitudinal case study of one Pre-Service teacher. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 1–14. 

Research Details

Dr. LIU, Yiqi, April

Abstract

Critical content and language-integrated learning (CLIL) has been advocated to attest raciolingusitic ideologies in plurilingual educational settings. However, little is known about how to help students in contesting inequalities about other structures of domination in bilingual education programs. This study aims to address this gap by examining the construction of gender identities in Secondary 4 (Grade 11) English-medium Liberal Studies lessons, which aimed to enhance awareness of gender equality and subject-specific English skills about the topic. The study shows that gender was constructed and reconstructed by conflicting multilingual and multimodal gendered discourses, including the formal curriculum, school lesson materials, and classroom interaction. The paper reveals that teachers and students jointly constructed masculinities of “real men,” “good men” and “gay men” in CLIL classrooms imbedded in curriculum contexts infused with gender dualism and alternative gender values began to emerge after the CLIL lessons. The results suggest that CLIL teachers can facilitate development of critical literacies about gender by enabling encounters of different voices in translanguaging and trans-registering spaces created by students’ familiar L1 everyday discourses and multimodal practices. Pedagogical implications were also discussed.

• Liu, Y. (2024). Translanguaging for Doing Gender in English-Medium Classrooms in Hong Kong: Towards Critical CLIL in Plurilingual Settings. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 1–17. 

Research Details

Dr. GU Mingyue, Michelle

Abstract

While there is growing recognition of the mutually shaping relationship between teaching with information technology (IT) and teachers’ beliefs, skills and self‐efficacy, there has been a paucity of research attention on the construction of teacher identity during actual IT‐assisted in‐class teaching and out‐of‐class networking with students, in a full institutional and social context. This study investigates how a group of secondary school English as a second language (ESL) teachers regulated their teaching and practices and constructed their identities in relation to governmental requirements for the use of IT in teaching. Teachers from seven government‐subsidised schools in Hong Kong were interviewed about their experiences of using IT in teaching. We frame the reported practices of these teachers as a process of construction of identity, formed in the context of the ‘governmentality’ supporting current examination‐oriented educational policy. Observing from the perspective of what has been termed ‘governmentality’ and an ethical framework for self‐formation of personal identity makes it possible to see these teachers’ professional identities constructed through the use of IT practices within the contradictory conditions of professional/personal demands, compliance/resistance, school promotion/peer non‐cooperation, advantage/disadvantage in use of IT, use of IT/content and pedagogical knowledge. This study has implications for developing a more supportive and rational environment for the use of IT in teaching, in which more autonomy and identity options—rather than constraints—can be provided for teachers in the digital era. This study also informs practitioners and policy makers in other educational settings experiencing a similar IT boom in teaching.

• Gu, M. & Lai, C. (2019). An ethical analysis of how ESL teachers construct their professional identities through the use of information technology in teaching. British Educational Research Journal, 45 (5), 918-937.

Research Details

Dr. WONG Ming Har, Ruth

Abstract

What will happen if students cannot go to school and can rely on online learning? This study aimed to examine whether students’ basic learning needs could be met when teaching and learning can only be conducted through online mode. According to Ormrod (2011), the four basic learning needs are arousal, autonomy, relatedness and competence, which were used as the theoretical framework for this study. Mixed methods were used to evaluate whether basic learning needs were met. A total of 118 school students were recruited to a validated questionnaire and 36 of them joined an individual in-depth interview. Results showed that the basic learning needs of autonomy and competence were met through online learning but not the need of relatedness. Autonomy was found to have direct relationship with competence but not relatedness nor there was any relationship between arousal and other learning needs. It was so found that positive and adequate negative arousal could serve as a catalyst to facilitate effective online learning.

• Wong, R. (2023). When no one can go to school: does online learning meet students’ basic learning needs? Interactive Learning Environments, 31(1), 434–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1789672

Research Details

Dr. ZOU Di

Abstract

This project investigated how Wikipedia can be integrated into flipped learning in higher education through the project-based learning approach. It proposed a flipped learning model where Wikipedia was involved in creating a collaborative learning environment. Two groups of students participated in the research and were asked to complete group projects of creating Wikipedia entries, one of which learned in the flipped classroom, the other in the conventional classroom. An online collaborative learning platform, GMoodle, was developed to provide an interactive learning environment for the participants’ learning with Wikipedia. The results showed that learning with Wikipedia in the flipped classroom was more effective than learning with Wikipedia in the conventional classroom. The participants in the flipped group created more versions of Wikipedia entries. The flipped learning environment provided the students with more in-class collaboration and interaction opportunities, leading to more time and space for active learning.

• Zou, D., Xie, H., Wang, F., & Kwan, R. (2020). Flipped learning with Wikipedia in higher education Studies in Higher Education.

Research Details

Dr ARTEM ZADOROZHNVY

Abstract

Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) is associated with willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). Although affective mediators (e.g. enjoyment and anxiety) have been found to influence the relationship between IDLE and L2 WTC, it is unclear whether cognitive factors influence IDLE’s effects on L2 WTC. This study aims to fill this gap by determining whether self-efficacy beliefs mediate the relationship between IDLE and L2 WTC among 246 Kazakhstani university EFL students. In contrast to previous research in other Asian contexts, our structural equation modelling results revealed that IDLE was not directly related to L2 WTC. Instead, self-efficacy beliefs acted as a full mediator between IDLE constructs and L2 WTC. These findings suggest that EFL students who participate in IDLE activities more frequently have a stronger belief in their own ability to perform various tasks in English, which leads to a greater willingness to communicate. This is the first research of its kind in Kazakhstani EFL context. This is also the first study to show that IDLE and L2 WTC are linked via a cognitive factor. Our research offers a context-specific pedagogical IDLE model to teachers and teacher educators in Kazakhstan and other similar EFL contexts.

• Zadorozhnyy, A., & Lee, J. S. (2023). Informal Digital Learning of English and willingness to communicate in a second language: self-efficacy beliefs as a mediator. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2023.2215279

Research Details

Dr. John ROGERS

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of experimental and quasi-experimental research designs in the context of applied linguistics research. We begin by discussing key concepts, such as validity and reliability, before outlining steps and challenges when planning an experiment. Following this, descriptions of frequently used design types are provided, including pretest-posttest, latin-square, repeated measures, factorial, and time-series designs. Recent examples are used to illustrate the advantages and limitations of each approach. We further accentuate key features of each example study, with particular emphasis on how these features help control for threats to the internal and external validity of the findings. We end the chapter by summarising factors researchers should take into account when selecting and designing applied linguistics experiments. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334250281_Experimental_and_quasi-experimental_designs

• Rogers, J., & Révész, A. (2020). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs.In J. McKinley & H. Rose (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Applied Linguistics (pp. 133-144). New York: Routledge.

Research Details

Qinghua Chen & Angel M. Y. Lin

Abstract

When ‘decoloniality’ and ‘decolonizing’ have become words frequently used in conferences and journal publications in our field of Applied Linguistics/Language and Education, as well as on many academics’ lips, we start to worry about how they too can be easily co-opted as buzz words emptied of their critical meaning and actional potential and become appropriated as discourses with symbolic capital to add to one’s portfolio for academic promotion. What Kubota (2016) has cautioned about translanguaging can be equally true of the scholarship on decoloniality: … its knowledge is becoming another canon – a canon which is integrated into a neoliberal capitalist academic culture of incessant knowledge production and competition for economic and symbolic capital (p. 475). In this paper, we write about the pains, memories, fears, hopes and desires associated with experiencing colonizing acts across different timescales: in one’s everyday life (e.g. micro aggressions in social interactions), in how one’s own sense of self and the world (subjectivity) is shaped and reshaped (e.g. through academic socialization), and in embarking on what can be done to change the various social structures of (both colonial and other kinds of) domination and subordination. The journey is never purely academic or intellectual as it is always embodied, evoking painful memories, fears and discomfort. And from this journey of sorting out what has happened to us (and many people like us) who have been subjected to the exercising of colonial power mediated through many diverse agents, across many shorter-timescales happenings as well as longer-timescales events and processes (Lemke, 2000, 2008), we aim at finding a pathway ahead that is over and beyond just research publications and presentations. No doubt, research publications and presentations are important as a starting point, but they must lead to some further actions for them to be truly decolonizing (and not just ‘knowledge about decolonizing’). Then we’ll propose a tentative thinking and planning tool to work with teachers, students, administrators, policy makers and most importantly ourselves, to grasp what it means/what it takes, and simultaneously begin to work, to ‘decolonize’ ourselves, our curriculum, our pedagogy, our scholarship and then gradually our field of Language Studies and Education.

• Chen, Q., & Lin, A. M. Y. (2023). Social structures, everyday interactions, and subjectivity—where (and how) does decolonizing begin?—Attending to desires, fears, and pains. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 20(2), 105–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2023.2219059

Research Details

Liubov Darzhinova & Zoe Pei-sui Luk

Abstract

The study tested how the Recency Preference and Predicate Proximity model (Gibson et al. in Cognition 59(1):23–59, 1996, https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277(88)90004-2) plays out by examining the attachment preferences of native Russian speakers when processing locally ambiguous participial relative clause sentences with three potential NP attachment sites in Russian. Using a self-paced reading task, reading times and noun phrase selection responses were collected. Results showed significantly shorter reading times at the disambiguating region and higher accuracy rate of selection in the high-attaching condition than in the middle- and low-attaching conditions. No significant differences were found between the middle- and low-attaching conditions. We argue that Predicate Proximity is a much stronger factor than Recency Preference in Russian.

• Darzhinova, L., Luk, Z.Ps. Processing and Comprehension of Locally Ambiguous Participial Relative Clause Sentences in Russian. J Psycholinguist Res 53, 15 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-024-10041-4

Research Details

Shuting ZHANG, Chun LAI

Abstract

Previous research on foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) has reported inconsistent findings. One significant reason is that these studies mainly adopted a data-driven approach and lacked a strong theoretical basis. This study thus examined the factors underlying FLCA with worry-emotionality theorization of anxiety (Liebert, Robert M. & Larry W. Morris. 1967. Cognitive and emotional components of test anxiety: A distinction and some initial data. Psychological Reports 20. 975-978). A preliminary survey was conducted to validate the original FLCAS with 603 English majors from two Chinese universities, and 20 of them were invited for individual interviews to better understand the factors contributing to their FLCA. Based on these, a questionnaire was constructed through adapting the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and used in a main survey among 557 Chinese university English majors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to analyse the survey data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. In addition to three factors reported in the FLCA factor validation literature, communication apprehension, self-confidence in speaking English and fear of negative evaluation, this study identified peer pressure as a new factor. The findings reveal the multidimensional nature of FLCA and support the worry-emotionality theorization of anxiety. Implications for the conceptualization of FLCA are discussed. Copyright © 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

• Zhang, Shuting and Lai, Chun."Investigation of factors underlying foreign language classroom anxiety in Chinese university English majors" Applied Linguistics Review, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2021-0062

Research Details 

Alfred Lo 

Abstract

The pedagogical approach—Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)—has been widely adopted around the globe with its dual aims of developing students’ second language (L2) proficiency and mastering content knowledge simultaneously. However, its effectiveness remains inconsistent. This inconsistency has led researchers to call for an investigation into the perspectives of CLIL students to understand the factors behind the success and failure of CLIL implementation. To address this gap, this study explores CLIL students’ perspectives through the lens of self-regulation and examines the relationships between CLIL students’ self-regulation levels, linguistic challenges, and learning outcomes. Involving 167 junior secondary students from three schools in Hong Kong that adopted different CLIL models in Hong Kong, the study revealed moderate self-regulation levels and varying linguistic challenges among CLIL students, with listening being identified as the most difficult skill. A significant, moderately positive correlation was found between self-regulation levels and perceived linguistic challenges. Multiple regression analysis also found that motivation was a key predictor of both L2 proficiency and content subject achievement, while other self-regulation constructs (self-preparation, self-monitoring, and self-reflection) showed non-significant predictive values. Pedagogical implications are provided to develop students’ self-regulation skills and address perceived linguistic challenges, ultimately enhancing the learning experience and outcomes for CLIL students of diverse abilities.

• Lo, A. W. T. (2024). Unlocking CLIL success: exploring the interplay between students’ self-regulation levels, linguistic challenges and learning outcomes in Hong Kong secondary education. Language and Education, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2024.2314135

Research Details

Dr MAK, Wing Wah Pauline

Abstract

Portfolio assessment, as an alternative writing assessment approach, has received growing attention in the past few decades. Although the benefits of portfolio assessment are well validated, there is a dearth of empirical research on how portfolio assessment can be sustained over time and the support teachers need to sustain portfolio assessment practice in their teaching contexts. To fill this significant void, the present study examines the influences that contribute to the sustainability of portfolio assessment in second-language writing. Drawing on data from interviews with the principal, English department chair and four English teachers from one elementary school in Hong Kong, as well as classroom observation and teachers’ team meeting observation, the study revealed that administrators’ role in dispersing decision-making authority to teachers, exploiting learning opportunities and providing a stimulating environment for teachers, and the sharing of common vision and goals, as well as collective flows of learning among team members, are the cornerstone of transformation and sustainability for the practice of portfolio assessment. The paper concludes with practical implications on how the innovative attempts in portfolio assessment can be sustained over time.

• Mak, P., & Wong, K. M. (2024). Realizing the Sustainability of Portfolio Assessment in Second-Language Writing. RELC Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882241235955

Research Details

WONG, Ka Ho Denis

Teaching Methods

Dr. Denis Wong, an expert in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), has introduced Google Slide as an innovative e-learning tool in his lessons for aspiring English teachers. This powerful resource not only promotes collaboration and digital literacy among students but also fosters a seamless exchange of ideas through script discussions and presentations.

By incorporating Google Slide into his teaching methodology, Dr. Wong aims to enhance lesson engagement by providing an interactive platform where students can work together, share their thoughts, and develop their language skills. This approach allows for the creation of diverse teaching activities, such as group projects, peer evaluations, and multimedia presentations, which cater to various learning styles and preferences.

In conclusion, Dr. Denis Wong's integration of Google Slide into his English teaching lessons has proven to be a valuable asset in creating a dynamic, engaging, and effective learning environment for aspiring English teachers. By leveraging the power of technology, educators like Dr. Wong can continue to enhance the teaching and learning experience, ultimately leading to the development of more confident and skilled English language teachers.

 Details

Dr TAYLOR, Timothy William

Teaching Methods

Dr. Taylor-led ELE Department projects focus on harnessing technology and interest to sustain students' motivation and engagement in English language learning. These projects aim to integrate innovative teaching approaches and students' personal interests to boost their confidence and competence in English learning. Project resources and a wide range of teacher experience-sharing content are gathered at the teacher-driven professional development hub: eTEACHERS.online. This platform provides an interactive, collaborative, and communicative space for teachers to share teaching strategies, resources, and best practices, ultimately enhancing the quality of instruction.

To access the site, follow the QR code here or visit: http://www.eteachers.online. On this website, you will find various teaching resources, including instructional videos, lesson plans, workshop materials, and more, to support teachers in innovating and experimenting with new approaches in their daily teaching. The platform encourages teachers to continuously learn and grow, providing a more engaging and effective English learning experience for students.

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