English speaking represents one of the most challenging competencies for EFL learners, mainly due to the limited opportunities for authentic practice, especially within monolingual contexts like China. However, the ubiquitous personal mobile devices (smartphones) and the advent of AI-powered mobile apps equipped with automatic speech recognition, natural language processing, and text-to-speech present novel solutions to overcome these hurdles. This study investigates the effects of an AI-powered mobile application (Liulishuo) on Chinese undergraduate EFL students’ speaking performance, using features such as automatic feedback, process-oriented monitoring, and tailored instructions. Employing a quasi-experimental design, this 10-week study was conducted at a Chinese university with two groups of participants. The control group (n = 31) engaged with WeChat for after-class assignments, whereas the experimental group (n = 32) supplemented WeChat use with Liulishuo, diversifying their educational tools. Results indicated that participants in the experimental group significantly outperformed those in the control group regarding overall speaking performance. More specifically, notable improvements were observed in pronunciation and fluency, while vocabulary and grammar enhancements were not statistically significant. These findings underscore the capacity of AI-powered mobile apps to enhance EFL speaking performance, signaling novel pathways for the evolution of language education.

It is widely known that the English language has rapidly spread across the globe and is now used for a wide range of purposes. Its status as a national/foreign language has shifted to that of an international language. Despite this awareness, however, studies on perceptions of English as an international language (EIL) among EFL preservice teachers in the Indonesian context are not commonplace in the literature. Therefore, this study was aimed at elucidating the perceptions of the four aspects of EIL among EFL preservice teachers in higher education institutions in Indonesia. This quantitative study adopted a descriptive approach using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire with a total of 14 close-ended statements. Data collected from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings suggest that EIL is positively viewed by participants as a means of global communication to achieve a variety of purposes. They welcome and accept various varieties of English, demonstrating a strong multilingual/multicultural understanding through their ability to accept different pronunciation patterns and adapt their behavior and conversational styles when interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. They have a strong sense of ownership over their own English varieties. Finally, the study’s implications for the four aspects of EIL including the current status of English, English varieties, multicultural communication strategies, and the identity of English speakers are also discussed, along with limitations and recommendations for future research.

Since establishing the Silk Road initiatives, increasing numbers of Chinese students are going to Malaysia to pursue their postgraduate degrees. As the largest group of international students, numerous research studies have reported that Chinese international postgraduate students face language obstacles in English language communication during their overseas studies in English-medium instruction (EMI) campuses. This qualitative case study supplies in-depth insight into different adaptation strategies utilized by international Chinese postgraduate students to overcome challenges faced in academic communication practices. Qualitative data were collected from three sessions of semistructured in-depth interviews. Informants were six international Chinese mainland postgraduate students (i.e., three masters’ students, three Ph.D. students) from diverse disciplines. The interviews allowed the participants to share their own experiences of utilizing effective adaptation strategies to overcome challenges faced in academic English communication practices in their studies. Their adaptation strategies include enhancing their oral English language communication competence and academic achievement. Thus, this study contributes by providing suggestions to Malaysian higher education institutions seeking measures to improve international service quality.

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is an individual’s predisposition to communicate with a person or persons at a specific time. Over the past century, there has been a dramatic increase in WTC research. This study aims to offer an overview of the existing literature regarding WTC from 1900 to 2022 and provide a bibliometric and visual analysis of the research status as well as the development trend of this research field. A total of 428 journal articles were retrieved for the purpose of conducting bibliometric research. The data for this study were collected from the Web of Science (WOS). The results established the development status of the field of WTC, the annual scientific production and growth rate, the thematic evolution and trend topic, co-citation, and coupling between authors, sources, and countries. The bibliometric analysis showed that: (1) In the past decades, research in WTC has continued to soar and annual publications can be divided into three stages, which are an initial stage, a slow development stage, and a rapid expansion stage. It has been discussed to a wider extent mainly within the fields of education and linguistics; (2) of the 38 countries that the articles were exported from, the United States topped the list with the most publications, and Canada received the most citations. China has the most inter-country collaboration compared to other countries, which is at the center of international cooperation. China’s main cooperation countries were Iran, Japan, Canada, and Australia. The top author in the WTC field with the most production and impact is MacIntyre, PD, while System was the most popular journal. (3) By means of keyword analysis, “second language” was the most frequent keyword, followed by “model” and then “attitude”. Based on the results of the thematic evolution analysis, the research themes for 2021 to 2022 are “model”, “competence”, “Chinese”, “abroad”, “teachers”. The findings may be beneficial to L2 teachers and learners better to understand the role of WTC in language study. Researchers in this field might find the study useful for finding new research directions, relevant sources, and opportunities for collaboration.

The use of gamification and AR technology is found to have the capacity to enhance students’ interest. In this study, the researchers chose a class in a vocational college in China as a specific case that used the gamified AR mobile application, called XploreRAFE+. This study aimed to explore the use of XploreRAFE+ in the formation of learners’ interest in order to answer the research question: What is the process of interest formation among vocational college students in a gamified AR environment, and how does it sustain students’ motivation in learning English? The data for the study were collected via observations, interviews, and document analysis. The findings of the study indicated that in a gamified AR environment, vocational college students’ interest was triggered by piquing curiosity. This then led to optimal learning experiences, where eventually the students began to have positive perceptions of English lessons and were motivated to extend learning experience on their own. These three components of interest formation formed a dynamic loop where interest formation was developed in a cyclical process. It is proposed that a cyclical formation of interest developed through a gamified AR environment over time could sustain learners’ motivation.