English Language Teaching, Issue: Vol.19, No.10

English Teacher’s Transformational Leadership and the Students’ English Self-efficacy: The Contextual Fitness

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 02:00:54 +0000

This study empirically investigated whether students’ satisfaction with and perceptions of credibility toward English teachers are higher when the contextual fitness of English teachers’ transformational leadership is high. The key contextual variable examined in this study was students’ English self-efficacy. In this research, the relationships of the students’ satisfaction and credibility with students’ intrinsic motivation to learn English were also investigated. A questionnaire survey was administered to first- and second-year high school students across seven districts in Daegu city, Korea. A total of 192 valid responses were collected. Cluster analysis was employed to examine the degree of fit between the levels of students’ English self-efficacy and the forms of English teachers’ transformational leadership. The results indicated that under the high levels of students’ English self-efficacy, students’ satisfaction with and credibility toward English teachers were also high when all dimensions of transformational leadership (i.e., individualized consideration, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation) were strongly enacted as well as intellectual stimulation was emphasized more than the other dimensions. In contrast, when the degrees of students’ English self-efficacy were low, students’ satisfaction with and perceptions of teacher credibility were relatively high when individualized consideration, idealized influence, and inspirational motivation were emphasized more strongly than intellectual stimulation. The positive associations of the students’ satisfaction and credibility with students’ intrinsic motivation to learn English were also empirically confirmed. Finally, in the conclusion section of this paper, various implications for educational leadership and English learning were concretely summarized and proposed.

Constructing China’s Major Power Image in United Nations Discourse: A Corpus-Based Critical Discourse Analysis

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 01:59:21 +0000

Drawing upon Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and integrating corpus-based approaches, this study constructs a corpus consisting of English diplomatic speeches delivered by representatives of China to the United Nations between 2012 and 2025. Through frequency analysis, keyword analysis, and lexical bundle analysis, the study investigates the linguistic features, discursive strategies, and socio-political motivations underlying the construction of China’s major-power image within the UN discourse framework.

The findings indicate that at the textual level, high-frequency lexical choices and recurring discourse patterns reveal three dominant themes: global development and cooperation, international peace and security, and multilateral governance. At the discourse practice level, China legitimizes its international identity through institutional authority, intertextual references to UN norms, and audience-oriented communication strategies. At the level of social practice, the construction of China’s major-power image is closely associated with China’s foreign policy principles, development strategies, and cultural values.

This study contributes to research on national image construction by extending CDA-based analyses beyond external representations and demonstrating how an emerging power constructs its international identity through institutional diplomatic discourse. It also highlights the value of combining corpus linguistics with critical discourse analysis in examining the relationship between language, power, and global governance.

Saudi EFL Students’ Conceptualizations of World Englishes in Social Media Contexts

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 01:57:29 +0000

The widespread influence of English worldwide has given rise to a multitude of non-native varieties, collectively known as "World Englishes." These varieties reflect unique linguistic traits shaped by cultural, social and historical contexts in different regions. To develop, adopt and enhance educational and academic guidelines and policies that are inclusive and effective, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of English as a Foreign Language Learners’ (EFL) conceptualization of these different forms of English. This research explores how Saudi EFL students conceptualize World Englishes and native-speaker norms, and how these conceptualizations are shaped through engagement with English varieties on social media. The objective of the research was to contribute to the development of a more inclusive approach to English language education in Saudi Arabia, including the use of social media and the recognition of the significance of linguistic diversity in an increasingly globalized environment. The study was conducted with a sociolinguistics class at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia. A qualitative research methodology was used. To gather the data, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data to obtain insights that could be used to inform educators and policymakers on best practices for addressing World Englishes. The study's findings indicate that social media significantly influences World Englishes. Additionally, EFL students value communicative competence, demonstrate awareness and openness toward various World Englishes, and place high importance on their own English variety.

Exploring Comprehensible Input in Early English Education: A Krash-en-Based Perspective on Second Language Acquisition

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 01:55:09 +0000

As early English education philosophies gain increasing attention among the younger generation of parents, a wealth of concepts, resources, and teaching methods for preschool English learning have emerged on online platforms. Many parents strive to seize the so‑called "critical window for language development" between ages 3 and 6, providing their children with large amounts of input through activities such as "immersive listening," "graded reader exposure," and "watching animated content." However, such indiscriminate accumulation of input often proves ineffective, and the underlying reason lies in the neglect of the "comprehensibility" principle in the language input process. Drawing on the theory of "comprehensible input" within Krashen's Input Hypothesis model of second language acquisition (University of Southern California), this paper explores how to effectively implement this principle in early childhood English education, with the aim of providing a reference for scientifically grounded teaching practices by diagnosing the causes of ineffective input and proposing concrete implementation strategies.

Analyzing Spelling Errors in Medical Students’ English Writing: A Learner Corpus Approach

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:42:17 +0000

Spelling accuracy remains a cornerstone of academic writing, particularly for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) studying in English-medium instruction (EMI) contexts. In this study we use a learner corpus approach to examine the types and sources of spelling errors in Saudi medical students’ English writing. We extracted 5095 spelling errors from a local learner corpus compiled from students’ written responses collected during two in-class exams written without access to any reference materials. We subsequently classified these errors into 10 distinct categories according to an adapted spelling error taxonomy to which we added a lexical error category. The most frequent errors were omission errors, followed by multiple errors, substitution errors and transposition errors. The analysis shows that most source-classified errors originate from intralingual sources such as overgeneralization and phonetic spelling, whereas interlingual errors were infrequent. These findings highlight recurrent difficulties in the application of English spelling conventions and word-form patterns. The spelling error taxonomy used in this study offers an organized approach for analyzing spelling difficulties in learner writing under exam conditions and can guide the development of more targeted spelling instruction and corrective feedback. These implications are particularly relevant to medical EFL learners studying in an EMI context, where accurate written English is important for academic communication.

Exploring AI Integration in South Korean K-12 Education: Teachers’ Practices, Motivations, and Ethical Considerations

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:21:20 +0000

Despite growing interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted language learning, little is known about how K–12 teachers in South Korea navigate this integration. This qualitative case study explores how K–12 English teachers in South Korea are integrating AI into their educational practices, aiming to understand their experiences with innovative teaching approaches, as well as the challenges and ethical concerns they encounter. Data were collected from seven AI-engaged English teachers across elementary, middle, and high schools through teaching logs, learning artifacts, and focus group interviews. The findings reveal that AI reduced time spent on administrative tasks, freeing time for lesson planning. Also, teachers reported increased learner agency among students, more diversified learning modalities, and lowered participation barriers in learning activities. However, most teachers were unaware of the ethical considerations of AI and current AI guidelines were unsupportive. This study provides firsthand qualitative evidence of how K–12 English teachers in South Korea integrate AI into their everyday practice, while revealing a critical gap between official policy dissemination and teachers' actual awareness of guidelines for effective and responsible AI use.