UICELE

Enhancing Self-Efficacy in Professional Communication: A Systematic Review of English for Occupational Purposes in EFL Contexts

2026-08-31T08:08:30+00:00

English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) is becoming increasingly important as the global workplace demands that employees perform complex communication tasks in English. However, many learners who possess adequate linguistic competence still experience difficulties in professional communication, indicating that psychological factors, particularly self-efficacy, may influence their performance. This systematic review synthesizes empirical research published between 2011 and 2025 to examine how EOP instruction contributes to the development of self-efficacy among learners in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. A PRISMA-guided systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A total of 21 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria, covering EOP, ESP, speaking self-efficacy, and workplace-oriented communication instruction. Data extraction, quality assessment using the JBI tool, and thematic synthesis were performed. Three major themes emerged: (1) authentic professional tasks create powerful mastery experiences that enhance self-efficacy; (2) there is a significant measurement gap due to the lack of validated EOP-specific self-efficacy instruments; and (3) pedagogical innovations such as project-based learning, e-portfolios, LMS-supported training, and structured feedback consistently strengthen learners’ self-confidence. Cultural influences and communication anxiety also shape self-efficacy. EOP should be conceptualized as a performance-oriented and psychologically informed learning model. Strengthening learners’ self-efficacy requires authentic task design, effective feedback systems, and improved measurement instruments. Future studies should adopt longitudinal, domain-specific, and technology-supported research designs.

Constructing Political Influence in Labor Day Speech: An SFL Analysis of Prabowo Subianto’s Political Discourse

2026-08-31T08:28:12+00:00

This study examines the construction of political influence in Prabowo Subianto’s Labor Day speech through the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the study analyzes the speech based on Halliday’s three metafunctions: ideational, interpersonal, and textual meanings, focusing on transitivity, mood, modality, thematic structure, and lexical patterns. The findings reveal that material processes dominate the speech, emphasizing action-oriented leadership through promises, policies, and commitments toward workers’ welfare. Relational and mental processes are also employed to construct solidarity, empathy, and moral positioning. Interpersonally, the speech is characterized by dominant declarative moods and high modality expressions, which project authority, certainty, and political commitment. The frequent use of inclusive pronouns such as ‘kita’ and ‘saudara-saudara’ reduces social distance and strengthens solidarity between the speaker and the audience. Textually, repetitive thematic structures and labor-centered lexical patterns reinforce nationalist ideology, collective struggle, and persuasive political messaging. Overall, the speech strategically constructs Prabowo Subianto as a protective, populist, and decisive leader who aligns himself with workers and ordinary citizens against social and economic injustice. Limitations and implications are suggested to provide insights for future researchers in conducting further studies on political discourse and SFL analysis.

The Effectiveness of Instagram-Based Hortatory Exposition Texts on Students’ Reading Comprehension

2026-08-31T08:31:17+00:00

This study investigated the effectiveness of Instagram-based hortatory exposition texts in improving the reading comprehension of eleventh-grade students at SMAN 7 Kediri in the academic year 2025/2026. The study focused on four indicators of reading comprehension: identifying main ideas, supporting details, inferences, and understanding vocabulary in context. This research employed a quantitative approach using a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design. The participants were 24 eleventh-grade students selected through random sampling. The instruments used in this study were reading comprehension tests and a questionnaire. The data were collected through administering the pre-test, post-test, and questionnaire, and then analyzed using a paired sample t-test. The findings showed that students’ reading comprehension improved significantly after the implementation of Instagram-based hortatory exposition texts. The mean score increased from 56.87 in the pre-test to 84.37 in the post-test, while the significance value was 0.000, which was lower than 0.05. In addition, the questionnaire results showed positive students’ behavior toward the use of Instagram in reading activities, particularly in identifying inferences. However, this study was limited to one class and focused only on reading comprehension. Therefore, future researchers are suggested to involve larger samples and different research designs to obtain broader findings.

Constructing Indonesian Culinary Heritage through Indomie Packaging: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis

2026-08-31T08:34:25+00:00

This study examines how Indonesian identity and everyday nationalism are constructed through the instant noodle packaging of Indomie local culinary variants. The study employs a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) method to examine the linguistic and visual components of six different Indomie variants. The focus of the analysis is on the usage of language, local names, food imagery, color schemes, traditional patterns, and depictions of traditional housing and local landmarks. The results indicate that Indomie packaging presents local culinary diversity within the framework of national identity through the term "Kuliner Indonesia" (Indonesian Cuisine) and transforms traditional food into simplified, recognizable, and easily consumable forms. The integration of cohesive linguistic and visual elements subtly and repeatedly mirrors national identity in the everyday consumption habits of people. This research illustrates that instant noodle packaging acts as an important medium for sustaining banal nationalism, where national identity is depicted as something familiar, natural, and taken for granted.

Empowering Interactive Tools Based on IoT for Teaching ESP

2026-08-31T08:39:24+00:00

During pandemic of Covid19, both teachers and students are stressful because they have to do all activities through online. The teachers must work harder to prepare digital teaching aids to make students interested and then comprehend the material. The research is to find out which digital tools may help both English teachers and students, especially at Politeknik Negeri Jakarta (PNJ). in learning technical English vocabularies. As students of polytechnics, in certain semesters students must learn ESP (English for Specific Purposes). In practice, they find some obstacles in memorizing technical vocabularies which are very important in order to read and understand manual books for laboratory and workshop. During pandemic, most time of study are at home, so it is not easy for teachers to teach them. The modern teaching tools are using digital tools. The research made a kind of software which could be used for practicing their vocabulary memory as well as teaching them grammar, so they will be more skillful and knowledgeable. This software was made by using the program of Microcontroller ESP32. The software contains some exercises on reading text and reading comprehension questions and presented with the multiple answers. is handy and flexible which was flexible because students could bring it anywhere and be studied anytime. In other words, they have flexibility to learn and practice technical English vocabularies. The tool consists of 3 (three) sections of exercises. At the end of each exercise, the students are evaluated automatically by looking at the scoring system. These will motivate them to get good score. The most important thing is that by using this tool the students can practice technical English vocabulary and grammar both in classroom or at home.

From Silent Thinkers to Active WRITERS: AI Chatbots in EFL Idea Expression

2026-08-31T08:44:17+00:00

The growing presence of artificial intelligence in education has opened new possibilities for supporting English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing, yet the specific role of AI chatbots in helping students express ideas remains underexplored. This study investigates how AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude support idea expression among EFL university students, addressing the phenomenon of “silent thinkers” who learners rich in ideas but unable to translate them into written form. Using a mixed-methods design, primarily qualitative and supported by quantitative data, 30 EFL university students completed a Google Form questionnaire comprising 19 Likert-scale items and 6 open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s framework. Findings, interpreted through Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, reveal that AI chatbots function as scaffolding tools that support brainstorming, idea generation, vocabulary access, and sentence construction, while also reducing writing anxiety and increasing confidence and engagement. Students nonetheless expressed concern about overdependence, plagiarism, and inaccurate AI output, and emphasized the necessity of teacher guidance. The study concludes that AI chatbots, used responsibly, can transform silent thinkers into active writers.

When TikTok Becomes the Therapist: Interpersonal Meaning in Relatable Content that Influences Viewers’ Emotions

2026-09-01T01:53:32+00:00

Studies on TikTok have mainly discussed emotional expression, audience engagement, and digital discourse separately, while limited research integrates Systemic Functional Linguistics’ interpersonal meaning to examine how relatable TikTok content influences viewers emotionally. This study aims to analyze how interpersonal meaning is constructed in relatable TikTok videos and how linguistic choices affect viewers’ emotions. This study employed a descriptive qualitative method using the Systemic Functional Linguistics framework, focusing on interpersonal metafunctions, namely mood, modality, and appraisal. The data consisted of ten relatable TikTok videos discussing themes such as relationships, overthinking, insecurity, healing, and self-worth. Data were collected through transcription of verbal and visual texts and analyzed using interpersonal meaning and Appraisal frameworks. The findings reveal that declarative mood is the most dominant linguistic feature, functioning to express personal experiences and emotional confessions that create emotional closeness with viewers. Modality, especially probability modality such as maybe and sometimes, is used to soften statements and increase empathy. In addition, appraisal resources, particularly affect and judgement, contribute to emotional validation, reassurance, and viewers’ sense of relatability. These findings indicate that relatable TikTok content functions as a form of emotional support or “digital therapist” by constructing empathy and emotional resonance through language. This study suggests that viewers should develop critical awareness toward emotionally persuasive digital content, while future researchers are encouraged to explore multimodal aspects such as visuals, music, and gestures in constructing interpersonal meaning on social media platforms.

Reconceptualizing Noticing: Exploring Metacognitive Awareness through Written Reflection in EFL Learning

2026-09-01T02:02:56+00:00

Noticing is commonly understood as learners’ awareness of language forms during the learning process. However, in natural classroom settings, noticing may extend beyond linguistic forms to include learners’ awareness of their own learning processes. Reflection, in this context, can function as a metacognitive strategy that supports such awareness. This study aims to explore how learner noticing emerges in written reflections and how it reflects both language awareness and metacognitive engagement. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, using data from five written reflections produced by pre-service teachers in an English Language Education program after completing classroom learning activities. The analysis was guided by theory-based noticing categories and reflection frameworks to examine how learners express their awareness linguistically. The findings reveal that learners’ noticing is predominantly directed toward their learning processes rather than specific language forms. Students frequently reported difficulties, challenges in understanding input, changes in their comprehension, and personal factors influencing their readiness to learn. These patterns indicate that written reflection encourages learners to engage in metacognitive noticing by making their learning processes more visible and structured. This study suggests that reflective writing in English not only enhances learners’ awareness of how they learn but also supports their ability to articulate learning experiences in a coherent and meaningful way. Thus, reflection serves as a valuable pedagogical tool to activate metacognitive strategies while maintaining relevance to the concept of noticing in language learning.

Grammatical and Lexical Challenges in Writing Descriptive Text: A Case Study of the Seventh-Grade Students at SMP Negeri 15 Denpasar

2026-09-01T02:05:49+00:00

Although several research has examined the challenges in writing descriptive text, still limited attention in grammatical and lexical challenges in writing descriptive text. To close this gap, this study aimed to analyze students’ challenges in writing descriptive text and identify factors influence those challenges. The data were collected from 35 seventh grade students at SMPN 15 Denpasar using content analysis and interviews. The data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis from Miles and Huberman (2014). The findings shown that grammatical challenges appeared are verb, pronoun, auxiliary, adjective, tenses, article, preposition, spelling and subject verb agreement, then the lexical challenges appeared are collocation, word meaning, word form and appropriate word use in context. Furthermore, the factors influenced students’ challenges come from internal factors included low self-confident, limited grammar knowledge, lexical knowledge, and poor in writing habits. Then external factors included lack of reading habits, limited writing practice, teaching method, learning materials, classroom environment, and time limitation. These findings provide valuable insights for English teachers in designing effective teaching strategies and assessment practice to improve students grammatical and lexical challenges in writing descriptive text. Thus, the study contributes to development of instructional design and assessment in English Language Teaching (ELT).

Intended Versus Demonstrated Language Assessment Literacy: A Mixed-Method Study of Indonesian Pre-Service English Teachers

2026-09-01T02:08:29+00:00

Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) is one of core competencies for English language teachers, although there is a gap between what pre-service teachers learn in assessment courses and their performances during teaching practicum period. This mixed-methods convergent parallel study investigated the effectiveness of the Language Assessment course at Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar by assessing the gap between planned learning objectives and implemented LAL. Participants were 36 final year pre-service teachers and 7 university supervisors. Data were obtained using an LAL Self-Report Questionnaire, an Observation Checklist completed by supervisors, and document analysis of course syllabi and 108 assessment artifacts (summative tests, formative quizzes, scoring rubrics). A one sample t-test was used to compare the mean demonstrated LAL to the benchmark planned outcome score of 4.2. Qualitative data was investigated using thematic analysis. A t-test found a statistically significant difference (M = 2.8, t(35) = -14.23, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 2.91) with just 8.3% of pre-service teachers meeting the required standard. Pre-service teachers over-estimated their competency (self-report M = 3.9 compared to observed M = 2.7). The qualitative results showed five themes: general flaws in rubric design (75%), lack of statistical analysis (88.9%), generic unactionable feedback (69.4%), over-reliance on selected-response formats (80.6%), and total absence of digital assessment tools (100%). The Language Assessment course is not meeting its objectives. There is a need for immediate reforms that focus on practice-based curriculum, training on metacognitive self-assessment and integration of digital tools.

Correlation Between AI-Assisted Grammar Development and EFL Learners' Writing Self-Efficacy: A Literature Review

2026-09-01T02:10:45+00:00

Grammar competence is a foundational element of writing quality in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, yet EFL learners face persistent grammatical challenges that undermine their performance and confidence. AI tools have demonstrated effectiveness in supporting grammar learning through personalized, adaptive, and interactive feedback. However, research has predominantly focused on measurable outcomes, leaving the psychological dimension of AI-assisted grammar learning — particularly its relationship with writing self-efficacy — underexplored. Writing self-efficacy, defined as one's belief in their capacity to produce written text successfully, has been linked to writing performance and is a central construct in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. This literature review examines research on AI-assisted grammar learning in EFL settings and its potential correlation with students' writing self-efficacy. Drawing on studies on grammatical competence, AI integration in language education, and self-efficacy in writing, this review identifies a significant gap: while AI tools improve grammar performance and engagement, their influence on self-efficacy beliefs remains insufficiently examined. This relationship is key to understanding AI's pedagogical impact across cognitive and affective dimensions of learning. This review suggests that EFL teachers should pair AI-based grammar tools with explicit feedback to strengthen learners' self-efficacy, while future studies should employ mixed-methods designs to measure this correlation empirically.

The Role of Pathway to English in Reducing Teacher Burnout in English Language Teaching

2026-09-01T02:13:28+00:00

Teacher burnout has become an important issue in English Language Teaching (ELT), particularly due to increasing instructional demands and workload. One factor that may help teachers manage these challenges is the availability of well-structured teaching materials. This study aims to explore the role of Pathway to English, published by Erlangga, in supporting English teachers’ instructional practices in ELT classrooms. This study employed a qualitative descriptive method using a questionnaire administered to English teachers who use Pathway to English Phase F in their teaching practice. The findings indicate that the textbook supports teachers by providing well-structured lesson organization, ready-to-use learning activities, contextually relevant materials, and integrated language exercises. These features help reduce instructional preparation time and facilitate classroom management while supporting the implementation of the Learning Outcomes (Capaian Pembelajaran/CP) of Phase F in the Merdeka Curriculum. Rather than directly demonstrating a reduction in teacher burnout, the findings suggest that Pathway to English serves as an instructional resource that helps lessen teachers’ workload and provides pedagogical support. Such support may contribute to more manageable teaching practices and may help address factors associated with teacher burnout. Further studies employing validated burnout measurement instruments are recommended to examine this relationship more directly.

Does Shared Language Always Mean Shared Understanding in EFL Intercultural Communication?

2026-09-01T02:51:23+00:00

This study aims to explore the interpretation of meaning in communication influenced by cultural backgrounds such as values, beliefs, identity, social norms, and communicative experiences of students learning English as a foreign language. And the influence of this background is a factor that can shape the development of understanding in intercultural interactions. Differences in cultural backgrounds can cause students to interpret the same message in different ways, resulting in misunderstandings even though the language used is the same. By using a systematic literature review with the PRISMA approach, and going through several stages such as identifying, selecting, evaluating, and analyzing relevant previous journal articles. Data were drawn from 20 journal articles published between 2020–2025 through Google Scholar, Scopus, and ERIC. This study shows that culture is the background that influences English-language communication, especially in the aspects of communication style, politeness, contextual meaning, and message interpretation. The findings indicate that good skills in communication are not enough to create effective intercultural communication because understanding cultural perspectives is also very important. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how culturally shaped interpretations influence meaning-making and misunderstanding in intercultural communication among EFL learners. Therefore, this study confirms that the use of a shared language does not necessarily guarantee shared understanding.

An Observational Analysis of Gamification Dynamics in Several Language Apps among EFL University Students

2026-09-01T02:54:16+00:00

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has become popular in recent years. Many language learning applications are turning to gamification as a core strategy to keep users engaged, but the question of whether these game-like features truly support language learning or simply keep learners clicking remains worth examining. This research investigates how gamification shapes learner motivation across several language applications, such as Cake, Duolingo, and Stimuler, with a particular focus on EFL university students and speaking skill development. Using a qualitative design, the researchers collected data through behavioural checklists and short post-observation interviews conducted with three students who frequently used the apps and were willing to participate in this research. The findings paint an interesting picture: Cake users were largely driven by external rewards such as points and notification reminders, while Duolingo users showed stronger intrinsic motivation despite having little freedom to navigate the app on their own terms. Stimuler, surprisingly, produced the most focused and self-directed learning behaviour even without any points or leaderboard system in place. Across all three applications, however, a shared limitation emerged: none of them sufficiently supported productive speaking output, which raises important questions about how well current MALL tools serve oral language development. These findings suggest that meaningful language learning through gamification depends less on how gamified the apps are, and more on how well they nurture learners' genuine curiosity and sense of autonomy.

Between Assistance and Dependence: Adolescent EFL Learners' AI Use in Informal Islamic Education

2026-09-02T07:20:10+00:00

This study examines how adolescent EFL learners in a low-exposure informal Islamic education context perceive and use AI tools for English language learning. Using a survey-based descriptive design, data were collected from 41 learners aged 11-17 at a Taman Pendidikan Qur'an (TPQ) in semi-urban West Java, Indonesia, via a bilingual questionnaire administered in April-May 2026. Findings show that Google Translate dominates AI tool use (90%), with ChatGPT adopted by 54% of respondents. Three recurring attitudinal tensions emerged: assistance versus dependence, curiosity versus caution, and informal use versus limited AI literacy. A supplementary comparison of ChatGPT users (n = 22) and non-users (n = 19) indicates that ChatGPT users report lower writing confidence (9% vs. 32%) yet higher cognitive off-loading awareness (59% vs. 47%). A near-unanimous demand for guided AI instruction (71%; zero disagreement) points to an unmet institutional need. These findings suggest that digital access to AI tools does not automatically produce critical AI literacy and that structured instructional scaffolding is needed in low-exposure EFL contexts.

Exploring Literary Interpretation through Extensive Reading: A Reader Response Perspective on Rosenblatt’s Transactional Theory

2026-09-02T07:22:27+00:00

This study aimed to analyse the implementation of extensive reading with a reader-response technique in developing students’ literary text interpretation skills in the context of English as a Foreign Language. If Extensive Reading more often discusses increasing fluency and reading motivation, there is still very limited discussion about Extensive Reading that focuses on reader responses with transactional theory in literary interpretation. Students construct personal interpretations using texts of their own choosing both classical and modern literary text. Data collection was conducted through observation, in-depth interviews and recording in the form of reflection journals (Book Response Form) and student projects. The data were analysed by theme analysis approaches to determine patterns of response, reading strategies and growth of students’ interpretation skills. The results of the study suggest that the adoption of extensive reading based on literary texts with a reader-response strategy is effective to boost students' interest in reading, motivate active involvement in learning, and create deeper interpretive abilities students not only understand the literal meaning, but are also able to discern latent meanings. However, this study also indicated that the limitations of vocabulary and the awareness of cultural context are still the key impediments in reading. This research concludes that the integration of extensive reading and reader-response approach is an effective strategy in improving the interpretation ability of literary texts of EFL students

Teaching Scientific Writing Through Multimodal Evidence: Changes in Students’ Use of Evidence and Written Reasoning in Environmental Literacy Contexts

2026-09-02T07:24:11+00:00

This study examined how multimodal evidence scaffolding supported undergraduate students’ scientific writing in an environmental literacy context. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a comparison group, the study involved 60 Biology Education undergraduates from two intact classes. The experimental group received explicit scaffolding for interpreting visual, spatial, numerical, and observational evidence, while the comparison group received regular scientific report writing instruction. Students’ scientific reports were assessed using an analytic rubric and coded for evidence use and written reasoning. ANCOVA results, controlling for pretest performance, showed higher adjusted posttest performance in the experimental group, particularly in written reasoning, F(1, 57) = 42.37, p < .001, partial η² = .43; multimodal interpretation, F(1, 57) = 31.28, p < .001, partial η² = .35; and evidence integration, F(1, 57) = 25.14, p < .001, partial η² = .31. Student-level analyses also showed higher adjusted posttest proportions of higher-level evidence use, F(1, 57) = 137.29, p < .001, partial η² = .71, and advanced written reasoning, F(1, 57) = 71.47, p < .001, partial η² = .56. Qualitative findings indicated that students increasingly connected maps, photographs, tables, field notes, and numerical data to scientific claims and causal explanations. The findings suggest that multimodal evidence can function as an epistemic scaffold when instruction explicitly supports students in transforming information into evidence and evidence into written reasoning.

Digital Storytelling and Critical Listening in EYL: Exploring the Impact of Let’s Read on Learners’ Engagement and Comprehension

2026-09-02T07:28:17+00:00

This study explores the impact of interactive digital storytelling on young learners’ engagement, critical listening, and listening comprehension in a community-based learning environment. Grounded in the framework of digital transformation in English language learning, the study integrates an interactive read-aloud approach using the Let’s Read platform. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed involving 15 learners aged 9–12 from a community reading center (Taman Bacaan Masyarakat). Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-listening tests, while qualitative data were obtained from engagement checklists, field notes, and interviews. The findings revealed a significant improvement in listening comprehension, supported by a high normalized gain and statistically significant pre- and post-test differences. Learners also demonstrated high levels of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement throughout the storytelling sessions. Furthermore, interactive teacher-guided questioning promoted emerging critical listening skills, including prediction, inference, evaluation, and personal reflection. The study demonstrates that combining digital storytelling with interactive read-aloud provides an effective and inclusive approach to enhancing English language learning, particularly in community-based and low-resource contexts, while contributing to community literacy development and innovative digital pedagogy.

Negotiating Professional Identity Through AI: A Meta Analysis of Teachers’ Emotional Geography

2026-09-02T07:31:43+00:00

The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education has significantly transformed teachers' professional practices and roles. While previous research has largely focused on technology adoption, AI literacy, and instructional effectiveness, limited attention has been given to how AI influences teachers' emotional experiences and professional identity. This meta-synthesis reviewed 42 empirical studies, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research published between 2020 and 2026, to examine the relationship between AI integration, emotional geography, and teachers' professional identity. Guided by the concept of emotional geography, the study explores how teachers experience and navigate emotional connections and tensions with students, colleagues, institutions, and AI technologies. Extending emotional geography to AI-mediated educational contexts, the analysis conceptualizes AI not merely as a technological tool but as a socio-technical actor that shapes teachers' emotional experiences, professional relationships, and perceptions of expertise. The findings indicate that AI integration generates both positive and negative emotional responses. On one hand, AI enhances teachers' confidence, creativity, instructional efficiency, and willingness to innovate. On the other hand, it raises concerns related to professional relevance, role ambiguity, technological dependence, and the changing nature of teacher expertise. The analysis further reveals that teachers actively reconstruct their professional identities by shifting from traditional knowledge transmitters to facilitators of learning, mentors of critical thinking, ethical guides, and human-centred educators within AI-supported learning environments. These identity negotiations are shaped by emotional interactions across multiple professional contexts. The study highlights the importance of addressing teachers' emotional needs and professional identity development to promote sustainable and meaningful AI integration in education.

Students’ Perception of Intercultural Communication Competence in Developing Speaking Skills

2026-09-02T07:33:30+00:00

This study investigates the students’ perception of intercultural communication competence in developing speaking skills through a qualitative research approach. The research aims to explore how students’ understanding of cultural diversity, communication norms, and intercultural awareness contribute to the improvement of their speaking performance in English. The participants of this study were second semester of university students enrolled in English learning classes that integrated intercultural communication activities into classroom practice. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and speaking performance documentation. The findings reveal that intercultural communication competence contributes to the development of students’ speaking skills, particularly in terms of fluency, accuracy and appropriateness. Students became more aware of cultural differences in communication styles, politeness strategies, and contextual language use, which helped them communicate more effectively and confidently in English. In addition, intercultural learning activities encouraged active participation, critical reflection, and greater motivation to practice speaking. The study concludes that integrating intercultural communication competence into English language learning can create meaningful communicative experiences and enhance students’ speaking abilities in both linguistic and sociocultural aspects. Therefore, intercultural-oriented instruction is recommended to support more contextual and communicative English learning practices in higher education.

The Development of English Adventure Board Game for Vocabulary Learning

2026-09-02T07:37:52+00:00

This study aimed to develop the English Adventure Board Game as an instructional medium for teaching English vocabulary to seventh-grade students at SMP Darul Falah. The study was motivated by students’ low vocabulary mastery and learning motivation resulting from conventional teaching methods. This research employed the Research and Development (R&D) method using the ADDIE model, which consists of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation stages. The participants were 31 seventh-grade students. Data were collected through observations, interviews, questionnaires, and validation sheets involving instrument, material, and media experts. The validation results indicated that the product was highly valid, with scores of 95% for instrument validation, 97.5% for material validation, and 100% for media validation, all categorized as “Very Valid.” During implementation, students demonstrated active participation and enthusiasm in vocabulary-learning activities. Furthermore, the student response questionnaire achieved a score of 91.3%, categorized as “Very Feasible,” indicating strong acceptance of the media. These findings suggest that the English Adventure Board Game is a valid and feasible instructional medium for vocabulary learning and can support the creation of an engaging, interactive, and student-centered learning environment.

Multimodal Construction of Emotional Meaning in Animated Storytelling: Language and Visual Representation in Inside Out

2026-09-02T07:42:13+00:00

Animated films are multimodal texts that construct meaning through the combination of language, visuals, movement, music, and sound effects. Among contemporary animated films, Inside Out (Pixar Animation Studios, 2015) yields a compelling representation of emotional responses by personifying Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust as characters that govern emotional experiences. This study examines how emotional meaning is constructed through the interaction of verbal and visual modes in Inside Out. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, the research adopts Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) as its conceptual framework to examine selected scenes from the film. The analysis focuses on dialogue, colour symbolism, character design, facial expressions, body movement, camera framing, and visual composition as linked semiotic resources. Data were collected from the film's screenplay and corresponding visual sequences to explore how linguistic and visual elements collaboratively communicate emotional experiences. The findings disclose that emotional meanings emerge through the combination of multiple semiotic resources rather than through spoken language alone. Visual elements such as colour palettes, gesture, gaze, and spatial arrangement reinforce the emotional value conveyed in dialogue, enabling audiences to discern complex psychological states more effectively. Furthermore, the film demonstrates how multimodal storytelling facilitates emotional involvement by combining verbal narration with symbolic visual representation. The study adds to multimodal discourse studies by showing how animated films function as sophisticated multimodal texts and point out the importance of multimodal literacy in understanding contemporary audiovisual communication.

From Digital Discourse to Language Learning: Investigating Indonesian-English Code-Mixing on Instagram Among Indonesian Youth

2026-09-02T07:35:24+00:00

Social media has become an integral part of communication among Indonesian youth, creating a digital environment where multiple languages are frequently used. One common phenomenon on Instagram is Indonesian-English code-mixing, which appears in posts and comment sections. While previous studies have mainly examined code-mixing from sociolinguistic and identity-related perspectives, its potential role in informal English language learning remains underexplored. This study investigates the types and functions of Indonesian-English code-mixing on Instagram and explores how such practices may facilitate English language exposure among Indonesian youth. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected from thirty Instagram posts and their corresponding comments from three youth-oriented media accounts: @herbyuss, @ussfeeds, and @volix.media. The data were analyzed using Muysken's (2000) typology of code-mixing. The findings indicate that insertion is the most pervasive type, though congruent lexicalization also appears frequently, particularly through Indonesian affixes attached to English roots. Mixing density varies by account register: lifestyle and youth-oriented accounts display dense, playful code-mixing, while the news-oriented account restricts English use mainly to proper nouns and technical terms. These patterns suggest that informal accounts expose users to more structurally integrated English, offering opportunities for incidental exposure in authentic interactions that support natural language learning.