Journal of Linguistics and Education Research

Theater Performances in a (German) Literature Class: Effective Language Learning through Medieval and Early Modern Plays

2026-03-30T12:04:49+08:00

Language and literature teachers know very well that theatrical performances can successfully contribute to the students’ learning experience. Plays have always offered the opportunity to demonstrate one’s language skills in a quasi-public space and in a practical manner. This paper suggests using pre-modern plays for contemporary purposes, which also allows us to build meaningful and enjoyable bridges to the past as a valuable dialogue partner for us today, as the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm nicely illustrate. Most of the plays by tenth-century Hrotsvit of Gandersheim have proven to be highly effective in this regard, and this even on contemporary stages. They contain many voices, they are crisp in their structure and development of dramatic roles and shine forth through their ability to evoke diverse interests. Similarly, some plays by Hans Sachs can also be employed for pedagogical and linguistic purposes. Both the early medieval plays and those by Sachs can certainly be identified as entertaining and meaningful in their own terms. Teaching and practicing these texts can serve well for a German language and literature class because they invite students to study pre-modern texts as viable and expressive literary mediums for us today as well. The conclusions of this paper promise to apply to many other language and literature classes because the practical performance by students gets them personally engaged and offers good pedagogical tools to grasp more easily a foreign or a historical text in its timeless relevance.

Language Features in Educational Research Article Closings: International Q1 Journals vs. Turkish Local Non-Q-Rated Journals

2025-12-22T16:48:24+08:00

Scientific writing involves multiple dimensions, including epistemic, methodological, theoretical, and textual. Focusing on the last of these, this study examines selected linguistic features related to stance, authorial presence, voice and agency, framing expressions, and conditional structures in the closing sections of educational research articles (RAs) in internationally indexed Q1-rated journals and locally indexed non-Q-rated Turkish journals. It seeks to identify recurrent rhetorical tendencies across these publication contexts and offer linguistically grounded insights to support authors’ strategic choices when navigating different publication environments. The corpus comprised 60 empirical RAs: 30 RAs from SSCI/Scopus-indexed Q1 journals and 30 RAs from locally indexed Turkish journals. The two corpora were compared statistically using a log-likelihood test. Results indicated that international authors employed hedges, obligation modals, boosters, and subjunctive structures more frequently and with greater lexical variety, reflecting nuanced rhetorical positioning, while personal pronouns and active voice were more prevalent, signaling stronger authorial presence and agency; however, Turkish authors relied more on impersonal constructions and passive voice. Both groups used conventionalized expressions to frame recommendations, though international authors demonstrated slightly broader lexical and structural variation. These patterns highlight systematic differences in how stance and agency are realized across publication contexts. Making these patterns explicit through instruction may help authors develop greater rhetorical awareness and flexibility when engaging with the expectations of high-visibility journals, which are often shaped by recurrent editorial, review, and publication practices rather than fixed or universal norms. This, in turn, may support more informed and strategic positioning across different publication venues.

Critical Thinking in French as a Foreign Language: A Mixed-Methods Study in a Mexican University Context

2026-02-05T16:04:25+08:00

This study examines the impact of a French as a Foreign Language (FFL/FLE) pedagogical intervention centered on transgender inclusion and gender diversity on the development of critical thinking, social empathy, and argumentative competence among university students in Mexico. Grounded in an intercultural and socially engaged approach to language education, the intervention integrates ethically complex and socially relevant content into communicative tasks, structured debates, and reflective writing activities. Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the research combines qualitative data (semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and reflective essays) with quantitative measures (pre-test/post-test critical thinking scores, empathy scales, and inclusive attitude indices). Results reveal statistically significant improvements in analytical reasoning, argumentative coherence, discourse organization, and perspective-taking abilities, alongside measurable growth in empathy and inclusive attitudes toward gender diversity. Qualitative findings further indicate enhanced metacognitive awareness and greater confidence in addressing controversial topics through structured dialogue. The study argues that foreign language instruction, when connected to contemporary social issues, functions not only as a site for linguistic development but also as a platform for cognitive maturation, ethical deliberation, and civic formation. The classroom emerges as a structured space for democratic dialogue, critical reflection, and intercultural negotiation. The article concludes by discussing pedagogical implications, methodological limitations, and avenues for future research in inclusive and transformative language education.

Book Review Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Integrating Technology in the Classroom — A Book Review

2025-12-07T01:56:43+08:00

This book review examines Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Integrating Technology in the Classroom, edited by Tariq Elyas, Connie Mitchell, and Ali H. Al-Hoorie. Published by Springer, the volume brings together nine chapters and an afterword that explore how technology is reshaping English language teaching and learning in Saudi Arabia. Drawing on empirical studies and reviews, the chapters address key themes such as learner corpora, data-driven learning, digital and classroom technologies, multimedia use, and artificial intelligence-supported language learning. The review summarizes the book’s structure and main contributions, highlighting its relevance to applied linguistics, English language teaching, and Saudi Vision 2030. It also evaluates the book’s strengths, including its methodological diversity, practical classroom relevance, and strong connection between theory and practice, while noting limitations such as limited student perspectives and small research samples in some chapters. Overall, the book is presented as a timely and valuable contribution to technology-enhanced language learning, offering important insights for educators and researchers interested in the Saudi EFL context.