Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Ai Chatbot As A Companion In Writing Travel Notes, Maria Sulimova, Daria Dornicheva

Russian Language Journal

This article explores the teaching potential of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the writing skills of Russian heritage language (HL) speakers and advanced Russian as a foreign language (L2) learners. It is based on a learning scenario that was developed for university Russian classes and implemented in 2024 in an upper-intermediate course with a heterogeneous group (B2-level HL and L2 learners) at a German university. We focused on improving writing competency and fostering awareness in text work using a genre-based approach, working in five steps of a genre cycle in the travel note genre. Students engaged with a …

Spotlight: Tako Lako, Diverse Russian, & Professional Russian, Margaret Godwin-Jones

Russian Language Journal

The Digital Resources Corner (DRC) offers reviews of new digital resources that could be beneficial in the teaching and/or learning of Slavic languages. It is intended for instructors looking for or evaluating different materials to use in the classroom.

Book Review: Golosa: A Basic Course In Russian (6th Ed), Michelle Verbitskaya, Siobhán Seigne

Russian Language Journal

The 6th edition of Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian refreshes and modernizes the classic textbook to better reflect recent technological and societal advances, as well as the diversity of the Russian-speaking world. Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian, Book One aims to bring students to the ACTFL intermediate-low level, equivalent to CEFR A2; Book Two builds directly on Book One, taking students to the intermediate-mid level on the ACTFL scale or CEFR B1. This review highlights the most significant changes between the fifth and sixth editions.

Book Review: Russian Through Film: For Intermediate To Advanced Students; Pro-Dvizhenie: Advanced Russian Through Film And Media , Lynne Debenedette

Russian Language Journal

Using films as primary texts in third- and fourth-year Russian language classes (where students are likely to be between ACTFL Intermediate Mid and Advanced Low) presents both advantages and challenges for instructors and students. The two publications reviewed here are therefore welcome resources for instructors who seek to incorporate film into their upper-level language classes.

Book Review: Pluricentric Languages And Language Education: Pedagogical Implications And Innovative Approaches To Language Teaching, Rachel Stauffer

Russian Language Journal

Pluricentric Languages and Language Education is an edited volume concerning language teaching in “major pluricentric languages that have a colonial and post-colonial history and are taught as second/foreign languages in second and higher education in Europe (and beyond)” (p. 2). The term pluricentric describes a language in variation outside of codified forms determined by a centralized language authority. Pluricentric Languages and Language Education invites Russian instructors to consider if the language in our textbooks and spoken in our classrooms is unflinchingly representative of Contemporary Standard Russian. If the answer is no, which forms of Russian do we teach and in …

Fostering Critical Ai Literacy In The Russian Language Classroom, Kit Pribble

Russian Language Journal

This paper argues for the integration of critical AI literacy into the Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) classroom, drawing on recent conversations within the emerging field of critical AI studies. It presents two intermediate-level activities that incorporate generative AI and include learning outcomes aimed at promoting critical AI literacy. These learning outcomes include can-do statements such as "I can identify and discuss stereotypes present in an AI-generated image of a Soviet communal apartment" and "I can evaluate an AI chatbot's Russian-language output for cultural authenticity following a roleplay dialogue." These outcomes encourage students to critically analyze AI-generated content in …

Davai: Designing A Custom Chatgpt Bot For Russian Language Learners, Irina Meier

Russian Language Journal

The article explores the development and application of DavAI, a ChatGPT-based bot designed for beginner and intermediate Russian language learners. It highlights the bot’s capacity to act as a powerful supplementary tool within Russian language education. DavAI features six virtual personalities that represent diverse geographical regions, cultures, dialects, and social backgrounds. The technical customization process of DavAI is detailed, emphasizing content integration and pedagogical strategies that enhance language acquisition. Practical steps for language instructors on developing custom AI chatbots are outlined, including defining the model’s scope and purpose, gathering and segmenting training data, and employing fine-tuning techniques such as Reinforcement …

Developing Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Conversational Chatbots Using Myai Builder, Danko Šipka

Russian Language Journal

The present paper reports on the development of Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Novice and Intermediate Chatbots at Arizona State University. The principal AI platform used for this course is MyAI Builder, an open AI development tool. In the initial phase of this project, from the summer of 2000 to the Fall of 2022, materials to be used as the input for the platform were gathered. Various lexical lists and other materials were gathered along with developing an interactive platform. Next, numerous materials were selected by student researchers supported by ASU Melikian Center Research Grants. This is of particular importance given that it is …

Ai-Powered Genre-Based Writing Assignments For Intermediate And Advanced Russian Learners, Natalia Petrova, Iuliia Rychkova

Russian Language Journal

The integration of AI into language education has been a subject of growing interest among researchers and educators, but the adoption of even basic AI tools in the classroom has been slow and cautious (Vogt & Flindt, 2023). Most available research on integrating AI tools to improve L2 writing proficiency focuses on services that provide automated written corrective feedback (e.g., Tran, 2024; Wiboolyasarin et al., 2024). In contrast, this report explores the possible implementation of AI tools as teacher-facing systems (Baker & Smith, 2019), that is, how language instructors can use ChatGPT and Gemini to lower their workload in class …

"In 50 Words Or Less": Using Ai To Modulate Target Proficiency Levels In The Russian As A Foreign Language Classroom, Alexander M. Groce

Russian Language Journal

This paper proposes to look at methods for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the upper-level Russian as a foreign language (RFL) classroom in activities where variable search terms are used to modulate target proficiency levels according to the ACTFL scale. Specifically, this paper relies upon a series of classroom-based activities that employed AI technology to parse the short stories of Anton Chekhov. While employing some simple methods governing AI search terms can help to create a usable database of sample texts at varying proficiency levels, problems of machine language inherent to emerging generative AI still need to be addressed and …

The Enactive Nature Of The Relationship Between Criticism And Aesthetics: From Practice To Theory To Pedagogy, Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau

Presidential Fellows Articles and Research

This article delves into the intricate relationship between criticism and aesthetics, emphasizing its enactive nature. It explores how this relationship informs pedagogy and has culminated in the creation of an innovative undergraduate aesthetics course centered around the practice of writing critiques. Moreover, it illustrates the dynamic process through which practice gives rise to theory, subsequently influencing pedagogical approaches, and, intriguingly, circling back to practice. To elucidate this flow of ideas across the realms of practice, theory, and pedagogy, we introduce several key concepts. These include the paradigm of creation research, also known as practice as research, which forms the foundation …

Is Chatgpt-Produced Text Authentic? A Contrastive Analysis Of Cohesive Markers In Human And Ai-Generated Text, Joseph Christopher Dt Briana

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly prominent in education and writing classrooms, this study compares AI-generated text from ChatGPT with human-generated text to evaluate the authenticity of AI-produced content in using cohesive markers such as linking adverbials (LAs). A corpus of online opinion columns from both sources was compiled to examine the use of LAs as cohesive markers. The analysis reveals variability in LA use in semantic and syntactic categories. Additionally, there are instances of LA overuse among human writers. Evidence suggests that AI prefers syntactically complex LA forms over those used by human writers. The findings provide developers with …

Attack On Titan Anime Memes: Possible Meanings And Interpretations By Young Adults., Yee-Lin Teo, Sze Seau Lee, Xin Jie Lim

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Memes have unpredictable and diverse interpretations because of their tendencies to be parodies, remixes, or mashups. This study aims to examine the possible meanings which memes may express and the interpretations of memes by young adults within the affinity space of Attack on Titan anime memes. The two-phase methodology involves analysing the memes using Shifman’s analytical dimensions of content, form, and stance, before conducting in-depth interviews with ten young adults who represent insiders and outsiders of the affinity space. The findings discuss how Attack on Titan memes normalise sexualisation, violence, and struggles such as suicidal intentions in young adults. The …

This Will Not Be Generative, Sehrish Naudhani

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

This Will Not Be Generative by Dixa Ramírez-D’Oleo critiques Western feminist narratives, revealing how concepts like generativity and symbiosis often disguise violence against Black and Indigenous communities. Through analysis of works by feminists such as Donna Haraway and references to films like Get Out and Midsommar, Ramírez-D’Oleo argues that Black and Indigenous lives are cyclically exploited to uphold white supremacy. Rather than depicting these communities as mere victims, she emphasizes their resilience and acts of resistance. This review underscores Ramírez-D’Oleo's call to rethink the narratives shaping our understanding of race, ecology, and feminism, making it a critical read for …

Penetrating The Academic Echo Chamber Through Podcasting, David A. Wilson Phd

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

The scope and breadth of the content of college courses is often limited to the students who attend them. This is particularly true regarding theoretical courses, such as those involving theories and practices related to bilingual education. A new podcast created by an instructor of such a course aims to expand the reach of the course content to other students, educators, and the general public, who may not have taken such courses. This opinion piece addresses how the podcast came into being, as well as its current and future goals.

Welcome Back: A New Beginning For The Intersections Journal, Mary F. Rice

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

In good faith, we are proud to publish this very short issue this month, containing this editorial explanation and with an invitation to submit articles, essays, artistic works, book reviews, and more. It would also be excellent for those who are interested in this project aimed at continuing to make space for critical social justice work to sign up to review and provide feedback and response to authors. The issue also has an excellent essay about language work and the revitalizing it through podcasting with Dr. David A. Wilson and a book review of This Will Not Be Generative by …

Closing The Literacy Gap: Correlation Of Chronic Illnesses On Reading Fluency, Nicolette Falvo

Education Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of chronic physical health issues on literacy fluency among students spanning Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. Chronic illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes, and sickle cell disease, can significantly hinder academic performance, particularly in literacy. This research seeks to explore how specific literacy interventions can improve reading fluency for students managing health-related challenges. Utilizing a single-subject design, the study will examine individual cases to determine the effectiveness of tailored literacy strategies. The methodology includes both a baseline assessment phase and an intervention phase. Baseline assessments revealed that students with chronic health conditions …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Navigating Ethical Reflections Through The Evolution Of Information Profession Dreams, Rahmi Rahmi, Rusdan Kamil

Proceedings from the Document Academy

This study presents a longitudinal analysis of the ethical reflections and evolving professional aspirations of students in the Information Profession course at Universitas Indonesia. Through reflective writing exercises, 192 students explored their future career goals and addressed ethical challenges related to professional documentation, focusing on issues such as privacy, integrity, and responsibility. Using corpus analysis tools like AntConc, the research tracked changes in ethical concerns as students progressed in their studies, revealing an increasing awareness of ethical complexities, particularly in roles like archivist and data analyst. These findings offer valuable insights for developing profession-specific ethical guidelines for information professionals.

Connecting Through Screens: A Case Study On Student Engagement In Online Esol Classes In The Post Pandemic Era, Meral Kacar

Master's Theses

The sudden shift to emergency online education during the global pandemic affected various academic fields, including English language teaching. While many schools faced challenges, some successfully implemented online educational programs. Despite the large impact of the global pandemic on education, there is limited research that examines the effectiveness of online ESOL programs with a focus on the key factors that contribute to student engagement. This thesis explores the factors contributing to effective online ESOL instruction, focusing on fostering engagement and improving teaching practices in the post-pandemic era. The study for this thesis employs an instrumental case study methodology, focusing on …

Improving Elementary Fluency Instruction Through Professional Learning And Development, Katherine Paulsen

Masters Projects

Research has proven that reading fluency is an important bridging process between word recognition and comprehension for early readers. However, many students in elementary classrooms across the United States struggle with the ability to read with sufficient accuracy, rate, and expression to make sense of the text they are reading. Additionally, many curricula, assessments, and professional development programs do not sufficiently incorporate reading fluency instruction, leaving teachers and students without adequate knowledge about and practice of reading fluency. This project explores history, theories, and research-based practices that support reading fluency development. It also explores research behind the importance of effective …

Integrating Corpus Linguistics In Vietnamese English Education: A Qualitative Inquiry Into Scholarly Perspectives And Practices, Thi Thuy Tran, Trut Thuy Pham, Thanh Thao Le

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: Our qualitative study investigated the integration of corpus linguistics in English education research among Vietnamese scholars, focusing on the experiences and perceptions across different career stages.

Methods: Employing semi-structured interviews, we engaged nine linguistics scholars, including novices as well as those at mid-career and near-end career stages, from two prominent Vietnamese institutions.

Results: Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: (1) challenges in incorporating corpus linguistics into teaching practices, (2) perceived benefits in enhancing language proficiency, and (3) the importance of institutional support for corpus linguistics research. The findings indicated that despite recognizing the pedagogical benefits of corpus linguistics, scholars …

Búsqueda De Babosas Marinas: Understanding Barriers Of Environmental Literacy And Climate Advocacy Within Southern California Spanish-Speakers, Cintya Felix, Ashley Lam, Lorena Muñoz, Micah Kim

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The Hispanic and Latino populations are the largest ethnic minority in California, and more than 10.4 million Californians consider Spanish their first language. However, English is the primary language in most educational and public spaces. This means Spanish-speaking communities have limited access to coastal ecosystems and learning opportunities about coastal areas impacted by climate change and extreme weather, which becomes a barrier to civic engagement, climate advocacy, and local decision-making. During the 2023 summer, we partnered with local climate advocacy organizations and held educational programs at two public beaches in southern California. The presentations in English and Spanish taught foundational …

Gender Differences: The Impact Of Gender Grouping On Egyptian Stem Undergraduates’ Online Group Work1, Wesam Khairy Morsi, Hala Medhat Assem Ms

English Language and Literature

This paper reports a study that compares teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) through face-to-face (FTF) and CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) methods, comparing them with the interdisciplinary perspectives of sociology, social psychology, and educational technology. Based on the sociocultural theory, the influence of gender grouping on the academic performance of 141 English as a foreign language (EFL) Egyptian undergraduates enrolled in a technical writing course in the Faculty of Engineering was examined in a CALL context. Students’ academic performance was measured by overall grades on group work assignments and submitted peer evaluation forms. Sixty six students were assigned …

Using “Compare Documents” To Facilitate Substantive Revision And Reflection, Ryan Mccarty

Journal of Response to Writing

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback On Efl University Students’ Writing Accuracy: A Complex Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective, Attila M. Wind

Journal of Response to Writing

The positive effects of dynamic written corrective feedback (DWCF) on linguistic accuracy are well-documented (Evans et al., 2010). However, studies on DWCF without exception have adopted a pretest-posttest research design; therefore, they were unable to explore the dynamics of development (Larsen-Freeman, 2006). In addition, all of the previous DWCF studies exclusively provided indirect feedback to students. Consequently, our knowledge is limited as to whether a modified version (providing direct feedback) of DWCF would be effective. To address this issue, in this study 24 university undergraduate students composed a total of 288 essays and received modified DWCF (direct feedback) on a …

Evaluation Of An Instructional Sequence To Promote The Emergence Of Convergent Intraverbals In Children With Autism, Jesika Woodard

Theses

Skinner (1957) defined intraverbal as a type of verbal behavior in which the

response form has no point-to-point correspondence with its verbal stimulus and is

followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement. Verbal behavior can be influenced

by multiple controlling variables, with convergent and divergent control being two

distinct types of this influence. In convergent intraverbals, multiple components of

antecedent verbal stimuli control a specific verbal response of the speaker. An example of

an intraverbal response under convergent control may be "banana" when asked, "What is

a fruit that is yellow?" De Souza et al. (2019) evaluated the effects of teaching …

Unraveling Arabic Learning Challenges: A Case Study At Soas, Jehad Faraj, Abdalkarim Zawawi

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Objective: This paper investigates the linguistic struggles of a learner of Arabic as a foreign language at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). It is intended to offer a thorough assessment of the linguistic challenges faced by the learner and to develop strategies to overcome them. Methodology: Through a variety of methods, including a deep analysis of a writing sample, a case-study questionnaire, a recorded interview, classroom observations, and a self-assessment form, the study pinpoints the learner’s weaknesses in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Results: The findings reveal that the learner has problems in the construct phrase idhafah …

Prioritizing Learners’ Cultural Assets And Multimodal Literacies During Preservice Teachers’ Community Literacy Experience, Janine Bixler, Rebecca Norman

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

As teacher educators, we believe it is critical for preservice teachers (PSTs) to recognize the many cultural assets that learners bring to today’s diverse classrooms and to use these assets in their instruction. It is key to the literacy success of all students, particularly children of low socioeconomic status, multilingual learners, children of color, and children who continue to have limited literacy success in school. Our teacher preparation program in childhood includes out-of-school community literacy experiences for teaching diverse Grade 1–6 learners because these hybrid spaces provide rich opportunities for our candidates to learn about and with children and their …

Editorial Review Board Vol. 63 Issue 2

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

Examining Complexity In Middle School Students’ Evaluation Of Books Introduced By Teachers, Lauren Capotosto

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

To promote independent reading in middle school, teachers must understand why adolescents choose to read or not read a specific book. Yet, there is limited research on the factors that students consider when evaluating books that teachers have introduced them to in class. This study aimed to describe factors that 43 Grade 7 and 8 students noted as important to their evaluation of 14 books that teachers introduced in class through brief read alouds and short videos. Furthermore, it explored complexity in evaluations of texts when students appreciated some but not all aspects of a book. After each book introduction, …