The 2024-2035 Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education calls for accelerating the development of a high-quality education system, and establishing an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. In line with the goal of building a leading country in education, the discipline of foreign languages and literatures and related programs should keep pace with the times, strengthen the guiding role of innovative theories, and promote interdisciplinary integration to construct an independent knowledge system for the discipline. They should adhere to a needs-based approach to enhance the relevance of foreign language programs, align with national development strategies to broaden both the scope and depth of cultivating internationally competent interdisciplinary talents, and implement political and moral education by developing a system of high-quality original teaching materials. At this new historical juncture, higher foreign language education should remain committed to national priorities, seize historical opportunities, rise to challenges, and break new ground in development.

Grounded in the self-regulated learning theory and blended learning theory, this study constructs an AI agent-assisted blended autonomous learning model of foreign languages, aiming to maintain the balance between the technological empowerment and development of autonomous learning abilities. This model emphasizes dynamic alignment of learning objectives and content, interactive design of learning methods and organization, and continuous improvement of learning assessment and feedback, and is implemented through a “planningexecutionreflection” cycle. An interpreting teaching experiment demonstrates that the model significantly improves students' interpreting performance, which is positively correlated with learning stages, while technology acceptance and feedback mechanisms reveal phased cognitive adaptation needs. Based on the experimental findings, the study provides recommendations for optimizing the model implementation, including collaboratively setting goals, explicitly teaching strategies and coordinating emotional support.

Construction of China's independent knowledge system for foreign language education would meet the present requirements of strengthening foreign language education's capacity in addressing national strategic priorities, while offering a crucial pathway to overcome the challenges of foreign language programmes. This study analyzes the rationale and core principles underpinning the independent knowledge system. It then proposes pathways for its construction from four key dimensions of diversifying disciplinary concentrations, innovating curriculum content, enhancing faculty expertise, and developing pedagogical resources. China's independent knowledge system for foreign language education would benefit its transformation of talent cultivation modes, and improve its ability in building China into an education powerhouse.

With its rapid advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually replacing the instrumental value of the discipline of foreign languages and literatures, but not the ontological value. However, AI has prompted the discipline to engage in deep reflection on its shortcomings in substantive aspects of development, thereby accelerating its substantive and innovative development. To meet national strategic demands, the discipline should establish an independent system of global knowledge and scholarship while cultivating high-level talents equipped with interdisciplinary literacy and creative thinking. In the AI era, the discipline of foreign languages and literatures should aim to construct China's independent knowledge system and talent cultivation system, actively embrace and skillfully utilize AI technologies, and deepen the development of knowledge production, academic innovation, discourse construction and talent cultivation across its five major research areas under the concept of “New Humanism”, in order to demonstrate its irreplaceable value.

Informed by the expectancy value theory (EVT), this study investigates the predictive effects of motivational beliefs on foreign language (FL) learning engagement. Data collected from 356 senior high school students are analyzed using latent moderated structural equation modeling. The results are as follows: (1) expectancy for success, intrinsic value and extrinsic value significantly and positively predict FL learning engagement; (2) effort cost significantly and negatively predicts learning engagement; (3) emotional cost does not significantly predict learning engagement, but significantly moderates the relationship between expectancy for success and learning engagement. The EVT is applicable to studying FL learning engagement, with motivational beliefs as robust predictors of FL learning engagement. The study provides new insights into the influencing mechanism of FL learning engagement and ways to enhance FL learning engagement.

This paper explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in foreign language education research, and proposes a systematic and multi-dimensional framework for research topic selection and methodological recommendations. First, it constructs a “four-dimensional” conceptual framework comprising national policies, foreign language teaching design, teaching implementation, and teachers and learners as educational agents, highlighting the logical interconnections among these dimensions. Second, it presents three approaches to topic selection: top-down systematic progression, flexible selection with comprehensive examination, and focus on teaching and learning subjects. The paper then elaborates on applicable research methods, including mixed methods, case study, case analysis, design-based research, dialectical research, etc., and illustrates their applications with specific examples. Finally, it emphasizes the significance of AI technology in foreign language education research, and suggests directions for future research.

Views of language competence determine the paths and directions of foreign language education. As a significantly influential linguistic competence framework, the Communicative Language Ability (CLA) model has served as a theoretical foundation for developing language proficiency scales and formulating foreign language education policies worldwide. This paper clarifies that the CLA model proposed by Bachman & Palmer (2010) features dual-mode categorization (non-interactive and interactive), and integrates the dual framework of language competence and language use, thereby advancing the paradigm shift in applied linguistics toward sociocognitive approaches. The paper further explores the application of the CLA model to foreign language assessment, materials development and teaching, aiming to enhance the facilitating roles of language competence models in foreign language educational practice in China.

Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and teacher professional development theories, this study developed and validated a model of AI technology integration impacts on foreign language teachers' professional resilience. Analysis of the survey data from 329 Chinese university foreign language teachers revealed that AI technology integration (technological complexity, role transformation, work demands) had a significant impact on teachers' professional resilience (cognitive appraisal, emotional regulation, behavioral coping). Among these factors, role transformation exerted the most pronounced impact, and emotional regulation was most affected. Organizational support and individual adaptability not only significantly buffered the impacts of AI technology integration respectively, but also demonstrated a significant synergistic moderating effect. The study provides empirical evidence and implications for the development of related theories and practice of teacher professional development.

GenAI, as the core engine driving the digital transformation of education, is reshaping the practical paradigms of foreign language education through multidimensional synergistic mechanisms. This paper firstly addresses the limitations inherent in technology-enabled foreign language education, and clarifies the transformative significance of GenAI's technical features for forming a new education ecosystem. Subsequently, it examines the interaction of the four dimensions of teaching, learning, assessment and governance, elucidates the internal logic behind GenAI's empowerment of foreign language education, and thus proposes corresponding actionable approaches. In so doing, the paper aims to provide insights and references for the sustainable development of intelligent foreign language education.

As artificial intelligence (AI) plays an increasingly significant role in the field of education, the issue of how to effectively empower the development and administration of English language tests has become a critical area of inquiry. This paper begins by outlining the current bottlenecks in the development and administration of language tests, and proceeds to examine the integration of AI across various stages of English test development and administration. Taking the Test for English Majors (TEM) as an example, the paper then explores potential pathways for optimizing assessment practices under the guiding principles of “human-centered AI” and “human-in-the-loop”. The paper also reflects on the ethical issues involved in applying AI to language testing, and proposes corresponding solutions and suggestions.

Based on 11 670 job ads collected through data mining, this study conducts multiple textometric needs analysis of translation-related jobs in Chinese markets in terms of language competence, domain-relevant knowledge and instrumental competence. The findings reveal that in the context of the new development pattern, there is a marked increase in the needs for translation talents' domain-relevant knowledge in emerging fields, and instrumental competence. Job positions and language requirements reflect the cluster effect of business activities in a specific region. The recruitment requirements for translation talents with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are homogeneous, except for the difference in domains and positions. Accordingly, the study offers suggestions for translator training in China concerning talent levels, educational resources, and industry-academia collaboration.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) into foreign language education is gradually reshaping pedagogical paradigms. Based on a quasi-experimental design and grounded theory analysis, this study introduces a production-oriented and interaction-rich teaching model, and examines the underlying mechanisms linking shifts in learning patterns with student engagement under AIGC-driven conditions.The results reveal that the dialogic, adaptive, and embodied learning modes intertwine and evolve through authentic learner-AI interaction. AIGC integration significantly enhances behavioral and cognitive engagement, while emotional engagement is stabilized through embodied multisensory participation. The learning modes jointly facilitate the deep integration of student engagement, blending into a coherent “interaction adaptation generation” paradigm.Beyond deepening the mechanic interpretation, the study offers both a theoretical framework and empirical evidence for understanding how AIGC can drive paradigm renewal in the digital transformation of language education.

Amid the expansion of professional interpreter education, the developmental features of learners' interpreting competence and core sub-competence needs investigation. Adopting methods of testing, retrospective think-aloud and diary logging, this longitudinal study examines 55 interpreting learners at the MTI level over one academic year study. It reveals that: (1) the developmental trajectory of learners' strategic competence in Chinese-English consecutive interpreting is complex and dynamic, characterized by jumps, non-linearity and fluctuation. The overall number of interpreting strategies used increases in a curve, and the types of strategies remain the same. (2) The critical period for the development of learners' strategic competence in Chinese-English consecutive interpreting occurs between the third and seventh months of learning, with varying acquisition times for each strategy. These findings are expected to provide empirical evidence for constructing theories on interpreting strategic competence development as well as designing effective ways to interpreting strategy training.

Implicature constitutes a central topic in L2 pragmatic research. The present study, using a self-paced reading task, explores the influence of different types of implicature on L2 implicature processing among Chinese English learners with varying English proficiencies. The linear mixed effect model results show that: (1) types of implicature significantly influence L2 processing, and the respective processing costs of indirect refusals, indirect opinions and ironies increase successively; (2) there are significant differences between advanced and intermediate learners in processing L2 implicature, the former coming out with higher accuracy and shorter response time, and the latter with lower accuracy and longer response time. These findings partially support the conventionality effect, and reveal the pragmatic inferencing mechanisms in L2 implicature processing across different levels of English proficiencies.

Research on emotions in the field of applied linguistics predominantly focuses on their linear effects, overlooking nonlinear relationships among variables. Conducting a questionnaire survey of 325 undergraduate students, and utilizing polynomial regression and response surface analysis, this study investigates the nonlinear impact of foreign language anxiety and enjoyment on learning engagement. The results reveal that when foreign language anxiety and enjoyment change in the same direction, students' engagement is significantly higher in the low anxiety and enjoyment situation than in the high anxiety and enjoyment situation. When foreign language anxiety and enjoyment change in the opposite directions, students' engagement is significantly higher in the low anxiety and high enjoyment situation than in the high anxiety and low enjoyment situation. The study offers a novel perspective for foreign language emotion research and provides implications for enhancing students' foreign language learning engagement.

As a vital medium for cultural inheritance and knowledge imparting, textbooks play a significant role in communicating the discourse with Chinese characteristics. Addressing current challenges in the international communication of the discourse with Chinese characteristics, China and the World: Progressive College English innovatively explores effective approaches to integrating the discourse with Chinese characteristics into college English textbooks. Through theme-based text organization, a blended print-digital format, and original exercise design, together with a comparative China-global perspective and multidimensional communication strategies, the textbook aims to cultivate students' ability to tell China's stories well in English, thereby facilitating the global communication of the discourse with Chinese characteristics.

This study examines the application of artificial intelligence, particularly large language models (LLMs) in integrating Chinese culture into foreign language teaching, focusing on two key dimensions of cultural understanding and narration. For cultural understanding, LLMs support cultural theme analysis and cross-cultural concept comparison, effectively broadening learners' cultural horizons and enhancing their intercultural sensitivity. For cultural narration, LLMs assist in optimizing content expression and narrative strategies, improving the precision of cultural communication. The study emphasizes that successful human-machine collaboration hinges on maintaining learners' active cognitive engagement throughout the learning process. Additionally, given the potential ideological issues in LLMs-generated content, teachers need to develop keen discriminatory abilities and guide learners in strengthening their cultural autonomy and critical thinking skills.

Based on the Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST), this study investigates the emergence and dynamics of multi-dimensional features in L2 discourse development. Argumentative essays written by 83 Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners over a semester were collected, and multi-dimensional analysis and longitudinal clustering methods were used. The results showed that two discourse types emerged from longitudinal cluster analysis, namely expositive persuasion and interactive persuasion. The former is more situation-explicit, abstract, informational, and less involved, while the latter shows the opposite features. A person-centered approach revealed three developmental profiles of L2 discourse, namely stable, fluctuating, and transitional profiles. They each exhibit distinct multi-dimensional interaction patterns, showing an overall tendency towards academicization. Implications regarding the pedagogy of argumentative discourses in the Chinese EFL context are discussed.

This study explores the connotation and practice of Chinese cultural awareness construction in university foreign language education. It elucidates the significant importance of integrating Chinese culture into university foreign language education, and provides a detailed analysis of the three levels of Chinese cultural awareness construction, namely recognition of Chinese culture, identification of Chinese culture, and confidence in Chinese culture. Based on questionnaire surveys and interviews of university foreign language teachers, it then proposes specific implementation routes from the aspects of textbooks, teaching methods and teachers, focusing on promoting the sublimation of students' Chinese cultural awareness from recognition to identification and ultimately to confidence. The study contributes to the cultivation of new-era talents with rich culture and the realization of the grand vision of a culturally strong China.

With the accelerating process of globalization, the demand for talents with international competence has become increasingly pressing, while college foreign language education plays a pivotal role in cultivating such talents. Adopting an educational design research approach, this study draws on relevant frameworks at home and abroad, and aligns with the disciplinary characteristics of college foreign language education in China. Through questionnaires, interviews, expert consultations and teaching practices, the study defines international competence in college foreign language education, constructs a competence framework encompassing three dimensions of values, knowledge, and skills, and outlines 15 key elements. Based on the framework, it proposes corresponding implementation pathways, aiming to provide theoretical foundations and practical insights for cultivation and assessment of international competence in college foreign language education.

To build a strong nation, education must be prioritized, and to strengthen education, the quality of teachers must be enhanced in the first place. This paper, in the context of building a strong nation in education, elaborates on the “five-in-one” competencies of college foreign language teachers. It addresses how college foreign language teachers should enhance digital literacy and utilize artificial intelligence to promote the digital transformation of college foreign language education. It calls on college foreign language teachers to consciously model themselves after exemplary educators, uphold moral character, diligently pursue academic excellence, and continuously enhance their own competencies, in order to advance education modernization, deliver education meeting people's expectations and build a strong nation in education.

Against the backdrop of rapid technological advancement in artificial intelligence (AI), the knowledge framework of university foreign language teachers is in urgent need of transformation. Based on in-depth interviews with eleven foreign language teachers from different types of universities, this study investigates the connotation elements of teachers' AI-integrated Pedagogical Content Knowledge (AI-PCK). Drawing on the ecological systems theory, it also analyzes influencing factors of teachers' AI-PCK. Findings indicate that AI-PCK consists of seven core knowledge elements, namely AI Knowledge (AI-K), AI-integrated Foreign Language Teacher Knowledge (AI-FLTK), AI-integrated Student Knowledge (AI-SK), AI-integrated Foreign Language Teaching Objective Knowledge (AI-FLTOK), AI-integrated Foreign Language Subject Content Knowledge (AI-FLSCK), AI-integrated Foreign Language Teaching Strategy Knowledge (AI-FLTSK), and AI-integrated Foreign Language Teaching Assessment Knowledge (AI-FLTAK). They are influenced interactively by ecological factors at macro, exo, meso, and micro levels. The study concludes by proposing development paths of teachers' AI-PCK, offering practical implications for university administrators and teacher educators to formulate evidence-based policies and promote foreign language teachers' professional development.

Over the past decades, Chinese linguistics has undergone a process of “integration” and “contestation” with Western linguistic theories, and has made remarkable advancements, yet with limited recognition in the international academic community. This paper briefly reviews the status quo of construction of Chinese linguistic discourse system, and highlights the existing major issues. It then proposes a theoretical framework for establishing Chinese linguistic discourse system in the new era from three dimensions, namely system concepts and structures, comparative approaches and paths, and strategies and guarantees, and explores effective paths for breaking free from Western discourse dependency. It is hoped that the paper would shed some light on constructing Chinese linguistic discourse system and a linguistic academic community, and ultimately enhancing China's international discourse power in linguistics.

With the rapid development of new-generation information technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) is irreversibly reshaping the ecosystem of foreign language education, bringing unprecedented opportunities and challenges to foreign language education. Only by forging ahead in the right direction can AI-empowered foreign language education truly promote the development of programs and serve the progress of humanity. To carry forward the reform of foreign language education, it is essential to actively embrace AI technologies, integrate into the broader trend, and identify the contemporary positioning of foreign language education. Efforts should also be made to strengthen the internal capabilities of foreign language education, enhance its connotation, optimize its structure, update its types and models, and adhere to its humanistic nature through inheritance and innovation.

Based on a questionnaire survey among 237 Chinese non-English major undergraduates, this study employed structural equation modeling to investigate the predictive effects of controlvalue appraisals on second language (L2) academic achievement and the chained mediating roles of L2 grit and academic emotions (enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom) in between. The results are as follows: (1) within controlvalue appraisals, only value appraisals exerted a direct predictive effect on English academic achievement; (2) control appraisals fostered L2 enjoyment, which subsequently exerted a positive predictive effect on achievement, whereas value appraisals triggered L2 anxiety, negatively predicting achievement; (3) control appraisals had an indirect predictive effect on English academic achievement by the chained mediation of L2 grit and academic emotions. The study corroborates the hypothesized quadripartite relational chain comprising “appraisal-driven, trait-shaping, emotion-triggering, and achievement-enhancing” mechanisms, revealing the mediating roles of academic traits and emotions in linking “evaluation to academic performance”.

This systematic review analyzes research topics and methods of 48 longitudinal SLA studies from a positive psychology perspective. The results show that the prior longitudinal studies predominantly focused on affective individual difference factors, with less attention paid to learning behaviors and environments. The majority of studies employed descriptive research designs with quantitative or mixed methods, often using convenience sampling with varied sample sizes. The participants were primarily Chinese or Iranian university students in in-person EFL courses. Most studies were conducted over long time scales greater than one week, with fewer studies using short time scales or combining both short and long time scales. Measurement frequency and intervals were largely poorly managed, with limited transparency in reporting. Data loss was reported in some studies, with few methods for addressing it. Questionnaires and interviews were the primary instruments used, but details about their reliability and validity were insufficient. Quantitative analyses largely relied on variable-centered methods, while reporting of qualitative analysis lacked details. Based on these results, recommendations for future research are offered.

It has become important development strategies for higher education in China to construct a high-quality foreign language education system and promote the new quality development of foreign language discipline. Drawing on the relevant studies and main viewpoints of the 6th Annual Conference of the China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline, this paper discusses the paths for the new quality development of foreign language discipline from five aspects, namely the connotative development of discipline, the reshaping of the mechanism for talents cultivation, the construction of curricula, the systematic transformation of education models, and the building of high-quality faculty. These paths aim at the innovative development of foreign language discipline.

Through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, this study examines multiple interaction levels of 776 university English learners. It also delves into the role of learners' affordance perceptions in shaping the functioning mechanism for multiple interaction from an ecological perspective. The findings reveal that: (1) on the whole, the learners demonstrate medium to high levels of all dimensions of multiple interaction, yet there exists a slight imbalance across different interaction modes and stages; (2) the learners' perceived affordance types during multiple interaction exhibit consistency, but their perceptions of affordances in terms of necessity, usefulness and accessibility vary, leading to categorization of the functioning mechanism for multiple interaction into three paths: “teacher-student interaction → human-computer interaction → peer-peer interaction” (driven by perceived necessity), “human-computer interaction → teacher-student interaction → peer-peer interaction” (driven by perceived usefulness), and “human-computer interaction → peer-peer interaction → teacher-student interaction” (driven by perceived accessibility). The study contributes to deeper understanding of learners' behavioral and psychological mechanisms in multiple interaction, and offers insights for improving foreign language teaching and learning strategies.

Based on the PRISMA framework, this study conducted a systematic analysis of 101 research papers on new-form foreign language textbooks published in China and abroad over the past nearly two decades (2006—2024). The analysis reveals a significant upward trend in the overall volume of publications, which has undergone three developmental stages. Research themes primarily center on textbook evaluation and development, with insufficient attention paid to textbook use and analysis. In empirical studies, the application of theoretical frameworks is insufficient and lacks systematicity. Research subjects encompass textbooks at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, with a particular emphasis on those at the tertiary level. English is the dominant language of the textbooks studied. Research methods have become increasingly diversified, with qualitative and quantitative methods frequently combined. Finally, the study identifies common problems in both domestic and overseas research, and outlines future prospects of research on new-form foreign language textbooks in China.

In the new era of high-quality educational development, this paper explores from theoretical and practical dimensions the multifaceted value of literary literacy in foreign language education, highlighting its distinct roles in improving language proficiency, deepening cultural understanding, and fostering critical thinking. Addressing common issues in current teaching practices, including the overemphasis on skills at the expense of humanities and fragmentation of course structures, the paper uses classic literary works as examples to demonstrate the pathways for integrating literature teaching with disciplines such as history, philosophy, and sociology, in the hope of providing enlightenment for cultivating interdisciplinary talents with both linguistic and cultural competencies.

As an important course assessment form, portfolio assessment requires a scientific rating scale for its effective application. Taking the case of the course Comprehensive English and adopting the method of teacher-student cooperative construction, this study collected and analyzed the independent ratings and reflections of teachers and students on portfolios, focused group discussions and questionnaire surveys to develop a rating scale for the portfolio. It subsequently validated the portfolio through the Many-Facet Rasch Model analysis of student ratings. The study provides empirical evidence for applying portfolios to foreign language courses, and has methodological implications for developing rating scales for other courses of foreign language programs.

This paper introduces cases of China's theoretical innovations in interpreting competence (a critical issue of interpreting professionals education), with special emphasis on the Interpreting Competence Scales and Attentional Control in Interpreting. The former illustrates the construct of interpreting competence from the perspectives of teaching and evaluation, while the latter exemplifies the underlying mechanism of interpreting competence. The paper then summarizes China's innovations in the practice of interpreting professionals education, including professional standardization, teaching modes and methods, evaluation systems, and industry standards. These innovations, prompted by the unique local issues, serve to enhance the understanding of an independent knowledge system for foreign language education in China, and have implications for interpreting professionals education in the AI age.

This study, from the perspective of educational ecology, proposes ways to build a symbiotic and win-win interdisciplinary “foreign language + discipline” teaching community, as well as a collaborative mechanism between ESAP (English for specific academic purposes) teachers and disciplinary supervisors. The interdisciplinary teaching community forms an educational synergy through the collaborative mechanism in terms of teaching goals and principles, teaching activities, teaching resources, and teaching research. The teaching community interacts with ecological factors such as learning activities, learning tools, and physical learning environment, creating a dynamic ESAP teaching ecosystem. The results of a preliminary survey show that the established teaching community can facilitate both foreign language acquisition and disciplinary learning, aligning the ESAP teaching ecosystem with the overall educational goals, and promoting the healthy development of the higher education ecosystem.

AI-enabled educational revolution has reshaped education models, and has shifted foreign language teachers' roles to “learning facilitators” and “human-machine collaborators”. This paper reviews policies, curricula, and research trends regarding AI in education in Asia, Europe and the Americas, and analyzes the applications and challenges of AI in education across different cultural contexts. Based on the analysis, it proposes a human-centered approach to enhancing foreign language teachers' AI competency, emphasizing ethics and digital inclusion. The stepwise pathway aims to support teachers' professional development and improve the quality of education in the AI era.

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly impacts on various industries, foreign language education has become a widely debated subject once more. This paper argues that in the AI era, foreign language education should implement the New Model of Tertiary Foreign Language Education by adhering to the basic educational principles of prioritizing students' key competencies, including language proficiency, human-AI interaction skills, intercultural competences, and research capabilities. Meanwhile, it should strategically incorporate AI tools to enhance teaching effectiveness. Foreign language teachers should strengthen AI literacy both in theory and practice to develop the New Model of Tertiary Foreign Language Education and drive teaching innovation, so that foreign language programs can cultivate high-quality talents capable of meeting the demands of national and societal progress in the AI era.

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for multimodal construction of transcultural Chinese discourse, and applies it to analysing the national image promotional videos Perspectives (2011) and PRC (2023). Analysis shows that there are two forms of transcultural Chinese discourse systems. The former mainly relies on implicit evaluation, focusing on inclusiveness and internal diversity of Chinese culture; the latter highlights explicit evaluation, emphasizing interconnection and coexistence among different cultures. The paper suggests that research on transcultural multimodal Chinese discourse is of great significance for cultivating high-quality multidisciplinary talents specializing in foreign languages and international communication to enhance the efficacy of China's global communication.

Guided by the activity theory, this study employs a qualitative case study approach to conduct a three-year longitudinal tracking of three MA students majoring in foreign languages, exploring the characteristics of agency in academic research activities during their MA studies. The findings reveal that the academic research agency practices of the MA students are carried out via their growth will, goal-oriented approaches, and practice objectives. These practices are realized by means of marginal observation and centripetal perception, and iteratively influence future activities under the mediating effects of various elements within the activity system. Investigating students' academic research agency helps extend the collaborative dialogic space between teachers and students in the academic research field, stimulating new educational capabilities of university MA programmes.

This study employs a self-paced reading experiment to examine how context types and foreign language proficiency affect the processing of metaphors in a foreign language. The results show that for positive metaphors, both the metaphorical and literal meanings are accessed simultaneously, whereas for ironic metaphors, the metaphorical meaning is accessed after the literal meaning, indicating a staged processing characteristic. Although both positive and ironic metaphors are non-literal, their cognitive mechanisms differ in that ironic metaphors require more cognitive resources from EFL learners. Regardless of metaphor types, advanced learners process metaphors faster than low proficiency learners, while the relationship between language proficiency and metaphor processing is dynamically mediated by cognitive abilities.

Based on the experimental data from 137 Vietnamese-Chinese bilinguals, this study investigates how the foreign language effect manifests under different types of moral norms and levels of social distance. The results show that: (1) the moral foreign language effect is widespread, but its intensity may be influenced by linguistic features and cultural perceptions; (2) the effect remains consistent across different types of moral norms, and foreign language use leads to more lenient moral judgments on behaviors with varying normative attributes; (3) foreign language use weakens the influence of social distance on moral judgments, and the farther the social distance, the stronger the effect. The study verifies the general presence of the moral foreign language effect, and deepens the understanding of its manifestations and underlying mechanisms.

This study systematically reviews the literature on the role of task planning in second language learning from a methodological perspective. Fifty-six SSCI articles were coded and statistically analyzed. The results revealed that the participants were mainly adult EFL learners; quantitative methods and controlled experimental designs were dominant; comparisons of task planning conditions and types were not sufficiently balanced; researchers preferred classroom or laboratory environments, often using narrative essays or argumentative essays; syntactic complexity, lexical complexity, accuracy and fluency were meticulously analyzed; many statistical methods were used for data analysis, with insufficient attention paid to their assumption checking. Recommendations for future research on task planning are offered.