As an essential higher-order capacity for foreign language learners, meta discourse awareness provides vital support for fostering high-quality foreign language professionals. Drawing on the findings from the research on English-Chinese discourse contrastive analysis, this paper proposes a content framework and its implementation strategy for cultivating meta discourse awareness. The framework operates at the micro, meso and macro levels, and comprises five key factors, namely structural awareness, semantic awareness, genre awareness, critical awareness and intercultural awareness. To implement the framework, the metacognition driven input-output strategy is adopted. With metacognition in the central organizing position, the strategy emphasizes clear goal orientation and self-regulatory ability development through discourse input and output. Its core lies in the bidirectional adjustment by teachers and learners via continuous reflection and feedback, thereby facilitating the effective transfer from English-Chinese discourse knowledge to intercultural discourse processing competence.

Intelligent chatbots are emerging technological tools for second language acquisition, though their effects on language acquisition remain controversial. Using meta-analysis, this study examines the overall and moderating effects of 35 experimental and quasi-experimental studies on application of intelligent chatbots to second language acquisition in the past decade. The results show that: (1) the overall average effect value is 0.677, exhibiting a large effect on language learning; (2) the moderating variables such as learning stages, teaching cycles, intelligent chatbot features (including interfaces and interaction modes), and second language skills produce significant effects on language learning, while learning situations have no moderating effect. The study provides implications for applying intelligent chatbots to second language teaching.

The rise of large language models has profoundly reshaped translation production practices, presenting a significant challenge to traditional translation training systems. This paper, oriented towards the objectives of knowledge, skills, and critical thinking, proposes a pedagogical framework driven by large language models for human-machine collaborative translation. The framework comprises a four-stage teaching pathway of translation diagnosis, prompt design, multi-round interaction and project practice, and adopts a comprehensive evaluation method, aiming to promote the intelligent transformation of translation education and cultivate innovative translators in the AI era.

An important purpose of language standards is to enhance the clarity of test score interpretation, enrich the meaning of test scores, and promote the rational use of language tests. In preparation for the reform of the College English Test (CET), especially its score interpretation and report, the National College English Testing Committee conducted an alignment study, in which the CET was linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the China's Standards of English Language Ability. This study presents the rationale for the alignment study, and explains the research design and implementation. It then reports the findings and discusses the implications of the alignment study for improving locally developed language standards and language tests. Finally, suggestions on the methodology and implementation are provided for future alignment studies.

Starting from college English teachers concern over the practice of blended teaching and taking the design of the textbook series New Progressive College English as an example, this paper attempts to discuss the background, principles and advantages of integrating textbooks with digital resources in blended teaching, so as to encourage graded teaching by embracing new teaching tools and foster students autonomous learning ability by using online platforms with teaching management functions.

This paper deals with the textbook series New Progressive College English in respects of its background, compiling concepts, framework and distinctive features. Written in accordance with the Guidelines on College English Teaching and drawing on rich experience from the College English and New College English textbook series, the New Progressive College English aims to meet the requirements of teaching EFL in China in the new era. The textbook series provides reading materials from the latest English articles, various exercises and digital resources, all of which involve pioneering practices in college English textbook compilation.

This paper provides an academic dialogue with Professor Michael Byram on localization of intercultural communication theories, dimensions and evaluation of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in teaching materials. The dialogue reveals that the Chinese scholars have managed to localize intercultural communication theories in practice. ICC presentation in teaching materials shall give priority to skills of relation and discovery among cultures, attitudes and critical cultural awareness. ICC evaluation shall integrate formative assessment of intercultural activities to improve students ICC. The paper is concluded with implications of intercultural communication theories for teaching materials evaluation.

The first summit forum on the construction and development of the worldclass discipline of foreign language and literature, and the inaugural meeting of the China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline was hosted by Shanghai International Studies University in March, 2018. This paper analyzes the hot topics of this summit forum. Through content analysis and document analysis, it summarizes the main academic views of the experts and scholars. The paper also discusses the status quo and multiple developmental trends of the worldclass foreign language and literature discipline in the Chinese higher education, so as to bring some enlightenment to the construction of the worldclass discipline of foreign language and literature in China.

With 72 freshmen of non-English majors as the subjects, the present study explored the effects of input frequency of different occurrences and output frequency of different occurrences on the acquisition of second language chunks' productive knowledge. The study results showed that (1) input frequency of different occurrences had an effect on the immediate acquisition of second language chunks productive knowledge, and had a delayed effect in one week; (2) output frequency of different occurrences had an effect on the acquisition of second language chunks' productive knowledge in one week, and the delayed effect remained in two weeks; (3) there were significant differences between the effects of input and output frequency of different occurrences on the acquisition of second language chunks' productive knowledge. The study will not only enrich the understanding of explicit/implicit teaching and effects of frequency, but also provide pedagogical implications for chunk teaching.

Within the theoretical framework of L2 Motivational Self System and by questionnaires and SEM, this study examined the mediating effects of motivated behavior on L2 Self and English reading and writing skills. The results show that Ideal L2 Self exerted a significant effect on reading skills, and motivated behavior partially mediated the effect of Ideal L2 Self on reading skills; L2 Learning Experience had a significant effect on writing skills, and motivated behavior partially mediated the effect of L2 Learning Experience on writing skills; Oughtto L2 Self exerted no significant effect on reading and writing skills, and thus no mediating effect existed. These results may contribute to the teaching and learning of English reading and writing skills.

Foreign language talents in the new era are expected to have more abilities than merely language ability, among which are critical thinking ability and intercultural communicative competence. Therefore, effective language tests will be needed to assess such abilities. By reviewing relevant literature and investigating two tasks in the English Test for International Communication, this study focuses on the development of test tasks integrating the target abilities from the aspects of task forms, task contents and evaluation criteria, with an expectation to provide useful insights for the selection and cultivation of foreign language talents.

Through content analysis of the empirical studies on foreign language testing published in 14 main domestic foreign language journals from 2006 to 2017, this paper attempts to reveal the development trends, contents and features of the empirical studies on foreign language testing in China. The results show that the number of empirical studies on foreign language testing moves along a wavelike curve; more than half of the studies focus on largescale tests, and the studies deal with not only such traditional topics as test validity, construct, washback, human scoring, items/tasks/test papers, cognitive factors, affective factors and testtaker performance, but also new topics like computer and internetbased testing, automated scoring, classroom assessment, social factors, English proficiency scales, assessment literacy and cognitive diagnostic assessment; the empirical studies are characterized by a wide range of subjects, a variety of topics and mixed research methods, but they await further investigation to become more balanced, systematic and forefrontexploring. The paper further draws on the recent hotspots in international studies on language testing and puts forward suggestions for domestic studies.

The College English Test (CET), a language testing system with distinctive Chinese characteristics, was designed and developed by Chinese language testers in the 1980s. In this article, a review was undertaken of the reform and development of the CET in the past three decades, focusing on its role in promoting college English teaching and learning. Directions for the further development of language testing in China were discussed based on the validity theory of language testing. It was suggested that language testers in China should pay due attention to the Chinese context and be actively engaged in research on the social dimensions of language testing so as to facilitate a sustained development of domestic language tests with Chinese characteristics and enhance their international recognition.

Through a quantitative content analysis of the research methods in Business English (BE) studies published in CSSCI and SSCI journals from 2007 to 2017, this paper finds that: (1) In research design, both domestic and overseas studies emphasized BE education, while international academia witnessed more BE discourse studies; both domestic and overseas studies were mainly based on linguistics, but more interdisciplinary studies were published in SSCI journals; a wider range of business genres, spoken and computermediated genres in particular, were investigated by overseas researchers. (2) In data collection, nonprobability sampling was widely applied both at home and abroad, while surveys, interviews and observations were more frequently used by overseas researchers. (3) In data analysis, mixed and qualitative methods were the mainstream in overseas studies, while quantitative methods were preferred domestically; in addition, domestic researchers made full use of corpus tools. (4) Reliability and validity tests were inadequate in both domestic and overseas studies. The paper is concluded with implications for domestic BE studies.

Based on the author's personal experiences of learning to do qualitative research, this autoethnography reflects on the dilemma of qualitative research development in China's academia of foreign languages and seeks its solutions. The narrative inquiry finds that the dilemma is largely due to difficulties in learning and applying qualitative research, misunderstandings of and bias toward qualitative research among some researchers, and repellence from the traditional research culture and current academic context. In the era of methodological pluralism, the practice of teaching and learning qualitative research needs to be integrated into Chinas foreign language teacher education and postgraduate programs, and qualitative research deserves a place in domestic academic journals'

This paper expounds the theory and application of a dialectical research paradigm (DRP). It includes three major sections. The first section discusses the essential differences between the DRP and the DRM (dialectical research method). The second explains the theoretical framework of the DRP. Finally, the third looks into the practical value of the DRP by drawing on the authors own research experiences, and points out the problems to which the DRP users should pay attention.

This case study probed into the dynamism and interventions of a non-English major's positive L2 self in the iterative continuation task (including 112 individual continuation tasks) over sixteen weeks. It was found that the student's positive L2 self progressed through three stages of change, namely tentative exploration, gradual declination and further development. Meanwhile, “cognitive reframing” and “increasing self-efficacy” could facilitate the development of the student's positive L2 self, but “increasing self-esteem” brought little positive effect. The study provides insights into understanding the dynamic interplay between second language learning behavior and positive psychology so that teachers can design and implement the iterative continuation task more effectively.

Playing an important role in learners' L2 writing development, engagement with feedback is jointly affected by individual factors and environmental factors. The application of automated writing evaluation (AWE) system has furnished L2 writing pedagogic practice with a new environment of integrated feedback. This study examines the impact of the integrated feedback environment on learner engagement and L2 writing performance. The findings reveal that: (1) integrated feedback significantly outshines teacher feedback in improving learner engagement and consequently L2 writing performance; (2) in the integrated feedback environment, cognitive engagement has the greatest impact on learners' L2 writing performance, followed by behavioral engagement and affective engagement, and regarding cognitive engagement, the use of metacognitive strategies significantly contributes to a valid prediction of learners' writing performance.

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 study adopts a 5-dimension error scoring system including fidelity, fluency, terminology translation, style and cultural reception to compare the English-Chinese translation qualities between a group of translation learners majoring in English and a Neural Machine Translation (NMT) system. The results show that the NMT's total error score and fidelity error score are significantly lower than the translation learners' mean error score, but its fluency error score is significantly higher than the translation learners' mean score. The differences between human and machine translation in terminology translation, style and cultural reception are not statistically significant. In view of the results, translation instructors should make efforts to alleviate learner anxiety, guide and supervise the proper use of machine translation technology, and reform measures of translation teaching assessment.

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.

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 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.

This one year longitudinal study involves two cohorts of undergraduates at a Chinese university: 2 673 students from the 2022 cohort and 2 272 students from the 2023 cohort. It uses a self-developed GenAI-powered personalized adaptive learning system ZJU E-Lang, and examines its role in improving EFL listening and reading abilities from the perspectives of learning outcomes and students' perceived effectiveness. The findings indicate that the GenAI-powered system significantly enhanced students' English listening and reading abilities. However, a clear novelty effect was observed, with substantial progress during the first half of the year followed by a slowdown in the second half. Students' perceptions of the GenAI-powered system varied by discipline, but disciplinary backgrounds did not interact with GenAI-facilitated learning effects. The positive effects of the GenAI-powered system in supporting language learning provide enlightenment for the deep integration of human intelligence and artificial intelligence in foreign language teaching.

This study adopted a systematic review approach and analyzed the research methods employed in empirical studies in the field of applied linguistics from the perspective of complex dynamic systems theory (CDST). It summarized and discussed the research designs, participants, timescales and data collection methods, as well as data analysis methods. The analysis showed that the domestic and foreign CDST studies were featured with trends toward interdisciplinarity, paradigm integration and methodological innovation, though they differed in participant selection and design implementation.Domestic studies were primarily based on small-scale quantitative designs, focusing mainly on second language development at the tertiary level, with relatively limited data collection and analytical methods; in contrast, international studies involved larger sample sizes, covered learners at different educational stages, and used more diverse methods of data collection and analysis. It is suggested that future research should enrich theoretical perspectives, adopt integrated designs, and employ interdisciplinary methods to further reveal the dynamics and complexities of complex systems.

This paper systematically reviews the empirical literature on language teacher identity from the CSSCI and SSCI databases (2014-2024), and provides a comprehensive analysis of the research methods employed, with particular emphasis on the techniques for enhancing the quality of qualitative research and the ways in which the quality is reported. The main findings are as follows: (1) both Chinese and English-language literature feature qualitative research, with a wide use of interviews, observations and written materials to gather data, but Chinese literature also presents a more diverse range of research paths, including quantitative and mixed-methods research. (2) Case studies dominate qualitative research in both Chinese and English literature, with a rising trend of narrative research focusing on exploring language teacher identity from open and exploratory perspectives. (3) Qualitative research in both Chinese and English literature employs various quality-enhancing methods, such as triangulation and member check to enhance research credibility, while the use of quality terminologies is insufficient and inconsistent, and English literature shows the tendency to develop quality assessment standards applicable to qualitative research. The paper reveals the similarities and differences between Chinese and English empirical research on language teacher identity in terms of research methods, quality strategies, and terminological reporting, providing reference and enlightenment for advancing methodological awareness and standardization in teacher identity research.

Machine translation literacy has emerged as a frontier topic in translation studies in the human-machine collaboration era, but assessment tools for machine translation literacy remain underdeveloped. This study attempts to construct a machine translation literacy scale consisting of 5 dimensions and 18 indicators, and examines its reliability and validity. The dimensions include human-machine translating knowledge, human-machine translating strategies, pre-editing techniques, post-editing techniques and human-machine relationship understanding. The statistical results indicate that the scale demonstrates good convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability. The machine translation literacy scale may provide reference for quantitative assessment in translation education and practice.

Research on English listening comprehension difficulties of Chinese EFL learners is still in its infancy. The present study explores the inner structure of listening comprehension difficulties based on the language comprehension theory, and investigates the relationship between listening comprehension ability and difficulties. The results show that English listening comprehension difficulties are composed of difficulties at three stages of perception, parsing and utilization. Freshmen majoring in English encounter listening comprehension difficulties in a similar pattern, most frequently at the stage of perception, then utilization, and least frequently parsing; the lower their listening comprehension ability is, the more frequently they may encounter listening comprehension difficulties at three stages. The findings provide some implications for teaching of English listening.

With 76 non-English majors as the subjects and through questionnaires, background data analysis and interviews, this study explored the relationship between their affordance perception and English learning engagement in the mobile environment. It found that: (1) the subjects' overall performance of affordance perception and English learning engagement were good, but the imbalance of their internal development still existed; (2) affordance perception had different regression effects on the three sub-items of English learning engagement, and compared with resource affordance and interpersonal affordance, network affordance had better predictive effects on English learning engagement. The findings showed that the affordance perception and English learning engagement were the results of the coupling between learners and the mobile environment, and the internal relationship between them could be influenced by learners' adaptability and initiative.

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.