JLLT Volume 17 (2026) Issue 1 (in progress)

Articles

Re-examining the Role of Global Textbooks in Higher Education: A Case Study from Vietnam

Phung Doan (Lac Hong University, Vietnam)

James Underwood (University of Cambridge, UK) & 

Anh Thao Ngo (East Asia University of Technology, Vietnam)

Abstract

This article is based on a study that investigated the pedagogical impact of global English textbooks on teaching and learning processes in higher education, with a specific focus on Vietnamese universities. Through a mixed-methods case study design, the research explored how international textbooks are used by lecturers and perceived by students, examining their role in shaping classroom practices and learning outcomes. Findings from interviews with lecturers of English and survey data from students indicate that while textbooks provide structured content, pedagogical support, and assessment alignment, their effectiveness is moderated by factors such as cultural relevance, student proficiency, and teacher adaptability. The study highlights the need for critical engagement with textbook materials.  This study also found that the lecturers involved demonstrated consistently high levels of creativity and autonomy when working with global English textbooks. These insights are valuable for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers navigating textbook-driven instruction in diverse higher education contexts. Although focused on a single case, research in Vietnam has significance due to its position as one of the world’s fastest-developing economies. It may also have potential relevance for our understanding of textbook use globally, within other rapidly developing countries, in which the learning of English is a focus of recent government policy. 

Learning Possibilities in Spanish as a Foreign Language – 

The Value of Peer Interaction Tasks

Fredrika Nyström (Uppsala University, Sweden)

Abstract (English)

The study explores peer interaction tasks in Spanish as a second foreign language in Swedish lower secondary school. Drawing on Sociocultural Theory (SCT), the research examines how language functions as a tool for collaboration and language learning in interactions among teenagers in the foreign language classroom. The data consist of audio and video recordings of peer interaction tasks carried out without teacher involvement, and the recordings were transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis and tools from the field of Conversation Analysis (CA). The findings reveal two main categories in the interaction, namely language functions that continuously complete the task and language functions that support solving the task. Moreover, two subcategories were identified within the functions that support solving the task: clarifying procedural problems and solving language-related problems. The study shows that the choice of either the target language, Spanish, or the majority language, Swedish, is functional when solving the tasks. These results underscore the value of peer interaction in the classroom and demonstrate that language is not only the aim for learning but also functions as a medium for learning. The study contributes to the body of research on language alternation and collaborative learning in second- and foreign-language educational settings.

Resumen (Español)

El estudio explora las tareas de interacción entre pares en español como segunda lengua extranjera en la escuela secundaria inferior sueca. Basándose en la Teoría Sociocultural (TSC), la investigación examina cómo el lenguaje funciona como una herramienta para la colaboración y el aprendizaje de idiomas en las interacciones entre adolescentes en el aula de lengua extranjera. Los datos consisten en grabaciones de audio y video de tareas de interacción entre pares realizadas sin la participación del profesor, y las grabaciones fueron transcritas y analizadas mediante análisis temático y herramientas del campo del Análisis de la Conversación (AC). Los hallazgos revelan dos categorías principales en la interacción: funciones lingüísticas que completan la tarea de forma continua y funciones lingüísticas que apoyan la resolución de la tarea. Además, se identificaron dos subcategorías dentro de las funciones que apoyan la resolución de la tarea: aclarar problemas de procedimiento y resolver problemas relacionados con el lenguaje. El estudio muestra que la elección tanto de la lengua meta, el español, como de la lengua mayoritaria, el sueco, es funcional al resolver las tareas. Estos resultados subrayan el valor de la interacción entre pares en el aula y demuestran que el lenguaje no es solo el objetivo del aprendizaje, sino que también funciona como un medio para el aprendizaje. El estudio contribuye al conjunto de investigaciones sobre la alternancia de idiomas y el aprendizaje colaborativo en entornos educativos de segunda lengua y lengua extranjera.

Exploring Interlanguage Pragmatics: An Analysis of Italian Pragmatic Markers in Learner Corpora

Katerina Florou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) & 

Dimitris Bilianos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

Abstract

This study examines the use of the Italian pragmatic markers quindi, allora, and dunque in learner and native speaker corpora. While pragmatic markers in English have been extensively studied, Italian remains relatively underexplored, particularly in learner corpora research. To address this gap, we compare the frequency and functions of these markers in the UniC learner corpus, containing essays by Greek learners of Italian (B2-C1 level), and the native speakers’ Coris Corpus. Using a form-to-function methodology, we categorise their usage as semantic markers or as pragmatic devices facilitating cohesion and discourse structuring. The results indicate notable discrepancies between learners and native speakers. Greek learners predominantly use quindi in its semantic function, aligning with grammatical conventions, whereas native speakers employ it more flexibly in pragmatic contexts. Allora appears frequently as a discourse-sustaining marker in native speech but is underused by learners, who associate it more with its temporal meaning. Dunque is rarely utilised by learners, while native speakers use it across various pragmatic functions. Statistical analyses reveal significant differences in distribution, suggesting L1 influence and restricted exposure to natural discourse. This research enhances our understanding of interlanguage pragmatics in Italian, demonstrating how L1 transfer and instructional focus shape learners' pragmatic competence. The findings inform language teaching by highlighting the need for greater emphasis on pragmatic markers in Italian instruction. Enhanced exposure to authentic usage patterns can facilitate learners' development of discourse competence, improving their ability to engage in fluid and natural interactions.