Journal of Linguistics and Language Instruction

Exploring Assessment of Language Proficiency through Applying a Functional-Notional Approach: A Lesson from Remote EFL Teachers

Percara Otomendi, Pedro Merino, Hagehowa Cubarsi — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The functional-notional approach, which emphasizes communicative competence over rote grammatical knowledge, has gained renewed significance in remote and resource-constrained English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. This study explores how remote EFL teachers implement functional-notional assessments and identifies the challenges and adaptations they employ when delivering assessments through digital platforms. Adopting a qualitative research design within an interpretivist paradigm, the study recruited 10–15 remote English teachers through purposive sampling, focusing on those with at least two years of experience in digital or low-resource environments. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, and analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s framework. The findings reveal that teachers design assessments around authentic communicative tasks such as role-plays, situational dialogues, and project-based activities, with strong emphasis on fluency and pragmatic use of language. However, technological limitations such as unstable internet connectivity and restricted device access often hinder synchronous assessments, prompting teachers to adapt by using asynchronous recordings, chat-based dialogues, and simplified written tasks. Teachers also integrate learners’ cultural and community realities into tasks, ensuring contextual relevance and stronger engagement. While fluency is prioritized initially, accuracy is gradually emphasized as learners progress, often through modified rubrics and multimodal feedback strategies. The study concludes that functional-notional assessment, when adapted with flexibility, enhances learner autonomy and communicative competence in remote contexts. Its implications highlight the need for professional development, culturally responsive curriculum design, and technological support to sustain effective language assessment practices.

Literature-Based English Instructional Model in Improving Learners’ linguistics Proficiency and Cultural Awareness: Challenges and Oppurtunities for EFL Learners

Moh Asrul Hasby, Zahari Ghani Mun’im, Kaherul Azmi — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners face when using literature-based language learning to improve their linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness. The research focuses on 17 EFL learners from junior and senior high schools in Mataram, Indonesia, who were exposed to local literature in their English classrooms. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing both structured and unstructured interviews to collect data on learners' experiences with literature-based learning. The findings reveal that while literature enhances linguistic proficiency, particularly in vocabulary acquisition, speaking, and writing, learners face challenges such as the complexity of literary texts, including advanced vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and unfamiliar cultural references. These elements sometimes hinder comprehension and engagement. Additionally, the time-consuming nature of literature-based tasks and the difficulty of connecting with culturally distant texts were identified as key obstacles. However, the study also highlights several opportunities. Literature-based learning exposes learners to authentic language use, enriching their vocabulary and enhancing their critical thinking and creativity. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that literature fosters cultural awareness by allowing learners to explore diverse societal values, traditions, and historical contexts. The exposure to different cultural perspectives enhances empathy and promotes global citizenship among learners.

Designing Argumentation Protocols for EFL Classrooms: An Analysis of Pragma-Dialectic Modelling

Nuruddin Halim, Johanes Nainggolan, Bilal Amrabat — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explores how Indonesian EFL teachers perceive and implement argumentation protocols and pragma-dialectic principles in the context of English language teaching. Using a qualitative descriptive-interpretive design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations involving five government-certified EFL teachers with more than ten years of teaching experience. The findings reveal that teachers generally view argumentation protocols as valuable tools for enhancing students’ critical thinking, reasoning skills, and communicative competence. However, they also recognize the substantial challenges involved in applying these protocols, particularly due to students’ limited linguistic proficiency, low confidence, and cultural hesitations toward open disagreement. Teachers interpret pragma-dialectic principles as theoretically useful but cognitively demanding for learners, leading them to adopt simplified versions that emphasize clarity, respectful disagreement, and evidence-based reasoning rather than strict adherence to the full model. The study further shows that cultural norms, linguistic constraints, and identity-related issues significantly influence how argumentation unfolds in classrooms. Teachers navigate these complexities by implementing scaffolding strategies such as polite disagreement expressions, translanguaging practices, vocabulary support, and safe discussion spaces. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how argumentation pedagogy can be adapted for culturally diverse and linguistically heterogeneous EFL contexts. It highlights the need for flexible, culturally responsive approaches that balance theoretical rigor with practical feasibility. The results offer valuable insights for teacher education, curriculum development, and the integration of argumentation pedagogy into EFL instruction in Indonesia and similar contexts.

Implementing Bilingual Education Environment in Islamic Boarding Schools: An Effort in Instilling Intercultural Dimensions

Yek Amin Azis, Muhammad Syukron, Hardi Nugraha — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explores how bilingual education practices in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) shape students’ Arabic and English language development and how intercultural dimensions influence the effectiveness of bilingual instruction. Positioned within a culturally and religiously grounded environment, Arabic is primarily associated with scripture, ritual, and classical Islamic scholarship, while English is framed as a gateway to global knowledge, academic mobility, and broader intercultural engagement. Adopting a qualitative interpretive case study design, the research involved ten government-certified EFL teachers with at least ten years of teaching experience in pesantren. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, and analyzed using thematic analysis with inductive and deductive coding. The findings reveal a functional separation of languages that generates complementary yet unequal domains of use: students develop strong passive competence in religious Arabic but limited communicative fluency, while English instruction incorporates some communicative activities but remains constrained by exam pressures, large classes, and institutional routines. Translanguaging practices support comprehension but may inadvertently reduce extended target-language use. Intercultural dimensions enhance bilingual instruction when teachers act as cultural mediators, linking global issues and diverse Muslim experiences to Islamic values; however, concerns about moral risks lead some teachers to restrict authentic materials, narrowing intercultural exposure. The study contributes theoretically by highlighting the interplay between language policy, pedagogy, pesantren culture, and intercultural framing, and practically by underscoring the need for sustained teacher professional development and context-sensitive bilingual policies in faith-based education.

The Use of Role-Play Strategy in Enhancing EFL Learners’ Confidence in Speaking at Junior High Schools: A Classroom Action Research

Peny Kurniasih, Musiman Musiman, Mohammed Assegaff — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This classroom action research investigated the effectiveness of role-play strategies in enhancing junior high school EFL learners’ speaking confidence and communicative performance. Conducted with thirty-three students aged 14–16, the study employed qualitative methods, including classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, across iterative cycles of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The findings revealed that the implementation of scaffolded role-play activities significantly increased learners’ willingness to speak, reduced speaking anxiety, and promoted more spontaneous and extended oral interactions. Students demonstrated noticeable improvements in both verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, such as clearer voice projection, more consistent eye contact, and greater use of gestures. Interviews confirmed that performing through fictional roles helped reduce fear of negative evaluation, allowing learners to experiment with language more freely and confidently. The study also identified several challenges, including learners’ initial shyness, fear of peer judgment, tendency to switch to their first language, and uneven proficiency levels that sometimes limited participation. However, these difficulties were mitigated by supportive classroom climates, linguistic scaffolding, pair rehearsals, and task adjustments across action research cycles. The findings align with previous studies highlighting the interplay between affective factors, willingness to communicate, and speaking performance. The study contributes to current knowledge by demonstrating how role-play, when deliberately structured and refined, can effectively foster speaking confidence among young adolescent EFL learners. Practical implications emphasize integrating role-play systematically into speaking instruction, providing adequate scaffolding, and cultivating emotionally safe learning environments. The study offers a contextualized model of role-play implementation for junior high school EFL classrooms.

EFL Teachers’ Assessment Literacy in Reading Comprehension: Exploring Novice and Experienced Indonesia English Teachers’ Perception and Practices

Lalu Ari Irawan, Haerazi Haerazi, Erizal Lugman — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explores the assessment literacy of novice and experienced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Indonesia, specifically focusing on their perceptions and practices in reading comprehension assessment. Despite the critical role of assessment literacy in fostering effective teaching and learning, research indicates that many EFL teachers face challenges in aligning their assessment practices with contemporary educational goals, such as fostering higher-order cognitive skills. Using a qualitative research design, the study involved nine EFL teachers from junior high schools in Indonesia, including four novice and five experienced teachers. Data were collected through a combination of unstructured and structured interviews, allowing for an in-depth exploration of teachers' beliefs, experiences, and practices regarding reading comprehension assessments. The findings reveal that novice teachers primarily rely on traditional, surface-level assessments such as multiple-choice questions and short-answer tasks, focusing largely on factual recall. In contrast, experienced teachers demonstrate a more nuanced understanding of assessment, incorporating a broader range of assessment methods that promote deeper comprehension, such as open-ended questions and group discussions. However, both groups face significant challenges, including institutional pressures to use summative assessments, limited resources, and a lack of professional development opportunities. The study underscores the importance of enhancing assessment literacy through targeted professional development programs and institutional support, aimed at equipping teachers with the necessary skills to implement more dynamic, student-centered assessment practices. This research contributes to the understanding of how assessment literacy develops over time and the systemic barriers that hinder the effective implementation of formative assessments in EFL classrooms.