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This study explores how university entrance exam washback impacts language teaching and learning programs at a madrasa in Indonesia’s sociocultural context. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, phone calls, voice notes, and WhatsApp with the headmaster, an English coordinator, two English teachers, a sociology teacher, and two student parents. Content analysis revealed how washback has changed the school’s language programs. The findings showed that the madrasa’s teaching practices differ from typical schools in curriculum design, policies, methods, materials, and activities. Its curriculum prioritizes state university entrance tests, splitting the national curriculum into three semesters for standard subjects and three for test preparation. Teachers rely on international textbooks and online resources instead of government materials. Their methods focus on memorization, repetition, and drills, rather than communicative language instruction. Assessments measure student proficiency rather than improving teaching. This approach enables students to excel in university entrance exams and succeed at global universities.

This research examines the impact of cross-referencing minimal pairs on improving English pronunciation among eighth-grade students at a junior high school in Aceh Besar, Indonesia. A pre-experimental method was utilized with a sample of 26 students. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered, and the data were analyzed statistically. The findings indicate a significant improvement in students' pronunciation following the use of the cross-referencing minimal pair technique. Most students demonstrated substantial increases in their pronunciation scores from the pre-test to the post-test. The mean score rose from 45.61 in the pre-test to 79.84 in the post-test, representing 34.24 points increase. The t-test results revealed a very large effect size, à la Cohen’s (1988) criteria. It was concluded that ‘cross-referencing minimal pairs’ is effective in enhancing pronunciation skills. It is recommended that this technique be integrated into pronunciation instruction.

This paper aims to uncover the types of strategies employed by high-achiever students in essay writing classes and discern the reasons for their exercise of those strategies. Ten students from the Department of English Language Education at one of the universities in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, were purposefully selected as participants. Interviews were used as the tool for data collection to gain information on the specific learning strategies employed by high achiever EFL learners in writing classes, and the motivations behind their adoption of the strategies. The findings revealed that memory and cognitive strategies (direct strategies) and metacognitive (indirect strategies) were favorably used by high-achieving students. The strategies were employed by students due to their simplicity, practicality, and effectiveness. The findings indicate that the strategies used by high achiever students are largely attributable to their uncomplicatedness and expediency rather than being multi-faceted and time-consuming.

The adoption of the Common European Framework of References (CEFR) in the national educational blueprint has changed the overall landscape of English language education in Malaysia. After the alignment of the national English language curriculum in 2017, all locally published English language textbooks were taken over by imported ones, resulting in huge debates among the stakeholders in the country. This study examined teachers' evaluations of two essential elements of a CEFR-aligned English language textbook—authenticity and intercultural competence—by adopting a mixed-method approach using a survey of 450 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 10 participants. Taking the Super Minds textbook as a subject, teacher participants rated the two elements as “moderate,” where they found that the imported textbook hardly accommodates learners from lower socioeconomic status. The absence of local cultural representations could worsen the learning process as teachers have to adapt almost all contents in the textbook to meet their learners' profiles.

This study examines students’ perceptions of Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) in teaching speaking skills, focusing on teaching competence, style, classroom management, cultural knowledge, and personal aspects. A series of questionnaires and interviews were administered to 20 students from the 2017 and 2018 cohorts majoring in English at Universitas Syiah Kuala. The data collected from the questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis, while the interview data were analyzed using an interactive model approach. The results indicate that students viewed NESTs positively, appreciating their ability (a) to create a relaxed and creative classroom atmosphere, (b) to employ diverse teaching methods, and (c) to provide valuable cultural insights; they struggled with grammar explanations. NNESTs can understand students’ learning needs, anticipate difficulties, and empathize with their problems despite using fewer engaging techniques. The findings suggest that NESTs and NNESTs play complementary roles in teaching speaking, with each contributing distinct strengths to the learning experience.

Discourse markers, essential in discourse analysis, are words or phrases that link and structure content. Their correct use significantly impacts the effectiveness of presentations, especially in critical contexts like thesis defenses. This qualitative study aimed to determine how frequently discourse markers are used in thesis defense presentations. Data were collected by recording the thesis defense presentations of six students. The data were transcribed, and the analysis revealed that students employed various types of discourse markers, including micro, macro, and operator markers. Micro markers were the most commonly used, followed by macro markers and operators. Specifically, 413 micro, 200 macro, and 41 operator markers were identified. The results indicate that both micro and macro markers are essential for a successful thesis defense presentation. These results also accentuate the importance of raising students’ awareness of the appropriate use of DMs in academic settings and suggest a need for further training in this area.

English, a second language in Pakistan, is challenging for many intermediate learners who rely on guidebooks for Urdu translations of English literature. This study examines lexical and syntactic errors in these translations, focusing on the Dogar Publisher’s guidebook for Intermediate Part 1. Using Baker’s (1992) translation strategies, the analysis revealed significant errors at both lexical and syntactic levels. Lexically, discrepancies were observed, with some English words remaining untranslated or being inaccurately translated. Syntactically, errors were identified in sentence construction, leading to a lack of conveying the intended meaning. Additionally, certain parts of the sentences were left untranslated. To improve translated materials, publishers should prioritize precise translation, address lexical and syntactic challenges, and employ qualified translators to prevent errors that may impede exam success and hinder English proficiency. Addressing these issues is essential for improving exam performance and language skills for guidebook users.

This study aims (a) to identify the types of grammatical cohesion used in the discussion sections of undergraduate theses and (b) to quantify the usage of these cohesive devices by EFL students in Aceh, Indonesia. Data were collected using an analytical sheet to identify instances of grammatical cohesion. The analysis revealed three types of grammatical cohesion in the discussion sections, with a total of 561 cohesive devices identified. The theses demonstrate a strong dependence on conjunctions (48.66%) and references (42.78%). Meanwhile, substitution is employed less often (8.56%), and ellipsis is entirely absent. Conjunctions and reference were the most frequently used due to their role in linking ideas and maintaining coherence, whereas substitutions were the least used because they are less effective for connecting larger segments of text. The findings of this study highlight students’ understanding of the importance of grammatical cohesion as it helps ensure logical and clear sentence flow in academic writing.