Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics

Emotional Dynamics and Regulation Strategies in EFL Writing Classrooms

Ariyanti Ariyanti — 2026-05-01

Recent research in second language acquisition has shown that learners’ emotional dynamics such as anxiety, enjoyment, and frustration, and their use of emotion regulation strategies significantly influence engagement and performance in EFL writing classrooms. Thus, the current research aims at investigating EFL students’ emotional dynamics and the emotion regulation strategies they apply when completing their writing tasks. This is a phenomenological study in which six university students were given an open-ended questionnaire. Subsequently, the data were analysed using a thematic analysis technique until the data were formed into themes and a conceptual framework illustrating the types of emotional dynamics they faced and what strategies of emotion regulation they commonly applied during the process of writing. The novel finding revealed after building themes was from the up and down or emotional fluctuation, e.g., anxious to enjoyment, fear to relax, shaped the students to have a mental of resilience as a learner. Finally, the pedagogical implications of the research were explained further.

Designing A Speaking Test for Special Purposes (SP) in Hiring Experts for a Company

Md. Abdus Salam — 2026-05-01

Designing speaking tests for special purposes involves contentious debates regarding specific contexts, company goals, and learner requirements, and hence, requires further research. This article designs a speaking test for the specific purpose of recruiting company professionals. At present, multinational companies around the globe are evolving day by day, and their sister concerns are getting diverse perspectives. The research objective of this article is to design a speaking test. This study requires finding an answer to the research question: how to design a valid and reliable speaking test for recruiting company professionals? This study applied a qualitative data analysis approach to find an answer to the research question, in which research articles, books, periodicals, and magazines were treated as secondary, and the speaking test design was primary data. This study finds that multiple challenges are present in designing a speaking test, keeping in mind the reliability and validity of the tests, like test-time, assessment-criteria, validity, and reliability. The findings of this article will be helpful and have positive impacts for the examinees as well as the employers. Observing the necessities, this study recommends further research for designing a speaking test, keeping real-world relevance in all contexts.

Recognition Memory of Vocabulary (RMV) and Reading Comprehension for EFL Learners in A Pesantren-Based Junior Secondary School

Hari Prastyo — 2026-05-01

This research investigates the correlation between recognition memory of vocabulary (RMV) and reading comprehension among eighth-grade English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at MTs Favorit Darut Taqwa Dlanggu, Indonesia. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design combining quantitative correlational analysis and qualitative descriptive inquiry, the study engaged 28 participants selected through purposive sampling based on their educational level and prior learning experiences. Data collection was executed through two distinct instruments: a vocabulary recognition memory assessment comprising multiple-choice questions and a reading comprehension evaluation. The findings indicated a statistically significant and exceptionally strong positive correlation between vocabulary recognition memory and reading comprehension (r = 0.976, p < 0.01), thereby illustrating a robust connection between learners’ capacity to recognize previously acquired vocabulary and their performance in comprehension tasks. Nonetheless, the results also imply that vocabulary recognition in isolation does not comprehensively account for reading comprehension, as various reading strategies, including skimming, scanning, and inference-making, were also integral to the students’ comprehension processes. This study underscores the pedagogical significance of amalgamating contextualized vocabulary instruction with explicit training in reading strategies and differentiated instructional methods. The implications of these findings offer valuable pedagogical insights aimed at enhancing English literacy instruction within EFL environments, particularly in Pesantren-based educational institutions.

Women’s Language Features and Narcissistic Self-Presentation: A Sociopragmatic Analysis of Q&A Interactions in Gus Iqdam’s Religious Forum

Rosita Ambarwati — 2026-05-01

This study examines women’s language features and micro-narcissistic self-presentation in digitally mediated religious discourse, focusing on question-and-answer (Q&A) interactions in the online “Pengajian Sabilu Taubah” led by Gus Iqdam. Adopting a qualitative descriptive design with a sociopragmatic orientation, the study aims to explore how female participants use language to negotiate emotion, politeness, authority, and self-visibility in a publicly streamed religious forum. The data were drawn from five publicly accessible livestream recordings and were selected through purposive sampling based on the presence of direct interaction with female participants, extended utterances, and adequate audio-visual quality. Three women participants were analyzed as primary data sources, while two additional participants were used for confirmatory analysis. The primary research instrument was detailed discourse transcription, including lexical, prosodic, and paralinguistic features. Data analysis followed a theory-driven qualitative content analysis guided by Lakoff’s framework of women’s language and Pearson’s functional classification, with data validation ensured through triangulation and confirmatory analysis. The findings show that women’s language in the Q&A sessions is characterized by expressive-affective features, mitigation strategies, and response-oriented utterances that function to elicit recognition and maintain politeness toward religious authority. Furthermore, micro-narcissistic self-presentation is realized through subtle and socially acceptable linguistic practices, such as admiration-seeking expressions and self-referential narratives, rather than overt self-promotion. This study contributes to sociopragmatic and gender-based discourse research by highlighting women’s linguistic agency in digital religious interaction and by conceptualizing micro-narcissism as an interactional phenomenon shaped by religious norms and public visibility.