AL Forum, April 2025
Letter From the Editors
Andy Jiahao Liu, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Raj Khatri, George Brown College, Toronto, ON, Canada
Letter from the Chair
Miriam Moore, University of North Georgia, Gainesville, Georgia, USA
Imported Bilingualism: Revising The Typology of Bilingualism
Dina Mehmedbegovic-Smith, University College London, UK
This article will be of interest to TESOL professionals and researchers looking for a fresh lens in exploring the social justice agenda in language education. A new concept of ‘Imported Bilingualism’ introduced in this paper opens new avenues of understanding the processes which shape language hierarchies and related phenomena.
(How) Can I Tell If ChatGPT Wrote My Students’ Assignments?
Sebnem Kurt, Shuhui Yin, Danilo Calle Londono, Hwee Jean Lim, In Young Na, Nergis Danis, Carol A. Chapelle, Iowa State University, Ames, USA
Have you ever wondered if you could detect students’ use of generative AI in their writing? Research so far indicates that teachers cannot distinguish with certainty the ChatGPT-generated writing from that of students. Nevertheless, our study found some distinguishing linguistic clues in ChatGPT’s discourse as well as some strategies for examining the texts that could help teachers identify AI-generated texts in their students’ assignments.
What Can Teachers Learn From 35 Washback Studies?
Davy Tran, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
This article reviews 35 studies on washback, the effects of tests on teaching and learning, from 1990–2021. Findings show that tests shape teaching content but rarely influence methods, and tests are mediated by institutional and cultural factors. Based on these findings, I recommend that teachers should align tests with course objectives, diversify assessments, and integrate test tasks into their lessons.
How To Crack the Grad Code: A Survival Guide. Book Review of “Making the Most of Graduate School: A Practical Guidebook for Students in Applied Linguistics, Education, and TESOL”
Monica Martinelli, University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA
Ever wonder why academia feels like an exclusive club with a secret handshake? Making the Most of Graduate School guides you through the maze of how to crack the grad school code, revealing the hidden strategies behind academic success, and filling in the blanks that advisors and Google can’t. If you’re ready to stop feeling lost in the ivory tower and start thriving, this guide is your new best friend.