International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies

Motivation and communication in ESL classrooms: A quantitative study based on Maslow’s needs and Grice’s Maxims

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

In the field of English as a Second Language (ESL) education, teacher communication and student motivation are widely recognized as critical determinants of learning outcomes. This study examined the relationship between learner needs, framed through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and teacher communication effectiveness, analyzed using Grice’s Maxims. Data were collected from 240 students across 15 educational institutions in India, representing both technical and non-technical disciplines. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative classroom observations. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of motivation across all five need categories, with Social Needs reporting the highest mean (3.04, SD = 1.10) and Esteem Needs the lowest (2.95, SD = 1.20). Teacher communication was also rated at a moderate level, with Clarity perceived most positively (3.05, SD = 1.10). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a negligible and statistically insignificant relationship between motivation and teacher communication (r = –0.01, p = 0.87). These results suggest that motivation does not substantially shape students’ perceptions of teacher communication. Instead, other factors such as teaching style, instructional relevance, and cultural context may exert greater influence in ESL classrooms.

Innovative ICT pedagogy for English language teaching by trainees in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Neeta Chandra, R Vaijayanthi — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

Integrating ICT-based pedagogy in English language teaching is essential for improving educational outcomes, particularly in remote regions like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Existing studies primarily focus on urban settings, leaving a gap in understanding how ICT enhances instructional methods and student learning in rural contexts. This study investigates the effectiveness of ICT-based pedagogy in improving English language proficiency through the training of teacher trainees in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A total of 400 students from Grades 6 to 9 across eight government schools in both urban and rural areas participated. A Digital Literacy and Pedagogical Advancement Program was developed to train the teacher trainees in using ICT tools, who then conducted ICT-based English classes over two months using CBSE-aligned content. To assess student progress, Grade-Specific Linguistic Proficiency Assessment (GLPA) tests were designed to evaluate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Pre- and post-tests were conducted, and the data were analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, paired t-tests, and independent t-tests. Results showed significant improvements in post-test scores across all grades, confirming the effectiveness of ICT-based pedagogy. The findings support the scalability and adaptability of ICT-integrated teaching methods, advocating for their broader adoption to improve English language proficiency and modernize instructional practices in remote educational settings.

The interliterary reception of the Arabian Nights in O. Henry’s selected short stories

Nasra Ihmaid Jadwe, Majeed U Jadwe, Shaima Jabbar Ali — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

This paper critically examines the presence of the Arabian Nights in the short stories of the American writer O. Henry (1862–1910). Departing significantly from previous studies on this topic, this study challenges the traditional model of influence studies that has long dominated comparative literary scholarship. Such an approach, often restrictive, yields limited critical insight. Instead, this study adopts a reception-oriented framework to analyze the presence of the Arabian Nights in O. Henry’s selected short stories. This theoretical perspective offers a more nuanced understanding of how the host text interacts with the source text on a textual level. The analysis is guided by Dionýz Durišin's model of interliterary reception, which provides a more effective framework for assessing O. Henry’s creative engagement with the Arabian Nights. Additionally, the paper focuses on a specific subset of O. Henry’s short stories those that explicitly reference the Arabian Nights in their titles and structure their narratives around its master plots. The very act of interliterary reception that underlies the construction of the five 'Arabian Nights' short stories provides invaluable insights into the ways in which America of the late nineteenth century imagines itself critically in the mirror of the Arabian Nights.

Ann Radcliffean gothic heroine: Negotiating female agency through spatial constraint from eighteenth-century literature to contemporary media

Kun Hu, Yuancheng Zhong — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

This study examines the portrayal of the Gothic heroine in Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho from 1794 and The Italian from 1797, showing how her characterisation reshaped eighteenth-century Gothic fiction and influenced later narrative models. Radcliffe’s heroines, defined by courage, emotional sensitivity, and moral endurance, confront patriarchy, fear, and confinement through rational thought, psychological resilience, and the careful use of domestic or religious space. Using feminist theory and spatial criticism, the study argues that their agency develops not from rebellion but from calm reasoning, emotional control, and subtle resistance within restrictive architectural and social structures. The study also traces Radcliffe’s lasting influence in modern texts, including The Handmaid’s Tale and the film Ex Machina, where female characters continue to negotiate surveillance, containment, and the search for autonomy. These contemporary works reflect the same pattern of confined yet active agency that Radcliffe first established. Overall, the analysis shows that Radcliffe created a lasting model of female empowerment through spatial negotiation and inner strength. Her Gothic heroines endure because they transform confinement into agency, providing a foundation for later feminist storytelling in literature, film, and wider cultural production.

Beyond the feminine stereotypes: Tracing societal class barriers in Jojo Moyes' Me Before You

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

This paper examines the complex nuances of feminist narratives and their diverse interpretations through an in-depth analysis of JoJo Moyes’ novel Me Before You (2012). Within the framework of feminism, the paper questions normative gender ideals through the lens of the interconnectedness of class, culture, and identity. The paper fills a gap in the research on feminism, womanism, and related movements by analyzing them in a more contextualized way, demonstrating how sociocultural norms are imprinted on the lives of individuals. The paper summarizes how, even in the context of a familiar setting of Luisa Clark, the protagonist, sociocultural forces dictate class, gender, and caregiving expectations. Using a critical lens and sociocultural analysis, the article illustrates how family traditions and social practices strongly mediate Luisa’s decisions, needs, and self-worth. It provides a less radical tone but more pragmatic and inclusive feminism compared to much feminist rhetoric. Overall, the article advocates that more studies on feminist literature, gender stereotypes, and identity formation among cultures across the world, with a focus on intersections of gender, power, and social class, are needed. Thus, this study will offer researchers of literary criticism, feminist theory, and identity development with critical new knowledge.

Pedagogical translanguaging in multilingual writing: Eradicating monolingual ideologies and developing critical language awareness

Md Nesar Uddin, Mahmuda Sharmin — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

Although recent translanguaging studies have emphasized the pedagogical potential of translanguaging in various educational contexts, pedagogical translanguaging in multilingual writing at US universities remains little examined. This practitioner research investigated how pedagogical translanguaging in a multilingual writing class, comprising sixteen sophomores at a US research university, helped learners challenge monolingual ideologies and cultivate a critical awareness of linguistic rights and justice. The study used the Multimodalities/Entextualization Cycle framework during intervention. The data collected for this study include students’ reflections and critical discussions on CANVAS. This study coded the data with NVivo Plus and analyzed them thematically based on research questions about learners’ changing monolingual ideologies and their awareness of linguistic justice and rights. The data analysis shows that pedagogical translanguaging helped learners overcome their preconceived monolingual ideologies by fostering rhetorical sensibility and enhancing their critical awareness of linguistic justice. The results suggest that pedagogical translanguaging can be welcomed in multilingual writing classes when appropriate translanguaging materials are incorporated into pedagogical practices that educate learners about the practical values of translanguaging. The study contributes to the current scholarship that focuses on teachers’ pedagogical intervention designed to help multilingual learners challenge self-effacing attitudes toward and celebrate their linguistic and cultural resources.