Knowledge Base

As AI writing tools like ChatGPT become increasingly common in academic settings, many researchers and graduate students are wondering: If I conduct a genuine research study and use AI to help write the paper—without fabricating… Read more: Using AI to Support Academic Writing: What Is Ethical and What Is Not?

Are you preparing a manuscript and wondering where to publish your TESOL-related research? Choosing the right journal can make all the difference—not just for getting published, but also for reaching the right audience, enhancing your… Read more: 📚✨ Finding the Right Journal for Your TESOL Research: Essential Tools You Should Know!

Intercultural communication is the study of how people from different cultural backgrounds interact and construct meaning across boundaries of language, behavior, and perception. As societies become increasingly interconnected, the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately… Read more: Key Concepts in Intercultural Communication: A Graduate-Level Guide

By DalatTESOL Introduction Language is never used in a vacuum. Every utterance carries with it a web of meanings, relationships, histories, and intentions. Discourse analysis (DA) is the field of study that helps us unpack… Read more: 📘 Discourse Analysis in Applied Linguistics: Concepts, Methods, and Classroom Applications

A Theory-Informed Practical Guide for Teachers and Graduate StudentsBy DalatTESOL 🧭 Why This Guide? If you’re a TESOL teacher or graduate student, you’ve probably encountered terms like Communicative Language Teaching, Task-Based Learning, or scaffolding in… Read more: 🧠 Understanding Approaches, Methods, and Techniques in TESOL

As a community of English language educators, researchers, and students based in Da Lat, DalatTESOL aims to create spaces for sharing, learning, and growing together in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics. While our… Read more: 🌿 What Might DalatTESOL Do? A Glimpse Into Our Potential Activities

“I didn’t want to interrupt the teacher…”“I was afraid my question sounded stupid.”“My groupmate said I was too blunt—but I didn’t mean to be rude!” If you’ve ever struggled to speak up, ask a question,… Read more: 🗣️ Speak Smart, Speak Right: A Pragmatics Self-Guide for Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics

By DalatTESOL “I’ve read so many sample theses… but I still don’t get how to write Chapter 4 and 5.”“What counts as ‘discussion’? And how do I write about my findings without just repeating the… Read more: 📚 “I’m Stuck with Chapters 4 and 5!”: A Friendly Guide to Writing Findings and Discussion Sections

By DalatTESOL👉 This guide shows you how to read academic journal articles effectively, using simple strategies and practical examples tailored to EFL/TESOL graduate students. Let’s be honest: academic articles can feel intimidating—especially when you’re new… Read more: 📘 How to Read an Academic Paper (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

By DalatTESOL👉 A guide for graduate students learning how to evaluate academic sources, navigate journal publishing, and avoid predatory traps in the research world. As a graduate student, you’re expected to read, cite, and eventually… Read more: 📖 How to Know If a Journal or Article Is Trustworthy

By DalatTESOL Intercultural communication in EFL is no longer just about “cultural facts” or holiday traditions. It spans identity, ideology, power, and pedagogy. As English becomes increasingly global, EFL learners and teachers must navigate not… Read more: Areas of Research in Intercultural Communication in EFL Contexts

By DalatTESOL “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”— Potter Stewart In academic research—whether you’re interviewing students, analyzing texts, or using ChatGPT to… Read more: Research Ethics in the Age of AI

By DalatTESOL👉 This guide introduces essential academic terms in research and publishing—from journals and databases to study designs and analysis—so MA students and novice researchers can confidently navigate the academic landscape. 1. 📚 Where Research… Read more: Key Research Terms Every Novice Researcher Should Know

By DalatTESOL👉 This article walks you through each stage of conducting a systematic review—from formulating a clear research question to synthesizing findings—with real-world examples tailored for MA students in education and applied linguistics. 🧭 Why… Read more: 🔍 How to Conduct a Systematic Review in Applied Linguistics & Education

By DalatTESOL ✈️ Language on the Move Today’s language learners are not just memorizing vocabulary or practicing grammar. They’re navigating global cities, messaging across cultures, studying abroad, and increasingly, interacting with AI tools like ChatGPT.… Read more: 🌐 Crossing Borders with Words: Translanguaging, Mobility, and Intercultural Futures

By Dalat TESOL 🌍 Why Misunderstandings Aren’t Mistakes — They’re Lessons Intercultural miscommunications can feel frustrating. But some of the most powerful learning moments occur not when everything goes smoothly, but when it doesn’t. A… Read more: 🚦 Misunderstandings That Teach: Making Sense of Critical Incidents in Intercultural Communication

By Dalat TESOLA long-form article for graduate students in Applied Linguistics 🧭 Why Intercultural Competence Needs to Be Taught — Not Assumed Let’s begin with a story. Lan is an experienced English teacher in Vietnam.… Read more: Intercultural Competence in Education

By Dalat TESOLA long-form conversational article for graduate students in Applied Linguistics and TESOL 🧠 Why Nonverbal Communication Deserves Your Attention You’ve probably heard the saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”In intercultural communication, this couldn’t… Read more: ✋ Beyond Words: Understanding Nonverbal Communication Across Cultures

By Dalat TESOLUnderstanding how language expresses intention, manages relationships, and occasionally misfires across cultures 🧩 What Counts as “Polite”? You might think saying “thank you” or “please” always makes a statement polite. But does it?… Read more: 🎭 Speaking With Care: Politeness, Pragmatics, and Intercultural Interaction

By Dalat TESOLFrom native speaker norms to global English realities – what interculturality looks like today 🧭 Starting with the Big Question Walk into any English classroom in Vietnam and ask: “Who are you learning… Read more: 🌍 Whose English Is It Anyway? Interculturality in English as a Lingua Franca

By Dalat TESOLFrom stereotypes to structures — why critical interculturality matters in applied linguistics today 🤔 Beyond Cultural Differences: The Need for a Critical Lens We often begin intercultural communication by describing surface-level differences: “In… Read more: 🌐 Seeing Culture Through Power: A Critical Turn in Intercultural Communication

By Dalat TESOLA critical look at Hofstede, Hall, and how models help (and fail) to explain cultural differences 🧭 Trying to Map the Invisible Have you ever been confused by how someone from another culture… Read more: 🌐 Cultural Dimensions and Global Frameworks: Can We Really Map Culture?

By Dalat TESOLA conversation about how language shapes identity — and why culture is never neutral 🪞Who Do You Become in English? Have you ever noticed how your personality shifts slightly when speaking a second… Read more: 🎭 Language, Identity, and Culture: Who Are We When We Speak Another Language?

By Dalat TESOLA conversation about culture, language, and the hidden layers of communication 🚪 A Door Left Half Open… Imagine this: a Western lecturer smiles and asks a Vietnamese graduate student for their opinion during… Read more: 🌏 What Is Intercultural Communication, Really?

By Dalat TESOLA practical resource for novice scholars in applied linguistics and education 🎯 Purpose of This Guide This post introduces you to commonly used academic language and phrases for each major section of a… Read more: 📝 Academic Language for Research Writing: Section-by-Section Guide

By Dalat TESOLA step-by-step guide for building a compelling rationale and positioning your study 🎯 Why the Introduction Matters Your Introduction is not just the “first section”—it’s your first impression. Done well, it tells the… Read more: ✍️ How to Write a Strong Introduction in Applied Linguistics Research

By Dalat TESOLA step-by-step guide to interpreting your findings with clarity, confidence, and contribution 🧭 Why Is the Discussion Section So Important? The Discussion is where your study comes to life. While the Results section… Read more: 🧠 How to Write the Discussion Section of a Research Paper

By Dalat TESOLA clear, example-rich guide for applied linguistics students and novice researchers 🧭 Why This Matters Many students struggle to report results clearly and appropriately—especially when working with different types of data. Whether your… Read more: 📊📋 How to Report Quantitative vs. Qualitative Results in Research Writing

By Dalat TESOLA beginner’s guide to reading and writing applied linguistics research with clarity and confidence 🎓 Why This Matters Whether you’re a graduate student beginning your research journey or a novice scholar preparing your… Read more: 🧩 Understanding the Key Components of a Research Paper

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers build clarity, rigor, and purpose in their research journey 🌄 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants When you visit Google Scholar, you’ll see its quiet motto: “Stand on the shoulders… Read more: 📖 What Is Research? Understanding Its Core Characteristics in Applied Linguistics

By DalatTESOLThis guide introduces the essential rules of APA 7th referencing, using simple explanations, examples, and detailed analysis to help you avoid common mistakes. You’ll learn how to use APA style in both in-text citations… Read more: 📘 APA 7th Style Referencing: A Beginner’s Guide for Applied Linguistics

By Dalat TESOLHelping new researchers navigate the rich landscape of qualitative inquiry in language education 📌 Introduction Quantitative research tells you how much or how many—but qualitative research tells you how and why. If you’re… Read more: Exploring Types of Qualitative Research Designs in TESOL

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers build trustworthy surveys to investigate learner attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors 📌 Introduction Questionnaires are one of the most popular tools in TESOL research, especially when exploring learners’ motivation, self-efficacy, language… Read more: 🧾 Designing and Validating Questionnaires in TESOL Research

By Dalat TESOLHelping TESOL researchers confidently analyze classroom-based intervention data 📌 Introduction You’ve planned an intervention. You’ve collected your pre- and post-test scores. Now what? This guide introduces key statistical tools for analyzing data from… Read more: 📊 Statistics for Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Research in TESOL

By Dalat TESOLMaking research design more accessible for classroom-based and applied linguistics researchers 📌 Introduction When teachers or graduate students want to test whether a particular teaching method works better than another, they often turn… Read more: 🧪 Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs in TESOL: A Beginner’s Guide

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers turn big ideas into focused, answerable questions 📌 Introduction Many graduate students begin their research journey with a general topic—like motivation, translanguaging, or AI in language learning—but struggle to turn… Read more: 🧠 From Topic to Research Question: How to Sharpen Your Focus in TESOL Research

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers examine how interaction works in real-time communication 📌 Introduction Language teaching is not only about what is taught — but how it is taught through interaction. Every time a teacher… Read more: 🗣️ Conversation Analysis in TESOL: A Beginner’s Guide to Studying Classroom Talk

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers unpack meaning, power, and interaction in language use 📌 Introduction Language is more than vocabulary and grammar — it’s a tool for doing things: persuading, complaining, teaching, resisting, collaborating. Discourse… Read more: 🗣️ An Introduction to Discourse Analysis in TESOL Research

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers explore language through real-world data 📌 Introduction Corpus linguistics is an approach to language study that focuses on analyzing real-world language use through large collections of texts, known as corpora.… Read more: 🗂️ Corpus Linguistics in TESOL: A Beginner’s Guide to Data-Driven Language Research

By Dalat TESOLHelping early-career researchers define and justify meaningful research contributions 📌 Introduction A well-defined research gap is the heart of any strong thesis, proposal, or journal article. Without it, your study risks seeming unnecessary… Read more: 🕳️ Understanding Types of Research Gaps in TESOL and Applied Linguistics

By Dalat TESOLSupporting graduate students in combining qualitative and quantitative approaches for deeper insights 📌 Introduction In TESOL and applied linguistics research, some questions are too complex for a single method to answer fully. For… Read more: 🔀 A Beginner’s Guide to Mixed Methods Research in TESOL

By Dalat TESOLEmpowering future scholars in English language education research 📌 Introduction The decision to pursue a PhD is a life-changing step. It marks a shift from being a consumer of knowledge to a contributor… Read more: 🎓 Preparing for the PhD Journey in TESOL: A Practical Guide for Future Researchers

By Dalat TESOLSupporting novice researchers in publishing their first scholarly work in English language education 📌 Introduction Publishing a journal article can seem like an impossible task when you’re just starting out. Many TESOL graduate… Read more: 📝 How to Write an Academic Journal Article in TESOL: A Beginner’s Guide for Graduate Students

By Dalat TESOLHelping new researchers build valid and reliable research tools in English language education 📌 Introduction If you’re planning a quantitative or mixed-methods research study in TESOL, you’ll likely need a questionnaire to collect… Read more: 📝 Designing a Good Questionnaire for TESOL Research: A Beginner’s Guide

By Dalat TESOLSupporting new researchers in producing clear, transparent, and publishable research 📌 Introduction The Method section is often overlooked — seen as “just describing what you did.” But in reality, it’s one of the… Read more: 🧪 How to Write the Method Section in TESOL Research: A Clear Guide for Graduate Students

By Dalat TESOLHelping novice researchers understand and apply statistics in English language education research 📌 Introduction “I’m okay with teaching methods and theory… but statistics? That’s where I panic.” If you’re a graduate student in… Read more: 📊 A Beginner’s Guide to Basic Statistics in TESOL Research

By Dalat TESOLSupporting graduate students in qualitative inquiry and TESOL research 📌 Introduction “I had ten pages of transcripts and no idea where to begin.”If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many graduate students in… Read more: How to Analyze Interview Data in TESOL Research: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Dalat TESOLGuiding new researchers in English language teaching and applied linguistics 📌 Introduction One of the most common struggles for graduate students in TESOL is writing the literature review. It’s often misunderstood as just… Read more: 📚 How to Structure and Write an Effective Literature Review in TESOL

By Dalat TESOLEmpowering emerging scholars in language education 📌 Introduction The research question is the heart of your entire study. A clear, focused question will guide your design, data collection, analysis, and ultimately your contributions… Read more: 🎯 How to Write Strong Research Questions in TESOL: A Practical Guide for New Researchers

By Dalat TESOLSupporting novice researchers in ELT and applied linguistics 📌 Introduction If you’re a graduate student preparing to conduct research in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, one of the first—and most critical—decisions you’ll face is:👉… Read more: 🧭 How to Choose the Right Research Design in TESOL: A Step-by-Step Guide for Graduate Students

In academic writing, especially at the graduate level, you’ll often hear instructors and journal reviewers ask, “What’s the research gap?” This question might feel intimidating at first, especially if you’re new to the world of… Read more: 🌟 Understanding the Research Gap: A Beginner’s Guide for TESOL Graduate Students