Editorial- 15/1

Abstract

We are pleased to present to you the newest issue of the ELT Research Journal (Volume 15, Issue 1, June 2026), which brings together seven insightful and timely contributions in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) and its related disciplines. As always, our journal aims to provide a rigorous and dynamic platform that supports scholarly discussion and encourages further empirical research by academics, teacher educators, and practitioners within the global ELT community. The articles featured in this issue address critical and contemporary issues, ranging from cognitive aspects of language learning and learner affect to intercultural competence and the rapidly evolving integration of artificial intelligence in classroom practice. This issue opens with a quantitative, cross-sectional study by Hüseyin Güleç and Kadriye Dilek Bacanak, which investigates the second language (L2) mental lexicon organization of Turkish learners of English. Utilizing a Word Association Task (WAT), the authors explore how learner proficiency and specific lexical properties shape vocabulary network patterns. Their findings demonstrate a general dominance of semantic links, while highlighting how higher-proficiency learners transition toward position-based (collocational) responses, offering key pedagogical implications for developing deeper vocabulary networks. Shifting the focus to affective variables in high-stakes testing environments, Doğukan Hazar Özçubuk explores the pervasive nature of test anxiety among Turkish EFL learners in higher education. Adopting a concurrent mixed-methods design, the study identifies critical triggers, such as fear of failure and family pressure, and reveals that female students experience higher levels of anxiety. The author advocates for a paradigm shift toward alternative assessment methodologies, such as portfolios and projects, to reduce stress and better support foreign language acquisition. The next study by Hilal Yıldız and Asuman Aşık present a qualitative needs analysis examining university-level English instructors' materials design practices through the lens of the Intelligent TPACK (I-TPACK) framework. Their study reveals that while instructors appreciate AI for its efficiency, they largely navigate ethical, technical, and institutional challenges without sufficient formal support, highlighting an urgent need for collaborative, sustained professional development communities. Mustafa Tekin investigates pre-service English teachers' opinions regarding cultural and linguistic diversity. Utilizing a qualitative discourse-oriented research design based on Dervin’s (2006) Proteophilic Competence model, the findings reveal that despite varied intercultural scale scores, many pre-service teachers still hold traditional, essentialist views that privilege native-standard English varieties, signaling a clear need for teacher education programs to foster more fluid, dynamic understandings of culture. Melissa Özlem Grab follows with a qualitative case study investigating intermediate-level language learners' experiences with innovative vocabulary instruction techniques, including gamification and mobile-assisted learning. While students highly valued these interactive, multimodal strategies for boosting motivation, the study underscores critical barriers related to digital literacy and unequal technology access. Continuing the focus on digital assessment, Hilal Peker presents a qualitative interview study on students' lived experiences using the video-based platform EnglishCentral within a high-stakes assessment system. The study reveals that while students recognized vocabulary and listening gains, their engagement was heavily driven by grade acquisition, leading the author to recommend transparent scoring and active teacher guidance for meaningful technology integration. Concluding this issue, Ece Firuze Badak and Ceylan Yangın Ersanlı employ a mixed-methods experimental design to examine the effects of a chatbot-supported intervention using the Call Annie application on pre-service teachers' academic speaking skills. Their study demonstrates statistically significant improvements in oral performance alongside qualitative reporting of a stress-free, personalized learning environment, emphasizing the potential of generative AI to address structural limitations in EFL contexts. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the authors for their valuable contributions and dedication to advancing research in language education. We are also deeply grateful to our editors, co-editors, and reviewers who continue to dedicate their time and expertise to ensuring the academic quality, rigor, and integrity of our publication. We hope this issue inspires further inquiry, reflection, and practice, and we warmly invite you to consider submitting your scholarly work to future volumes of the ELT Research Journal. Best regards,

Keywords

• ELT
• Research
• Journal