Vol. 3 No. 5 (2023)

In this issue, five articles cover various aspects of language learning and teaching:

1. The first article examines Spanish teachers' perceptions of their impact on maintaining students' interest in the language. The study reveals that teachers identify factors such as student interest, motivation, feedback, teacher-student relationships, and student engagement as crucial to maintaining interest.

2. The second article explores the effect of a student-developed persuasive speaking template on non-native English speakers' persuasive speaking skills. The study demonstrates a significant improvement in participants' skills after using the template, with factors such as direct skills instruction, time for research and practice, and teacher guidance contributing to the improvement.

3. The third article investigates the impact of metaphorical competence and awareness on vocabulary acquisition in second language learners. The paper examines studies demonstrating the benefits of metaphorical competence and awareness for vocabulary acquisition and offers pedagogical implications for educators.

4. The fourth article delves into Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) in the context of classroom language learning. The essay provides a brief history of the FLA construct, how it fits within the US higher education landscape, and its subsequent refinement through empirical evidence. It concludes by discussing the implications for language teaching in similar instructional contexts.

5. The fifth article reviews the development and validation of China's Standards of English Language Ability (CSE). The paper discusses the major theoretical frameworks for validating language scales in China, reviews studies on the CSE's validity, and examines empirical studies on the validity of the CSE sub-scales. The authors identify a lack of studies on organizational competence and suggest future research directions.