Online L2 Learner Engagement: Research Issues and Pedagogical Implications - Free

While face-to-face second language (L2) learning remains the mainstream and prevalent mode, recent years have seen rapid growth in online education. Indeed, both public and private schools worldwide have witnessed a significant increase in online learning, especially in the case of online L2 classes. In this talk, drawing on my recent book Learner Engagement in Online Second Language Classrooms (Palgrave, 2024), I review key conceptual, methodological, and pedagogical issues related to online L2 learner engagement. Specifically, I first examine some major conceptual and methodological challenges in L2 learner engagement research and offer suggestions for addressing them. I then provide a brief overview of pedagogical strategies used by online L2 teachers around the globe to promote learner engagement. I conclude by highlighting six key pedagogical implications for online L2 instruction and proposing Engagement-Based Pedagogy (EBP) as a reflective framework for online L2 teaching.