HAAL 2025
Call for Papers
The HAAL 2025 conference welcomes proposals in all areas of applied linguistics. While there is no specific conference theme, we are particularly interested in innovative and rigorous topics that demonstrate strong methodological and/or theoretical approaches. Additionally, we encourage postgraduate students who are nearing completion of their theses to submit proposals as well.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit abstracts of a maximum of 200 words at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=haal2025
Each proposal should clearly indicate the objectives, methods, and (preliminary) results where appropriate. All accepted proposals will be presented in the form of ‘individual papers’. For each paper, the presenter(s)should speak for no more than 20 minutes, followed by a 5-min Q&A session. Each presenter is limited to one individual presentation OR one joint presentation.
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Deadline of abstract submission: May 16, 2025.
Publications
All presenters are welcome to submit their papers for the “Special Issue for HAAL 2025 Conference” in the Asian Journal of English Language Teaching (AJELT), published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. AJELT is published in the gold open access mode, which means that there is no author fee, and all published papers are free to download
Keynote Speaker
Prof. Andy Gao Xuesong
The University of New South Wales, Australia
Professor Andy Gao Xuesong is a language teacher educator at the School of Education, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, University of New South Wales Australia. His research interests include international students’ educational experiences, language learner agency, language and literacy education, language education policy and language teacher education.
Over the years, he has been promoting the use of sociocultural/ecological perspectives to understand language learner's strategy use and language teacher agency. Relevant publications have appeared in journals such as English Language Teaching Journal, Journal of Language, Identity and Education, Language Teaching, Language Teaching Research, Studies in Higher Education, System, Teaching and Teacher Education, and TESOL Quarterly. He edits International Journal of Applied Linguistics for WILEY and is an executive editor for Teaching and Teacher Education for Elsevier. In addition, he co-edits the English Language Education book series for Springer He also serves on the editorial boards of journals including Applied Linguistics Review, The Asia Pacific Education Researcher, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Journal of Language, Identity and Education, Modern Language Journal, Language Awareness, Language Learning Journal, and Teacher Development.
He received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, University of New South Wales in 2022. He was the Faculty’s Outstanding Young Researcher (2015) at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, a co-recipient of TESOL Award for an Outstanding Paper on NNEST issues (2012-2013), and has been named as one of 30 Up and Coming at TESOL International’s 50th anniversary.
Reimagining Second Language Education in the Brave New World
ABSTRACT
Drawing on a recently published multi-authored article in the Modern Language Journal, I present our reconceptualization of second language acquisition and teaching toward second language education. Our reconceptualization highlights the need to recognize the sociocontextually emergent nature of L2 competence in teaching and also calls for a complex dynamic systems theory–informed understanding of individual differences, with learner agency as a central driving force. This reconceptualization has significant implications for preparing language teachers and learners to teach and learn languages in a world profoundly impacted by technological developments, such as the rise of generative AI tools.
Invited Speakers
Prof. Benjamin Luke Moorhouse
The City University of Hong Kong
Dr. Benjamin Luke Moorhouse, Ed.D., SFHEA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at City University of Hong Kong. His research focuses on teachers' lived experiences and competencies and the role of technology in English-language teaching and learning, specifically Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). He has been leading the GenAI task force at HKBU. He has published more than 70 journal articles and book chapters. His research on GenAI has been published in journals such as Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, Computers and Education Open, System, RELC Journal, and ELT Journal. In addition, he has published three monographs and one edited volume. He served as lead guest editor of a special issue of RELC Journal (with Kevin Wong and Li Li). Benjamin was in the top 2% of cited scholars in the world in 2022, 2023 and 2024 (according to Stanford University).
Fostering critical and positive uses of GenAI in our language teaching
ABSTRACT
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The widespread availability of GenAI tools is changing how we engage in language related tasks. Monomodal and multimodal GenAI tools can quickly and efficiently compose an array of ‘authentic-like’ genres through ‘conversation-like’ interactions. The power of these tools clearly creates new possibilities for language learning. However, learners need to be able to use GenAI tools critically, responsibly, and positively to create language learning opportunities rather than replace them.
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The talk is structured around three essential aspects of learning in the age of AI (learning despite AI, learning with AI, and learning about AI). It provides my insights into ways we can nurture critical and positive uses of GenAI in language learning by rethinking our language learning curriculum, objectives, learning activities, and assessments to reflect the GenAI world.
Prof. Bin Shen
School of Foreign Studies, Fuzhou University
Harnessing virtual reality to enhance EFL learners’ self-regulated writing strategy use
ABSTRACT
Deemed as a challenging task for second/foreign language learners, writing is highly context-dependent and requires a high level of self-regulation while current technology-supported approaches to writing instruction are still de-contextual. Spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR), allowing learners to observe and interact with the authentic environment, may seem a potential way to address the problems in the EFL writing class. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory, this study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, commencing with a quasi-experiment followed by post-intervention interviews to triangulate the findings. In the quasi-experimental phase, the experimental group (n=31) engaged in SVVR-based viewing activities prior to writing exercises, while the control group (n=31) received traditional instruction involving video watching before writing. Subsequently, nine students from the two groups participated in post-intervention interviews to provide qualitative insights into their experiences. The findings demonstrated the use of the SVVR technological pedagogy carried good potential to facilitate learners’ argumentative writing performance, especially reflected in their writing content and language use. Students in the SVVR group also exhibited enhanced self-regulation in writing, with participants noting a heightened frequency in the use of metacognitive and motivational/affective regulation strategies. However, there was no marked improvement in their use of cognitive and social strategies. Analysis of the interview data revealed four emergent themes: multimodal scaffolding, mediation by environmental context, sociocultural interaction, and motivation and enjoyment, which reinforced and elucidated the quantitative outcomes. The implications of integrating SVVR in EFL writing instruction highlight its potential to facilitate comprehensive self-regulated learning.
Dr. Gavin Bui
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Effects of Task Complexity and Task Types on Meaning-Expression in Second Language Learning Tasks
ABSTRACT
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Task-based language teaching (TBLT) emphasises the use of authentic language in meaningful contexts. It represents a significant shift from—and response to—the perceived limitations of traditional second language (L2) teaching methods, which often prioritise forms over meaning and fail to prepare learners for real-world language use (Long, 2015). However, the construct of meaning expression, which is central to TBLT, lacks systematic conceptualisation in prior literature and thus warrants both theoretical and empirical exploration. This study bridges this gap by examining how two task types (Skehan, 2014) with varying complexity levels (Robinson, 2001) influence L2 meaning expression in terms of semantic and pragmatic adequacy among 100 Hong Kong L2 English learners. Results indicate that higher task complexity negatively affects fluency of meaning expression but enhances content sophistication. Task complexity shows minimal impact on other pragmatic adequacy measures. Problem-solving tasks demonstrate greater pragmatic adequacy than descriptive tasks, with interactive effects observed between task type and complexity. Based on the findings, a preliminary theoretical framework for meaning expression in TBLT is proposed. Pedagogical implications for enhancing meaning expression performance in L2 learning tasks are also discussed.
Yung Wai Ho, Kevin
The Education University of Hong Kong
Ethnic Minority Students’ Multilingual Motivational Selves in Shadow Education: A Narrative Inquiry
ABSTRACT
In Hong Kong, ethnic minority students face significant challenges in mastering Chinese and English, crucial subjects for university admission. While private supplementary tutoring (“shadow education”) offers additional language learning support, many underprivileged ethnic minority students cannot access these services due to financial constraints. Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) provide low/free-fee tutoring to address this gap, yet research on students’ experiences in these programmes remains limited. This study investigates how underprivileged ethnic minority students’ language learning experiences in NGO-provided tutoring interact with their multilingual selves and shape their motivational dynamics. Drawing on the Multilingual Motivational Self System framework, we conducted narrative inquiry through three rounds of in-depth interviews with 30 ethnic minority students from three NGOs, supplemented by participants’ self-plotted “motigraphs” and conversations with parents and tutors. Preliminary findings suggest that students develop distinct multilingual identities through these tutoring experiences, with their future language selves significantly influenced by the culturally responsive pedagogy in NGO programmes. The study also reveals that tutors’ support in these programmes enhances students’ confidence in navigating multilingual contexts. These insights contribute to theoretical understanding of dynamic multilingual motivation and inform practices supporting ethnic minority students’ language development within and beyond Hong Kong.
Programme Book
Venue
The conference will be held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Organising Committee
Dr. Barry Bai
President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr. Gavin Bui
Immediate Past President
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Dr. Benjamin Moorhouse Treasurer
Hong Kong Baptist University
Dr. George Braine
Advisor
ELT Consultant
Prof. Icy Lee
Advisor
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dr. Mable Chan
Secretary
Hong Kong Baptist University
Dennis Chau
Outreach Officer
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Dr. Daniel Fung
Committee Member
The University of Hong Kong
Dr. Phoenix Lam
Committee Member
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Ricky Lam
Past President
Hong Kong Baptist University
Dr. Danny Leung
Committee Member
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Dr. Emily Lui
Assistant Secretary
PolyU Hong Kong Community College
Dr. Qing Ma
Webmaster
The Education University of Hong Kong
Dr. Matthew Sung
Committee Member
City University of Hong Kong
Dr. Melinda Whong
Committee Member
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Sponsors
HAAL would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Faculty of Education at The Chinese University of Hong Kong for their kind support and sponsorship.
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