Speaker
Description
While cultural exchange programs are recognized for broadening students’ global perspectives, their direct pedagogical impacts on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) oral communication require deeper empirical research. This qualitative action research study explores how structured cultural exchange activities, coupled with a systematic Reflective Journal Model, can enhance the EFL speaking confidence and conversational resilience of English-major students.
Conducted over a 15-week semester at the University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Da Nang, the study involved 50 English-major students participating in cultural exchange programs from January to September 2026. To transition these interactions into conscious linguistic development, students completed reflective journals based on the "Recall, Reflect, and Re-plan" framework after each session. These journals served as a metacognitive space to self-assess communication difficulties, self-correct errors, and alleviate speaking anxiety.
Data triangulated from student reflective journals and teacher classroom observation logs were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that systematic journaling acted as a critical cognitive and affective bridge. Instead of viewing real-time interactions as high-stakes, anxiety-inducing events, this reflective model allowed students to acknowledge successes, learn from communicative activities, and view errors as learning opportunities, significantly building speaking self-efficacy and conversational resilience.
