Reading is a multidimensional, intellectual activity, which requires specific skills and strategies. Indonesian researchers have conducted research addressing various issues in reading in the domain of English as a Foreign Language/EFL. This article reviews the current development of theories and models of EFL reading and qualitative research into EFL reading in Indonesia. Through discussion of theoretical and practical perspectives, it appears that EFL reading researchers and teachers in Indonesia are interested in promoting and conducting studies not only on the effectiveness of intensive reading, but also of extensive reading in their academic institutions. In this way, their students will have sufficient opportunities to gain competence in both types of reading, and will develop the capability of using their knowledge of English to capitalise on the advancement of science and technology in the global world.

This paper offers a critical response to fundamental theories of representation in the introductory section of Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, a book written by Hall, Evans, and Nixon. As of January 2023, the book had won critical acclaims and was cited 13,500 times. The writers discuss how important a system of representation operates to connect language, society, and cultural differences in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Using a specific case of Boso Walikan, the Malangese slang language as a representational system, the writers discover that cultural differences may occur within the same society where most people share the same cultural values and speak the same language. In this case, not all Malangese people like to speak their unique slang language although they were born and grown up in Malang and can speak the slang well. In the end, the whole process of strange to familiar ideas of expressions, thus representations, matches very closely with the concept of shared meaning in any given culture or unique system of representation. For the case of Boso Walikan, it seems safe to suggest that any of its native users are just ‘more experienced’ speakers of the slang language.

The English curriculum implemented in the Indonesian secondary schools has undergone some development in the past few decades. The development is meant to ensure that the curriculum remains up to date with the development of English language teaching theories and practices in the world. This paper discusses the English curricula which were developed in 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2006 and critically analyses the communicative approach that has been implemented in Indonesian secondary schools. The newest 2013 curriculum is also discussed, but only superficially as the curriculum was just officially implemented at national level in the end of 2019. The writers finally offer some recommendations for future curriculum developers and government officials in order to improve English language teaching and learning in Indonesia.

In today’s era, the idea of conducting student exchanges and teaching practices overseas continues to grow. In this way, the cooperating countries can share their recent innovations in the field of education. The existence of a language barrier, however, may hinder learning and teaching in the classroom. Language barrier refers to the lack of a common language that prevents people from speaking to or understanding each other. It should be overcome as the information shared between teachers and students might be misinterpreted. This research was carried out as the researcher believed that the existing language barrier could be helped by increasing students’ motivation in the classroom. The aim of this study was to integrate the use of instructional media to enhance the students’ learning motivation of primary school in Thailand’s municipal school. This research used Classroom Action Research (CAR) design. The data was collected through the use of worksheets, still pictures, video recordings, interview guides, and field notes. The research results fulfilled the three criteria of success, namely classroom atmosphere, students’ learning motivation, and the strategy’s practicality. The researchers found that the use of instructional media could enhance students’ learning motivation and overcome the language barriers in the classroom.

For decades linguists have been interested in doing research on English vocabulary and vocabulary teaching. In the article Learning Vocabulary through Games published in the Asian EFL Journal, Huyen and Nga investigate the benefits of using games for their students’ vocabulary learning. They argue that games are helpful for students to enrich their English vocabulary acquisition. As of May 2021, the article has been quite influential and cited for 381 times by scholars and students around the world. This paper presents a critical review of the aforementioned article. The discussion is mainly centred on the relation between the research and communicative language teaching, strengths and weaknesses of the research, and reflection of the research findings on the authors’ learning and teaching experience.