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• Teaching with Cases

At professional schools (like Harvard’s Law, Business, Education, or Medical Schools), courses often adopt the so-called "case method" of teaching , in which students are confronted with real-world problems or scenarios involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. Most of the cases which faculty use with their students are written by professionals who have expertise in researching and writing in that genre, and for good reason—writing a truly masterful case, one which can engage students in hours of debate and deliberation, takes a lot of time and effort. It can be effective, nevertheless, for you to try implementing some aspects of the case-teaching approach in your class. Among the benefits which accrue to using case studies are the following:

• the fact that it gives your students the opportunity to "practice" a real-world application;
• the fact that it compels them (and you!) to reconstruct all of the divergent and convergent perspectives which different parties might bring to the scenario;
• the fact that it motivates your students to anticipate a wide range of possible responses which a reader might have; and
• the fact that it invites your students to indulge in metacognition as they revisit the process by which they became more knowledgeable about the scenario.

Features of an Effective Teaching Case

While no two case studies will be exactly alike, here are some of those principles:

• The case should illustrate what happens when a concept from the course could be, or has been, applied in the real world. Depending on the course, a “concept” might mean any one among a range of things, including an abstract principle, a theory, a tension, an issue, a method, an approach, or simply a way of thinking characteristic of an academic field. Whichever you choose, you should make sure to “ground” the case in a realistic setting early in the narrative, so that participants understand their role in the scenario.
• The case materials should include enough factual content and context to allow students to explore multiple perspectives. In order for participants to feel that they are encountering a real-world application of the course material, and that they have some freedom and agency in terms of how they interpret it, they need to be able to see the issue or problem from more than one perspective. Moreover, those perspectives need to seem genuine, and to be sketched in enough detail to seem complex. (In fact, it’s not a bad idea to include some “extraneous” information about the stakeholders involved in the case, so that students have to filter out things that seem relevant or irrelevant to them.) Otherwise, participants may fall back on picking obvious “winners” and “losers” rather than seeking creative, negotiated solutions that satisfy multiple stakeholders.
• The case materials should confront participants with a range of realistic constraints, hard choices, and authentic outcomes. If the case presumes that participants will all become omniscient, enjoy limitless resources, and succeed, they won’t learn as much about themselves as team-members and decision-makers as if they are forced to confront limitations, to make tough decisions about priorities, and to be prepared for unexpected results. These constraints and outcomes can be things which have been documented in real life, but they can also be things which the participants themselves surface in their deliberations.

• The activity should include space to reflect upon the decision-making process and the lessons of the case. Writing a case offers an opportunity to engage in multiple layers of reflection. For you, as the case writer, it is an occasion to anticipate how you (if you were the instructor) might create scenarios that are aligned with, and likely to meet the learning objectives of, a given unit of your course. For the participants whom you imagine using your case down the road, the case ideally should help them (1) to understand their own hidden assumptions, priorities, values, and biases better; and (2) to close the gap between their classroom learning and its potential real-world applications.

For more information...

Kim, Sara et al. 2006. "A Conceptual Framework for Developing Teaching Cases: A Review and Synthesis of the Literature across Disciplines." Medical Education 40: 867–876.

Herreid, Clyde Freeman. 2011. "Case Study Teaching." New Directions for Teaching and Learning 128: 31–40.

Nohria, Nitin. 2021. "What the Case Study Method Really Teaches." Harvard Business Review .

Swiercz, Paul Michael. "SWIF Learning: A Guide to Student Written-Instructor Facilitated Case Writing."

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Teaching English

Teachers' zone, using case studies in the esl classroom, by lynne hand.

The terminology surrounding "case studies" tends to be confusing, running the gamut from simply "case," to "case history," "case analysis," "case problem," and the familiar "case study".

As you know I am always on the look out for original materials for use in my classes. I find that my students appreciate real world experiences in the classroom and case studies provide them with real life situations for discussion and evaluation. They are particularly useful for business English classes. Jolliffe writes, "through class discussions of the situations and people in the cases, students will hone their insights, perceptions, thought processes and interpersonal skills. . ." .

According to Silverman the following two factors are as important in Case Study Teaching as they are in any other forms of teaching, perhaps even more so, because an instructor has less control with case discussion than other forms of teaching.

• What do you want students to learn from the discussion of the case?
• What do they know already that applies to the case?
• What are the issues (central and peripheral) that may be raised in discussion?
• Can the case "carry" the discussion (Is it appropriate to your objectives)?
• how the case and discussion will be introduced
• preparation expected of students (written, submitted, papers?)
• the opening question(s)
• how much time is needed for the issues to be discussed
• concepts to be applied and/or extracted in discussion
• concluding the discussion
• evaluating the discussion (students', your own)
• evaluating the participants (grades for participation?)

Running a case study

To get started – select a short case study that covers the skills you want your students to practise. Read it several times and consider how it fits with your student-learning objectives for the class (you need to think about why you are teaching this case at this time).

Arrange the classroom so that students can talk face-to-face.

Prepare a set of questions for students to write out as homework before running the case in class.

For class, prepare another set of questions to move students through the stages of case analysis.

Who are the people in the case? Where is the case study situated? Why has the situation (problem) occured? What possibilities for action are there? How should the people in the case study proceed?

At the end conduct a teacher-led summary and conclusion discussion, assessing what your students have achieved.

Silverman, Welty, An Introduction to Cases, Pace University Center for Case Studies (1997)

Jolliffe, Lee B. Industry's Team Approach to Classroom Projects , Journalism Educator , Summer 1991

Do you have an article, handout or a teaching idea/tip that you would like to share? Fill out the form. It's good to share.

Seven tips for successful case studies

Case studies are a popular tool in business management training. They allow companies to put managers into credible business situations and see how they respond. It helps the individual prepare for the ‘real thing’ and encourages them to consider different ways of responding to events in business. In the business English classroom, the case study also provides the student with valuable language practice. It’s an opportunity for students to try out the language they have been learning in lessons in a realistic situation.

How a case study works

In general, a case study works like this: Firstly, students receive background information about a real business situation. This might take the form of a reading, a listening or a video. During this time, they’ll need help with vocabulary and understanding the key content. The teacher also needs to check that students have a thorough understanding of the problem or issue that needs to be addressed. Next students work in groups or pairs and try to respond to the problem authentically. This is clearly the stage where lots of language is generated and the teacher’s role is to monitor. After the problem has been solved, students reflect on what happened in the case study and how successful the process was. In a language classroom, this includes feedback on language use.

Tips for successful case studies

Despite being useful teaching tools, case studies can end with student dissatisfaction and the teacher can be left wondering why the case seemed to fail. Here are some ideas and tips to ensure that case studies work well in your lessons.

1: Raise interest

Make the case relevant to the students. Allow time for them to share what they already know about the topic and find out what experience they have in a similar situation.

2: Get everyone to take part

Some students will talk more than others but try to involve all your students. Vary interaction patterns (i.e. using pair work and group work) so everyone has a chance to contribute.

3: Concept checking

Throughout the case study, check everyone understands the instructions and aims of each stage

4: The language

You can input useful language before you start and it’s also helpful to ask students to suggest expressions they that will be useful for the task. After the case study, set aside time to talk through common errors or examples of correct and effective language.

5: Navigate the students

Sometimes in case studies, students go down the wrong track. It’s your job to get them going in the right direction again. Prompt them during pair work or group work and don’t be afraid to make a suggestion if necessary.

6: Reach a conclusion

It’s not crucial that everyone agrees on a final outcome since language practice is the primary goal. But students will feel more satisfied if everyone manages to agree on a final outcome.

7: Feedback and reflection

Allowing students to reflect on and discuss what went well and what didn’t go so well in the case study provides another opportunity for language practice.

Click here to download an example case study from Business Result Upper Intermediate . You can view more sample pages from Business Result on the Teacher’s Site .

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Helping advanced students overcome the language learning plateau, listening activity ideas for adult learners, 6 alternative halloween activities for the classroom, 12 comments.

One of the most effective additions would be bring in genuine outsiders for the class to interact with. If the budget allows this can take the form of actors playing the roles of customers. etc, but I managed once to get classes from two different companies to interact on a project. It was a lot of work but it was worth it as the scenario went from something slightly abstract to something which was all but real life.

Where is the language being taught in this gab fest?

[…] John Hughes offers his advice on using case studies in the classroom. John will be hosting a webinar on the topic of Case Studies in the Business English Classroom on 6th November. Case studies are…  […]

There is probably a mistake in point No 1 (the 2nd sentence). Thanks

Hi Monica, what do you think the mistake is? Thanks, OUP ELT Social Media Team

It looks like there’s a preposition missing, isn’t it?

Thanks. Have a nice day.

Thanks Monica, we’ve updated this. Thank you!

I think this is a very good solution to create real contexts in class and to monitor a production about a specific topic. Thank you

It true but i side with much oral practice

good suggestions for the case studies teachers

manju kalra

It’s good to use some steps in planning a case study as a sort of practice to realize a real context. You can give a list of words to build up with and a set of roles to perform. You can give supplemen-tary information and carry on with the topic exploring other aspects coming from the discussion. At the end a report should be written to analyse the whole case.

[…] In the business English classroom, the case study also provides the student with valuable language practice. It's an opportunity for students to try out the language they have been learning in lessons in a realistic situation.  […]

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Case Method Teaching and Learning

What is the case method? How can the case method be used to engage learners? What are some strategies for getting started? This guide helps instructors answer these questions by providing an overview of the case method while highlighting learner-centered and digitally-enhanced approaches to teaching with the case method. The guide also offers tips to instructors as they get started with the case method and additional references and resources.

On this page:

What is case method teaching.

• Case Method at Columbia

Why use the Case Method?

Case method teaching approaches, how do i get started.

• Additional Resources

The CTL is here to help!

For support with implementing a case method approach in your course, email [email protected] to schedule your 1-1 consultation .

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2019). Case Method Teaching and Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved from [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/case-method/  

Case method 1 teaching is an active form of instruction that focuses on a case and involves students learning by doing 2 3 . Cases are real or invented stories 4  that include “an educational message” or recount events, problems, dilemmas, theoretical or conceptual issue that requires analysis and/or decision-making.

Case-based teaching simulates real world situations and asks students to actively grapple with complex problems 5 6 This method of instruction is used across disciplines to promote learning, and is common in law, business, medicine, among other fields. See Table 1 below for a few types of cases and the learning they promote.

Table 1: Types of cases and the learning they promote.

For a more complete list, see Case Types & Teaching Methods: A Classification Scheme from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science.

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Case Method Teaching and Learning at Columbia

The case method is actively used in classrooms across Columbia, at the Morningside campus in the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the School of Business, Arts and Sciences, among others, and at Columbia University Irving Medical campus.

Faculty Spotlight:

Professor Mary Ann Price on Using Case Study Method to Place Pre-Med Students in Real-Life Scenarios

Read more  

Professor De Pinho on Using the Case Method in the Mailman Core

Case method teaching has been found to improve student learning, to increase students’ perception of learning gains, and to meet learning objectives 8 9 . Faculty have noted the instructional benefits of cases including greater student engagement in their learning 10 , deeper student understanding of concepts, stronger critical thinking skills, and an ability to make connections across content areas and view an issue from multiple perspectives 11 . 

Through case-based learning, students are the ones asking questions about the case, doing the problem-solving, interacting with and learning from their peers, “unpacking” the case, analyzing the case, and summarizing the case. They learn how to work with limited information and ambiguity, think in professional or disciplinary ways, and ask themselves “what would I do if I were in this specific situation?”

The case method bridges theory to practice, and promotes the development of skills including: communication, active listening, critical thinking, decision-making, and metacognitive skills 12 , as students apply course content knowledge, reflect on what they know and their approach to analyzing, and make sense of a case. 

Though the case method has historical roots as an instructor-centered approach that uses the Socratic dialogue and cold-calling, it is possible to take a more learner-centered approach in which students take on roles and tasks traditionally left to the instructor. 

Cases are often used as “vehicles for classroom discussion” 13 . Students should be encouraged to take ownership of their learning from a case. Discussion-based approaches engage students in thinking and communicating about a case. Instructors can set up a case activity in which students are the ones doing the work of “asking questions, summarizing content, generating hypotheses, proposing theories, or offering critical analyses” 14 . 

The role of the instructor is to share a case or ask students to share or create a case to use in class, set expectations, provide instructions, and assign students roles in the discussion. Student roles in a case discussion can include: 

• discussion “starters” get the conversation started with a question or posing the questions that their peers came up with; 
• facilitators listen actively, validate the contributions of peers, ask follow-up questions, draw connections, refocus the conversation as needed; 
• recorders take-notes of the main points of the discussion, record on the board, upload to CourseWorks, or type and project on the screen; and 
• discussion “wrappers” lead a summary of the main points of the discussion. 

Prior to the case discussion, instructors can model case analysis and the types of questions students should ask, co-create discussion guidelines with students, and ask for students to submit discussion questions. During the discussion, the instructor can keep time, intervene as necessary (however the students should be doing the talking), and pause the discussion for a debrief and to ask students to reflect on what and how they learned from the case activity. 

Note: case discussions can be enhanced using technology. Live discussions can occur via video-conferencing (e.g., using Zoom ) or asynchronous discussions can occur using the Discussions tool in CourseWorks (Canvas) .

Table 2 includes a few interactive case method approaches. Regardless of the approach selected, it is important to create a learning environment in which students feel comfortable participating in a case activity and learning from one another. See below for tips on supporting student in how to learn from a case in the “getting started” section and how to create a supportive learning environment in the Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia . 

Table 2. Strategies for Engaging Students in Case-Based Learning

Approaches to case teaching should be informed by course learning objectives, and can be adapted for small, large, hybrid, and online classes. Instructional technology can be used in various ways to deliver, facilitate, and assess the case method. For instance, an online module can be created in CourseWorks (Canvas) to structure the delivery of the case, allow students to work at their own pace, engage all learners, even those reluctant to speak up in class, and assess understanding of a case and student learning. Modules can include text, embedded media (e.g., using Panopto or Mediathread ) curated by the instructor, online discussion, and assessments. Students can be asked to read a case and/or watch a short video, respond to quiz questions and receive immediate feedback, post questions to a discussion, and share resources. 

For more information about options for incorporating educational technology to your course, please contact your Learning Designer .

To ensure that students are learning from the case approach, ask them to pause and reflect on what and how they learned from the case. Time to reflect  builds your students’ metacognition, and when these reflections are collected they provides you with insights about the effectiveness of your approach in promoting student learning.

Well designed case-based learning experiences: 1) motivate student involvement, 2) have students doing the work, 3) help students develop knowledge and skills, and 4) have students learning from each other.  

Designing a case-based learning experience should center around the learning objectives for a course. The following points focus on intentional design. 

Identify learning objectives, determine scope, and anticipate challenges. 

• Why use the case method in your course? How will it promote student learning differently than other approaches? 
• What are the learning objectives that need to be met by the case method? What knowledge should students apply and skills should they practice? 
• What is the scope of the case? (a brief activity in a single class session to a semester-long case-based course; if new to case method, start small with a single case). 
• What challenges do you anticipate (e.g., student preparation and prior experiences with case learning, discomfort with discussion, peer-to-peer learning, managing discussion) and how will you plan for these in your design? 
• If you are asking students to use transferable skills for the case method (e.g., teamwork, digital literacy) make them explicit. 

Determine how you will know if the learning objectives were met and develop a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the case method to inform future case teaching. 

• What assessments and criteria will you use to evaluate student work or participation in case discussion? 
• How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the case method? What feedback will you collect from students? 
• How might you leverage technology for assessment purposes? For example, could you quiz students about the case online before class, accept assignment submissions online, use audience response systems (e.g., PollEverywhere) for formative assessment during class? 

Select an existing case, create your own, or encourage students to bring course-relevant cases, and prepare for its delivery

• Where will the case method fit into the course learning sequence? 
• Is the case at the appropriate level of complexity? Is it inclusive, culturally relevant, and relatable to students? 
• What materials and preparation will be needed to present the case to students? (e.g., readings, audiovisual materials, set up a module in CourseWorks). 

Plan for the case discussion and an active role for students

• What will your role be in facilitating case-based learning? How will you model case analysis for your students? (e.g., present a short case and demo your approach and the process of case learning) (Davis, 2009). 
• What discussion guidelines will you use that include your students’ input? 
• How will you encourage students to ask and answer questions, summarize their work, take notes, and debrief the case? 
• If students will be working in groups, how will groups form? What size will the groups be? What instructions will they be given? How will you ensure that everyone participates? What will they need to submit? Can technology be leveraged for any of these areas? 
• Have you considered students of varied cognitive and physical abilities and how they might participate in the activities/discussions, including those that involve technology? 

Student preparation and expectations

• How will you communicate about the case method approach to your students? When will you articulate the purpose of case-based learning and expectations of student engagement? What information about case-based learning and expectations will be included in the syllabus?
• What preparation and/or assignment(s) will students complete in order to learn from the case? (e.g., read the case prior to class, watch a case video prior to class, post to a CourseWorks discussion, submit a brief memo, complete a short writing assignment to check students’ understanding of a case, take on a specific role, prepare to present a critique during in-class discussion).

Andersen, E. and Schiano, B. (2014). Teaching with Cases: A Practical Guide . Harvard Business Press. 

Bonney, K. M. (2015). Case Study Teaching Method Improves Student Performance and Perceptions of Learning Gains†. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education , 16 (1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v16i1.846

Davis, B.G. (2009). Chapter 24: Case Studies. In Tools for Teaching. Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. 

Garvin, D.A. (2003). Making the Case: Professional Education for the world of practice. Harvard Magazine. September-October 2003, Volume 106, Number 1, 56-107.

Golich, V.L. (2000). The ABCs of Case Teaching. International Studies Perspectives. 1, 11-29. 

Golich, V.L.; Boyer, M; Franko, P.; and Lamy, S. (2000). The ABCs of Case Teaching. Pew Case Studies in International Affairs. Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. 

Heath, J. (2015). Teaching & Writing Cases: A Practical Guide. The Case Center, UK. 

Herreid, C.F. (2011). Case Study Teaching. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. No. 128, Winder 2011, 31 – 40. 

Herreid, C.F. (2007). Start with a Story: The Case Study Method of Teaching College Science . National Science Teachers Association. Available as an ebook through Columbia Libraries. 

Herreid, C.F. (2006). “Clicker” Cases: Introducing Case Study Teaching Into Large Classrooms. Journal of College Science Teaching. Oct 2006, 36(2). https://search.proquest.com/docview/200323718?pq-origsite=gscholar  

Krain, M. (2016). Putting the Learning in Case Learning? The Effects of Case-Based Approaches on Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Engagement. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. 27(2), 131-153. 

Lundberg, K.O. (Ed.). (2011). Our Digital Future: Boardrooms and Newsrooms. Knight Case Studies Initiative. 

Popil, I. (2011). Promotion of critical thinking by using case studies as teaching method. Nurse Education Today, 31(2), 204–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2010.06.002

Schiano, B. and Andersen, E. (2017). Teaching with Cases Online . Harvard Business Publishing. 

Thistlethwaite, JE; Davies, D.; Ekeocha, S.; Kidd, J.M.; MacDougall, C.; Matthews, P.; Purkis, J.; Clay D. (2012). The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professional education: A BEME systematic review . Medical Teacher. 2012; 34(6): e421-44. 

Yadav, A.; Lundeberg, M.; DeSchryver, M.; Dirkin, K.; Schiller, N.A.; Maier, K. and Herreid, C.F. (2007). Teaching Science with Case Studies: A National Survey of Faculty Perceptions of the Benefits and Challenges of Using Cases. Journal of College Science Teaching; Sept/Oct 2007; 37(1). 

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. Second Edition. Jossey-Bass.

Additional resources 

Teaching with Cases , Harvard Kennedy School of Government. 

Features “what is a teaching case?” video that defines a teaching case, and provides documents to help students prepare for case learning, Common case teaching challenges and solutions, tips for teaching with cases. 

Promoting excellence and innovation in case method teaching: Teaching by the Case Method , Christensen Center for Teaching & Learning. Harvard Business School. 

National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science . University of Buffalo. 

A collection of peer-reviewed STEM cases to teach scientific concepts and content, promote process skills and critical thinking. The Center welcomes case submissions. Case classification scheme of case types and teaching methods:

• Different types of cases: analysis case, dilemma/decision case, directed case, interrupted case, clicker case, a flipped case, a laboratory case. 
• Different types of teaching methods: problem-based learning, discussion, debate, intimate debate, public hearing, trial, jigsaw, role-play. 

Columbia Resources

Resources available to support your use of case method: The University hosts a number of case collections including: the Case Consortium (a collection of free cases in the fields of journalism, public policy, public health, and other disciplines that include teaching and learning resources; SIPA’s Picker Case Collection (audiovisual case studies on public sector innovation, filmed around the world and involving SIPA student teams in producing the cases); and Columbia Business School CaseWorks , which develops teaching cases and materials for use in Columbia Business School classrooms.

Center for Teaching and Learning

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers a variety of programs and services for instructors at Columbia. The CTL can provide customized support as you plan to use the case method approach through implementation. Schedule a one-on-one consultation. 

Office of the Provost

The Hybrid Learning Course Redesign grant program from the Office of the Provost provides support for faculty who are developing innovative and technology-enhanced pedagogy and learning strategies in the classroom. In addition to funding, faculty awardees receive support from CTL staff as they redesign, deliver, and evaluate their hybrid courses.

The Start Small! Mini-Grant provides support to faculty who are interested in experimenting with one new pedagogical strategy or tool. Faculty awardees receive funds and CTL support for a one-semester period.

Explore our teaching resources.

• Blended Learning
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• Inclusive Teaching Guide
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CTL resources and technology for you.

• Overview of all CTL Resources and Technology
• The origins of this method can be traced to Harvard University where in 1870 the Law School began using cases to teach students how to think like lawyers using real court decisions. This was followed by the Business School in 1920 (Garvin, 2003). These professional schools recognized that lecture mode of instruction was insufficient to teach critical professional skills, and that active learning would better prepare learners for their professional lives. ↩
• Golich, V.L. (2000). The ABCs of Case Teaching. International Studies Perspectives. 1, 11-29. ↩
• Herreid, C.F. (2007). Start with a Story: The Case Study Method of Teaching College Science . National Science Teachers Association. Available as an ebook through Columbia Libraries. ↩
• Davis, B.G. (2009). Chapter 24: Case Studies. In Tools for Teaching. Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. ↩
• Andersen, E. and Schiano, B. (2014). Teaching with Cases: A Practical Guide . Harvard Business Press. ↩
• Lundberg, K.O. (Ed.). (2011). Our Digital Future: Boardrooms and Newsrooms. Knight Case Studies Initiative. ↩
• Heath, J. (2015). Teaching & Writing Cases: A Practical Guide. The Case Center, UK. ↩
• Bonney, K. M. (2015). Case Study Teaching Method Improves Student Performance and Perceptions of Learning Gains†. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education , 16 (1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v16i1.846 ↩
• Krain, M. (2016). Putting the Learning in Case Learning? The Effects of Case-Based Approaches on Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Engagement. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. 27(2), 131-153. ↩
• Thistlethwaite, JE; Davies, D.; Ekeocha, S.; Kidd, J.M.; MacDougall, C.; Matthews, P.; Purkis, J.; Clay D. (2012). The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professional education: A BEME systematic review . Medical Teacher. 2012; 34(6): e421-44. ↩
• Yadav, A.; Lundeberg, M.; DeSchryver, M.; Dirkin, K.; Schiller, N.A.; Maier, K. and Herreid, C.F. (2007). Teaching Science with Case Studies: A National Survey of Faculty Perceptions of the Benefits and Challenges of Using Cases. Journal of College Science Teaching; Sept/Oct 2007; 37(1). ↩
• Popil, I. (2011). Promotion of critical thinking by using case studies as teaching method. Nurse Education Today, 31(2), 204–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2010.06.002 ↩
• Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. ↩
• Herreid, C.F. (2006). “Clicker” Cases: Introducing Case Study Teaching Into Large Classrooms. Journal of College Science Teaching. Oct 2006, 36(2). https://search.proquest.com/docview/200323718?pq-origsite=gscholar ↩

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Center for Teaching

Case studies.

Print Version

Case studies are stories that are used as a teaching tool to show the application of a theory or concept to real situations. Dependent on the goal they are meant to fulfill, cases can be fact-driven and deductive where there is a correct answer, or they can be context driven where multiple solutions are possible. Various disciplines have employed case studies, including humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, law, business, and medicine. Good cases generally have the following features: they tell a good story, are recent, include dialogue, create empathy with the main characters, are relevant to the reader, serve a teaching function, require a dilemma to be solved, and have generality.

Instructors can create their own cases or can find cases that already exist. The following are some things to keep in mind when creating a case:

• What do you want students to learn from the discussion of the case?
• What do they already know that applies to the case?
• What are the issues that may be raised in discussion?
• How will the case and discussion be introduced?
• What preparation is expected of students? (Do they need to read the case ahead of time? Do research? Write anything?)
• What directions do you need to provide students regarding what they are supposed to do and accomplish?
• Do you need to divide students into groups or will they discuss as the whole class?
• Are you going to use role-playing or facilitators or record keepers? If so, how?
• What are the opening questions?
• How much time is needed for students to discuss the case?
• What concepts are to be applied/extracted during the discussion?
• How will you evaluate students?

To find other cases that already exist, try the following websites:

• The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science , University of Buffalo. SUNY-Buffalo maintains this set of links to other case studies on the web in disciplines ranging from engineering and ethics to sociology and business
• A Journal of Teaching Cases in Public Administration and Public Policy , University of Washington

For more information:

• World Association for Case Method Research and Application

Book Review :  Teaching and the Case Method , 3rd ed., vols. 1 and 2, by Louis Barnes, C. Roland (Chris) Christensen, and Abby Hansen. Harvard Business School Press, 1994; 333 pp. (vol 1), 412 pp. (vol 2).

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Methodology for Using Case Studies in the Business English Language Classroom

This paper reflects on the types of case studies available to language learners and teachers and elaborates a methodology on how these case studies can be exploited to maximise student talking time in the language classroom. Not all case studies are the same and with different levels of difficulty and skills trained, the choice of case study is tantamount to the success of your class. Case studies are extremely rich in content and can provide the learner with the potential to consolidate already acquired knowledge and train specific language and managerial skills. Language teachers inexperienced in the use of the case study method may be inhibited by the content-based nature of the case study and therefore shy away from using case studies in class. This teaching methodology should help teachers plan their classroom to ensure effective execution of a case study.

Case Studies in the Language Classroom

Advantages of the case study to the language teacher.

• to develop critical thinking and reflective learning in the learner.
• to improve the student's organisational skills -  as case studies are sometimes very dense in information, the key is to condense this information into logical sections and organise them so that a clear picture of the problem/issue can be understood
• to enhance communication skills - case studies can be used to improve the student's written and oral communication. Non-verbal communication skills are also practised by using case studies
• to train managerial communication skills such as holding a meeting, negotiating a contract, giving a presentation etc. Case studies force students into real-life situations to require them to get involved in managerial communication.
• to encourage collaborative learning and team-working skills in the language learner.

The Case Study Classroom

• Case study introduction - deals with the preparation of the case study, the introduction of a problem solving analysis and the pre-teaching of LSP (in this case, I use the example of meeting skills)
• Case study class - here the class is divided into sections to include meetings, presentations of findings and discussion of recommendations.
• Debriefing the class - the teacher gives feedback on language mistakes, managerial skills and the meeting documents and support materials used.

1. Case Study Introduction

• Company Name
• Elmex-Newton
• Profit in 2001
• Number of Employees
• Head Office
• Product Range
• White goods
• a) Read the case several times.
• b) Define the main issues/problems.
• c) Set out the firm's objectives.
• d) Identify options open to the firm.
• e) Draw up some criteria to evaluate the options chosen.
• f) Select the best option.
• g) Decide on how the option should be implemented.
• h) Draw up an action plan to implement the solution chosen.
• refer students to web sites to read up on the skill being practised. A web search will reveal any number of interesting sites.
• If students have access to libraries, then they can read up on meeting skills in one of the many communication books on the market
• brainstorm some key concepts of meetings such as type of meetings, people at a meeting, verbs, etc (see the worksheet in Appendix 1.)
• move on to the language of meetings - provide the students with useful language input for both the chairperson and the participants such as the language of contradicting and disagreeing, interrupting, taking the floor etc.
• familiarise the students with the documents of meeting - the form and content of agendas, minutes and memos. This should provide the student with more language input such as AOB, matters arising out of the last meeting, absentees, etc.
• divide the class into small groups. You can either ask them to form the groups themselves or you can form the groups based on your class lists.

2. Case Study Class

• Meeting (30 minutes) - Groups (Group A and Group B) meet to discuss their part of the case study.
• Presentation (15 minutes per group) - Group A present their findings to the other group and vice versa.
• Discussion (30 minutes) - all students come together to discuss the findings and make recommendations.

3. Debriefing Class

• Castler, K & Palmer, D (1989) Business Assignments ? Eight advanced case studies with video, Oxford University Press: Oxford.
• Cotton, D., Falvey, D. & Kent, S. (2000) Market Leader ? Intermediate Business English, Longmann : Pearson Education Limited
• Cotton, D., Falvey, D. & Kent, S. (2001) Market Leader ? Upper-Intermediate Business English, Longmann : Pearson Education Limited.
• Crowther-Alwyn, J. (1997) Business Roles ? 12 Simulations for Business English , CUP: Cambridge
• Crowther-Alwyn, J. (1999) Business Roles 2 ? 12 Simulations for Business English , CUP: Cambridge.
• Witte, A.E (Ed.) (1999) Interactive Cases for Business English , Ellipses: Paris

• Our Mission

Making Learning Relevant With Case Studies

The open-ended problems presented in case studies give students work that feels connected to their lives.

To prepare students for jobs that haven’t been created yet, we need to teach them how to be great problem solvers so that they’ll be ready for anything. One way to do this is by teaching content and skills using real-world case studies, a learning model that’s focused on reflection during the problem-solving process. It’s similar to project-based learning, but PBL is more focused on students creating a product.

Case studies have been used for years by businesses, law and medical schools, physicians on rounds, and artists critiquing work. Like other forms of problem-based learning, case studies can be accessible for every age group, both in one subject and in interdisciplinary work.

You can get started with case studies by tackling relatable questions like these with your students:

• How can we limit food waste in the cafeteria?
• How can we get our school to recycle and compost waste? (Or, if you want to be more complex, how can our school reduce its carbon footprint?)
• How can we improve school attendance?
• How can we reduce the number of people who get sick at school during cold and flu season?

Addressing questions like these leads students to identify topics they need to learn more about. In researching the first question, for example, students may see that they need to research food chains and nutrition. Students often ask, reasonably, why they need to learn something, or when they’ll use their knowledge in the future. Learning is most successful for students when the content and skills they’re studying are relevant, and case studies offer one way to create that sense of relevance.

Teaching With Case Studies

Ultimately, a case study is simply an interesting problem with many correct answers. What does case study work look like in classrooms? Teachers generally start by having students read the case or watch a video that summarizes the case. Students then work in small groups or individually to solve the case study. Teachers set milestones defining what students should accomplish to help them manage their time.

During the case study learning process, student assessment of learning should be focused on reflection. Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick’s Learning and Leading With Habits of Mind gives several examples of what this reflection can look like in a classroom: 

Journaling: At the end of each work period, have students write an entry summarizing what they worked on, what worked well, what didn’t, and why. Sentence starters and clear rubrics or guidelines will help students be successful. At the end of a case study project, as Costa and Kallick write, it’s helpful to have students “select significant learnings, envision how they could apply these learnings to future situations, and commit to an action plan to consciously modify their behaviors.”

Interviews: While working on a case study, students can interview each other about their progress and learning. Teachers can interview students individually or in small groups to assess their learning process and their progress.

Student discussion: Discussions can be unstructured—students can talk about what they worked on that day in a think-pair-share or as a full class—or structured, using Socratic seminars or fishbowl discussions. If your class is tackling a case study in small groups, create a second set of small groups with a representative from each of the case study groups so that the groups can share their learning.

4 Tips for Setting Up a Case Study

1. Identify a problem to investigate: This should be something accessible and relevant to students’ lives. The problem should also be challenging and complex enough to yield multiple solutions with many layers.

2. Give context: Think of this step as a movie preview or book summary. Hook the learners to help them understand just enough about the problem to want to learn more.

3. Have a clear rubric: Giving structure to your definition of quality group work and products will lead to stronger end products. You may be able to have your learners help build these definitions.

4. Provide structures for presenting solutions: The amount of scaffolding you build in depends on your students’ skill level and development. A case study product can be something like several pieces of evidence of students collaborating to solve the case study, and ultimately presenting their solution with a detailed slide deck or an essay—you can scaffold this by providing specified headings for the sections of the essay.

Problem-Based Teaching Resources

There are many high-quality, peer-reviewed resources that are open source and easily accessible online.

• The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the University at Buffalo built an online collection of more than 800 cases that cover topics ranging from biochemistry to economics. There are resources for middle and high school students.
• Models of Excellence , a project maintained by EL Education and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has examples of great problem- and project-based tasks—and corresponding exemplary student work—for grades pre-K to 12.
• The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning at Purdue University is an open-source journal that publishes examples of problem-based learning in K–12 and post-secondary classrooms.
• The Tech Edvocate has a list of websites and tools related to problem-based learning.

In their book Problems as Possibilities , Linda Torp and Sara Sage write that at the elementary school level, students particularly appreciate how they feel that they are taken seriously when solving case studies. At the middle school level, “researchers stress the importance of relating middle school curriculum to issues of student concern and interest.” And high schoolers, they write, find the case study method “beneficial in preparing them for their future.”

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Case-Based Teaching & Learning Initiative

Teaching cases & active learning resources for public health education, writing a "teaching" case study: 10 easy steps.

Using our case library

Access to cases.

Many of our cases are available for sale through Harvard Business Publishing in the  Harvard T.H. Chan case collection . Others are free to download through this website .

Cases in this collection may be used free of charge by Harvard Chan course instructors in their teaching. Contact  Allison Bodznick , Harvard Chan Case Library administrator, for access.

Access to teaching notes

Teaching notes are available as supporting material to many of the cases in the Harvard Chan Case Library. Teaching notes provide an overview of the case and suggested discussion questions, as well as a roadmap for using the case in the classroom.

Access to teaching notes is limited to course instructors only.

• Teaching notes for cases available through  Harvard Business Publishing may be downloaded after registering for an Educator account .
• To request teaching notes for cases that are available for free through this website, look for the "Teaching note  available for faculty/instructors " link accompanying the abstract for the case you are interested in; you'll be asked to complete a brief survey verifying your affiliation as an instructor.

Using the Harvard Business Publishing site

Faculty and instructors with university affiliations can register for Educator access on the Harvard Business Publishing website,  where many of our cases are available . An Educator account provides access to teaching notes, full-text review copies of cases, articles, simulations, course planning tools, and discounted pricing for your students.

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CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND PEDAGOGY article

Integration of curriculum ideology and politics in higher education: a case study of english linguistics in china.

• School of Humanities, Communication University of China, Beijing, China

Amidst efforts to fulfill the Chinese government’s education guide for morality building and character cultivating, curriculum ideology and politics have emerged as key aspects in higher education pedagogy. English linguistics, a staple for junior English majors and often perceived as theoretical and challenging, represents an opportunity to align with national education directives. This study explores the integration of ideological and political education within the English major’s curriculum, specifically within an English linguistics course. This paper details an empirical case study conducted in a local Jiangxi university in China, where an “ideological education + linguistics” teaching model was carefully crafted and implemented in the introductory linguistics session. Methodologies included classroom observation, post-lesson questionnaire and interview, revealing enhancements in student engagement, understanding of linguistic concepts, and scientific and logical reasoning. Additionally, noteworthy improvements in teaching methodologies were reported. The findings affirm the model’s feasibility and effectiveness in reinforcing the curriculum ideology and politics in major disciplines, suggesting a beneficial tripartite impact on national educational goals, student learning, and teaching innovation. Research significance indicates that by applying their experiences, front-line teachers can act as researchers, enhancing the implementation of educational research; besides theoretical studies, micro case studies are essential to validate and complement educational research, thus contributing to the development of a comprehensive theoretical framework.

1 Introduction

The principle of “fostering character and civic virtue, prioritizing moral education” is a cornerstone of China’s educational philosophy. With the 2016 National Ideological and Political Work Conference of Colleges and Universities endorsing “curriculum ideological and political education,” a new paradigm shift has been ushered into education, profoundly affecting teaching modalities. Institutions of higher learning, as incubators of future talents, not only need to maintain excellence in traditional academic instruction but also must integrate ideological and political dimensions into curricular content to align with national educational objectives. The foreign language curriculum, a key component of higher education and considered “a natural battlefield for curriculum ideological and political education” ( Guo and Luo, 2021 ), is thus under the spotlight for its pedagogical approach in English courses.

In the current foreign language courses in universities, some scholars have proposed that English major education should adhere to the concept of “based on general education, standing on professionalism, and returning to individuality”; while also should deal with the relationship between global perspective and national consciousness well ( Wen et al., 2020 ). They emphasize the need to enhance students’ problem-solving capabilities, elevate their cognitive skills ( Hu, 2022 ), and shape well-rounded international experts proficient in their field of study ( Wu, 2019 ). Given that external societal forces drive policy evolution in foreign language education ( Shohamy, 2006 ), initiatives such as “building a community with a shared future for mankind” and the “Belt and Road” have put forward new language proficiency requirements for Chinese foreign language talents, also presenting a challenge to the English education ethos in the past period of time. As Chinese foreign language education has began to realize the necessity of the cultivation of cross-culture quality and ability since 21th century, cross-culture mode has transmitted from fragmented education to curriculum education, but such planning and action still fall behind in touching the deep, dynamic, systematic trans-cultural mode. This requires to form a new culture position based on the integration of love for local culture and appreciation for target country culture by starting from language ( Shen, 2019 ). Therefore, it is a tendency to seize the opportunity of foreign language education reform under the policy to face the challenge and fill the inadequacy in all levels.

English linguistics, as an integral part of language education, exhibits both instrumental and humanistic characteristics. Its instrumentality emerges through systematic instruction on the essence, structure, function, and application aspects of language, which equips students with the skills to decode language rules, analyze linguistic phenomena, and formulate a theoretical base for subsequent teaching and research endeavors. The humanistic dimension is manifest in the way the course shapes students’ awareness of language usage, identity, and the interplay between language and society. These facets collectively refine their academic literacy, critical thinking abilities, national and global outlook. However, English linguistics is also fraught with complex theories and terms, demands innovative and engaging teaching strategies to facilitate comprehension, which is achievable through curriculum ideological and political education.

Ideological and political values are embedded within the various branches of linguistics. For example: Phonology illustrates the principle of understanding the deeper essence through surface phenomena; morphology and syntax underscore the values of rigor and precision; semantics explores the dialectical connection between language and the subjective-objective reality; pragmatics promotes flexibility, politeness and conversational decorum; sociolinguistics juxtaposes linguistic variation at the micro-level against language policy at the macro-level, and so on. Besides, linking linguistic competencies to individual growth, cultural legacy, and the nation’s soft power could help nurturing patriotic individuals adept in linguistic studies and proficient in English. Therefore, the course pays attention to the integration and guidance mentioned above, through the overall ideological and political elements of linguistics course in Table 1 , thereby broadening cognitive horizons of students.

Table 1 . Overall ideological and political elements of linguistics course.

2 Literature review

A review of literature indicates international contributions, like Shaaban (2005) has delved into the infusion of moral education into ESL and EFL classrooms. Educational research globally recognizes the integration of ideological and political elements, which can be seen from moral education, cultural identity, social responsibility, and professional development as follows. (1) On moral education, transformational leadership within moral education helps students maintain integrity through role modeling and moral reinforcement ( Effendi and Sahertian, 2022 ). Meanwhile, environmental moral education is pivotal in raising awareness for societal and ecological sustainability ( Begum et al., 2021 ). (2) In addition, cultural identity is essential in modern education, which extends beyond knowledge transfer to the formation of students’ identities, emphasizing the importance of reinforcing cultural connections and national values in the learning process ( Millei, 2021 ). This shaping of identity is integrated from an early age and is instrumental in the development of moral teaching strategies ( Asif et al., 2020 ). (3) Besides, social responsibility in education encourages students to address global issues through the inclusion of courses focusing on environmental and civic values, transitioning the educational aim from simple knowledge delivery to a broader personal and societal development ( Begum et al., 2021 ). (4) Moreover, the continuous enhancement of professional competencies and ethical standards for teachers is crucial, as it is intimately connected with the overall quality of education ( Li and Hu, 2023 ). Institutions of higher learning should prioritize the cultivation of educators’ emotional intelligence, ethical values, and capacities for moral judgment ( Quinlan, 2018 ; Friedland and Jain, 2022 ). Consequently, the integration of moral education, cultural identity, social responsibility, and professional development plays a pivotal role in the evolution of education systems. This necessitates the integration of ideological and political elements into both teaching and learning. These research findings reveal new perspectives on the incorporation of political education within major courses, compelling a reevaluation and enhancement of our pedagogical strategies.

In China, an exhaustive search on CNKI with the keywords “English Curriculum Ideological and Political Education” yields over 6,900 academic papers (until January 31, 2024), highlighting its emergence as an interest in the field of scholarly inquiry. Domestically, researchers have explored the subject from several vantage points including its significance, conceptual depth, and pragmatic application in English courses ( Wu, 2019 ; Guo and Luo, 2021 ; Wang and Shi, 2021 ; Wen, 2021a , b ; Zhao, 2021 ; Hu, 2022 ). As for specific disciplines in English courses, research has been focused on theoretical and practice explorations, such as Comprehensive English ( Zhang and Mao, 2021 ), Business English ( Liu, 2019 ), English Teaching ( Zhang, 2022 ), and Vocational English ( Yang, 2020 ), in which practical explorations are mainly about the overall framework of one semester’s curriculum, without case studies toward specific unit or content, not to mention theoretical ones which are more abstract. In terms of linguistics-related courses like English Linguistics ( Wen, 2021a , b ; Zhang, 2021 ), General Linguistics ( Liang, 2019 ), the situation is similar. Therefore, the macroscopic view far exceeds microscopic in this field, especially with a scarcity of micro-level case studies that reveal practical implementation in the examination of linguistics curriculum. Addressing this gap, this paper positions the teaching of English Linguistics at a local university in Jiangxi, China, within the scope of curriculum ideology and politics, to explore the harmonization of national objectives with educational content. It differentiates from the studies above in showing the execution of national policy within one limited class period, also to shed light on teaching case studies research in the future. The research questions of this study are: (1) Is the implementation of curriculum ideology and politics in English linguistics course feasible and effective? (2) What should the teachers do to realize the effect?

3 Research design

The research was conducted in the fall of 2022. At the time of writing, the author, who is also as a teacher and researcher, is able to conduct research at a local university in Jiangxi, China. For the sake of clarity in this context, the teacher role is emphasized, as it encompasses the author’s multiple identities. As case study is a well approach in qualitative research and commonly applied in education study, it was utilized with the illustration and examination of the teaching process on a linguistics content. During the teaching, English was used as the medium of instruction, and lectures were delivered based on a prepared verbatim draft. The draft played an important role and served as the basis for the following real classroom discourse, though there were some adjustment in the actual lesson. A total of 185 third-year English majors from six classes participated, all of whom are the author’s students with similar learning competence and are representative of average level students. The textbook used was “Practical Course in English Linguistics, Second Edition” edited by Chen Xinren and published by Suzhou University Press. It adopts a learner-centered approach, emphasizing practicality and interactive exercises. The beginning unit, pivotal in engaging student interest, was chosen to conduct the case study, with the first lesson introducing the definition of language, world languages, and their genealogical classification. Through thematic activities in this lesson, the teacher combined multiple methods such as Competitive Quiz Method, Discussion Method, Inquiry Method to finish the teaching task. The ideological aim was to foster students’ pride in their linguistic abilities and curiosity to explore the natural endowment of language, as well as raise their awareness of linguistic identity.

Next, the case study will delve into the instructional process of the curriculum ideological and political education. It uses the 90-min lesson titled “What is Language” as a model, structured into three segments: a leading-in (10 min), the acquisition of new knowledge (75 min), and a concluding summary (5 min). The time allocation for new knowledge can be seen in Table 2 .

Table 2 . Allocation of time for new knowledge.

4 Teaching processes

4.1 leading-in (10 min), 4.1.1 introduction.

“Good morning, everyone! Today marks the beginning of our journey into the fascinating realm of linguistics. This discipline is dedicated to the study of language—a tool that we all use every day. Have you ever pondered the true essence of language? Language enables us to review history, envision future, and understand ourselves. It’s clear that language plays an important role in our lives. By delving into linguistics, we embark on a quest to deepen our self-knowledge.”

Purpose: To immediately capture the students’ attention by positing a thought-provoking question about language and providing an insightful response, thus setting the stage for the new course in linguistics.

4.1.2 Engaging questions and storytelling

“I invite you to envision language as a metaphor. What images come to mind? A bridge? A key? Perhaps a black box, or a tower? Let us explore these metaphors together and extract their underlying meanings.” After discussing each metaphor, turn to the famous story of the Babel Tower, encourage students to contemplate the morals and implications it has about the significance of language in human civilization.

Purpose: To stimulate the students’ curiosity about the nature and functions of language, using vivid metaphors and a storied example to provoke thoughtful reflection and anticipation for the subsequent part.

4.1.3 Leading to linguistics

“The story of the Babel Tower does not just speak to our past—it also guides us toward understanding language’s role in our present and future. In essence, studying linguistics is just like ‘rebuilding the Babel Tower’—we strive not only to learn about diverse languages but also to unravel the profound mystery of ‘LANGUAGE’ itself.” Provide an introductory glimpse into the key branches of linguistics as a primer for the lessons ahead.

Purpose: To help students transition from a tangible understanding of language to an appreciation of the theoretical and analytical approaches of linguistics, thereby underscoring its significance and breadth of study.

4.2 Presentation of new knowledge (75 min)

4.2.1 definition of language (20 min).

“Reflecting on what we understand language to be—based upon your insightful answers and our previous discussions—let us formalize our comprehension. Language, as we define it, is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Now, we shall explain the five critical key words of this definition: ‘human-specific,’ ‘arbitrary,’ ‘vocal,’ ‘symbol,’ and ‘system.’”

“For instance, consider the efforts of the notable biologist, Jane Goodall, who endeavored to teach gorillas human-like language but ultimately failed, which illustrated that language is indeed a human-specific ability. Moreover, to clarify the inherent arbitrariness and symbolic character of language, let us think of Shakespeare’s timeless expression: ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’ These examples illuminate the intricate nature of language and its characteristics.”

Purpose: To lead students to delve into the core of language, enable them to appreciate the precision of linguistics and to foster a sense of gratitude for this extraordinary natural endowment unique to humanity.

4.2.2 Genealogical classification of language (25 min)

“Now, we begin by exploring the concept of linguistic diversity through a clip of ‘Hello’ song with multiple languages. I invite you to listen and identify as many languages as you can. How many can you identify? Five? Six? Yes six, excellent! According to our textbook, there are approximately 6,800 spoken languages and 2,200 written ones globally. Reflecting on our earlier discussion about the ‘vocal’ nature of language, can anyone tell why there are more spoken than written languages? Oh, it’s because that each language must be vocal, but not necessarily has the written form. This observation can lead us to thinking of the ‘Pareto Principle’ in linguistics and the unequal distribution of language use, with some languages being more dominant or widespread than others. Please consider the underlying reasons for this disparity. As English majors from China, it’s essential to recognize that English holds the title for the most widely distributed language, while Chinese boasts the largest number of native speakers. We must strive for our bilingual proficiency in both languages to excel in global exchanges and promote our rich cultural heritage.”

“To better understand language families, let us think of the human family tree. Through a map in our courseware, we’ll go through the names and distributions of the world’s top ten language families: …(detailed explanation). Special focus will be on the Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan language families, with short video clips demonstrating each family’s linguistic features. Listen carefully. Now within the Sino-Tibetan family, let us see the status of Chinese and its brothers and sisters, speak out the principal Chinese dialects, and find out the mother tongue of you in this map.”

“Reviewing the story of the Babel Tower once more, we’ll ponder the pros and cons of linguistic diversity. Following group discussions, let us summarize your thoughts and reflect together. You see, it is our language that build our world, so each language is a unique world view and treasure of human culture. It may indeed make some barrier to communication among people, but there are many ways to get across it, such as using certain common language, right? So as long as we respect each other and improve our personal multilingual ability, it is not a problem. That is, to seek common ground while reserving differences, and maintain harmonious coexistence in diversity.

Purpose: To promote the understanding of the language ecosystem and the importance of protecting linguistic diversity; to bolster students’ rational appreciation of Chinese and its members, thus deepening their sense of national identity; and to foster appreciation for inclusivity, thus enhancing their linguistic ideologies.

4.2.3 Origin of language (15 min)

“Now, let us embark on a journey into the past, to a time where language was in its infancy in mystery. When we reflect on the reverence that ancient peoples had for language, we may find some information about theories of language origin. What reasons might they have had for this deep sense of ‘language worship’? Please take a moment to ponder this. Now, let us examine a series of intriguing hypotheses presented in your textbook. From the ‘Bow-wow Theory’ suggesting language emerged from imitations of animal sounds, to the ‘Pooh-Pooh Theory’ which revolves around instinctive utterances caused by pain or emotion, and the ‘Ding-Dong Theory’ which proposes a divine resonance between objects and sounds. We also find the ‘Labor Theory’ attributable to repetitive cooperative work sounds, the ‘Ta-Ta Theory’ rooted in the manual gestures and sounds, and the ‘Ritual Speech Coevolution Theory’ implying a link between language development and ceremonial activities. I want you to consider: Which do you find most plausible, and why? It seems many of you lean toward the ‘Labor Theory,’ and I approve of your choice. It rests on a firmer scientific foundation, as argued by Engels, a great thinker, who takes into account the physiological, psychological, and social facets of language evolution. This transition from a surface-level to a more analytical comprehension is a crucial step in deepening your knowledge.”

“As a homework task, find out myths and legends about the origin of language in both Chinese and Western cultures. I challenge you to contrast the story of the Babel Tower from the Bible and the legend of Cang Jie, the reputed inventor of Chinese characters. Such a comparison will expand your intellectual horizons.”

Purpose: To foster critical and scientific evaluations in students, while establish a historical materialism perspective of language in them. The task is also to cultivate students’ ability to conduct research and have creative thinking processes.

4.2.4 Value of linguistics (15 min)

“Transitioning from our previous discussions, let us turn to understanding the essence of our subject: linguistics. Defined as the science of studying human language, linguistics is a vast field that interrelates with the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. With a rich history, this multidimensional discipline has evolved from traditional to modern frameworks, with its influence to many other fields with its theories and methods, and is continuously breaking new ground. Then about its values, let us explore it from studying the theories of language to its use across different social contexts, especially the practical applications of linguistics. How does it contribute to communication, translation, and language teaching? … (discussion). By analyzing your answers, we realize that modern linguistics is not just about studying languages in isolation, but can help us to uncover the patterns of human languages, enhancing our cross-cultural sensitivity and refining our logical abilities.”

“Lastly, let us look ahead. What careers could one pursue with a linguistics degree? As we see, here are many linguistics-related jobs, like foreign language teachers, dictionary compilers, and even natural language processing engineer, if you take more specific education. I want to encourage you to embrace the discipline and prepare for the diverse opportunities that await you in the field of linguistic study.”

Purpose: To underline the foundational attributes of linguistics as a discipline, to relate the future prospects of the field to students, and to build their confidence and interest in mastering the subject.

4.3 Concluding summary (5 min)

“Alright, class, let us summarize what we have covered today. Just now, we have learned the definition of language, the language families, the origin hypothesis of language and the value of linguistics, in which you have showed your genius and creative thinking. As this is our first lesson, I want you all to create a knowledge map that outlines the key points we discussed today, which would be helpful for your to form a good habit to review and reinforce the main concepts. Besides, it’s important to remember that previewing new material helps us mentally prepare for the next lesson and makes connections between what we already know and what we are about to learn. So, please read the rest content of Unit 1 after the class. Additionally, I want you guys to think of questions related to linguistics and the course as a whole, since potential linguists are those good at raising questions. Your questions will be shared and discussed in the next class, so please make sure your questions are clear, and it would be better to demonstrate your critical thinking skills. That’s all, see you!”

Purpose: To train students’ ability to review and summarize, cultivate their learning habit by assigning the mind map task, and pave the way for the new lesson.

5 Teaching methods

After reflecting on both pre-class preparation and post-class activities and drawing upon the cumulative teaching experience of the entire course, the teacher had identified four effective teaching methods which are as follows. It is noted that the last blended teaching method is not shown in this case study, but in the semester following the first unit, it was launched by the teacher as a tentative approach in some units with an effect, and therefore is placed here. These are mainly based on the personal experience, while also some of them are suggestive for other teachers.

5.1 Competitive quiz method

To liven up the classroom atmosphere, integrating competitive quizzes into the curriculum proves beneficial. Take, for instance, the topic of language diversity: students might be challenged to identify as many languages as possible by listening to a multilingual “Hello” song; they could also be quizzed on the official languages of the United Nations, or languages with the largest distribution and the highest number of speakers worldwide. Competitive quizzes offer immediate engagement and assess students’ breadth of knowledge. It’s important to acknowledge correct answers with praise to foster a sense of achievement.

5.2 Discussion method

The discussion method is essential for cultivating students’ ability to think and articulate their thoughts independently. For example, when exploring the topic of the linguistic family, including the evolution and extinction of languages, students might engage in debates about the significance of language diversity. Teachers can highlight standout contributions from various perspectives and ultimately direct the conversation toward the relevance of linguistics in preserving human culture and interpreting modes of human thought. This stimulates enthusiasm and maintains a balanced lesson rhythm while preventing teacher dominance.

5.3 Inquiry method

To enhance active intellectual engagement, the inquiry method is an effective tool in elucidating specific knowledge points. For instance, concerning the origins of language, students could be asked to evaluate which hypothesis is most scientifically valid and to provide reasons after learning about various theories presented in the textbook. Most students would tend to gravitate toward the “labor theory,” some even integrating insights from their previous ideological and political courses. Minimal prompting by the teacher can significantly deepen students’ understanding of labor’s influence on language development. This approach thus reinforces students’ critical thinking and innovative capacities while seamlessly merging principles of Marxism with linguistics, aligning well with our goals for ideological education.

5.4 Blended teaching method

The “online + offline” blended teaching mode is highly conducive to fostering a more versatile learning environment. Prior to class sessions, teachers may employ online platforms like WeChat and SuperStarLearn to share succinct video summaries of key points for students to pre-study. These recorded videos facilitate prepared participation. In the classroom, the focus shifts to clarifying complex topics, addressing students’ common questions, and strengthening understanding through well-designed activities. These steps also allow for evaluating self-study effectiveness and pinpointing learning gaps. Furthermore, online platforms serve as a means for post-class assessments, collecting feedback, and extending the educational engagement beyond the traditional space and time constraints, thereby enhancing overall teaching efficacy.

6 Evaluation of teaching effectiveness

Following the initial lesson, the author promptly distributed a questionnaire to all six classes she instructed, aiming at evaluating the effectiveness of curriculum ideology and politics. One hundred eighty-five valid questionnaires were obtained, and selected students accepted concise interviews (see below). Except the first item on personal information, the questionnaire was composed of three distinct parts, with a total of 12 questions: (1) Understanding of curriculum ideology and politics, (2) Assessment of the teacher, and (3) The sentiment toward the integration of the English linguistics course with curriculum ideology and politics. The final question solicited subjective suggestions.

In the beginning part, students roughly split equal between “unknowing” and “knowing” regarding ideological and political education within foreign language courses. When asked about their understanding, the majority indicated that they see it as either “a unifying framework for all educational elements and a comprehensive educational concept” (26%) or as “foreign language courses carry ideological and political education, and ideological and political education is integrated into foreign language courses” (63%). Concerning the need for college teachers to infuse foreign language courses with ideological and political education, a significant 83% regarded it as essential. This reflects that the concept of curriculum ideology and politics is not foreign to college students; however, its concrete application and tangible impact require reinforcement.

In the second part, regarding the assessment for the teacher, 72% of the students reported that the course contained “a great many” or “a relatively large number” of linguistic elements related to curriculum politics, as taught by the teacher. Furthermore, 83% felt the course was “well integrated” or “relatively integrated” with China’s national conditions as presented by the instructor. A notable 84% believed that it substantially or relatively aids in shaping correct ideological, moral, and aesthetic perspectives and is beneficial in nurturing patriotism, political identification, and cultural self-confidence (87%). Additionally, 87% agreed that it contributes to enhancing their language skills, analytical abilities, and cultural literacy. This data suggests that the teacher’s efforts in imparting curriculum ideological and political education are effectively realized.

Finally, regarding the sentiment toward integration, a resounding 77% of students expressed “strong liking” or “moderate liking” for the integration of ideological and political education into the linguistics curriculum. Notably, students have proposed their views on the mode of integration, especially “the symbiosis of professional ethos and knowledge” and “attention to current social issues” were the foremost preferences, at 88 and 86%, respectively. This proves the need for linguistics curriculum ideology and politics to focus on these domains specifically. The last item of the questionnaire gained numerous subjective suggestions, such as “enhancing interactivity,” “promoting discussions,” and “implementing competitive quizzes” in pedagogical approaches, alongside “incorporating real-life teaching,” “integrating current events,” and “discussing buzzwords” within the content scope.

Subsequent to the questionnaire session, interviews reflected the students’ passion for linguistics. For instance, some remarked that “linguistics extends beyond abstract concepts, connecting closely with real life”; “the language surveys and dialect studies introduced and conducted by the teacher have been enlightening and relevant to our career plans”; and “linguistics enhances our overall cultural literacy.” These responses underscore a growing anticipation for upcoming linguistics courses, which, in turn, propels teacher enthusiasm. The aforementioned findings connote that both educational and scholarly objectives are being met in a mutually beneficial manner.

In sum, students welcome the embedding of ideological and political elements into the linguistics curriculum, yet they also delineate specific expectations for educators. Teachers are encouraged to teach content resourcefully, mobilize students’ initiative, and customized the classroom content to better align with students’ psychological and professional needs.

7 Discussion

Curriculum ideology and politics merges as a solution of pedagogy challenge. There were many studies doing the theory research toward it, but few of them investigated the practicality. Comparing this research evaluation results and previous related works, it can be found that this study align with those in the teaching effectiveness ( Shaaban, 2005 ; Millei, 2021 ; Zhang and Mao, 2021 ) and proposed teaching methods ( Wen, 2021a , b ; Zhang, 2021 ). However, this study provides more detailed account of implementation of teaching steps, and reveals that students may have limited understanding about the notion of curriculum ideology and politics though they generally welcome it, and they have also higher expectations of teachers. These are worth pondering by teachers and researchers.

After the analysis above, here are the answers to the two research questions. First, this case study has demonstrated that such integration of curriculum ideology and politics in English linguistics course is not only feasible, but also yields positive impacts. The integration was realized effectively within the allocated time for new knowledge, and the ideological and political aims were fulfilled through various topics and methods, the effect of which can be felt by the teacher and seen from the students’ evaluation. Second, to achieve effective teaching, it is necessary to proactively identify and intertwine ideological and political elements with the curriculum content, while also organically utilize other methods, such as Competitive Quiz Method, Discussion Method, Inquiry Method, Blended Teaching Method listed above. This approach demands a commitment to a learner-centered pedagogy that creates opportunities for students’ reflection, discussion and feedback. Paramount, however, is the teacher’s role in setting an exemplary standard—beyond mere content delivery—to foster in students’ recognition of the value of linguistics. In this process, the teacher could trigger students’ critical and creative thinking, thereby enhancing their ideological and political consciousness. As the German educationalist Johann Friedrich Herbart stated, morality is generally regarded as the ultimate pursuit of humanity, and therefore also the ultimate pursuit of education ( Herbart, 1806 /2015). Hence, moral development, an integral aspect of character education, could be fortified through ideological and political instruction within English courses.

8 Conclusion

In conclusion, this case study explores the fusion of ideological and political education within the first session of an English linguistics course, illustrated by the author’s personal teaching experiences. The significance lies in its alignment with the Chinese national policy and directive for English teachers in higher education in the contemporary epoch, also serving as an instructive model for foreign language pedagogy globally. It provides a detailed reference as a case study that deepens the previous teaching research of the same topic from a micro-level. However, there is more to be done. Future research should delve into the systematic exploration of methods to effectively embed ideological and political education within the English linguistics curriculum. Long-term outcomes, including student engagement, moral reasoning, and critical thinking skills, should be monitored and assessed. Comparative studies between different institutions, culturally diverse settings, and varied disciplinary contexts should also be launched to offer a richer landscape from which to derive best practices in teaching. Finally, for future teaching practice, the curriculum ideological and political education is bound to extend with greater depth and breadth, requiring the teachers to enhance their understanding and abilities. Universities and education departments should strive together, so as to fully refine the teaching quality and maximize the goal of students’ overall development.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics statement

The studies involving humans were approved by the Ethics Committee of School of Foreign Languages, Yichun University. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author contributions

ZM: Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Acknowledgments

We thank the students who joined the course and feedback in Yichun University, Jiangxi, China.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: English linguistics, curriculum ideology and politics, higher education, empirical case study, teaching innovation

Citation: Mei Z (2024) Integration of curriculum ideology and politics in higher education: a case study of English linguistics in China. Front. Educ . 9:1389469. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1389469

Received: 23 February 2024; Accepted: 22 July 2024; Published: 31 July 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Mei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Zhixing Mei, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Andrew Karolyi and John Tobin-de la Puente

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In June, the Colombian subsidiary of Spanish banking group BBVA announced that it was issuing what it described as the financial sector’s “first biodiversity bond”, in order to finance habitat conservation and restoration projects in the South American country. 

The $50mn initiative — backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector-focused arm of the World Bank, as structurer and investor — marks a turnaround for a nation recovering from half a century of violence and guerrilla activity. It also places Colombia among a select group of pioneers, including the Seychelles and Belize, that are using the financial markets to support the conservation of nature.

While the green bonds market has seen explosive growth in the past decade, the capital it has raised has overwhelmingly been invested in climate mitigation, alternative energy, and green transportation projects. Minimal amounts go to biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration projects. 

In financing nature, explicitly and directly, this Colombian bond breaks new ground, with metrics linked to objectives to benefit the environment. Invest ors will be repaid through a mix of funding sources including a carbon tax, the government budget and donors .

Test yourself

This is the sixth in a series of monthly business school-style teaching case studies devoted to responsible-business dilemmas faced by organisations. Read the piece and FT articles suggested at the end (and linked to within the piece) before considering the questions raised. 

About the authors: Andrew Karolyi is professor and dean, John Tobin-de la Puente is professor of practice and co-director of the Initiative on Responsible Finance, both at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

The series forms part of a wide-ranging collection of FT ‘instant teaching case studies ’ that explore business challenges.

The question for those concerned about the destruction of the world’s natural habitats is whether this pioneering structured bond will be effective, and whether it could help to inspire a broader range of similar instruments aimed at countering loss of biodiversity around the world. 

Meanwhile, the question for investors is whether the vehicle is sufficiently attractive and robust to attract a new and growing class of funders that may share an interest in environmental issues but also seek competitive returns.

Located at the northern end of the Andes, Colombia straddles the Equator, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Amazon basin. It has the second-highest number of species on the planet after Brazil, and the highest species diversity when measured per square kilometre, according to the World Wildlife Fund . Colombia is home to more than 1,900 species of birds — on a par with Brazil and Peru.

Colombia will be on the frontline of biodiversity losses

But global warming threatens to cause dramatic harm to this biodiversity . Colombia will be on the frontline of these losses because it will be disproportionately affected by climate change compared to countries with fewer species that are more widespread.

Now, though, it could also be in the vanguard of new financial models to reverse the trend.

In 2016, a historic peace agreement between the government and leftist guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) marked the end of five decades of armed conflict. Despite continuing violence, the peace process has greatly improved the lives of citizens. However, it has also increased pressure on natural ecosystems. The political violence had meant large areas were shielded from illegal deforestation and degradation of the habitat.

Five years after the peace deal, Colombia became the first Latin American country to issue a green bond in its domestic market : a 10-year $200mn offering aiming to finance a variety of projects intended to benefit the environment — including water management, sustainable transport, biodiversity protection, and renewable energy. High investor demand meant the final amount had been increased by half again.

Finance minister José Manuel Restrepo described the structured bond as an “important step” in finding new ways to finance investment in environmental projects: it would help develop a domestic green bond market and attract a wider range of investors. His ministry identified another $500mn in eligible projects that could be financed through green bonds, including a $50mn Colombian “blue bond” — financing focused on marine habitats and ocean-based projects that generate environmental co-benefits. This was successfully placed in 2023 with the help of BBVA and the IFC as structurer.

Now, the announcement of BBVA Colombia’s biodiversity bond marks another step forward. It focuses on reforestation, regeneration of natural forests on degraded land, mangrove conservation, and wildlife habitat protection.

In the case of green bonds, only a minuscule share of the money raised is spent on nature conservation, in part because few such projects generate cash flows from which to repay investors. Another reason is that it is harder to measure how effectively deployed resources dedicated to conservation — such as for monitoring species population growth — are, or to track activities that help to reach certain conservation target goals over time, such as for restoring degraded ecosystems.  

Using private, financial return-seeking capital to finance the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources is viewed by many experts as the most realistic solution to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change — given the magnitude of investment needed. 

Yet there is growing political pushback against environmental and social initiatives, most notably in the US. 

Regulators and consumer groups have also launched legal actions to challenge green objectives. Large corporations, including Unilever, Bank of America and Shell, have in the past year dropped or missed goals to cut carbon emissions. And there has been disillusion with the ability of sustainability-linked bonds to meet their objectives. 

By association, that raises fresh questions about continued progress on biodiversity.

In biodiversity finance, doing deals is inherently more difficult

In tackling the climate crisis, the trajectory seems clear: the set of solutions needed is more or less agreed, and a good part of it makes economic sense. But, in biodiversity finance, doing deals is inherently more difficult.

It is more complex to structure transactions that generate proceeds to protect wildlife, restore ecosystems and fund other activities that may not generate cash flows, all while ensuring investors are repaid. Early successes — such as Belize’s blue bond are encouraging — but the potential for real scale is still unclear.

Questions for discussion

How companies are starting to back away from green targets (ft.com)

Green bond issuance surges as investors hunt for yield (ft.com)

Sustainability-linked bonds falter amid credibility concerns (ft.com)

Consider these questions:

1. How critical is the role of the IFC as structurer of the BBVA Colombia biodiversity bond deal in validating its legitimacy and providing investors with assurance? How important is it that IFC is also a co-investor in the biodiversity bond issuance?  

2. What are the pros and cons of the fact that the $50mn BBVA Colombia biodiversity bond deal has been launched following Colombia’s successful placement three years earlier of its sovereign green bond, and following its newly announced “green taxonomy”?  

3. What does the Colombian experience say about the likelihood of rapid change in how countries manage their biodiversity and climate impacts? Does Colombia demonstrate that such change is possible, or is its experience unique and unlikely to represent a model of rapid action for other countries?

4. Can biodiversity bonds meaningfully help to address biodiversity loss? And is this transaction the start of a trend? If not, why would BBVA Colombia have executed this transaction? Is it a gesture of goodwill and a recognition of its own corporate responsibility, or a means to greenwash some of its other less appealing investments?

5. Considering the economic and social context following the peace agreement between Colombia and the Farc forces, how might the shift from conflict to peace affect the country’s ability to balance economic development with environmental conservation?   

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• Published: 28 July 2024

The construction of stance in English and Arabic newspaper editorials: a case study

• Sharif Alghazo 1 , 2 ,
• Khulood Al-Anbar 2 ,
• Ghaleb Rabab’ah   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1804-5859 1 , 2 ,
• Nimer Abusalim 2 &
• Mohammad Rayyan 2  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  971 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Cultural and media studies
• Language and linguistics

This study explores the construction of authorial stance in English and Arabic newspaper editorials. To achieve this objective, the study examines a corpus of 80 newspaper editorials retrieved from two newspapers: The first publishes in English ( The Guardian , the UK), and the second publishes in Arabic ( Addustour , Jordan). The study adopts Hyland’s taxonomy of stance, which includes features of hedges, boosters, attitude markers and self-mentions. To analyse the data, the study follows a mixed-methods approach to identify differences, if any, in the construction of authorial stance in the two languages in the editorial genre. A functional analysis is carried out to capture these markers within contexts. The results reveal that the most frequently used stance devices in Arabic editorials are the attitude markers, followed by boosters, hedges and self-mentions. Contrariwise, the findings showcase that the most frequently used stance device is hedging, followed by attitude markers, boosters, and self-mention. The study concludes that the two languages differ in the way they construct stance in editorials, a conclusion that provides implications for second-language professional writing teachers and students. The findings provide insights that might enhance the skills of argumentative writing in English for media courses.

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Introduction.

In research on intercultural rhetoric, the use of linguistic conventions to structure a text is of paramount importance. Equally important is the way authorial stance is constructed to achieve the objectives of writing (Pho, 2013 ; Peng, 2019 ). Intercultural rhetoric is concerned with the influence of the writer’s first language on the production of a text in the second language. Such an influence is explored by comparing writings in two languages. Of the most under-researched types of writing is the writing of newspaper editorials, which is used to express opinions and argue for certain positions. It is no accident that editors and members of the editorial board opt for certain stance markers in their editorials to unveil the mystery behind their own judgements and evaluations. That decision to pick a certain stance feature in a language is not a random one but rather a deliberate and thoughtful one based on the setting in which it exists. Such acts of evaluation or expression of opinion merely draw on a variety of different factors, including the newspaper’s ideology and the editorialist’s stance.

Editorials are the institutionally constructed voice of the newspaper. Therefore, a balanced, fair, and factual manner of reporting events is seen as something that most journalists and editors aspire to do in journalism. However, it could be argued that editorial writers do not have the option of excluding their views and their organisational cultures in the writing of their editorials. In fact, editorials can be less restricted with the absence of biases and prejudices as long as they completely concur with the stipulations of the institution. Therefore, editorials may influence one’s eyesight or sentiments of an issue over time. Richardson and Lancendorfer ( 2004 ), in their discussion of the framing theory and affirmative action in newspaper editorials, stated that ‘the opinion page is just that- a place where editors can bluntly state exactly what they think’ (p. 75). In broad terms, editorials have been proved to be a stance-rich environment where the ideology of the newspaper can be represented in journalism circles and to the public. For Hyland ( 2008 , p. 5), stance means “the writer’s textual voice or community recognised personality”.

A straightforward reflection of opinion in an editorial targeted at the newspaper readership is not as simple as it seems. The editorial stance is generally seen to have a strong power in the process of agenda-building and political agenda-setting in their respective countries. Jaffe ( 2009 , p. 8) pointed out that ‘stance attributions are tools of control and ideological domination’. Thus, editorial stance is believed to have a considerable influence on the ideologies, social attitudes and values of the community. Resulting of this, many studies have suggested a number of functions that stance performs in a written text (e.g. Biber and Finegan, 1988 ; Hunston and Thompson, 2000 ; Hyland, 2005 ; Dafouz-Milne, 2008 ). For instance, Biber and Finegan ( 1988 , p. 2) stated that ‘a broad range of functions falls under the umbrella of ‘stance’ including expression of certainty, generalisation, and actuality’. It is worth noting in this respect that stance as a linguistic term was referred to in the literature using different labels, such as evaluation, appraisal, voice, and writer’s commitment. Hunston and Thompson ( 2000 , p. 6), in their discussion of why evaluation has attracted broad interest, also identified three functions that evaluation is used to perform: expressing opinion, maintaining relations, and organising the discourse.

In this study, we compare the use of stance features in English and Arabic editorials to identify differences (if any) in how editorialists construct their stance in the two languages. The aim is to highlight the similarities and/or differences between both languages in the use of stance features, with a view to determining the factors affecting the use of stance in editorials. To achieve this objective, the study analyses editorials published in two well-known newspapers: The first in English ( The Guardian , the UK), and the second in Arabic ( Addustour , Jordan). These newspapers were selected based on their popularity and wide readership in their respective contexts. This study seeks to answer the following search questions:

How do newspaper editorialists construct their stance in English and Arabic newspaper editorials?

What are the similarities and/or differences (if any) in the use of stance markers in English and Arabic newspaper editorials?

Literature review

The literature on metadiscourse use abounds with studies that analysed different text types and genres (e.g. Abusalim et al., 2022 ; Alghazo et al., 2023a ; Alghazo et al., 2021a ; Rabab’ah et al., 2022 ; Rabab’ah et al., 2024 ). However, little research has been found on the use of metadiscourse in media discourse genres. For example, Chen and Li ( 2023 ) examine how two newspaper agencies, namely China Daily (CD) and The New York Times (NYT), use interactional metadiscourse to engage the readers and the similarities and differences in their usage. Specifically, the research focuses on identifying the rhetorical tools used by each agency and how/why they are used. The researchers used corpus analysis where the data was collected from 60 commentaries, 30 from each newspaper agency, which were published over the course of 6 months and the analytical framework used to analyse the data was derived from Hyland’s works on metadiscourse. The results show that both newspaper agencies used interactional metadiscourse, but their usage differed in terms of total frequency; the NYT used interactional discourse more. Secondly, in terms of the macro level, the NYT uses of stance and engagement were balanced, whereas the CD heavily focused on stance. Thirdly, in terms of the subcategories, the NYT used ‘hedges, self-mention, and engagement markers’ more frequently compared to the CD. As for ‘boosters and attitude markers,’ the differences were insignificant.

McCambridge ( 2022 ) examined how commenters on YouTube use stance to construe their voice while reacting to a video by compiling a list of 2000 comments on a viral video of Greta Thunberg made by 1949 users and analysing them using ATLAS.ti. The study states that from the data collected, the voice that seems to be construed is that of bullying. In terms of the frequency of the codified categories, attitude markers came first, followed by boosters, reader addresses, self-mentions, and hedging, respectively. The overall stance of the comments was negative and can easily be ‘[characterised] as bullying.’ The comments as a whole nurtured hate towards Thunberg through the use of sarcasm and insults, amongst other methods which fall under the above-mentioned categories. Finally, McCambridge ( 2022 ) extrapolates these results to the ‘wider social scale’ where group commentaries such as the one covered in this paper can be used to create an intimidating force against a given entity or figure.

Hyland and Zou ( 2021 ) studied the usage and function of stance in the genre of ‘Three Minute Thesis presentation (3MT)’. More specifically, the research focuses on analysing the usage of stance by the presenters, the differences that exist in said stances between the different fields, and the reasoning behind the differences using a corpus analysis of 140 presentations, which were transcribed from the video format. The presentation material covered multiple fields, including education, applied linguistics, history, and sociology. The corpus was categorised under hard sciences and soft sciences. Hyland’s model was used as the analytical framework, and AntConc was used to analyse the data. The results showed that in total, there were 4616 stance markers, where 2086 belonged to the social sciences, and 2529 belonged to the hard sciences. This difference was proven to be statistically significant. Moreover, when it comes to the subcategories, the hard sciences had more uses of boosters and hedges, whereas ‘attitude markers and self-mention were only slightly more frequent in the social [sciences]’. Finally, the hard science presenters used ‘more epistemic devices’ to support their claims, whereas soft science presenters used ‘a more affective and visible stance’.

Droz-dit-Busset ( 2022 ) explored the representation of Social Media Influencers (SMIs) by English news agencies by analysing the usage of the celebration and derision stances through the usage of ‘legitimation and delegitimation’ approaches. Droz-dit-Busset ( 2022 ) used a corpus analysis of 143 pieces, which included editorials, features, and opinion pieces extracted from a number of international English news agencies through LexisNexis, as well as pieces from the Guardian and the New York Times. The results show that for ‘celebration,’ techniques used included discussing positive metrics (view count, reach, etc.) as well as ‘narratives of [societal] upward mobility,’ where the SMIs are celebrated as individuals who went from zero to hero. As for the ‘derision’ stance, approaches to delegitimise SMIs include ‘negative moral evaluations’ regarding ‘their work [ethics]’ and referencing their ‘lack of institutional legitimation’.

Yazdani et al. ( 2014 ) investigated how articles from Persian and English news agencies utilise interactional metadiscourse, using a corpus analysis tool to analyse 30 articles (15 from Persian and 15 from English) and adopting Hyland’s ( 2005 ) system of metadiscourse. The results show that, in total, the English articles had a much higher frequency of interactional metadiscourse compared to the Persian articles, with a value of 70% compared to 29% respectively. In terms of the subcategories, English articles’ most frequently found markers were hedges (38%), followed by attitude markers (26%), boosters (18%), self-mentions (12%), and engagement markers (6%), respectively. As for the Persian articles, the most frequently used markers were the attitude markers (48%), followed by hedges (32%) and boosters (20%), respectively. Interestingly, the engagement markers and self-mentions were not present in the Persian articles, which led the researchers to conclude that these differences are attributed to the different writing styles of English and Persian writers, the writer-reader relationship dynamics, and the cultural differences between the two languages.

Fu ( 2012 ) examined how interactional metadiscourse is utilised in job postings, adopting a corpus analysis method to analyse a corpus consisting of 220 different job postings obtained from five sub-corpora of job postings, including that of ‘The Daily Telegraph’ and ‘The Guardian.’ These postings were further divided into postings made for college students and another for non-college students. Hyland’s ( 2005 ) model was used as the analytical framework, and the instances of interactional metadiscourse were categorised. Moreover, a questionnaire was given to 30 randomly selected students. The results show that, in total, the number of engagement features and stance features are similar, 1757 to 1804, respectively. Among these features, self-mentions (1145) and reader-inclusive pronouns (1497) are the most frequent. On the other hand, micro-level features (hedges/boosters) are not frequent. Personalisation is also a distinct feature, as displayed in the use of ‘we’ and ‘you’ when referring to the writer and the reader, respectively. As for the difference between postings made by college students and non-college students, interactional metadiscourse was more frequent in the postings by college students.

Al-Subhi ( 2023 ) investigated the use of interactional metadiscourse in the USA and UAE-based leading newspaper editorials, using a corpus analysis on a corpus consisting of 24 editorials with 12 from UAE-based news agencies ‘namely, Khaleej Times, Gulf Today, and The National Gulf,’ and 12 from USA-based news agencies namely, ‘The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Times’. The analytical framework used was Hyland’s ( 2005 ) model of interactional meta-discourse. The results showed that both corpora had similar frequencies when using interactional metadiscourse. Moreover, both corpora used stance markers more frequently compared to engagement markers. As for the subcategories of stance, both corpora used hedges most frequently, followed by attitude markers, boosters, and self-mentions, respectively. Engagement markers were few, with only ‘5%–8%’ present in the corpora. Al-Subhi ( 2023 ) concludes by addressing how editorials ‘constitute a persuasive genre par excellence’ given their usage of ‘rhetorical and argumentative structures’ which ‘[aims] to influence public opinion and [express] the institutional voice of a newspaper’.

Shen and Tao ( 2021 ) examined the usage of stance markers in scientific medical research articles and newspaper opinion columns, using a corpus analysis on two corpora: 52 articles and 175 opinion articles from ‘The New York Times’. Hyland’s ( 2005 ) framework of stance was used as the analytical framework of the study. The results showed that stance markers were frequently used in both corpora; however, the number of markers in the opinion columns was nearly twice as many compared to the medical corpus, which in turn ‘[reflects] a high level of interaction between writers and readers’ in that genre. As for the frequency of the categories, hedges were the most frequent, followed by boosters and attitude markers; all these categories were more frequent in opinion columns compared to medical articles. Self-mentions were also used in both genres; however, their usage differed, with opinion columns using ‘first person singular forms’ and medical articles using ‘the first person plural forms’. The results also showed that there was some overlapping in the usage of markers and that even though stance markers were more frequent in opinion articles, there were some subcategories under the difference between the two genres.

In a recent study on the use of stance features in the editorial section of newspapers, Al-Anbar et al. ( 2023 ) compared the use of interactional features of metadiscourse in two groups of editorials: the first was written by native English authors, and the second by nonnative English authors, using Hyland’s ( 2019 ) framework. The findings showed that non-native editorialists used fewer hedges and more boosters than native editorialists, who were found to also use more engagement markers in writing. In a related investigation, Alghazo et al. ( 2023b ) explored the interactive features of metadiscourse in 80 newspaper editorials written in first language (L1) English and second language (L2) English. The analysis showed that, in the main, there was no significant difference in the use of interactive features. However, a slight variation in the use of frame markers and evidentials was observed in the data analysed.

Methodology

The data were gathered from two broadsheet daily newspapers in Jordan and the UK, namely Addustour newspaper and the Guardian newspaper. This study is focused primarily on editorials which were published on the websites of the two newspapers between 2020 and 2021. Simply put, the present study gives an account of how stance is expressed in Arabic and English editorials. Therefore, it was decided that the best method to adopt for this investigation was to analyse the data both quantitively and qualitatively. A mixed-methods approach, combining both the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data, was used to allow for a deeper insight into the use of stance markers by editors of both languages. Eighty editorials were divided into two sets; each set consisted of 40 editorials in each language. The data was collected from the two newspapers’ websites (Addustour and the Guardian) and then transferred to a Microsoft Word document. This study utilises Hyland’s ( 2005 , 2019 ) model of interaction, which includes stance and features of writer positioning. As for Hyland’s ( 2019 ) typology of stance, features of writer positioning are of four kinds: hedges, boosters, attitude markers and self-mentions .

In order to identify stance markers in the two sets of editorials, a functional analysis was carried out to capture these markers within contexts. Studies of stance have traditionally relied upon the contextual analysis of texts in stance detection (e.g. Dobbs, 2014 ; Aull and Lancaster, 2014 ; Wu and Paltridge, 2021 ). We prepared a list of potential stance markers in English and Arabic after reviewing many relevant studies in the literature (e.g. Biber and Finegan, 1988 , 1989 ; Fitzmaurice, 2004 ; Jaffe, 2009 ; Johnstone, 2009 ; Kiesling, 2009 ; Grey and Biber, 2012 ; Alghazo et al., 2021b ). After that, each potential stance marker was double-checked within context to verify its analysis. Each stance marker was then highlighted to lay down the ground for the calculation of the number of stance markers in each set of editorials. It should be noted here that Arabic stance examples were translated carefully after ensuring that they are considered stance features. In the quantitative part, a statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and the Mann–Whitney U test to compare the differences between the two independent groups. And for the purpose of qualitative analysis, numerous examples have been discussed with reference to earlier studies of stance. An explication of these instances has been made to uncover the interpretations and justifications of stance-taking options in both languages.

The findings of the study show that the most frequently used stance markers in the Arabic set of data were the attitude markers, followed by boosters, hedges, and self-mentions, respectively. Attitude markers, interestingly enough, were far more frequent than any other kind of stance features in the Arabic group of editorials. While boosters were the second most employed feature of stance across the Arabic editorials (23.4%), hedges were used less and less frequently (7.3%). There was only one instance of self-mentions in the Arabic collection of editorials (see Table 1 ). Self-mentions are considered to be the least recurring feature of stance in the Arabic editorials (0.1%), which was exactly the same as that of the English ones (0.1%).

Table 2 below shows the frequencies, percentages, and frequencies per 1000 words of stance features in the Guardian collection of editorials. By far, the most frequent stance feature in the English set of editorials was hedges (37.7%), followed by attitude markers (37%) (see Table 2 ). It is also worth noting that the gap between the usage of hedges and attitude markers in English editorials was relatively small (only 0.7%). Boosters ranked third among the most frequent stance features in the Guardian English editorials (25.2%). At the very least, self-mentions were used only once in the English editorials (0.1%), as can be seen in the table below.

The Mann–Whitney U Test, also known as the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, was adopted to capture further in-depth information on the similarities and/or differences between both languages in the practices of stance. This non-parametric statistical test was selected for its reliability and validity when comparing two independent groups. The results of the correlational analysis are summarised in Table 3 , and all types of stance markers were evidently present in the editorials of both languages. There is also evidence of a statistically significant difference between both sets of editorials in the total usage of stance markers, where the Z value reached (−7.713). Most strikingly, the test revealed a significant difference between the two groups of editorials in the usage of each type of stance markers. The two sets of editorials differed in the use of every category of stance markers (namely hedges, boosters, attitude markers, and self-mentions). This means that the expression of stance in editorials has significantly diverged from the Jordanian versus the British setting.

We turn now to consider the different types of stance with some examples from both sets of editorials. Stance, with its roots in metadiscourse and Hyland’s interpersonal model, is generally broken down into four elements. Hyland ( 2005 ) categorised stance elements as being hedges, boosters, attitude markers, and self-mentions. Hyland’s ( 2005 ) typology of stance features is very widely used in the studies of interaction and stance in written discourse.

Hedges have basically been used to refer to the linguistic items used by writers to distance themselves from their content. Hedging can be loosely described as ‘the softening’ of the writer’s statements or comments (Housen et al., 2012 ). Kaltenböck et al. ( 2012 , p. 1) defined hedging as ‘a discourse strategy that reduces the force or truth of an utterance and thus reduces the risk a speaker runs when uttering a strong or firm assertion or other speech act’. Van Dijk ( 1995 , p. 16) has also emphasised that ‘opinions may not only be expressed implicitly but also be implied indirectly’. Examples of hedges from the editorials of both languages are presented below. Hedges are used in the below-mentioned examples to moderate and tone down the rhetoric in these utterances.

1 In defense of a nation that is almost overwhelmed by despair.

This would also promote our national economy.

Perhaps we could cultivate such attachments (The Guardian view on second-hand clothes, The Guardian, 2021).

But Prince Philip was also, perhaps paradoxically , the trailblazer for the idea of royalty as a profession. (The Guardian view on Prince Phillip, The Guardian, 2021).

Although Arabic editorials contained a relatively small amount of hedges (7.3%), they performed a variety of vital functions in these editorials. Editors may comment on a topic of interest using an adverb of degree, which is placed before the verb it modifies (see Example (1)). Badawi et al. ( 2013 ) also mentioned that words such as kada كاد ‘almost’ or ‘nearly’ are regarded among the most commonly used words in Arabic discourse. A possible explanation of this use of the stance adverbial ‘almost’ in Example (1) as a hedge may be related to the employment of hedges as face-saving strategies (Hübler, 1983 ). In this example, the writer has the ability to say غلبها or ‘that is overwhelmed’, but the writer preferred using كاد ‘almost’ to avoid any face-threatening act (FTA). Crompton ( 1997 , p. 278), in a discussion about hedging, argued that “the writer is not displaying a lack of confidence in his own proposition but politeness towards the discourse community”.

In the second example, an expression of stance was delivered through the use of the modal verb ‘would’. Almeida and Vazquez ( 2009 , p. 1171) mentioned that ‘modal verbs grammaticalize speaker’s subjectivity’. The category of modals or modal verbs can be considered a grammatical category or a pragmatic one (Kreutz and Harres, 1997 ). The epistemic modals or modals of probability, like ‘would’ in Example (2) and could in Example (3), are used to soothe the firmness and intensity of these narratives. Since hedges were the most commonly employed stance feature in the English corpus, the editors often utilised the hedging word to express a sense of ambiguity. Thus, it is obvious that the adverbial hedging word was an interpretation devised and presented by the writer, as shown in Examples (3) to (4). Biber et al. ( 2021 , p. 861) claimed that ‘news and academic prose also use probably and perhaps, with predictions, suppositions, explanations, and interpretations that have not been clearly proven’. As for Biber et al. ( 2021 ), ‘perhaps’ is one of the most common stance adverbials across all registers for marking doubt about what you are saying. Hyland ( 2019 , p.143), in a discussion about Milne’s ( 2003 ) comparison between Spanish and English editorials, highlighted that ‘similarities in the use of hedges and attitude markers, for instance, reflect the combination of mitigation and opinion needed to persuade newspaper readers’.

In the literature, the term ‘boosters’ tends to be used to refer to the amount of affirmation or emphasis a writer is putting on a certain claim. Multiple terms were used to describe the notion of placing a level of ‘assertion’ on a proposition, such as certainty markers, emphatics, and modality markers. Hyland ( 1998 ) reminds us that boosters ‘allow writers to negotiate information, helping to establish its perceived truth by strategically presenting it as consensually given’. In fact, the degree of certainty voiced by boosters in editorials is not equal in all cases. Therefore, previous research has established a scale of certainty to describe the level of assertion that a writer asserts (e.g. Holmes, 1982 ; and Rubin, 2007 ). To illustrate, the continuum of certainty in these scales ranges from absolute certainty to low certainty with varying degrees in between. A point to note is that we observed the use of boosters with high levels of certainty or with what is called ‘absolute certainty’ in the editorials of both languages, as shown in Examples (5) to (8). A possible explanation for this result is that editors are trying to build authority and trust between themselves and their readership. Perhaps stance-taking from a strong foundation exerts a hidden power on the public. For example, Hyland ( 2008 ) suggested that boosters might help bring readers to the text or involve them in building some kind of solidarity. Since editorials are meant to be the newspapers’ voice, the journalistic stance of the newspaper about issues of the day is assumed to be firmly present by means of pragmatic boosters.

In Examples (5) and (6), writers of the editorials used boosters in their discussion of political issues in the Jordanian context. Namely, the writers handled the partnership between the public and private sectors in Jordan and the prime minister’s visits to the cities of the country. The same applies to their English counterparts from the Guardian newspaper, where boosters were utilised to discuss some politically oriented topics in the British context (see Examples (7) and (8)). In particular, the writers addressed topics such as Biden’s 100 days after the presidency and the view on the BBC.

The relationship between the sectors and its sustainability will necessarily improve the citizens’ standards of living.

The approach of communication and fieldwork, that aims to serve Jordanians, has been consistently the focus of the leader’s attention and care.

No one doubts the sincerity of the Biden team. (The Guardian view on Biden’s 100 days, The Guardian, 2021).

It is often said that the BBC has never faced such towering challenges. In this occasion, that is certainly true . (The Guardian view on the BBC, 2021).

Attitude markers

The use of ‘emotive markers’ or ‘frames of mind’ in speech, originating from Aristotle’s attitude to Austin’s illocutionary force, is one of the deeply entrenched topics in linguistics and has its deep roots within the field of sociolinguistics. In Searle’s ( 1975 ) taxonomy of illocutionary acts, he defined what is meant by an illocutionary force and argues that ‘the illocutionary force indicating device in the sentence operates on the propositional content to indicate, among other things, the direction to fit between the propositional content and reality’ (p. 359). In speech, the illocutionary force of a sentence might be used for asserting, demanding, promising, exclaiming, or questioning. The idea of attitude markers in writing is similar to that of emotive markers or illocutionary acts in speech. Attitude markers are set forth by the writers to describe their own faith and feelings about the given content. Hyland ( 2019 , p. 36) points out that ‘almost any linguistic choice conveys an attitude of some kind, expressing our likes and dislikes, our approval and disapproval’. Since editorials are packed with opinions and attitudes, it is essential to analyse the linguistic aspects used to express these sentiments. Below are some examples of attitude markers in their context of use.

The Hashemites were wise and capable of being with their people

These meetings, where citizens and officials present both their vision and their hopes for their officials, are responsible for achieving the desired development, which is the most useful and beneficial .

It is disappointing but not surprising that the PM appears uninterested in plans to make people healthier. (The Guardian view on the way we eat, The Guardian, 2021)

The situation is extraordinarily difficult , with cases at about 40 universities so far and further outbreaks expected. (The Guardian view on universities, The Guardian, 2020).

Examples (9) to (12) illustrate the use of attitude markers in the editorials of the two languages. In every instance of these attitude markers, the writers used an adjective to describe their own stance. This is exactly what Dafouz-Milne ( 2008 ), in her discussion of attitude markers, referred to as the use of ‘attitudinal adjectives’. An example of an attitudinal adjective would be the usage of the word ‘disappointing’ in Example (11).

Self-mentions

Drawing on features of interactional metadiscourse, self-mention markers can be considered as the link between authors of the texts and their communities. Hyland ( 2001 , p. 208) demonstrated that self-mention is ‘a strategy that maximises the credibility of the writer to elicit credence from the reader’. Self-mention markers in the editorials of both languages were indicated using first-person plural pronouns rather than using self-reference words such as the author(s) or the name of the institution. In only one instance was the existence of self-mention markers in English and Arabic editorials. Numerous studies attributed the low frequency of self-mentions in certain texts to the writer’s absence of awareness about their metadiscoursal and pragmatic role. However, we find it unreasonable that the editorial authors are unaware of the self-mentions’ pragmatic role but are rather constrained by the genre style and conventions.

As far as we are concerned, there are two likely causes for this result, as it seems possible that the paucity of self-mentions in the editorial genre will be made for a good reason. Firstly, the number one reason for this might be the idea that editorials are responsible for representing the institution’s voice rather than the individuals’ viewpoints. Secondly, this result can also be attributed to the intricacies of authorial identity construction in the genre of newspaper editorials. It might be the case that editorial writers struggle with separating their own sense of identity or personal beliefs from their institutional identity (personal voice versus institutional voice). Wu and Zhu ( 2014 , p. 137) argued that ‘everyone has a ‘core identity’ connected to internal states, but all people have multiple identities connected to their performances in society’.

Wu and Zhu ( 2014 ) also mentioned three aspects of the authorial identity: the detached self, the individual self and the collective self. Though this classification has been proposed in the context of academic discourse, it seems that it also applies to the editorial genre of texts. In this sense, it can be noticed that ‘the collective self’, where the writer is showing a strong affiliation with the discourse community, is the dominating aspect of identity within newspaper editorials (Wu and Zhu, 2014 ). A prominent explanation about self-mentions’ scarcity in certain genres was proposed by Hyland ( 2002 ), who argued that the little existence of self-mentions may be due to ‘the culturally specific views of authority’. The use of self-mentions in newspaper editorials of both languages is shown in Examples (13) and (14).

As a result, we are facing a promising new phase full of vital projects.

The pandemic has opened our eyes to the predicament of the poor. (The Guardian view on food banks, The Guardian, 2020).

In Example (13), the usage of the first-person plural pronoun ‘we’ may partly be explained by the intention of involving a broader audience in the discourse. An alternative explanation is that the writers tend to capitalise on the collective identity of their target audience (mainly Arabs and Jordanians in this context). Furthermore, Arabs lean toward a shared sense of belonging to a group or a collective identity, which is formulated by the sociopolitical environment (Smooha, 1992 , as cited in Amara, 2016 ). Direct self-mention using a first-person pronoun can be regarded as a method to invite readers to collective bargaining. The use of the first-person pronoun ‘our’ in a discussion of a current issue (i.e. the pandemic in this respect) was the only instance of self-mentions in the Guardian (see Example (14)). The authors’ use of the self-mention marker ‘our’ is likely to be related to the assumption and promotion of a level of societal responsibility. In this regard, ‘our’ is more than a sign of visibility or author presence. Finally, here are a few more instances of stance features from the editorials of both languages Table 4 .

The aim of the present study was to examine the stance-taking strategies that editors employ when defending the newspapers’ standpoint. It has then investigated how the use of stance markers varied across two different newspapers using two separate languages with two totally different cultures. Editorials, however, are a remarkably distinct genre with respect to persuasion, evaluation, and appraisal. The discrepancy between editorials and the other text genres in the articulation of stance arises from the power of editorials on the political decisions in their respective geographic areas. For instance, Van Dijk ( 1995 ) observed that editorials might have an impact on the presidential elections or the “formulating” of people’s ideologies. Van Dijk, in this sense, defined the term ‘ideologies’ as ‘the basic ‘axioms’ of socially shared representation of groups about themselves and their relations to other groups, including such categories as membership criteria, activities, goals, values, and crucial group resources’ (1995, p. 30). This brings us to the conclusion that there is a consensus among researchers about the idea that public ideologies and beliefs are being framed or at least influenced by the stance of newspapers offered in editorials.

The present study contributes to our understanding of intercultural rhetoric and the use of rhetorical devices such as stance markers across two languages (i.e. Arabic and English). It also lays the groundwork for future research into stance markers in the editorials of other languages. The results of this study add to the rapidly expanding field of rhetoric in editorial journalism. In this regard, the findings of this study can be utilised to train editors, editors-in-chief, and members of the editorial board about stance and positioning in their early or mid-career phases. Introductory webinars for editors can take advantage of the findings of this research to help editors pursue a professional usage of stance devices in editorials. This paper is of interest to the society of editorial freelancers to assist them in understanding the tactics through which editors-in-chief optimise their strategies in showing stance.

Stance-taking and writer positioning in media discourse, plus the idea of finding the appropriate policy to present your perspective and the counterargument, would indeed be a daunting task. Kärkkäinen ( 2006 , p. 699) argued that ‘stance in discourse is not the transparent linguistic packaging of ‘internal states’ of knowledge, but rather emerges from dialogic interaction between interlocutors’. Therefore, argumentative writing in editorials is quite complex and sometimes misleading and requires a great amount of observation to be fully understood by the average reader. A contrastive analysis of the rhetorical strategies, such as stance devices and how they are utilised in editorials from diverse cultures, is needed for better comprehension of them. For that being the case, this study compared the use of stance devices in English and Arabic editorials from two national broadsheets in Jordan and the UK. This study has found that generally, Arabic editorials in Addustour newspaper employed stance markers in a different way than English editorials in the Guardian newspaper.

Some statistically significant differences were detected between the two languages in the total usage of stance markers. Significant differences were also identified between the two languages in the use of each category of stance features (i.e. hedges, boosters, attitude markers, and self-mentions). Although all stance types were present in the English and Arabic editorials, self-mentions were the least-employed stance features with the same value in both languages (0.1%). Perhaps this resemblance in the little use of self-mentions is due to the genre conventions and style of the editorials. To illustrate, it seems that the authorial presence via self-mentioning is a privilege in editorials’ argumentative writing rather than a necessity. By and large, the editorial section of the newspaper is designed to display the newspaper’s voice and not the author’s voice.

A thorough understanding of stance features in editorials, which are concerned with the most pressing current political issues, would foster the public audience’s comprehension of these columns. Liu and Hood ( 2019 , p. 589) pitched the idea that ‘the non-neutral construal of people and events in the media is an issue of considerable significance’. Editorials are now considered as the organisation’s or media institution’s portrayal of the issues of the day, and wherefore this genre has come to be referred to as ‘leading articles’ or ‘leaders’. Vigilance in observing stance features within the scope of metadiscourse in editorials is not only fruitful for an avid reader of politics but also for foreign language learners. Hashemi and Golparvar ( 2011 , p. 122) claimed that ‘metadiscourse can play a more influencing role on reading comprehension if the consciousness of the EFL learners’ is raised by their teachers, especially at the intermediate level’. In consequence, students who are learning English or Arabic as a foreign language can take advantage of the findings of this study in their comprehension of such kinds of opinion articles.

Additionally, a persona in editorials is generally affected by the dominating culture in that language. To elaborate, the term ‘persona’ here refers to ‘the mask served to express the speaker’s own opinion, only by a tactful indirection’ (Mayer, 2003 , p. 60). Broadly speaking, editorials are designed by the editor-in-chief and writers from the editorial board about socially or politically sensitive topics with careful attention paid to the culture and community convenience. This idea is positively related to what Strauss ( 2004 ) has reported about ‘cultural standing’ in the expression of opinion. She demonstrated that opinion display, argumentation, hedges, and modality are heavily impacted by the ‘cultural standing’. According to a definition by Strauss ( 2004 , p. 161), cultural standing is ‘the location of a view on a continuum that ranges from highly controversial to completely taken for granted in the relevant opinion community’. Taken together, this suggests that the examination of how stance features are used in two different languages will have significant implications for the understanding of language within a cultural and institutional frame of community.

Conclusion and implications

The findings of this study have implications for the teaching of argumentative writing in both languages (i.e. English and Arabic). These findings reveal something about the nature of discourse markers used in opinion articles. This research may provide insights to editorial training and editorial training fellowships because it might enhance the skills of argumentative writing. In these training and fellowship programmes, trainees can emulate some of the examples of stance given in this study. This simulation would further help them fine-tune their strategies for displaying stance.

Further research might explore the use of stance features in editorials in other languages to gain a greater understanding of stance in the editorial genre. That is to say, the use of stance markers as a compelling force in editorials is known to be affected by a range of factors. To start with, the differences in the use of stance markers between the two sets of editorials can be linked to the language and register that these editorials belong to. Matthiessen ( 2019 , p. 207) initially stated that ‘registers are functional varieties of language that have evolved as adaptations to different institutional settings’. Then, he argued in his discussion of language as an aggregate of registers that ‘a key aspect of the adaptive nature of language is that it adapts to its contexts of use’ (Matthiessen, 2019 , p. 212). Subsequently, it is possible to assume that register and language are the reasons behind some of the significant differences in stance markers between the two groups of editorials.

Secondly, the sociocultural dimensions can play a significant role in the choice of stance markers in editorials. Du Bois ( 2007 , p. 139) claimed that ‘stance can be approached as a linguistically articulated form of social action whose meaning is to be construed within the broader scope of language, interaction, and sociocultural value’. Thirdly, routines can be regarded among the factors affecting the use of stance markers in editorials. Reese ( 2016 , ‘levels of analysis’) said that ‘if journalism is primarily a social practice, routines are the ways of working that constitute that practice’. Along these lines, routines and institutional policies of the newspaper can determine the approach and means of displaying stance. To conclude, factors affecting the use of stance markers in English and Arabic editorials can be discussed under four headings: language, register, routines and institutional policies, and sociocultural systems and values.

As a matter of fact, there is no alternative to adopting a position and taking a stance in editorial journalism. Even when the editorial holds no position on the issue of discussion, this is believed to be a stance on its own, as Jaffe ( 2009 , p. 3) suggested that ‘neutrality is itself a stance’. Hyland ( 2019 , p. 63) also reported that ‘writers cannot avoid projecting an impression of themselves and how they stand in relation to their arguments, their community and their readers’. The grasp of this idea makes it extremely significant to pinpoint these positionings in editorials and to understand them (i.e. stance markers). As far as objectivity is meritorious in news coverage, it is thought of as blameworthy in editorials. Firmstone ( 2019 , p. 6) observed that ‘in direct contrast to most other forms of journalism, subjectivity and opinion is not only permitted in editorials- it is expected’. And there is no better way to express opinion in editorials than using stance markers. The evidence from this study suggests that the analysis and use of stance features should be carefully observed by both lay readers and editorial specialists.

Data availability

Data sharing is not applicable to this research as no data were generated or analysed.

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Sharif Alghazo analysed the data and wrote the first draft. Khuloud Al-Anbar collected the data and wrote parts of the literature review. Ghaleb Rabab’ah wrote the discussion. Nimer Abusalim wrote the conclusion and references. Mohammad Rayyan wrote parts of literature review and conclusion and conducted the final editing and proofreading.

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Alghazo, S., Al-Anbar, K., Rabab’ah, G. et al. The construction of stance in English and Arabic newspaper editorials: a case study. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 971 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03418-2

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Crime and public safety | california’s covid positivity rate is still growing, approaching record high for a summer surge, crime and public safety, subscriber only, crime and public safety | what the golden gate bridge’s anti-suicide net is teaching the rest of the nation, the once-controversial project is now a case study in suicide prevention.

Since completion of a steel net under the Golden Gate Bridge in January, reported suicides are down more than 80%, from an average of 15 to 20 in a six-month period to three, according to newly released data. Suicide attempts also have declined, from about 150 over six months to 56 through June, a more than 60% decrease.

The once-controversial $224 million project is now a case study in suicide prevention, lending its lessons to other barrier-building campaigns around the United States, Canada and England.

RELATED:  Golden Gate Bridge suicides drastically decline after barrier installation

“We’re expanding, not disbanding,” said Paul Muller, president and co-founder of the Bridge Rail Foundation , created in 2006 with a mission of ending suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge.

“We’re sharing our stories with communities that are facing a similar problem,”  said Muller, advising others on how to obtain funding, navigate government bureaucracies, gain regulatory approval and develop a public campaign through community organizing. Families play an essential role, he said, reminding officials of their tremendous losses.

About 2,000 people are known to have died by jumping off the bridge, although the true tally is likely higher.

On the outskirts of Nashville, Trish Merelo and other survivors of suicide loss sought to build a barrier at the Natchez Trace Bridge , but layers upon layers of bureaucratic tape in Tennessee seemed to halt their mission at every step.

When she discovered the Bridge Rail Foundation, “It was like a lifeline,” she said. “Their success, on the granddaddy of all bridges, was such a sign of hope for the rest of us.”

The advice of the Bay Area group helped the Tennessee coalition build a strategy, she said, leading to last year’s construction of protective fencing on the 155-foot high concrete arch bridge that crosses a roadway and wooded valley, where 42 have ended their lives since 2000.

At the Coronado Bridge in San Diego, where more than 400 people have ended their lives, the Bridge Rail Foundation’s wisdom “has been integral to helping us get things done down here,” said Rhonda Haiston, co-founder of the Coronado San Diego Bridge Collaborative for Suicide Prevention . Funding is now authorized to install cables and netting, with construction starting in 2027.

In Palo Alto, where clusters of teens took their own lives during the 2008-09 and 2014-15 school years on the Caltrain tracks that traverse the city, the partnership of the Bridge Rail Foundation “has been crucial … recommending best practices, sharing advocacy strategies, suggesting funding sources for our fencing and other safety measures.” said Stanford University psychiatry professor Dr. Shashank Joshi, a leader in Project Safety Net , a community coalition to boost youth mental health.

Calls for help have also come in from Rhode Island, Wisconsin. Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts, Canada and England, said Muller.

The Golden Gate Bridge was once one of the world’s leading suicide destinations. When the bridge was built in 1937, chief engineer Joseph Strauss was convinced that none would end their lives on the bridge. Its railings and security system would make suicides impossible, he said.

Within three months, despondent World War I veteran Harold Wobber leaped to his death, proving Strauss wrong.

Other deaths included Roy Raymond, the founder of Victoria’s Secret; the eldest son of former journalist, White House aide and California U.S. Sen. Pierre Salinger; and a Fremont man distraught over a breakup with his wife, who threw his 3-year-old daughter over the side, then followed her down.

For decades, decision-makers argued over the effectiveness, aesthetics, practicality and cost of erecting a barrier on the iconic bridge, famed for its orange-red color and ethereal fog.

Opponents argued that people intent on ending their lives would simply find another way. But research by UC Berkeley professor Richard Seiden found that 94% of people who had been persuaded not to jump were still alive or had died of natural causes.

They worried that the bridge would lose its famed beauty. In response, the nets were suspended about 20 feet below the span. Blending into the steelwork, the nets are nearly invisible from a distance.

Funding proved a major obstacle. But a Bay Area congressional delegation — Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Lynn Woolsey — added provisions to a 2014 highway and transit bill that allowed federal funds to be used for safety barriers and nets. Later support came from Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Golden Gate Bridge Board.

There was fierce criticism over its climbing price tag: The initial estimate was $142 million. Critics said the money was better used to expand therapeutic services and crisis intervention.

Last week, in a ceremony commemorating the completion of the project, Pelosi praised the investment.

“How much money is too much money to save lives?” asked Pelosi, who helped the Golden Gate Bridge district secure federal funding for the project. “We just had to reject that attitude.”

Jumping off the bridge no longer holds a romantic appeal, said former Marin County Coroner Ken Holmes, who became a stalwart proponent of a deterrent after handling hundreds of bridge deaths.

The nets, which the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District says were modeled on similar systems around the world, aren’t soft and springy, like a circus net. The district warns that jumping into the net, 20 feet down, will result in significant bruises, sprains and possibly broken bones.

On average, 30 people died every year on the bridge. This tragic toll began to decline in 2023, while the net was still under construction, with 14 confirmed suicides.

Of this year’s deaths, two of the three happened on a section where the netting was not yet complete, said Holmes.

“We know that it’s not going to stop every single person,” he said.  “It’s a deterrent, not a barrier.”

“But we’re losing far fewer people,” he said. “That was the goal, and it is an incredible success.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

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Teacher turns restaurateur — Sheereka Ali: Food is in my DNA

SHEEREKA Ali’s parents wanted their daughter to be an educator. After graduating from secondary school, she went on to study for an education degree.

She became a teacher to please her parents, but that was not her dream.

This university graduate chucked her job as a teacher to explore her dream of becoming a restaurateur.

Not an alarming action, considering since she was age ten, her family migrated to Colorado, in the United States, where they delved into the food industry as their primary source of income. They managed their own food business while running franchises for top brands such as Baskin-Robbins.

“Food is in my DNA,” Ali said in an interview with the Newsday.

After her father died, her mother closed the business and relocated to Florida.

Having inherited a passion for food from her parents, combined with a desire to return home, Ali, the mother of ten-year-old Rayhan, with her husband Wayne Bridgemohansingh, searched for options to incorporate both as a viable economic venture.

Resettling in Trincity on her return to TT, at the same time East Gates Mall was being built, Ali thought this was the perfect opportunity to establish her own post-covid business.

She applied for a spot in the mall to vend Mexican food and was successful.

Living in Colorado, she explained, she fell in love with the menu served at the Chipotle Mexican Grill, which was started in Denver in 1993 by Sam Ellis and now boasts of a chain of over 3,000 restaurants in some 500 locations.

In her opinion, “The Mexican food was the closest thing to Trinidad food. The food: the guacamole and taco shell, reminiscent of a good Trini sada roti and zaboca (avocado), the rice bowls with servings of meats, beans and veggies are similar to a Sunday lunch.”

She said with the growing Venezuelan population in TT and other diverse people who make up the landscape, she felt this was an opportune time explore this business option.

Two years ago, Guacamole Mexican Grill was born at East Gates, becoming the only restaurant there to serve tacos, salad bowls, rice bowls, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos with toppings of salsa, cheese, guacamole and sauces other than the usual garlic sauce, ketchup and barbecue sauces. It was a huge hit.

About a year into the business at East Gates, Ali said, Gulf City Mall’s executive chairman Sean Hadeed and his daughter visited, had a meal from her outlet and a week later called and told her what she had to offer was exactly what Gulf City Mall wanted.

“I had no intention to go down this far, but realising that San Fernando was fast becoming a ‘foodie destination’ with an explosion of street foods on Cross Crossing, I made the journey.

“When I came to Gulf City, I found it to be fantastic. The management was fantastic, and it was just perfect, the way they helped me every step of the way to get this together.”

On June 14, Ali had her second branch opening at Gulf City Mall, when Mexican Ambassador Victor Hugo Morales cut an avocado instead of a ribbon to formally open the outlet.

One of the directors of the company, Imran Juman, said the company has invested about $400,000 in the business, and employs about 12 members of staff – all immigrants – along with Ali, who can be seen behind the counter and in the kitchen. Dr Beatrice Zamora, a Cuban doctor working at San Fernando General Hospital, is the supervisor/control manager at both Gulf City and East Gates Mall.

For the doctor, working in a food industry is quite an anomaly.

“At home I don’t cook. I cook here.”

She said she feels “a good energy” working at the Guac and in TT.

“I left my country after my graduation to get and opportunity to work at the hospital. I met Sheereka and she invited me to with her restaurant.”

About the language barrier, she said it is exciting.

“I understand local English a little. This is a new culture, new accents we have to learn. Me and the staff learn very fast. They are loyal and understand customers very well.”

Ali said she intentionally took on Spanish-speaking staff to add authenticity to her restaurants, as management has also done with imported ingredients used to create the different dishes.

“We do everything here from scratch. We pride ourselves on serving fresh food. No leftovers are used the next day. We donate or throw them out.”

She said she is trying to form links with retirement homes or homes for children to donate what remains at the end of the working day.

Although she has no formal training as a chef, Ali said her practical experience growing up in the industry and learning from available cookbooks had put her in a good position.

Now that her second food outlet is up and running, she has dreams of opening a full dine-in restaurant.

“I love what I am seeing in the food industry in my country, which is moving in a more modernised direction, embracing healthier and more diverse options. I think I can add to that diversity.”

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New tint laws take effect on july 29, trinidad and tobago must become bilingual, couva man sentenced in kidnap case in first trial under new law, "teacher turns restaurateur — sheereka ali: food is in my dna", more in this section, civilian conservation corps crowns emancipation king, queen, trini wants to start moko jumbie school in australia, japan, trinidad and tobago artistes to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties, xtra foods launches java bonanza.

Enhancing Inclusive Learning through Digital Innovation: A Case Study in Optometry Education, aligned with the revised PSF

• Author By Clare Tyrer
• Publication date July 30, 2024
• Categories: Case Studies , Learning design , Learning Technologies
• Categories: Advance HE Fellowship , h5p , learning design , Moodle , PSF
• No Comments on Enhancing Inclusive Learning through Digital Innovation: A Case Study in Optometry Education, aligned with the revised PSF

Introduction

Introduction of h5p resources, moodle redesign and expansion, collaboration with lead digital learning design service, student feedback and outcomes, future directions.

The revised 2023 Advance HE Professional Standards (PSF) emphasise the use of educational and learning technologies. This is underpinned by principles of inclusive practice to support learning, for example in core knowledge dimension 4 (K4). This dimension asks individuals applying for any level of Advance HE Fellowship (Associate, Fellow, Senior, or Principal) to “apply knowledge of appropriate use of digital and/or other technologies, and resources for learning.” This is a pedagogic design task, to make appropriate use of these technologies to enhance learning. Demonstrating inclusive practice in this context involves designing and implementing digital learning experiences that accommodate diverse learner needs and abilities, ensuring equitable access and engagement for all students.

Case Study: Moodle Design in Optometry

The following case study documents how academics in Optometry reflected on their approach to Moodle design in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The dimensions of the PSF are referenced in brackets, to show how the academics discussed their practice in reference to these criteria.

In 2020, H5P interactive video and text resources were introduced on the Optometric Physics module to enhance engagement and interactivity in online learning. Clear guidance was provided for students through a sequence of activities aligned with the module learning outcomes and summative assessment requirements (Biggs, 1996; Hounsell & Hounsell, 2007), and tailored to their pace of learning (A4, K1, V1).

Following initial positive student feedback on the introduction of H5P resources and a significant increase in cohort size, the academics saw an opportunity to redesign the Moodle pages across the whole Introduction to Optometry programme (A1, K3, K5). This decision was further prompted by the move to Moodle 4 in 2023. By leveraging the versatility of H5P resources, students could be provided with multiple pathways to achieve the programme learning outcomes and engage in active and self-regulated learning (Rowe and Rafferty, 2013) (A1, K1, K4, V2).

In collaboration with the LEaD (Learning Enhancement and Development) Digital Learning Design Service, the academics discussed how to improve the accessibility of resources and ensure consistency of navigation. The digital design colleagues provided insight into effective practices for interface design, module navigation, and the embedding of different learning activities into Moodle (Laurillard, 2013) (A1, K2, V5).

For example, the decision to transition to H5P course presentations reflected a strategic move to support a more inclusive learning environment. These allow for more structured content, with clear headings and subheadings, to guide the students (A4). Compatible with assistive technologies, these interactive elements, such as clickable hotspots, drag and drop activities, fill in the blanks, multiple choice questions, and flashcards also provide alternative means of engagement and enable students to control the pace of the presentation (V1, V2).

To gauge the effectiveness of the Moodle redesign, a survey was distributed to all students on the Introduction to Optometry programme. The students were invited to provide feedback on the module structure, navigation, and user interface as well as provision of appropriate guidance. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with students commenting favourably on the clarity, consistency, and engagement of the design features (K5). The academics also shared their positive experiences of this initiative change with the wider university community through the Learning at City blog (A5).

Reflecting on this successful integration of asynchronous H5P resources on the Optometry programme, the academics are keen to harness the affordance of other digital technologies in laboratory sessions to promote student engagement and autonomy in laboratory sessions (K3).

[This case study is shared with kind permission from Benjamin Evans and Marisa Rodriguez-Carmona]

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment.  Higher education ,  32 (3), 347-364.

Hounsell, D., & Hounsell, J. (2007). 7 Teaching-Learning Environments in Contemporary Mass Higher Education. In  BJEP monograph series II, number 4-student learning and university teaching  (Vol. 91, No. 111, pp. 91-111). British Psychological Society.

Laurillard, D. (2013).  Teaching as a design science: Building pedagogical patterns for learning and technology . Routledge.

Rowe, F. A., & Rafferty, J. A. (2013). Instructional design interventions for supporting self-regulated learning: enhancing academic outcomes in postsecondary e-learning environments.  Journal of Online Learning and Teaching ,  9 (4), 590-601.

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Latest HIV Cure Case Comes With a Twist

Richard Mark Kirkner

July 29, 2024

The first HIV cure case in which the stem cell donor had a single — rather than double — gene mutation is opening the donor pool in renewed cure efforts to make stem cell transplants more widely available.

The anonymous patient is the first to achieve long-term HIV remission — in this case approaching 6 years — after receiving a single CCR5 delta 32 mutation. Specifically, the patient received a CCR5 wild-type, delta 32 transplant, known as a heterozygous transplant, for acute myeloid leukemia , investigators reported at the International AIDS Conference 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Other cures have involved donors with two copies of the CCR5 delta 32 mutation, known as homozygous.

Researchers are calling the anonymous patient "the next Berlin patient," an homage to Timothy Ray Brown, the first, now renowned, American patient living at the time in Germany who was cured of HIV.

Brown — dubbed an ambassador of hope — would never test positive for HIV again, but at age 54, it would be the leukemia that led to his HIV cure that would take Brown's life after spreading to his brain and spinal cord.

Expanding the Donor Pool

Since then, four others who received the dual-copy mutation in a homozygous stem cell transplant have experienced long-term HIV remission.

Another case, known as the "Geneva patient," received a stem cell transplant from a wild-type CCR5 donor. Researchers from Geneva, Switzerland, reported that case last year at the conference.

Using donors with single mutations in addition to those with double mutations could meaningfully expand the pool of donors and the availability of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, said Christian Gaebler, MD, coleader of the personalized infectious medicine program at the Berlin Institute of Health and associate professor at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, who presented the case at the conference.

"When we don't find a donor with these delta 32 mutations — and it's hard to find them, especially in geographical regions outside western or northern countries where it's almost impossible to find a homozygous delta 32 donor — it may be beneficial to take a heterozygous donor," Gaebler said during an interview. "They're easier to find."

"This case is giving us hope that there is still a cure and underlying mechanisms that we're currently not understanding," said Christoph Spinner, MD, MBA, an infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital of the Technical University of Munich, and AIDS 2024 conference co-chair.

"Research is needed to understand and translate the findings of this case for the cure research around the globe," he said.

Reducing the HIV Reservoir

The key mechanism in a cure is depletion of the HIV reservoir, Gaebler said, but more work is needed to better understand its role.

The most recent cured patient had the stem cell transplant to treat acute myeloid leukemia initially, Gaebler explained, and more than 5 years after the stem cell transplant and after discontinuing antiretroviral therapy, the patient has undetectable levels of HIV DNA and HIV RNA as well as higher levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, he said.

"When we see this next Berlin patient and that we're coming close to 6 years of HIV remission, I think we can quite confidently say we can have HIV reservoir reduction, HIV remission, and potentially HIV cure independent of the CCR5 status," Gaebler said.

"These initial cases of HIV cure have triggered a lot of studies looking at CCR5 and basically modulating CCR5 expression, gene-edited cells, [and] CCR5 blockage," he pointed out after his presentation. "This is all very valid and it will likely play a role, but it probably comes down to a combination of these things," he said.

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