An Overview on Virtual Guest Lecture in EFL Classroom Context: A Literature Review

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual guest lectures have assumed paramount importance in university education, extending teaching beyond the traditional classroom setting. This study undertook a systematic review to investigate the schematic structure and linguistic features of virtual guest lectures in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Employing Kitchenman’s systematic review methodology, we compiled a dataset from SCOPUS and SINTA databases comprising 10 published journal articles from 2019 to 2022. The analysis was grounded in the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach. Our findings revealed that virtual guest lectures exhibit a three-phase schematic structure: introduction, content, and concluding phases. The introduction phase encompasses three distinct moves, including greeting, class checking, and orientation. In the content phase, three moves were identified: presentation, discussion, and consolidation. Finally, the concluding phase encompasses evaluation, reflection, and closure. Furthermore, in terms of linguistic realizations, we identified relational, mental, behavioral, and material processes within each move or step. These findings offer valuable insights for educational stakeholders, aiding in the evaluation and assessment of student achievements during virtual guest lectures. Moreover, they provide a foundation for potential enhancements in the design and delivery of virtual guest lectures in EFL classrooms.