The paper discusses the intrinsic potential offered by classroom interaction for language development. The first part examines several theoretical aspects and characteristics of classroom communication. The second part presents the results of a study which investigates different aspects of classroom interaction in foreign language teaching and the strategies used to encourage classroom communication in the target language. The study, which combines quantitative and qualitative research methods, is based on a survey of Slovene teachers teaching English in primary school. Results suggest that while the respondents are well aware of the benefits of using English in classroom communication, they generally use it in an arbitrary and unsystematic fashion. We would like to argue that we can contribute to the effectiveness of the teaching process by approaching classroom communication with a systematic and consistent format.

In the empirical study of intercultural exchange presented in this paper, we assessed Erasmus students for knowledge of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their level of reflective judgement, to test for correlation between the two variables. The basic theoretical framing was derived from King and Kitchener’s (1994) reflective judgment model (RJM), based on 3 different levels of reflectivity, connected to progressive cognitive development of adults: pre-reflective, quasireflective and reflective. The results of the study show that the students displayed high levels of reflective judgment and importantly, we found a correlation between their standard of English and their level of reflectivity. The ability to communicate in English is a prerequisite to participation in the Erasmus programme, therefore it was expected that the students would score well for English knowledge. However, the results of the study suggest that being competent in the use of English as a foreign language may be a predictor of higher reflectivity amongst students in higher education. This creates a controversial pedagogical implication suggesting that learning English as a foreign language to a high standard fuels reflectivity.

With learning contexts globally promoting putting learners in the centre, it is no surprise that autonomous learning will gain ground in contemporary classrooms. As there is no learner autonomy without autonomous teachers, investigating instructors’ preferences about autonomous learning is necessary for more successful language education. The research assessed Georgian teachers’ viewpoints on fostering autonomous learning in EFL acquisition. The study employed a close-ended questionnaire completed by over 100 teachers. The analysis concludes that Georgian teachers associate obstacles with a lack of resources, technical problems, and class size, while challenges linked to teachers include lack of experience, limited development opportunities, and time management.