List of Articles
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Open Access Article
1 - Tracking Modifications of Iranian EFL Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs in Interaction between a Pre-Service Teacher Training Program and Teaching Practices
Parisa Etela Hossein Saadabadi Motlagh Saeed YazdaniRecently, the sources of teachers’ beliefs and modifications in their beliefs have received special attention; therefore, this longitudinal study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The study attempted to track possible alterations in pedagogical bel MoreRecently, the sources of teachers’ beliefs and modifications in their beliefs have received special attention; therefore, this longitudinal study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The study attempted to track possible alterations in pedagogical beliefs after participating in a two-year teacher training program and following teaching practices. Through convenient sampling, the researchers selected 24 Iranian EFL teacher students who had teaching experiences of 3-10 years at Islamic Azad University; Shiraz Branch. They collected the required data through a teacher belief questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The results of both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that teaching practices made a unique influence on the modifications in teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. In other words, the results emphasized the power of teaching practice in any modification in teachers’ beliefs over theoretical teaching. These findings have important implications for teacher educators who seek to modify teachers’ beliefs during teacher training programs. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
2 - Relationship between Learning Style Preferences and Nationality Background: A Case Study of Iranian and Iraqi University EFL Students
Sediqeh Vahdat Zohreh Gooniband Shooshtari Faezeh MohammadnejadThis study investigated the relationship between learning style preferences and the nationality background of Iranian and Iraqi University EFL students. A total number of 40 male and female participants, 20 Iraqi and 20 Iranian, majoring in EFL, took part in this study. MoreThis study investigated the relationship between learning style preferences and the nationality background of Iranian and Iraqi University EFL students. A total number of 40 male and female participants, 20 Iraqi and 20 Iranian, majoring in EFL, took part in this study. To conduct the study, a qualitative-quantitative method was used which encompassed two kinds of data-gathering instruments: a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The first instrument was Cohen, Oxford, and Chi's (2001) online learning style survey questionnaire which assessed the participants’ general approaches to learning, and the second instrument was a semi-structured interview that asked some other questions not covered by the questionnaire. Prior to using the learning style survey questionnaire, a pilot study was conducted to validate and refine the questionnaire. Statistical procedures such as descriptive statistics which consisted of Mean, Skewness, Kurtosis, and Standard Deviation were used. Moreover, the Chi-square, Cramer’s V, and T value were used to analyze the collected data. The obtained results revealed that the relationship between learning style preferences and nationality background was meaningful and the learning styles of students from these two nationalities were different from each other. From a quantitative standpoint, Iranian learners were more open-oriented learners, while Iraqi participants were more closure-oriented in their learning process. The results also revealed that not only the Learning Style Preferences (LSPs) were different across groups, but also were various for individuals in each group. The results of this study offer valuable insights for teachers who are working with learners from diverse nationalities. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
3 - Impact of Dynamic Assessment on ADHD Learners’ Knowledge of L2 Vocabulary and Working Memory: A Case Study
Hadiseh Salehi Roya Khoii Ali Akbar ArjmandniaWithin the field of second language learning, the need to provide equal access to L2 education has directed modern educators’ attention to the potentials of Dynamic Assessment (DA) for students with learning disabilities. The purpose of the present single case study was MoreWithin the field of second language learning, the need to provide equal access to L2 education has directed modern educators’ attention to the potentials of Dynamic Assessment (DA) for students with learning disabilities. The purpose of the present single case study was to explore the effects of interactionist DA on ADHD L2 learners’ knowledge of vocabulary and working memory capacity. A 13-year-old female EFL learner with the combined type of ADHD voluntarily participated in this study as an elementary student. During each session, a few new vocabulary items were taught through providing mediations relying on a regulatory scale from the most implicit to the most explicit emerging from the interactions between the mediator and the learner. The microgenetic analysis of DA protocols led to the development of an inventory of mediations consisting of different forms of implicit and explicit prompts. The results of the study demonstrated that DA could contribute to the learner’s vocabulary knowledge with a number of fluctuations in some DA sessions, while it did not improve her working memory capacity. The findings of this study provide further insight into teachers’ perception of how ADHD learners can learn an L2 and, at the same time, call for policy makers’ and materials developers’ greater attention to the progressive mediations required to help ADHD learners develop a higher level of self-regulation functioning through dialogic and social interactions. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
4 - Politeness Strategies Used in the Iranian and American Newspapers: The Case of Iran's Nuclear Deal
Rasoul Mohammad Hosseinpur Maryam Sadat Sadat HosseiniThe appropriate employment of language by politicians can settle many of the current global problems and crises. Iran’s nuclear deal with all its complexities and subtleties is one of the most contentious global issues that demands a lot of tact and prudence on the part MoreThe appropriate employment of language by politicians can settle many of the current global problems and crises. Iran’s nuclear deal with all its complexities and subtleties is one of the most contentious global issues that demands a lot of tact and prudence on the part of the politicians to be resolved. Politicians could draw upon different politeness strategies to employ appropriate speech, save the face of others, gain their trust, and resolve problems. Considering the significance of this issue, this corpus based descriptive research investigated the politeness strategies employed in the editorials of Iranian and American newspapers. Fifty news articles from the Tehran Times and New York Times published from May 2019 to June 2022 were investigated according to Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness strategies. These news articles were relevant to Iran's nuclear deal. The findings indicated that the most frequent politeness strategy in the Tehran Times news was the positive politeness strategy and the most frequent politeness strategy in the New York Times news was the negative politeness strategy. Finally, the results of the chi-square test revealed that there is a significant difference in the frequency of politeness strategies use in both newspaper articles. The findings highlight the sociocultural dependency of the politeness concept and imply that cultural differences affect preference for the choice of types of politeness strategies. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
5 - Tackling Iranian Epileptic EFL Learners’ Foreign Language Anxiety and Vocabulary Learning via a Social, Meta-cognitive, and Problem-Solving Skills Training Package: Online and Traditional Contexts in Focus
Vale Jalali Mina Rohanizadeh Neda Fatehi RadThe problems of epileptic EFL learners are more serious than those of normal learners. Mostly, in the context of language learning, they perform weakly in productive and verbal skills. This study investigated whether a social, meta-cognitive, and problem-solving skills MoreThe problems of epileptic EFL learners are more serious than those of normal learners. Mostly, in the context of language learning, they perform weakly in productive and verbal skills. This study investigated whether a social, meta-cognitive, and problem-solving skills training package affects foreign language anxiety, and vocabulary learning of epileptic EFL learners. The participants were selected through purposive sampling from among those referring to the Long Term Video EEG Monitoring Center in Kerman. To collect the data, the FL Anxiety Scale, TOEFL Vocabulary Test, Quick Placement Test, and the Social, Meta-cognitive, and Problem-solving Skills Training Package were recruited. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, and ANCOVA were run. The findings of the study showed that the effectiveness of the mentioned training package on Iranian epileptic EFL learners’ FL anxiety and vocabulary learning in online was more effective than in the traditional context. The results have implications for the epileptic EFL learners and EFL teachers. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
6 - AI-English Language Generated Content: Navigating the Fine Line Between Originality and Plagiarism
Masoud Neysani Seyedeh Elham Elhambakhsh Ahmadreza NikbakhtThe era of AI-generated content has introduced a profound transformation in the realms of creativity, authorship, and intellectual property rights. This study examined two research aspects. Firstly, it explored the impact of AI- English language-generated content on the MoreThe era of AI-generated content has introduced a profound transformation in the realms of creativity, authorship, and intellectual property rights. This study examined two research aspects. Firstly, it explored the impact of AI- English language-generated content on the traditional boundaries of authorship, creativity, and intellectual property rights. Secondly, it investigated the ethical and legal challenges associated with AI's influence on TEFL content generation and how the academic communities address these concerns. The research team employed a mixed-methods approach. Twenty-Eight individuals, organizations, and professionals made up the target population of the current study. The researchers interviewed experts in the fields of AI, law, and English language material development. The researchers analyzed real-world cases of AI-TEFL generated content usage, particularly within academic settings. The findings revealed that AI-generated content challenges conventional notions of authorship and creativity by introducing autonomous AI creators while also augmenting human creativity. The ambiguous landscape of intellectual property rights necessitates adaptive legal frameworks. While AI challenges established norms, it also offers opportunities for collaboration and inspiration. To address these issues, collaborative frameworks, ethical guidelines, and transparency were proposed as integral solutions. Respondents emphasize collaborative efforts to address the ethical and legal concerns associated with AI's influence on content generation within the academic communities. The implications extend to various sectors, including academia, creative industries, and legal systems. This study underscores the pressing need for a delicate balance between AI's creative potential and the preservation of ethical and legal standards in the evolving landscape of content creation. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
7 - A Comparative Study of the Effects of the TBLT Method and ENGAGE Model on Iranian EFL Learners' CAF in Writing Performance
Javad Gholami Mohaddeseh Salimpoor Aghdam Mahnaz SaediThe ever-growing needs for writing ability in English in the global context has given priority to finding more effective ways to teach L2 writing. A thorough analysis of the pertinent literature indicated a dearth of empirical research in ELT regarding the effect of app MoreThe ever-growing needs for writing ability in English in the global context has given priority to finding more effective ways to teach L2 writing. A thorough analysis of the pertinent literature indicated a dearth of empirical research in ELT regarding the effect of applying the ENGAGE model on the writing skills of L2 learners. Therefore, the current study sought to ascertain how the ENGAGE Model and Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) method affected the complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of Iranian EFL learners' writing performance. Sixty-seven Iranian female EFL learners aged 18 to 25 at Urmia University language center were chosen for the quasi-experimental study based on their level of proficiency on the standard Oxford Quick Placement Test (OPT) in 2022. The participants were randomly divided into three groups and instructed based on the principles of the ENGAGE model (n = 22), TBLT model (n = 24), and control group (n = 21). Pretesting, intervention, and post-testing were all the processes that the study participants underwent. The null hypotheses were tested after the data were analyzed by applying multivariate ANCOVA (MANCOVA) measures. The study of the post-test data revealed that the ENGAGE model, as opposed to TBLT, had a more significant effect on the overall L2 CAF in Iranian EFL learners' ability to write essays. The results of the present study can be applied by ELT experts and curriculum designers in EFL and ESL settings. English learners and instructors can use the ENGAGE model to address linguistic and metalinguistic issues. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
8 - Effects of Instructional Games on the Vocabulary Learning and Retention of Iraqi Primary School Students
Fatemeh Karimi Oday Kareem Shakir ShareefUsing instructional games in vocabulary learning is beneficial, but their effects in the Iraqi EFL context have been overlooked. This study investigated the effects of instructional games on Iraqi primary school students’ vocabulary learning and retention. To fulfill th MoreUsing instructional games in vocabulary learning is beneficial, but their effects in the Iraqi EFL context have been overlooked. This study investigated the effects of instructional games on Iraqi primary school students’ vocabulary learning and retention. To fulfill the objectives of the study, a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design was adopted. The present study's participants were 40 Iraqi primary school students selected based on a convenience sampling. The participants were divided into two groups, one experimental (N= 20) and a control group (N=20). The students in the experimental group (EG) received vocabulary instruction in the form of game-based teaching. The control group (CG) was instructed using conventional teaching procedures. In this study, a textbook (Family and Friends 2) was used as the material, and two tests were utilized as the measurement instruments. It was found that the group of Iraqi primary school students who were instructed through the games considerably outperformed the group of students who received the traditional teaching in the classroom. Furthermore, the results revealed that the Iraqi primary school students who received vocabulary through instructional games had much better vocabulary retention than those who underwent the traditional teaching methods. The findings might have some implications for the material developers and EFL teachers in Iraq. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
9 - Designing and Validating a Model for Successful English Learning: How Socially-Mediated Testing Can Make a Difference
Fatemeh Sadat Alamdar Shahram Afraz Fazlollah SamimiIn this study, the investigator sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners towards the use of Socially Mediated Testing (SMT) in their English learning process. The primary aim was to identify the factors that MoreIn this study, the investigator sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners towards the use of Socially Mediated Testing (SMT) in their English learning process. The primary aim was to identify the factors that significantly influence their learning experience when using SMT. The research process began with in-depth interviews of 50 EFL learners, aiming to gain a qualitative understanding of their thoughts and experiences with SMT. Based on the insights obtained from these interviews, the researcher developed a questionnaire tailored to capture the nuances of these learners' experiences. This questionnaire, consisting of 25 items, was then distributed to a larger sample of 475 EFL students. In the end, the researcher was able to identify four variables after using exploratory factor analysis to identify the factors. The 25-item questionnaire was then given to 785 EFL students, who chose each item on a Likert scale. The factor structure of the instrument was verified by the researcher using structural equation modeling (SEM). To determine if the suggested model matched the data, the researcher used the measurement with the best fit. The fit indices were estimated using the original EFA structure, which contained four factors and 25 elements. As a result, the researcher created a model that can be used as a respectable foundation for SMT research that will take place in Iran in the future, where such specific insights are unavailable in this politically distinct EFL setting. Manuscript profile