This study aimed at investigating the psychometric features of the already-developed Language Teaching Aptitude Scale for Iranian EFL teachers. A correlational survey design was used benefiting from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study participants consisted of 300 (126 males and 174 females) Iranian EFL teachers who were conveniently selected from different Azad and State universities and various institutes and high schools of Iran. The instrument used for data collection was the already-developed Language Teaching Aptitude Scale for Iranian EFL teachers. This scale consisted of 90 Likert-type items that measured ten subscales (i.e., Good inter-personal behavior, Making students motivated, Time management ability, Recognition of students’ needs, Positive thinking skills, Critical thinking ability, Verbal intelligence, Mastery over different teaching methods, Evaluation skills, and English language proficiency). SPSS and AMOS 26 were employed to analyze the data, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha test. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, along with alpha coefficients, provided evidence in support of the validity and reliability of the developed scale. Therefore, it can be concluded that the already-developed Language Teaching Aptitude Scale for Iranian EFL teachers can be used in recruiting individuals for the teaching profession so that teachers’ professional development and students’ English achievement are guaranteed. Manuscript profile

This study aimed at investigating the effect of explicit written feedback under metalinguistic feedback (WMF) on EFL learners’ grammar performance with involving gender factor. To this end, the performance of the male and female learners as a result of written metalinguistic feedback (explanation) was studied. Sixty homogeneous Iranian EFL male and female high school students were randomly assigned to male and female experimental groups. Afterward, a grammar test was administered to see the effect of the written metalinguistic corrective feedback. This study adopted a pretest-posttest quasi experimental design. The statistical techniques employed to measure such effects were a series of independent paired samples t-tests to analyze the data. The results indicated a significant effect of WMF on the reduction of grammatical errors. Meanwhile, there were no differences between genders in the learners’ performance as a result of written metalinguistic feedback. As for the pedagogical implications, written metalinguistic feedback is suggested as a profitable type of corrective feedback to improve and enhance error correction practices within Iranian EFL context. Manuscript profile