This study aimed to describe the development and validation process of a listening questionnaire designed to assess strategic competence in listening comprehension. The 34-item Cognitive and Metacognitive Listening Strategies Questionnaire (CMLSQ) was administered to a relatively large sample (N=397) of L2 learners. The results of the 370 completed questionnaires were subjected to exploratory factor analysis to identify the underlying structure of the questionnaire, and to a confirmatory factor analysis to examine the validity of the model as a good fit for the data. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis, a three-factor model underlying metacognitive strategies and a five-factor model underlying cognitive strategies were hypothesized. These models were then evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 18. The results indicated that the current models and their parameters well fit the data gathered from the questionnaires. Manuscript profile

The study of ecolinguistics to date has been reserved for the field of discourse analysis. However, applying ecolinguistics in pedagogical contexts is a promising way to increase learners’ critical language awareness. To realize this potential, one needs validated measures to quantify learners’ critical language awareness in ecological contexts to conduct research in this field. In the absence of any instrument to measure language learners’ ecological critical language awareness, the researchers of this study developed and validated a questionnaire. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design with two phases was employed. In the exploratory and qualitative phases, the researchers defined the construct and developed a questionnaire based on the underlying factors of the construct. After taking several steps to ensure its content validity, the questionnaire was administered to 200 intermediate-level EFL learners who were selected through convenience sampling. In the quantitative phase, the participants were exposed to ecolinguiscally-informed teaching materials in an English pedagogical context. The collected data were analyzed, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Cronbach alpha coefficient for reliability indices, and model evaluation estimates were run to ensure the measure’s reliability and validity. EFA substantiated the initial components of the six-factor tentative construct. CFA gave statistical support to the six components as well. All components enjoyed high-reliability estimates. The calculated model-fit estimates verified the CFA model as a valid measure of ecological critical language awareness. The developed measure paves the way for further empirical investigation of ways to raise learners’ ecological critical language awareness in EFL contexts. Manuscript profile

The notion of teacher commitment has grabbed much attention in the mainstream, and L2 teacher education as teaching has become more complex by recent sociocultural changes in educational practices. Consequently, several instruments have been developed to operationalize the construct. The instruments developed so far have addressed the construct generically. To be sure, this line of inquiry is still untouched in the ELT profession. The present exploratory mixed methods study attempted to develop a questionnaire to measure English language teachers’ commitment. In doing so, an initial 61-item questionnaire was developed conducting a comprehensive literature review and using interviews with domain experts and English language teachers. Then the trial instrument was administered to a sample of 352 teachers for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), reducing the instrument to 32 items. The subsequent Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) obtained from another sample of 577 individuals substantiated a seven-factor model as a robust and valid tool for measuring English language teacher commitment. The seven-factor model of teacher commitment included cognitive language teaching ability, language classroom environment, job satisfaction, opportunities for professional development, language teaching planning and support, language teaching self-image and beliefs, and language teaching exhaustion. ELTCQ can be used for measuring English teachers’ commitment. Researchers, administrators, and teacher trainers can use the questionnaire to improve the quality of in-service courses and examine teacher qualities for future professional predictions. Manuscript profile

This study explores the efficacy of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction in enhancing the writing cognitive processes of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Utilizing various instructional approaches, including scaffolded metacognitive instruction and writing metacognitive strategies, the research investigates the effects on learners’ metacognitive awareness and writing accuracy. Research on cognitive-oriented writing is a young but growing field. The current mixed methods study explored the extent to which brainstorming, focus on form (FonF), and metacognitive strategy instruction could affect cognitive processes (planning, translating, revising) of Iranian EFL learners. The participants were 150 BA learners in three intact classes majoring in English language translation at IAU, Islamshahr Branch. During 16 sessions, each group experienced brainstorming, metacognitive strategy instruction, or FonF activities as pre-task conditions. Writing pretest and posttest, and semi-structured interview were utilized to collect the data. The results obtained from one-way ANOVA revealed that pre-task conditions statistically impacted the cognitive processes of learners’ writings. The findings suggest a positive correlation between strategic knowledge, metacognitive strategies, and improved writing skills among Iranian EFL learners. The study not only contributes to the understanding of the interplay between cognitive and metacognitive processes in language learning but also provides valuable insights for educators aiming to enhance writing proficiency in EFL settings. Manuscript profile

The study aimed to investigate whether there was a relationship between Iranian EFL learners'critical thinking (CT) and ability to recall vocabulary. Also, the relationship between gender andrecall was investigated. In so doing, 128 upper-intermediate language learners were selected fromIslamic Azad University based on convenience sampling. After homogenizing the participants ongeneral language proficiency level using Babel test, the researchers implemented Watson Glasercritical thinking appraisal (W-GCTA) and divided the participants to experimental (criticalthinkers) and control (non-critical thinkers) groups. The researchers also gave a researcher-madevocabulary test to the participants to examine their vocabulary knowledge. As a result, 60 unknownwords were recognized and used in the form of completion items for both the experimental andcontrol groups. The participants of the groups knew that they should recall the vocabulary itemslater on a recall test. After applying Mann-Whitney U test, the researchers found that there was asignificant difference in recalling ability of the control and experimental groups (U=.40, p<.05).The results revealed that there was a weak correlation between gender and the learners' ability torecall vocabulary (ôb = .113, p = .803). Manuscript profile

Writing skill is a challenging and frequently-used activity in academic circles. This study investigated the effects of reflective writing on EFL learners’ writing performance. The participants were 61 Iranian EFL learners from two intact university classes randomly assigned to the non-reflective (n=31) and reflective (n=30) groups. Over sixteen sessions of instructions over eight weeks, the non-reflective group was taught using the traditional writing method; however, the reflective group was exposed to reflective writing instruction under Kolb’s Model. The data were collected through reflective writing compositions and the content analysis of think-aloud protocols. The quantitative data analysis revealed that the reflective group significantly outperformed the non-reflective group in writing compositions. The thematic analysis of think-aloud protocols substantiated the quantitative data findings, indicating that all participants went through the cognitive psychological processes of ‘planning, drafting, pausing and thinking, reading and reproducing, reviewing, editing and revising’ as they were engaged in reflective writing via Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. The results offer significant implications for language instructors, curriculum planners, and course designers. Manuscript profile

Task-based listening tests such as IELTS require testees to listen to some information on a CD and simultaneously answer the related items. To answer such items, testees are expected to comprehend, analyze, compare and infer pieces of information while listening to the incoming audio material. The present research attempted to investigate whether the two major characteristics of question type and consecutive/simultaneous performance have any impact on the listening performance of Iranian EFL learners. Findings indicated that participants had a significantly better performance when they tackled the tasks consecutively, and performed even better in listening MC items rather than in listening task-based items. The researchers, thus, concluded that task-based listening tests such as IELTS listening module may be under the influence of construct-irrelevant variance. Manuscript profile

The present study was undertaken to investigate the impact of comparative critical reading strategy on the writing ability of Iranian learners who were learning English as a foreign language (EFL). In order to carry on the study, 60 participants (25 males and 35 females aged between 19 to 27) at intermediate level of language proficiency were randomly assigned to two groups; that is, the experimental and control groups. The participants in the experimental group experienced critical reading by comparing texts, whereas the members of the control group practiced reading texts in the traditional way and answered comprehension questions. The results of the comparisons between the means of the two groups through t-tests proved that practicing comparative critical reading strategy had a significant effect on the improvement of the writing ability of the experimental group. However, the comparison between the means showed no significant difference in the reading ability of the two groups. Manuscript profile

This study attempted to investigate whether there was any significant difference between the speaking achievement of learners who were trained by means of audiotaped dialogue journal, dialogue journal writing, or traditional free speech. The participants, 45 male and female students aged between 21 and 32, were selected by random sampling from among free speech classes in an English teaching Institute in Tehran. On the basis of the scores obtained from an oral interview, a one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, and it was proved that the three groups were homogeneous in terms of their speaking ability. Yet, the ANOVA performed on the scores of the learners after the treatment showed that the oral proficiency of the three groups differed significantly. A follow-up Tukey test revealed that the audiotaped dialogue journal group did not have any advantage over the dialogue journal writing group, whereas there was a statistically significant difference between the audiotaped dialogue journal group and the traditional free speech group. Manuscript profile

This research was a review of the English-to-Persian translation of compound modifiers in press articles from 2014 to 2017 concerning quality assessment according to House's (1977) TQA model. To this end, 150 pieces of news containing the compound modifiers were selected from different newspapers and journals as the source texts, and their equivalent translations were published in local newspapers as the target texts. In the first step, the source text and the target text profiles were provided. Then, the overt and covert errors in translating compound modifiers in the press articles were identified. The findings showed that out of 150 selected compound modifiers, 97 were overt errors, and 53 items had no errors. The overtly erroneous translations had 36 instances of not translated, 23 cases of addition, 14 instances of a slight change in meaning, 13 cases of substitution, and 11 instances of ungrammatically. In terms of covert errors, there was only one error; in the target text, the translator took the author's stance instead of the journalist's. The findings also showed that translations of English compound modifiers of press articles do not undergo cultural filtering. Concerning the House's TQA model, the translation of compound modifiers of the press articles belonged to the covert translation. Manuscript profile

This study employed a mixed methods approach to investigate Iranian EFL learners’ perceived and actual use of metacognitive reading strategies (MRS) while reading English and Persian. The study examined the actual and perceived MRs across three categories: global (GLOB), problem-solving (PROB), and support (SUP). In the quantitative phase, 133 intermediate EFL learners studying TEFL at Islamic Azad University and Farhangyan University were selected as participants. In the qualitative phase, 40 students from high and poor reading ability levels (20 from each group) were selected as the focus group participants. The instruments employed in this study included the Persian Reading Comprehension Placement Test, the Oxford Placement Test, the Reading Section of the PET, Perceived Reading Strategy Questionnaires in English and Persian, semi-structured interviews, and think-aloud protocols. The data analysis involved using chi-square, MANOVA, and theme-based analysis. The findings indicated a statistically significant difference between the frequency and type of perceived PROB but no statistically significant disparity between the frequency or type of SUP and GLOB. The qualitative data revealed a discrepancy between the participants’ actual usage in practice and their subjective perception particularly in relation to the GLOB and SUP. Finally, the theoretical and pedagogical implications of this study were highlighted. Manuscript profile

The present quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design investigated the effects of metacognitive awareness on developing Iranian EFL learners’ assessment ability. Forty-one male and female upper-intermediate level learners in two intact classes from an English language school in the Tehran province were selected based on convenience sampling. The classes were randomly assigned to the Cognitive-Based Assessment Instruction Group (CAIG) the and Metacognitive-Based Assessment Instruction Group (MAIG). A general proficiency test administered before the treatment verified the participants’ homogeneity. The Metacognitive Awareness Writing Questionnaire and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire were also administered before and after the study to measure participants’ metacognitive awareness level and self-regulation. The MAIG used metacognitive strategies such as planning, monitoring, and revising to assess English essays. The CAIG performed assessments based on cognitive strategies and a Writing Rubric. The participants’ improvement in assessment was measured every other session during the treatment. After the treatment, the participants took two writing posttests (rehearsed and unrehearsed writing topics). Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) results showed that the MAIG outperformed the CAIG in both posttests, and raising metacognitive awareness could significantly enhance the participants’ assessment ability. The Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM-ANOVA) and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the MAIG participants’ performances were significantly better than the CAIG on seven writing assessments. The MAIG’s self-regulation was also significantly higher. This study has implications for materials developers, EFL teachers, and syllabus designers to focus on raising metacognitive awareness in writing assessment. Manuscript profile

The purpose of this study was to explore whether film-based Dynamic Assessment (DA) could affect English writing of Iranian deaf children. Ten students studying in a school for the deaf took part in the study. The participants’ writing ability was measured prior to the treatment and the errors which were identified. A series of meditating activities were designed and implemented during a three-month treatment. After the treatment, a writing posttest was administered. The results of the paired samples t-test revealed that using film-based DA had a significant impact on the English writing of the participants. The results of the structured interviews showed that almost all students had positive attitudes towards the use of films during the DA procedure. Manuscript profile

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether noticing through input enhancement had any impact on the acquisition of English conditional sentences in Iranian EFL learners. Two intact classes with 26 female students in each were chosen. A proficiency test administered at the commencement of the study showed that the two groups were homogeneous in terms of their language proficiency. The standardized achievement pretest signified that the two groups were unfamiliar with the target structures prior to the treatment. The study employed a pre test post test non-equivalent groups design with two groups. The Enhanced group (Experimental group) received a set of materials in which the If-clauses were enhanced through enlargement and different combinations of bolding, italics, and underlining; whereas, the Unenhanced group (Control group) received the same set of texts with no enhancement on If-clauses. The independent t-test computed between the means of the two groups showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the performances of the two groups on the achievement post test. Besides, a retrospection questionnaire for operationalizing noticing was used after the treatment. The analysis of the students’ answers showed that input enhancement had helped the participants in the experimental group learn the conditional sentences. Manuscript profile

The current study used a qualitative methodology to examine how Iranian EFL learners practically applied Metacognitive Reading Strategies (MRs) when reading narrative and expository English texts. The study also investigated the participants' perceptions of the impact of text type on using MRs while reading narrative and expository English passages. The researchers selected 40 intermediate EFL learners studying TEFL at Islamic Azad University and Farhangyan University using purposive sampling as focused participants. The instruments employed included the Oxford Placement Test, semi-structured interviews, and think-aloud protocols. The data analysis involved theme-based analysis. The think-aloud protocol analysis indicated that participants employed multiple strategies when engaging with the expository text compared to the narrative text. The finding suggested that text types affected readers` overall performance. The semi-structured interviews revealed that learner's perceptions of text type played a vital role in reading different text types. The practical implications of the study were also discussed. Manuscript profile