This study compared the effects of portfolio assessment and peer-assessment on EFL learners’ critical thinking and speaking achievement. For this purpose, 32 EFL learners attending Diplomat Institute in Tehran were non-randomly selected based on their scores on PET. They were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of 16. The portfolio assessment group went through the procedure of creating portfolio based on Evaluation Portfolio Model recommended by Valencia and Calfee (1991). The peer-assessment group practiced peer-assessment according to Yamashiro and Johnson's (1997) Model. Finally, both experimental groups took a speaking test of PET and a critical thinking questionnaire as posttests. The data analysis using RM ANOVA revealed that both experimental groups had similarly a higher post-treatment level of critical thinking. The analysis of a Mann-Whitney U test on the gain scores revealed that the level of post-treatment speaking in the peer-assessment group was significantly higher compared to the portfolio assessment group. Manuscript profile

This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on intermediate EFL learners' speaking complexity, accuracy, and fluency, employing a sequential mixed methods design. To achieve this, two female intact classes at the intermediate level at Rasan English Language School in Isfahan, Iran, participated in the study. One of these classes was randomly assigned as an experimental group (N=16) and the other one as a control group (N=16). A PET was administered to both groups before the intervention to ensure that the participants were homogeneous. Next, the experimental group was taught based on a flipped classroom. The control group, however, was taught conventionally. The speaking section of the PET as pretest and posttest was given to the groups to measure the speaking components. MANOVA was applied to compare speaking complexity, accuracy, and fluency mean scores of the two groups. The effect of the flipped classroom on speaking complexity and fluency was significantly positive, while it was non-significant for speaking accuracy. At the qualitative stage, data from an interview with the experimental group participants were utilized to find out the participants' attitudes toward the flipped classroom. Manuscript profile

Professional identity constitutes a main part of the English language teaching (ELT) system. This study aimed at investigating and comparing male and female novice and experienced EFL teachers’ expected and feared possible selves. In so doing, a sequential exploratory mixed methods design was used. The target population of the study included all male and female EFL teachers teaching at private language institutes of Iran. The sample of the study included a total number of 30 (15 males and 15 females) EFL teachers from private language institutes in different provinces of Iran through available sampling. Fifteen teachers were categorized as novice teachers (those with 1-5 years of teaching experience) and fifteen ones as experienced teachers (those with more than 5 years of teaching experience). To collect the data, a written reflective journal was used. The collected data were analyzed through qualitative thematic analysis. The results showed that the following expected possible selves were identified for novice and experienced EFL teachers: Professional Improvement, Enthusiasm to Learn Teaching Online, Building Warm Relations with Students, and Seeking to Learn New Teaching Methods. Moreover, the following feared possible selves were identified for novice and experienced EFL teachers: Being Known as an Unsuccessful Teacher, Lack of Ability to Manage Students, Being Exhausted, and Losing Job Satisfaction. Moreover, the results showed that experienced and novice EFL teachers do not significantly differ regarding their expected and feared possible selves. Finally, it was shown that male and female EFL teachers do not significantly differ regarding their expected and feared possible selves. The results have implications for EFL teachers, teacher education curriculum planners, teacher trainers and future researchers. Manuscript profile

This study aimed at investigating the washback effects of the English module of Iran's National University Entrance Exam (NUEE) on English language education at high schools of privileged and under-privileged areas as perceived by high school teachers and students. To this end, 472 high school students and 260 teachers from Tehran, Qom (privileged), Gharchak, and Varamin (under-privileged) were selected on a convenience sampling technique and were given a washback effects questionnaire to seek and compare their perspectives about NUEE washback effects. Utilizing t-tests on respondents' obtained scores, it was shown that the overall mean score obtained by teachers from privileged areas is significantly higher than that obtained by teachers from the under-privileged areas. In contrast, it was revealed that students from the under-privileged areas obtained a significantly higher mean score than those from the privileged areas. Further frequency counts and detailed content analyses revealed similarities and differences among the participants' perceptions regarding the diverse aspects of the washback effect. Manuscript profile

AbstractThe resilience of teachers has arisen as a crucial issue in developing exceptional teaching and learning experiences. It is imperative to foster resilience, which entails the capacity to endure and overcome obstacles and challenges encountered during the teaching process. Additionally, research has demonstrated that the self-efficacy of instructors is pivotal in this regard. To investigate these features, this research aimed to inspect the role of International English Language Testing System (IELTS) teachers' resilience and self-efficacy. To this end, a total of 60 IELTS teachers were chosen from Oxford Language Center, Tehran, Iran thanks to the convenient sampling and they completed a self-efficacy scale, and a resilience scale and were assigned to experimental and control groups that the former were trained through self-efficacy workshop training course in Oxford IELTS center in Tehran, Iran. The findings of this study through running an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated a constructive effect of self-efficacy on IELTS teachers' resilience after the workshop training course (F (1,57) = 60.00, p = .000 < .01, partial eta squared = .513, representing a large effect size). Correspondingly, it was revealed through Pearson Product-Moment Correlation that there is a positive and significant correlation between IELTS teachers’ self-efficacy and resilience (r = .462, p = .01 < .05). This study helps IELTS teachers improve their resilience. In line with these findings, some implications were presented to language stakeholders to consider the role of teacher self-efficacy. Manuscript profile

This study intended to unveil the impact of incorporation of positive psychology theory into English instructions on the preference for anxiety-reducing strategies among Iranian EFL learners. The participants consisted of 60 EFL learners, from Safir Institute, Tehran, Iran, at the intermediate level, who were selected out of 90 EFL learners selected on convenience sampling basis. The 60 learners selected on the basis of their scores from an Oxford Placement Test (OPT), given to the 90 learners, were split into two equal 30-member groups. Both groups were given the language anxiety reducing strategies (LARS) questionnaire as pretest. Then, positive psychology-based instructions were provided to the experimental group drawing on five types of positive psychology-based instruction techniques for 20 sessions. These five instruction techniques included gratitude, optimistic intervention, positive affirmations, savouring, and strength-building measures. The control group received no intervention concerning positive psychology, and learners followed the conventional syllabus of the language school. After the treatment, the two groups took the LARS questionnaire as post-test. The results of ANCOVA indicated that teaching positive psychology techniques significantly increased anxiety-reducing strategies preference among Iranian EFL learners. Manuscript profile

The current study was an attempt to develop a local model and scale of washback effects of the English language module of the National University Entrance Exam on English language education at Iran's High Schools. To this aim, a mixed methods study was adopted. The qualitative phase involved data-driven from interviews with twenty experts in English education concerning NUEE washback effects which led to the formation of a tentative scale. Then, the quantitative phase included piloting and reliability estimation as well as factor analyses and Structural Equation Modeling for validation of the developed questionnaire. To this purpose, 570 participants were selected through convenience sampling from Tehran, Qom, Varamin, and Gharchack amongst teachers and students as respondents to the questionnaire. Data analyses showed that 58 items were loaded under five dimensions: educational process, attitudes and perceptions, educational policies, emotional and consequential, and socio-cultural dimensions. The model was shown to enjoy acceptable fit indices. Manuscript profile