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This study builds on previous reviews of technology-mediated feedback up to 2020 to provide an updated account of research conducted from 2020 onwards. It offers an overview of contextual trends, feedback focus, and the types of technology and software used. The analysis focuses on peer-reviewed studies examining technology-mediated corrective feedback on writing in EFL or ESL contexts, using quantitative or mixed methods approaches. Data were coded using an Excel sheet, and frequencies were reported as percentages. The major findings indicate that technology-mediated feedback is more prevalent in higher education, emphasizing the importance of leveraging technology for enhancing feedback practices. Additionally, half of the publications employed a mixed-methods approach, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. However, some studies lacked methodological transparency; therefore, the study highlights the need for stricter reporting guidelines. Furthermore, the findings reveal that teachers and computers are the primary sources of feedback in technology-mediated settings, aligning with their significant roles in traditional and online learning environments. According to the findings, educators are encouraged to adopt technology-mediated feedback in higher education and engage in training and professional development in this area. Moreover, researchers are recommended to continue conducting mixed-methods studies by following more rigorous transparency guidelines.

Blended learning (BL) is being increasingly utilized in teaching and learning languages, therefore, carrying out this study in view of the lack of studies on BL within the Iranian EFL context is very significant. The study conducted at the English Department of Karaj Islamic Azad University provides valuable insights into how instructors and learners perceive the interplay between blended, online, and face-to-face (F2F) instructions. A mixed methods design has been applied to the study. 410 learners, studying English translation, and 46 university instructors responded to a Likert-type questionnaire and an open-ended one and 10 of them were interviewed. The findings revealed that, by incorporating both traditional classroom instruction and online learning tools, students can benefit from a more personalized and interactive learning experience. This approach can also help educators adapt their teaching methods to better meet the needs of diverse learners. In terms of educational policies, there may be a need for increased support and resources for implementing BL modules in language education. Additionally, language teaching programs may need to be revised to include more digital resources and tools to enhance language learning outcomes. Overall, the integration of BL in language classes can lead to more effective and engaging language education practices.

This study provides a comparative analysis of the rhetorical, pragmatic, and semantic strategies used by English-speaking and Arabic-speaking politicians to manipulate their audiences. By examining political speeches from both linguistic contexts, the research reveals distinct cultural patterns in manipulation. English-speaking politicians often employ direct, fact-based appeals (logos), while Arabic-speaking politicians rely more on emotional and collective identity appeals (pathos). These strategies reflect the cultural and linguistic norms of each group. Additionally, the study highlights the evolving impact of digital media on political communication, showing how manipulative strategies have adapted to new technological platforms. The findings have important implications for political communication strategists, media professionals, and educators. They underscore the need for culturally nuanced communication strategies in cross-cultural political discourse, offer insights for enhancing public media literacy to combat manipulation, and provide a framework for further research into the role of digital platforms in shaping political rhetoric. Additionally, the study highlights the evolving impact of digital media on political communication, showing how manipulative strategies have adapted to new technological platforms. The findings have important implications for political communication strategists, media professionals, and educators. They underscore the need for culturally nuanced communication strategies in cross-cultural political discourse, offer insights for enhancing public media literacy to combat manipulation, and provide a framework for further research into the role of digital platforms in shaping political rhetoric.

The rapid development of technology and its impact on the creation of images have made it essential to provide students with digital visual literacy (DVL) practices to help them explore and understand the images. More importantly, images have valuable connections to language learning and hold the potential for teaching English effectively. Accordingly, the present study investigated the impact of the DVL-integrated instructions in an English-speaking course on EFL learners' speaking proficiency. The Digital Image Guide (DIG) method was conducted for the DVL instructions. A total of 18 female Iranian EFL learners aged 18-27 from a national university participated in the study, undergoing ten instructional sessions. Various components, such as visual elements in several images, flyers, brochures, memes, and book covers, were introduced to the learners throughout the treatment phase. Using mixed-methods research, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The quantitative phase employed a pretest-posttest one-group design, and data was collected through the speaking section of the Cambridge English Qualification Test. The qualitative phase collected data on the learners' attitudes toward the course. The data were analyzed using SPSS and content analysis. The findings of a paired-sample t-test examining oral proficiency test data revealed the effectiveness of the course on the speaking proficiency of the learners. The analysis of the interview data revealed that the students held positive attitudes toward the course and the instructions. The findings of this study demonstrated that teaching digital visual literacy through the Digital Visual Literacy (DVL) approach and Digital Image Guide (DIG) Method could help learners with their speaking proficiency.

This study aimed at investigating the L2 rhetorical organization of translation and free writing tasks in terms of cohesive devices used by Iraqi intermediate EFL learners in the narrative genre. To do so, 30 Iraqi intermediate EFL learners at Kufa university took part in the study. The participants were asked to translate three narrative texts from Arabic to English and write three narratives related to the general topics given to them as prompts. The narratives were coded and rated by two experts based on Halliday and Hasan’s (1976) framework. The data obtained from translation narratives were compared with a standard translation for each text. Results of the one-sample t-test performed on the scores of translation narratives indicated that Iraqi leaners produce shorter passages in the target language than in the source language; however, they used significantly more times than expected for certain types of cohesive devices. Moreover, comparisons between translated narratives and free narratives indicated no significant difference between the translated and composed narratives. It is argued that patterns of cohesive devices used in English output of the Iraqi EFL learners are compatible with properties of their first language. The findings also show that, unlike English grammatical properties, cohesive devices are not a problematic area and would not lead to fossilized errors in the performance of Iraqi EFL learners.

The advent of ChatGPT, an all-purpose intelligent Chabot created by Open AI, has created a multitude of prospects and opportunities within the realm of language education. Owing to its exceptional capacity to produce a wide range of textual outputs, ChatGPT responds to queries in a matter of seconds. The present study aimed to examine the appropriateness of ChatGPT-based instruction and flipped language learning instruction (FLLI) in classrooms in terms of enhancing EFL learners’ interactional metadiscourse realization across language proficiency levels. Sixty-three English language learners were divided into four distinct groups: 16 in the advanced and 16 in the intermediate FLLI group, 15 in the advanced, and 16 in the intermediate ChatGPT group. Before initiating the study, all participants were given a pretest that specifically assessed the use of interactional metadiscourse markers (IMMs) in argumentative writing. The four experimental groups were separately exposed to ChatGPT-based instruction and FLLI during eight sessions. Results from a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure through SPSS (version 25) revealed that the ChatGPT-based instruction was more effective than FLLI, and both intermediate and advanced language learners following the ChatGPT-based instruction used IMMs in argumentative writing more successfully. Moreover, the participants’ perceptions of ChatGPT and FLLI were analyzed through MAXQDA (version 2020), showing more positive attitudes towards using ChatGPT in language learning in general and IM realization in particular. The findings have the potential to provide advantages for teacher educators in terms of utilizing ChatGPT learning approaches.

This study investigates the effect of strategy training on EFL learners’ attitudes regarding the concept and applicability of critical thinking in an educational context. To achieve this goal,80 EFL learners were selected using convenience sampling and homogenized based on the Oxford Placement Test.They completed a questionnaire adapted from Stupple et al.(2017) to assess their attitudes toward critical thinking,which served as the pre-test. Subsequently,the participants were divided into experimental and control groups.The experimental group underwent strategy training over10 sessions,during which various strategies were explained, and participants practiced using them to solve problems and exchange feedback.Additionally,they discussed the applicability and challenges associated with critical thinking in an educational context.The control group received mainstream instruction.After the treatment,both groups completed the same critical thinking questionnaire as the posttest.Furthermore,qualitative interviews were conducted with participants from the experimental group to gain an in-depth understanding. The data analysis revealed significant changes in the attitudes of the experimental group.Overall,this study follows a quasi-experimental explanatory sequential mixed-method design “In nature,the data analysis showed that,in general,the attitudes of the experimental group had changed significantly in the post-test compared to the control group.However,there was no significant difference in the attitude of the experimental and control groups regarding the applicability of strategy training for improving critical thinking and their ability to deploy critical thinking effectively.The results of the interviews and the comment section showed that teachers’ theoretical knowledge and willingness,EFL learners’ preparedness, and educational factors play important roles in the successful implementation of strategy training for developing critical thinking among EFL learners.”

Incremental intelligence plays an important role in self-regulating and enhancing writing performance among language learners. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship among variables of the incremental theory of intelligence, self-regulatory writing strategies, implicit theory of writing, and writing performance in EFL learners. To do so, 320 Iranian IELTS candidates were invited to participate in the study. Three questionnaires, namely incremental intelligence, self-regulatory writing strategy, and implicit theory of writing, were utilized. The participants included male and female IELTS candidates aged 19-27 years with a minimum band score of 6.5 in their writing skill. Furthermore, their educational qualifications included BA and MA degrees. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and structural equation modeling (SEM). The correlation analysis showed that the incremental theory of intelligence had a significant relationship with self-regulatory writing strategy, implicit theory of writing, and writing performance. Moreover, the obtained results of SEM confirmed the findings of the correlational analysis, indicating statistically significant positive correlations among the variables of the study. The findings revealed that a growth-oriented mindset could affect students’ use of four types of self-regulatory writing strategies. Self-regulatory writing strategies also played a pivotal role in guiding, stimulating, motivating, and sustaining learners’ efforts, thus predicting writing performance. The results of this study can help EFL learners learn how to regulate and manage themselves in writing skills. Learners can assess the extent of their professionalism and endeavor to identify their weaknesses in the learning process.

This study investigated the effectiveness of two different scopes of corrective feedback on enhancing the complexity, accuracy, and fluency of L2 written productions among 150 intermediate EFL learners participating in intact online courses. The corrective feedback scope includes highly focused and comprehensive feedback delivered via digital platforms in synchronous and asynchronous formats. Participants were divided into five groups: synchronous highly focused feedback, synchronous comprehensive feedback, asynchronous highly focused feedback, asynchronous comprehensive feedback, and a control group receiving corrective feedback via traditional methods, characterized by the indiscriminate identification and marking of all errors. Results across the feedback groups regarding their impact on complexity, accuracy, and fluency in EFL learners' written productions indicated a significant effect on accuracy, while complexity and fluency showed no significant differences based on feedback scope and delivery modality. The results of this study have several important implications for educators, material developers, and policymakers in the field of language education. For teachers, adopting synchronous feedback strategies could significantly enhance the accuracy and complexity of students' written work.

Iran Language Institute (ILI) plays a crucial role in teaching English in Iran and offers a comprehensive Teacher Training Course (TTC) for the teachers before their being employed. Still, these teachers encounter difficulties in different areas, but there are few studies investigating the teaching challenges of EFL teachers teaching at ILI. Thus, this study investigated the teaching challenges of newly-hired and experienced teachers, teaching at different age levels. The data were gathered data through 100 classroom observation forms belonging to 18 kids’ teachers, 47 young-adults’ teachers, and 35 adults’ teachers (69 experienced and 31 newly-hired). We also interviewed with 5 kids’ teachers, 5 young-adults’ teachers, and 6 adults’ teachers. It was revealed that young-adults’ teachers faced fewer challenges than kids’ and adults’ teachers. Besides, experienced teachers encountered fewer problems than newly-hired teachers. The results of the observation forms were different from the interviews. However, time management was the only problem which was mentioned in the interviews, observation forms, and different age levels. According to the teachers, the reason behind these challenges was the intensive syllabus, old books and videos, and teachers’ having to follow a series of fixed teaching steps.

The purpose of this study was to compare the functioning of five restrictive CDMs, including DINA, DINO, A-CDM, LLM, and RRUM, against the G-DINA model to identify the best-fitting CDM which can better explain the interaction underlying the attributes of the reading comprehension section of an Iranian high-stakes language proficiency test. To achieve this aim, item responses of 1152 examinees to the items of the test were examined. The six CDMs were initially compared in terms of relative and absolute fit statistics at test-level to choose the best model. It was found that the G-DINA model outperformed compared to the restrictive models; thus, it was selected for the second phase of the study. Concerning the second purpose of the study, the G-DINA was used to identify strengths and weaknesses of the examinees. The results revealed that making an inference and vocabulary are the hardest attributes for examinees of the test, and understanding the specific information is the easiest attribute. Finally, the models were also compared at item-level. The presence of a combination of L2 reading attributes was found.

The current research aims to investigate the effect of teacher support (TS) on EFL learners' academic achievement, self-esteem, resilience, and academic enjoyment (AE). Eighty-four EFL students from a Turkish context participated in the study and were randomly divided into a control (N=48) and an experimental group (N=46). The standardized instruments, including the academic achievement test, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Davidson's Academic Enjoyment Scale, and Cassidy's Academic Resilience Scale, were utilized to collect data. The impact was measured by administering pretests and posttests and employing a quantitative research methodology with a pretest/posttest design for the research. The results demonstrated significant effects of TS on all variables in question. The experimental group (EG) demonstrated significant improvements in self-esteem, resilience, and AE, with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. Additionally, the experimental group (EG) significantly outperformed the control group (CG) in academic achievement. These findings emphasize the importance of TS in improving EFL learners' academic and psychological qualifications and underpin a dire necessity of cultivating supportive and stimulating learning environments that prioritize autonomy, structure, and engagement. Implementing effective instructional practices may improve students' academic achievement and emotional welfare. The study's implications provide an understanding of integrating positive teacher-student interaction and support for positive psychology in the foreign language curriculum design and materials development.

Rooted in the Cognitive Load (CL) and Dual Coding theories, this sequential explanatory study examined the CL levels experienced by 36 available Iranian pre-intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in auditory and visual Phonemic Awareness Tasks (PATs). The PATs focused on 'th' sound variations that were specifically challenging for Persian speakers of English. Participants were divided into two equal groups. The first group underwent auditory and visual PATs (i.e., picture sorting and word discrimination). The second group faced auditory PATs only (i.e., rhyme recognition and sound isolation) structured around voiced and voiceless ‘th’ sounds. In the qualitative phase, 8 participants were randomly interviewed to discover the potential reasons behind various levels of CL measured in certain PATs. A Virtual Reality (VR) cognitive pupillometry analysis was performed for two groups in an immersive VR environment using VR Head-Mounted Displays (VR-HMDs) and Tobii Nexus software, followed by thematic analysis. GazeMetrics strategies were employed to validate and ensure the reliability of the data collection process. The quantitative results demonstrated (a) no critical differences regarding the CL experienced by the participants in each group concerning voiced vs. voiceless’ th’ PATs and (b) higher levels of CL (increased pupil diameter, decreased blink rates, and increased gaze pattern or fixation duration) among participants in the auditory PATs group compared to the ones in the auditory and visual PATs group. Besides, qualitative findings identified the following factors as the most probable causes of the observed differences in CL levels among participants: (a) segmental differences, (b) phonological transfer, (c) phonological fossilization, (d) working memory constraints, (e) cognitive flexibility, and (f) task delivery methods. This study contributes to cognitive phonology, phonological processing, perceptual-motor language functions, and English material development.