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The idea that individual characteristics impact the language learning process has led scholars to consider various aspects in relation to learners and their learning. The current study explored the associations among EFL learners’ language learning strategy use, instrumental motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulation, autonomy, and L2 achievement. To do this, 220 Iranian EFL learners (95 males and 125 females) took part in the study by filling out five questionnaires related to the abovementioned variables. The learners’ GPAs were also collected and adjusted and regarded as their L2 achievement. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to examine the causal relationships among the variables. The results showed that the use of language learning strategies, self-efficacy, and autonomy were significant positive predictors of L2 achievement. However, instrumental motivation and self-regulation did not predict L2 achievement. Furthermore, L2 achievement had the highest positive association with autonomy and the lowest positive association with self-regulation. The results are discussed in detail and the implications are presented.

The present study aimed at constructing a reliable and valid instrument that could explore EFL learners’ perceptions of culture management. A focus group was held with EFL university students familiar with culture-related concepts, and the themes were extracted from a detailed analysis of transcripts. An extensive literature review and interviews with applied linguistics experts were conducted to generate the CM Questionnaire items. Subsequently, the draft questionnaire was piloted with 251 Iranian undergraduate EFL students studying at two public universities in Iran. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were run, and the overall factor loading estimates illustrated a satisfactory level of convergent validity for the developed Instrument. The satisfactory levels of factor loading and construct validity test supported the convergent validity of CM factors and their related items. The explored factors included Cultural Communication, Cultural Leadership, Cultural Awareness, Cultural Performance, and Culturally Relevant Teaching, with Cultural Communication as the most meaningful factor. The findings demonstrated that CMQ could be a valid and reliable instrument for investigating culture management perceptions. The implications of the study for EFL teachers, learners, and other stakeholders are also discussed along with some recommendations

Translation Studies (TS) moved away from the focus on literary translation and linguistic approaches to new types of translation called Audiovisual translation (AVT). Technological advancements affected the development of AVT. Technology created a situation in the world of moving pictures within which subtitling and dubbing take an important role in optimizing communication. Despite the growing interest in AVT, song subtitling and dubbing remain on the periphery of TS. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the differences that may exist between the strategies used for subtitling and dubbing the songs on some special musical animations from English into Persian based on Schioldager et al.’s (2008) twelve micro-strategies. The corpus of this study consisted of three musical animations which are Strange Magic, Moana , and Frozen 2 . This study focused on nine songs in each animation. The songs had meaningful lyrics, established the character(s), aided in the narrative, and made the audience relate to the character or the story. Hence, in the selected animations 27 songs were selected. The data were analyzed using a chi-squared test. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between six out of 12 strategies for dubbing and subtitling the animation’s songs. The differences were related to “Direct Translation”, “Oblique translation”, “Adaption”, “Addition”, “Substitution”, and “Deletion”. The results revealed the most frequent micro strategies used by Iranian translators in dubbing songs were “Oblique Translation”, “Deletion”, “Substitution”, and “Adaptation”. However, “Direct Translation” and “Addition” were the most used strategies in subtitling songs in animations. Thus, it was revealed that the translator in dubbing not only transferred the dialogue from the source text but also considered the source text idea. The findings offered a pedagogical implication for translation students, subtitlers, and dubbers to recognize better the subtitling and dubbing strategies that were being used by translators in the Iranian context.

The burgeoning prominence of information technology has positioned mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) as an integral milestone of English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. With its mark deeply left on multiple manifestations of language learning, the MALL has substantially revolutionized the way second languages are taught and learned. In this illumination, the widespread integration of highly prominent portable devices such as smartphones and tablets has introduced to the market multitude of mobile applications for L2 learners, broadening the ground of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) to integrate MALL as an innovative direction of L2 learning. The Cake software is one such application that is a promising venue that teaches learners the English language through realistic, interesting, and engaging English videos. The app is primarily intended to assist language learners in enhancing their learning experience through watching videos that focus on situationspecific linguistic material. The focal point of this article revolves around is to offer an overview of the Cake application by illuminating its key functionalities and discussing its upsides and downsides. The article suggests Cake as a platform for English language learners to improve their speaking and listening capabilities. Furthermore, the application may aid English language teachers in introducing the app to the learners as a supplementary resource.

In order for a classical foreign-language drama to be performed in the target country, a suitable translation is required so that the audiences understand the physical version of the play. This research indicates that the translation of a drama on pages differs from the translation of that drama on stage. This study was conducted to examine the differences between the translation on page and stage of Macbeth, the result of which can help improve the quality of the translation on the stage of a play. In this study, the researcher compares the translated text of Macbeth's play with its translation on stage. This comparison is based on Kowzans' (1968) framework that introduced 13 theatrical systems with 5 subcategories namely; Spoken Text, Body Expression, Stage Appearance, External Appearance of Actor(s), and Inarticulate Sound. The frequency of each of the categories was calculated and it was found that the spoken text category has the largest number of differences between the translation on pages and stage by 42% percent since the spoken text deals with the translated text more than other categories. The results of this study will be beneficial for strengthening the actor's relationship with the text, and translators' quality of translation.

Interaction has always been viewed as a key element in developing the knowledge of an L2 and establishing dynamic communicative episodes. However, it is not always materialized in foreign language learning contexts where access to English speakers is limited. Hence, this study investigated the effects of employing interactive and individual performance tasks on Iranian male EFL learners’ speaking ability. The participants were 32 homogeneous upper-intermediate EFL learners in two intact classes, randomly assigned to two experimental groups. The first experimental group performed problem-solving, reasoning-gap, and opinion-gap tasks individually, and the second group employed problem-solving, reasoning-gap, and information-gap tasks through team-work for 16 sessions. Two speaking pre- and post-tests were administered to evaluate the participants’ oral performance before and after the treatment. The statistical analysis of the data showed no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups on the speaking post-test, indicating that neither form of performance was superior to the other in the process of developing L2 oral proficiency. However, the results of two paired samples t-tests demonstrated that the learners’ speaking skill had significantly improved in both groups at the end of the experiment. Therefore, the researchers concluded that a careful execution of individual performance tasks in the absence of interaction could also contribute to developing speaking an L2.

The epistemological tenets of sociocultural theory view teacher professional development as a continuous and reflective analysis of pedagogical practices and learner development. Accordingly, inquiry-based approaches to teacher professional development and specifically reflective journals can be an asset for teachers, in their endeavor for self-empowerment, by creating a mediational space in which they can exercise their agency and achieve more productive instructional practices. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the professional development of ten Iranian EFL student teachers through narrative inquiry, “which is conducted for and by the teacher” during one year of attending practicum. To this end, 100 reflective writings of 10 EFL student teachers, which were written during one year, were analyzed based on three functions of narratives as “externalization”, “verbalization” and “systematic examination” (Johnson & Golombek, 2011). The results indicated the importance of narrative inquiry in the development of the professional identity of student teachers. The results also implied the value of responsive mediation in L2 teacher education. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, universities around the world faced closure because of social distancing and lockdown, therefore, unprecedently, education had to move online and universities in Iran were not exceptional. This sudden and abrupt shift required teachers to rethink their attitudes and beliefs. This study has been conducted to explore English Language Teachers’ attitudes toward their practices concerning the effects of social distancing and the maximized use of technology in the teaching profession. Having adopted a qualitative method to investigate teachers’ experiences, the data of this study were collected through interviews with nine English language university teachers, and their reflective journals. Generally, the results communicate considerable appreciation for integrating technology in English language courses. To be more detailed, this study revealed three main categories for positive attitudes (pedagogical innovation, instructional support, and professional identity formation) each with some subcategories. Also, the analysis highlights three concerns (technology-related challenges, classroom management, and inflexibility in behavior) for online teaching. The implications of the study mainly provide a welcoming environment for utilizing technology in teaching, especially in English language teaching.

The role of games in improving EFL students’ motivation to participate in interactive practices has been highly emphasized in past research. Although Iranian students are reluctant to interact in online language classes, the current study explored the impact of using game-based tasks on Iranian students' virtual interaction in EFL classes. The subjects included 35 female students in the seventh grade of a junior high school in Tabriz, Iran were selected by convenience sampling method. Classroom Action Research was conducted in four stages: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Innovative game-based activities, such as Roleplay, This or That, Café Owner, and Let's Make Salad were used to improve students’ interaction. Interviews, tests, and class observations were used to collect and triangulate the data. In this study, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the obtained data. The findings revealed that the use of games could improve students’ interaction in online language classes. The results can yield useful implications for language teachers and materials developers in increasing EFL students' virtual interaction through different game-based techniques.