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The flipped classroom model has gained traction in language education; however, its application within English for Specific Purposes (ESP) remains underexplored. The present study investigates the impact of flipped classroom instruction on ESP students’ reading comprehension with a focus on their attitudes toward the model. Adopting a quasi-experimental methodology, the study utilized pretest and posttest assessments alongside a 15-item Likert-scale questionnaire to gather data. The research sample comprised 21 second-semester ESP students from Guilan University majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology, who engaged in a 10-week intervention. Pre-class preparation included instructional videos and reading materials, while classroom activities centered on group discussions and practical problem-solving tasks. Findings demonstrated a substantial enhancement in posttest scores, validating the approach as effective for improving reading comprehension. The survey results revealed highly positive student attitudes, particularly in terms of engagement, autonomy, and collaborative learning. These findings highlight the potential of the flipped classroom model to address the unique academic requirements of ESP students by blending discipline-specific resources with interactive learning strategies.

Many researchers have explored the speech act of refusals across various genres, languages, and contexts. However, little is known about how refusals are conveyed in academic job applications by Asia-Pacific and European institutions. To address this gap, the current cross-cultural study analyzed a corpus of naturally occurring academic job rejection emails from different universities. Using Beebe et al.’s (1990) taxonomy of refusals, a total of 85 rejection letters was collected and examined. The results revealed that while both Asia-Pacific and European universities employed similar refusal strategies, the frequency differed significantly: European universities used 219 refusal strategies, compared to only 60 by Asia-Pacific institutions. Both regions primarily relied on “indirect” refusal strategies and “adjuncts” to protect the applicant’s face. Interestingly, “direct” refusal strategies, which are more face-threatening, were notably more common in European universities’ responses. The study concludes with insights and recommendations for making the academic job application process more considerate for both applicants and institutions.

Objective: Despite the renewed interest in individual differences in second language acquisition (SLA), there is still limited research on the interconnections among regulatory focus (promotion and prevention), L2 grit (Consisting of perseverance of effort and consistency of interests), and emotions. Methods: A total of 85 undergraduate English majors (54 women, mean age = 20 years) from two comprehensive universities in Iran took part in the research. In order to assess the participants' promotion and prevention focuses, L2 grit, and English writing enjoyment, three questionnaires were used. The data collected was analyzed using IBM SPSS (26.0) software. Results: The correlational analysis revealed that regulatory focus, L2 grit, and L2 writing enjoyment are interconnected. Specifically, promotion focus positively correlated with L2 writing enjoyment and L2 grit. Additionally, L2 grit (Perseverance of Effort) showed a meaningful connection with L2 writing enjoyment. On the other hand, prevention focus demonstrated significant negative correlations with L2 writing enjoyment and L2 grit. Lastly, there was no significant relationship found between L2 Grit (consistency of interest) and L2 Writing Enjoyment. Conclusions: The study's results demonstrate the crucial findings regarding the interplay between different dimensions of grit, emotion and personal best goals.

As the aftermath of globalization and the increased demand for localized information, translation assumed a significant position in the world of news. Due to this close connection, in recent years, journalistic concepts such as gatekeeping and framing contributed towards much interdisciplinary research in the field of translation studies. Nevertheless, many other topics have remained untouched by translation scholars, one of which is the seminal concept of news value manifested in the linguistic and semiotic dimensions of news products. Exploring news values and their relation to translation offers potentials for a better grasp on the nature of translated news and the process of news translation in newsrooms worldwide. Consequently, the headlines of 120 translated news pieces related to two international conferences were analyzed using Bednarek and Caple’s (2017) discursive news value analysis framework. These news headlines were published on four renowned Iranian news websites from 2021 to 2023. The results revealed that these websites construct similar patterns of news values and establish eliteness, negativity, and superlativeness more than other news values in their translated headlines. This was an indication of the lack of originality among news websites in reporting international events and also their orientation toward following a predetermined ideological positioning. As a whole, the present research is a true interdisciplinary one attempting to learn about the construction of news values in the context of Iran and translation discourse and unveil news agencies’ motivation in linguistically constructing and establishing these values.

Task-based instruction has gained significant attention in second language research, particularly in how task conditions impact learner performance. This study examined the differential effects of repetition and rehearsal, two distinct task-readiness conditions, on the immediate and delayed L2 performance of EFL learners with low Working Memory Capacity (WMC). A quasi-experimental design was employed to address the research questions. Four instruments were utilized: the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), a WMC test, a practice task, and a main task. Thirty-eight EFL learners were randomly allocated to two groups, each exposed to a distinct readiness condition—rehearsal or repetition. Participants were selected from an intermediate-level English course at a private language institute using convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to the two conditions. Both groups accomplished an oral task twice, with the rehearsal group being aware of the second performance in advance, while the repetition group had no such awareness. Task performances were evaluated based on Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF). The results indicated that although both conditions positively influenced task outcomes, only the rehearsal group showed statistically significant improvements across all CAF dimensions in both immediate and delayed performances. These results contribute to the growing body of research on individual differences in task-based learning by demonstrating that rehearsal is a more effective readiness strategy than repetition for EFL learners with low WMC. This finding can inform instructional design and classroom practice in contexts where cognitive load is a concern.

Drawing on investigations conducted on the relative adequacy of the various types of scaffolding strategies in SL/FL learning, this study investigated the relative efficacy of “formal practice” as a cognitive scaffolding strategy, “reflection and monitoring” as metacognitive scaffolding strategies, and “note-taking” as a cognitive non-scaffolding strategy for the EFL learners’ listening comprehension development. To this aim, a total of 90 EFL students from two different language institutes in Dorood (Lorestan province, central Iran) were chosen using convenience sampling procedure. The sample was conveniently assigned into three groups of 30 EFL learners and the relevant treatments were given to the groups for 15 sessions. The statistical analyses indicated that reflection and monitoring metacognitive scaffolding strategies significantly enhanced the listening comprehension development of EFL learners. As for the qualitative phase, the most frequent types of cognitive and metacognitive scaffolding strategies applied by the peers and teachers were explored through a semi-structured interview. The content analysis of the interview data indicated that the learners and teachers found reflection and monitoring scaffolding strategies as the most frequently used and effective procedures. An implication of the findings might be that in comparison to cognitive scaffolding and non-scaffolding strategies, metacognitive scaffolding strategies are empirically verified and attitudinally confirmed to be quite efficacious for the development of listening comprehension among EFL learners in an emotionally positive and constructive atmosphere.

Prior research demonstrates that flipped approach in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom positively affects learners' achievement. However, the way learners with distinct cognitive styles respond to this method remains less unexplored. This study examines the effect of flipped classroom instruction on grammar learning of Iranian EFL beginners at Iran Language Institute in Tabriz, Iran with different cognitive styles, i.e., field dependent (FD), field independent (FI), and field neutral (FN). A convenience sample of two groups in five classes taught by the same teacher were given a Group Embedded Figures Test to identify their cognitive styles, and a Grammar pre-test and posttest to measure their grammar achievement. Learners in the flipped classes watched videoed lessons of grammar via an application prior to each session. Inside the class, they briefly reviewed the videos and were engaged in interactive activities. Learners in the control group were taught grammar based on their regular syllabus which involved strings of instruction, practice and homework assignment. A two-way ANCOVA revealed that FI learners in flipped classes outperformed their non-flipped counterparts, while FD learners in non-flipped classes performed better compared to FI learners, demonstrating an interaction between cognitive style and the type of instruction. Learners identified as FN performed moderately well in both settings. Overall, flipped classroom led to better grammar achievement. The findings attest to the dynamicity involved in the functioning of flipped instruction. It is suggested that pedagogical variations, individual characteristics, and grammar assessment procedures be taken into account in designing and implementing flipped classrooms. 

This study aimed to unravel the EFL students’ technology acceptance toward the implementation of Technology-Mediated Syntax Learning (TMSL) and unveil its impact on EFL students' learning autonomy and English Syntax (ES) learning achievement. Therefore, the quantitative study was operated through descriptive analysis and pre-experimental design. The descriptive analysis was done to scrutinize the EFL students' technology acceptance and learning autonomy toward implementing TMSL. The pre-experimental study was conducted to know the effect of TMSL implementation on ES learning achievement. The participants of this study were 121 students who joined the English Syntax course in the English Education Department, Faculty of Education and Teachers Training at a public university in West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The results showed that the participants highly accepted TMSL and depicted high learning autonomy scores. The statistical calculation proved significant differences between participants' ES Pre-test and Post-test scores, meaning that TMSL implementation significantly affected ES learning achievement. However, the distinct results of technology acceptance and autonomy analysis from previous studies suggest further investigation, including applying different research approaches. Hence, this study suggests that a technology integration model gains positive output and outcome for the EFL learning context.

This study addresses a significant knowledge gap in understanding the effects of task-specific enjoyment and anxiety conditions on the language mindset of Iranian EFL learners in a listening course. Using a quasi-experimental design, 75 male high school students were divided into three groups: a task enjoyment (TE) group, a task anxiety (TA) group, and a control group. The TE group participated in a low-stakes, autonomy-based listening task designed to foster enjoyment, while the TA group completed a high-stakes, evaluative listening task intended to induce anxiety. Data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (FLES), the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and the Language Mindset Inventory (LMI). A series of T-tests and ANOVA were conducted to analyze pre- and post-test scores across the three groups. Results showed that the TE group experienced significantly higher levels of task enjoyment and subsequently developed significantly stronger growth-oriented beliefs regarding overall linguistic intelligence and second language learning compared to both the TA and control groups. Conversely, the TA group exhibited significantly higher anxiety levels and a shift toward more fixed language mindsets. No significant differences were found between groups regarding beliefs about age sensitivity in language learning. These findings highlight the importance of considering task-related emotions in language teaching and suggest that fostering enjoyment through autonomy-supportive tasks can promote a growth mindset, while anxiety-inducing tasks may reinforce fixed beliefs about language learning.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of massed, clumped, and spaced distribution of an Augmented Reality-Assisted Language (ARAL) application on young English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' vocabulary learning. Forty-eight native Persian speakers, ages 5 to 10, who attended a private international school in Istanbul, Turkey, participated in the research. To teach vocabulary items, the researchers used a researchers-made augmented reality smartphone application based on a phonics book. Using the ARAL application, three groups of primary school students were assigned to receive instruction: massed learning (one lesson per day for four days in a row), clumped learning (two lessons twice a week with a brief break), and spaced learning (one lesson per day for four days in a row). The impact of the ARAL application was assessed using a pre-test–post-test approach. The ANCOVA results demonstrated that the learning environment had an impact on the students' vocabulary development. The greatest post-test scores were obtained in the massed condition. Therefore, the results demonstrate the value of incorporating massed learning methodologies into EFL teaching practices and validate the efficacy of massed learning using ARAL for Persian-speaking EFL learners. The results have consequences for curriculum writers, administrators, and EFL teachers who want to use the massed dissemination method of ARAL application.

It is becoming an established strategy to add humor in Persian subtitles even often when the original dialogue does not include the created or any other humor. This study measures the impact of this strategy on viewers’ attention allocation while reading subtitles. The eye movements of 32 participants were recorded while watching a humorous and non-humorous version of the same scene extracted from Superchondriac (Boon, 2014), a French comedy. The results show that there is a significant difference between attention allocation in the two versions, and the viewers’ attention to the subtitles with added humor is significantly larger than non-humorous subtitles. The interviews showed that some viewers liked the added humor because they thought it is funny and close to their cultural and ideological views. On the other hand, some of the participants opted for the non-humorous subtitles because they thought the added humor was distracting, confusing, at times offensive, and detached from the original culture.

Few studies have addressed the interaction among reader and text variables in reading comprehension. This research probed the role of aspects of lexical knowledge to the TOEFL reading comprehension of passages with low and high lexical cohesion. The extent of this contribution was checked for five types of TOEFL reading test items: Main Idea, Stated Detail, Inference, Reference, and Lexical Inferencing. For this purpose, 60 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) took the New Vocabulary Levels Test (NVLT), Word Associates Test (WAT), and TOEFL reading comprehension tests with low and high lexical cohesion determined through the computational tool Coh-Metrix. Results of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests revealed that the students outperformed on three types of TOEFL reading items (Main Idea, Inference, and Lexical Inferencing) for texts with high lexical cohesion. Multiple linear regression analyses further showed that vocabulary depth was a stronger predictor of the participants’ scores on Lexical Inferencing item of TOEFL reading texts with high lexical cohesion, while vocabulary size predicted the same item performance for the low-lexical-cohesion subtest. Moreover, vocabulary depth could significantly predict performance on Main Idea test item of TOEFL high-lexical-cohesion subtest over and above the low-lexical-cohesion subtest. The implications for teachers, test designers, and materials writers are discussed.

The article approaches Hollywood remakes of foreign films as intersemiotic translation. Analysing one selected film pair—Seven Samurai (1954) / The Magnificent Seven (2016), the study employed a two-phase methodology consisting of Description-Comparison (phase 1) and Interpretation (phase 2). The first phase identifies shifts in plot structure, narrative techniques, characterisation, and setting, while the second phase interprets those identified shifts through three main lenses: economic motivations (market-driven localisation), creative reinterpretations (auteurist vision), and socio-cultural negotiations (recontextualising identity). The findings of this study reveal that plot structure represented the most common transformation category, followed by narrative technique, characterisation, and setting; thus, the remakes reflect the proliferation of strategic recalibrations by Hollywood filmmakers in pursuit of commercial and cultural resonance within American audiences. The study also indicates that remakes function not merely as adaptations but as forms of intersemiotic translation shaped by market logics, auteurial choices, and socio-cultural repositioning. It contributes to Translation Studies by illuminating the role of remakes in cultural negotiation, originality, repetition, and transnational cinematic exchange.