درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Grounded in social learning theory, this study examined Iranian English language instructors’ and students’ perceptions of the contribution of Vadana-Mediated Learning Management Systems (VMLMS) as a remote education platform to online English language learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 54 university EFL instructors and 164 English language students were selected through convenience sampling from Islamic Azad Universities (IAU) in Gilan Province, Iran. To investigate their perceptions of VMLMS, one common questionnaire (for both instructors and students) and two separate questionnaires (one for instructors and one for students) were administered. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the common and instructor questionnaires. Descriptive analyses indicated that both groups held unfavorable perceptions of VMLMS. The results of the MANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between instructors’ and students’ perceptions of VMLMS. The analysis also showed that students agreed they did not receive sufficient support from either instructors or the system. These findings may have implications for universities and educational administrators seeking to facilitate the implementation of online instruction in the Iranian context.

Productive skills have a vital role in learning the English language as they provide foreign learners with opportunities to practice real-life activities in the classroom. The photo-based method for teaching language skills has been developed due to advances in visual technology, the shift to student-centered learning, and the demand for 21st-century skills. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of utilizing Photovoice on Iranian intermediate learners’ English language productive skills. The research followed a quantitative quasi-experimental design that included pretest and post-test equivalent treatment and control groups. Sixty intermediate female language learners were chosen from a private institute in Isfahan, Iran. First, they were selected conveniently and then they were homogenized based on their performance on the Preliminary English Test. They were divided into two experimental ( n = 30) and control ( n = 30) groups. The experimental group received Photovoice as a methodological innovation, incorporating reflective and collaborative activities, while the control group received routine language instruction involving traditional teaching practices such as lectures, textbook exercises, and grammar drills. One pretest and one post-test were administered to assess the learners’ speaking and writing skills. Then, between-subjects MANOVA and t-tests were employed to analyze the data. The results revealed that Photovoice significantly helped students improve their speaking and writing skills. The present study might have useful implications for curriculum designers, language learners, teachers, and other researchers who are considering the use of Photovoice in language classes.

In light of ongoing challenges in writing education and the needs of digital-native learners, this study explored the effectiveness of using the free version of Grammarly in the writing development of EFL learners. Thirty-three TEFL students at Shahid Rajaee University were randomly selected and participated in the study. Using a quantitative one-group design, their writing performance was assessed through six tasks and analyzed via one-way Repeated Measures MANOVA. The results indicated a consistent improvement in overall writing performance through the regular use of Grammarly as an automatic corrective feedback tool. To identify which writing components improved, an RM-MANOVA was conducted on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity. The analysis showed significant improvement only in grammatical accuracy, with other aspects remaining unchanged. These findings highlight Grammarly’s potential in enhancing grammatical skills. The study contributes to ELT by encouraging the integration of ICT-related content into the EFL curriculum and teacher training programs, emphasizing the role of AI tools in language learning. These findings highlight the increasing impact of AI-powered tools in improving writing skills for language learners. Educators should balance automated feedback with personalized instruction. As research on effectiveness of Grammarly is still limited, further studies are necessary to fully understand its educational potential.

Feedback literacy as a knowledge vital for developing EFL learners’ academic writing might be associated with several factors, including learners’ second language (L2) writing engagement. Besides, variables such as learners’ proficiency levels can affect the relationship between feedback literacy and writing engagement. This study investigated the relationship between 234 elementary (n = 85), intermediate (n = 78), and advanced (n = 71) Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ writing feedback literacy and writing engagement selected based on convenience sampling. After taking a placement test, they sat for a writing task adjusted to their proficiency level. Next, they answered a scenario-based L2 Writing Engagement Measure (WEM) and completed the Writing Feedback Literacy Questionnaire (WFLQ). The Spearman rank-order correlation indicated significant positive relationships between the three groups’ feedback literacy and writing engagement. However, there were no significant differences in the relationships between EFL learners’ feedback literacy and writing engagement across the three groups. The study’s findings provide insights for L2 teachers, teacher trainers, and educationalists to enhance students’ writing ability, feedback literacy, and writing engagement. Some suggestions for further research are proposed.

This study investigates Indonesian English teachers’ perceptions of local English varieties and their influence on assessment practices, a crucial area given the increasing diversity of English in global and local contexts. While existing research highlights the recognition of World Englishes and their pedagogical implications, little is known about how teachers’ perceptions shape the evaluation of diverse English forms within Indonesia’s assessment system. The study aims to explore perceptions across different teaching levels, experience, and school locations, and to understand how these attitudes impact assessment decisions. Utilizing a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, the research sampled 42 teachers from various Indonesian provinces through purposive sampling. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS to identify perception patterns and differences across subgroups. Findings reveal that teachers generally acknowledge the importance of local varieties but tend to prioritize native norms in assessments, with significant variations based on teaching levels, years of experience, and school locations. The study underscores the need for inclusive evaluation strategies that embrace linguistic diversity, informing professional development and policy reforms. Practically, these insights can guide the development of assessment policies that support multilingual identities and promote equitable language teaching, thereby enhancing the authenticity and relevance of English instruction in Indonesia.

Learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP) aims to equip its learners to communicate in the multicultural work domain. The new emphases in learning ESP at the university level include the evolution of ESP itself over the last 50 years, and the challenges that ESP students face in speaking English. Conversely, the prevalence of World Englishes (WEs) in university contexts has made it relevant to TEIL. Because ESP aims to equip learners with practical communication skills, English Language Teaching (ELT) programmers must consider alternative approaches to address ESP students' speaking problems. This study explores the effectiveness of WEs conceptualization on ESP students' speaking achievements. It involved 11 teachers and 155 ESP learners from universities. They completed the WEs conceptualization questionnaires and a Preliminary Speaking Sample test. The study selected male and female samples with high mid and low conceptualization. Two-way ANOVA analysis confirms a statistically significant interaction of WEs conceptualization and gender on ESP students speaking, which reinforces the applicability of WEs in ESP classes. Knowledge about WEs develops teachers'/students' conceptualization of sociolinguistic truths and enhances speaking. The knowledge of WES has made it an applicable multicultural solution. Its sociolinguistic and pedagogical outcomes benefit ESP students, curriculum developers, and in-service teachers.

This study aimed to critically examine the representation of Iranian Islamic culture in English language textbooks, specifically the Vision series used in high schools, within Iran's socio-political context. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 60 EFL teachers through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of textbook content revealed that while the series includes references to various Iranian ethnicities, there is a notable emphasis on regional representation, particularly in Vision 2. Quantitative findings indicated that teachers acknowledged the importance of integrating artistic and cultural elements of Iranian identity, supported by a statistically significant mean score reflecting their appreciation for such content. Qualitative insights highlighted diverse attitudes among teachers; some expressed satisfaction with cultural representation, whereas others emphasized the need for more Islamic elements. This variation corresponded with the educators' experience levels and familiarity with the curriculum. Overall, the study underscores that a balanced approach to English language instruction can enhance linguistic proficiency while fostering cultural identity, advocating for the development of educational materials that respect local cultural contexts and contribute to a meaningful language learning experience for Iranian students.

Technology-mediated learning experiences are becoming a norm for today’s language learning. In the technology-mediated society, the production and transformation of information is not restricted to published works, but to anyone with access to basic technology resources. This study was an endeavor to explore the ESP (English for Specific Purposes) learners' overall views of technology-mediated language learning. The research also focused on the overall idea of the participants about the challenges and opportunities of remote learning. To this end, the current mixed-methods study was used. The data-gathering tools included a related questionnaire and interview. By scrutinizing satisfaction levels, benefits, drawbacks, and skill preferences, the study sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of remote learning. Results of the study indicated a high satisfaction level among participants with remote education. The study further demonstrated a prior recognition of benefits over drawbacks. Notably, vocabulary and reading emerged as preferred skills for virtual learning. In summary, this study contributes to the understanding of ESP students' views in the context of remote learning, offering remote education that can be an educational strategy for the future.

Dynamic assessment (DA) is an innovative way of assessing students’ knowledge. Given the importance of knowing how to reduce writing apprehension and improve writing self-efficacy in language learning, this study investigated the effects of models of DA including Buddoff’s Learning Potential Measurement Approach (LPMA), Carlson and Wiedl’s Testing-the-Limits Approach (TLA), and Intensive Mediated Learning Experience (IMLE) on L2 writing apprehension and self-efficacy. The participants were 302 students in four groups. All groups were given the writing apprehension and writing self-efficacy questionnaires as pretests, followed by 20 sessions of treatment. The same questionnaires were given in the last session as posttests. The collected data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Covariance. The results showed a significant difference among the four groups’ writing apprehension and writing self-efficacy mean scores on the posttests. The findings also revealed that the IMLE group outperformed the other two groups. Based on the results, it was concluded that employing DA models can be conducive to reducing writing apprehension and improving writing self-efficacy among EFL learners. The findings of the present study can have useful implications for teachers, students, material designers, and language assessors.

The current paper intends to exploit the Many Facet Rasch Model to investigate and compare the impact of situations (items) and raters on test takers' performance on the Written Discourse Completion Test (WDCT) and Discourse Self-Assessment Tests (DSAT). In this study, the participants were 110 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan in Iran. The students were asked to complete the WDCT and rate themselves on that test. Four raters scored the WDCT tests. According to the FACETS results, there were significant differences in students' performance between the two methods. The stable fit statistics and differing levels of difficulty measures for each test method indicated that each test had a unique way of differentiating the test taker's pragmatic ability. Based on the results, both DSAT and WDCT are acceptable measures for pragmatic ability; however, there are some fitness problems in DSAT. This shows the unpredictable pattern of ratings in the DSAT. It is recommended to have rater training to obtain more accurate results from the DSAT. Finally, the implications were discussed.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing language education through personalized and interactive practice. However, its impact on language achievement and emotional aspects of learning is unclear. Therefore, this mixed-methods study investigated the effects of Chatbot-Assisted Language Learning (CHALL) on learners’ English language achievement and sense of metavolvement—the deepest level of metacognitive engagement. In phase 1, the Sense of Metavolvement Scale (SOMS) was developed and validated. In phase 2, following a quasi-experimental design, 44 intermediate Iranian EFL learners were divided into an experimental group (n=22, using the AI chatbot Pi) and a control group (n=22, receiving conventional classroom instruction). Both groups had pre- and post-tests for language achievement and metavolvement, and the experimental group sat for semi-structured interviews post-intervention. There were significant gains in the experimental group’s in-class metavolvement and language achievement. There were also significant differences between the two groups in post-test metavolvement, while there was no significant difference in their post-test language achievement. Furthermore, interview data illustrated CHALL as a low-anxiety practice context with cultural and pragmatic limitations. Therefore, CHALL can complement but not replace conventional instruction.