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Though an entrenched and well-established domain of investigation, inquiry-based learning seems to have remained a partly under-researched concept in pedagogy and language learning. Informed by this dearth of research on the issue, the researchers in the current study probed into the effectiveness of inquiry-based approach for bettering intermediate EFL learners’ argumentative writing. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the current researchers selected three intact classes comprised of 45 institute learners aged between 18 and 20 and assigned them to two experimental groups and a control group. To conduct the study, a homogeneity test, and pretest and posttest of argumentative writing (each containing a 250-word essay adopted from IELTS Task 2) were administered to all he participants. Two kinds of Inquiry-based approach, teacher-led vs. student-directed, were carried out with the two experimental groups. Data analysis through one way ANOVA and Tukey test pointed to a significant difference among the three groups on the posttest. In addition, it was found that both teacher-led and guided modes of inquiry-based learning were equally helpful for boosting learners’ writing ability. The implications of the results are discussed in detail throughout the paper.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of explicit instruction aimed at improving vocabulary on the writing proficiency and long-term retention of new vocabulary among second language (L2) learners. The achievement was accomplished through the administration of a fill-in-the-blank assessment, which included 30 individual words and 6 lexical phrases, to a group of 30 EFL students at an upper-intermediate level. Subsequently, these students engaged in a reading exercise centered around the topic of 'Bull Fighting' and subsequently crafted a paper titled 'A Cruel Sport'. The results demonstrated a notable enhancement in the quantity of terms actively utilized in their writing following the focused vocabulary teaching. The statistical analysis revealed that the participants were capable of retaining the newly-acquired language even after a considerable amount of time had elapsed since the lesson. This study presents comprehensive information on these findings and provides suggestions for L2 teachers, asserting that although comprehending a word does not inherently result in its active utilization, learners possess the capacity to enhance their active vocabulary and accurately employ recently acquired words. Explicit training in vocabulary is advantageous for converting recognition vocabulary into productive language during immediate writing tasks and enhancing retention. Nevertheless, consistent and regular practice in utilizing recently learned vocabulary is necessary for it to become effective in long-term written expression.

In today's society, it is important for teachers, particularly foreign language teachers, to understand that reflectivity is considered as a main factor in growing teaching profession. This study sought to examine the different dimensions of reflective teaching among Iranian EFL teachers considering the variables of gender, academic degree , teaching experience ,and interactional effect between them .In doing so, initially using an explanatory sequential mixed method survey design a five–point Lickert scale ,29-items Reflective Teaching Questionnaire including (practical, meta-cognitive, critical, cognitive and affective ) was distributed to 142 EFL teachers (male and female) with 4 to 30+ years of professional experience with BA, MA, and PhD. academic degrees. Considering teaching experience, the participants were categorized into three groups.MANOVA results indicated the significant effect of teachers’ experience on their reflective teaching with the least effect reported on the affective dimension. Secondly, sixteen EFL teachers were invited to participate in an interview. The results of the present study will be useful for EFL teachers to have effective teaching, and to involve themselves more in exploring their students’ learning styles and critical aspects of the teaching context. Obviously, reflective teaching would help teachers to foster their independence. The analysis revealed that shortage of time, prescribed syllabi, predetermined textbooks, and ineffective teacher training programs were the main obstacles to reflectivity as experienced by the teachers. The outcomes have pedagogical implications for Iranian EFL teachers and theoreticians in the area of language teaching.

This research explored the intricacies of incitement as a speech act in political discourse, particularly in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Utilizing a mixed-methods design, the study combined qualitative analyses—focusing on rhetorical structures and pragmatic strategies—with quantitative evaluations of speech act frequencies. The corpus included speeches from prominent political figures delivered between February 2022 and March 2024, selected for their relevance to incitement. The analysis revealed that incitement often straddles the boundary between illocutionary and perlocutionary acts, showcasing how politicians use indirect language to maintain plausible deniability while still mobilizing action. This ambiguity complicates traditional classifications within speech act theory. Furthermore, the study highlights various persuasive strategies employed in political rhetoric, such as emotional appeals and historical analogies.The implications of this research are significant for understanding how language functions as a tool of political power, particularly in conflict situations. It provides insights into ethical considerations surrounding incitement in political communication, suggesting that awareness of linguistic strategies can help prevent escalation of tensions and promote more responsible discourse among leaders.

The present mixed methods study examined the relationship of three constructs within applied linguistics, namely, shame, guilt, and grit among Iranian EFL learners. By considering the principles of positive psychology, the authors tried to determine the existence of any significant association between the variables. In this vein, 263 Iranian students aged between 13 to 18 participated in the study and filled out the questionnaires. Analyses of the data revealed strong negative relatedness between shame and the other two variables, while the learners’ guilt and grit were found to be positively correlated.  Expanding the quantitative results, the authors utilized a grounded theory approach and interviewed 30 students to further investigate the shame-inducing factors in L2 classroom and the analyses signaled that the ashamed learners suffer from internal and external shame-provokers. Attending to shame and other negative feelings would possibly reduce the learners’ shame and stress, help them progress in learning and enhance their well-being.

This study aimed to examine the effects of a teacher education course on EFL teachers’ self-efficacy in formative assessment. The researchers employed a mixed-method design that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to investigate the effects of the course. Thirty EFL teachers participated in the study and completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires to assess their formative assessment self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather qualitative data on teachers’ beliefs about formative assessment. The quantitative data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests, and thematic analysis was conducted for the qualitative data. The results indicated a significant increase in teachers’ formative assessment self-efficacy beliefs. The findings suggest that providing teacher education courses focused on formative assessment can effectively enhance EFL teachers’ self-efficacy and utilization of such assessment methods in online classroom. The current study has some pedagogical implications and recommendations for the implementation of similar courses and potential areas for future research are also discussed.

Objective: This study explores the effect of recruiting topics highly valued by students along with the interest-igniting mode of reading texts in the site of practice, collectively framed as funds of identity (FoI), on willingness to read (WTR).Methods: To this end, three groups of students were recruited. Over a 17-session extracurricular experiment, all the three groups received books in and out of tune with their FoI, elicited through an initial-semester researcher-made questionnaire. One group (n = 20) received e-books with few interactive features, the second group (n = 20) received e-books with no interactive features, and the third group (n = 20) received print books. WTR and attitude changes toward e-books were assessed using initial- and final-semester questionnaires. Students were also required to send summaries of their readings and keep journals throughout the experiment. They finally gave a post-treatment interview.Results: Qualitative sets of data in juxtaposition with quantitative ones lent support to the positive influence FoI and e-books—as on-site emerging FoI—exercised on WTR and attitude change toward e-books.Conclusions: FoI operationalized through e-books increased learners' WTR. In light of the patterns of changes observed, FoI of students are suggested to be taken into consideration for obtaining better educational results.