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This study evaluated the validity of group dynamic assessment (G-DA), grounded in Vygotsky’s (1987) Sociocultural Theory, implemented in a class of intermediate learners to assess and promote L2 listening comprehension. To navigate the dual goals of assessment and instruction, flexible mediation attuned to the zone of proximal development of the learners was provided within the G-DA interactions. This led to the detection of nine mediational strategies. The validity of these G-DA interactions was explored by extending Poehner’s (2011) validation model to classroom setting. Poehner’s (2011) model includes two interrelated foci for DA validation: micro and macro-validity. Following Kane's (2021) argument-based approach to validation, evidence-based arguments were developed to explore the appropriateness of each mediational strategy given to the learners (micro-validity) as well as the success of that mediational strategy and the entire G-DA procedure in promoting learners’ L2 listening comprehension (macro-validity). Class transcripts were analyzed to gain evidence for the micro- and macro-validity of the G-DA interactions. The findings supported the usefulness of Poehner’s validation model in developing validity arguments to determine the appropriateness of the interpretations made about learners’ abilities and the effects of the G-DA procedure on their development. Moreover, the study concluded that the analysis of learners’ independent performance needed to be added to Pohener’s macro-validation model so that it becomes applicable to G-DA

Cet article s’interroge sur la traduction des métaphores politiques dans le discours diplomatique des hommes d’Etat iraniens au cours des deux périodes qui précédent et suivent le PAGC. En optant le modèle de la traduction des métaphores proposées par Hagström, cette étude vise à découvrir les méthodes et les stratégies de traduction que les traducteurs utilisent lorsqu’ils sont confrontés à des métaphores politiques venant des cartes conceptuelles éloignées. Il en ressort que pour les sphères sociolinguistiques éloignées (Iran vs pays occidentaux) tout un large éventail des stratégies est utilisé afin de restituer les allusions métaphoriques. En outre, il paraît que les stratégies de la traduction des métaphores politiques sont plus variées dans la période de Pré-PAGC, alors que durant la période de Post-PAGC les stratégies sont moins variées et elles se contentent de restituer une traduction littérale (reprise de la même métaphore de la culture source et sa restitution dans la langue-culture cible), réclamant ainsi une lecture plus active de la part des destinataires

Seeking to promote multicultural and multi-linguistic interaction and peaceful co-existence, pluralistic education is a democratic construct that encompasses diversity in language, culture, mindset, understanding, socio-cultural orientation, and communicative styles. Moreover, teacher effectiveness is a crucial factor in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching/learning. Combining the two concerns, this study aimed at exploring EFL teachers’ perceptions of pluralistic teacher effectiveness. It benefited from a basic interpretive design. A group of 30 Iranian male and female EFL instructors participated in the present study, selected through convenient sampling from State and Azad universities in Iran. A one-on-one semi-structured interview was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Data analysis revealed the following perceptions of pluralistic teacher effectiveness among EFL teachers : Building Verbal Relations with all Students, Identifying Learning Styles of all Students, Mastery over Content in Different Fields, Teaching through Different Teaching Methods or Strategies, Showing Care and Support to all Students, Teaching Reflectively, Being Accountable, Generating a Friendly Class Environment, Using Technology, Having Motivational Skills, Using Diverse Assessment Methods, and Enacting Classroom Fairness. The findings have some implications for EFL teachers, teacher educators, and teacher education curriculum planners.

This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive evaluation of research studies on computerized dynamic assessment (C-DA) in English language teaching and learning, addressing the need for a systematic overview in light of recent technological advancements. A systematic search across three databases (ERIC, Web of Science, and Scopus) initially identified 2807 articles, with 22 C-DA studies meeting the inclusion criteria after screening. Findings reveal that C-DA significantly enhances language learning outcomes, particularly in reading and listening and writing skills, with large effect sizes reported across multiple studies. Interventionist approaches and quasi-experimental designs were most commonly used, reinforcing the strong impact of mediation on bridging learners' actual and potential performance. While C-DA demonstrated substantial improvements in skill-based outcomes, its effects on affective factors like anxiety and intrinsic motivation were more modest. These findings highlight C-DA’s potential as a transformative tool in language assessment and instruction, particularly when mediation is tailored to learners' needs. However, integrating C-DA with complementary strategies may be necessary to address psychological and motivational factors. 

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of reading-based vs. discussion-based pre-writing activities on the writing ability of Iranian EFL learners. To this end, a quasi-experimental study was conducted with 40 Iranian intermediate EFL learners within16 to 20 age range who were selected based on their performance on an Oxford Solution Proficiency Test. They were divided into two experimental groups: Reading Group and Discussion Group. The former group was made to involve in some reading activity prior to doing the main writing task, and the latter group was made to participate in a discussion activity before the main writing task. After the treatment for 10 sessions, both groups were post-tested. The findings indicated that both groups’ writing ability improved over the course of the study, but the difference between the performances of the groups on the post-test was not statistically significant, although the Reading group’s mean score was greater than the Discussion group. The results of this study have some implications for students, language teachers, syllabus designers and material developers.

The essential requirement of validity in second language assessment and testing is of paramount importance since it guarantees that tests properly gauge the targeted constructs and produce propitious interpretations. In this light, there seems to be a pressing need to carefully assess outdated conceptions of validity in English language testing to ensure they are in lockstep with current linguistic and sociocultural circumstances. This review examines the book "Ethics and Context in Second Language Testing: Rethinking Validity in Theory and Practice," edited by M. Rafael Salaberry, Albert Weideman, and Wei-Li Hsu (2023), and it unravels new horizons for expanding the comprehension of validity beyond traditional frameworks. The review underscores the primary subjects addressed in the book's content, such as ethical issues, contextual factors affecting test design, and novel approaches for assessing validity in real-world settings. The review also stresses the book's critical analysis of existing paradigms and recommends a more nuanced perspective on validity that incorporates ethical considerations and contextual significance. To this end, the current review constitutes an important reference for researchers and practitioners to encourage them to critically examine and reframe validity in second language testing.

The present study aimed to examine kinetic units, implicature, and coherence in Persian audio descriptions. To this end, 10 Persian audio-described movies, totaling 1,004 minutes, were analyzed, and their audio descriptions (ADs) were documented, resulting in 3,485 records. These records were filtered for descriptions related to characters’ movements, yielding 2,095 ADs, which were analyzed in three phases. First, the type of kinetic unit in each AD was identified. Second, the implicature of kinetic units was examined to determine whether it was included in the ADs or ignored. The final phase addressed coherence in ADs. The results revealed that gesture was the most frequent kinetic unit in Persian ADs, followed by manner and posture. Moreover, 96% of kinetic units lacked implicature, and only 2.5% of implicatures related to characters’ movements were ignored in audio descriptions, which does not raise serious concerns about accessibility for blind and visually impaired audiences. Regarding coherence, 97% of Persian ADs were found to be coherent, highlighting the substantial accessibility they provide to their target audience. However, accessibility was not solely contingent upon linguistic and pragmatic factors. Technical challenges, such as background music overshadowing ADs, posed additional barriers to media accessibility.

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.

The present study was an attempt to examine the relationship between EFL students' sense of self-efficacy and their pedagogical success. For this purpose, 150 female EFL students studying English in two institutes in Ardabil city were selected according to convenient sampling method. The selected learners were given a standard version of Oxford Quick Placement Test (OPT) which showed that the 150 participants were at the lower intermediate (n=47), upper intermediate (n=56), and advanced levels (n=47). The participants were also asked to complete the “Students' Sense of Efficacy Scale”. Then, the collected data were analyzed through SPSS version 25 and Pearson correlations and linear regressions were run to answer the research questions. The results revealed significant relationships between sense of self-efficacy and pedagogical success of the EFL learners at lower intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced levels. Likewise, the results indicated that sense of self-efficacy predicted a significant amount of pedagogical success at lower intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced levels of L2 achievement. The findings can have implications for the EFL classroom and can pave the way for further studies focusing on the relationship between other personality traits and EFL learners’ pedagogical success.

Given the unquestionable significance of academic discourse in knowledge sharing, the present study investigates research articles published in high-ranked journals in two disciplines of Applied Linguistics and Medical Sciences. Considering the fact that abstract sections in a research article are factual representations of the details of the paper, they are of great importance. Moreover, academic writers attempt to publish more valued and engaging articles using numerous writing norms, a well-known way of which is Nominalization. The study follows genre analysis design and includes a corpus of 30 research articles in Applied Linguistics and 30 articles in medical sciences, half by natives and half by non-natives published between 2015 and 2024. Meticulous analysis and article-to-article comparison indicated higher frequency of verbal nominalization in all sets of articles and no statistically significant difference between native and non-native academic writers in both fields. However, there was a considerable difference between the deployment of nominalization between the academic writers in applied linguistics and medical sciences, the former outperforming the latter group. It is believed that the results of this study will help English for Specific- and for Academic Purposes practitioners in the inclusion of more writing instruction practices in their curriculum.