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This study investigates the impact of negotiated syllabi on English as a Foreign Language (EFL)   learners’ motivation, engagement, and autonomy through a mixed-methods approach. Participants included 120 EFL learners, divided into experimental and control groups. Quantitative data were collected via motivation, autonomy, and engagement scales administered pre- and post-intervention, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a subset of learners from the experimental group. ANCOVA result indicated that learners in the negotiated syllabus group exhibited significantly higher levels of motivation, engagement, and autonomy compared to the control group. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed eight primary themes, including increased relevance of course content, collaborative learning, and enhanced responsibility. Participants reported feeling more invested in their learning due to active involvement in course design, which fostered a sense of ownership and agency. These findings have implications for EFL curriculum development, highlighting the potential benefits of integrating learner input into syllabus design to improve educational outcomes. Future research should further explore learner-centered approaches across diverse EFL contexts.

Motivational intensity and enjoyment are considered two incentives that boost Willingness To Communicate (WTC), while boredom diminishes it. However, going through the existing literature, almost no studies have ever explored these interrelationships among the four variables -Boredom, WTC, Enjoyment, and Motivational Intensity- in the Iranian setting. To address this gap, 300 high schoolers between the ages of 11 and 19 took part in the study. Of those, 83 were beginners, 107 were intermediates, and 110 were advanced learners based on the results obtained from OPT (Oxford Placement Test). All the participants were surveyed using questionnaires administered via Google Docs. The study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to interpret these statistics, revealing mediation effects and showing direct and total effects between motivational intensity, enjoyment, boredom, and WTC. Statistics confirmed that boredom had a notable direct impact on WTC, though its indirect effect through enjoyment was insignificant. In contrast, motivational intensity positively influenced the WTC through both direct and indirect pathways. The study suggests boosting motivation and enjoyment in second-language classrooms would dramatically enhance the learners' WTC in formal and informal settings. Teachers should be initiative and creative in designing fascinating and new classroom tasks, transform the class into a lively environment in which all students are actively involved in the interesting classroom activities in a relaxed manner, and promote a friendly and humorous group-work atmosphere so that classroom becomes a welcoming space where students learn without boredom or anxiety.

The present study explored the effectiveness of Google Docs as a cloud-based technology in enhancing the complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) facets of writing competence. Forty-nine Iranian EFL learners, majoring in English, from two intact classes participated in the study. The classes were randomly assigned to the Google Docs (GD) group and the Conventional Teaching group (CT) after their proficiency levels were identified. The GD group (n=25) used the Google Docs writing instruction platform, while the CT group (n=24) received traditional writing instruction. Furthermore, ten students from the Google Docs group participated in semi-structured interviews to express their perceptions of the treatment they received. A mixed-methods design, incorporating Multiple Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) and theme-based analysis, was employed to assess quantitative and qualitative outcomes. The findings indicated that the GD group demonstrated a significantly improved ability in CAF writing compared to the CT group. The interviews revealed several important themes, including the positive experiences associated with collaborative writing through Google Docs, the convenience and flexibility of real-time collaboration, and the effectiveness of peer support in enhancing writing competence. Additionally, the teacher’s role as a facilitator was found to be crucial. Overall, the results suggested that the interactive attribute of Google Docs, combined with peer correction and editing, noticeably supports more sophisticated and accurate writing skills.

The present paper reports a study conducted among Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, addressing the critical issue of imagined identity/community within a globalized world. The concepts of “imagined identities” and “imagined communities” (ICs) refer to the internalized self-conceptions learners develop regarding who they aspire to be and the broader social groups they envision themselves as part of in the context of language learning, respectively . Drawing on Norton’s (2000, 2001) framework of ICs, this study focused on the diverse imaginations that Iranian EFL learners possess while learning English. The study involved five participants, aged between 13 and 36, and employed a qualitative approach utilizing semi-structured interviews for data collection. Through these interviews, rich narratives illustrating the learners’ unique perspectives emerged. The findings revealed that while the imagined identities/communities differed among participants, a common thread was their significant influence on guiding learners through the language learning process. Moreover, the research indicated that a lack of awareness regarding learners’ desired membership in their ICs could detrimentally impact their engagement and commitment to language learning, often resulting in various forms of non-participation in the classroom. Pedagogical implications of the study for EFL teaching practices, emphasizing the importance of creating classroom environments that validate and support learners' ICs and foster their imagined identities/communities as essential components of effective language instruction, are discussed. The study also offers recommendations for future research endeavors to further explore the dynamic interplay between imagined identities/communities and language learning outcomes.

One effective method for improving EFL learners' foreign language communication skills is to learn L2 words and use them in speaking. For this reason, researchers aim to assist learners in acquiring vocabulary to the greatest extent possible. The present study investigated the impact of EFL teacher code-switching (CS) and English-only (EO) instructions on vocabulary acquisition in EFL learners aged 10 to 13. Fifty-six early adolescent learners participated in storytelling activities under the CS or EO conditions. The key difference between the two was that, in the CS group, the teacher used the learners' L1 for teaching vocabulary. In contrast, instruction was conducted solely in English in the EO condition. Results indicated that switching to learners' L1 enhanced vocabulary acquisition more effectively than English-only instruction, and this effect persisted in a delayed post-test two weeks later. Therefore, it can be concluded that teaching new vocabulary via teacher’s resorting to the learners’ L1 through storytelling activities brought about significant gains in remembering the target words in CS condition; hence, for more effective mastery of the new vocabulary among early adolescent learners, it is suggested to present the words in learners’ first language instead of presenting them in lengthy English explanations. The study has practical implications not only for early adolescent EFL learners’ classrooms but also for other learners of different age groups to maximize their vocabulary learning and performance through teachers’ justified amount of L1 use.

Navigating the technology-saturated landscape of language education poses a daunting task for present-day parents. As primary companions in EFL learners’ online learning journey, parents need to help them cultivate online language education. Guided by the parental mediation theory, the present study's primary objective was to examine any correlation between parental mediation strategies and Iranian EFL learners' online learning self-efficacy. Inspired by Vygotsky’s (1978) social development theory, which posits that knowledge is constructed within a social context, and Valkenburg et al.’s (2013) autonomy-supportive mediation, the second aim of the study was to uncover strategies that help promote digital parenting to foster learners’ self-efficacy in online language learning. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, data were gathered through questionnaires from 414 Iranian EFL learners aged between 12 and 18, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Additionally, 47 learners, their parents, and 15 EFL teachers were voluntarily interviewed. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that restrictive mediation and monitoring strategies reduced learners’ online learning self-efficacy while active mediation enhanced it. Reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews also revealed that digital parenting practices, which consider learners’ autonomy and encourage cooperative engagement between learners and parents, will nurture self-regulated online language learners. The findings could set a new benchmark for digital parents, helping them bring up children capable of judiciously leveraging online opportunities.

This article undertakes an in-depth study of the role of the Affirmative Verum Focus (AVF) particle within elliptical constructions cross-linguistically, with a focus on Persian. We demonstrate how the AVF particle, spanning diverse linguistic frameworks, functions as a catalyst for licensing ellipsis and allows the resolution within elliptical constructions featuring its presence. We posit that the semantic representation of the AVF particle in the target sentence functions as a remnant and a parallel element to the negation marker in the source sentence. In turn, it operates in parallel with the semantic representation attributed to the negation marker in the source sentence. Functioning as a higher-order operator, the AVF particle interlaces the semantic representation of the source sentence with that of the target sentence. Finally, we will demonstrate how our analysis can extend to account for a comprehensive examination of ellipsis resolution across various forms of elliptical constructions, including sentential ellipsis.

In spite of the longitudinal attempts of the educational authorities, English has failed to have a proper position in the ELT educational system in Iran, resulting in the weak performance of Iranian EFL learners. As a result, this study was carried out to integrate sociocultural theory, multimodality theory, multiple intelligence theory, and social identity theory to develop a comprehensive conceptual model for understanding and overcoming ELT curriculum challenges. A transformative sequential mixed research design was adopted to explore the challenges, perceptions, and provision of the model. First of all, a total of 49 articles were selected from well-established journals to map the related challenges. The review and comparison processes were conducted based on Tricco et al.’s (2018) PRISMA_SCR model (thematic analysis). The extracted categories of challenges were explored in relation to the principles of the four mentioned theories, and nine categories were selected to align with the principles of the mentioned theories. Then, 403 participants from three categories of stakeholders (pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and scholars) were chosen, and their perceptions were assessed through the administration of a researcher-developed Likert-scale questionnaire. Moreover, some interview questions were drawn up to guide the qualitative phase, and an observation checklist was developed to assist in monitoring ELT classroom practices (to confirm the extracted challenges and assure the validity of the questionnaire). The results, obtained through SPSS and SEM statistical platforms, revealed that all three groups of participants considered authenticity, lack of communicative skill, deficiency in teacher training programs, and malfunctioning assessment methods as the most important challenges. This study has highlighted the effect of the application of the principles of sociocultural and social identity theories in developing an optimal learning environment that is socially and culturally responsive. Moreover, the principles of multimodality theory have emphasized the positive effect of the application of different instructional resources in promoting engagement and development among EFL learners. On the other hand, the principles of multiple intelligence theory call for differentiated instruction and assessment to address various cognitive and emotional capacities of learners. By integrating sociocultural, social identity, multiple intelligence, and multimodality theories, this study has provided a holistic framework for reforming the most significant ELT curriculum challenges.

Although there has been ample research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ formative assessment practice (FAP) and their agency separately, scant attention has been paid to the possible influence of teachers’ level of agency on their FAP. Accordingly, this study investigated EFL teachers’ FAP in the light of teachers’ agency. The initial participants, selected based on convenience sampling, comprised 180 male and female Iranian EFL teachers within the age range of 22 to 45. Their teaching experience fell between a few months to 21 years. The initial 180 teachers were given a Teacher Agency Questionnaire (TAQ) to determine teachers with high and low levels of agency. To this aim, 30 teachers who scored the highest and 30 who scored the lowest on the TAQ were selected. The 60 teachers were asked to fill out the Teacher Formative Assessment Practice Scale (TFAPS). Moreover, 15 teachers from each group were asked to take part in semi-structured interviews to explore their perceptions regarding their FAP. The results of parametric independent samples t-test revealed that teachers in the high-agency group scored significantly higher than their counterparts in the low-agency group in terms of both teacher-directed (p = .00<.001, effect size = 3.32) and student-directed FAP (p = .00<.001, effect size = 3.44). The descriptive and qualitative comparison of the thematic analysis between teachers in the high agency and low agency groups demonstrated marked differences both in the total number of themes and theme mentions as well as the theme contents between the two groups. Based on the findings, teacher educators are encouraged to enhance EFL teachers’ level of agency to improve their FAP.

The rapidly growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to fundamentally transform the realm of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction. This research studied this emerging trend through a qualitative research synthesis of 24 peer-reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2024. It examined them to highlight the diverse applications, challenges, and teaching practices associated with AI in EFL education. Methodological rigor was ensured through established inclusion and exclusion criteria for selecting the articles. The qualitative synthesis and thematic analysis revealed five prominent themes that illuminate the current landscape of AI in EFL instruction: 1) conceptualizations of AI within EFL settings; 2) factors influencing its adoption; 3) challenges faced when integrating AI into EFL settings; 4) limitations of AI-based tools and methods; and 5) potential avenues for future investigation. Although integrating AI into EFL pedagogy is still in its early stages and presents various challenges, the findings provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for effectively using AI in EFL education, enhancing teaching methods, and improving student learning outcomes. Educators can make informed decisions regarding its implementation while navigating the evolving EFL instruction landscape by cultivating an understanding of AI's potential benefits and inherent limitations.

This study examines the effectiveness of long-term formant frequency distributions (LTFDs), Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs), and their combined application in distinguishing Kurdish-Persian bilingual speakers. Speech samples were collected from 20 early male bilingual speakers who read the fable ' The North Wind and the Sun ' in Kurdish (Sorani dialect) and Persian. The Random Forest algorithm was employed to analyze the data. Feature importance for formant frequencies and MFCCs was evaluated using the mean decrease in accuracy metric. The results indicated that LTFD measures provided moderate accuracy in speaker differentiation, reflecting their capacity to capture vowel-related articulatory patterns. In contrast, MFCCs demonstrated superior performance, effectively encoding spectral and speaker-specific characteristics. When LTFDs and MFCCs were combined, system accuracy was slightly improved compared to using MFCCs alone. This marginal enhancement underscores the potential benefits of integrating LTFDs with MFCCs in forensic voice comparison, where even small gains can have significant practical implications. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of bilingual speaker variability and provide insights for optimizing speaker identification systems in bilingual contexts.

The present study aimed to develop a teaching competency framework for Iranian English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers by conducting interviews with 30 teachers and head teachers in the field of ELT across multiple regions in Iran. The study utilized MAXQDA 20.2.1 to conduct a thematic analysis in three phases. Intercoder reliability (ICR) testing demonstrated a significant level of agreement. The findings indicated that an effective contextualized teaching competency framework for ELT teachers should consist of six key components: professional attributes focusing on teaching-specific characteristics, skills representing practical teaching abilities, knowledge encompassing subject-matter expertise, general qualifications including foundational requirements, personal attributes, and goals and values. Fifty-nine indicators were identified and strategically linked to established reference frameworks for ELT teacher competencies. The developed framework contributes to a novel organization of ELT teaching competencies. Key findings revealed that linguistic competency, inclusivity, student bonding, pedagogical knowledge, organizational skills, and teaching passion emerged as critical indicators within the Iranian ELT context. The framework's strength lies in its systematically developed structure based on expert insights and comprehensive literature analysis that offers brevity in design while maintaining comprehensiveness. These features would make it particularly applicable for Iranian ELT settings while providing a replicable model for broader international contexts. Future research should explore longitudinal studies to understand the changes that transpire over time. Moreover, integrating the perspectives of English language learners and high school students could enhance the practicality and applicability of these frameworks.

Language system is best considered as a stage on which ideology is represented while translation as a channel of interlingual communication and a socially contextualized enterprise is exposed to different ideological considerations. This exposure seems unavoidable whether the translation serves as a purposeful mental enterprise or the final product of a systematic process beginning with a source text (ST) and ending with a target text (TT). Anyway, the translator’s linguistic options are affected by some ideological orientations, manifested in varying degrees. This study aims at identifying and illustrating the degree of ideological skewness of the Persian translation of The Catcher in the Rye through the proposed model, including some distinctive ideology-bound features. A two-level assessment procedure at intra-textual and extra-textual levels was applied to the texts to identify their ideological trends. The findings individually analyzed considering the analytic model suggested the applicability of the proposed model to uncover the ideological underpinnings at play in the texts, which involved a possibly considerable degree of ideological skewness. Regarding the multi-dimensional essence of translation as a product and process, this study set out to reflect a perhaps more dynamic perspective of the ideological matters, yet it needs to be refined through further research.