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Teacher-researcher identity is commonly conceptualized as one of the central components of teachers’ professional identity. Such identity development is not only configured toward the past and present but also oriented toward the future. This retrospective duo-narrative inquiry aimed to portray such orientation by exploring the possible selves envisioned by two female Gen-Z EFL teachers upon the completion of their Master’s graduation theses in the Mekong Delta region. Informed by Possible Selves Theory, this study drew upon qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with two primary participants and two outsiders for data triangulation. Subsequently, data were analyzed utilizing thematic analysis for each case, followed by a cross-case analysis to identify convergences and divergences in their lived experiences. Findings revealed that participants reconstructed their teacher-researcher identity through three dimensions of possible selves, including the hoped-for, the ought-to-be, and the feared. They envisioned their identity as personally developed, institutionally grounded, yet potentially at risk of being contextually dissolved. The study was pedagogically significant for maintaining teachers’ motivation in the teaching profession through an envisioned sense of possible selves. Pedagogical implications were offered to inform Master’s students, teacher education programs, and tertiary institutions in Vietnamese contexts and beyond.

Teaching has recently received extensive attention as an emotionally charged profession, necessitating a deeper exploration of the psychological mechanisms underlying teachers’ practices. However, despite the evidence supporting the role of teachers’ emotion regulation (ER) in their autonomous control over both their practices and their ecological environment, the interplay between EFL teachers’ ER, agency, and autonomy is not yet fully clear. Grounded in positive psychology and ecological theories of agency, the present study tried to contribute to our understanding of this relationship. Accordingly, 232 EFL teachers in Iranian schools, targeted via snowball sampling, responded to an online survey, containing Emotion Regulation, Agency Related to Planning Teaching and Learning Activities, and Teaching Autonomy questionnaires. The results of Multiple Linear Regression and SEM confirmed a positive relationship between ER and agency ( r = .724) as well as ER and autonomy ( r = .713), while predicting 58% and 48% of changes in them, respectively, which demonstrates strong predictive power. The results support an integrated theoretical model, linking ER to teachers’ agentic and autonomous behaviors, and indicating that emotionally-regulated teachers are more likely to exercise control over their professional practices and environment. These findings offer implications for educational administrators and psychologists, as well as ELT practitioners who wish to improve educational practices by empowering teachers to foster sustained well-being and deal with burnout. Finally, the possibility of an updated construct of Agentic Autonomy is proposed to bridge ER with teachers’ ecological agency.

Extensive reading (ER) has been widely recognized for its impact on vocabulary acquisition, yet its role in shaping L2 learners’ affective learning experience remains underexplored. In the early 20th century, Palmer proposed ER (see Day & Bamford, 1998) to lead to enhanced reading abilities and motivate L2 learners to read. Although ER’s potential in language development has been widely studied, few empirical studies have examined this connection within the framework of L2MSS. Selecting Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self-system (henceforth, L2MSS) which links learners’ future self-concept to their motivation and learning behaviors as our theoretical framework, we measured offline ER’s influence on not only Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary development but also on their L2 learning experience. In so doing, we selected an experimental group (EG) ( N =32) and a control group (CG) ( N =28) from two university-level intact classrooms who were passing their General English course. The experimental group (EG, N=32) read three proficiency-matched graded readers over an 8-week period, while the control group (CG, N=28) used only the coursebook, Select Readings: Pre-Intermediate . The graded readers were selected in such a way to match learners’ current language proficiency as determined by an Oxford and Cambridge Quick Placement Test (OCQPT). Our participants’ baseline vocabulary knowledge was assessed using a teacher-made test, while their baseline L2 learning experience was measured through Li’s (2025) L2 Learning Experience Scale measuring six subcomponents: positive emotion, negative emotion, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment. The findings showed that both groups had little knowledge of the target words before the treatment. However, post-treatment results showed that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in vocabulary knowledge and reported greater gains across multiple L2 learning experience subscales. These findings have important implications for integrating extensive reading into general English curricula to foster both lexical growth and learner motivation.

The present study investigates the challenges of learning English grammar with a focus on the syntactic analysis of relative clauses (RCs) in Persian in contrast to English to identify the most common errors made by Persian learners of English. In addition, it aims to enhance L2 grammar learning and overcome challenges using AI-assisted tools such as Wordtune, Instatext, and ChatGPT in classroom activities. The quantitative data were collected through the RC tests adapted from the models used by Izumi (2003), comprising three test types: sentence combination, interpretation, and grammaticality judgment. These tests were administered before and after the implementation of AI-powered strategies. The result of the tests in intermediate learners revealed that the most recurrent interlingual error was “the use of object pronouns” instead of gaps, while the challenges in “RC reduction” were among the most common intralingual errors. The findings highlight not only the major differences in RC structures between the two languages but also present an innovative approach that uses AI to address these challenges, offering insights for teachers and instructors. Addressing such errors and utilizing technological advances can pave the way for learners and teachers to have more effective learning and teaching strategies.

Teacher accountability, referring to teachers’ responsibility for instructional effectiveness and student outcomes, is a fundamental concept in education. However, barriers to teacher accountability in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in Iran have not been previously investigated. This study aimed to identify these barriers by developing and validating a context-specific instrument. A mixed-method approach was adopted, starting with semi-structured interviews with 60 EFL teachers to generate questionnaire items. Following the pilot study, a 27-item questionnaire was administered to 460 EFL teachers in private language institutes. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was run to develop an adjusted model of inhibitors to EFL teachers’ accountability and to assess the psychometric properties of the BTAS. Additionally, descriptive statistics explored teachers' perceptions of the identified barriers. The analysis supported a three-factor model of teacher accountability barriers: Internal obstacles, including motivational factors; external inhibitors, such as systemic constraints and assessment limitations; and environmental inhibitors related to cultural, sociocultural, and political constraints. The findings highlight the complex and interrelated motivational, institutional, and contextual challenges that hinder teacher accountability, and they present practical implications for policymakers and educational authorities to foster supportive environments that enhance teaching quality and learner achievement.

This study aimed to explore Iranian teachers’ cognition of L1 use in L2 teaching as a component of classroom management, in EFL classes at private language schools in Iran. The study comprised 12 in-service teachers, and the sample size was decided based upon data saturation. The instrument employed in this research was a semi-structured interview, designed to elicit the participating teachers’ cognition. The interviews were audio-recorded and were subsequently transcribed. Thematic analysis of the data demonstrated that the teachers believed the extent and frequency of L1 use should be balanced based on the objectives of L2 lessons, so that classes could be smoothly managed and learners could be sufficiently exposed to L2. Besides, the participants held that for effective classroom management, teachers should use L1 judiciously and selectively. In addition, they accentuated the significance of attention to learners’ English language proficiency level, psychological factors, and educational needs in this respect. Moreover, they were aware of the potential role of L1 use with regard to classroom management strategies, such as establishing rapport, maintaining discipline, and managing time. Overall, the participants were cognizant of using L1 in L2 teaching as a classroom management component. This inquiry provides implications for supervisors of language schools, language teachers, and language teacher educators.

This study investigates Doris Lessing's narrative techniques for depicting fictional realms in her science fiction stories. Focusing on two pivotal works, The Memoirs of a Survivor and Briefing for a Descent into Hell, we examine how Lessing employs World-Building Elements and Function-Advancing Propositions, as defined by Gavin's Text-World Theory, to represent imaginary text-worlds and develop the discourse in her science fiction stories. Our analysis reveals Lessing's adept use of supernatural world-building elements, such as one-eyed giants, giant fishes, and armies of angels, to establish the backdrop of her narratives. Additionally, she utilizes unreal, transtemporal, and extraterrestrial actions—such as passing through walls and temporal excursions—to propel the narrative and enrich its discourse. The temporal and spatial elements remain ambiguous and unknown, with narrative progression primarily occurring through mental and relational processes. This study helps to understand and identify Lessing's narrative techniques in her science fiction stories, offering a unique perspective on examining her works.

Coalescing digital technologies into education has foregrounded gamified formative assessment (GFA) as a promising modality for advancing second language acquisition (SLA). The current study explored the effects of GFA on the writing proficiency of Iranian EFL learners, focusing on complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). Employing a quasi-experimental design, intermediate and advanced learners were assigned to either gamified or traditional paper-based formative assessment conditions. Writing CAF performance was evaluated by estimating the mean of macro-constructs of complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Writing performance was analyzed using established CAF measures for complexity, accuracy, and fluency, based on widely recognized frameworks. To assess group and proficiency-level effects, key statistical tests, i.e., Friedman, mixed-design ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U , were applied. The findings disclosed that GFA enhances writing proficiency, with the most substantial gains observed in complexity and fluency. Accuracy improvements, though evident, were more modest and varied by proficiency level: advanced learners improved more in complexity and fluency, whereas intermediate learners showed greater gains in accuracy. These results accentuate GFA’s pedagogical efficacy in fostering engagement, reducing cognitive load, and promoting self-regulated learning in writing instruction, offering crucial insights for language educators, curriculum designers, and digital assessment developers who aim to incorporate innovative, learner-centered assessment strategies.

This article investigates language assessment literacy (LAL), among tertiary EFL teachers in Indonesia, a crucial area that remains under-explored within the context of EFL education. LAL is conceived as knowledge, skills, and competencies required in designing, administering, and interpreting language assessments, contributing to high quality learning and teaching practices. Despite their importance, there has been little knowledge of Indonesian EFL teachers with regard to LAL levels, particularly in higher education. This study bridges the gap and investigates teachers' knowledge of the fundamental assessment principles (validity, reliability and practicality), their ability to put assessment practices into a classroom, the challenges they face in interpreting assessment data to inform instruction, and experience in assessing language skills and components. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, using surveys and interviews with 297 EFL teachers at various higher education institutions (102) in Indonesia. It points out that EFL teachers in Indonesia face common obstacles to LAL training, especially in the practical application of assessment knowledge. This finding underlines the need for well-rounded professional development programs to improve teachers' LAL, focusing on some aspects of language assessment practice. The study concludes with some recommendations on how teacher education programs and assessment practices can be improved in the EFL context in Indonesia. A key recommendation is that institutions and policymakers should integrate comprehensive LAL programs into teacher education curricula for both pre-service and in-service training.

The ecological turn in translation studies subverts anthropocentric perspectives and redefines translation as a multispecies, semiotic process that transcends human language. Eco-translation, a central concept within this turn, extends the field of translation to include non-human actors and ecological networks, allowing for a more inclusive description of meaning-making. Yet this turn has also brought academics a sense of disorientation and solastalgia as scholars have to grapple with the tension between preserving traditional disciplinary boundaries and embracing the expansive horizons of transdisciplinary approaches. The current article traces the ecological turn using Doris Bachmann-Medick’s three-stage model of disciplinary turn: thematic expansion, metaphorical application, and methodological refinement. It maps the evolution of eco-translation from narrowly defined practices focused on ecological themes to a broader, inclusive framework that challenges the field’s traditional foundations. The article also examines the emotional and intellectual consequences of this turn, particularly the solastalgic experience of scholars experiencing the loss of familiar disciplinary contours while adapting to new paradigms.

This study employs a descriptive framework to explore the evolution of several suffixes in contemporary Persian. The primary focus is to determine whether these suffixes were recognized as such in ancient Iranian languages or if they functioned as independent morphemes that gradually evolved into grammatical elements. Grammaticalization is examined as the process through which lexical components acquire grammatical roles, or how elements with existing grammatical features become increasingly grammaticalized. A critical question arises regarding independent morphemes that have transitioned into suffixes: Have they entirely lost their original meanings and become purely grammatical tools for word formation, or do they retain independent functions in certain contexts? An analysis of the suffixes -(e)stān , -bār , -bān , -dān , -pād , -zār , -gār/-ger , -kade , and -gāh , along with their meanings and usages in contemporary Persian, indicates that these suffixes were once free morphemes in the ancient Iranian period. Over time, due to linguistic changes, they have diminished in lexical independence and are now primarily used as adjectival or locative suffixes in modern Persian. The necessity to generate new vocabulary for various phenomena has significantly influenced the grammaticalization of many independent morphemes.

This study investigates the effects of task complexity and task repetition on the reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. The primary aim was to determine whether varying levels of task complexity and the repetition of these tasks could lead to significant enhancements in learners' reading comprehension abilities. A pretest-posttest design was utilized to assess the participants' performance before and after the intervention. Statistical analyses, including the One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test and paired samples t-tests, were conducted to assess data normality and evaluate the significance of observed differences. The findings indicated that both task complexity and task repetition had a substantial positive impact on the reading comprehension scores of Iranian EFL learners. Task complexity promoted deeper cognitive engagement, while task repetition facilitated retention and mastery of reading skills. These results suggest that incorporating strategically designed complex tasks and repeating them can enhance reading comprehension in EFL contexts. The study concludes that task complexity and repetition are effective strategies for improving reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. The enhancement in comprehension can be attributed to the cognitive challenges posed by complex tasks and the reinforcement provided through task repetition. Educators are encouraged to integrate tasks with varying levels of complexity and to implement repetitive practice within their instructional strategies. This approach not only aids in comprehension but also fosters a more engaging learning environment. Future research should explore the optimal levels of task complexity and repetition to maximize learning outcomes and examine their applicability in diverse educational contexts.

The present study explores the occupational prestige of the translation profession from both practicing and prospective translators’ viewpoints. The sample of the study included 142 translators and 115 prospective translators (translation students), who completed a survey on the occupational prestige of translation in Iran. The research incorporated two questionnaires as the instruments of the study. The first instrument was the general format of Dam and Zethsen’s (2008, 2011) Translators’ Assessment of the Occupational Prestige of Translation Checklist (henceforth TAOPT). For the second group, the questionnaire prepared by Ruokonen and Svahn (2022) was adapted and used. Based on the findings of the study, translation can be perceived as an art that draws on the knowledge, wisdom, and expertise of translators to provide the best translated target version of the materials. The results of the study disclose that while the participating prospective translators (translation students) perceived translation as a highly prestigious occupation, the majority of practicing translators displayed a more moderate perception of translation as a prestigious occupation. It was also found that participants considered translation’s occupational prestige to be strongly and consistently affected by various factors. It was concluded that translation as a profession requires evolutionary steps on the part of translators and related agencies and organizations in order to elevate the status of the field into a more prestigious and professional domain.

 book series of “Persian Prime” (2024) via an analytic study based on the series’ action-oriented approach and the grammar, vocabulary and function selection within its A1 and A2 levels, from the Persian Reference Framework (PRF). The numerical research results illustrate that among 73 grammatical domains determined in PRF corresponding to the elementary level, 26 grammar points have been taught directly in A1 and A2 level textbooks, while others are used indirectly within their texts and activities. Among 131 vocabulary domains in PRF in A level, 30 domains have been selected and taught directly within the vocabulary sections, and 70 have are presented in different parts of the lessons. Moreover, among 53 functions correspond to this level, 12 functions are taught directly, in the interaction part and other sub-functions are taught in form of dialogue, listening, writing and speaking exercises in them

The present study aims to investigate address terms in Hawrami, a Kurdish dialect spoken mainly in the Paveh region of western Iran. It explores how speakers of Hawrami use a variety of linguistic resources—such as kinship terms, pronouns, occupational titles, and religious titles—to indicate social roles, relationships, and values. Drawing on sociolinguistic and discourse-analytic frameworks, in particular the work of Brown and Gilman (1960), the present paper examines how the social variables such as age, gender, power, solidarity, and religious ideology shape address practices. Data were collected through ethnographic observation and interviews in Paveh. Given the lack of written documentation and the deeply contextual nature of address practices, a qualitative method based on direct observation and community-based immersion was considered the most appropriate choice. The ethnographic method is especially suitable for studying linguistic behavior in small, localized speech communities, where language usage is closely tied to cultural norms, relationships, and everyday social practices. The findings show that address forms in Hawrami do more than merely serve communicative functions; they embody cultural values and reflect broader ideological shifts, particularly those following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. This study contributes to the documentation of an understudied minority dialect and provides insight into the intricate relationship between language, identity, and power in multilingual and multiethnic societies.

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.

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.