درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The dynamic world of international policing necessitates seamless communication between officers from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Interpol, the world's largest international police organization, exemplifies this environment. Understanding how politeness strategies are employed within this context is crucial for fostering effective collaboration and information exchange. Due to this significance, the present study investigated the politeness strategies used in emails of L1 and L2 user English-speaking police officers of Interpol. To this end, 100 emails composed by L1 and L2 police officers were obtained from the Interpol office in Tehran, Iran, and the frequency of politeness strategies was calculated by two professional raters. The Chi-square test did not reveal a statistically significant difference in the overall application of politeness strategies between L1 and L2 officers. However, the analysis of individual strategies highlighted some clear variations in usage patterns: L1 user officers employed more politeness strategies than their L2 user counterparts. In addition, the findings revealed that both groups used negative politeness strategies more often than positive strategies. The findings of this study can help police training centers develop a better scope on what structures to focus on in their lesson plans to make their cadets ready to work in the international arena.

This study investigated the effect of teaching vocabulary through Ilingo application on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary learning and Vocabulary Learning Strategy (VLS) use. A total of 83 male intermediate EFL learners participated in this study. Quantitative data were collected through Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT), pre- and post-tests to measure vocabulary learning, and Vocabulary Learning Strategy Questionnaire (VLSQ). The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving vocabulary instruction through Ilingo application and a control group receiving conventional vocabulary instruction. The statistical analysis of the data revealed significant differences between the two groups in terms of vocabulary learning, with the application-based instruction group outperforming the conventional instruction group. Additionally, higher levels of vocabulary learning strategy utilization were observed for learners who learned vocabulary with Ilingo application. More specifically, statistically significant differences were observed for the deployment of determination and memory VLSs indicating a higher frequency of use in the experimental group. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the advantages of incorporating technology-driven language learning tools into the EFL classroom. The implications of this study are valuable for EFL educators and curriculum designers, providing evidence-based insights into effective pedagogical approaches in EFL contexts.

Research on stress-causing variables in the teaching profession often documents an interplay between teacher burnout and its correlates. This study brings forth concerns about the contribution of teacher/school climate, job satisfaction and self-efficacy as the hypothesized predictors of occupational burnout among EFL teachers. Using multiple regression analyses, a descriptive correlational model was examined against the survey data collected from a sample of 198 Iranian EFL teachers. The results showed significant inverse relations between dimensions of teacher/school climate and dimensions of burnout, showing teacher/school climate as a significant negative predictor of burnout (p <.05, R2=.20, β=-.447). The results also revealed the significant role of teacher satisfaction and teacher self-efficacy in predicting aspects of burnout (p <.05). The two variables were also found as mediator of the effect of teaching climate on dimensions of burnout, showing a perspective of interaction between contextual factors and individual resources. Given the effects of teacher/school contextual stressors and their direct or indirect influence on teachers’ vulnerability to burnout syndrome, the implications of the findings are discussed in view of teacher training and intervention programs.

This study investigates the age of female translators in Iran from the Islamic Revolution (1979) to the year 2022, aiming to determine at which age women were most prolific in translation. The research analyzed 1,273 books translated by women during this period, categorizing the data into ten-year age intervals. The findings reveal that women aged thirty to forty were the most active in translation. Additionally, the study examined the subject of books translated by women in each age group, using the classification framework proposed by Farahzad, Mohammadi Shahrokh, and Ehteshami (2015). The results of the study revealed distinct patterns in the interests of female translators across different age ranges. Specifically, fiction emerged as the primary area of interest for women aged 31-40, with humanities being the second most translated genre for this group. In contrast, women aged 41-50 predominantly focused on translating works categorized under the general group. These findings illuminate the evolving preferences and concerns of female translators over time, reflecting broader shifts in their professional focus and interests.

Learning-oriented assessment constitutes an approach that integrates language assessment into the learning process to expedite learners’ noticing of their weaknesses and maximize their learning opportunities. The present study scrutinized Iraqi EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of LOA. In light of this objective, the researchers used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct the study. Accordingly, they selected 103 male and 114 female teachers in 37 public high schools in Baghdad (Iraq) as the participants. Moreover, they administered Aloswat’s (2022) learning-oriented assessment questionnaire to these participants to obtain quantitative data on their proclivity in adhering to the principles of this assessment approach. Finally, they selected a small number of the above-mentioned teachers based on the data saturation criterion. Using a semi-structured interview protocol, they gathered qualitative data on their perceptions of learning-oriented assessment. The researchers used independent-sample t-test and thematic analysis to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicated that female teachers adhered more strictly to the principles of learning-oriented assessment than male teachers. In addition, female teachers had more favorable perceptions of this assessment approach compared to their male counterparts. The results may provide teacher educators and syllabus designers with guidelines on implementing LOA in EFL courses.

Intercultural communication is a widespread matter in today’s world with the advent of globalization and social media. Thus, this study focused on exploring the role of cultural knowledge and linguistic knowledge in the formation of intercultural competence. The researchers selected 150 Iranian learners through a purposeful sampling procedure in a qualitative design. By using interviews, observation, and reflective journals the required data was collected. The researchers used inductive analysis and thematic analysis to analyze the collected data. The results revealed that cultural knowledge and linguistic knowledge are both equally important in the formation of intercultural competence of Iranian learners. Also, it is shown that Iranian learners make use of both linguistic knowledge and cultural knowledge to have effective communication, build trust and rapport, conflict resolution, and avoid linguistic and cultural misunderstandings. This study is important for language teachers, book writers, and curriculum developers in that they should pay more attention to both linguistic knowledge and cultural knowledge in their teaching, book writing, and curriculum development respectively.

Teachers’ cognition, as an important entity in determining the level of efficient teaching, has been the target of recent studies. Metacognitive awareness is also claimed to be the manifestation of the underlining cognition. Therefore, this study took a new move in the area of teacher cognition research. It integrated teaching experience, one of the main factors of cognitive/metacognitive building blocks, in language noticing. It also managed to perceive the relation between teachers’ cognition and metacognitive awareness, taking experience into account.  For this, at first, Noticing Concept Inventory (NCI) was given to 60 experienced and novice teachers, then the same teachers took teacher metacognitive awareness Inventory (MALT). The independent sample t-test confirmed the role of teaching experience in conceptualizing noticing; in the next statistical step, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Regression Analysis detected the relation between teachers’ cognitive status and metacognitive awareness. Experienced teachers were found to be more metacognitively aware hence holding up higher level of noticing cognition. In the final step, the ANOVA pertained the procedural knowledge, as a metacognitive component, actively involved in the teachers’ noticing cognition. Findings illustrated the key role of teaching experience in forming and modifying teachers’ cognition on noticing. 

Despite extensive research on factors influencing student engagement (SE) from a positive psychology perspective, the connection between adaptability and SE has been underexplored. The present study investigates the relationship between learners' adaptability, plurilingual and pluricultural competence (PPC), and SE in second language acquisition, guided by the PERMA model, which posits that well-being consists of Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (Seligman, 2018). The researchers employed stratified random sampling to collect data from 599 male and female Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. These students then completed questionnaires, including the PPC scale (Galante, 2022), the adaptability scale (Feng et al., 2005), and the SE scale (Lam et al., 2014). Findings have shown that adaptability significantly predicts enhanced PPC, which in turn fosters greater SE. However, analysis of covariate variables revealed that gender and age were not significant predictors of PPC. Grade was a significant predictor of engagement, and language background was a significant predictor of PPC. These results underscore the importance of integrating adaptability training and PPC development into EFL curricula to cultivate culturally responsive learning environments and enhance SE. Further research is needed to determine the moderating roles of demographic variables. This will contribute to a more engaged, adaptable, and globally competent student body, better prepared for success in diverse contexts.