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The aim of this research paper is to explore how the rhetorical means employed by the United States of America are produced in cultural, historical, and political contexts. The public speeches will be delivered by the Presidents of the United States and other European leaders during the tenure of 2017-2024. The aim of this paper is to determine the extent to which cultural norms, political institutions, and historical backgrounds mold leadership engagement strategies of leaders from both regions through an analysis of a large corpus of political speeches. Importantly, the results show significant differences in political rhetoric styles, especially regarding individualism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. These are represented through the use of the Critical Discourse Analysis framework, Aristotle's Three Appeals, and Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory. Based on the data analysis, it would appear that the United States of America. Generally speaking, presidents have a predisposition to utilize direct and forceful forms of communication, which must be that of American culture concerning individualism and leadership. Whereas in American politics, leaders do follow the straight and often inflexible line, in Europe, politicians are more diplomatic and multilateral, their approach emphasizing collective decision-making and cultural coherence.

Background and Objective: It should be noted that the effect of educational computer games on the accuracy and concentration of students depends on several factors, including the type of game, content, design, and duration of use. This research was conducted to investigate the effect of educational computer games on the accuracy and concentration of eighth-grade female students in Kerman. Methods: Quasi-experimental research method and pre-test-post-test design with a control group were used. The statistical population of the research was all female students in the eighth grade of secondary school in Kerman City in the academic year 2022-2023 and a sample of 80 people was selected in the form of two classes of 40 people from the society by multi-stage cluster sampling method. Two Toulouse and Pieron accuracy questionnaires (1911) and Savary & Oraki concentration questionnaires (2015) were used to collect pre-test-post-test information and computer game software was used as an experimental practice. Results:Data analysis was also done with the statistical method of analysis of covariance and using SPSS19 software. The results showed that computer educational games have been effective in improving the accuracy and concentration of students in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Therefore, due to the flexibility of the structure of educational computer games and their non-linear organization, the motivational features of computer games and the benefit of learning rules and principles such as immediate reinforcement, they can contribute to increasing concentration and accuracy.

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of play therapy in improving sensory processing and distress tolerance in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 15) receiving eight 90-minute sessions of play therapy or a control group (n = 15) receiving no intervention. Sensory processing and distress tolerance were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and five-month follow-up using standardized measures. Data analysis was performed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27 to evaluate within-group and between-group differences over time. The results indicated a significant main effect of time for both sensory processing (F(2, 84) = 92.32, p < 0.001) and distress tolerance (F(2, 84) = 111.60, p < 0.001), demonstrating substantial improvements across timepoints. The intervention group showed a notable increase in sensory processing scores from baseline (M = 48.72, SD = 5.91) to post-intervention (M = 64.15, SD = 6.38) and follow-up (M = 69.03, SD = 5.79), whereas the control group exhibited minimal change. Similarly, distress tolerance scores improved significantly in the intervention group (baseline: M = 42.85, SD = 6.27; post-intervention: M = 58.74, SD = 5.69; follow-up: M = 63.92, SD = 6.08), with no substantial improvement in the control group. The Bonferroni post-hoc test confirmed significant pairwise differences between baseline and subsequent assessments. Play therapy was found to be an effective intervention for enhancing sensory processing and distress tolerance in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities, with improvements sustained at follow-up. These findings suggest that play-based interventions can be a valuable therapeutic approach for promoting sensory integration and emotional regulation in this population.

Given the increasing prevalence of online learning and the absence of a validated instrument for assessing the critical writing skills of Iranian EFL learners in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) contexts, this study aimed to develop and validate an analytic rubric to enhance critical writing in CMC environments. The participants were 236 EFL students and 10 EFL/ESL teachers, representing a diverse range of demographics, experiences, and qualifications. The rubric development process was guided by a comprehensive literature review, the administration of a critical thinking questionnaire, expert feedback, thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, integration of Paul and Elder’s (2019) Intellectual Standards, and the development and application of a Likert-scale critical writing questionnaire. Subsequent pilot testing facilitated refinements based on feedback. Accordingly, the finalized analytic rubric featured four principal components: (1) Clarity, Accuracy, and Precision (CAP); (2) Relevance and Logic (RL); (3) Depth and Significance (DS); and (4) Breadth and Fairness (BF). A rigorous validation process, including expert evaluation, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM), confirmed the rubric's reliability and validity. The findings demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. This study offers valuable pedagogical implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, learners, researchers, and curriculum developers.

This research investigated the impact of varying planning conditions and task types on the accuracy of pupils' speaking abilities. Utilizing the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 80 intermediate female participants nominated for the research and assigned to four untouched classes. These classes were planned as the individual-planning personal task class (IPPT class), the individual-planning decision-making task class (IPDT class), the class-planning personal task class (CPPT class), and the class-planning decision-making task class (CPDT class). Two concurrent decision making tasks were planned to be conducted both at the beginning and at the end of the experiment, while a six-week intervention was scheduled in between. Three sessions were dedicated to administering the OPT test, the pretest, and the posttest; and the students accomplished two dissimilar task types under two diverse planning situations throughout the other three treatment meetings. The results from the one-way ANOVA discovered that pre-task planning conditions and task types significantly influence the accuracy of speaking. These outcomes reinforce the notion that planning conditions have meaningful results on pupils' accomplishment in personal and decision-making tasks. Consequently, both planning conditions proved real in enhancing students' performance in speaking tasks. It is suggested that educators should give considerable attention to pre-task planning to alleviate EFL pupils' challenges in attaining upper ranks of accuracy in their speaking abilities.

This study aims to explore the psychological impact of virtual learning on students with special educational needs (SEN). This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 24 students with SEN recruited through online platforms. Theoretical saturation was reached, and data were analyzed using NVivo software following a thematic analysis approach. The interviews explored students’ experiences with virtual learning, including emotional responses, cognitive struggles, and social adaptation. Themes were identified through an iterative coding process, ensuring reliability and depth in capturing the psychological effects of digital education on this population. The results indicate that virtual learning has led to heightened emotional distress, including anxiety, stress, and reduced motivation, largely due to isolation and the absence of structured classroom environments. Participants reported significant cognitive challenges, such as attention difficulties, cognitive overload from digital tools, and struggles with learning retention. Socially, students experienced decreased peer interaction, communication barriers, and difficulty adapting to digital learning norms. However, some students developed coping mechanisms such as parental support and self-regulation strategies. The findings align with previous research highlighting the adverse effects of digital learning on students with disabilities, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. The psychological impact of virtual learning on students with SEN is profound, affecting their emotional well-being, cognitive engagement, and social adaptation. While some students benefit from digital learning’s flexibility, most require additional support to mitigate stress, cognitive overload, and social isolation. Educators and policymakers must prioritize inclusive digital education strategies, enhance accessibility, and provide structured support systems to improve learning experiences for students with SEN.

In recent decades, the importance of applying cultural dimension into language pedagogy has received extensive emphasis worldwide. The problem arises when EFL teachers are afraid of referring to cultural notions in their classes just because it seems that they lack sufficient cultural knowledge of the target language. This research study intended to inspect Iranian EFL teachers’ intercultural awareness by evaluating their opinions about the importance of cultural teaching. Sercu et al. (2005) adopted questionnaire was used to gather the anticipated data. The participants were comprised of 102 teachers who were provided with questionnaires in person using hard copies. An interview was conducted as well with participants in order to explore the difficulties they encounter in the way of teaching culture. the collected data were analyzed via statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. Content analysis was used for analyzing the qualitative data gathered from interview. The results showed that Iranian EFL teachers have favorable opinions about intercultural learning. They were unwilling to implement the intercultural approach to their teaching method because of time constraints, lack of suitable materials, and guidelines. Several implications are emergent from the findings including suggestions for educational policy-makers, material designers, language institutes, and teacher training programs.

This study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators influencing the implementation of virtual reality (VR)-based therapy for emotional regulation in youth with exceptional needs. A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured interviews with 23 purposefully selected participants, including special education teachers, therapists, caregivers, and VR developers, all based in Minnesota, USA. Participants were selected based on their direct involvement with VR therapy programs for youth with neurodevelopmental or emotional regulation challenges. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo 14, following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. The analysis revealed two main thematic categories: facilitators and barriers. Facilitators included seven subthemes: technological appeal, personalization, therapist control, motivation and engagement, institutional support, caregiver involvement, and observable emotional gains. Barriers were categorized into seven subthemes as well: accessibility and equity issues, sensory limitations, stakeholder resistance, cultural irrelevance, technical difficulties, ethical and privacy concerns, and lack of standardized guidelines. Participants reported that immersive features, real-time therapist adjustments, and family buy-in enhanced VR’s therapeutic effectiveness. Conversely, cost constraints, lack of culturally appropriate content, and technical or ethical challenges hindered adoption. Quotes from stakeholders enriched the thematic interpretation and contextualized the results. VR-based therapy shows promising potential in enhancing emotional regulation among youth with exceptional needs due to its immersive, customizable, and engaging design. However, successful implementation depends on addressing contextual challenges, including accessibility, technical infrastructure, and cultural inclusivity. Stakeholder collaboration and the development of standardized protocols are essential to scale VR interventions in educational and clinical contexts.

The present explanatory mixed methods study was designed to investigate the difference between the effects of using the pyramid model of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Communicative Tasks (CTs) on reducing Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' speaking barriers. The participants were 57 Iranian EFL learners selected based on convenience sampling from a language institute in Tehran. The Preliminary English Test (PET) results verified their homogeneity. To foster a stronger spirit of cooperation among the participants, they were placed in three different classes based on their tendencies; hence, the researchers could consider them as three groups: the Pyramid Model Group (PMG), the Communicative Tasks Group (CTsG), and the Conventional Approach Group (CAG) each including 19 participants. The PMG received instructions pertaining to the six levels of PM in willingness to communicate (WTC), while the CTsG received instructions based on information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap activities. The CAG relied on the Audio-Lingual Method (ALM), which the institute regularly followed. Accordingly, the three groups went through pretesting, intervention, and post-testing. The participants completed a speaking barriers survey as pre- and post-tests. Then, ten participants from the three groups were randomly selected and interviewed about the impact of the methods they had experienced on their speaking barriers. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed the priority of the pyramid model of WTC over communicative tasks and conventional teaching in reducing learners' speaking barriers. The interview results also confirmed the quantitative findings indicating that anxiety, learners' low self-confidence, along with linguistic and instructional barriers could be reduced through being exposed to the pyramid model instructions. The results can be helpful for ELT professionals, EFL teachers and learners, and other stakeholders to hold more thriving L2 speaking classes.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of teacher–student interaction quality on academic motivation in neurodivergent learners, with social relatedness examined as a mediating variable. A descriptive correlational design was employed using a sample of 403 neurodivergent secondary school students in Slovenia, selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table. Standardized instruments were used to assess teacher–student interaction quality, social relatedness, and academic motivation, all measured on 7-point Likert scales. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation in SPSS-27 to explore bivariate associations and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in AMOS-21 to test the hypothesized mediating model. Model fit was evaluated using multiple indices, including χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA. The results indicated significant positive correlations among all variables: teacher–student interaction quality was positively correlated with social relatedness (r = .61, p < .001) and academic motivation (r = .55, p < .001), while social relatedness was strongly correlated with academic motivation (r = .67, p < .001). The SEM analysis showed an acceptable model fit (χ²/df = 2.35, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.057). Teacher–student interaction quality had significant direct effects on both social relatedness (β = .61, p < .001) and academic motivation (β = .26, p < .001). Social relatedness significantly predicted academic motivation (β = .58, p < .001), and also mediated the relationship between teacher–student interaction and academic motivation (indirect β = .35, p < .001), confirming a partial mediation model. The findings underscore the critical role of social relatedness in explaining how supportive teacher–student interactions enhance academic motivation among neurodivergent learners. Educational interventions that strengthen relational dynamics in inclusive classrooms may foster higher motivation and academic engagement in this population.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of emotional self-regulation training on assertiveness skills and motivational beliefs in students.The research method was a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group.From the statistical population, which included all sixth grade female students of Mirjaveh in the academic year of 1997-1998, using the purposeful sampling method, 40 people were randomly replaced in two experiment and control groups.The tools used were Gambrill and Ritchie's Daring Questionnaire (1975) and Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (1990).Covariance analysis method was also used to analyze the data. The results of the research showed that emotional self-regulation training was effective on students' assertiveness skills and motivational beliefs (p<0.01). Also, the effect of emotional self-regulation training on the components of motivational beliefs such as increasing self-efficacy and reducing exam's anxiety has also been positive and significant (p<0.01). But the results of the effect of emotional self-regulation training on internal valuation were not significant (p<0.05).Considering the negative consequences of weak motivational beliefs and assertiveness skills in students; Therefore, in order to strengthen these variables, it is suggested that emotional self-regulation be taught to students by teachers and education planners in the form of class discussions or empowerment workshops.

Exploring the disciplinary interface between English for specific purposes (ESP) and World Englishes (WEs), regarding the potential contributions of both disciplines to research on areas of shared interest, including TEFL and ESP Teachers’ attitudes are the center of current study. This investigation examines Iranian EFL and ESP teachers’ views on integrating WEs into ESP classes and assesses the English-speaking needs of ESP students. The study comprised 32 TEFL, 17 EFL, and 15 ESP teachers (16 male and 16 female, aged 30–67), using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach with quantitative questionnaires. Analysis of the data showed that subjects in both groups largely held remarkably positive views on WEs and felt ESP teaching should align with student objectives. More than two-thirds of participants disliked the current ESP syllabuses; however, only ESP teachers were unhappy with the teaching methods, cultural content, and textbook. The participants also showed complete dissatisfaction with their ESP students’ speaking abilities. It can be inferred that ESP course does not fully prepare the students to embark on their studies because it does not sufficiently consider learners’ speaking needs