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English for Specific Purposes (ESP) education has gained prominence as a specialized field designed to address the distinct linguistic needs of learners. Although AI-enhanced instruction has been investigated within general English language learning, its implementation in ESP contexts particularly concerning vocabulary recall and retention has remained insufficiently explored. This study sought to evaluate the impact of AI-supported instruction on vocabulary recall and retention among Iranian ESP learners. Based on non-random convenience sampling, a total of 48 undergraduate students in an ESP course from a university in a southeastern province in Iran participated in the present quasi-experimental study. The participants were non-randomly assigned into two different groups: an experimental group (n=24) receiving AI-powered vocabulary instruction through Diffit, and a control group (n=24) receiving traditional print-based vocabulary instruction. Data were collected during a twelve-week intervention through AI-powered instruction of ESP vocabulary. To address the research questions, a univariate repeated measures analysis of covariate (ANCOVA) was employed. Findings revealed that AI-enhanced instruction significantly improved vocabulary recall and retention among ESP learners. The results offer robust evidence supporting the efficacy of AI-based instructional approaches in enhancing vocabulary learning outcomes within ESP settings.

This quasi-experimental research investigated the comparative effects of gamified versus non-gamified flipped classrooms on the grammar proficiency of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, with a focus on the acquisition of past tenses. Sixty intermediate-level EFL learners (aged 12–15) were selected non-randomly from a pool of 90 students based on their scores on the Cambridge Preliminary English Test. The participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups: one experienced a gamified flipped classroom and the other a non-gamified flipped classroom. Both groups received instruction on English past tenses through pre-class videos and in-class activities over 12 sessions. The gamified group used game-based platforms, while the non-gamified group followed traditional methods. Grammar pre-test and post-test were administered to assess learning outcomes. Analysis using one-way ANCOVA revealed that gamified flipped classroom group significantly outperformed the non-gamified group in acquiring English past tenses. The findings suggest that integrating gamification into flipped classroom models can significantly enhance acquisition of past tenses among EFL students. These results hold implications for EFL educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers seeking to adopt engaging and effective instructional strategies.

This study aimed to compare the effects of Automated Writing Evaluation Feedback (AWEF) and Peer Feedback (PF) on the development of self-regulation in writing among Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The participants consisted of 58 intermediate-level Persian-speaking English learners, aged 25 to 30, enrolled in two intact IELTS preparation classes at a private language institute in Tehran. The learners were assigned into two experimental groups: one group (n = 30) received peer feedback, while the other (n = 28) received automated feedback through ProWritingAid. To assess the impact of these interventions, data were collected using the Writing Strategies for Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (WSSRLQ), semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Quantitative analysis using independent samples t-tests revealed significant improvements in self-regulation scores for both groups post-intervention, with the AWEF group showing a significantly greater increase. Qualitative analysis of interview and observation data further supported these findings, indicating that AWEF participants engaged in more structured and proactive revision practices, while PF participants developed greater reflective awareness and emotional resilience through collaborative interaction. Triangulated results confirmed that both feedback types positively influenced self-regulated writing behaviors, with AWEF demonstrating a stronger overall impact.

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.