Curriculum Research

Several investigations in the psychology domain, educational psychology, and other related subjects have examined the inner voice. However, it has not been used as much in teaching foreign languages, particularly in developing learning materials. This study aimed to develop new English learning materials based on Tomlinson’s text-driven approach to enhance learners’ inner voice through instruction using the newly developed materials. The participants in this study were 40 intermediate female EFL learners, aged 20-35. All participants were selected through convenience sampling and were native speakers of Persian. The researchers then assigned the participants randomly into two experimental and control groups, each including 20 participants. Data were collected through an inner voice questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods to align with the study’s objectives, participant characteristics, and research questions. The quantitative data were statistically analyzed using SPSS (version 22), revealing that learners demonstrated a moderately high engagement with their inner voice after instruction with the newly developed materials. Qualitative insights emphasized key themes, including the natural use of English in internal thought processes, more frequent internal dialogues, and deeper mental engagement with the language. The study suggests that textbook developers and curriculum designers should consider new approaches to meet EFL learners’ psychological and cognitive needs, particularly in fostering inner voice processing for deeper engagement.

Discovering the best solution for assessing intercultural communication is a big challenge all over the world. Thus, the current paper tried to find various ways of intercultural assessment in Iran by introducing a bimodal assessment model. Therefore, the researchers selected thirty Iranian teachers through convenience sampling as the participants of the study. By using a qualitative design, the required data were collected and by using inductive content analysis, the results were analyzed. The data collected and analyzed from interviews and observation sessions revealed that Iranian teachers used a blend of traditional and communicative methods to assess intercultural issues in their classes. Portfolio assessment, performance assessment, dynamic assessment, self/peer assessment, written quizzes, dialogues, and discussion, interview, and presentation are among the methods of assessing intercultural communication in Iran’s context. This study is of high importance for language teachers because they can use the findings as tools for assessing intercultural content in their classes and for intercultural experts to introduce these assessment tools to teachers in their training courses. The bimodal assessment model as the final product of this paper could pave the way for Iranian teachers as an assessment model.

The teacher ranking system in Iran is intended to enhance performance and motivation but encounters several challenges. This study aims to investigate Iranian teachers' experiences and perceptions of this ranking system using a qualitative, interpretative phenomenological approach. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 teachers from various Iranian cities. Findings revealed that the ranking system impacted four main areas: psychological effects, professional development, transparency and fairness, and educational quality. It supports professional growth, transparency, and improved teaching methods, but can also cause stress, psychological pressure, and reduced focus on teaching, potentially lowering teaching quality. Strengths of the system include professional development, increased transparency, skill updates, and fostering healthy competition. Conversely, its weaknesses involve heightened stress, diminished teaching focus, and reduced quality. Recommendations for improvement include revising evaluation criteria, establishing supportive measures for teachers, involving them in the evaluation process, and increasing educational programs and workshops for professional development. These adjustments aim to mitigate the system's negative effects, boost teacher motivation and job satisfaction, and ultimately enhance the overall quality of education in schools.

This study examined the impact of auditory input enhancement on the speaking abilities of Iranian EFL learners. Given the importance of speaking in language acquisition and the challenge of limited exposure to spoken English, the study focused on auditory input enhancement—altering intonation and pitch—to improve speaking proficiency. Fifty intermediate-level female learners, aged 18-28, from an English Language institute were selected based on their Oxford Placement Test (OPT) scores. Participants were divided into an experimental group, which received auditory input enhancement, and a control group, which followed traditional methods. Speaking abilities were evaluated with pretests and posttests using the Preliminary English Test (PET). An independent samples t-test analyzed the scores to test the hypothesis. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's speaking performance compared to the control group, with Cohen's d showing a large effect size. These findings support previous research on input enhancement, underscoring the role of auditory input in focusing learners' attention on linguistic features and enhancing speaking performance. The study suggests that auditory input enhancement could be a valuable tool for EFL teachers and curriculum designers to improve learners' speaking skills.

The current study aimed to measure the validity and reliability of the three-factor questionnaire of media didactica of Persian language teachers. Two groups participated in the study: specialists in the fields related to media Didactica and high school teachers in Tehran. The group of experts was recruited by convenience sampling method, and a Cluster method was used to select teachers. The participants included 17 experts and 185 teachers. First, the three-factor media didactica questionnaire of Simmons (2017) was translated into Farsi, and in the next step, it was given to a group of experts to assess its validity, and after confirming its validity, it was given to teachers to assess its reliability. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model was compatible with three factors including media, media understanding and social development. Using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, it was found that the coefficient value of subscales ranged between 0.71 and 0.79. The results showed that the Persian media questionnaire was a valid instrument with good reliability and validity for measuring the media didactica of Persian language teachers.

The relationship between intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and the speaking ability of language learners has been a focal point in foreign language education. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ICC and speaking ability as demonstrated by Iranian EFL learners in an online Advanced Communication course, as well as their perceptions of how it impacted their language learning needs and objectives. The research utilized an explanatory mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies for gathering and analyzing data. The testing group consisted of 154 undergraduate English language translation students, encompassing both male and female. Participants selected through convenience sampling. Data collection involved a homogeneity test, a speaking test evaluated by two raters, an ICC questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. By employing Pearson Correlation and thematic analysis to analyze the data, the study unveiled a significant relationship between ICC and speaking ability, demonstrating potential benefits for both language learners and educators aiming to enhance linguistic and cultural speaking proficiency.