۱.
This study investigated the independent and interactive effects of task type and task complexity on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' writing performance. Sixty-three intermediate EFL learners completed two writing tasks that varied in task type (narrative vs. decision-making) and task complexity (simple vs. complex). Task complexity was manipulated through reasoning demands using a within-subjects design, while task type functioned as a between-subjects factor. Task stimuli were presented as animated video clips, and participants engaged in pre-task planning by annotating the videos. Writing performance was assessed using seven measures of Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF): Mean Length of T-unit (MLT), Dependent Clauses per T-unit (DC/T), Complex Nominals per T-unit (CN/T), Complex Nominals per Clause (CN/C), Error-Free Ratio (EFR), Correct Verb Forms (CVF), and Text Length (TXL). Repeated-measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed significant effects of task type, task complexity, and their interaction. Decision-making tasks produced significantly higher MLT, CN/T, CN/C, EFR, and CVF than narrative tasks, whereas narrative tasks yielded greater fluency. Increasing task complexity increased MLT, CN/T, and CN/C but reduced accuracy, with no significant effects on DC/T or fluency. Significant Task Type × Task Complexity interactions were observed for MLT, CN/T, and CN/C, indicating that the effects of task complexity on syntactic complexity varied across task types. The findings demonstrate that task design exerts selective rather than uniform effects on L2 writing performance and that different dimensions of CAF respond differently to task manipulations.
۲.
Although postmodern philosophy has substantially influenced perspectives on knowledge, learning, and curriculum development, existing research has largely examined its educational implications through isolated aspects such as learner autonomy, student participation, and alternative assessment. Consequently, a comprehensive framework of the components and indicators of a postmodern curriculum remains underdeveloped. This study aimed to synthesize existing research to identify the dimensions, components, and indicators of a curriculum grounded in postmodern educational philosophy. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted using the five-stage framework proposed by Erwin et al. (2011). From an initial corpus of 247 scholarly articles and publications published between 2011 and 2024, 30 studies were purposively selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed through systematic coding and thematic synthesis. The findings identified five interconnected dimensions of a postmodern curriculum: curriculum objectives, curriculum content, teaching–learning methods and strategies, assessment and evaluation, and curriculum environment and context. These dimensions comprised 14 organizing themes and 53 indicators emphasizing flexibility, contextualization, learner participation, pluralism, dialogue, and autonomy. The proposed framework provides a conceptual foundation for designing curricula that are more responsive, learner-centered, and context-sensitive, with particular relevance for EFL curriculum development, educational practice, and policy.
۳.
Oral corrective feedback (OCF) is central to supporting accuracy and comprehension in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction; however, its enactment in medical ESP reading classrooms remains underexplored. This study investigated the OCF strategies employed by TESOL‑trained instructors and the learner error types they prioritized during medical English reading comprehension classes. Adopting a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected from 18 audio‑recorded classroom sessions taught by six instructors at a Medical Science university in Iran. OCF episodes were identified and coded using an observation checklist adapted from Lyster and Ranta’s taxonomy. A total of 135 feedback episodes were identified. Explicit correction and recasts were the most frequently used strategies. Errors involving medical terminology were prioritized and predominantly addressed through explicit correction, whereas grammatical and phonological errors were more often treated through recasts or delayed feedback. The findings indicate that OCF practices in medical ESP reading classrooms are shaped by disciplinary demands, task characteristics, and institutional constraints, highlighting the need for context‑responsive feedback practices in ESP instruction.
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Developing second language (L2) writing proficiency remains a major challenge for many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, highlighting the need for effective instructional and assessment approaches that can enhance writing development. The present study examined the impact of learning-oriented assessment (LOA) on minimizing learners' writing difficulties and improving their L2 writing performance. To this end, 70 homogenized upper-intermediate EFL learners from a language school in Tehran participated in a quasi-experimental study. Using convenience sampling, the participants were assigned to an experimental group ( n = 33) and a control group ( n = 37). The data were analyzed using one-way ANCOVA and one-way MANCOVA. The results revealed that LOA had a significant positive effect on learners' writing development, particularly in the components of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). The findings suggest that incorporating learning-oriented assessment into writing instruction can effectively support L2 writing development and reduce learners' writing difficulties. The study offers important implications for L2 writing pedagogy, language assessment, and the implementation of learning-oriented instructional practices.
۵.
Teacher assessment literacy is a crucial component of assessment quality in higher education. Addressing the need for contextually responsive assessment literacy, this study aimed to develop a conceptual understanding of Iranian English literature lecturers’ critical poetry assessment literacy (CPAL). Drawing on constructivist grounded theory, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants possessing expertise and experience in English poetry assessment, selected via purposive sampling. Data collection and analysis proceeded concurrently, with meanings co-constructed through the interaction between researchers and interviewees. The analysis was informed by a critical perspective on language assessment as a sensitizing lens while remaining grounded in participants’ perspectives. Through coding and constant comparative analysis, five conceptual categories were generated: theoretical foundations of English poetry assessment, contextual conditions, critical conceptions of English poetry assessment, professional development programs, and critical agency in English poetry assessment. The resulting conceptual framework highlights the multidimensional nature of poetry assessment literacy and underscores the importance of adopting a critical approach to professional development tailored to the needs of Iranian English literature lecturers. The study may contribute to the advancement of poetry assessment practices, professional development initiatives, educational policy, and future research on poetry assessment literacy.
۶.
The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English language education has created new opportunities to enhance reading instruction. This study investigated the effect of AI-driven reading instruction on EFL learners’ reading autonomy and explored learners’ perceptions of AI-driven reading environments. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design including a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest nonequivalent control-group design followed by the qualitative phase using extreme (polar) case sampling and semi-structured interviews, was employed during a five-week intervention. Fifty-four intermediate EFL learners from a Language school in Kerman, Iran were selected through Oxford Placement Test and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 27), which received AI-driven reading instruction through ReadTheory, and a control group (n = 27), which received traditional reading instruction. Quantitative data were collected using pre- and post-tests of reading autonomy questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) after checking the required assumptions, and the interview data were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. The findings revealed that AI-driven instruction significantly enhanced learners’ overall reading autonomy as well as its cognitive, metacognitive, affective-motivational, and action-oriented dimensions. However, no statistically significant improvement was found in the social dimension of reading autonomy. Furthermore, qualitative findings indicated that learners perceived ReadTheory as a tutor-like support system, providing personalized and adaptive learning for them. The study concludes that AI-driven platforms can serve as a valuable pedagogical tool for enhancing learners’ reading autonomy when integrated with appropriate instructional support.
