مطالب

Literature review shows that there has been a plethora of studies on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' motivation for teaching and the role which they play in motivating learners. However, it seems that types of motivational strategies employed by EFL teachers to motivate EFL learners in language institutes in Iran have not been sufficiently studied. In so doing, a qualitative research method was used and 25 EFL teachers who were selected through purposive sampling were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Results showed that EFL teachers use six macro strategies: L2 related values, teaching behaviors/teaching styles, appreciating learners' effort, prompting learner autonomy, Classroom atmosphere, and increasing learners' confidence. Each macro-strategy consists of several micro-strategies. Totally, 36 micro-strategies are used by EFL teachers to motivate EFL learners. It can be concluded that besides establishing and creating appropriate learning conditions, EFL teachers use both instrumental and integrative motivations to motivate EFL learners.

Stability and instability of family, as the most important and fundamental social organ, has significant effect on the destiny of a society. The increasing rate of divorce, including legal or emotional ones, is a major social dilemma where the role of family cannot be ignored in fixing it. This is a problem that can be solved by altering the approach of lawmakers i.e. an approach based on 'Consolidation Principle' leads to the stability of family. In other words, this as a general legal principle has been in line with the Sharia law. Based on this principle, whatever causes the family stability is accepted and is in accordance with the religious decree and whatever leads to instability and shakiness of the family foundation is hateful and unaccepted. The consolidation principle is based on rationality, expediency, notoriety and necessity. Similarly, this principle, in clerical way from accessories to totalities, is based on the holy Qur’an and Islamic Traditions.

The empowerment of Zoroastrian Magi as a social class was intertwined with the emperors’ power to the extent that the political power of Magi can be regarded as a discontinued historical process with ups and downs. This paper attempts to reassess an apparent contrast between historical narratives and archeological findings (e.g. rock reliefs) concerning the political empowerment of Zoroastrian Magi in the beginning of Sassanid Empire until the reign of Narseh. According to the historical narratives, the Sassanid founding fathers, Ardashir and his Successor Shapur I, emphasized ecumenism (i.e. the possession of political sovereignty and religious power by emperor.) However, according to the rock reliefs of the 3rd century, shortly after Shapur I, with the rise of Bahram I, a structural split occurred between the emperor’s power as the sovereign and the power of Magi. Bahram I’s reign is the first historical period in which Zoroastrian Magi, represented as a social class, obtained a political superiority. Roughly speaking, in this epoch which spanned for almost two decades (the reign of Bahram I, Bahram II, and Bahram III,) one institutionalized reading of Zoroastrianism developed by an elite Magi, i.e. “Kartir”, became dominant over others and turned steadily into the Imperial religion. The above contrast can be formulated, as follows: given the fact that an ecumenical power is the ultimate form of sovereignty in a monarch system, why and how a Kartir could gain authoritatively a significant share of power? Through adopting an historical approach, the authors pursue the roots of answer in three related political phenomena: First, the quarrel between Bahram I and Narseh; second, the trial and the execution of Mani the prophet; and third, the institutionalization of Zoroastrianism as the Imperial religion.