مطالب

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.

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.

The present article aims to analyze Ann Pancake’s Strange as this Weather Has Been through the lens of ecofeminist theories. The study explores the connections between women and nature by focusing on three key areas: inherent affinity and dualism, agency and intrinsic values, and conflict with technology. The article addresses how the novel expresses and upholds ecofeminist concepts and how the female characters challenge the male-dominated power structure by participating in the ecofeminist movement through their actions and words as Earth's guardians. Greta Gaard’s ecofeminist ideas form the theoretical foundation of this research. The article highlights how the primary female characters in the novel exhibit a profound bond with their land and work to safeguard it as guardians of the Earth, embodying resilience, empowerment, and an enduring spirit, and manifest self-confidence and a deep connection with nature. Through this affinity, they portray a sense of belonging and identity with nature. It laments that technology, which is manipulated in capitalist and patriarchal ideologies, treats nature merely as a commodity. The narrative also showcases and criticizes the dire environmental and societal consequences of mountaintop removal mining as a harmful technological practice in Appalachia, which, on a macro level, stands for the world.

Background: The conceptualization of Moroccan cyberspace is intrinsically linked to the country's international and regional dynamics, in particular those of its African and Mediterranean neighborhood.Methodology: we have mobilized quantitative techniques and potential comparative analysis to address our crucial research questions around the strengths and weaknesses within Morocco's national cyber strategy by analyzing and comparing them with other international experiences, and finally recommending best practices to maintain the regional leadership position.Discussion: Although Morocco has acquired considerable expertise in comparison with this environment, regarding proven mechanisms of cyber stability, and the institutionalization and organization of national cyber security. However, one of the main obstacles lies in the centralization of these practices by the State, as well as in the sectorial and selective approach chosen by Moroccan policymakers to secure the national cyber space. This strategy, contrary to the country's principles of openness, was developed on the basis of the arguments, based on the priorities and strategic challenges specific to each sector.Aims: We open up our local experience to comparison with other known global experiences in the field of national cybersecurity, to decipher the strengths and weaknesses of national digital strategies and to fill the gaps causing the weakening of our replicating processes.Conclusion: The question is whether a simple reform of the central state's public policies on national cybersecurity is effective or, on the contrary, the situation requires a drastic and broader intervention, materialized by major investments and structural reforms in entire development strategies.

This article examines the reception and interpretation of Shakespeare’s works in modern-day Iran, beginning with an overview of the Qajar Dynasty (1789–1925) and focusing on Post-Revolutionary Iran. The study aims to illuminate an often-overlooked aspect: a significant shift in attitudes toward Shakespeare’s plays between pre- and post-Revolutionary Iran, shaped by the dominant policies and ideologies of each era. Prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, adaptations of Shakespearean works such as Macbeth and Hamlet demonstrated discernible political orientations. In contrast, post-Revolution adaptations, including Tardid and Mortal Wound, adopted a more sophisticated moralistic perspective. This transformation extended not only to thematic content but also to the medium of adaptation. During the pre-Revolution period, Shakespeare’s plays were primarily translated into dramatic performances. However, the post-Revolutionary era saw a shift toward visual adaptations, including cinematic productions and home-video renditions. The contrast between these periods offers insights into Iran’s contemporary outlook, revealing the interplay between historical power structures and the reception of Shakespeare’s works. This study highlights the extent to which prevailing systems of authority shape the acceptance and adaptation of cultural expressions across distinct historical contexts.

This study investigates the role of euphemistic strategies in the manipulation of realities and persuasion within political discourse, focusing on speeches by American and Iranian politicians during the 2013-2015 nuclear negotiations. Employing Van Dijk's socio-cognitive model, the research conducts a comparative discourse analysis to identify and categorize euphemistic expressions used to justify policies, address controversial issues, and influence public opinion. The analysis reveals distinct patterns in the use of euphemistic strategies, with American politicians, such as John Kerry, frequently employing polarization and burden/topos, while Iranian politicians, like Mohammad Javad Zarif, emphasize evidentiality and positive self-presentation. These differences reflect varying rhetorical styles and objectives, highlighting how euphemisms serve as tools for ideological manipulation and audience persuasion. The study underscores the importance of understanding euphemistic language in political communication, offering insights into the mechanisms of public perception shaping and the legitimization of political agendas. By comparing English and Persian political discourses, this research contributes to cross-cultural discourse analysis and enhances critical discourse awareness, equipping audiences to deconstruct political rhetoric and recognize underlying persuasive techniques.

Considering the goals of sustainable development, numerous studies and research have been conducted in the field of supply chain sustainability. While some articles have addressed the social sustainability dimensions of the supply chain, there is a lack of integrated and comprehensive models to assess the performance of these chains in social sustainability dimensions, especially concerning decent work criteria. The present research aims to design a model for the maturity of decent work in the sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain. This research is an applied study from the perspective of objectives and descriptive research methodologically. The research population in the qualitative section consisted of experienced experts in the field of supply chain and decent work, and for this purpose, 15 individuals were selected and interviewed. After designing the initial model, in the qualitative section and initial screening of dimensions and components, 84 concepts remained in the model.

This paper presents a mathematical model for cell formation, cell layout, and resources assignment problems simultaneously. This model focuses on the influence of the man-machine relationship aspect on the cellular manufacturing system (CMS) design. The main purpose of the model is to demonstrate how to design the CMS with the new aspect such that the costs associated with processing, layout, worker, and machine idle time, machine and tool are minimized. The proposed model is applied to a numerical example using Lingo software. Due to the complexity of the presented model, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to find satisfactory solutions. To verify the solutions, a harmony search (HS) algorithm is used. Additionally, the Taguchi method is utilized to adjust the parameters in two proposed algorithms. Finally, to validate the model, some numerical examples are presented. Results emanating from the research show that the proposed HS algorithm is a favorable method for the presented model.