مطالب

The present study aimed to analyze two secondary English school textbooks from Iran and Egypt to see to what extent these two middle-eastern countries with similar religious, historical, and social backgrounds include culture in their official textbooks.  For this purpose, Vision I , the Iranian secondary school textbook, and Hello I, the Egyptian English school textbook, were chosen. Four aspects of culture (topics, cultural dimensions, international/intercultural issues, and cultural references) were investigated in these two textbooks. The results show that Vision I has a more limited number of cultural content compared to Hello I . However, a lack of in-depth cultural information could be observed in both textbooks. Thus, it is necessary to take special measures concerning Vision I by including a greater array of cultural content and giving this content depth and detail. For Hello I , the cultural content needs to exceed in quality. The present study's findings might be insightful for syllabus designers, textbook publishers, and teachers to reconsider the essential role of culture qualitatively and quantitatively.

This descriptive quantitative study scrutinized the relationship between impulsive and reflective EFL learners’ oral communication strategies (OCS) and willingness to communicate (WTC). To this end, 114 impulsive and reflective graduate-level EFL learners (67% female; 33% male), within the age range of 23 to 40, were selected employing convenience sampling. The data collection instruments were the impulsiveness sub-scale of Eysenck’s impulsivity inventory (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1978), the OCS inventory (Nakatani, 2006), and the WTC scale (McCroskey, 1992). Subsequent to checking and verifying the pertinent assumptions, using Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated that there existed a positive yet insignificant correlation between impulsive EFL learners’ OCS and their WTC; however, a positive and significant correlation between reflective EFL learners’ OCS and their WTC was observed. In addition, the results of linear regression analyses and comparing the β values revealed that impulsive EFL learners’ OCS cannot significantly predict their WTC whereas reflective EFL learners’ OCS can significantly predict their WTC. In general, the obtained results confirmed that OCS can positively affect EFL learners’ WTC, although attention should be paid to learners’ impulsivity o reflectivity prior to planning the pedagogical practice.          

The present study aimed to rediscover the global criteria for English language teacher evaluation. To do so, a large body of research was reviewed, and the characteristics of effective teachers along with their indicators were compiled. Nine characteristics which proved to be the most frequently indorsed by scholars were selected as the global criteria of teacher effectiveness. Then, these criteria were utilized to employ five English language teachers in a language institute in Kerman, Iran. The classroom performance of these teachers and that of five others formerly employed based on some local criteria was observed by the institute supervisor. At the end of the semester, perceptions of the students of both groups of teachers were explored through a questionnaire developed by the authors. Finally, the performances of the two groups of teachers were compared in terms of the students' and the observer's perceptions. The results showed that the teachers employed based on the global criteria of teacher effectiveness outperformed those recruited based on the local criteria. This indicates that the selected criteria of teacher effectiveness can be reliable for English teacher performance evaluation.                 

The second phase is a strategic and intelligent statement based on the model design of the self-construction levels, socialisation and civilisation-making. Emphasising the human-divine epistemology in the transcendent-oriented rationality creates a new chapter in deepening and expanding the Islamic Revolution. The modern phrase "The Great Islamic Revolution" as a meta-theory of a revolutionary system is based on Islamism, independence, popular movement and freedom that caused understanding the theory of the revolutionary system. With a qualitative method and an interpretive approach of inferential analysis, the present study aimed to answer the main question 'What are the coordinates of the rationality structure in the rational system theory?'. Another aim is to explain the conceptualisation of the revolutionary system theory, emphasising rationality. This theory emphasises the relationship between justice, rationality, spirituality and freedom. Spirituality is work spirit; justice is directer and valuator things; freedom, human choice and rationality are considered the essential work tools in the Islamic system. Paying attention to the philosophical understanding of the problem, timeology, futurism, moderation, gaining experience, and the relationship between realism and idealism is one of the characteristics of this transcendent-oriented rationality. The result of this rationality will be a logical political analysis and decision, increasing the authority of the political system and proper enemyology. Community building based on faith, science and justice has unique characteristics that believe in it wisely and effectively, leads to self-confidence, progress and authority of Islamic Iran.