مطالب

Despite communication challenges, research suggests that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can benefit from foreign language education. This aligns with their strengths in visual learning and the documented effect of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in teaching language to children with ASD. Building on these strengths, this qualitative case study investigated the effectiveness of combining Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) strategies for teaching English language skills to an 8-year-old boy with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at Sara Autism Center. The study employed detailed observations to explore the participant's experience learning English as a foreign language. The findings revealed a significant increase in vocabulary (30 words within three months) and highlighted the effect of ABA and PECS in facilitating language acquisition and generalization. The use of the Let Me Talk app on an iPad to support communication and parental involvement were identified as crucial factors for success. This case study emphasizes the importance of multimodal learning approaches. It also highlights the need to tailor interventions to individual needs for effective language development in autistic children. The findings offer valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and parents invested in improving educational outcomes for children with ASD.

In spite of the longitudinal attempts of the educational authorities, English has failed to have a proper position in the ELT educational system in Iran, resulting in the weak performance of Iranian EFL learners. As a result, this study was carried out to integrate sociocultural theory, multimodality theory, multiple intelligence theory, and social identity theory to develop a comprehensive conceptual model for understanding and overcoming ELT curriculum challenges. A transformative sequential mixed research design was adopted to explore the challenges, perceptions, and provision of the model. First of all, a total of 49 articles were selected from well-established journals to map the related challenges. The review and comparison processes were conducted based on Tricco et al.’s (2018) PRISMA_SCR model (thematic analysis). The extracted categories of challenges were explored in relation to the principles of the four mentioned theories, and nine categories were selected to align with the principles of the mentioned theories. Then, 403 participants from three categories of stakeholders (pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and scholars) were chosen, and their perceptions were assessed through the administration of a researcher-developed Likert-scale questionnaire. Moreover, some interview questions were drawn up to guide the qualitative phase, and an observation checklist was developed to assist in monitoring ELT classroom practices (to confirm the extracted challenges and assure the validity of the questionnaire). The results, obtained through SPSS and SEM statistical platforms, revealed that all three groups of participants considered authenticity, lack of communicative skill, deficiency in teacher training programs, and malfunctioning assessment methods as the most important challenges. This study has highlighted the effect of the application of the principles of sociocultural and social identity theories in developing an optimal learning environment that is socially and culturally responsive. Moreover, the principles of multimodality theory have emphasized the positive effect of the application of different instructional resources in promoting engagement and development among EFL learners. On the other hand, the principles of multiple intelligence theory call for differentiated instruction and assessment to address various cognitive and emotional capacities of learners. By integrating sociocultural, social identity, multiple intelligence, and multimodality theories, this study has provided a holistic framework for reforming the most significant ELT curriculum challenges.

The current research aimed to develop a freelancing model in Iran's sports industry. This study is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of methodology. The statistical population consisted of experts in entrepreneurship, management, and sports management. A purposive snowball sampling method was used, and 19 participants were selected based on theoretical saturation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. The data were analyzed using the grounded theory approach and Glaser's emergent method. Coding was performed in two stages and three steps: actual coding (open and selective coding) and theoretical coding, through which the research components were identified. In total, 160 codes and 41 categories were extracted across 10 dimensions at three levels: macro, meso, and micro. The findings indicate that at the macro level, cultural, political, social, economic, and legal factors are influential; at the meso level, educational, technological, and media factors play a role; and at the micro level, behavioral and psychological factors are significant. Given the unemployment rate among graduates of sports science and physical education, it is recommended that managers and policymakers take coordinated steps to leverage freelancing capacities to improve employment and entrepreneurship in the country's sports sector.