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Attention plays a vital role in education. Children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suffer from impairing levels of inattention. ADHD is a relatively common childhood disorder (Scahill & Schwab-Stone, 2000), which, if left untreated, results in adverse consequences (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). This necessitates employing attention-training methods, such as neurofeedback training (NFT). But although conventional, NFT is expensive and time-consuming; therefore, the need for finding other methods is felt. The total physical response (TPR) method can provide a suitable venue for teaching young learners with ADHD (Nunan, 2011). Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the comparative effects of NFT and TPR on ADHD young learners’ attention. To do so, 16 students with ADHD were selected from a school in Shahryar. They were randomly assigned to NFT and TPR groups, receiving these treatments for twenty sessions, respectively. The Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA+Plus) was used as the pre- and post-test to measure full, auditory, and visual attention. To answer the research questions investigating the comparative effects of NFT and TPR on ADHD young learners’ attention, non-parametric one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted. Moreover, the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to explore within-group differences. The results indicated significant improvements for both groups. Nevertheless, NFT was found to be more effective regarding full and auditory attention. Concerning visual attention, both treatments were similarly effective. The findings suggest both treatments can improve participants’ attention. The study has implications for education by shedding light on attention-training methods.

The relationship between intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and the speaking ability of language learners has been a focal point in foreign language education. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ICC and speaking ability as demonstrated by Iranian EFL learners in an online Advanced Communication course, as well as their perceptions of how it impacted their language learning needs and objectives. The research utilized an explanatory mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies for gathering and analyzing data. The testing group consisted of 154 undergraduate English language translation students, encompassing both male and female. Participants selected through convenience sampling. Data collection involved a homogeneity test, a speaking test evaluated by two raters, an ICC questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. By employing Pearson Correlation and thematic analysis to analyze the data, the study unveiled a significant relationship between ICC and speaking ability, demonstrating potential benefits for both language learners and educators aiming to enhance linguistic and cultural speaking proficiency.

This study investigates the effect of strategy training on EFL learners’ attitudes regarding the concept and applicability of critical thinking in an educational context. To achieve this goal,80 EFL learners were selected using convenience sampling and homogenized based on the Oxford Placement Test.They completed a questionnaire adapted from Stupple et al.(2017) to assess their attitudes toward critical thinking,which served as the pre-test. Subsequently,the participants were divided into experimental and control groups.The experimental group underwent strategy training over10 sessions,during which various strategies were explained, and participants practiced using them to solve problems and exchange feedback.Additionally,they discussed the applicability and challenges associated with critical thinking in an educational context.The control group received mainstream instruction.After the treatment,both groups completed the same critical thinking questionnaire as the posttest.Furthermore,qualitative interviews were conducted with participants from the experimental group to gain an in-depth understanding. The data analysis revealed significant changes in the attitudes of the experimental group.Overall,this study follows a quasi-experimental explanatory sequential mixed-method design “In nature,the data analysis showed that,in general,the attitudes of the experimental group had changed significantly in the post-test compared to the control group.However,there was no significant difference in the attitude of the experimental and control groups regarding the applicability of strategy training for improving critical thinking and their ability to deploy critical thinking effectively.The results of the interviews and the comment section showed that teachers’ theoretical knowledge and willingness,EFL learners’ preparedness, and educational factors play important roles in the successful implementation of strategy training for developing critical thinking among EFL learners.”

This study attempted to explore to what extent each of the three techniques of culture narratives, culture capsules and culture training activities significantly affect the critical cultural awareness of Iranian EFL learners by comparing their means from pretest to post-test questionnaire after ten-session treatment. Furthermore, it investigated whether there are any differences in the effectiveness of these techniques. Regarding the participants, the testing group was 154 undergraduate English language translation students, including both male and female students, forming three experimental groups. This investigation used the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The homogeneity test and a pre-post critical cultural awareness questionnaire were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed through Repeated Measures ANOVA and Simple Effect Analysis. Based on the obtained results, there were significant differences between the pretest and the post-test, which means that by applying the techniques mentioned above, the critical cultural awareness of learners increased. Also, there were significant differences between the three groups’ overall means on pre-post critical cultural awareness questionnaires. Considering the three groups, culture narratives, culture capsule and culture training activities, the former outperforms the others. Furthermore, between culture training activities and culture capsule groups, the culture training activities group performed better than the culture capsule group.

based on the peculiarities of developing AI technology, learning English among EFL learners has become easier and the significance of studying the way English skills interact with AI technology such as Chat-GPT, and EFL learners’ internal and social factors have become highly important. Social factors include may greatly affect the problem-solving skills of the students. It might also lead to a decline in students' writing skills as they rely on the model to generate content rather than developing their own communication abilities. Social factors might include issues related to job or individual growth. Adopting a transformative learning ground, the present study attempted to use a qualitative-method approach to investigate how EFL learners experience AI, on one hand, and how they perceive Chat-GPT in this process through understanding changes in their job, attitudes toward themselves and etc, on the other hand. This study is based on a detailed investigation of the learning experiences of 46 Iranian EFL learners (intermediate and upper intermediate level) from Qom and Tehran provinces; selected based on convenience sampling procedure. Semi-structured interviews were used as the primary data collection method. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the recorded and transcribed data and theme extraction, which combined with an abductive approach helped derive broader meaning. The results indicated an overall positive perception of Chat-GPT among the participants

This study attempted to explore to what extent each of the three techniques of culture narratives, culture capsules and culture training activities significantly affect the critical cultural awareness of Iranian EFL learners by comparing their means from pretest to post-test questionnaire after ten-session treatment. Furthermore, it investigated whether there are any differences in the effectiveness of these techniques. Regarding the participants, the testing group was 154 undergraduate English language translation students, including both male and female students, forming three experimental groups. This investigation used the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The homogeneity test and a pre-post critical cultural awareness questionnaire were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed through Repeated Measures ANOVA and Simple Effect Analysis. Based on the obtained results, there were significant differences between the pretest and the post-test, which means that by applying the techniques mentioned above, the critical cultural awareness of learners increased. Also, there were significant differences between the three groups’ overall means on pre-post critical cultural awareness questionnaires. Considering the three groups, culture narratives, culture capsule and culture training activities, the former outperforms the others. Furthermore, between culture training activities and culture capsule groups, the culture training activities group performed better than the culture capsule group.

Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) refer to periods of sustained motivational momentum characterized by clear direction, structured pathways, and ongoing feedback. This study examined how teacher cognition shapes DMC-like engagement in exam-driven EFL classrooms and how these processes appear in learners’ moment-to-moment engagement. Using a longitudinal multiple-case design, we followed five upper-secondary EFL teachers in public schools over one academic year. Data collection included repeated teacher interviews, classroom observations and field notes, teacher reflections, focus groups, including a follow-up session, learner interviews, and paper-based motometers tracking within-lesson engagement trajectories. Data were managed in MAXQDA (2022) for coding and organization and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase model, with systematic triangulation across teacher- and learner-side sources. The findings showed that teachers valued DMC principles but often saw full DMCs as hard to sustain under exam cycles and pacing demands. Instead, their cognition centered on route-building practices, i.e., clarifying direction, sequencing subgoals, maintaining routines, and providing frequent low-stakes feedback, which supported episodic DMC-like engagement as shown in motometers and observation field notes. However, institutional route-change events and learner-level fragility repeatedly disrupted continuity, shifting engagement toward exam-framed persistence, reducing learner-owned momentum. The study sharpens the boundary between DMC-like engagement and exam-driven persistence and offers practical guidance for designing flexible motivational routes that protect continuity in constrained school contexts. By linking teacher accounts to learner-side engagement signals, the study provides a mechanism-level explanation of the interplay between teacher cognition and learner engagement trajectories across a school year.