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A bulk of research has revealed that emotions play a crucial role in different aspects of second/foreign language (L2) education. However, the emotions that English as a foreign language (EFL) students experience during assessment have been neglected, so far. Against this backdrop, this qualitative study intended to unveil the typologies, antecedents, and outcomes of assessment-related emotions of 24 Iranian EFL undergraduate students studying applied linguistics. To this end, a semi-structured interview and a narrative frame were employed. The results of the thematic analysis demonstrated that undergraduate EFL students experienced different positive and negative emotions before, during, and after assessment practices at the university. Furthermore, it was found that “teacher”, “tasks”, and “textbook” were the most frequent causes of the participants’ perceived emotions in assessment. Concerning the outcomes of assessment-induced emotions, the results demonstrated that “burnout”, “frustration”, “demotivation”, “stress”, and “self-doubt” were the most frequent negative outcomes, while “motivation”, “learning”, “pride”, and “excitement” were repeatedly posited as positive outcomes. Finally, the study enumerates some implications for L2 educators and researchers concerning the role of emotions in assessment processes and practices.

One of the significant factors in EFL learning is teacher effectiveness which is of high importance since teachers are really and directly engaged in language learning as the final aim of English classes. This study aimed at designing and validating a Critical Pedagogy-Based Teacher Effectiveness Scale for Iranian EFL teachers. In so doing, an exploratory mixed-methods design was used. The participants of the qualitative phase included 20 male and female Iranian English teachers who were selected through available sampling. In the quantitative phase, 200 male and female Iranian English teachers participated through available sampling. To collect the data, a semi-structured interview was used. To analyze the data, qualitative thematic analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s Alpha Test were used. According to the results, the Critical Pedagogy-Based Teacher Effectiveness Scale for Iranian EFL teachers was developed in 42 Likert items in three sub-scales including pedagogical effectiveness (items 1 to 23), socio-cultural effectiveness (items 24 to 33), and empowering effectiveness (items 34 to 42). Six items were omitted in EFA and 36 items remained in the final scale. It was designed in a four-point Likert range from 1= strongly disagree to 4= strongly agree. It was shown that the developed scale is valid and reliable. The findings have some implications for EFL teachers, learners, teacher education instructors and policy makers

The book Practical Language Testing, authored by Glenn Fulcher (2010), is an epitome of comprehensive and detailed documentation on the relevance of the appropriate techniques, knowledge, and conceptual frameworks required to interpret and develop language assessments. It is also a systematic, helpful reference for researchers and educators that address assessment selection and design concerns, offering instructors guidance on picking the proper test for a particular educational setting and assisting in interpreting the scores generated by such tests. The book lays the groundwork for instructors to establish a thoughtful awareness of test scenarios to furnish the most efficient language assessment for their learners. The book's language is highly lucid and user-friendly to both experts and novices. The book finds an appropriate amalgamation between practical applications and theoretical underpinnings to empower practitioners in comprehending the objectives of effective assessment and its function in facilitating good learning and teaching. On account of the fact that the referenced book has the potential to make a substantial contribution and have significant implications for teachers, test designers, and other stakeholders, the current article attempts to provide a review of the book and emphasize the critical concepts in each chapter.

Cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) have received much interest within the field of language testing over the last decade due to their great potential to provide diagnostic feedback to all stakeholders and ultimately improve language teaching and learning. A large number of studies have demonstrated the application of CDMs on advanced large-scale English proficiency exams, such as IELTS, TOEFL, MELAB, and ECPE. However, too little attention has been paid to the utility of CDMs on elementary and intermediate high-stakes English exams. The current study aims to diagnose the reading ability of test takers in the B1 Preliminary test, previously known as the Preliminary English Test (PET), using the generalized deterministic input, noisy, “and” gate (G-DINA; de la Torre, 2011) model. The G-DINA is a general and saturated model which allows attributes to combine in both compensatory and non-compensatory relationships and each item to select the best model. To achieve the purpose of the study, an initial Q-matrix based on the theory of reading comprehension and the consensus of content experts was constructed and validated. Item responses of 435 test takers to the reading comprehension section of the PET were analyzed using the “G-DINA” package in R. The results of attribute profiles suggested that lexico-grammatical knowledge is the most difficult attribute, and making an inference is the easiest one.

This study aimed to examine the impact of Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) on the listening comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To this purpose, through the Preliminary English Test (PET) 140 Iranian EFL female learners in four English Language Institutes of Ahvaz, Iran, were tested, and 80 of them were selected as the sample of the study using convenience sampling. They were taught through group dynamic assessment. After the pretest and treatment sessions, the participants were given the listening comprehension post-test and the resultant scores were statistically analyzed to detect their development from pretest to post-test. The obtained results revealed that Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) had a positive impact on the participants’ listening comprehension. This finding implies that EFL teachers may need to consider the positive impact of dynamic assessment on EFL learners’ listening comprehension improvement and provide them with more opportunities to interact. They may also need to create a change in the traditional models of listening comprehension assessment which emphasize psychometric quantification of students' performances

The present study investigates the efficacy of preparation time in four speaking tasks of TOEFL iBT. As the current pre-task planning time offered by ETS is very short, 15 to 30 seconds, we intended to explore how the test-takers’ speaking quality would change if the preparation time was added to the response time, giving the respondents a relatively longer online planning opportunity. To this aim, two groups of TOEFL iBT candidates were studied under pre-task and online planning conditions. Totally, 384 elicited speaking samples were first transcribed and then measured in terms of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). The results yielded by a series of One-way MANOVA revealed the online planning group significantly outperformed the pre-task planning group in terms of accuracy and fluency across all four speaking tasks. Although with less robustness, the online planners had significantly higher speech complexity represented by lexical diversity and left-embeddedness. The results obtained through this study may challenge the efficacy of the currently provided preparation time in TOEFL iBT speaking subsection.

This study investigated the interplay of working memory capacity and language proficiency in the context of vocabulary acquisition through word-focused tasks. The involvement load hypothesis served as a theoretical framework, positing that the degree of cognitive engagement influences lexical learning outcomes. A total of 100 EFL learners participated in this study. They were divided into distinct groups based on varying levels of working memory capacity, language proficiency, and aspects of working memory (phonological short-term memory and executive working memory). The participants engaged in receptive and productive vocabulary tasks under different experimental conditions, including reading-only, reading plus blank-fill, and reading-plus production. The results revealed intricate relationships between working memory capacity, language proficiency, and vocabulary acquisition. While the efficacy of the hypothesis varied across conditions, its predictions were influenced by the nuances of individual cognitive capabilities and language competence. Learners with higher proficiency levels acquired more lexical items, both receptively and productively.  Although the difference with the phonological short-term memory was not significant, executive working memory was more facilitative of lexical gain. Additionally, the role of input modality in shaping vocabulary learning outcomes was highlighted. That is, reading plus production and blank-fill tasks resulted in more lexical gain than reading-only tasks.  The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of vocabulary acquisition by underscoring the complex interplay of cognitive processes and language factors. These insights hold implications for foreign language pedagogy, guiding educators in crafting more effective interventions for enhancing both receptive and productive lexical knowledge.

Thanks to the significant achievements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Translation (MT), in general, and Google Translate (GT), in particular, have been extensively used in all facets of life, including language learning. However, faced with a plethora of research evidence on GT’s educational contributions, erroneous translations create disparity regarding its use in language learning. To address this lacuna, the present study systematically reviewed 10 databases, namely, Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, SAGE Journals, Springer Link, Springer Open, and DOAJ. Additionally, it hand searched the reference lists of 44 studies selected to be included in the synthesis from database search along with references cited in three previous systematic reviews on similar topics to capture a comprehensive view of the literature related to the use of GT in language learning between 2010-2021. It reviewed 50 studies witnessing a rise in the number of studies in this area. Studies reported that although significant improvements in the quality of GT led to pedagogical gains and more tendency to implement it in language learning, instructors still distrust it. Accordingly, this research provides pedagogical implications and suggests avenues for future research on the use of GT in language learning.     

The current study primarily explored the link between EAP students’ L2 situational interest (SI) and academic reading transformative engagement (TE). Moreover, it explored SI and its subcomponents, triggered SI and maintained SI as predictors of TE. We also sought the role of different disciplines as moderators of the relationship between SI and TE. Finally, we investigated the big five personality traits as predictors of TE. The participants of this study were 160 undergraduate EAP students recruited through quota sampling. A quantitative research method with a correlational design was employed to conduct the study. Two questionnaires were adopted to measure academic reading TE and personality traits, and a questionnaire was adapted from math SI to English learning SI to assess the students’ L2 SI. The results revealed a significant and positive relationship between students’ L2 SI and their academic reading TE. SI significantly predicted TE, and between its subcomponents, only maintained SI strongly and significantly predicted TE. Neither the difference between the disciplinary groups in terms of students’ TE nor the interaction of the comparative disciplinary groups by SI was significant. The result indicated the agreeableness trait as the sole predictor of TE. Our findings have fruitful pedagogical implications discussed in the conclusion section.

The present study aimed to analyze English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and students’ perceptions on learning effectiveness, negative factors, positive features, and future directions of virtual education. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, open-ended questions, and journals. All the data were carefully studied and coded through MAXQDA (version 2020) software. The results indicated that poor internet connection along with low interaction between students and the teacher were the most frequently noted negative points of online classes. Accordingly, providing high-speed internet, supporting students, and having more interaction are the first essential elements in virtual education. Besides, flexibility, time-saving, and reduced cost considerations were considered the positive aspects of online classes. Regarding students’ learning performance, the results were of mixed nature. Providing training courses for teachers, using different materials during the class, and the most importantly having high-speed internet are some implications of this study.

Motivation and affect as two salient variables in L2 development are no longer seen as the stable individual difference factors they were once believed to be. Influenced by process-oriented approaches and by increasing understanding of how the complex dynamic system theory (CDST) works, researchers have been emphasizing the holistic, non-modular, dynamic and changeable nature of motivation and affect to-date. Accordingly, this study utilized the principles underlying the CDST perspective to examine the interrelationships between Iranian EFL learners’ motivational and affective factors mediated by working memory and gender over an academic semester. To this end, 445 pre-intermediate male and female students completed the motivation questionnaire and L2 Enjoyment Scale four times with one-month intervals during an academic semester and Working Memory Scale once in the beginning of the term. Relationships that emerged indicated both motivational and affective stability and fluctuation over a semester of instruction at one month intervals. The findings also illustrated how these factors are inseparable from students’ learning context. Implications of study and directions for further research were also discussed.

Rested in analogical theories of learning and syntactic configuration in discourse, this study attempted to explore the efficiency of rule-based, exemplar-based, and analogy-based corrective feedback in the writings of Iranian EFL learners regarding the third- person singular’ s. To this aim, three intact classes, each containing 25 students, were assigned to analogy-based, rule-based and exemplar-based groups at random in which the teacher accentuated the learners’ errors by different feedback types. Post-tests (immediate and delayed) were used to test the learners’ acquisition of the target grammar under question and the efficacy of corrective feedback varying in mode. The results of the study indicated significant delayed gains for analogy-based corrective feedback. No evident gain was found for exemplar-based or rule-based types. Descriptive statistics demonstrate diverse patterns over progressive testing times, where, unlike the other two corrective feedback types, the analogy-based group displayed the worst performance on the immediate post-test but nonetheless exhibited advances and progress on the delayed post-test.

A long-standing concern reverberating over the minds of intercultural scholars is how best to incorporate intercultural issues in English language teaching, an issue on which there has been little research in EFL contexts. To fill this gap, this qualitative study examined the efficacy of interculturally-laden tasks in promoting Iranian learners’ intercultural competency in Anzali, Guilan province, Iran. Thus, a group of 22 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were recruited through convenience sampling from a pool of 44 according to their score on Oxford Quick Placement Test. All the participants were 12 females and 10 males aged 21-30. Then, they attended eighteen sessions of intercultural training using Mirrors and Windows: An intercultural communication textbook and completed seven intercultural tasks as a pretest and posttest. Data was collected through seven intercultural tasks and reflective worksheets. Drawing on the qualitative content analysis of intercultural tasks, the findings revealed that the tasks could help the participants increase their intercultural competence. Moreover, three themes were emerged from the analysis of the reflective worksheets as follow: (1) the participants’ evaluation of the ICC course and intercultural tasks, (2) perceptions regarding intercultural development and (3) language skills and anxiety. The implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

The purpose of this cross-sectional mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to find out the effects of enriching McCroskey's (1992) Willingness to Communicate (WTC) questionnaire using oral-visual role-play on EFL responses from comparing the responses of 117 pre-intermediate EFL learners to this instrument before and after the enriching act. This study relates to sociolinguistic research in order to develop more authentic data collection and assessment. The quantitative results indicated no statistically significant effect in average score of the responses, and a decrease in reliability from original to the enriched one, but individual and item internal changes. Then, it followed up with 12 purposefully selected typical respondents to explore those quantitative results in verbal protocol after each administration of original and enriched WTC questionnaire that detected source of variability due to purpose, place, visualization, age, gender, and personality of the interlocutors in the role-plays. The quantitative and qualitative findings from the two phases of the study are discussed with reference to the prior research. Finally, implications and recommendations for EFL instructors, supervisors, and language assessors are provided.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of explicit instruction aimed at improving vocabulary on the writing proficiency and long-term retention of new vocabulary among second language (L2) learners. The achievement was accomplished through the administration of a fill-in-the-blank assessment, which included 30 individual words and 6 lexical phrases, to a group of 30 EFL students at an upper-intermediate level. Subsequently, these students engaged in a reading exercise centered around the topic of 'Bull Fighting' and subsequently crafted a paper titled 'A Cruel Sport'. The results demonstrated a notable enhancement in the quantity of terms actively utilized in their writing following the focused vocabulary teaching. The statistical analysis revealed that the participants were capable of retaining the newly-acquired language even after a considerable amount of time had elapsed since the lesson. This study presents comprehensive information on these findings and provides suggestions for L2 teachers, asserting that although comprehending a word does not inherently result in its active utilization, learners possess the capacity to enhance their active vocabulary and accurately employ recently acquired words. Explicit training in vocabulary is advantageous for converting recognition vocabulary into productive language during immediate writing tasks and enhancing retention. Nevertheless, consistent and regular practice in utilizing recently learned vocabulary is necessary for it to become effective in long-term written expression.