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The combination of face-to-face and online teaching, also called Blended learning (BL) has practically become one of the prevalent models of teaching and learning all over the world. Particularly, it has been applied as a new trend of using technology to concurrently combine in-class and out-of-class learning to optimize the educational impacts on students. However, BL is still quite a new learning model and has not been applied widely in teaching English in Vietnam. The current study was conducted to explore students’ perceptions of BL, the difficulties students think they have, and the percentage of face-to-face and online learning they prefer when learning in the BL environment. Sixty civil engineering students participating in the survey filled out a questionnaire after the forms of BL and the Learning Management System (LMS) Moodle had been introduced to them. The findings indicated that more than half of the participants were stimulated by BL and willing to take on the challenges.  Nevertheless, some concerns about the lack of IT skills to fulfill the requirements of the BL course cannot be ignored.  

The dynamic world of international policing necessitates seamless communication between officers from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Interpol, the world's largest international police organization, exemplifies this environment. Understanding how politeness strategies are employed within this context is crucial for fostering effective collaboration and information exchange. Due to this significance, the present study investigated the politeness strategies used in emails of L1 and L2 user English-speaking police officers of Interpol. To this end, 100 emails composed by L1 and L2 police officers were obtained from the Interpol office in Tehran, Iran, and the frequency of politeness strategies was calculated by two professional raters. The Chi-square test did not reveal a statistically significant difference in the overall application of politeness strategies between L1 and L2 officers. However, the analysis of individual strategies highlighted some clear variations in usage patterns: L1 user officers employed more politeness strategies than their L2 user counterparts. In addition, the findings revealed that both groups used negative politeness strategies more often than positive strategies. The findings of this study can help police training centers develop a better scope on what structures to focus on in their lesson plans to make their cadets ready to work in the international arena.

The concept of “orthographic depth” refers to the degree of the deviation of the writing system from the one-to-one correspondence between graphemes and phonemes. This study aims to explore and compare of the “orthographic depth” between Persian and English writing systems using UTPECC corpus and homographic scale. To this end, the scope of the application of the homography feature in 10000 words of Persian writing system was determined by using the word processing software 2010 through the synchronic study in the field of graphology. Then, the occurrence frequency of this feature was briefly compared with a similar number of words in English writing system. The research results show only 4 graphemes possess homography feature in Persian writing system, each of which corresponds to a limited number of phonemes (maximum 4 phonemes). While this feature is observed in 11 graphemes of English writing system and the variety of their corresponding phonemes was much more than Persian writing system. Considering the fact that the extent of the occurrence of the homography feature in English writing system is significantly higher than Persian writing system, it can be stated that the orthographic depth of English writing system exceeds that of Persian writing system.

Although researchers have analyzed the formal, syntactic, and functional behavior of cleft sentences in the English language across various genres, their distributional frequencies have received very little attention in academic research genres. Therefore, drawing on a 20,389,297-word corpus including 1,521 research articles (RAs), 116 PhD dissertations, and 48 textbooks, in applied linguistics, this study followed Biber et al.’s (1999) and Collins’ (2002) models to identify and analyze four major types of cleft structures in our corpus. Using a corpus-based research design, we drew on concordances to extract the target cleft structures. The computer program AntConc was used to identify instances of cleft sentences, and the statistical significance of the findings was evaluated through separate chi-square tests. The results of frequency analysis showed varying degrees of these grammatical structures across the three research genres, with textbooks including the highest number of clefts, followed by dissertations, and RAs. The results promise pedagogical implications for non-native English student writers to familiarize themselves with conventions in academic research genre writing for publication purposes. The findings suggest that academic research genre writing affects the frequency and use of these complex grammatical structures.  

Though applied linguistics has observed a rise in language acquisition investigations within the complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) paradigm, the majority of research endeavors have been centered on the development of learners' first language (L1) or second language (L2). Limited research exists on multilinguals’ L3 acquisition/development, with even fewer studies considering the development of learners’ speaking skill in L2, and L3. The present study aimed to address these gaps by adopting a CDST approach to analyze the development of fluency, accuracy, and complexity in L2 (English) and L3 (French) speaking skills among five undergraduate Iranian EFL junior students of Translation Studies at Jahrom University over one academic year. The students were at an intermediate level in English language and their French language proficiency was at the beginner level. The participants’ speaking ability in both languages was closely examined and analyzed regarding their development of fluency, accuracy, and complexity within a quantitative design. Findings depicted that the aspects were developed in non-linear, chaotic, and emergent patterns in multilingual learners’ L2 and L3 speaking skill. Moreover, the findings indicated that these elements in multilingual learners' speaking were interconnected and influenced each other over a period of time. The discoveries have some significant implications for L2 and L3 language teaching, such as creating flexible learning and teaching environments, fostering emergent behavior in language classrooms, encouraging learners to have a self-organizing and autonomous role in language learning, having sensitivity to the diverse needs of learners, and fostering a collaborative learning environment.  

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension and self-efficacy. To this end, 56 elementary EFL learners were assigned to one of the two experimental groups. Those trained in online video and audio instruction were assigned to the synchronous CMC group (N=27), while the participants who were taught through offline and recorded instruction were assigned to the asynchronous CMC group (N=29). Before and after the treatment, a questionnaire on reading self-efficacy and reading comprehension tests were administered. Independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the reading comprehension and self-efficacy scores of the students in the two groups. Meanwhile, paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon test were used to do a within-group comparison of the pretest and the posttest scores. The findings showed that although both synchronous and asynchronous CMC significantly affected the reading comprehension and the self-efficacy of EFL learners, the synchronous instruction was more effective because the means of the synchronous group in the reading comprehension and self-efficacy posttests were higher than the means in the asynchronous group. This study has important implications for EFL teachers, EFL students, and syllabus designers.

The present investigation attempted to see if using literary texts could lead into any change in learners' interest or perception toward literature. The research also attempted to find students' perception on using literary content in language learning based on learners' opinions. The investigation finally sought to discover the way learners' interest in literature changed as a result of using literary texts as the instructional content. The Research employed a mixed-method design to answer the questions proposed in the study. After analyzing data through t-test, Gain-score comparison and thematic analysis, the results showed that using literary content worked as useful and constructive for learners in language learning and life objectives. The results further confirmed that learners' interest level improved positively due to using simplified literary texts, whereas, the positive role could not be seen in using authentic literary content. Accordingly, content selection from literature along with considering learners' life needs are able to make language learning more attractive to learners. The results also support that developing newer books with literary texts can provide learners with different knowledge like cultural awareness, social knowledge or historical background, which seem to be urgent life needs in today's modern society.

Cet article étudie le rôle de la parodie dans Les États et Empires de la Lune de Cyrano de Bergerac qui, durant le XVIIe siècle, période de changements intellectuels majeurs, adopte une approche novatrice en parodiant les normes sociales, la science, la philosophie et la religion. Distinguant entre parodie au sens restreint et parodie au sens large, nous avons examiné la ‘parodicité’ chez cet écrivain. Ainsi notre étude se penche-t-elle sur la relation entre la parodie et les débats intellectuels de l'époque, mettant en lumière les opérations parodiques utilisées pour remettre en question les croyances et idéaux du XVIIe siècle. Nous soulignons l'importance de l'effet comique dans la parodie de Cyrano, affirmant que cette forme d'expression contribue à innover, critiquer et divertir tout en offrant une perspective captivante sur le monde. La parodie chez Cyrano, loin d'être un simple procédé, fonctionne en tandem avec des opérations telles que l'anachronisme et l'inversion pour stimuler la réflexion du lecteur, créant ainsi une véritable œuvre originale. On met également l’accent sur l'importance de la réception de la parodie, notant que chaque lecteur peut créer sa propre interprétation humoristique et que la parodie chez Cyrano révèle une vérité constamment redéfinie. La méthodologie de notre recherche est basée sur une analyse approfondie des éléments parodiques présents dans l'œuvre de Cyrano de Bergerac, en appliquant les théories de Gérard Genette et Daniel Sangsue. Il ressort de notre étude que la parodie chez Cyrano fonctionne comme un moyen habile d'exprimer diverses idées philosophiques et scientifiques, tout en apportant une perspective fraîche et captivante sur le monde. En parodiant des concepts religieux, philosophiques et scientifiques de son époque, Cyrano suscite des réflexions et des questionnements chez le lecteur, tout en offrant un divertissement subtil. Le rire parodique de Cyrano et sa neutralité constante soulignent la nature toujours mouvante et renouvelée du sens, offrant ainsi une réflexion profonde sur la vérité et la perception dans la littérature.

Cet article porte sur la traduction économique français-persan. S’appuyant sur la théorie de la Stylistique comparée, élaborée par Vinay-Darbelnet, il a pour but de déterminer quels procédés sont à la disposition du traducteur pour l’aider à résoudre les difficultés qu’il rencontre. Quelles sont les meilleures façons de traduire des termes techniques ? Quels sont les procédés les plus efficients ? Cette analyse se penche ainsi sur les principaux enjeux de la traduction du texte économique. Les textes financiers et bancaires se situant dans la sphère des textes spécialisés, mais aussi dans celle des textes des Sciences humaines, la principale problématique de leur traduction serait liée d’abord à la terminologie, mais aussi à la structure syntaxique particulière de ce genre de texte. Les enjeux seraient donc de trouver de bons équivalents aux niveaux lexical et phraséologique, mais aussi de plier (et non pas forcer) les longues phrases et les phrases complexes du texte français à la structure syntaxique de la langue persane.

The current study explored the effect of storytelling and translation techniques on learning proverbs among female Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in online classes, which came into vogue after corona pandemic, and the attitudes of the learners toward proverb learning. In order to do these, participants who were 30 female high school students studying in Iranshahr whose homogeneity as pre-intermediate learners was checked via the Nelson Proficiency Test were assigned to two groups: a storytelling group, and a translation group; each group containing 15 students. Treatment lasted seven sessions and it included 50 English proverbs chosen based on the frequency of their use in Google search. In each session, the participants of experimental groups were engaged in learning seven English proverbs. The translation group were presented with L1 equivalents of the proverbs; the storytelling group were presented with a funny story about each proverb. An attitude questionnaire and a test of proverbs were applied prior to and after the treatment. The results of the paired t-test indicated that both storytelling technique and translation were effective in improving learners’ knowledge of L2 (second Language) proverbs. The results of the t-test depicted that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the post-test. These findings have implications for material developers, L2 instructors, and L2 learners about the importance of the use of L2 proverbs.

Studies that have employed the Linguistic Proximity Model to account for crosslinguistic influence in third language learning so far have used child simultaneous bilinguals as participants in their research designs. This study investigated adult sequential Kirundi-French bilinguals to uncover factors driving cross-linguistic influence in learning L3 English present perfect tense using the same Linguistic Proximity Model as a theoretical framework. To achieve that goal, ninety participants including thirty L1 Kirundi, thirty L1 French, and thirty L1 Kirundi-L2 French learners of English were recruited. Those participants were selected using a stratified random sampling technique that took into account their linguistic backgrounds and their scores on the proficiency measure. Data were elicited using a background questionnaire, a quick placement test, a grammaticality judgment task, and a translation task. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples Kruskal-Wallis tests, analysis of variance, and multiple comparisons served in the data analysis. The results showed that simultaneous facilitative and non-facilitative cross-linguistic influence from French and Kirundi were operational at both lower and advanced stages of L3 development, with lower-proficiency learners experiencing negative influence from L1 Kirundi during production. These findings further support the Linguistic Proximity Model as an underlying theory for cross-linguistic influence in third-language learning. They can also serve as a guide in planning pedagogical activities for third language learners at differing stages of the target language development. 

Language proficiency seems not to be realized without language learner’s engagement in terms of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and metacognitive dimensions in the learning process. A mixed method was employed in this quasi-experimental study to examine the effectiveness of self-regulated learning (cyclical with and without emotion regulation) in improving EFL learners’ accurate use of grammatical structures and to compare it with the form-focused (non-SRL) control group. One hundred twenty-two homogenized lower intermediate EFL College students were randomly distributed to the two experimental groups and the control group. Two writing tests were used as the pre-test and post-test. The data analysis of the ANCOVA showed that self-regulated learning (cyclical and ER) had a significant effect on the students' grammatical accuracy in writing, which was followed by the SRL (cyclical) group. The focus on the form group showed the lowest performance. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was administered to students in the pretest and posttest phases. The result of the paired sample t-test on emotion regulation represented a large effect size. The content analysis indicated that most students significantly held positive perceptions of the SRL strategies taught. Thus, the findings of this study have pedagogical implications for F/S teachers, students, and material developers who can design SRL tasks in which language skills are met.

This study intended to assess how ELT teachers evaluate the quality of Pre and In-service TPD Programs in an EFL context. Data for this study came from a survey and follow-up interviews with 300 high school EFL teachers. The findings suggest that the ELT teachers recommend professional development programs that prioritize continuous learning, knowledge and skills updates, subject matter expertise, and technology integration in teaching practices. The study reveals challenges faced by the ELT teachers in participating in TPD programs, such as the need for innovative and updated programs, practical application focus, budget constraints, and high-quality facilitation. The characteristics of a good TPD program from the perspective of ELT teachers were also discussed, emphasizing the importance of addressing immediate needs, incorporating the latest trends and innovations, aligning with international standards, and providing support systems and collaboration opportunities. In addition, the study highlighted the motivation of the ELT teachers for professional development and the need for targeted programs to support their specific needs. Finally, suggestions were made and implications were discussed.