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The present study aimed to develop a teaching competency framework for Iranian English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers by conducting interviews with 30 teachers and head teachers in the field of ELT across multiple regions in Iran. The study utilized MAXQDA 20.2.1 to conduct a thematic analysis in three phases. Intercoder reliability (ICR) testing demonstrated a significant level of agreement. The findings indicated that an effective contextualized teaching competency framework for ELT teachers should consist of six key components: professional attributes focusing on teaching-specific characteristics, skills representing practical teaching abilities, knowledge encompassing subject-matter expertise, general qualifications including foundational requirements, personal attributes, and goals and values. Fifty-nine indicators were identified and strategically linked to established reference frameworks for ELT teacher competencies. The developed framework contributes to a novel organization of ELT teaching competencies. Key findings revealed that linguistic competency, inclusivity, student bonding, pedagogical knowledge, organizational skills, and teaching passion emerged as critical indicators within the Iranian ELT context. The framework's strength lies in its systematically developed structure based on expert insights and comprehensive literature analysis that offers brevity in design while maintaining comprehensiveness. These features would make it particularly applicable for Iranian ELT settings while providing a replicable model for broader international contexts. Future research should explore longitudinal studies to understand the changes that transpire over time. Moreover, integrating the perspectives of English language learners and high school students could enhance the practicality and applicability of these frameworks.

Evaluating research designs plays a pivotal role in promoting principled Mixed Methods Research (MMR). Although the quality of mixed methods designs has been among the most debated topics, scant attention has been drawn to the investigation of Applied Linguistics (AL) Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) journals. Informed by this gap, the present exploratory sequential mixed methods study aimed at analyzing the research designs, tools of data collection, and purposes of 303 MMR articles published in 12 leading ISC journals. This involved a qualitative content analysis using a code sheet based on established MMR typologies, followed by a quantitative frequency analysis to determine the prevalence of these coded categories. The findings indicated that sequential designs were more frequently used in the corpus. Moreover, as regards the tools of data collection, questionnaires and interviews were the most commonly utilized ones. Finally, exploration purpose was the prime purpose opted for by the researchers in the study corpus. The study highlights the importance of conducting principled MMR through the reconceptualization of designs from method to methodology level. It further argues for a systemic view of MMR in which there is a cyclic interaction among fully integrated stages of an MMR design. The implications of the findings are discussed throughout the paper.

Literature theoretically provides many positive contributions that could impact students’ learning performance in reading. It is because literature consists of two fundamental functions that Horace called it dulce et utile (sweet and useful). Besides, literature also contains two important elements, i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic. Integrating these literary elements into literary reading activities builds students’ comprehension skills to analyze various aspects, e.g., character, plot, setting, theme, and stylistics as the intrinsic elements and sociology, psychology, politics, and philosophy as the extrinsic elements. In studying the discourses, this research presented perceptional theory and a study of the LBI approach used in a reading course that analyzed the impacts on students’ learning performance. The methodology used in this research was Cresswell's (2016) mix-method with an explanatory case study approach. To collect the needed data, several instruments were utilized in this research, such as interviews and questionnaires. All the collected data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. After collecting, analyzing, and discussing the data, the results demonstrated that students perceived that LBI material was enjoyable, challenging, and contains moral teaching. Furthermore, students also felt that LBI material impacted some good learning performance, i.e., LBI material improved students’ reading skills, triggered students’ critical thinking, and transformed students’ learning attitudes.  

The evaluation of students' writings and the allocation of scores are traditionally time-intensive and inherently subjective, often resulting in inconsistencies among human raters. Automated essay scoring systems were introduced to address these issues; however, their development has historically been resource-intensive, restricting their application to standardized tests such as TOEFL and IELTS. Consequently, these systems were not readily accessible to educators and learners. Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have expanded the potential of automated scoring systems, enabling them to analyze written texts and assign scores with increased efficiency and versatility. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of an AI-based scoring system, DeepAI, with human evaluators. A quantitative approach, grounded in Corder's (1974) Error Analysis framework, was used to analyze approximately 200 essays written by Persian-speaking EFL learners. Paired sample t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were employed to assess the congruence between errors identified and scores assigned by the two methods. The findings revealed a moderate correlation between human and AI scores, with AI diagnosing a greater number of errors than human raters. These results underscore the potential of AI in augmenting writing assessment practices while highlighting its pedagogical implications for language instructors and learners, particularly in evaluating the essays of EFL students.

Cette étude voudrait examiner l'impact des textes médiateurs sur la compréhension orale chez les apprenants du français langue étrangère. Deux groupes d'apprenants ont été comparés à travers une série d'exercices de compréhension orale. L'étude vise à évaluer l'effet des textes médiateurs sur l'optimisation de la charge cognitive et l'accès au contenu global. Cet article met l'accent sur le rôle crucial de la médiation cognitive en tant que stratégie clé pour renforcer la compréhension orale et facilite la réception du contenu du document entendu en orientant l'attention vers une compréhension plus approfondie. La cognition, impliquant la mémoire et l'attention, est au cœur de notre approche, en se servant des textes médiateurs préparant cognitivement à l'écoute. La méthodologie comprend une étude sur le terrain avec les groupes expérimental et témoin, et l’analyse de leurs performances. Les résultats révèlent une certaine amélioration chez le groupe expérimental, confirmant que les textes médiateurs optimisent la charge cognitive et facilitent l'accès au contenu. Nous pouvons constater que le nombre croissant de bonnes réponses lors des exercices d’écoute aussi bien que les réponses données au questionnaire illustrent ces améliorations, le tout affirme ainsi le succès des textes médiateurs comme outil de préparation cognitive.

Cet article examine l’approche de la mise en œuvre des compétences de compréhension de l’écrit dans les cours de langue française en Iran. Les données étudiées dans cette recherche ont été recueillies par le biais de questionnaires, d’entretiens et d’observations en classe. Les objectifs de cette étude sont de comprendre les perspectives et les opinions des apprenants et des enseignants concernant les compétences de compréhension de l’écrit, d’examiner les approches pédagogiques utilisées et d’identifier les obstacles existants dans ce domaine. En conséquence, des suggestions spécifiques pour améliorer l’approche pédagogique de la compréhension de l’écrit sont fournies. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que les apprenants ont des compréhensions différentes de divers éléments liés à la compréhension de l’écrit, y compris la nécessité de lire rapidement pour accomplir les exercices, de passer du temps pour une compréhension approfondie des textes, etc. De plus, les réponses des enseignants soulignent l’importance de la flexibilité, de l’utilisation de ressources diversifiées et de l’implication active des apprenants. Les résultats obtenus de ces conclusions sont discutés pour l’enseignement de la langue française, mettant en évidence la nécessité de sensibiliser les apprenants et les enseignants à l’importance de la mise en œuvre de stratégies efficaces de compréhension de l’écrit.

Navigating the technology-saturated landscape of language education poses a daunting task for present-day parents. As primary companions in EFL learners’ online learning journey, parents need to help them cultivate online language education. Guided by the parental mediation theory, the present study's primary objective was to examine any correlation between parental mediation strategies and Iranian EFL learners' online learning self-efficacy. Inspired by Vygotsky’s (1978) social development theory, which posits that knowledge is constructed within a social context, and Valkenburg et al.’s (2013) autonomy-supportive mediation, the second aim of the study was to uncover strategies that help promote digital parenting to foster learners’ self-efficacy in online language learning. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, data were gathered through questionnaires from 414 Iranian EFL learners aged between 12 and 18, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Additionally, 47 learners, their parents, and 15 EFL teachers were voluntarily interviewed. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that restrictive mediation and monitoring strategies reduced learners’ online learning self-efficacy while active mediation enhanced it. Reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews also revealed that digital parenting practices, which consider learners’ autonomy and encourage cooperative engagement between learners and parents, will nurture self-regulated online language learners. The findings could set a new benchmark for digital parents, helping them bring up children capable of judiciously leveraging online opportunities.

Although email correspondence is a common means of communication between scholars from different cultures, little attention is paid to writing academic emails in tertiary education. The present investigation is aimed at studying the influence of genre education on the formation of academic writing skills and understanding the principles of academic correspondence. The main methods used in the study were experiment and survey. The research was carried out on the basis of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. The participants of the study were postgraduate (PhD) students (n = 100) with a major in Physics, Electronics, Computer Science, and other technical areas. The results of the study show that the students made considerable progress in their academic email writing skills even after a short period of explicit instruction applying the genre-based approach. Most of the students changed their way of thinking about writing emails for academic purposes in English and became aware of the norms of formal writing. Moreover, the results of the experiment and survey justify the necessity of including academic email writing in the curriculum of teaching Academic English and demonstrate strong potential of genre-based learning in other genres involving academic writing.

Although pair work interaction gained substantial attention in recent decades, little is known about the best method to enhance its effectiveness. This study investigated the impact of peer modelling demonstration of collaborative writing tasks as a pedagogical intervention on Language-Related Episodes (LREs) and pair dynamics. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design with a delayed posttest, twenty intermediate learners were randomly paired up to complete three tasks (information-gap, story reconstruction, and jigsaw), which also involved a paragraph-level writing over a three-week period. Each session, the participants were required to work on one task while recording their voices. In the second session of the study, the pairs were provided with the peer modelling video to explore its contribution to their performances. The pairs' audio-recorded performances (about 15 hours) were carefully transcribed and later analyzed for a) the frequency, types, and resolution of LREs and b) pair dynamics. Results of Negative Binomial Regression revealed that peer modelling had a significant positive effect on pair performance, in a way that, after the provision of peer modelling, the pairs produced a significantly greater number of LREs and correctly resolved the majority of the conflicts. Additionally, analysis of McNemar's test revealed that the pairs demonstrated more collaborative pair dynamics subsequent to peer modelling. The findings are pedagogically important as they support peer modelling as a valuable pedagogical technique to be integrated into language learning classes to ensure L2 development and foster qualities of pair work.

Translation plays a vital role in the global spread of academic knowledge. In non-English disciplines, university professors are increasingly asked to translate English texts for teaching, research, and administrative tasks. Recognizing the potential challenges faced by academic members in non-English fields is crucial. Therefore, this qualitative study, with an exploratory approach, aimed to identify the challenges faced by faculty members at Farhangian University in non-English disciplines in translating English texts. Participants included faculty members in non-English disciplines at Farhangian University in the provinces of Hamedan, Ilam, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Lorestan (located in the West of Iran), with 21 selected through a purposive criterion-based sampling method. Data were collected via semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis, resulting in one main theme, five organizing themes, and 26 basic themes. The findings identified eight major challenges facing faculty members during translation, including differences in sentence structure between source and target languages, issues with equivalence and transfer of concepts, semantic diversity of words, maintaining faithfulness to the original text, challenges with colloquial and non-specialized texts, lack of English proficiency, the transfer of cultural and indigenous concepts, and the time-consuming nature of translation. These results will benefit stakeholders of English language teaching in higher education as well as translation educators and workshop instructors.

The integration of technology into education, especially in English Language Teaching (ELT), has transformed learning experiences, fostering increased engagement, motivation, and improved outcomes. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has emerged as a promising tool within this paradigm, offering unique opportunities for language learners. This study examines the impact of MALL on the attitudes, cognitive load, and performance of Iranian EFL learners. The participants were divided into treatment and control groups, with the treatment group using the ELSA app for pronunciation improvement. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and pronunciation assessments. The findings revealed that learners had a positive attitude towards pronunciation learning via MALL, experienced a reduction in cognitive load, and demonstrated a negative correlation between cognitive load and pronunciation performance. The integration of technology into education, especially in English Language Teaching (ELT), has transformed learning experiences, fostering increased engagement, motivation, and improved outcomes. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has emerged as a promising tool within this paradigm, offering unique opportunities for language learners. This study examines the impact of MALL on the attitudes, cognitive load, and performance of Iranian EFL learners. The participants were divided into treatment and control groups, with the treatment group using the ELSA app for pronunciation improvement. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and pronunciation assessments. The findings revealed that learners had a positive attitude towards pronunciation learning via MALL, experienced a reduction in cognitive load, and demonstrated a negative correlation between cognitive load and pronunciation performance.

The ecological turn in translation studies subverts anthropocentric perspectives and redefines translation as a multispecies, semiotic process that transcends human language. Eco-translation, a central concept within this turn, extends the field of translation to include non-human actors and ecological networks, allowing for a more inclusive description of meaning-making. Yet this turn has also brought academics a sense of disorientation and solastalgia as scholars have to grapple with the tension between preserving traditional disciplinary boundaries and embracing the expansive horizons of transdisciplinary approaches. The current article traces the ecological turn using Doris Bachmann-Medick’s three-stage model of disciplinary turn: thematic expansion, metaphorical application, and methodological refinement. It maps the evolution of eco-translation from narrowly defined practices focused on ecological themes to a broader, inclusive framework that challenges the field’s traditional foundations. The article also examines the emotional and intellectual consequences of this turn, particularly the solastalgic experience of scholars experiencing the loss of familiar disciplinary contours while adapting to new paradigms.