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Exploring the disciplinary interface between English for specific purposes (ESP) and World Englishes (WEs), regarding the potential contributions of both disciplines to research on areas of shared interest, including TEFL and ESP Teachers’ attitudes are the center of current study. This investigation examines Iranian EFL and ESP teachers’ views on integrating WEs into ESP classes and assesses the English-speaking needs of ESP students. The study comprised 32 TEFL, 17 EFL, and 15 ESP teachers (16 male and 16 female, aged 30–67), using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach with quantitative questionnaires. Analysis of the data showed that subjects in both groups largely held remarkably positive views on WEs and felt ESP teaching should align with student objectives. More than two-thirds of participants disliked the current ESP syllabuses; however, only ESP teachers were unhappy with the teaching methods, cultural content, and textbook. The participants also showed complete dissatisfaction with their ESP students’ speaking abilities. It can be inferred that ESP course does not fully prepare the students to embark on their studies because it does not sufficiently consider learners’ speaking needs

This study explored the rhetorical strategies employed by Republican and Democratic nominees during the 2024 U.S. presidential campaigns, focusing on the discursive techniques used to appeal to partisan bases and shape voter perceptions. Grounded in Van Dijk’s Ideological Square—a theoretical framework for analyzing how language constructs ideological divides—the research investigated the role of positive self-presentation, negative other-presentation, and the strategic framing of political ideologies in the construction of party identity. A mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative analysis of discourse patterns and qualitative examination of rhetorical strategies, uncovered the distinctive ways each party uses language to reinforce ideological commitments and polarize the electorate. The findings reveal significant differences in how Republicans and Democrats position themselves and their opponents, with Republicans often employing fear-based rhetoric, in-group/out-group distinctions, and a focus on "threat" narratives. In contrast, Democrats tend to emphasize unity, inclusivity, and collective responsibility, though occasionally at the risk of alienating moderates or dissenting voices within their own ranks. The study also highlights the growing role of digital media and algorithm-driven communication, demonstrating how technological platforms have amplified the impact of these rhetorical strategies, especially in the form of targeted misinformation and tailored inclusivity messages. The implications of the study extend to the fields of sociolinguistics, political communication, and media studies, emphasizing how language shapes ideological alignment, reinforces social divisions, and influences democratic processes in the digital age.

This study offers a full symbolic interactionist examination of Anne Tyler's novel A Slipping-Down Life, examining how identity is developed, acted out, and challenged by symbolic movements, emotional labor, and social recognition. With a focus on the protagonist Evie Decker, this study takes up seven primary questions of inquiry about the formation of identity in terms of performance, the influence of gender expectations, the utilization of music and silence as communication, and the intersections of trauma, emotion, and resistance in terms of negotiating identity. Basing itself on the classic theoretical models constructed by Mead, Blumer, Goffman, and Cooley—and recent reformulations and explications provided by Charmaz, Burke and Stets, and feminist theorists such as Butler and Gilligan—this article places Evie's transformation within generic sociological and psychological contexts. Through acts of self-scarification, deliberate silence, and remaking maternity roles, Evie operates within a condition of marginality and misrecognition. Her experience demonstrates identity as an active, networked, and emotional process, with a strong impact of gender roles and social norms. The research points out that literature, and especially texts richly textured with sociological context, such as Tyler's, offers a fertile backdrop for comprehending identity formation as an emotional, symbolic, and performative process. By drawing upon knowledge from narrative psychology, feminist theory, and cultural sociology, this study highlights the benefit of applying interdisciplinary approaches to literary analysis and the sociological imagination.

This study aimed to compare the effects of Automated Writing Evaluation Feedback (AWEF) and Peer Feedback (PF) on the development of self-regulation in writing among Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The participants consisted of 58 intermediate-level Persian-speaking English learners, aged 25 to 30, enrolled in two intact IELTS preparation classes at a private language institute in Tehran. The learners were assigned into two experimental groups: one group (n = 30) received peer feedback, while the other (n = 28) received automated feedback through ProWritingAid. To assess the impact of these interventions, data were collected using the Writing Strategies for Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (WSSRLQ), semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Quantitative analysis using independent samples t-tests revealed significant improvements in self-regulation scores for both groups post-intervention, with the AWEF group showing a significantly greater increase. Qualitative analysis of interview and observation data further supported these findings, indicating that AWEF participants engaged in more structured and proactive revision practices, while PF participants developed greater reflective awareness and emotional resilience through collaborative interaction. Triangulated results confirmed that both feedback types positively influenced self-regulated writing behaviors, with AWEF demonstrating a stronger overall impact.

The present explanatory mixed methods study was designed to investigate the difference between the effects of using the pyramid model of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Communicative Tasks (CTs) on reducing Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' speaking barriers. The participants were 57 Iranian EFL learners selected based on convenience sampling from a language institute in Tehran. The Preliminary English Test (PET) results verified their homogeneity. To foster a stronger spirit of cooperation among the participants, they were placed in three different classes based on their tendencies; hence, the researchers could consider them as three groups: the Pyramid Model Group (PMG), the Communicative Tasks Group (CTsG), and the Conventional Approach Group (CAG) each including 19 participants. The PMG received instructions pertaining to the six levels of PM in willingness to communicate (WTC), while the CTsG received instructions based on information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap activities. The CAG relied on the Audio-Lingual Method (ALM), which the institute regularly followed. Accordingly, the three groups went through pretesting, intervention, and post-testing. The participants completed a speaking barriers survey as pre- and post-tests. Then, ten participants from the three groups were randomly selected and interviewed about the impact of the methods they had experienced on their speaking barriers. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed the priority of the pyramid model of WTC over communicative tasks and conventional teaching in reducing learners' speaking barriers. The interview results also confirmed the quantitative findings indicating that anxiety, learners' low self-confidence, along with linguistic and instructional barriers could be reduced through being exposed to the pyramid model instructions. The results can be helpful for ELT professionals, EFL teachers and learners, and other stakeholders to hold more thriving L2 speaking classes.

Multicultural education is a product of the impact of the globalization on education. Further, a factor with a main role in EFL teaching and learning is teacher effectiveness which has a significant place in the World educational programs. The present study sought to explore Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of pluralistic teacher effectiveness. In line with the objective of the present study, the basic interpretive design within a qualitative paradigm. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 40 Iranian (20 males and 20 females) EFL teachers teaching in public high schools in different Iranian provinces. They were conveniently selected from among those teachers who were members of virtual groups and channels. To collect the required data, a semi-structured interview was implemented. Data analysis was done via qualitative thematic analysis. As revealed by the results, the following perceptions were extracted concerning pluralistic teacher effectiveness: Having Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication with Learners; Recognizing Differences among Students’ Learning Strategies; Having Preliminary Knowledge of Different Subjects; Taking Advantage of Different Teaching Methods; Showing Respect and Attention to all Students; Teaching Ruminatively; Having Accountability and Responsibility; Generating a Conducive Class Atmosphere; Using Technology; Using Motivational Strategies; Using Various Evaluation Methods; and Building a Fair Classroom.

This study investigates the role of euphemistic strategies in the manipulation of realities and persuasion within political discourse, focusing on speeches by American and Iranian politicians during the 2013-2015 nuclear negotiations. Employing Van Dijk's socio-cognitive model, the research conducts a comparative discourse analysis to identify and categorize euphemistic expressions used to justify policies, address controversial issues, and influence public opinion. The analysis reveals distinct patterns in the use of euphemistic strategies, with American politicians, such as John Kerry, frequently employing polarization and burden/topos, while Iranian politicians, like Mohammad Javad Zarif, emphasize evidentiality and positive self-presentation. These differences reflect varying rhetorical styles and objectives, highlighting how euphemisms serve as tools for ideological manipulation and audience persuasion. The study underscores the importance of understanding euphemistic language in political communication, offering insights into the mechanisms of public perception shaping and the legitimization of political agendas. By comparing English and Persian political discourses, this research contributes to cross-cultural discourse analysis and enhances critical discourse awareness, equipping audiences to deconstruct political rhetoric and recognize underlying persuasive techniques.

The present study was conducted with the aim of explaining the effect of knowledge management empowerment through distance learning on the performance and organizational intelligence of middle school administrators in Nimroz city. The present study is applied in terms of its purpose and is classified as a quantitative descriptive-correlation research. The statistical population of the present study consists of all middle school administrators in Nimroz city in the academic year 1402-1403, who were selected as the research sample by census method, 12 men and 12 women. The data collection tool included the Nonaka and Takachi Knowledge Management Questionnaire (1995), Yazdanijedah Manager Performance Questionnaire (2009), and Albrecht Manager Organizational Intelligence Questionnaire (2002). The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS26 software and descriptive statistics such as tables and graphs to show demographic characteristics, and Pearson correlation coefficient and regression test were used to infer data. After data collection, the distribution of data was examined to see if it followed a normal distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The results indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between the components of knowledge management through distance learning and the organizational performance of managers, and also between the components of knowledge management and the total score of knowledge management and the organizational intelligence of managers. Empowering the component of knowledge application is effective on the organizational performance of managers, and empowering the component of knowledge sharing and application of knowledge is effective on all components of organizational intelligence (p≤0.05). Therefore, education and training, by expanding and applying virtual networks and distance learning through Sky Room, can create a dynamic space so that managers can develop their knowledge, achieve new ideas, and acquire new knowledge.

The study aimed to identify the Requirements for Developing Leaders’ AI Competencies. This systematic literature review, spanning from January 2017 to March 2025, analyzes 26 articles retrieved from Google Scholar, Sage, Emerald, Springer, ScienceDirect, and PubMed. Building from the systematic review, the findings were synthesized and integrated to derive a clear and parsimonious AI competency requirements framework for leaders. To this end, the PRISMA framework was applied to establish a high-quality and transparent process. Naeem et al.'s (2023) thematic analysis framework was employed to analyze and interpret the findings from the included studies. The reliability of the final results was assessed using Cohen's Kappa method. This coefficient was found to be 0.73, indicating a high level of agreement between the coders. The findings elucidate the essential requirements for cultivating artificial intelligence competencies among leaders through three primary dimensions: organizational, technological, and individual requirements. This research contributes to the existing literature by identifying and categorizing the effective requirements for developing leaders’ AI competencies in the era of AI.