درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Speaking proficiency is a crucial skill for Iranian EFL learners, yet it remains one of the most challenging aspects of language acquisition due to traditional, teacher-centered instruction and a lack of communicative practice. This study examines the effects of Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Gamification (G) on the Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF) of Iranian EFL learners’ speaking skills. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 108 B2-level learners from Safir Language Institute, Iran. Participants were divided into three groups: one receiving DI-based instruction, another engaging in Gamification-based tasks, and a control group following conventional teaching methods. The study utilized pre- and post-tests of speaking performance, evaluated through CAF metrics, alongside qualitative interviews to explore learners’ perceptions. Statistical analyses revealed significant improvements in all three dimensions of speaking in the experimental groups, with DI showing greater gains in accuracy and complexity, while G was more effective in enhancing fluency. Qualitative findings indicated that both approaches increased learner engagement, motivation, and confidence. These results suggest that DI and Gamification are effective pedagogical strategies for improving speaking proficiency and should be integrated into EFL curricula to optimize learning outcomes.

Despite the importance of continuous professional development for schools principals, researches show that their professional development approaches need to be review and move towards programs based on collective learning. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to provide a model for professional learning communities of elementary school principals. The present study was conducted using the qualitative research method of grounded theory and interviews with a targeted sample, including 29 key informants (15 university professors and 14 school principals) with relevant research records. The interviews were analyzed using the coding methods of Strauss and Corbin (1998). Four criteria of data authenticity, transferability, reliability and verifiability were used to check the validity of the data. After conducting interviews and open, axial and selective coding; The research results showed 18 general selection codes including causal conditions (collective learning culture; feeling the need for collective learning; leadership and management styles), contextual conditions (dynamic and flexible organizational structure; infrastructures and facilities; empathy and common goals; Encouraging principals towards learning communities), intervening conditions (teaching soft skills; suitable time and place for meetings related to communities; management knowledge; correct plan and program), central phenomenon (professional learning communities), Strategies for developing professional learning communities (suitable work space; professional learning; the existence of a supportive policy for learning communities; modeling of the experiences of successful schools) and consequences (organizational consequences; student success; professional development of teachers) that reflected the pattern of professional learning communities of primary school principals and the relationships between its different dimensions.