۱.
Objective: Despite the documented benefits of Critical Friends Groups (CFGs) in various educational contexts, their application within the Iranian EFL system, characterized by top-down policies and limited teacher autonomy, remains underexplored. This study explores Iranian English teachers’ perceptions of CFGs as a collaborative professional development model. Methods: Situated within a larger research project on CFG implementation, this paper specifically reports the findings from semi-structured interviews with 10 junior high school EFL teachers who participated in CFG sessions. Results: Thematic analysis of interview data reveals that teachers generally viewed CFGs as a valuable space for professional dialogue, mutual support, and reflective practice. Participants highlighted the benefits of structured peer feedback, increased collegiality, and the opportunity to discuss classroom challenges in a non-evaluative environment. However, some expressed concerns about time constraints, varying levels of engagement, and the need for clearer facilitation. Conclusion: These insights contribute to the growing body of research on collaborative teacher development in EFL settings and offer practical implications for designing effective professional learning communities in centralized educational systems.
۲.
Objective: Having in mind to address and have contributions regarding the reading comprehension, this study focuses on using hypertext reflection on the reading comprehension of Iranian Intermediate EFL learners. Methods: In this study, 60 participants were assigned into one control group and an experimental group. While the experimental group was treated with hypertext reading texts, the control group was exposed to conventional method. Results: Based on the quantitative results obtained in the participants’ pretest and post-test scores, participants’ reading comprehension was measured before and after the treatment. Quantitative findings of the study highlighted the outperformance of the experimental group in comparison with the control one regarding hypertext reflection on the reading comprehension of Iranian EFL intermediate learners. Conclusion: The results and findings of the statistical analyses run indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group after the treatment revealing that the instruction was quite successful in helping the participants to improve their reading comprehension. The implication of the current research could pave the way for instructors and curriculum designers to include hypertext as a significant element in enhancing Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension.
۳.
Objective: There has been an increasing interest in exploring various methods to enhance the reading fluency and comprehension of EFL/ESL learners, both of which play a crucial role in successful reading. However, this area of research has not received sufficient attention within the Iranian context. Consequently, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of Audio-Assisted Reading (AAR) on the reading fluency and comprehension of Iranian high school students. Methods: To this end, adopting convenience sampling, a total of 61 female students were selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. AAR technique was presented to the experimental group whereby the reading passages were taught alongside their audio versions. Each passage was read five times and the students’ reading rate was observed based on the number of words articulated per minute. Results: The initial and final readings were followed by comprehension check questions. By contrast, the control group followed a traditional reading approach, which required students to read and translate the targeted passages into their L1. The findings revealed that AAR positively affected the students’ reading fluency, while no significant difference was found among the targeted groups in terms of comprehension. Conclusion: Notably, the results of the study may provide both EFL/ESL learners and teachers with insightful and promising pedagogical guidelines for meeting the objectives of reading comprehension classrooms.
۴.
Objective: Enhancing collocational competence, alongside improving learner motivation and autonomy, is a cornerstone of effective EFL instruction. Despite the well-documented affordances of corpus-based tools, particularly concordancers, in supporting various aspects of language development, their integration into mainstream language pedagogy is surprisingly limited. In response to this pedagogical oversight, the present study explores the efficacy of the concordancing software AntConc in advancing Iranian EFL learners’ development of collocations, long-term retention, self-directed learning, and motivational engagement. Methods: Sixty intermediate-level learners were employed and then assigned to either a control or experimental group. Over a five-week intervention, participants in the experimental group engaged in practical corpus analysis using AntConc, working directly with authentic English language data. In contrast, the control group followed a traditional, teacher-centered instructional model. To capture the intervention’s impact, the study employed a combination of pre-tests, post-tests, delayed post-tests, and self-report questionnaires. Results: The findings revealed significant developments in all measured domains for the experimental group, as confirmed by t-tests, mixed-design ANOVA, and Mann–Whitney U tests. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the use of concordancing was more effective than conventional approaches in enhancing learners' knowledge and long-term recall of collocations. Furthermore, it contributed to increased motivation and autonomy by fostering a more engaged, discovery-oriented approach to learning.
۵.
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which teacher-related factors, namely technological attitudes, perceived organizational support, and engagement in professional development, predict English language teachers’ instructional use of technology. Methods: This study employed a quantitative, correlational research design. Data were collected from 95 English language teachers through a questionnaire measuring technological attitudes, professional development, and organizational support. The construct validity of the instrument was confirmed via factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive power of the three teacher-related variables on instructional technology use. Results: The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that technological attitudes, professional development, and organizational support were all significant predictors of teachers’ instructional use of technology. Among these variables, technological attitudes emerged as the strongest predictor, as evidenced by the standardized regression coefficients. Conclusion: The findings highlight the pivotal role of teachers’ technological and pedagogical dispositions in effective technology integration. They suggest that fostering positive technological attitudes, alongside sustained professional development and institutional support, is essential for maximizing the instructional benefits of technology and enhancing student learning outcomes.
۶.
Despite the growing recognition of Oral Presentation Anxiety (OPA) as a significant barrier to effective communication in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, previous research has predominantly examined anxiety in isolation, leaving a critical gap in understanding how these constructs interact (Tsang, 2022; Dewaele et al., 2022; Grieve, 2020). To offer a more integrated perspective, this study investigates the predictive roles of L2 grit, Foreign Language Classroom Enjoyment (FLCE), and self-efficacy in relation to Oral Presentation Anxiety among English major university students. A total of 123 participants completed an online survey that included demographic questions and established scales measuring L2 grit, FLCE, self-efficacy, and OPA. Path analysis was employed to examine the proposed relationships within the model. The findings reveal that self-efficacy significantly predicts OPA, demonstrating a strong correlation with participants' anxiety levels during oral presentations. In contrast, neither L2 grit nor FLCE emerged as significant predictors of OPA across the sample. These results highlight the importance of fostering self-efficacy to mitigate OPA in undergraduate language learners. The study concludes with practical implications for educators and stakeholders in higher education aimed at reducing foreign language presentation anxiety.
۷.
Objective: The research investigated how implementing autonomy-supportive strategies in English language classrooms contributes to increased student motivation. Methods: Participants in this study comprised 100 male EFL learners recruited from an English language institute located in Guilan, Iran. Sixty intermediate language learners were selected using the Oxford Quick Placement Test and subsequently randomly divided into two groups of 30 for the research. A motivation pretest was administered to both cohorts preceding the intervention. The treatment then commenced: the experimental group received autonomy-supportive English language instruction, and the control group followed the CLT approach. A motivation posttest was administered to all participants at the conclusion of the treatment to assess potential differences in motivation levels across the experimental (autonomy-supportive) and control (CLT) groups. Results: The findings, statistically examined with independent and paired samples t-tests, demonstrated that autonomy-supportive teaching methods effectively boosted English learning motivation in the Iranian student cohort. Conclusion: The results offer tangible proof that autonomy-supportive methods effectively cultivate more motivating language learning settings and enhance students' inherent motivation to pursue English language acquisition.
