Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) are highly intense goal-directed motivational experiences that are characterised by establishing new routines and having positive emotions. The present study aimed to identify the factors that triggered the launch of DMCs among EFL learners. An interview protocol designed based on the core dimensions of the…

Studies examining culture representation in language textbooks have rarely adopted the semiotic approach, despite its potential for presenting and (re)creating cultural meanings at their various levels (i.e. cultural, intercultural, multicultural, and transcultural) in the co-instantiations of texts, tasks, and images. To address this issue, a…

Shifting focus of asocial language tests toward social considerations recalls their ideological basis (Mirhosseini, De Costa, 2020). The recurrent exposure to and involvement in discursive constructions of high stakes' contents, may bring along certain sociocultural conceptualizations and values by test audiences (van Dijk, 1998). Thus, unless a…

Studies on the salient role of neoliberalism in education have increased rapidly in recent years. These studies highlighted the presence of neoliberalism in language teaching materials in different contexts. However, research exploring the reality of neoliberal mentality in young learners' (YL) English language teaching (ELT) materials are sparse.…

As a part of a more extensive computerized dynamic assessment (CDA) project delivered through a dedicated website, www.lingeli.com, this study explores EFL learners' perspectives on an online listening comprehension dynamic assessment software focusing on inferential listening skills while trying to minimize the guessing effect. The study…

The study of language teacher and learner identity has turned into a vibrant line of research in recent years. Little research, however, has specifically addressed teachers' understanding of learner identity and the contributions this awareness offers to various aspects of their work. This study explored fifty Iranian EFL teachers' understanding…

The purpose of the present study is to conduct a qualitative content analysis to explore factors affecting EFL learning in Iran. To achieve this aim, the researcher carried out face-to-face unstructured interviews with 10 EFL teachers and 12 university students. The researcher used MAX QDA 10 (Qualitative Data Analysis) software to analyze the…

Various features of teacher instruction underpin the criteria used for the evaluation of teacher quality. The current study sought to explore whether nativeness/non-nativeness affects the criteria teachers consider for teacher quality evaluation. To this end, the participants were provided with five video clips of teaching, each presenting a…

This study investigated the post-reading comprehension questions and task types in the "Four Corners" series based on Freeman's (2014) taxonomy, which was developed, specifically, for the L2 reading context covering a wider range of question types compared with previous taxonomies. While literature abounds with studies investigating the…

English language teaching has always been treated as a socio-cultural issue in post-revolutionary Iran. Fueled by anti-imperialist sentiment, the political authorities diagnosed Western influence as the major ailment of the society. Having to accommodate for the undeniable virtue of learning English for international communication, educationalists…

This study investigated the effect of English teachers' stroking behaviors including positive verbal conditional (PVC), negative verbal conditional (NVC) and no stroke (NS) on the learners' motivation within Dörnyei's Theory of L2 Motivational Self-System. Sixty intermediate EFL learners were chosen as the participants. They were randomly divided…

As there is no well-established benchmark in terms of the representation of culture in English Language textbooks, culture representation has often been treated as a matter of opinion. To address this gap, having classified the textbooks in an EFL context into three types, namely local, localised, and international, the researchers drew on the…

Language knowledge is not limited to linguistic competence; cultural norms of a society affect the way people communicate. In fact, culture, tradition, and values are realized and manifested through language and the use of units known as speech acts. The current study sought to explore the strategies used by 200 native Iranian speakers of Persian,…

Textbooks used in foreign language instruction cannot be simply separated from cultural contexts because the mere study of the abstract system of language does not equip learners with the required knowledge, skill, and attitudes to interact effectively and meaningfully in real situations. This is the premise of the intercultural approach that aims…

Needs analysis is regarded as an essential step for developing a curriculum for English for specific purpose courses. Assessing learners' present and real-life language needs can contribute to learners' active participation in learning processes. This study aimed to assess English geared law learners' needs and to analyze the pedagogical tasks in…