Ehsan Namaziandost’s research while affiliated with Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch and other places

Using mobile gadgets to learn a language, known as Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), has been widely recommended to enhance students’ language learning results. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge about the influence of utilizing messaging services, such as MALL, on students’ academic progress, independence, and anxiety levels. Using a quasi-experimental study, this research aimed to examine the effect of WhatsApp-mediated learning on English achievement (EA), academic engagement (AE), foreign language anxiety (FLA), and learner autonomy (LA) in Iranian English learners. The study consisted of 92 intermediate English students who underwent an Oxford Quick Placement Test before being randomly grouped into two cohorts: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). The English Proficiency Test, the Academic Engagement Scale, the FLA Scale, and the Learner Autonomy Questionnaire were administered to evaluate both groups before and after a 16-week intervention program that was held twice a week for 1 h. While the EG was taught on WhatsApp, the CG was taught in a face-to-face setting. The findings from a one-way MANOVA analysis showed that the EG demonstrated better results in EA, AE, and LA while experiencing lower levels of FLA compared to the CG. The implications of the research findings are further discussed for relevant stakeholders.

Extensive research on Global Englishes (GE) experiences has been investigated in response to the calls for using English as a global language and multicultural communication tool. However, previous studies were entirely concerned with higher education and language course teachers. Thus, to fill this lacuna, this current research dispensed the experiences of five senior English teachers dealing with GE in Islamic boarding school settings in Indonesia using a narrative inquiry. The five participants in this study were selected purposefully based on their teaching experience of more than 20 years. The data were gathered using individual in-depth interviews and analysed following Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis procedure. Results revealed that most participating teachers were unaware of the GE variations. Their inadequate knowledge of GE was seen in how they perceived issues of native-speaker ideology, the use of L1, the inclusion of Western culture, and the use of English textbooks in their classes. The study’s findings suggest that raising GE awareness of English teachers is essential since the paradigm shift of English as a global language has received considerable and critical attention in academia. In addition, the findings demand GE awareness to be included in the secondary school English curriculum. Finally, the use of narrative inquiry in this study is also promising in revealing teachers’ lived experiences personally and professionally.

Despite well-documented evidence of dynamic assessment (DA) in improving second language learners' performance in traditional classes, its influence on the motivation and speaking anxiety of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in online learning environments has remained largely under-investigated. This mixed-methods study examines the impact of online DA on the motivation and speaking anxiety of second/foreign language (L2) learners in an L2 context (Iran), extending the analysis beyond traditional classroom settings. For this purpose, the study involved 60 intermediate EFL learners, who were homogenized using the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) and randomly divided into a control (n = 30) and an experimental (n = 30) group. Pre-tests, interventions, and post-tests were administered using the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and Speaking Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess their motivation and speaking anxiety. Additionally, 10 EFL learners of the experimental participated in a focus-group interview to provide qualitative insights on the effectiveness of online DA. Data analysis was conducted using independent sample t-tests and a content analysis approach. Findings indicated a significant increase in motivation for the experimental group compared to the control group after the interventions. Furthermore, the experimental group showed better management of speaking anxiety at the end of the study. Additionally, the qualitative results highlighted four major themes: online DA enhances EFL learners' sense of achievement, online DA increases willingness to communicate, online DA encourages risk-taking, and online DA fosters positive attitudes. The study concludes with recommendations for stakeholders.

Despite well-documented evidence of dynamic assessment (DA) in improving second language learners' performance in traditional classes, its influence on the motivation and speaking anxiety of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in online learning environments has remained largely under-investigated. This mixed-methods study examines the impact of online DA on the motivation and speaking anxiety of second/foreign language (L2) learners in an L2 context (Iran), extending the analysis beyond traditional classroom settings. For this purpose, the study involved 60 intermediate EFL learners, who were homogenized using the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) and randomly divided into a control (n = 30) and an experimental (n = 30) group. Pre-tests, interventions, and post-tests were administered using the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and Speaking Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess their motivation and speaking anxiety. Additionally, 10 EFL learners of the experimental participated in a focus-group interview to provide qualitative insights on the effectiveness of online DA. Data analysis was conducted using independent sample t-tests and a content analysis approach. Findings indicated a significant increase in motivation for the experimental group compared to the control group after the interventions. Furthermore, the experimental group showed better management of speaking anxiety at the end of the study. Additionally, the qualitative results highlighted four major themes: online DA enhances EFL learners' sense of achievement, online DA increases willingness to communicate, online DA encourages risk-taking, and online DA fosters positive attitudes. The study concludes with recommendations for stakeholders.

Emotion regulation plays a crucial role in shaping the professional efficacy of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in higher education. Despite this, examining how emotion regulation intersects with job satisfaction, job effectiveness, and psychological well-being in university EFL teachers in Iran is largely under investigation. Addressing this gap, the present research integrates these four constructs (i.e., emotion regulation, job satisfaction, job effectiveness, and psychological well-being) within the context of Iranian higher education. A sample of 418 university teachers participated in the study by completing four validated instruments: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory, the Job Satisfaction Scale, the Teacher Effectiveness Scale, and the Psychological Well-being at Work Scale. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) through SMART PLS3 revealed significant correlations between emotion regulation and job satisfaction, job effectiveness, and psychological well-being in university EFL teachers. These findings highlight the importance of strong emotion regulation skills for improving EFL teachers' well-being and job performance in higher education.

Psychological factors, such as the fear of misunderstandings, making grammatical mistakes, and academic demotivation contribute to students' anxiety when speaking English in language classes. Some students may struggle to contribute actively to tasks and activities in English because they do not perceive themselves to be autonomous agents, feel engaged with the specific task, or are more generally academically demotivated. It is a critical goal of all English language teachers to assist these students in developing academic self-confidence and autonomy and in honing their spoken English. Drawing upon a quantitative method, the current study delved into a university setting to investigate the impact of autonomy and academic engagement on willingness to communicate, foreign language learning self-esteem, and L2 grit in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Three hundred eighty-seven EFL students completed a survey. The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), along with the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) as part of the measurement model validation, demonstrated that enhancing the EFL students' autonomy and academic engagement could significantly foster their willingness to communicate in English, as well as their self-esteem, and L2 grit. Overall, the results highlighted how the two pillars of self-determination theory, autonomy and academic engagement, contribute to positive psychology outcomes in the EFL domain. Relevant pedagogical consequences of this investigation are discussed based on the findings of the study.