https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/ Journal of Studies in Language Learning and Teaching en daily 1 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4058.html Despite the rising popularity of AI-powered language learning applications such as Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise, there remains a lack of empirical research comparing their effectiveness to traditional classroom methods in enhancing learner motivation and language proficiency. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of these AI-driven tools on learners’ motivation and proficiency levels. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, which posits that motivation thrives on autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and second language acquisition frameworks emphasizing input, interaction, and output, the research explores how these technologies shape intrinsic and extrinsic motivation alongside language skills. A mixed-methods approach integrates quantitative assessments, such as standardized language tests and motivation surveys, with qualitative feedback from semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of measurable outcomes and subjective experiences. The study highlights the role of multimedia-assisted language teaching technology in modern education, offering insights for educators integrating tech into pedagogy and developers refining these tools for optimal engagement and proficiency. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4059.html Reading comprehension is an important skill for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, but developing that skill requires elaborate methods and incorporates numerous levels of cognitive and affective influences. This study employs a novel SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) approach to examine how metacognitive awareness of reading strategies (MARS), reading self-efficacy (RSE), and reading enjoyment (RE) promote reading comprehension development for EFL students in Iran. Data were collected from a sample of 600 Iranian EFL learners with a quantitative design that relied on the MARS Inventory, RSE Questionnaire, RE Questionnaire, and a standardized Reading Comprehension Test. The data were recorded and analyzed with AMOS version 24 and MLE (Maximum Likelihood Estimation). Data showed that metacognitive awareness was a significant mediator in the effect of self-efficacy on reading comprehension, while enjoyment enacted changes in self-efficacy, and comprehension outcomes. Given the results, it was important to discuss the prominence of instilling metacognitive strategies and aspects of enjoyment in reading practice to influence reading comprehension in EFL educational settings. Regarding the implications for practical applications in the world of education, this research highlights key psychological pathways through which learners’ beliefs and emotions shape performance and suggest practical directions for designing strategy-based, enjoyment-enhancing reading instruction in similar EFL contexts. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4060.html The current study examined the role of EFL teachers' motivation in shaping their engagement in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs and perceived outcomes of these programs on their cognitive development and burnout levels. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, 43 teachers completed validated questionnaires on motivation, cognition, and burnout, followed by semi-structured interviews with a subsample of 15 participants. Quantitative results revealed that intrinsic motivation positively predicted engagement in CPD, whereas extrinsic motivation was negatively associated with engagement and positively related to burnout. Intrinsic motivation was negatively correlated with burnout. Qualitative findings supported these patterns, highlighting four major themes: (1) lack of regular CPD programs, (2) misalignment between CPD content and teachers’ practical needs, (3) financial incentives and job security, and (4) the need for a supportive workplace environment. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study provides empirical evidence on how contextual and motivational factors interact to shape teacher cognition and well-being. Implications are discussed for policy and institutional practice, emphasizing the design of regular, relevant, and well-supported CPD programs to sustain teacher motivation, mental health, and instructional quality. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4080.html This quasi-experimental study investigated the causal relationship between the use of e-portfolios integrated with literary analysis and intermediate EFL learners’ writing quality and attitudes. Thirty female learners aged 17–23 at the Iran Language Institute (Mashhad, Iran) were drawn from two intact classes and screened for writing homogeneity using the Cambridge Preliminary English Test (PET) writing task. Over four weeks, the experimental group (n = 15) used Google Sites e-portfolios to upload multiple drafts of two weekly compositions (≥150 words) grounded in literary texts, exchange structured peer feedback, write reflections, and revise in response to instructor comments. The control group (n = 15) completed the same writing tasks under the regular syllabus without portfolios or peer review. Writing performance was measured with a pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a delayed post-test (one month later) using the analytic composition profile developed by Jacobs et al. (1981) with double rating. The experimental participants completed an 18-item attitude questionnaire. Independent-samples comparisons indicated no baseline differences, significant immediate gains for the experimental group, and sustained advantages at delay. The attitudinal findings showed strong endorsement of motivation, collaboration, reflection, and feedback affordances. Overall, the results suggest that e-portfolios facilitate iterative, feedback-driven literary writing cycles that enhance EFL writing and engagement, demonstrating a positive impact of the intervention on the specified variables, with clear implications for classroom practice. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4081.html Despite a substantial body of research on the acquisition of interrogatives across languages, longitudinal and form–function–integrated evidence from Persian remains scarce, particularly beyond early toddlerhood. This longitudinal study investigates the developmental trajectory of interrogative acquisition in a Persian-speaking child. The data consists of spontaneous speech samples obtained from a 3;9 to 4;10-year-old Persian-speaking girl, totaling approximately 300 hours of naturalistic interactions. The primary aim was to document the systematic emergence of interrogative forms and their associated functions within the Persian language. The findings reveal a clear developmental sequence. Initially, the child acquired the utilization of yes/no questions, characterized by intonational variations, concurrently with the utilization of wh-words such as "chi" (what), "ku/koja" (where), and "chera" (why). This initial phase was succeeded by the gradual assimilation of additional wh-words, including "ki" ('who'), "kodum" ('which'), "chandta" ('how many'), "cheqadr" ('how much'), and "chetor" ('how'). Notably, the development of semantic functions associated with interrogatives mirrored established research, primarily adhering to two distinct categories: information-seeking functions, conveyed through wh-questions, and non-information-seeking functions, expressed through intonation or yes/no questions. In sum, this study contributes new empirical evidence to our understanding of interrogative acquisition in Persian within a specific age range by illuminating the intricate interplay between linguistic structures and nuanced semantic subtleties. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4117.html In this study, the effectiveness of combining extensive reading with spaced retrieval practice was examined using digital flashcards and scheduled quizzes to enhance L2 vocabulary learning. Through linking Krashen's (1982) input hypothesis and Bjork and Bjork's (1992) theory of desirable difficulty, a quasi-experimental design was employed with 130 intermediate EFL learners in six groups, each of which receiving different combinations of interventions including extensive reading only (RG), e-cards only (EG), e-cards and extensive reading (ERG), e-cards and quizzes (EQG), extensive reading and quizzes (RQG), and all three components (ERQG). It was revealed that the ERQG significantly outperformed the other groups. ERG also had considerable gains, while the groups relying on extensive reading or e-cards only gained limited improvement. These results demonstrated that combining rich input with structured retrieval practice can have synergistic benefits, supporting the efficacy of spaced retrieval techniques for vocabulary knowledge improvement. The study also highlighted the pedagogical advantages of integrating extensive reading in EFL instruction with technology-enhanced retrieval activities.   https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4118.html Despite curriculum reforms aimed at fostering communicative competence in English education, the implementation of communicative assessment practices remains a challenge in Iranian junior high schools. To explore this issue, this study investigated how EFL teachers design writing and speaking assessments in line with the goals of the Prospect series, introduced in 2013 as part of Iran’s national English curriculum. Addressing a critical gap in the existing research, the study examined EFL teachers’ practices and challenges in aligning their tests with communicative language teaching (CLT) principles using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. In the quantitative phase, the data were collected from 100 junior high school English teachers through a structured questionnaire. In the qualitative phase, 10 experienced EFL teachers were chosen through purposive sampling for in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed a disconnection between curriculum goals and classroom assessment practices. The key challenges included large class sizes, insufficient training in CLT-oriented assessment design, limited access to teaching and testing resources, and time constraints. The teachers also expressed a strong need for focused professional development tailored to writing and speaking test design. The study offers implications for policymakers and curriculum developers; they should provide practical assessment models and rubrics aligned with communicative objectives https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4141.html Research questions (RQs) play a pivotal role in mixed methods research (MMR), guiding the integration of qualitative and quantitative strands to address complex inquiries. This study investigates how the linguistic formulation of RQs reflects, rather than determines, the methodological choices made in MMR-based PhD dissertations in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).  Drawing on Creswell’s (2009) mixed methods design typology, a corpus of 518 RQs extracted from 92 Iranian TEFL dissertations (2019–2024) was analyzed using a manually coded corpus-based approach complemented by qualitative content analysis. RQs were operationally defined as all explicitly numbered or labeled research questions, excluding aims, hypotheses, and embedded declarative statements. The quantitative findings show a clear preference for sequential designs, particularly explanatory (39.1%) and exploratory (34.8%), which is a pattern consistent with TEFL’s emphasis on staged, context-sensitive inquiry. Regarding syntactic realization, non-polar Wh-questions were most frequent (56.8%), with factual (62.6%) and evaluative (20.4%) types prevailing across designs. Simple sentence structures (66.0%) and present-tense framing (99.2%) dominated, indicating a preference for clarity and alignment with the conventions of dissertation writing rather than discipline-wide tendencies. The qualitative findings illustrate how these syntactic patterns support transparency in reporting and help structure methodological decision-making. The findings contribute to understanding how researchers in Iran construct RQs in applied linguistics landscape and provide a foundation for cross-context comparisons https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4146.html Although previous studies have reported the effectiveness of Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) in different language skills, further empirical evidence is still needed on its application to writing and listening in the Iranian EFL context. This study aimed at investigating the effect of LOA on Iranian EFL learners’ writing and listening, using a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design. Two intermediate classes of EFL learners, each consisting of 30 female learners, participated in this study through convenience sampling from a private language school in Tehran. To collect the data, the Quick Placement Test (QPT), a sample IELTS Task 2 Writing, and an IELTS Listening section were used. The data analysis was based on descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group on both writing and listening after the intervention, with large effect sizes in both skills. Specifically, the effect sizes were Cohen’s d = 1.38 for writing and Cohen’s d = 1.26 for listening. The findings suggest that LOA can help EFL teachers integrate assessment with instruction through goal clarification, continuous feedback, self-assessment, peer assessment, and learner involvement in assessment procedures. They also indicate that curriculum planners may consider LOA-based activities in writing and listening courses for more formative and learner-centered assessment practices. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4147.html The present study aimed to determine the extent to which Iranian male and female English for Specific Purposes (ESP) lecturers’ self-efficacy and personality predict their teaching motivation by considering the mediating role of their writing ability. Through convenience sampling, 153 male and 182 female ESP lecturers from 26 Iranian universities participated in the study. The data were collected through a battery of validated questionnaires measuring teaching motivation, self-efficacy, and personality, along with a researcher-developed writing task scored based on Brown and Bailey’s (1984) analytic writing assessment framework (style, organization, and mechanics). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was also conducted using AMOS 22. The results indicated that self-efficacy and personality significantly predicted teaching motivation in both groups. Moreover, writing ability significantly mediated the relationships between self-efficacy, personality, and teaching motivation. Gender-based differences emerged in the strength of structural paths. The findings provide theoretical and pedagogical implications for ESP teacher education and professional development. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4181.html Boosting EFL learners’ motivation has been and continues to be a prominent theme in the theory and praxis of language teaching. Accordingly, this study sought to investigate the comparative impact of maximizing learning opportunities (MLO) and facilitating negotiation interaction (FNI) on Iranian EFL learners’ motivation through a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest comparison group design. Following a pilot administration of a sample Cambridge English Key Test (KET) with 25 learners, the modified test was administered to 90 EFL learners. Sixty three learners whose scores fell within one standard deviation above and below the mean were selected through non-random convenience sampling. Of these participants, 32 learners were assigned randomly to the MLO group and 31 learners to the FNI group. The learners’ motivation was measured using a validated Persian translation of Gardner’s (1985) Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) administered as both the pre- and posttest. During the treatment period, each group received instructions through tasks and activities designed in accordance with the principles of its respective instructional approach. The one-way ANCOVA indicated that both MLO and FNI had a significant impact on enhancing EFL learners’ motivation. However, no significant difference was found between the two approaches in terms of their motivational effects (F = 0.620, p = 0.434 > 0.05). The study suggests the application of both procedures in the ELT environment to boost EFL learners’ motivation https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4201.html Textbooks and their components, particularly words, are important in a teaching-learning process. This study aims to investigate the critical vocabulary strategies in Vision 1 based on mindscapes (Carter, 2013). This descriptive-analytical research studies the contextual clues, word parts, figurative language, vocabulary enhancement, consolidation, bias and tone recognition and intended meaning as critical strategies in Vision 1. The English textbook for tenth grade students in Iran is a sample unit. The data of strategies were collected and analyzed through a reliable and valid research-made worksheet involving 24 techniques. The results revealed that the qualitative category of critical vocabulary learning strategies was moderate. Bias and tone recognition and contextual clues were the most frequent and intended meaning, and figurative language were respectively the least employed strategies. High frequent uses of employing bias and tone, contextual clues and consolidation strategies were Vision 1's strengths helping learners to develop their vocabulary. However, the infrequent use of intended meaning, figurative language, and the lack of focus on breaking down words into parts were recognized as weaknesses that may limit learners' opportunities to develop morphological awareness of vocabulary acquisition. https://jsllt.yazd.ac.ir/article_4213.html Developing speaking accuracy and fluency remains a persistent challenge for many EFL learners, particularly in teacher-centered classrooms where opportunities for meaningful interaction are limited. To address this issue, this quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of Think-Pair-Share (TPS) interactional tasks on Iranian EFL learners' speaking accuracy and fluency. The study was conducted over 12 sessions across six successive weeks. Initially, 78 intermediate EFL learners took the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), and 42 learners whose scores fell within one standard deviation above and below the mean were selected as the final participants. They were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group and a control group, each with 21 participants. The experimental group received TPS instruction, which required them to think individually about a topic, pair with a partner to discuss it, and share their ideas with the class. The control group, however, received conventional speaking instruction. Both groups took a pretest and a posttest. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS. The findings revealed that TPS had a statistically significant effect on speaking accuracy (U = 82, p < 0.05). Likewise, the results showed that TPS significantly improved speaking fluency (U = 63, p < 0.05), with the experimental group outperforming the control group in both measures. The findings may have implications for language teachers, syllabus designers, and materials developers seeking to enhance learners' oral proficiency through cooperative learning strategies.