Despite its official adoption in Iran’s national EFL curriculum, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) remains inconsistently implemented, revealing a profound disconnect between policy mandates and classroom realities. This mixed-methods study examines the perceptions of 35 Iranian EFL teachers (15 pre-service, 20 in-service) in Isfahan, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, to explore their conceptualizations of CLT, perceived barriers to its enactment, and the resulting belief-practice gap. Findings demonstrate robust theoretical support for CLT principles across both cohorts, yet their practical application is severely constrained. Common obstacles include grammar-focused national examinations, large class sizes, students’ ingrained passive learning habits, scarcity of authentic materials, and insufficient teacher training. In-service teachers further highlight systemic barriers—misaligned assessment systems, inadequate administrative support, and low salaries—whereas pre-service teachers, limited by minimal classroom exposure, display greater optimism. Framed through Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the study positions teachers as active agents mediating conflicting institutional and cultural demands. It contends that sustainable CLT integration demands policy coherence, sustained professional development, and context-sensitive adaptations rather than relying solely on top-down reform. By providing a comparative analysis across career stages, this research advances teacher cognition scholarship and reframes CLT as a locally negotiated practice, offering direct implications for teacher education, curriculum design, and policymaking in comparable EFL contexts.

This study aimed to examine students' behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement in learning to speak through a data-driven learning approach. The participants in this study were 15 undergraduate EFL students at Mekdela Amba University in Ethiopia. In the intervention, which lasted for six weeks, the students were instructed to speak via a data-driven learning approach. The data were collected through self-report surveys and reflective journals. The findings obtained from the self-report survey on the three dimensions of engagement showed that the behavioural engagement score (t (14) = 8.454, p = 0.000, MD = 1.00), the cognitive engagement score (t (14) = 8.508, p = 0.000, MD = 1.296), and the emotional engagement score (t (14) = 13.759, p = 0.000, MD = 1.593) were found to be greater than the hypothesized mean score, and in all cases the difference were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Moreover, the reflective journal findings showed that students engaged positively across the three dimensions of engagement: behavioural, emotional, and cognitive. Finally, in light of the results, it was recommended that a data-driven learning approach should be included in EFL speaking instruction to augment learners’ speaking engagement.

This study aimed to explore the use of sketchbooks as a multimodal learning strategy in promoting Critical Literacy (CL) among teenage English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in rural Antioquia (Colombia). Using action research methodology, the study was conducted in a public rural institution, integrating multimodal pedagogy and texts to foster critical engagement with their own socio-cultural realities. Data was collected through observations, student-created sketchbooks, and focus group discussions. Three key findings emerged: (1) The influence of students' involvement with sketchbooks on CL development; (2) The correlation between context-specific materials and learners' sociocultural awareness; (3) and the double-edged role of native language in foreign language acquisition. This research underscores the need for innovative approaches to language learning that encompass critical engagement with socio-cultural realities, thus proposing the sketchbooks, encouraging future researchers to explore additional implementation cycles of this research, balancing CL development with EFL proficiency in rural settings.

How can EFL innovation thrive amid systemic constraints? This question guides Issue 31, which offers a concise yet diverse overview of current research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching across varied geographical and educational contexts. Although the studies come from realities in countries as diverse as Colombia, Iran, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and China, they share a common concern: understanding and improving EFL students’ learning processes while analyzing the role of pedagogical practices, educational policies, and teacher training in that endeavor. All contributions explore strategies that strengthen student engagement and foster skill transfer across reading, writing, speaking, and critical literacy. Approaches such as the Flipped Instruction Model (FIM), Data-Driven Learning (DDL), culturally oriented texts, sketchbooks, and the pedagogical use of AI chatbots demonstrate their potential to bridge theory and practice. These innovations, however, only succeed when aligned with institutional, material, and sociocultural realities. Systemic barriers—national exams focused on grammar, large class sizes, low salaries, lack of authentic materials, insufficient preparation for inclusion, and limited knowledge about supporting students with visual disabilities—remain significant obstacles to implementation. Technology and Emerging Pedagogies The integration of Artificial Intelligence into language teaching is a recurring theme. In “Chatbot-Driven Writing Practice: A Boon or a Bust for EFL Learners?”, Emrah Ekmekçi and Eylül Karabulut examine the impact of general-purpose chatbots on L2 writing, signaling a shift toward technology-driven learning. Similarly, Laura Ordoñez reviews B. Mairéad Pratschke’s book introducing “Generativism”, a model that redefines the relationship between teachers, students, and digital tools—an approach that could reshape classroom dynamics. Methodological Innovations In Iran, “Effects of Flipped Model of Instruction on Reading Comprehension and Attitude of Iranian Non-English Majors” by Samaneh Bahrami demonstrates that the FIM significantly improves reading comprehension and attitudes among university students, using audio files as pre-class resources for accessible, “on-the-go” learning. Complementing this, “Effects of Data-Driven Learning Approach on EFL Learners’ Speaking Engagement” by Getasew Chanie and Amare Tesfie Birhan shows how DDL fosters active oral participation, reinforcing the value of learner autonomy. Policy-Practice Gaps and Inclusion The disconnect between policy and practice is evident in “Bridging the Gap: Insights on CLT from Iranian EFL Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers” by Alireza Karbalaei, which reveals that despite official adoption of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), systemic constraints—grammar-focused exams, overcrowded classrooms, insufficient training, and low salaries—limit its implementation. Inclusion emerges as another critical theme. “Pedagogical Mediation for Visually Impaired Students” by May Ling González-Ruiz, Ana Cristina Solís Solís, and Lindsay Chaves-Fernández analyzes strategies in Costa Rican universities to support visually impaired learners, underscoring the global need for inclusive frameworks. Similarly, “Ready or Not? Preparedness of Pre-service EFL Teachers to Inclusive Education: A Cross-cultural Comparative Study from Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and China” by Erkan Yüce, Olufemi Timothy Adigun, Meruyert Seitova, Zeynep Çetin Köroğlu, and Yongliang Wang examines future teachers’ readiness for inclusive education across diverse contexts. Cultural Contextualization and Critical Literacy Context-sensitive materials remain essential. In Ethiopia, “Augmenting Students’ Reading Comprehension Using Source Culture-Oriented Texts: Eighth-Grade in Focus” by Getachew Seyoum Woldemariam and Abbi Lemma Wodajo demonstrates that culturally grounded texts enhance comprehension and engagement when traditional materials feel distant. Likewise, “EFL Learners’ Critical Literacy Development Using Sketchbooks” by Deisi Carolina Acevedo, Ana María Garcés Villa, and Mariana Pelaes López introduces sketchbooks as tools for fostering critical literacy in rural Colombian classrooms, addressing an overlooked skills gap. Looking Ahead These findings broaden the field and raise urgent questions for the future of EFL education. The growing presence of AI compels us to rethink instructional design, teacher training for responsible technology use, and the balance between human guidance and digital possibilities. Persistent challenges—policy-practice misalignment, inequitable working conditions, and lack of inclusive strategies—demand systemic coherence. Research on contextualized materials and critical approaches reminds us of the importance of connecting language teaching with students’ identities and realities. Issue 31 reaffirms that English language teaching is a field in constant transformation, where technological innovation, equity demands, and context-sensitive strategies converge. We invite readers to explore these approaches, test them in their classrooms, and share results with us (gist@unica.edu.co) —transforming passive reading into collaborative inquiry. As always, we thank our authors and reviewers for trusting GiST and supporting UNICA’s mission to transform society through education. Your contributions foster inclusive EFL classrooms worldwide and create tangible societal impact beyond publication.

While previous studies focused more on the impact of purpose-built AI-powered chatbots on students' L2 writing skills, a gap exists regarding the effects of general-purpose AI-powered chatbots on L2 writing skills. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing the impact of widespread use of AI chatbots on L2 writing skills. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, and a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was utilized involving 36 students (19 experimental, 17 control). Quantitative data were gathered from learners' writing tasks, while semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Over five weeks, the experimental group used four chatbots for writing tasks, while the control group received teacher-led instruction. The results showed that the experimental group did not exhibit a statistically significant change in writing skills compared to the control group. Nevertheless, students in the experimental group held positive perceptions toward chatbots. Overall, the study offers valuable insights into integrating emerging technologies into English language teaching, providing critical guidance for stakeholders and practitioners on the responsible use of these tools and the pedagogical structuring of general-purpose AI chatbots.

This study tried to investigate pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' preparedness for inclusive education from a cross-cultural perspective. We used a quantitative survey design and collected the data in a cross-sectional way from three Asian countries: Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and China. We implemented a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pre service EFL teachers regarding inclusive education to 694 pre-service EFL teachers. We utilized the Kruskal Wallis test and Tamhane's T2 test to analyze the quantitative data of the groups in a comparative way. We found cross-cultural differences among the countries concerning inclusive education. The perceptions subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan are significantly higher than those of pre-service EFL teachers in China. The attitude subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Türkiye are significantly higher than those of the pre-service EFL teachers in China, while the scores of the pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan are significantly higher than the scores of the pre-service EFL teachers in China. The knowledge subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Türkiye are significantly higher than those of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan, while the knowledge scores of pre-service EFL teachers in China are significantly higher than the scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan. Based on these results, we discussed the place of inclusive education in pre-service EFL education from a cross-cultural perspective.

The current study examined the effect of the flipped instructional model on the reading comprehension skills and attitudes of non-English major university students. To achieve these goals, 80 freshmen who enrolled in the General English course during the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023 at the Islamic Azad University of Babol were randomly selected and equally assigned to two groups: experimental and control. The former received flipped instruction, whereas the latter attended the regular face-to-face class. At the end of the study, an independent-samples t-test was conducted, and the results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group on the post-test. Additionally, the students' attitudes were measured using a validated self-report questionnaire, and frequency analyses indicated that participants had a positive view of the pedagogical intervention. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview was used to gather qualitative data. The thematic analysis revealed that flipped teaching enhanced reading comprehension skills and attitudes through advocating personalized and collaborative learning, and student engagement. These findings underscore the potential of the flipped instruction model to enrich EFL academic contexts and empower struggling learners, positioning it as a viable and impactful instructional strategy

This case study began in the first semester of 2013 as part of an integrated English course offered at a public university in Costa Rica. Data were collected at three intervals—2013, 2019, and 2020—to explore the experiences of several professors who taught visually impaired or blind students. The research is grounded in the personal experience of one of the researchers, who had a blind student in her class. It examines the perceptions and experiences of the participating teachers, as well as the challenges they encountered over time while striving to foster an inclusive classroom environment. The implications for theory and practice are discussed, and recommendations for further research are proposed.

This study aimed to enhance eighth-grade students' reading comprehension through source culture-oriented texts using a design-based research approach. It involved 67 students (29 males and 38 females) from two purposefully selected primary schools. Baseline data were collected using document analysis, classroom observation, and pre-reading tests. Initial findings revealed significant challenges in reading comprehension, with only 26.5% of students at School A and 18.2% at School B scoring above 50%. In phase II, local culture-based texts were developed, reviewed, and refined by experts. In Phase III, the intervention materials were implemented in two phases over 16 sessions across 8 weeks at each school. The evaluation included both formative and summative assessments, including reflections from observation results, post-tests, and delayed post-tests. The inferential statistical analysis showed significant improvements in students' scores (p = 0.000) in the one-way ANOVA, indicating the intervention's effectiveness. The results suggest that the use of culturally relevant texts led to improved reading comprehension, addressing issues such as low comprehension skills identified in Phase I. The study recommends further exploration of culturally relevant materials across diverse educational settings.