In 2011, Iran’s educational system underwent a significant transformation through the implementation the Fundamental Reform Document of Education (FRDE). Alongside other revisions, the FRDE mandated reforms in English teaching practices to align with the communicative language teaching (CLT) principles. This study aims to (1) assess the communicativeness of English teaching practices in Iranian high schools using Littlewood’s (2004) continuum, (2) explore the perspectives of teachers regarding the FRDE and CLT, and (3) identify challenges in implementing the FRDE in English education. Data collection involved observing 60 English teaching sessions conducted by 15 English teachers from the first and second three years of high school. Subsequently, focus group interviews were conducted with the same teachers. The data were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2020 and NVIVO 11. The results showed that most teaching activities used categorized by Littlewood’s (2004) as non-communicative and pre-communicative such as mechanical repetition, ask-and-answer practices, memorization and acting out conversations‎, ‎etc.‎ Notably, there was a limited representation of real-life communicative activities or structured communication tasks, indicating a systemic misalignment with CLT goals. The interviews provided insights into the varying opinions held by the teachers regarding the FRDE and CLT. While some teachers emphasized the values, others expressed concerns about its practicality in the Iranian context due to various constraints. These included the shortcomings of the FRDE, the unfamiliarity of the Iranian teachers with the CLT principles, the emphasis on teaching to the test, and the reluctance of students and parents to engage in practices beyond those preparing them for Iran’s university entrance exam (Konkur).

This study investigates the perceived benefits of Digital Storytelling (DST) as an instructional approach aimed at developing speaking-related competencies among highly motivated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in an Islamic private university in Central Java, Indonesia, where the majority of academics are Muslims. Implementing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research combines quantitative observations of learners’ speaking activities with qualitative insights into their experiences and reflections. While the data indicate improvements in certain aspects of speaking, particularly in areas such as confidence, engagement, and idea formulation, the findings are interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size and specific contextual factors. Students reported that DST activities enhanced their motivation, reduced their anxiety, and provided them with greater autonomy in expressing themselves orally. Rather than positioning DST as a panacea for speaking fluency, the study suggests that it may serve as a complementary pedagogical tool that supports affective and cognitive dimensions of oral language learning in culturally specific EFL contexts.

Vocabulary learning is an essential part of language learning. Vocabulary Instruction Feedback is essential in achieving learning objectives, mainly in language education. Vocabulary retention in one of the key issues in developing various language skills. Vocabulary instruction feedback is essential in achieving learning objectives, mainly in language education. The present study purposes to determine the role and impact of AI-driven feedback in EFL vocabulary instruction in Islamic countries educational institution. The study used systematic review method to gather data for the present study. For this, the study reviews the various AI-driven models that can be integrated with E-learning and act a source of feedback. The findings of the review assert that AI-driven mechanisms can be integrated to enhance the vocabulary learning and retention. The analysis suggest that AI-driven feedback models can useful if they are effectively incorporated in enhancing EFL vocabulary learning. By leveraging these technologies, instructors can produce more personalized feedback and operative learning experiences that help students in their vocabulary learning and retention.

Today's education aims to equip students with the 21st-century skills necessary for success in a world shaped by globalization and technological advancement. These skills include creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and complex problem-solving. In the context of teaching English to young learners, particularly in Islamic elementary schools, integrating a game-based approach into the classroom proves to be an effective strategy. This approach fosters an engaging and dynamic learning environment that can incorporate all the necessary skills within the language learning process. However, traditional game-based methods often rely on physical or paper-based games that lack interactivity, scalability, and integration with digital literacy, which is a key aspect of 21st-century learning. These methods also tend to be teacher-centered, limited in content variety, and less motivating for digital-native students. This study aims to develop a 5C skills-based English learning game application using the Research and Development (R&D) method. To achieve this, the study employed the ADDIE model, including needs assessment, to analyze elementary school students' needs, wants, and challenges in learning English. This analysis forms the basis for developing the application, as well as its design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The results of thematic and descriptive statistical analyses revealed the importance of digital game media in actively engaging students and motivating them in their learning. The experiment demonstrated a significant difference in outcomes between students taught through traditional methods and those using digital games. This study suggests the necessity of incorporating digital games in English language learning as a valuable tool that every teacher should consider.

This study examines how English language learning influences the identity of Muslim undergraduate students at a private university in Pakistan, considering its significance in national, religious, and global contexts. Using a qualitative research approach, data was collected through a survey of students from a well-reputed university in Karachi. A questionnaire developed by Yihong et al. (2007) measured identity changes using a five-point Likert scale across six categories: self-confidence, additive change, subtractive change, productive change, split change, and zero change. Grounded in bilingualism, identity formation, and sociolinguistics theories, this study explores language as a cultural and religious marker, shaping self-perception and community affiliation. Findings indicate that English proficiency enhances self-confidence and global identity but also creates tensions in maintaining Islamic and cultural heritage. While most students experience additive identity changes—retaining both English and their native language—some undergo subtractive changes, weakening ties with their native culture and religious traditions. Hybrid identities emerge as students navigate between English, Urdu, and Islamic discourse, reflecting the complex role of language in shaping faith, values, and aspirations. English is perceived as a language of power and success. Yet, concerns over identity conflicts highlight the need for linguistic policies that balance English proficiency with preserving Islamic and national identity. Educators and policymakers must address these challenges to ensure a holistic bilingual education that fosters both religious and global engagement among students.

This study examines the use of religious narratives, specifically the story of "Ibrahim, the Father of Prophets," from the bilingual collection Nabi & Rasul Allah (2018), to cultivate critical thinking among young English language learners in Indonesia. This study explores how the morals and language of a story can foster critical thinking in young students. Employing Fairclough's model of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the transitivity framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), the research investigates the critical thinking skills embedded in the English version of the Ibrahim story. The analysis includes a discourse-based examination of the story’s strategies and social practices, supplemented by interviews with English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Indonesian religious elementary school. This integrated approach highlights the role of critical thinking in selecting appropriate learning materials and emphasizes socio-cultural contributions of religious narratives to material development and instructional design in ELT to young learners. The paper concludes that integrating moral values into English teaching does not negate the necessity of fostering critical thinking. Teachers can use critical thinking to select stories that enhance students' moral understanding and linguistic proficiency. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on the use of storytelling in education and provides insights into effective pedagogical strategies for incorporating critical thinking into ELT for young learners.

The Banjar language is locally predominant in Banjarmasin City, whereas Indonesian is primarily used in educational and governmental settings. Research on language choice often centers on single-ethnicity groups, examining their use of mother tongues, national languages, or languages with colonial influence. This study, however, investigates the impact of cultural, social, and political factors on language choice within multiethnic communities – each with its own native language - across family, educational, and government domains. Using a mixed-methods approach with questionnaires and in-depth interviews, the study reveals the following findings: (a) Banjar speakers predominantly use the Banjar language at home and in public spaces but shift to Indonesian outside of the household, avoiding other regional language. (b) Members of the Dayak community favor either Banjar or Indonesian over their native language. (c) The Madurese, Bugis, and Minangkabau communities primarily use their native languages at home but prefer Indonesian or Banjar in public settings. (d) Javanese and Sundanese speakers use their native languages domestically but switch to Indonesian or Banjar in external interactions. In educational settings, (a) teachers predominantly use Indonesian for instruction and professional meetings, while (b) students use both Indonesian and Banjar. Within governmental contexts, sub-district employees use Indonesian in informal interactions with guests and Banjar in formal situations. These findings underscore important implications for fostering both local languages and Indonesian within educational and governmental framework.

The rapid integration of AI technologies in education necessitates understanding their potential effects on language acquisition and proficiency, particularly in writing—a critical skill for EFL learners. This study aimed to investigate the types of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots and scrutinize the students' perceptions about the impact of AI chatbots on their vocabulary and grammar in EFL writing. Using a mixed method, this study involved 100 undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students from five universities in Indonesia, highlighting the various AI chatbots they employed in their digital activities. Data collection consisted of questionnaires, interviews, and observation sheets which were analyzed using quantitative descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Bing Chat, Ernie, Character AI, Discord Bot, Wren, and Ginger emerged as the most widely used chatbots among the students, with reasons such as helpfulness, work simplification, skill and knowledge transfer, and ease of use serving as the primary motivations for their use. The findings revealed that a significant majority of students experienced substantial improvements in their vocabulary range, syntactic variety, and writing quality when using these AI chatbots. They also unanimously reported AI chatbots had a major positive impact on their language proficiency, particularly in the areas of vocabulary and grammar used in writing. The results of this research suggest that incorporating AI chatbots can be advantageous for improving the writing skills of EFL students. The study also addressed its shortcomings and offered recommendations for future research.

The present study aimed to examine the impact of gender-specific background knowledge and language proficiency on reading comprehension among Saudi EFL undergraduate students at Majmaah University. The primary method of data collection was quantitative, involving two culturally distinct texts – one familiar and one unfamiliar to the participants. The research design included 120 second-year undergraduate students (60 males and 60 females) majoring in English at Majmaah University. The study employed a quantitative approach, with statistical analyses conducted utilizing regression models to explore the relationships between gender, language proficiency, and reading comprehension scores. The findings revealed several gender-related factors influencing reading comprehension, including social and cultural influences that may affect students’ understanding of texts. These findings suggest that teachers can modify curricula and instructional methods to account for these factors, while teacher training programs should incorporate elements of language development and cultural competency. Furthermore, promoting inclusivity in education can be achieved by revising policies and implementing tailored student support programs. Future research is required to investigate additional relevant factors and conduct cross-cultural comparisons. In particular, further studies should investigate the effects of multicultural reading materials currently used in EFL instruction on undergraduate students' reading comprehension and language proficiency.

The integration of technology into education has illuminated new dimensions of English Language Teaching (ELT) practices. Although technology-assisted language learning has been introduced in the EFL context for some time, its application as an autonomous learning tool for teaching writing skills remains underdeveloped. This study aims to examine the impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) when employed as an autonomous learning tool on EFL students’ writing skills. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, data were collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis. The findings were categorized into two main themes; the degree of autonomy achieved and the students’ learning behaviors. The results indicate that the advantages of MALL significantly contributed to enhancement of students’ autonomous writing skills, as evidenced by an increase in the average writing score from 57.25 to 67.7. This study concludes that both the benefits and limitations of MALL implementation must be considered, as they present significant impacts and potential challenges in achieving a high-quality ELT classroom. Finally, the insights from this study may provide valuable guidance for teachers seeking to incorporate MALL into their writing classroom.