Iranian English Research Articles

The interplay of teachers' positive beliefs and practices: an exploratory study through the lens of positive psychology

PurposeThe impact of teachers' positive psychology (PP) beliefs on their practices and the consequential influence on teaching processes and learning outcomes has been widely acknowledged. In line with PP in education, this research endeavors to examine the interconnectedness of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practices regarding establishing a positive classroom environment.Design/methodology/approachUsing a purely qualitative approach, this study utilizes interviews and classroom observations as methods of data collection. To explore the beliefs of six female teachers and a number of their students, the researchers adapted selected prompts from the “What is happening in this class?” questionnaire developed by Fraser et al. (1996) into interview questions. The researchers also conducted classroom observations to gather information on the teachers' implementation of practices that contribute to a positive classroom environment.FindingsBy triangulating the interview data with the qualitative observations, the findings revealed a discrepancy between the teachers' cognition and their actual classroom practices concerning the establishment of a positive classroom environment. Students’ interviews also revealed the teacher participants' actual practices did not align with their cognitive beliefs.Originality/valueThe findings have significant implications for creating a positive environment in the post-pandemic era, suggesting a need for professional development and support for teachers in aligning their beliefs on positive psychology with their practices through qualitative enquiry.

Professional Ethics, Loyalties and Interpretative Space

AbstractIn a study of Iranian English teachers’ reflections on moral dilemmas, a central finding is conflicting loyalties between professional integrity and various forms of pressure from school leaders and parents. In this commentary I reflect on experiences from a Norwegian context. Here similar dilemmas are discussed within professional ethics, a field that respond to the responsibility and trust the teachers receive from society to employ their professional judgment in complex situations involving uncertainty. Referring to two publicly known cases that both accentuate the significance of loyalty, I exemplify how professional ethics is put under pressure, and reflect on how these cases make distinct what professional ethics is about. The commentary highlights the importance of providing an interpretative space for teachers carrying out a complex institutional practice, and the need to situate ethical dilemmas in the larger societal context school and education is a part of.

Iranian English language policy and learner’s identity formation: a reflective study

Iranian English language policy and learner’s identity formation: a reflective study

Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' professional development needs in educational contexts: Exploring the challenge of reflective practice.

This study investigated Iranian, English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' attitudes toward reflective teaching compared with their classroom assessment preferences and up-take of strategy-based instruction. It compared their views in the two key higher education provider contexts of the university and institute. In this cross-sectional correlational study, a total of 90 teachers, half drawn from each university in a major city in Iran, were selected using controlled quota sampling. Data were collected through a four-part survey. Besides gathering demographic data (Part A), the survey drew upon three established instruments that used a Likert Scale format. Part B comprised the Teacher Reflectivity questionnaire, and Part C focused on the Classroom Assessment Preferences Survey Questionnaire for Language Teachers. Also, part D administered the Teachers' Beliefs Inventory for Strategy Instruction. The reliability of this and the CAPSQ-LT was confirmed by the researchers using Cronbach's alpha at 0.842 and 0.951, respectively. A total of 90 questionnaires were distributed, with 72 fully completed (80%) and returned. the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed to analyze the data, using the independent sample t-test and ANOVA. Also, Pearson product-moment correlations were used to measure the association between the variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered as significant. As shown in findings, a statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the teachers' reflective teaching scores and classroom assessment preference scores (r=0.473, p0=.001). This correlation was moderately high and positive, thus supporting that higher teacher reflective practices reflect a broader application of classroom assessment. The Table also shows that there was no significant correlation between the teachers' attitudes toward reflective teaching and their uptake of strategy-based instruction (r=0.094; p=0.434). Similarly, there was no statistically significant correlation between the teachers' attitudes toward classroom assessment preferences and their beliefs about strategy-based instruction (r=0.038, p=0.752). As shown, no statistically significant difference was observed between the teachers' attitudes toward reflective teaching and their uptake of strategy-based instruction (p<0.05). This study draws attention to the need for teachers in EFL contexts, such as this, to have access to professional development opportunities that deeply engage and guide them to be reflective practitioners who can make the connections between assessment techniques, strategy-based instruction, and students' improved language learning outcomes.

Consumerist discourses on social media and language teacher educator identity tensions

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of social media discourses, espoused by neoliberal and consumerist ideologies, on a language teacher educator's (LTE) identity negotiation. Through a collaborative case study, it examines Hassan's (the second author) experiences with social media in the Iranian English language teaching (ELT) context over three years. The data consist of extensive email discussions and four online meetings between the authors over one year. The analysis of Hassan's narratives reveals dominant social media discourses emphasizing sameness, omniscience, and commercialized luxurious lifestyles. These discourses often equate social media visibility with professional qualifications, pressuring Hassan to conform to trends that conflict with his sense of professionalism and authenticity. Hassan's emotional struggles and identity tensions led to critical reflection and ongoing negotiation of his professional identity. The findings underscore the need for professional development programs that support LTEs in navigating the pressures of self‐branding while maintaining their professionalism. Additionally, the study calls for further research into the long‐term effects of social media on professional identity and well‐being across diverse cultural and institutional contexts.

L2 master’s and doctoral students’ preferences for supervisor written feedback on their theses/dissertations

The present study employed a qualitative research design to investigate possible differences between L2 master’s and doctoral students’ preferences for supervisor written feedback. Although the role of learners’ preferences, as a part of attitudinal engagement, has been emphasized in the literature on feedback, there are still niches in the literature that need to be occupied. One of these gaps is the examination of L2 master’s and doctoral students’ preferences for supervisor written feedback on their theses/dissertations. To bridge this research gap, the researcher interviewed 52 master’s and 21 doctoral Iranian English Language Teaching students. Thematic analysis of the interview data identified five main preferences: feedback that is clear, specific, encouraging, dialogic, and non-appropriative. The examination of interview data showed that both master’s and doctoral students expressed high levels of preference for receiving clear and encouraging feedback. A significantly higher percentage of master’s students expressed their preference for specific comments. In contrast, doctoral students exhibited heightened preferences for non-appropriative and dialogic feedback. The findings also provided insights into the underlying factors that can shape master’s and doctoral students’ preferences. Several practical implications and suggestions for further research are also discussed in this study.

Investigating barriers to implementation of a CLT-based curriculum innovation in iranian secondary education

This mixed-methods study explored Iranian English teachers' perceptions of barriers to implementing an innovative CLT-based curriculum in Iranian high school English classes. The sample of the study was composed of three groups: 23 English teachers who participated in semi-structured interviews, 217 English teachers who completed the initial version of the questionnaire for construct validation, and 143 English teachers, including 45 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) graduates, 58 beginning teachers, and 40 experienced teachers, who completed the validated questionnaire. The instruments utilized were a semi-structured interview and questionnaire. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data indicated that the barriers were of five core categories related to institutions, culture, learners, teachers, and CLT. The analysis of the quantitative data demonstrated that on the continuum of full/non-implementation, the participants stood considerably away from the full implementation extreme believing that few CLT principles could be implemented. The findings also revealed that the graduates' perceptions of barriers were significantly different from those of beginning teachers and experienced teachers, while no significant difference was observed between the beginning teachers' perceptions and those held by the experienced teachers. It is concluded that there is a huge gap between the curriculum developers' intentions and teachers’ perceptions, both in urgent need of modifications.

A perezhivanie perspective of the interconnection between language teacher autonomy and emotion: making a case for emotional autonomy

ABSTRACT Purpose Although theory and research on language teacher autonomy and emotion have substantially grown in recent years, little research has examined their intersections. Drawing on the theoretical standpoint of perezhivanie and situated within a narrative inquiry design, this study explored Iranian English language teachers’ autonomy and emotion. Design Data were collected through narrative frames and semi-structured interviews from 10 teachers who taught English at a private language school. Findings Data analysis revealed four themes as to the teachers’ autonomy and emotion: (1) emotion as a strong determinant of teachers’ autonomy in the past, (2) autonomy as a strong determinant of teachers’ emotion in the present, (3) emotion-autonomy as refracting resilience, and (4) emotion-autonomy nexus refracting identity development. Value Drawing on the findings, we conceptualize the teachers’ emotion and autonomy through the term we propose in this study as ‘emotional autonomy’, defined as how autonomy and emotion intersect to shape teachers’ past, present, and future discursive narratives, memberships, and professional performances. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teacher educators to better attend to the interconnection of autonomy and emotion in teacher professionalism.

Exploring Iranian English language teachers’ hope: an ecological perspective

PurposeThe present study explores five Iranian English language teachers’ hopes by drawing on an ecological approach as its conceptual underpinning.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews.FindingsAnalyses of our data highlighted how teacher- and student-related factors caused fluctuations in teachers’ hopes. In addition, our findings indicated that while teachers’ past teaching experiences increased their hope, teachers’ lack of agency and economic inflation were among the most significant factors that decreased teachers’ hope in their profession.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first studies in the field of language studies with an ecological perspective on language teachers' hope.

Exploring the potential of generative AI in democratizing English language education

This study investigates the transformative potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), particularly ChatGPT, in addressing educational challenges faced by Iranian English language teachers (N = 23). Drawing on qualitative data from focus group sessions, semi-structured interviews, and reflective essays, the study reveals five key themes: accessible learning materials, personalized learning experiences, addressing ideological influences, overcoming technological barriers, and combating isolation from global trends. The findings highlight GenAI’s capacity to provide diverse and up-to-date learning materials tailored to individual learners' needs, address ideological biases, and facilitate cross-cultural communication. Moreover, GenAI offers personalized professional development opportunities for teachers, bridging the digital divide and empowering teachers with diverse levels of digital literacy. By integrating GenAI into English language instruction, teachers can overcome longstanding challenges, foster critical thinking, and promote intellectual freedom and open-mindedness among students. The study demonstrates GenAI’s potential to promote inclusive education by providing tailored learning experiences that accommodate diverse cultural backgrounds and learning needs.

Interplay of academic emotion regulation, academic mindfulness, L2 learning experience, academic motivation, and learner autonomy in intelligent computer-assisted language learning: A study of EFL learners

In the evolving landscape of second language (L2) education, Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) stands out as a transformative force with the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Despite its growing prominence, integrating cognitive and affective constructs such as academic emotion regulation and mindfulness remains underexplored in ICALL environments. This study addresses this gap by examining their interplay with L2 learning experience, academic motivation, and learner autonomy among Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Drawing on data from 398 intermediate EFL learners, this research utilized a comprehensive array of validated instruments, including the Academic Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, the Langer Mindfulness Scale, the L2 Learning Experience Scale, the Academic Motivation Scale, and the Learner Autonomy Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed significant correlations, indicating that academic emotion regulation positively influences L2 learning experience, academic motivation, and learner autonomy within ICALL settings. Furthermore, academic mindfulness emerged as a robust predictor of these educational outcomes in ICALL environments. These findings underscore the pivotal role of ICALL in L2 education and offer practical insights for teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers to enhance teaching and learning practices.

Intersections of social justice and emotion labor among English language teachers: A perezhivanie inquiry

In light of the recent growth of research on social justice and emotion labor in TESOL teacher education, the present study aimed to fill a gap regarding the intersections of these two constructs. Thus, the study explored emotion labor and social justice among Iranian English language teachers through the theoretical lens of perezhivanie. Data were collected from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews as situated within a narrative inquiry methodology. Data analyses showed that the teachers' perezhivanie included not just how contextual demands and institutional expectations impeded effective actualization of social justice, but the latter itself became a source of emotion labor for the teachers through discourse, culture, and ideology. The findings highlight that inasmuch as social justice is a constructive purpose in educational work, it should equally be understood and enacted cautiously because it has the potential to become a source of emotional challenges and professional conundrums for teachers. We provide implications for teachers and teacher educators to contextualize social justice based on situational particularities so that teachers’ perezhivanie is featured more by emotional transformation than by emotion labor.

The role of emotional tensions in English language student teachers’ identity construction: an activity theory perspective

ABSTRACT Despite the recent growth of attention to language teachers’ emotions, knowledge about how emotional tensions contribute to student teachers’ identity construction is still under-developed. In response to this gap, the present study explored the role of emotional tensions in seven Iranian English language student teachers’ identity construction over a semester-long period. Theoretically grounded in activity theory, the study was conducted through collecting data from pre-course interviews, during-course reflective journals, and post-course interviews. Data analysis revealed three major themes: (1) emotional tensions as a source of marginalisation, (2) emotional tensions as a motivator of professional investment, and (3) emotional tensions as a fund of identity. We found that beyond positive and negative contributions for student teachers’ identity construction, emotional tensions could play a mediatory role in identity development when they interact with system-related discourses and participants. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teachers and teacher educators to turn emotional tensions into a positive contributor to interpersonal and organisational development.

The impact of an online hybrid reading intervention on the reading comprehension and strategy use of Iranian English for specific purposes students in relation to an evaluated researcher-made ESP textbook

Research suggests that English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students in English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) contexts have difficulties understanding the passages in technical English textbooks of various fields of study including computer software engineering. Few experimental studies to date have investigated the effect of an online hybrid reading intervention on the reading comprehension performance of these students. To fill this gap, the present experimental study sought to assist these students with comprehending the passages of an ESP textbook entitled ''Technical English for Computer Software Engineers'', developed for computer software engineering students of a non-profit university in Babol, Iran. In doing so, an 8-session online hybrid reading intervention featuring cognitive and metacognitive strategies was administered to an experimental group (n = 30) of ESP students, while the control group (n = 30) followed the conventional approach to teaching the reading skill. To track the participants' reading comprehension, International English Language Testing System (IELTS) reading tests were used before and after the intervention. Results showed that the treatment led to a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the reading comprehension and strategy use. In addition, the teachers' and students' perceptions with regard to the whole textbook were reported. Findings bear pedagogical significance for all the stakeholders.

University students’ challenges and coping strategies in emergency remote teaching

This qualitative study focused on Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ challenges and their strategies to cope with those challenges in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers employed a phenomenological approach and interviewed twelve EFL MA students at a university in Iran. The researchers analyzed the collected data by following Moustakas’ phenomenological data analysis procedure. This study’s findings revealed that most students dealt with individual, teaching-led, and contextual challenges in emergency remote teaching. Also, many students used some adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to handle these challenges. The present study’s findings provide an opportunity for authorities and teachers to see the world from students’ viewpoints and better understand the students’ unique challenges and conditions to develop a humanizing culture in the universities, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metaphors to describe sanctions against Iran in American and Iranian newspapers

Abstract Since Iran’s 1979 revolution, Sanctions Against Iran (SAI) has been one of the most crucial issues concerning Iran and the US’ relationships, and both parties employ different metaphors to depict the situation in line with their own ideologies. This study explored the conceptual metaphors (CM) concerning the sanctions against Iran in two corpora of the editorials and news extracted from an international American newspaper (New York Times) and a local Iranian English press (Iran Daily). Following Charteris-Black’s (2004) framework for Critical Metaphor Analysis, sixty editorial news texts (thirty for each), since 2013 until 2021, were scrutinized for the CMs in the two corpora. The findings revealed that although both newspapers took advantage of the metaphors in description of the sanctions against Iran, there were significant differences between them in the employment of the CMs. The American newspaper enjoyed more frequent and diverse metaphors to represent the sanctions compared to the Iranian newspaper, and “SAI is a pain/illness” (22.7%) was the most frequent conceptual metaphor in the New York Times whereas “SAI is a human” (32.4%) and “SAI is a journey” (18.9%) were the common metaphors in Iran Daily. The results suggest how language could be manipulated to serve different purposes.

English Language Learning Beliefs of Iranian High School Students

Language learning beliefs are considered to be an important factor influencing student learning outcomes. This mixed-methods research investigated English language learning beliefs of Iranian English language learners. Data were collected from 226 junior and senior male and female high school students using the Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) and semi-structured interviews. Participants reported strong beliefs in terms of ‘motivation and expectation’ and ‘foreign language aptitude’. First and third graders’ mean belief scores were statistically different across their ‘overall beliefs’, ‘foreign language aptitude’, and ‘motivation and expectations’. Moreover, although the overall gender differences were not statistically meaningful, significant differences were noticed with regards to beliefs about ‘difficulty of language learning’ and ‘foreign language aptitude’. The results underscore the hypothesis that changes in language learning beliefs happen due to learners’ stage of development, i.e. their grade. Further, certain misconceptions among high school learners were noticed about the role of aptitude and intelligence, error correction, and supremacy of learning certain forms of language. The implications are discussed with reference to language education and policy development.

Ecological Intersections of Religious Ideology, Agency, and Identity: Voices of Iranian English Language Teachers

Parallel with the growth of research on the role of religious ideologies in teachers’ professional lives, the present study drew on an ecological perspective and explored how religious ideology (i.e., Islamic principles) intersected with Iranian English language teachers’ agency and identity. The study was methodologically situated within a narrative inquiry methodology, and data were collected from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews. Data analyses revealed that Islamic principles intersected with teachers’ agency and identity in three major ways: Islamic principles as a humiliating cult, agency-demolishing nature of ideology, and resisting Islamic ideologies. The study shows that, on the one hand, ideology can serve as a source of humiliation and harm to teachers’ agencies and identities. On the other hand, teachers also influence ideology by not only showing resistance, but practicing certain instructional initiatives that raise students’ awareness of the destructive nature of Islamic principles. The study concludes with implications for teachers on how to communalize their agentic initiatives so that they can construct their identities in more constructive ways.

Using Adobe Connect application in an EFL context: Does it have an effect on learners' speaking skills

The main aim of the present study was to explore the impact of Adobe Connect on Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' speaking skills. Furthermore, the study investigated whether the learners' attitudes to language learning changed after using Adobe Connect. For that purpose, 100 upper-intermediate EFL students were chosen through the convenience sampling method. The selected students were randomly assigned to two classes. The experimental group applied the Adobe Connect application; however, the conventional teacher-fronted instruction was used for the control group. The results showed that the Adobe Connect class considerably outperformed in speaking skills in comparison to the control group. This demonstrated that the Adobe Connect application is effective in improving learners' speaking skills. The findings suggest that Adobe Connect has a positive impact on enhancing learners' speaking skills. The platform's interactive features promote engagement and collaboration, leading to improvements in fluency, accuracy, pronunciation, and confidence. The results also revealed that there was a difference in attitude change between the participants in experimental and control classes. Adobe Connect has enhanced EFL learners' attitudes toward language learning as well as speaking skills. Thus, it can be suggested that the Adobe Connect application is an effective online instrument that can be used by EFL teachers.

The Impact of a Simple Channel Factor on Vocabulary Learning of Iranian EFL Learners Across Genders

The concept of channel factors was introduced by Kurt Lewin to the field of psychology as seemingly unimportant circumstantial changes that could affect the trajectory of an endeavor. The primary goal of the present study was the examination of the impact of using a timeslot on Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' performance on vocabulary, and the respective comparison based on gender. A total number of 180 male and female upper-intermediate EFL learners participated in this study. They were divided into six classes: two classes were not provided with the channel factor, two of them received it from the outset, and the other two were exposed to it in the middle of the semester. The participants, all of whom took three tests (pretest, mid-test, post-test), were categorized into six types based on their gender and the existence and timing of the channel factors. The results of data analysis through Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that the channel factor positively impacted the performance of participants regardless of gender. However, its impact was stronger on males in the short run but more endurable among females.