University of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Mentoring Characteristics in Doctoral Education: Perspectives of Doctoral Students and Supervisors1181000010.22111/ijals.2026.54559.2586ENSaloumehKhodabakhshiDepartment of English Language, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, IranHassanSoodmand AfsharDepartment of English Language, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, IranJournal Article20260125The benefits of mentoring relationships between postgraduate students and their supervisors have been reported in the literature. However, despite research on mentors’ characteristics, there is a notable lack of ELT studies that give voice to both mentees and mentors. Few studies have explored the features of doctoral mentoring from both perspectives. For this reason, 55 ELT doctoral students and 18 doctoral supervisors responded to an open-ended question as part of a large-scale project. In addition, nine doctoral students and five supervisors volunteered for a follow-up semi-structured interview. Conventional content analysis of the responses to the open-ended question and the interviews demonstrated that, in the opinions of doctoral students and supervisors, a doctoral mentor should be supportive, knowledgeable, humanitarian, and available. Using directed content analysis, the identified mentoring characteristics were categorized into psychosocial, personal, and professional attributes. According to the findings, both doctoral students and supervisors prioritize psychosocial attributes, followed by personal and professional attributes, because the stressful conditions of doctoral education demand social and emotional support from doctoral mentors. This study also addresses implications for doctoral education, including how supervisors and their graduate students can effectively fulfill their respective roles.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_10000_1725e18e5f5930bf4c81b88ef652f5e8.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Workplace Well-Being and Flourishing in Iranian EFL Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study Based on PERMA Model19421000810.22111/ijals.2026.54369.2580ENVajiheEbrahimiDepartment of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, IranAbbas AliZareiDepartment of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, IranRajabEsfandiariDepartment of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, IranJournal Article20251228<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 95%; font-family: 'TITUS Cyberbit Basic','serif';">Teacher workplace well-being has become an increasingly important concern in language education due to growing attention to burnout, occupational sustainability, and teacher flourishing in demanding instructional environments. This mixed-methods study examined workplace well-being among Iranian EFL teachers using the Workplace PERMA framework. In the quantitative phase, 199 teachers from public high schools, private language institutes, or both sectors completed the PERMA Profiler. A two-way analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant main effect of gender on overall workplace well-being, while the main effect of working context and the interaction effect were not statistically significant. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with 50 teachers were analyzed thematically to clarify how teachers construed the five PERMA pillars of positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment in their workplace lives. Positive emotion was primarily anchored in evidence of learner progress and affirmation, engagement was constructed as absorption and sustained curiosity toward pedagogy, and relationships were framed as collegial and classroom support that fostered psychological safety. The findings suggest that workplace flourishing among Iranian EFL teachers is not reducible to sector membership alone but is organized through instructional, relational, and professional cues that map onto PERMA dimensions. The study contributes to flourishing-oriented perspectives in language teacher psychology by illustrating how workplace well-being is experienced and sustained across different EFL teaching ecologies and by highlighting the value of PERMA-informed approaches for understanding teacher flourishing in context.</span>https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_10008_a98790e06fd2d986bb0a423b75778c4e.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701The Impact of Using Grammarly on Complexity, Accuracy, Fluency, and Self-Efficacy in Iranian EFL Learners’ Argumentative Essay Writing4362968210.22111/ijals.2026.53481.2563ENHamedMahsefatEnglish Language Department, Faculty of Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, IranAbdolrezaTahririEnglish Language Department, Faculty of Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, IranJournal Article20251007Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping language education by offering real-time, personalized writing feedback. This study assessed the impact of Grammarly, an AI-powered writing assistant that utilizes advanced natural language processing and generative AI, on the complexity, accuracy, fluency (CAF), and self-efficacy of Iranian EFL students’ argumentative writing. A total of 120 high-intermediate learners from intact classes were screened for proficiency level via the Oxford Quick Placement Test and then randomly divided into an experimental group (Grammarly, n=60) and a control group (conventional teacher feedback, n=60). Over 12 weeks, a period deemed necessary for the development of complex writing skills, the experimental group used Grammarly for automated feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and style during weekly writing tasks, while the control group received conventional teacher feedback. ANCOVA analysis, controlling for pretest results and conducted after confirming key statistical assumptions, showed significant gains for the Grammarly group in complexity (F=1277.009, p <.001), accuracy (F=2118.838, p< .001), fluency (F=49.535, p<.001), and self-efficacy (F=409.237, p<.001), with the largest improvements in accuracy. These results align with the CAF framework, indicating that AI tools excel most in rule-based domains (e.g., grammar) rather than procedural fluency. The findings underscore Grammarly’s value in scaffolding grammatical competence and learner confidence, specifying that the tool is most effective for grammatical scaffolding.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_9682_f17fdf2e4cc4ea00b0c816e87c9b7588.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Investigating the Effect of Context (Gender-Homogeneous and Nonhomogeneous Contexts) on Taboo Word Utilization in Persian: A Sociolinguistic Account6382951810.22111/ijals.2025.50217.2481ENAvaImaniDepartment of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, IranZahraKhaleqiDepartment of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, IranJournal Article20241108The aim of this study is to examine the effect of context—specifically gender-homogeneous and gender-nonhomogeneous settings, on the use of taboo words in the speech of Persian speakers from a sociolinguistic perspective. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies through survey and fieldwork techniques. The theoretical framework is based on the classification of taboo words proposed by Jay and Janschewitz (2008) and Jay (2009). Statistical analyses were conducted using t-tests, chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and Tukey’s post hoc test. The findings revealed that, in general, men (68.3%) used more taboo words than women in same-gender contexts. This pattern was also observed in anger situations within homogeneous contexts, suggesting that men, compared with women, are more sensitive in word choice and display greater politeness in mixed-gender contexts (p < .05). Furthermore, the interactive effect of gender and context indicated that men and women over the age of 45 used fewer taboo words in mixed-gender contexts than other participants. Overall, the observed differences between men and women in the use of taboo words can be explained through politeness theory (Bucholtz & Lakoff, 2004; Holmes, 2013) and the notion that women generally act as conversational facilitators. These findings contribute to sociolinguistic theory by demonstrating how social variables influence language use in Persian and by offering practical insights for language education and cross-cultural communication.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_9518_67242b479d7fcde51cc1690e2b110c77.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Navigating the Path to Professional Growth: How Structured CPD Programs Reshape Iranian Novice and Experienced EFL Teachers’ Mindsets83104968810.22111/ijals.2026.52325.2530ENAlirezaKarbalaeiDepartment of English Language Teaching, Farhangian University, Tehran, IranNazaninSadeghDepartment of English Language Teaching, Farhangian University, Tehran, IranJournal Article20250606This study examines how a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program influenced the attitudes of novice and experienced EFL teachers at Tarbiat Modares University in Iran. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through pre- and post-program questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations to capture both self-reported and observed changes in teaching practices and attitudes. The findings indicate statistically significant improvements in participants’ confidence and openness to innovative pedagogies, with 94% reporting that their learning goals were met. Observational data showed that 70% of participants integrated more interactive and student-centered strategies into their teaching. While the results echo previous findings on the benefits of CPD, this study adds nuance by highlighting the importance of contextual relevance, emotional support, and experiential learning in shaping positive attitudinal change. Unlike many earlier studies, it also documents a shift in initial skepticism toward online learning formats, suggesting that well-designed hybrid CPD can enhance engagement and perceived value. The findings advocate for more sustained, localized, and teacher-centered CPD initiatives to support meaningful professional growth in EFL contexts.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_9688_726ba454ae63f0a5a002d6d2d95c7142.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Investigating the Impact of the Getting Things Done Model on Psychological Well-being and Achievement in Iranian EFL University Students1051301003510.22111/ijals.2026.54996.2593ENMohsenNejatian SistaniEnglish Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, Iran,0000-0002-1718-258XAliBeikianEnglish Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, Iran,AbdollahSaraniEnglish Language Department, University of Sistan and BaluchestanNahidYarahmadzehiEnglish Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, IranMehdiSafaei QalatiEnglish Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, IranJournal Article20260315<span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'TITUS Cyberbit Basic','serif';">Despite growing recognition of learner well-being in second language acquisition, limited research has examined how structured productivity interventions address affective and cognitive demands in EFL contexts. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigated the impact of the Getting Things Done (GTD) productivity model on psychological well-being (PWB) and academic achievement among Iranian EFL university students. Forty students (20 male and 20 female) from two intact lower-intermediate classes at a Payam-e Noor University branch participated in a 16-session quasi-experimental intervention. The experimental group received GTD instruction integrated into coursework, whereas the control group followed standard instruction. Quantitative data were collected using Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale and a researcher-made achievement test and analyzed using ANCOVA; qualitative data from 13 experimental-group participants were gathered through semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically. The results showed statistically significant differences favoring the experimental group in psychological well-being and academic achievement. The qualitative analysis identified four themes for each outcome: for well-being, reduced mental overload, clearer purpose, enhanced control, and positive feelings resulting from goal completion; for achievement, organized study materials, consistent task management, increased motivation through clear goals, and greater responsibility for learning. The converging findings suggest that structured task-management interventions may benefit both the affective and performance domains of EFL learners in academic contexts.</span>https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_10035_75de66356192434b1fd4a7e2dbf8271d.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Developing a Quality Classification System for Theatre Translation: A Survey of Theatre Practitioners’ Quality Criteria1311501000110.22111/ijals.2026.53147.2554ENMostafaAhmadiDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran0009-0009-5424-5891ZahraAmirianDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranAkbarHesabiDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranJournal Article20250906This study aims to develop a quality classification system for the collaborative process of theatre translation. To address this gap, the study draws on Actor-Network Theory to explore the quality criteria of Iranian theatre practitioners, whose professional experience situates them as human actors within theatre translation networks. To ensure triangulation, interview data and the analysis of materials suggested by the interviewees informed the development of a questionnaire, which served as the primary data-collection instrument for the survey. The questionnaire underwent qualitative and quantitative validation before distribution. A total of 107 practitioners with experience in multiple roles across the page–stage–post-stage process participated in the study. The analysis revealed 46 quality criteria grouped into 11 underlying factors. Of these, 33 were of primary importance and 13 were of secondary importance. This classification system provides a provisional framework of criteria that contribute, directly or indirectly, to theatre translation quality. It may inform future research and professional practice in the field.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_10001_61e8e1098c288928c18a2d94d2c5c9ed.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701Enhancing Red Notice Writing through Genre-Based Pedagogy: A Mixed-Methods Repeated-Measures Evaluation with NCB Tehran Officers151180992510.22111/ijals.2026.54020.2577ENMehdiJamaliDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranAliakbarKhomeijani FarahaniPh.D. Candidate, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranMohammad HussienNorouziPh.D. Candidate, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-0514-2433Journal Article20251128This study evaluated the impact of genre-based pedagogy on the quality of Red Notices (RNs) drafted by officers of Iran’s National Central Bureau (NCB), a high-stakes institutional genre central to international police cooperation. An instructional program grounded in Swales’s genre theory and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), and operationalized through a five-move, CARS-informed scheme, was implemented over a five-week workshop. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the quantitative strand employed a one-group repeated-measures design with 30 NCB officers who completed RN drafting tasks at pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test. Repeated-measures ANOVAs indicated a significant main effect of time, with large gains in overall RN writing performance from pre- to post-intervention that were substantially maintained at delay (e.g., F(2, 58) ≈ 200, p < .001, partial η² ≈ .87). Improvements were evident in macrostructural organization, lexico-grammatical accuracy, cohesion, and compliance with institutional conventions. In the qualitative strand, semi-structured interviews with 10 officers highlighted increased awareness of RN move structure, more deliberate use of legal modality and nominalization, and perceived transfer of genre knowledge to routine drafting under time and institutional constraints. Findings support the incorporation of explicit, genre-based instructional design into law-enforcement training to strengthen institutional genre writing and enhance the clarity and reliability of transnational police communication.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_9925_2485f8e7a220347f7d5cfe8d2139b867.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701L1-Mediated Metacognitive Instruction and Listening Anxiety in Iranian EFL Learners: The Role of Gender1811941006310.22111/ijals.2026.55275.2599ENAliSoltaniDepartment of English Language, Faculty of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, IranMobinHassanzadeh TaleshiDepartment of English Language and Literature, University of Guilan, Rasht, IranAbdurrashidKhazaei FeizabadDepartment of English, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IranJournal Article20260506This study investigated the effects of L1-mediated metacognitive intervention on the listening anxiety and listening comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study involved 70 elementary-level Iranian EFL learners who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group received L1-mediated metacognitive instruction. Findings revealed a significant reduction in listening anxiety among learners who received L1-mediated metacognitive instruction. However, no statistically significant gender differences were observed in the effectiveness of the intervention on listening comprehension. These findings indicate that incorporating metacognitive instruction in learners’ L1 can be an effective pedagogical approach for alleviating listening anxiety in EFL contexts. The study underscores the pedagogical value of integrating L1-based metacognitive support into listening instruction and highlights the potential of such interventions to foster a more supportive learning environment. Further research is recommended to examine the long-term effects of metacognitive interventions and to explore gender-related variables in diverse instructional contexts.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_10063_730d005661e5aef091696fa26de54bd6.pdfUniversity of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Applied Language Studies2008-549418120260701An Investigation of the Effect of Creativity in Critical Thinking-Based Instruction via MALL and Gender on Iranian EFL Learners’ Proficiency195207968910.22111/ijals.2026.49293.2457ENSamanKhaksefidiDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, Arak University, Arak, IranMoussaAhmadianDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, Arak University, Arak, IranJournal Article20240712This study examines the impact of critical thinking (CT) instruction delivered via mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) on the language proficiency of Iranian EFL learners, with a focus on potential gender differences. A total of 92 EFL learners (46 male and 46 female students) were selected through stratified random sampling from language institutes in Tehran and Zahedan, Iran, and assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received CT-based instruction using MALL tools such as Notability Note Taking and Explain Everything, delivered by a teacher proficient in MALL and CT skills. The control group was taught using traditional methods without MALL or explicit CT instruction and focused solely on standard language learning practices. Both groups completed pre- and posttests using the English Proficiency Test app to measure their language proficiency. The results of a paired-samples <em>t</em> test and a one-way ANOVA revealed that (a) CT-based MALL instruction significantly improved EFL learners’ language proficiency and (b) gender had no significant effect on proficiency. Compared with the experimental group, the control group’s smaller improvement underscored the benefits of integrating CT and MALL tools into language learning. These findings indicate that CT development apps can enhance EFL learners’ proficiency and support the integration of MALL-based instruction into curricula to promote language development.https://ijals.usb.ac.ir/article_9689_6012dfbb6d6b515931e70662e77b66c6.pdf