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One of the burgeoning areas of interest within the realm of education pertains to student engagement, a central component of positive psychology (PP). Another fundamental concept in the PP literature is school connectedness, which underscores the belief students hold regarding the care shown by adults and peers in the educational environment towards their academic progress and personal welfare. Additionally, mindfulness, a pivotal term in the field of PP, offers noteworthy advantages such as enhancing working memory and reducing stress levels, consequently fostering academic involvement. Given the significance of school connectedness and mindfulness in academic engagement, the present study endeavors to examine the association between school connectedness and academic engagement in high school students, with mindfulness serving as a mediator. A total of 300 high school students from Bandar Abbas participated in the study, responding to scales measuring mindfulness, school connectedness, and academic engagement. Subsequently, structural equation modeling was employed to illuminate potential relationships. The results indicated a significant correlation between school connectedness and academic engagement. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that both school connectedness and mindfulness serve as positive and significant predictors of academic engagement. Moreover, the results substantiated the mediating role of mindfulness. These findings offer valuable insights for educators in enhancing classroom practices.

In recent years, many educational systems have paid attention to spiritual citizenship education as one of the most fundamental methods of educating responsible citizens. The purpose of the current research was to provide a model of the curriculum of the spiritual citizen in the second secondary school. To serve that end, a qualitative approach and Grounded theory method were used. The participants were selected based on purposive sampling (snowball) method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 professors and experts including 12 males and 9 females, aged between 41 and 62, hoding PhD degree with 6 - 25 years of experience, who had valuable experiences and research related to the research topic. The collected data were analyzed in the three main stages of open, axial and selective coding. Interview data analysis revealed five main categories which affect spiritual citizen model; namely, causal factors, underling factors, intervening factors, strategies, and advantages. The findings suggest that the proper implementation of spiritual citizenship education can lead to development of responsible, informed, and accountable citizens in society.

In the Iranian academic setting, the current investigation aimed to identify the assessment literacy (AL) components that experienced and novice English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers with and without TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) backgrounds comprehended. We designed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study, and selected 100 PhD male and female ESP educators from various branches of Islamic Azad University via criterion sampling in order to complete the teacher assessment literacy scale (TALS). The standard deviation as well as mean of the TALS were computed. The mean scores of the TEFL/non-TEFL and novice/experienced teachers on the seven TALS components were then independently compared using two multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVA). After administering the scale to 100 ESP teachers and analyzing the results, 20 of the instructors were chosen via convenience sampling for observation during the study's qualitative phase. Afterwards, the qualitative information was collected through the use of the observation notes. Employing axial/open coding and content analysis of themes, all of the notes were classified and examined. The results showed that in terms of knowledge of assessment literacy components, instructors with TEFL backgrounds understand much better than teachers without TEFL backgrounds. Similarly, the means of all TALS components were greater for inexperienced teachers than for experienced ones. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative phase demonstrated that the novice TEFL teachers performed AL components more effectively than their non-TEFL counterparts as well as the experienced TEFL/non-TEFL instructors.

Space and Identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian: A Deleuze and Guattarian Reading Abstract This study explores the intricate relationship between space and identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, utilizing the geocritical concepts of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. By examining his novel, the study investigates how the interaction of smooth and striated spaces shapes and reshapes characters' identities. Through the lens of Deleuze and Guattari, the research highlights the fluidity and dynamism of spaces, focusing on the continuous interplay without rigid distinctions between space and place. As the integration of Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of the war machine, nomad, and rhizome is essential to understanding the influence of space on characters' identity, this study begins with examining these key concepts. The rhizome concept parallels the non-linear, interconnected narrative structures in McCarthy's work in which the nomadic existence of characters underscores their search for meaning and survival in a world of constant flux. Through detailed analysis, this study aims to uncover the ways in which McCarthy's characters grapple with their identities amidst perpetual change, offering a nuanced understanding of the interplay between space and identity in contemporary literature. Keywords: Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, Deleuze and Guattari's Geocriticism, Space, Identity

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of academic maladjustment on academic procrastination with the mediating role of academic self-handicapping of students of Islamic Azad University of Khash. A descriptive research method of correlation type (structural equation model) was carried out. The statistical population of the study was all students of Islamic Azad University of Khash through simple random sampling method. To collect data, the questionnaires of academic self-handicapping by Jones and Rodlet (1982), academic maladjustment by Hamili, Ahmadi, Mousavi and Ghafourian (2015), and academic procrastination by Solomon and Rothblom (1984) were used. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. The reliability of the questionnaires was estimated based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient as 0.91, 0.97 and 0.89, respectively. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed at two levels of descriptive and inferential statistics including Pearson's correlation coefficient test and structural equation model through SPSS23 and LISREL8.8 software. The findings showed that academic maladjustment has a positive and significant effect on students' academic procrastination, both directly and indirectly through the mediation of academic self-disempowerment. To reduce academic procrastination, it is necessary to plan on factors that strengthen academic adjustment and academic self-disempowerment of students.

This quantitative correlational study explored the effects of different types of dynamic assessment on the writing proficiency of Iraqi female EFL learners. Fifty-four upper-intermediate female students, aged 17-25, from the Global English Institute in Baghdad, Iraq, participated in the study. The participants were selected based on their performance in the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and were subsequently divided into three groups: interactionist experimental, interventionist experimental, and control. The study employed several instruments, including a participation consent form, the OPT, a writing pre-test and post-test, and writing practices administered during the treatment phase. The intervention covered a full semester, with each group receiving tailored instructional strategies. The interactionist group focused on the Dynamic Mediation Process, while the interventionist group employed targeted interventions based on individual needs. The results, analyzed through pre- and post-tests, demonstrated the efficacy of dynamic assessment techniques in enhancing writing skills, suggesting their potential for broader application in EFL contexts.

This study aimed to find the relationship between test-taking strategies, test anxiety, and goal orientations in EFL learners. For this purpose, 150 intermediates Iraqi EFL learners were selected by convenience sampling, and the data was collected using the Test-Taking Strategy Questionnaire, Test Anxiety Inventory, and Achievement Goal Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using multiple regression and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Findings indicated that time and test-wiseness strategies were negatively correlated with test anxiety. Mastery-approach and performance-approach goals were positively correlated with affective strategies; the mastery-avoid goal was negatively correlated with test-wiseness, and the performance-avoid goal was negatively correlated with affective strategies. Finally, performance-avoid and mastery-approach goals were negatively correlated with test anxiety. These results emphasize the understanding of the relationships between test-taking strategies, goal orientations, and test anxiety in academic contexts. By fostering adaptive goal orientations and equipping students with effective test-taking strategies, educators can significantly enhance learners’ testing experiences and reduce anxiety levels.

Abstract This research covers the differences in some of the interactional competence components, such as topic management, turn management, non-verbal behavior, breakdown repair, and interactive listening, among Iraqi elementary and advanced EFL learners. In relation to both the face-to-face and virtual environments, this article tries to divulge how the said competencies of these learners change with task types—opinion exchange and jigsaw tasks—and educational setting. A mixed-methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data through recordings in both learning environments. Statistical comparison showed that there were significant differences between the interactional competence components for elementary and advanced learners across the two environments. Particularly, advanced learners took turns more efficiently and listened interactively more successfully in face-to-face than in virtual settings; elementary learners struggled to manage topics in virtual compared to face-to-face settings. These findings have implications for EFL pedagogy, particularly in the area of improving virtual learning environments for interactional competence development. The discussion addresses some implications related to instructional design, pedagogical practices, and language assessment in EFL contexts. A mixed-methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data through recordings in both learning environments. Statistical comparison showed that there were significant differences between the interactional competence components for elementary and advanced learners across the two environments. Particularly, advanced learners took turns more efficiently and listened interactively more successfully in face-to-face than in virtual settings; elementary learners struggled to manage topics in virtual compared to face-to-face settings. These findings have implications for EFL pedagogy, particularly in the area of improving virtual learning environments for interactional competence development. The discussion addresses some implications related to instructional design, pedagogical practices, and language assessment in EFL contexts.

With the advent of advanced technology, a substantial proportion of reading takes place online. Reading engagement is an important factor which makes considerable contributions to reading comprehension. However, there is no valid and reliable measure for assessing learners' online reading engagement. Accordingly, this study constructed and validated a scale to gauge LORE. Initially, 20 EFL learners and 20 teachers were interviewed and based on the results of thematic analysis and extant components in the literature, an initial draft of the LORE was prepared. This draft became subject to expert opinion in a panel of three PhD holders in TEFL. Afterwards, the scale was distributed to 335 learners. The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach's Alpha yielded satisfactory psychometric properties for the 21-item scale consisting of six factors including affective, behavioral, cognitive, linguistic, agentic, and social dimensions. The analysis of aggregate means revealed that learners were highly engaged in behavioral and affective aspects, moderately engaged in the cognitive and agentic facets, but they had low levels of engagement in linguistic and social dimensions. Based on the results, the scale can be safely used to measure EFL learners' online reading engagement. Moreover, it is recommended that EFL teachers take measures to foster learners' linguistic and social engagement.

Improving the way of designing syllabus by making it more tailored to the needs and interest of the learners has been an important objective in language teaching, which leads to selecting and grading instructional materials with a consistent attention. This study focused on studying some dark areas of material selection in language teaching, aiming to make instructional materials more attractive to learners. There was also an attempt to see if learner's interest could affect reading and grammar differently. Lastly, the research also sought to find learners' perception on the use of interest in material selection and its possible effect in their performance. A mixed-method design was used to answer the research questions. The findings and results revealed that the use of interest in selecting class materials helped learners have better performance in reading, and the improvement showed a high correlation with learners' performance in grammar learning. Furthermore, the results of the questions asking for learners' perceptions disclosed the effectiveness of integrating interest to teaching materials in language learning. Researchers and teachers are suggested to seek ways to assist the syllabus planners to grow achievement by changing the materials to be more interesting, which can facilitate the language teaching and learning.

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill for language learners, yet EFL students often encounter obstacles in developing this ability. Grounded in the sociocultural theory, the current study explored the impact of teacher interactional scaffolding and peer collaborative scaffolding on the reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners in a blended learning context. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating quantitative analysis of pre-and post-reading comprehension tests as well as qualitative examination of semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that both teacher interactional scaffolding and peer collaborative scaffolding significantly enhanced learners' reading comprehension. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two scaffolding approaches. Qualitative data analysis uncovered EFL learners' positive attitudes toward both forms of scaffolding, citing the dynamic support, collaborative problem-solving, and development of metacognitive skills as key benefits. The study underscores the pivotal role of scaffolding in facilitating EFL reading comprehension, with teacher interactional and peer collaborative scaffolding serving as complementary pedagogical strategies. Implications of this research include the need for EFL instructors to incorporate a judicious blend of teacher-led and peer-mediated scaffolding techniques to optimize learners' reading comprehension development. Additionally, the study highlights the adaptability of scaffolding approaches to blended learning environments, where the interactions between teachers, peers, and learners may necessitate innovative scaffolding implementations. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on the efficacy of sociocultural learning principles in enhancing EFL reading comprehension.