University of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401Volume 15, Issue.2, 2026123430741ENJournal Article20260829https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30741_74b67a8f0597d9199ef986520f7a6b21.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401“Nurtured by My Motherland”: An Autobiographical Introspective Narrative Inquiry into Ecological Influences on Becoming a Qualitative Teacher-Researcher1322998510.22108/are.2025.146583.2608ENHào NhậtPhanSchool of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, VietnamHùng QuốcTrầnSchool of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, VietnamJournal Article20250907Language teachers are professionally expected to serve as educational innovators, change agents, and particularly teacher-researchers. Teacher-researcher identity and its negotiation have received much attention from international scholars. In Vietnam, substantial research has been conducted to examine this concept and its influential factors among tertiary lecturers. Nevertheless, a research gap remains in understanding factors affecting teacher-researcher identity negotiation from other teacher demographics, particularly from an insider’s perspective. Therefore, this autobiographical introspective narrative inquiry addressed this gap by shedding light on the contextual influences on my teacher-researcher identity negotiated during the process of completing a Master’s graduation thesis. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory of Human Development as the theoretical framework, the study gathered data from my autobiographical writings and semi-structured interviews with two purposefully-selected outsiders. The collected data were deductively analyzed through thematic analysis. Results revealed that contextual influences (personal, academic, institutional, and socio-cultural contributors) on my teacher-researcher identity negotiation were nested into an ecological system of four concentrated layers, including the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macro-systems, respectively. These findings further showed how the socio-academic condition of the Mekong Delta region affectionately nurtured my growing maturity as a qualitative teacher-researcher. Beyond its scholarly contribution, this study is also a testament to how one’s roots can illuminate the path toward becoming a teacher-researcher, offering inspiration for others walking a similar journey.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_29985_24cedd942f1ff8ef8d2b6bba63113714.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401The Impact of Critical Thinking-Integrated Instruction on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension: An Interventional Mixed-Methods Study33643050610.22108/are.2026.149057.2752ENLamyaHajihasankhansaryDepartment of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Education, Near East University, CyprusJournal Article20260526The evolving educational landscape of the 21st century demands the renewal of language teaching methodologies by integrating cognitive skills such as critical thinking (CT) to enhance learning outcomes and learner autonomy. Employing an exploratory sequential mixed-methods research design, this study examines the impact of CT-integrated instruction on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ reading skills. An initial pool of 156 EFL learners was interviewed to identify their learning challenges, with a particular emphasis on reading skills. Subsequently, 107 of these learners were selected through convenience sampling, all of whom demonstrated comparable difficulties in reading English. The participants were divided into two groups of high and low critical thinkers in accordance with their performance on the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal practice test. They were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. After a whole semester of CT-integrated instruction, scores taken from pre- and post-test were statistically analyzed. The results of Mixed ANOVA, Independent T-tests, and Paired Samples T-tests revealed significant improvements in the experimental group, underscoring the effectiveness of CT-integrated pedagogical approaches in fostering L2 reading comprehension. The qualitative analysis of the follow-up interviews with 46 EFL learners in the experimental groups further validated these results through thematic analysis, showing less reliance on any translation applications. The students advocated for the integration of CT into language instruction, underscoring the role of cognitive skills in improving reading skills and learner autonomy over external supports such as AI. The study offers theoretical and practical implications for the integration of CT abilities into teaching L2 reading skills in EFL contexts. The findings also highlight the need for future research to examine the cognitive processes that interact during critical reading, thereby advancing our understanding of the mechanisms through which critical thinking instruction contributes to EFL reading development.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30506_c30a13faea97bff2ec6bf2543ec511d1.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401Gamified Mobile Learning to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition and Speaking Fluency among Secondary EFL Students651023053110.22108/are.2026.147596.2670ENSlametArdeaUniversitas PGRI Delta Sidoarjo, Sidoarjo, IndonesiaSitiAisyahUniversitas PGRI Delta Sidoarjo, Sidoarjo, IndonesiaKani SulamTaufikUniversitas PGRI Delta Sidoarjo, Sidoarjo, IndonesiaJournal Article20251127Research on mobile-assisted language learning has underscored its potential to enrich vocabulary development and provide flexible oral practice, yet evidence remains limited on how gamified mobile ecosystems shape the intertwined advancement of lexical command and fluent speech among secondary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This study explored how a structured gamified mobile learning intervention addressed these gaps by embedding progress quests, time-bound speaking missions, and reward-based vocabulary tasks into instructional routines. Employing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, data were gathered from 122 students selected through intact class sampling across Grade 8, utilizing a receptive and productive vocabulary test and a rubric-based speaking fluency assessment administered before and after the intervention. Additional data were obtained from a closed-ended questionnaire capturing learner engagement patterns and a structured interview with selected participants to explore task experiences in greater depth. The results revealed meaningful expansion in vocabulary repertoire and more sustained spoken delivery, while several learners demonstrated inconsistent pacing, reduced stamina during extended tasks, and difficulty transferring practiced items into spontaneous conversation. These divergent outcomes suggest that gamified mobile learning can enhance lexical retrieval and oral participation, yet its effectiveness depends on calibrated task design that minimizes mechanical participation and fluctuating speech performance.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30531_667c8f8338ad34d21ba58738b1d761db.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401Factors Behind Emotional Damage to EFL Teacher Professional Identity1031403057810.22108/are.2026.148702.2734ENAliBanisharifDepartment of Foreign Languages and Linguistics, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IranSeyyed AyatollahRazmjoo,Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran0000-0002-6542-9399Mohammad SaberKhaghaninejadDepartment of Foreign Languages and Linguistics, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IranAliyarAhmadiDepartment of Sociology and Social Planning, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IranJournal Article20260421Teacher professional identity is an important driver of teacher motivation and efficacy. However, literature on emotions and EFL teacher professional identity shows that scarce research has been conducted on emotional damage to EFL teacher professional identity. To bridge this gap, this study carried out an investigation into the factors contributing to emotional damage to teacher professional identity in Iran, employing a qualitative research design. For this purpose, twenty-one Iranian EFL teachers participated in semi-structured interviews, and sixteen of them were selected for this study through purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis method, and codes and themes were identified and interpreted with the help of MAXQDA software. The findings showed that the factors causing the emotional damage can be classified into two categories of personal ecology and contextual ecology factors. Personal ecology factors included professional capital and personal dispositions, while contextual ecology factors involved societal recognition, institutional environment, workplace conditions, and economic conditions. Finally, a comprehensive model of the emerged themes, codes, and sub-codes was developed. Among the many educational implications of this research are the development of more efficient support systems for teachers, a revolutionary transformation in learning environments, and the revival of teachers' motivation and energy in the long term.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30578_19d10807302cd9db40bcb4d962ce0ee7.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401A Systematic Review of Evaluative Research on the Prospect Series English Textbooks in Iranian Junior High Schools1411743056510.22108/are.2026.148808.2737ENShivaNakhaeeDepartment of English, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, IranSomayehFathaliDepartment of English, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, IranJournal Article20260504Textbook evaluation plays a crucial role in language education, as textbooks significantly shape teaching practices and learning experiences. The present study surveyed evaluative research on the <em>Prospect</em> series through a comprehensive search of academic databases. Guided by the PRISMA framework, the study applied a search strategy, screening and inclusion criteria, and systematically reviewed 122 journal articles in terms of publication trends, textbooks of the series, research methodologies, evaluative frameworks, and multidimensional thematic patterns. The results indicated that most evaluative studies were published in 2015, in English, with the predominance of <em>Prospect 1</em>. Qualitative and mixed-methods designs and content-analysis instruments were the most frequently employed, and teachers constituted the primary group of evaluators. Moreover, Cunningsworth-based frameworks were the most popular models for evaluation. Regarding multidimensional thematic patterns, evaluative research focused primarily on language skills, motivation, cultural representation, task design, and visual illustrations across the linguistic, affective, sociocultural, pedagogical, and physical/visual domains. The patterns suggest that the literature is substantially broad in coverage of the series but uneven in analytical depth. The findings have clear implications to inform textbook revisions, support teachers for classroom supplementations, guide researchers for future studies, and help policy makers identify priorities for evaluations and curriculum development.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30565_d1feba5a8d1dad87b3f6eaec6d34539f.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401Cognitive Pathways in Reading: Theoretical Developments from Interactive Models to the Multiple-Processing Account1751983055510.22108/are.2026.148691.2731ENAmirMahshanianDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranMohammad TaghiShahnazariDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranJournal Article20260420This critical narrative review examines major theoretical models of reading comprehension, tracing their evolution and evaluating their contributions and limitations in explaining how readers construct meaning from text. Drawing on more than 80 foundational and contemporary studies identified through searches of major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar, the review synthesizes research on cognitive, linguistic, and metacognitive processes involved in reading. Beginning with traditional unidirectional frameworks—bottom-up and top-down models—it highlights their limitations in capturing the complex and interactive nature of skilled reading. The review then examines influential interactive and compensatory frameworks, including Rumelhart’s Interactive Model, Stanovich’s Interactive-Compensatory Model, Perfetti’s Verbal Efficiency Model, Walczyk’s Compensatory-Encoding Model, and Just and Carpenter’s Capacity-Constrained Reader (CC READER) Model. Particular attention is given to their treatment of working memory, automaticity, compensation, and individual differences. The review further discusses the Multiple-Processing Model as a proficiency-sensitive framework that explains how working memory allocation and the automatization of lower-level linguistic processes vary across L2 readers. This review identifies key theoretical gaps and proposes directions for future research, emphasizing the need for more integrative and empirically validated accounts of reading comprehension that accommodate proficiency differences, cognitive resource dynamics, and cross-linguistic variation.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30555_772249bda4ca511b72edd66edcc99f76.pdfUniversity of IsfahanApplied Research on English Language3134-064415220260401Digital Literacy, Ethics and Sustainability in English for Business: An Implicit CLIL Approach in Higher Education1992343063310.22108/are.2026.149295.2761ENNurAflahatunUniversitas Pancasakti Tegal, IndonesiaEndangSulistianingsihUniversitas Pancasakti Tegal, IndonesiaSumarTonoUniversitas Pancasakti Tegal, IndonesiaSandayJamaludinUniversitas Pancasakti Tegal, IndonesiaFajarPrihatiniUniversitas Pancasakti Tegal, IndonesiaJournal Article20260612The digitalization of business environments has created a demand for graduates with integrated language, digital, ethical, and sustainability competencies. However, the teaching of English for business in higher education is often language-oriented and separated from the disciplines. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the use of an implicit Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to embed digital literacy, ethics and sustainability principles in English for business teaching to digital business students. The study was conducted over one semester (14 weeks) involving 42 second-year undergraduate students at Universitas Pancasakti Tegal, Indonesia. Data were collected from course materials, student assignments, reflective journals, field notes by the instructor, and final projects. Thematic analysis was conducted following the six phases of analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) and was aided by NVivo 12 for coding. Trustworthiness was ensured by inter-coder reliability (Cohen’s κ = 0.82) and member checking. Most students (n=38, 90%) indicated that CLIL-based activities increased their understanding of the requirements of professional communication in comparison to previous language-focused courses. Implicit CLIL is an effective way of integrating subject content and language learning, developing students’ professional communication competence and increasing motivation and engagement. The study offers a pedagogical framework for ESP educators interested in orienting business English instruction towards the exigencies of today's work environment.https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30633_faf61d0b70c5852c89e8941b8cfb7f81.pdf