Motivation and Autonomy as Predictors of Foreign Language Proficiency among the Iranian Students of Distance vs. Traditional Universities

This study was conducted to investigate the possible effect of motivation and autonomy on students' English as foreign language proficiency in two universities - Payamenoor (distance) and Islamic Azad universities (traditional)- in the city of Gonbad-e-Kavous. To do so, 152 Azad University students and 144 Payamenoor University students were randomly selected. Three questionnaires each dealing with one of the three variables of motivation, autonomy and foreign language proficiency were distributed among students to collect the required data. Analyzing the data through Multiple Regression and Fisher's r to z transformation, the results revealed that there is a significant relationship between motivation and foreign language proficiency in both universities. In regard to autonomy, however, results showed no significant relationship between autonomy and foreign language proficiency in Payamenoor University, while in Azad University this relationship was revealed meaningful and significant. The findings of the current study will inform teachers and curriculum developers of the status of motivation and autonomy in the success of students in their academic performance, pointing out some procedures to enhance this idea.

Examining the Relationship between Students’ Levels of Perfectionism and their Achievements in English Learning

Individual variables in foreign language learning have received much attention in foreign language learning research in recent years. However, little research exists that has investigated the relationship between students’ levels of perfectionism and their achievements in the foreign language learning classroom settings. To bridge this gap, this study aims to answer whether there is a significant relationship between student’s levels of perfectionism and their English achievement. The population of this study is defined as all third graders (n. 239, 110 males and 129 females) who learn English in the public schools of ministry of education in a small city in the Northern Khorasan. All these students participated in the study, so the sample size includes the whole population. Participants' scores on their levels of perfectionism were measured by a questionnaire and their scores of the final English exam were also used as the measure of their English achievements. The results indicated that there isn’t any significant relationship between students’ levels of perfectionism and their achievement (F = .515, p > .05) although an association between perfectionism and academic achievement has been found in a number of previous studies, perfectionism was not proved to be of great significance in the EFL learning process in the current study. At the end, some implications for both teachers and learners, and suggestions for future research are provided

Exploring AI-Driven Adaptive Feedback in the Second Language Writing Skills Prompt: AI Technology in Language Teaching

Recent developments in the field of artificial intelligence have changed CALL in the last decade, especially in terms of L2 writing. Therefore, the current research focuses on the extent to which AI-based adaptive feedback technologies in CALL improve L2 writing skills. It discusses the work AI does, the means it uses, and the theories it is based on when providing adaptive feedback, in light of the context, focusing on the role it plays in shaping particular educational pathways. The paper provides an overview of AI-integrated CALL tools that provide a measure of the tool’s effectiveness in generating useful feedback that helps in teaching L2 writing to meet real-world needs. Research findings and studies from different contexts support the use of these tools to improve learners’ L2 writing performance. Issues related to the use of AI-based adaptive feedback will also be addressed, including privacy, algorithm, and learner acceptance issues. By recommending the use of AI technology in language teaching, accompanied by human feedback, this study presents a constructive and moral model of how AI can be used without compromising its learning effect. Consequently, the results of the study show the potential benefits of using AI to generate adaptive feedback in improving L2 writing due to the immediacy, individualization, and possibility of iterating the feedback, which can help revolutionize language learning