A Socio-linguistic Study on Relational Identity and Language Learning Performance within Iranian English Language Learners: A Focus on Parental Involvement

In this study, the researchers intended to screen English language learning perceptions on four relational contexts including language learners’ family members, English teachers, classmates and their best friends. To this aim, a group of Iranian adolescents (no=38), with an age range of 12-16 were randomly selected from three language institutes located in Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi. The researchers distributed a modified version of a validated questionnaire by Taylor (2010) titled Quadripolar Model of Identity (TQMI) to investigate variability of the learners’ perceptions for 1)learning English with regard to four relational contexts above and 2) their insights over two conceived selves including public and imposed self. Findings indicated that within diverse characterizations of personality types, the preferences for including “family members” in the learning processes and future functioning were conspicuous. As to respondents’ preferences towards achieving their goals in learning English regarding their two selves (public and imposed), it became clear that the level of imposing on the part of “language teachers” and “families” on the learners was roughly the same in both present and future self categorization presentations and in the public self, again family members had more rates. Finally, the results from the data on the relationship between two aspects of identity (imposed vs. public), and language learning success, measures represented a significant relationship for only imposed identity indicators. Implications for overall recognition of other-related people in the language learning processes were discussed in the end

Exploring the Relationship among EFL Teachers’ Critical Thinking, Autonomy and Experience in Public and Private Schools

The research delved into the connection between English Language instructors’ critical thinking, autonomy, and teaching experience among some public and private instructors. Two different sets of instructors including some private institute and high school instructors were selected from two major cities in Khorasan Razavi, Iran. The results from Path Analysis indicated that all subcomponents of instructors’ thinking critically except deduction could significantly predict instructors’ independence. Moreover, experience more effectively and remarkably predicted their independence. Accordingly, from among the five subcomponents of instructors’ CT, four sub-constituents were predicated by experience. Nevertheless, assessment and evaluation could not be properly predicted by experience. Findings also indicated that thinking critically could rightly and moderately be related to autonomy whereas there was a positively weak association between thinking critically and experience. Accordingly, findings pointed to a sizeable distinction between the two EFL settings regarding instructors’ autonomous behavior with non-public EFL instructors being more self-sufficient, selfdirected, and self-reliant than their counterparts in public high schools. In the same vein, there was no substantial distinction between the two settings concerning thinking critically

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Investigating Competitive Forces of Emotions versus Intellects in English Academic Performance of Iranian University Students

To testify the contrastive properties of two combinations of Emotional Intelligence (EI) index including emotional vs. cognitive subscale dyads among some one hundred and twenty university students (52 male & 68 female), this study was carried out to predict their success in their General English (GE) course during one academic semester. Datasets were obtained through a self-report Bar's On EI Questionnaire (1977) and mapped over the participants' academic linguistic performance through Discriminant Function Analyses (DFA) techniques within two successive phases: In the first phase, the statistical results revealed that, overall, Wilks's Lambda was significant: ᴧ= .000, ᵡ2 (2, N= 120) = .000,

More Proficient vs. Less Proficient EFL Learners’ Perceptions of Teachers ‘Motivation Raising Strategies

Motivation raising strategies are frequently used in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes; nevertheless, learners’ perceptions of such strategies used by language teachers have not sufficiently been explored. Also, there are not enough studies on differences and similarities between more and less proficient EFL learners regarding this issue. To scrutinize this topic, a groups of more (No=50) and less proficient EFL learners (No=50) participated in this study by completing to a validated, researcher-made questionnaire with a five-point Likert type format. Non-parametric Mann-Whiteny U test was run in the SPSS ver. 23 to check the differences between the two groups. The results of the study verified that, regardless of each individual scale in the utilized questionnaire, overall, the more proficient ones manifested significantly less perceptions on teachers’ motivation raising strategies based on the total estimated mean ranks compared with the less proficient learners.  However, within the surveyed scales, only in the classroom atmosphere scale, the results showed that the less proficient learners were more mindful of teacher strategies for motivation raising. The findings from this study have implications for motivation raising strategy instructions for a language classroom

Probing Language Teacher Accountability in Utilizing Self-developed Language Teaching Resources

This study was aimed at recognizing constraints on the way of some Iranian language teachers' utilization of self-developed, localized, English language teaching resources. To this aim, three sets of teacher variables on pedagogical and personal accounts were examined including Language teachers' experience (novice/experienced), their educational level (BA/MA/PhD) and their gender. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, through stratified sampling, some eighty-three volunteering, English language teachers (Male and Female), who were indulged in the Iranian Ministry of Education (MoE), university settings (public and private) and language institutes were randomly selected.  Teachers’ responses to a validated researcher-made questionnaire on language teacher curriculum autonomy revealed an overall significant Multiple R with F (3, 80) =.88, (0.04) but each individual above-cited predictors could not significantly predict teacher curriculum autonomy score. In the second phase for triangulation aims, three above-cited teacher variables were mapped over the insights gained through written interview sessions with some fourteen English language teachers.  Language teachers' self-reported 'challenges' and 'opportunities' for using self-developed language teaching resources for class use were content analyzed. It became evident that teaching experience was mystified in some respects in terms of its influence over interviewed teachers since diverse intentions on the part of the language teachers in this research might have deterred them not to use their full potential over using their own materials in class. Possible reasons for this situation have been fully discussed in the end

Investigating Current Status of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Iran; Revisiting ESP Specificity Continuum

The EAP textbooks which are currently taught in Iranian universities don't seem to satisfy the necessary requirements current in new enquires of EAP research.  An EAP book sample from SAMT 1 publications for the students of medicine was chosen for a critical analysis on three criteria including: evaluating the objectives, reviewing the content, and evaluating the overall structure. The exploratory reviews showed that there must be major changes in EAP for medical students of SAMT to meet the specific needs of the target group above. In this article, the general status of ESP material development approaches is also depicted diachronically in order to evaluate the present situation in Iran against appropriate recent approaches towards EAP material development in the world. Recommended implications of some kind are presented throughout the various parts of the present survey.   

Scrutinizing the Supremacy of Age & Proficiency Level in Learning Content Vocabulary via Concept Mapping among Iranian EFL Learners

In this study, the researchers investigated the possible effect of teaching content words through using Concept Mapping (CM) strategy plotted on two cognitive variables: language proficiency and age within some eighty Iranian young and old English language learners with higher and lower proficiency levels (Elementary vs. Intermediate) who were conveniently selected and classified into four classes. Their age range varied from 10 to 25 years old. After five sessions of treatment, the researchers gave the post-test. The results could not identify priority in the predictability power for any of the two age and proficiency variables F (2, 77) = 1.96, p < .15, R2 = .04. The findings can be helpful for English teachers as well as syllabus designers to use CM strategies for teaching vocabulary and including such materials in the sources regarding age and proficiency level as cognitive variables related to CM implementation