Motivational Fluctuations while Performing English Tasks on Cross-Border Collaborations in International Missions

^[1]Hadi Yaghoubinejad*

Research Paper                                               IJEAP- 2411-2097  DOR: 20.1001.1.24763187.2024.13.3.6.5

Received: 2024-07-13                              Accepted: 2024-09-21                      Published: 2024-09-29

Abstract: Motivation is among key components in facilitating second language learning. In order to assess the extent of learners’ Second Language (L2) motivation, different models have been proposed throughout the history. In the very recent models of L2 motivation, it has been specified that motivation for learning a new language is not an all-or-nothing construct, but is gradually formed over time and is constantly changing. With reliance on the link between Chaos Complex Theory (CCT) and L2 Motivational Self-Systems (L2MSS), the present study has combined different elements like L2 Imagery, L2 Self-Concept, L2 Possible Selves, and L2 Task Motivation with different timescales. In fact, the extent and nature of motivational dynamicity in a group of L2 learners was studied over longer timescales (monthly) composed of a number of tasks carried out in shorter timescales (weekly). Employing a longitudinal qualitative design, 10 participants were interviewed at the start of, in the middle and while performing tasks, and in the end the course in order to find the interaction among various motivational components. A bottom-up coding strategy was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings revealed momentary fluctuations in L2 motivation over different timescales. In addition, it was shown that motivational elements were not equally effective over the course and while performing the tasks and little by little participants moved away from external elements and towards internal ones. Another important result was the existence of flux, ups and downs, and dynamic interaction among varied motivational components through different timescales. Finally, a number of research implications were driven from the present findings.

Keywords: Chaos Complex Theory, L2 Imagery, L2 Motivational Self-Systems, L2 Possible Selves, L2 Self-Concept, L2 Task Motivation

Introduction

Four fundamental goals have been defined for Red Crescent organization: 1. efforts to alleviate human suffering, 2. respect for human beings, 3. support human life and health, 4. establish friendship and mutual understanding and lasting peace between nations (IFRC, 2015). Its mission is not just nationally oriented and as soon as urgent circumstances arise around the world this organization has international missions, as well (Karimi et al., 2024).

With respect to the English status as the language for international communication, this organization is in dire need of teaching a personnel who is competent in English to have less problem in communication and cooperation with their international co-workers (Jenkins, 2015). A necessary prerequisite action to take in this regard is for Red Crescent to take steps to enhance its members’ motivation to take part in such courses and do their hardest to learn the concepts taught in these courses (Chen & Starosta, 2012).

Another point worth mentioning is that the Red Crescent organization in North Khorasan has just established a university of applied sciences and technology in which project and tasks related to learning English are of utmost importance. Therefore, the right place for its members to learn necessary skills for conducting international missions is this university (Wetter, 2014).

Many factors are at work in facilitating L2 learning. It goes without saying that motivation is one of these key factors. Throughout history different models (such as social psychological, process model, L2MSS, etc.) have been proposed to examine the learners level of L2 motivation (Dörnyei, 2009; Dörnyei & Ottó, 1998; Gardner & Lambert, 1959). In previous research on L2 motivation, the role of different factors such as L2 imagery (Dörnyei & Chan, 2013; Kirkpatrick et al., 2024), L2 possible selves (Dörnyei, 2009; Pishghadam et al., 2021), L2 self-concept (Mercer, 2011; Solhi et al., 2024) and L2 task motivation (Kormos & Dörnyei, 2004; Pourgharib & Shakki, 2024) have been studied.

However, scant attention has been paid to the dynamic combination of these factors along with the role of time and tasks in promoting L2 motivation. In light of the fact that employing a dynamic view to L2 motivation is in desperate need of explicit examination of the concept of timescales (de Bot, 2015), understanding the dynamicity of L2 motivation over various tasks and timescales and delineating the reasons for such a dynamic nature can give birth to original ideas about the concept under study.

The relation between chaos theory and dynamic systems theory with L2 learning has just arrested the attention of L2 researchers (Dörnyei, 2014; Mercer, 2011). In recent research, motivation is more a flux and fluctuating construct than a steady and static one (Dörnyei et al., 2015). Moreover, the concept of timescales is a totally novel idea in the field of L2 development (de Bot, 2015). The fundamental rationale behind this new construct is that the language system is composed of a number of minor systems (subsystems) which slowly but steadily develops over various timescales (such as decades, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and even seconds) (de Bot, 2012).

There is also another belief that motivation is actively and dynamically at work while performing tasks (Dörnyei, 2009). And the internal relations which exist among a wide variety of temporal and a spatial variables related to carrying out tasks (Poupore, 2013) bring about this kind of dynamicity in L2 task motivation.

Literature Review

A Dynamic and Complex Approach to L2 Motivation

Recent emphasis on applicability of chaos complex theory and dynamics system theories to L2 learning (de Bot & Larsen-Freeman, 2004; Dörnyei, 2011) has made L2 motivation researchers to reconsider these important element from this new vantage point. In this view, it is conceived that L2 motivation can be steady at times, then experience unsteadiness, change and fluctuations, and again remain steady at other times (Dörnyei, 2014; Dörnyei et al., 2015). These successive cycles of steadiness, unsteadiness and again steadiness are at the heart of chaos complexity theory and dynamic systems theory (de Bot et al., 2007). The general belief is that no entity or state is fixed forever. Motivation is not an exception to this rule and instead of being stable and unchangeable, it experiences change and instability (Larsen-Freeman, 2015; Waninge et al., 2014). The very tangible examples of this are those languages learners who are unwilling or demotivated at the start and due to some external or internal factors become willing and motivated in the end.

A number of studies done in L2 development have witnessed diversity, dynamicity and complexity in L2 motivation (Campbell & Storch, 2011; Shoaib & Dörnyei, 2005; Yaghoubinejad et al., 2016). Shoaib and Dörnyei (2005) in a somehow novel study examined a totally understudied domain in L2 motivation research which was a temporal evaluation of students’ motivation over longer timescales in their lifespan. These researchers revealed a series of ‘changing motivational patterns’ which had either positive or negative impact on L2 learning.

Plus, signs of dynamicity and complexity in a group of non-English learners have been reported (Campbell & Storch, 2011). This study examined learners’ motivation at different timescales throughout the course of a university semester to analyze how their motivation changed over time, what factors contributed to that change and to which extent. Campbell and Storch (2011) found that L2 learners’ motivation experienced diversity, complexity, and fluctuations over the whole semester. As for the factors and reasons behind, initial motivation was found in immediate relevance to both past L2 learning experiences and personal goals. However, factors related to the learning environment helped learners develop a clear future image of themselves as speakers of the L2, and hence their ongoing motivation enhanced and they were able to keep motivating themselves.

Yaghoubinejad et al. (2016) examined the multidimensionality of L2 motivation as a dynamic phenomenon. They intended to investigate the interrelationship of different motivational themes having an impact on a group of Iranian participants’ decision to start, continue and finish an English course. In a design similar to the present study, they interviewed eight participants in the beginning, middle, and end of the course to come up with a better picture the motivation as a dynamic and complex system. Their findings showed that several motivational factors were at work initially, progressively and finally throughout the course. Moreover, there were positively or negatively directed motivations. 

A Time Perspective of L2 Motivation

de Bot (2015) introduced the concept of timescales to the field of L2 motivation. He believes that the subsystems at work in the system of L2 learning are developing over different timescales (decades, years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and even seconds) in a human lifespan. It is only in interaction with each other that these timescales can present a thorough picture of L2 development. This interaction is the offspring of complexity involved in the process of L2 learning and also this fact that development in one timescale influenced by the things that happen in other either smaller or larger timescales. Thus, examining the phenomenon in just one timescale will not do the justice to the whole process. In addition, including all the potential timescales in one single study on L2 development is not feasible. Therefore, the best option is to meet in between and consider those timescales which have the most possible interaction with the construct under examination. As an example, we can study motivation over one semester or while performing L2 tasks or even compare motivational intensity in different timescales.

A group of L2 researchers have examined the temporal and situational nature of L2 motivation (Busse & Walter, 2014; Henry, 2015; MacIntyre & Serroul, 2015; Sak, 2022; Waninge et al., 2014; You & Dörnyei, 2014; You et al., 2016). The results have shed light on the fact that L2 motivation can experience temporal and situational fluctuations and even change on a moment by moment basis. MacIntyre and Serroul (2015) showed that L2 motivation can fluctuate momentarily and is prone to different situational factors over various timescales. These researchers found that motivation over varied timescales interacts with other procedures and its intensity can vary over time.

Henry (2015) studied motivational dynamicity of a group of Swedish learners who were studying French as an L3. Having employed a complex dynamic system theory to examine process of change in motivational systems, he figured out that even those systems which were almost steady over longer timescales experienced instability, outstanding modification and fluctuation over shorter timescales.

You and colleagues (2014, 2016) implemented a two-phase large–scale project on significant patterns of internal variation in L2 motivation within an entire sample of 10000 Chinese participants. A clear gender difference emerged in the motivational scales, with female learners showing higher endorsement than males, but this difference diminished in the ought-to dimension scales; in fact, male learners outperformed females in terms of correlations with Intended Effort on the Ought-to L2 Self scale. The gender difference was also partly overridden among university students who selected English as their primary degree course, a group defined as the most committed sample.

As for teachers, there were a number of studies delving into teacher motivation from this perspective (Sak, 2022; Vahdany, 2024). Sak (2022) explored the dynamicity of language teacher motivation over short timescale, in this case, at the lesson level and the factors at work in the context of online instruction. He found considerable fluctuation in teachers’ motivation levels, most of which resulting from a complex interrelation of factors pertained to learners, course, or even themselves. Moreover, the situated complexity of L2 teacher motivation to teach online, which displayed nonlinear development over timescales, suggested that it can be heavily influenced by individual, contextual and temporal factors.

L2 Task Motivation

Tasks can be conceived as basic educational variables or the building blocks of class learning (Dörnyei, 2002). They help researchers to break down the complex process of learning into smaller units with explicit boundaries. So, over the past decade, L2 researchers have increasingly paid attention to analyzing L2 tasks (Abdi Tabari & Hui, 2024; Dörnyei, 2002, 2009; Ellis, 2000; Kormos & Dörnyei, 2004; Marashi & Eghtedar, 2021; Mozgalina, 2015; Poupore, 2015; Wang & Li, 2019). Based on Dörnyei’s view, each task activates different motivational probabilities which lead to dynamic motivational procedures by themselves. These procedures pave the way to accomplishing tasks (Dörnyei, 2002, 2009).

Dörnyei (2002) analyzed the effect of learners’ motivation on the amount of speech produced during tasks. His findings showed that motivational propensities of learners have abundant impact on evaluative procedures and controlling practice. Therefore Dörnyei stated that motivation is not a static phenomenon at all and due to different social effects, the evaluation of learners from these effects and control practice operation that they exert on such motivational content is in constant wax and wane.

Kormos and Dörnyei (2004) examined the dynamic nature of L2 task motivation while performing a communicative L2 task. They found that participants’ attitudes about the course, the tasks, and their cognitive-linguistic self-confidence are three significant factors which have impact on L2 task motivation. On the other hand, they figured out that motivation affects the quantity of the produced speech and not the quality of the content.

Poupore (2015) studied the relation between the dynamic group work and learners’ responses to interactive tasks. The context of this study was a course of teaching oral skills composed of different tasks and two groups working on each of them. There were significant relations among dynamic group work, L2 task motivation and the amount of L2 produced. In addition, there was a significant correlation between non-verbal behaviors and L2 task motivation, particularly in the form of greater enjoyment out of L2 task completion and hence greater success. These behaviors were also effective in formulating acceptable dynamic group work.

Mozgalina (2015) examined the effects of varying levels of autonomy, through task choice, on intrinsic motivation and task engagement for L2 Russian learners. The study involved 120 students at a German university who were assigned a written presentation task on a notable Russian individual. The results of this study contradicted self-determination theory, as conditions with fewer choices positively influenced students' task engagement and motivation.

In literature review, there were a number of studies which delved deeply into dynamicity of motivation over short and long timescales (Li et al., 2023; MacIntyre & Serroul, 2015; Papi & Hiver, 2020; Sak, 2022; Waninge et al., 2014). Nonetheless, the concept of interaction among different timescales in general, and fluctuation of motivation over these timescales in particular, have sadly received little attention.

As a result, this study aimed to bridge the gap in this regard and examine all the aforementioned variables in combination with each other. In fact, the present research was an attempt to investigate the participants’ general motivation and L2 task motivation in a course of three months training, with the specific objective of comparing L2 motivation over short and long timescales and revealing potential relations and interactions among different factors involved in tasks completion.

Based on what was enumerated above, the following research questions were addressed in this study:

Research Question One: How do motivational dynamics evolve over different timescales (short and long) in L2 learning contexts, and what factors contribute to fluctuations in motivation during these periods?

Research Question Two: What is the relationship between general L2 motivation and task-specific motivation in a three-month language training course, and how do these motivational levels interact and influence each other over time?

Methodology

Design of the Study

The design of the present study was as a longitudinal qualitative research design. It is conceived as longitudinal since repeated collection of data from the same participants was done over a time period of three month. Moreover, the only data collection instrument employed was interview, and hence qualitative in nature. This approach involves collecting in-depth data from a relatively small sample size over an extended period, allowing researchers to examine changes, patterns, and development over time, regardless of the duration between measurements.

Tasks

With respect to four fundamental tenets of Red Crescent organization (IFRC, 2015), a number of tasks were designed in this course to assess the extent of participants’ L2 motivation necessary to cooperate in international missions if need be. Needless to say, the status of English as an international language for communication naturally results in the urgent need of this organization to equip its members with required knowledge to have a smooth and easy contact with their international partners (Chen & Starosta, 2012; Jenkins, 2015; Karimi et al., 2024). Thus, it was attempted to encourage Red Crescent to take steps towards increasing its members’ motivation in performing projects and tasks related to learning English to facilitate and expedite the necessary skills to undertake international missions. As a result, a number of highly motivational tasks were developed through novel teaching approaches to learning English with the help of the most up-to-date technologies.

Participants

Initially, the researcher asked the head of the University of Applied Science and Technology to introduce those members who have basic familiarity with English and are equally willing to take part in this course. Due to the fact that research context was a government organization composed of only Persian speakers, the only option open to the researcher was to rely on this convenience sampling method. As a result, those participants who were more proficient in English were interviewed in the first, middle and end of the course. The group was composed of five male and five female participants in which the proficiency level of females was a bit higher than males.

Data Collection Procedure

In the first meeting, the participants got initial familiarity with the course and were told that it is intended to teach some of the most common English terms regarding going on international missions with the aim of helping refugees, displaced people, earthquake-stricken people, flood-stricken people or others influenced by natural disasters. These participants were interviewed early in this summer in one of the classes of the university. Each round of interview took anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes on average. Questions like their age, work experience, traveling abroad, helping people in need and those who live in underdeveloped areas, were asked. Moreover, other questions were put to them such as the reasons and motivation for participation in this course.

In another stage, the participants were informed that they will be exposed to conversation-based course concerning the way they can make themselves understood in international operations. The tasks designed for this stage contained a context where relief forces were required to speak English and have conversation about how to operate in missions and help those in need. As an example, regarding the recent flood in the countries neighboring Persian Gulf, it was proposed that if they have a chance to be sent there, where they prefer to go and what their reasons will be. Most of them opted United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage and tourism purposes. In this stage, they were reminded that the aim in such trips is to perform salvage operation for injured people and the very prerequisite for this is their competence in English to be able to have a smooth communication with other international Red Crescent members.

The other task involved a situation in which a number of family members were entangled by the flood in their parking lot. Words and phrases such as flood, lifeboat, like jacket, pedal, mud, necessary tools for dredging, creating breastwork, and the like were taught. This part of task received their focal attention since nearly all of them had the technical knowledge to use these tools but were not familiar with their English equivalences and how to express them in salvage operations. The researcher attempted to expose them with the simplest English words and structures which in themselves were exactly fit for the job.

In one of the other tasks, a number of photos taken from recent earthquake in Turkey were shown to the participants. Due to the fact that North Khorasan is regularly hit by earthquake, the participants were totally familiar with the salvage operations in such circumstances. However, they were awed and amazed by the amount of ruins and the remaining debris by this earthquake. The first question that occurred to them was that in such a large-scale earthquake, the procedure of savings survivors or debris removal would be certainly impossible without foreign aid. Hence, their strong willingness to cooperate in such operations was easily discernible.

In the second round of interview and after performing tasks, the researcher asked them about the reaction to the probable invitation by the damaged country to go and join the international team. Most of the participants were willing to take part, but recognized language barrier as blocking them in this regard. Consequently, the tasks were designed in a linguistic structure that was close to their language proficiency and hence motivate them to use the terms with their peers in pairs or group conversations. After accomplishing the tasks and their mastery over the terms required for salvage operations in the terrible earthquake that hit the neighboring country, the participants’ willingness and eagerness to help increased tremendously.

In another context, the researcher talked about the recent war in the region and atrocities done by Israel. Having watched a short video clip in this respect, the participants were emotionally moved like every noble human being and felt great sorrow and sadness; hence, they revealed their strong heartfelt willingness to help war-stricken region and displaced people. The researcher reminded that though these suppressed people speak Arabic, a majority of relief forces from United Nations or other aid agencies are helping people in the region. Therefore, the first requirement is to be equipped with Basic English to have contact with international colleagues as well as technical language in how to use the tools and kits in such operations. In this stage, educational slides on how to aid people in war-stricken areas along with their English subtitles for the required words and terms were shown to the participants. After watching each of these slides they were asked to review them by heart and express the English equivalence for each of them.

All these tasks and educational materials were offered in the middle of the summer. Then, they were given the opportunity to get ready for the last round of interview at the end of the summer to provide the researcher with their points and views. In the meantime, all the tasks, photos, slides, clips and other materials, which were developed in advance and worked on in the middle of the course, were given to the participants in order to both review the materials and have access to a single source for the final round of interviews. Finally, at the end of the summer each one of them was interviewed for about 15 to 20 minutes and answered the researcher’s questions about the way course proceeded and the amount of its success and usefulness.

What follows is the list of interview questions asked:

Table 1

Interview Questions

Data Analysis Procedure

The qualitative data analysis involved a structured method of examining students' interview responses. First, the interviews were transcribed, translated into English, and reviewed. To reduce bias, a bottom-up coding strategy was used, emphasizing the creation of codes directly from the data rather than imposing pre-established categories. The analysis followed Braun and Clarke's (2006) five-step framework: (1) carefully reading the data, (2) developing initial codes, (3) organizing codes into broader themes, (4) refining and naming themes, and (5) preparing a report with anonymized interview excerpts.

To enhance the trustworthiness of the qualitative data analysis, the study focused on four criteria: confirmability, dependability, transferability, and credibility (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Credibility was improved through data triangulation, combining quantitative and qualitative tools. Transferability was supported by providing comprehensive details about the study's design, context, participants, instruments, and themes in the report. Dependability was increased through respondent validation, where two participants reviewed the themes for accuracy (Creswell, 2014). Confirmability was addressed by having two independent coders analyze the data, calculating their inter-coder reliability using Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.78), and inviting a coder from a different context to analyze a portion of the data (α = 0.67), aiming to balance perspectives and minimize potential researcher bias.

Results and Discussion

Recurrent themes in participants’ statements were primarily revolving around Red Crescent request or personal motives such as enhancing their general English, traveling abroad, learning new skills and how to express them in another language. It was crystal clear that while performing the tasks the aspect of language learning and the inherent enjoyment in learning new words and phrases, for which they knew just the Persian version, had resulted in extreme eagerness and intensified motivation among participants.

In addition, most of them had consensus that through participating in this course and performing interactive tasks with their colleagues they enjoyed learning more and developed competence over the discussed topics and English terms employed in salvage operations.

The mutual and agreed upon point in all these interviews was that quite in line with proceeding in the course participants moved away from their prior motivational factors, which were mostly personal or organizational, and towards internal directions such as relishing language learning or using it to help the humankind.

Other findings suggested the existence of momentary fluctuations in participants’ motivation, which in itself was composed of a number of dynamic and interrelated elements that were in flux over different timescales. As an example, initially in the course, participants mostly pointed out original motivational components including ‘external motives for learning L2’, ‘desirable L2 proficiency’ and ‘personal goals in L2 learning’. One of them, who participated with external motives, referred to the organization request for the main reason behind, while others had reasons such as increasing their proficiency or fulfilling some personal aims like traveling abroad.

This finding showed the fact that the participants were initially more externally, than internally, inclined toward this course. In other words, they were heavily influenced by external factors, such as meeting the expectations of their organization or pursuing some personal external motives like the ones mentioned above. In the literature in this regard, there were findings either supporting (Cambell & Stortch, 2011; Yaghoubinejad et al., 2016) or rejecting (You & Dörnyei, 2014; You et al., 2016) this finding.

Along with performing tasks in the middle of the course, it was revealed that the more the participants were engaged, the greater motivational factors were triggered, and hence they distanced more from external motives to internal and interrelated ones (In line with previous research in this regard, e.g. Yaghoubinejad et al., 2016, 2017). These factors were mainly composed of ‘enjoyment from L2 learning’ and ‘internal motives for L2 learning’. The reason behind such satisfaction was due to the type of communicative-reasoning tasks employed. In addition, ‘internal motives for L2 learning’ was the second significant motivational theme while performing the tasks. For instance, some of the participants felt kind of proximity between their character type and the kind of tasks carried out, as though performing these communicative tasks had caused more internal propensity and hence greater hard work to succeed in such doing.

The intriguing finding here is that the motivational capacity of L2 tasks made participants more involved in their course and hence caused greater enjoyment. Yaghoubinejad et al. (2017) and Csizér and Kormos’s (2008) found similar findings in which learners’ main motivational themes were learners’ positive attitudes toward learning a new language and enjoying more accordingly.

Finally, in the third round of interviews, motivational themes namely ‘enjoyment from L2 learning’ and ‘internal motives for L2 learning’ were equally ranked by the participants in a way that the resultant motivation driven from task completion had led to their better performance toward the end of the course. For example, one of them attributed the required motivation to continue the course to the kind of inherent satisfaction from performing the tasks in prior stage. In addition, dissimilar to ‘L2 learning experience’ which stayed the same in all three rounds of interviews, ‘personal goals for L2 learning’ was among those prominent motivational themes which was doubled in the third round of the interview. Another finding of this stage was that compared to males, females had different aims and motives for their participation. All in all, the results revealed that motivational components were not equally effective initially, midpoint and finally.

Stability in motivational intensity of L2 tasks was also reported by Yaghoubinejad et al. (2016) and Hiver (2015). Lamb (2012) similarly found the strong predictive power of L2 learning experience in participants’ both motivated learning behavior and L2 proficiency. Similar to the present findings, Islam et al. (2013) reported that L2 learning experience can be the strongest predictor of participants’ learning effort.

Conclusion and Implications

Participants in this course of education had experienced motivational intensity in a number of ways through being exposed to different multimedia educational materials, and from a number of sources, external, internal, personal, to name just a few. Moreover, dynamic and interactive interrelation among these sources and the resultant ups and downs in their motivation was another major finding of this study.

A number of educational implications can be derived for L2 motivation. First, the motivation at work while performing tasks is spreadable to the other timescales involved. Hence, the educators can first identify the motivational elements and then employ them in tasks or use them as warmers. Second, they should pay special attention to motivational inclinations of males and females and deal with them differently. Third, there's this possibility that some of the motivational inclinations are unique to some nations and cultures. As a result, teachers should exercise caution in working with this group of learners, particularly in multicultural classes, because the use of same motivational strategies for all learners may not be effective and having equal expectations may be illogical.

Following limitations have to be borne in mind while dealing with the findings of the present study. The present findings may not generalize to all L2 learners, as the study focused on a specific group of participants in a particular context. Moreover, individual differences in motivation may not be fully captured by the identified categories, suggesting a need for further investigation into unique motivational factors and dynamics. Finally, the primary data collection instrument was semi-structured interview. Although this method allows for an in-depth exploration of participants' views in an emic way, it is potentially prone to issues related to researcher bias and hence subjectivity in data interpretation, not to mention being very time-consuming.

To address these limitations in future research, it is recommended to include a more diverse sample of L2 learners and consider various contextual factors that may influence motivation. Additionally, incorporating multiple data collection methods, such as observations or quantitative measures, can help triangulate the findings and increase the study's overall validity and reliability. Finally, utilizing strategies to minimize researcher bias and subjectivity, such as implementing a clear and structured analytical process, engaging in reflexive practices, and involving multiple researchers in data analysis, can enhance the rigor and trustworthiness of the qualitative data interpretation.

Acknowledgement

This research would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of our participants. We are truly grateful for their time, patience, and cooperation throughout the research process.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors of this research article declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this research article. Furthermore, all authors affirm that the work submitted is original and has not been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere.

Funding Details

There was no funding support for this research article.

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[1]Assistant Professor of TEFL, H.yaghoubinezhad@gmail.com (Corresponding Author); Department of English Language, Kosar University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.