International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies

Shakespeare’s proverbial expressions of adversity: A significant communication style

2025-06-28T06:45:39-05:00

The theme of adversity is communicated with many proverbial expressions in Shakespeare’s plays, which contain rich linguistic features and significance that form a noteworthy communication style of Shakespeare. This study explores and analyzes the proverbial expressions of adversity and examines their significance to the plays’ characters, to the communication style and their relevance to the socio-cultural contexts of the time. The study uses descriptive analysis of the select proverbial expressions of adversity in three plays of Shakespeare – As You Like It, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet, through the framework of stylistics theory, investigating the communication patterns, the stylistics, and significance. The proverbial expressions of adversity in the plays are carefully chosen and crafted by Shakespeare with a distinguished communication style in diction, syntax, semantics, and rhetoric, which are helpful for the development and transformation of characters in thought and emotion and showcase the stylistic expertise of Shakespeare. The proverbs are a part of the communication style that adds aesthetics of expression in language that can change perception about adversity, to learn lessons of the realities of life, just like the characters in the plays.

Investigating the key factors behind English - speaking anxiety among Iraqi and Yemeni college students and the role of AI in mitigation

2025-06-28T07:05:19-05:00

The current study looks into the key factors behind trepidation or anxiety among English-speaking Iraqi and Yemeni college students. The quantitative approach has been adopted focusing on two factors: fear of communication apprehension and negative evaluation. Twelve items were adapted from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and administered to 110 Iraqi and 198 Yemeni students comprising both male and female students. Data analysis revealed that communication anxiety is a shared issue for college students in both Iraq and Yemen with females exhibiting significantly higher anxiety levels than males. The findings underscore that negative evaluation and communication anxiety are critical psychological barriers affecting language performance and participation. Additionally, the study highlights that a lack of sufficient language input and limited opportunities for speaking practice in English classes contribute to heightened anxiety levels. The study proposes the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tools into language learning environments as this will provide an innovative, supportive, and non-judgmental environment. In contrast to traditional classroom settings, where students may fear negative evaluation or embarrassment, AI can help reduce anxiety and foster a positive learning atmosphere by simulating real-life communication and providing instant supportive feedback. The study recommends that teachers utilize AI and supportive teaching strategies to create a safe space for language development.

A critical discourse analysis of gender representation in the Saudi EFL context: A case study of four EFL textbooks

2025-06-28T07:53:43-05:00

This paper investigates the relationship between gender bias and educational materials for teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in the Saudi EFL context by drawing on critical discourse analysis (CDA). The paper's objective is twofold: first, to explore the extent to which females are biased in the discourse of four EFL textbooks and the various reasons and ways of this biased gender representation. Second, to show the extent to which the disproportion of female gender representation is due to cultural values or to the gender bias of the textbooks’ authors. The study uses a qualitative critical discourse analysis to investigate four EFL textbooks used in Saudi Arabia. The analytical focus is on five topics: (a) gender visibility, (b) gender importance in sequences, (c) gender representation in occupations, (d) gender-attributed traits and (e) the relationship between both genders. Findings reveal that the selected EFL textbooks contain gender-stereotyped scenarios that are in favor of the male gender. Women are portrayed as stereotyped and marginalized as a result of this disparity. The study concludes that the four EFL textbooks used in Saudi Arabian schools displayed gender-biased content and recommends reevaluating the EFL textbooks to be gender-biased-free.

Exploring the views of Pakistani ESL teachers about differentiated instruction in English language teaching

2025-06-28T07:57:52-05:00

Differentiated Instruction (DI), a pedagogical strategy that addresses students’ diverse learning needs and abilities is a recognized effective teaching method in English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching. However, there is limited research on how ESL teachers perceive and use DI in their classrooms in the Pakistani context. In this mixed-method study, undergraduate-level Pakistani ESL teachers were surveyed about their perceptions and practices of DI. This study investigated the teaching strategy known as DI in their ESL classrooms. The researcher used an adapted questionnaire to gather data from 84 ESL teachers. Five ESL teachers participated in a semi-structured interview. The interview focused on how ESL teachers perceived and practiced DI, and the difficulties they faced. The findings demonstrated that teachers' perceptions about teaching are generally consistent with this paradigm although it appears that they do not fully implement DI. These findings are consistent with previous research that revealed teachers did not implement DI to its fullest capacity. Moreover, teachers also experience several obstacles including managing large class numbers, dealing with heavy workloads, facing limited time, achieving high expectations from administration, and addressing concerns related to student assessment. There is a critical need for administrative collaboration and professional development to properly adopt DI.

Living on the margin: A critical study of Batool Al-Khudairi’s absence through the lens of Amartya Sen’s economic theory

2025-06-28T15:40:01-05:00

This study explores the intersections of gender, economic marginalization, and postcolonial identity in Batool Al-Khudairi’s novel Absent using Amartya Sen’s economic theory as a critical lens. The research adopts a qualitative literary analysis based on feminist and postcolonial frameworks. It applies Sen’s capabilities approach to interpret how socio-economic constraints shape women’s agency and experiences in post-war Iraq. The analysis reveals that the female characters in Absent suffer from structural inequalities, restricted choices, and cultural alienation, which limit their ability to function fully in society. Sen’s theory effectively illustrates how economic deprivation intersects with gender oppression, amplifying the marginalization of women in postcolonial settings. Absent critiques of both patriarchal and political systems by portraying women not only as victims of war and tradition but also as figures negotiating identity and survival. The study affirms that literary narratives can expose nuanced dimensions of economic and gender-based injustice.