Thulfiqar Abdulameer Hameed

Digital communication platforms have radically changed the conditions for the production andinterpretation of meaning. Traditional pragmatic frameworks, such as Gricean pragmatics and relevance theory,do put context, inference, and cooperative principles first, although they assume, for the most part, stablecommunicative environments and direct interpersonal contact. These assumptions are increasingly poor atelucidating meaning-making in digitally mediated contexts that are characterized by multimodality, networkedaudiences and technology-driven engagement. Despite the increasing body of work on digital discourse, therehas been little attention to combining pragmatic analysis with ecological analyses which take into account thedynamic interaction between users, technology, and sociocultural environments. This research addresses thisgap by applying the paradigm of ecological pragmatics to the situation of digital interaction. The study usesecological theories of perception and communication (Gibson, 1979; Hodges, 2009) and perspectives of mediaecology to conceptualize online communication as a complex communicative ecosystem of communicativeaffordances, resources found in multimodal forms and evolving contextual constraints. The research highlightsthe role of elements such as emojis, hashtags and algorithmically influenced visibility in enabling the processesof emergent meaning making to take place. By situating pragmatic interpretation within a broader ecologicalframework, the research offers a more thorough explanation of how meaning is collaboratively created indigitally mediated communication. However, the present study shows the live interaction among threeinterrelated concepts: Meaning-making, an active and ongoing process by which people interpret, comprehend,and assign importance to life events, experiences, and relationships. Ecological Pragmatics (also known asEnvironmental Pragmatism) offers an action-oriented, multidisciplinary approach to environmental ethics thatprioritises practical, evidence-based solutions over strict ideological debates. And their interplay in DigitalInteraction. According to ecological pragmatics, meaning-making emerges from the interplay of persons, theirenvironment, and communication resources rather than from language alone. On the other hand, meaning indigital interaction is determined by technology affordances (e.g., emojis, algorithms, platform features) andsocial context. Therefore, meaning online is co-created by a dynamic ecology of users, technologies, andcultural practices.

This targeted review looks at the positioning of generative artificial intelligence in English language learning and under what circumstances the use of generative artificial intelligence is pedagogically justifiable. To maintain the discourse clear and compatible with a succinctly-structured review format, the paper summarizes four recent, high-relevancy articles, which deal with general ELT affordances, empirical use of ChatGPT in ESL/EFL, discrepancies between the use of AI-generated text, and the concept of distributed agency. The literature review indicates that generative AI has the potential to aid English learning by providing quick feedback, generating ideas, and assisting in revision, providing an opportunity to interact with low stakes, and supporting teachers in planning and preparing materials. The strongest types of evidence are those engaged in the context of writing, and reading, listening and application on a school level are still not well developed in literature. Concurrently, the articles universally caution against erroneous production, overdependence, loss of voice, imbalanced access, and unanswered queries of academic integrity. An effective pedagogic position is neither denying nor unconditional taking up, in short, is neither rejection nor unconditional taking up. Rather, AI must be applied as a scaffold in teacher guided activities which must be verified, reflected upon and visible student input.

This study is interested in the representation of agency and solution-orientation in sustainability-related tasks in textbooks in English for Iraq for Grades 1-6. Using a mixed-method design, combining qualitative content analysis, critical discourse analysis, and multimodal analysis, this study explores how learners, teachers, communities, and institutions are situated as agents to address both environmental and civic concerns. In these domains, a corpus of texts, dialogues, and tasks associated with sustainability was identified across, for e.g., water conservation, energy use, waste management, climate change, biodiversity and civic responsibility. Coding emphasized modality (can, should, must), framing of problems versus solutions, individual versus collective action, and the feasibility of implementing action in the Iraqi setting. These findings show that sustainability themes are gradually incorporated into textbooks across grades, but agency is typically framed at the individual level (i.e., “You must not waste water”), with little opportunity for collective or institutional action. Instead, modal verbs stress obligation (must) more than possibility (can), suggesting a prescriptive rather than empowering stance. Solution-orientation becomes generic or global with only a handful of tasks contextualized to the specific ecological and infrastructural reality of Iraq. Still, some Grade 5-6 tasks are project-based tasks that allow group collaboration and local problem-solving leading towards a participatory pedagogy. The rationale posited is that, increasing learner autonomy while integrating contextually relevant, solution-based practices can further facilitate alignment between Iraqi ELT content and UNESCO’s framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Implications for curriculum reform, and classroom practice, are discussed.

The present historical qualitative research paper examines the development of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Iraq between 1970s and 2025. These sources include curriculum frameworks, instructions given by the Ministry of Education, textbooks and teacher guides (New English Course for Iraq, Iraq Opportunities, English for Iraq, Sunrise), and reports of the British Council, UNESCO, World Bank, and Iraqi researches. It is structured by decade and places pedagogical change in contexts of the prominent socio-political events of the time, such as nation-building, armed conflict, sanctions, reconstruction, displacement, and the COVID-19 era. It is identified to be going through four phases: the structural/audio-lingual period (1970s-1990s), reformation under the influence of Communicative Language Teaching (2000s), solidification through multi-syllabus coursework (2010s) and stabilization and hardening in the 2020s. Throughout these stages, a consistent gap of implementation is created between the intentions of curriculum and classroom realities, a gap to be influenced by exam-driven practices, large classes, uneven teacher preparation, limited resources and a culture of curriculum-as-textbook. This research holds that sustainable development would require a match that is made between assessment and communicative goals, strengthening educator growth, and ensuring a sufficient provision of viable classroom engagement.

This quasi-experimental study examined whether tightly supervised, tensefocused use of ChatGPT during revision improves Iraqi EFL students’ verb-tense accuracy beyond checklist-guided self/peer editing. Two intact classes (N = 70; CEFR B1–B2) completed parallel pre- and post-test writing tasks over eight weeks of in-class drafting and revision. The experimental class used ChatGPT solely for tense/aspect diagnostics and brief explanations, whereas the control class relied on a teacher checklist. Tense accuracy was defined as 100 − (errors per 100 words)-in other words, higher scores indicate fewer tense errors. An ANCOVA on post-test accuracy, controlling for pre-test performance, showed a large advantage for the ChatGPT group, F(1, 67) = 101.36, p < .001, partial η² = .60; estimated marginal means indicated an adjusted difference of ≈ 11.5 points. Convergent gains analyses likewise favored ChatGPT: improvement ≈ 23.46 vs. 13.20 points (difference ≈ 10.26; Welch’s t ≈ 7.94, p < .001; Hedges’ g ≈ 1.88). Assumption checks were satisfactory. Because the post-test was completed without devices, improvements reflect independent control rather than tool dependence. Findings align with SLA accounts emphasizing noticing and pushed output and indicate that constrained, explanation-oriented LLM feedback can scale effective written corrective feedback in large, resource-constrained EFL classes. Implications for practice include brief, supervised AI-assisted revision windows paired with student-owned rewriting; limitations concern intact-class assignment and a single grammatical target.

The fast-paced adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) in higher education has considerably impacted the global development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and second language (ESL) education. The essential objective of the current research paper is investigating the effects of technology on Iraqi university students' EFL learning. The study explores the impact of generic information and communication technology (ICT) equipment including computers, mobile phone, online learning resources and digital media on the acquisition of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This study presents a mixed-method qualitative approach employing semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers and a validated Use of ICT Tools Questionnaire (Nagy and Habók, 2018, p. 212), for the quantitative analysis. Thus, Iraqi EFL students exhibit positive attitudes toward the use of ICT, where the perceived usefulness as well as usage ease are two major predictors of their level of engagement (and consequently achievement) based on language proficiency according to the findings of this study. Interviews indicated it is clear that instructors do think that ICT have an opportunity to foster student autonomy and communicative competence; yet they encounter challenges such as, the absence of institutional infrastructure and uneven digital literacy. The paper concludes by presenting evidence-based pedagogical frameworks to the use of technology and successful integration of technology in the Iraqi EFL context.

The study considers the psychological benefits of learning the English language as a foreign language Iraqi EFL students. This is a sample of 300 students from the institution, and data on EFL learning was collected using questionnaires covering emotional intelligence, motivation, anxiety, self-confidence, and well-being. The use of the same sample and diverse scores ascertained that EFL learning is positively related to psychological well-being. Higher language proficiency is positively correlated with high levels of emotional intelligence, motivation, self-confidence, and low anxiety. That indicates the need to integrate emotional intelligence training and EFL/ESL programs as anxiety-reducing strategies that can help improve the psychological and academic performance among students. This study is central to applying psychological factors in many contexts, since language education is done with the aim of maximizing learners' emotional and cognitive development. Future research is recommended to extend these benefits to other cultures and communities and to conduct longitudinal studies to determine better long-term effects.