International Journal of Linguistics and Translation Studies

Integrating AI into Instructional Materials Development: Moroccan High School EFL Teachers’ Perceptions, Practices, Challenges, and Support Needs

2025-09-04T12:10:02-04:00

This study aims to explore the perceptions, practices, challenges, and support needs of Moroccan high school EFL teachers regarding the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the development of instructional materials. To achieve the purpose of the study, a mixed-methods research design was adopted. Using an online questionnaire, the data was collected from 79 Moroccan high school EFL teachers. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to measure the internal consistency between items in the questionnaire, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient to analyse the relationship between teachers’ perception, practices, and challenges, as well as the relationship between their demographic characteristics and their practices. The findings revealed that teachers hold positive perceptions of AI, but their actual use of AI remains selective and infrequent. Significant challenges, including lack of training, insufficient institutional support, and ethical concerns, were found to constrain teachers’ ability to act on their positive attitudes. The findings of the correlation analysis showed that teachers’ practices were positively associated with age, teaching experience, and prior AI training. The study informs EFL teachers and educational stakeholders in Morocco about the need for targeted professional development, improved digital infrastructure, and clear ethical guidelines to facilitate effective AI integration in developing instructional materials.

Arabic-English Translation of Legal Binomials: The Case of the Moroccan Family Code

2025-08-20T17:19:11-04:00

Legal Translation requires precision and the preservation of the intended legal effect of original texts. However, this process is often challenging due to the specialized nature of law and the disparities between legal languages, which stem from differences in their respective legal systems. One particularly complex aspect of legal Translation is the transfer of legal binomial expressions, syntactic pairs frequently used in legal texts to enhance precision and ensure direct interpretation. This study examines the Translation of legal binomial expressions in the Moroccan Family Code, locally known as the “Al-Moudawana”. A total of 74 legal binomials were identified in the document. The analysis explores the structural and semantic shifts these expressions undergo in their rendition from Arabic into English. Prior to examining these shifts, the binomials were analyzed based on their syntactic structure and the semantic relationships between their lexical constituents. To investigate these changes, two models were applied: Catford’s Translation Shifts Model was adopted to analyze formal shifts, and Cyrus’s Semantic Shifts Model to identify semantic transformations. Findings indicate that translators rendered a substantial portion of binomials literally. However, a considerable number of binomial expressions underwent formal and semantic modifications, which were necessary to convey the intended legal meaning while ensuring that the translated Text aligns with the patterns of the target language.

Challenges and Strategies of Teaching English to Mixed-Ability Classes: A Study of Five Tunisian Preparatory Schools

2025-08-21T21:07:23-04:00

This study investigated challenges faced by teachers and the strategies used in instructing mixed-ability classes. It involved 50 full-time Tunisian EFL teachers. They were randomly selected from five preparatory schools in Greater Tunis. Half of the participants were females. They were aged between 23 and 60 years old. A survey questionnaire was adapted from Al-subaiei (2017). The results showed that Teachers of mixed-ability classes faced many challenges. This entailed a thorough understanding of each student’s preferred learning styles, strengths, and areas of improvement. Teachers have used several methods, such as flexible grouping, grading tasks etc. In addition, teachers stressed the importance of a good cooperative learning environment to guarantee students’ progress. Adopting these strategies would not only help teachers overcome the difficulty of managing diversity but also remodel students’ diversity into a real asset for improving the learning experience.

Truisms and Proverbs: Contextual Truth, Universality and Discursive Usage

2025-09-01T01:04:43-04:00

Proverbs and truisms are commonly perceived as the wisdom of the people, yet their universality is in question. LiteraryTerms.net (n.d.) defines truisms as obvious, banal statements, while there are paremiological and cognitive perspectives that point to the consistency, effectiveness, and cultural value of the truisms. This paper analyzes the intersection of proverbs and truisms by addressing two research questions: (1) Why are examples and definitions of truisms in LiteraryTerms.net controversial from a paremiological perspective? (2) How do certain proverbs relate to or differ from the definition in LiteraryTerms.net? A mixed-methods approach was applied to sources from historical, empirical studies from the past few decades, and contemporary sources (corpus-based studies, weather lore, social psychology research, public rhetoric). The results showed that truisms and proverbs are context-related and culture-bound. Some are apparent statements, while others derive their sources from rhetorical function, shared knowledge, and usefulness across discourses. The paper highlights the mixed value of truisms and the need for careful interpretation. Recommendations are proposed for online content creators to provide at least a link to competing definitions of terms like truisms.

Female Spiritual Guides (Mourchidates) in Morocco: Agents of Change or State Tools? A Case Study of Khenifra

2025-08-24T11:01:24-04:00

The female spiritual guides (Mourchidates) program was introduced as a state strategy to promote moderate Islam and fight extremist ideologies. Their role can be seen as dual in promoting gender equality as well as reinforcing traditional gender norms through providing religious guidance to women in mosques and other institutions. Within the Mourchidates one-year training, the new Family Code (Moudawana) is taught to pave the way for addressing gender-related issues in the light of Islamic teachings. The current study examines the role of Mourchidates in acting as gender equality leaders or traditional gender roles reinforcers in Khenifra City, Morocco. This research employs a qualitative research design. Date collection was based on semi-structured interviews with seventeen Mourchidates recruited within the Local Scientific Council of Khenifra, supported by participant observation in mosque settings. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze and interpret the collected data. The findings demonstrate that Mourchidates play a paradoxical role. While they empower women through religious counseling and legal awareness under the Family Code, they also reinforce traditional gender roles, addressing cautiously sensitive gender issues and equality topics. This study aims to assist policy makers in Morocco in making the Mourchidates agents of change and giving them some reasonable freedom to go beyond the guidebook and address gender issues with confidence.

Key words: Mourchidates, religious reform, female religious leaders, gender issues, Morocco.

Exploring Middle School EFL Teachers’ Practices and Challenges in Teaching Culture

2025-08-29T19:03:08-04:00

Given the recent expansion of English to 7th and 8th grades in Moroccan middle schools, examining middle school EFL teachers' practices and challenges in teaching culture is crucial. To this end, forty-eight EFL teachers from public middle schools were surveyed. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the data. The findings show that EFL middle school teachers incorporate culture into their classrooms mainly through the 3Ps model (practices, products, and perspectives). The most commonly practiced activities for integrating culture include reading comprehension, watching videos, role playing, and discussions, with each activity serving a specific pedagogical objective. The findings also disclosed that EFL teachers encounter both student-related and education-system-related barriers to teaching culture. The study calls on stakeholders, supervisors, and trainers to support teachers in overcoming these challenges and recommends further research into classroom practices. It also anticipates the prudent use of L1 to address students’ low level of English when the goal is to develop learners’ intercultural competence, though this still also requires further research.

Breaking the Rules, One Subtitle at a Time: A Comparative Analysis of Discrepancies between Theory and Practice in Professional Subtitling and Captioning

2025-09-16T16:43:27-04:00

Subtitling has increasingly become a central mode of audiovisual translation, particularly with the rise of streaming platforms as the predominant medium for global entertainment consumption. This rapid expansion has intensified the demand for high-quality subtitling to ensure both audience satisfaction and broader market accessibility. However, despite the noticeable disjunction between established academic conventions and the realities of professional subtitling practice, researchers have not sufficiently explored this in academia. The present study seeks to address this gap by conducting a systematic analysis of the contradictions and inconsistencies in professional subtitling and captioning practices across multiple domains within six major streaming platforms operating in the Middle East and North Africa region. Employing a comparative content analysis informed by established theoretical frameworks in audiovisual translation studies, the research adopts a mixed-methods design that integrates qualitative textual analysis with quantitative measures. Through this methodological synthesis, the study not only seeks to map the extent of divergence between academic research and industry practices but also aims to enable academics to develop theoretical frameworks to more accurately reflect contemporary subtitling and captioning realities, while simultaneously offering practitioners research-driven insights into misalignments and strategies for reconciling them through enhanced approaches to readability and accessibility.

Grammatical Competence of 4th-Year Pre-service Teachers at Eduardo L. Joson Memorial College

2025-10-01T10:45:26-04:00

This study assessed the grammatical competence of 50 fourth-year pre-service English teachers at Eduardo L. Joson Memorial College (ELJMC). Utilising the Grammar Inventory for Teachers (GIFT), the assessment covered seven grammar domains: classes of words, sentence elements, types of sentences, correct use of verbs, modifiers, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun usage. Results indicated an average overall competence level. High competence was found in six domains: modifiers, subject-verb agreement, classes of words, correct use of verbs, pronoun usage, and types of sentences. Sentence elements emerged as the least learned domain, falling into the low level of competence. The findings highlight substantial strengths in several grammar areas but reveal persistent, specific gaps in sentence structure knowledge. Recommendations include developing targeted grammar instruction modules and continuous monitoring to address the identified weaknesses, thereby enhancing the instructional quality and language proficiency of future educators.

Faculty Readiness for Emergency Online Teaching in Moroccan Universities: Mixed-Methods Evidence and PD Implications

2025-10-04T17:04:48-04:00

The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions worldwide to adopt emergency remote teaching, posing particular challenges in resource-constrained contexts such as Morocco. This study examines faculty readiness for online teaching during the crisis, focusing on three public universities. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 27 professors with interviews from 8 participants. Results indicate that while most faculty rated themselves as intermediate or advanced in ICT competence, fewer integrated interactive or diversified pedagogical practices into their online teaching. Interviews revealed further difficulties, including limited professional training, heavy workloads, student disengagement, and assessment concerns. Nonetheless, faculty also reported gains in technological proficiency and a growing openness to blended learning approaches. These findings underscore the paradox between technical confidence and pedagogical application, highlighting the urgent need for structured professional development and institutional support. The study contributes empirical evidence from the Moroccan context to the broader literature on digital pedagogy, offering lessons for building resilient and inclusive higher education systems in the Global South.