This study examined students’ attitudes toward distance learning, and its relationship with the duration of using Telegram and schooling. It specifically explored students’ experiences of the challenges and opportunities that distance learning created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, two null hypotheses were formulated: (1) there is no significant relationship between students’ attitudes toward distance learning and the duration of using Telegram; and (2) there is no significant relationship between students’ attitudes towards distance learning and the duration of schooling. Data were collected from a survey questionnaire and in-depth semi-structured interviews with students from the English Department of Herat University, Afghanistan. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, an independent samples t-test, and ANOVA. The results of the t-test showed that the first hypothesis should be accepted, meaning there is no relationship between students’ attitudes toward e-learning and years of Telegram use. Further, the one-way ANOVA test showed that the second null hypothesis was affirmed. Moreover, the qualitative findings indicated that distance learning via Telegram is associated with context-specific challenges and several opportunities.

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A vast body of available literature presents controversial ‎perspectives on the role of L1 in learning and communicating an L2. ‎The current exploratory qualitative study attempted to investigate the ‎reported experiences of ten Afghan EFL learners regarding their L1 ‎‎(Farsi Dari) role in communicating an L2 (English). The data ‎collected through Skype interviews with ten participants were ‎analyzed thematically. The findings indicated that both positive and ‎negative transfers of L1 occur at different levels in L2. The emerging ‎themes revealed that L2 is scaffolded with L1 proficiency; further, it ‎helps generate ideas, improve self-esteem, and reduce anxiety. The ‎findings also indicated some L1 interferences in L2 communication ‎particularly pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The current ‎study's findings suggest that the language instructors should be aware ‎of the language transfers, both positive and negative, to provide ‎quality teaching to EFL learners. Further research studies can be ‎conducted through a different research design such as quantitative or ‎mixed-method exploring the EFL perspectives.

This study is qualitative research that seeks to investigate the large class teaching challenges and the instructors' coping strategies through the perspectives of five English language instructors of the English Department of Herat University. Furthermore, the perspectives of ten juniors and seniors of the English Department of Herat University on large EFL classes are also explored. The data collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically. In other words, the data were divided into major and sub-themes, considering the study’s theoretical framework-Kumaravadevelu’s post-method pedagogy- and the research questions. The findings indicated that challenges, such as multi-level students, under-resourced context, a large number of students, giving feedback, assessing students, classroom management, and students' engagement, are the challenges behind large classes in Afghanistan. Further, reducing the number of students, providing teachers with capacity-building programs and teaching resources are also discussed.