Shohreh Teimournezhad; Elaheh Sotoudehnama; S.Susan Marandi
Abstract
In the field of second/foreign language learning, Journal Writing (JW) has been used as a tool for self-expression, acknowledged for its multiple benefits with regard to various aspects of language learning. With the advancements of technology, however, few studies have addressed the potentials of internet-based ...
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In the field of second/foreign language learning, Journal Writing (JW) has been used as a tool for self-expression, acknowledged for its multiple benefits with regard to various aspects of language learning. With the advancements of technology, however, few studies have addressed the potentials of internet-based platforms such as blogs in the practice of JW. The present study, therefore, has attempted to juxtapose the traditional paper-and-pencil mode of JW with Blog JW to explore the potential impacts on L2 learners’ writing skill. To this end, four elements of accuracy, fluency, lexical, as well as syntactic complexity were examined in the participants’ writing samples through relevant measures. To analyze the data, (M)ANCOVAs and (M)ANOVAs were conducted, the results of which are summarized and presented. The general conclusion of the study was that, JW, in particular, in the form of blogging has the potential of enhancing the quality of language learners’ writing.
Zohreh Babazadeh; Elaheh Sotoudehnama; Zohreh Nafissi
Volume 10, Issue 21 , June 2018, , Pages 205-222
Abstract
This study is an attempt to extend our current knowledge by exploring the relationship between spiritual intelligence (SI) and multiple intelligences (MI) on one hand and the relationship between spiritual intelligence and language learning strategies (LLS) on the other hand among 30 MA TEFL learners ...
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This study is an attempt to extend our current knowledge by exploring the relationship between spiritual intelligence (SI) and multiple intelligences (MI) on one hand and the relationship between spiritual intelligence and language learning strategies (LLS) on the other hand among 30 MA TEFL learners of a state university in Tehran. To this end, King's Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory, Oxford's Language Learning Strategy Inventory, and Multiple Intelligences Inventory developed by McKenzie were utilized to gather data. The obtained results revealed a moderate positive correlation between some subscales of SI and MI including: personal meaning production and musical intelligence, and also between existential intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and critical existential thinking. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between conscious state expansion and metacognitive strategies as two subscales of SI and LLS. Based on the results, implications for further research are discussed.
Elaheh Sotoudehnama; Maryam Fakhari
Volume 8, Issue 17 , July 2016, , Pages 115-146
Abstract
The importance of professional development programs in enhancing teacher self-efficacy has attracted the attention of researchers in the realm of teacher education for two decades. However, the role of university programs and their curriculum in developing teachers’ self-efficacy has not been given ...
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The importance of professional development programs in enhancing teacher self-efficacy has attracted the attention of researchers in the realm of teacher education for two decades. However, the role of university programs and their curriculum in developing teachers’ self-efficacy has not been given adequate attention, specifically in educating EFL teachers. This study investigated the impact of MA TEFL curriculum on student teachers’ self-efficacy. To control the influence of experience, the self-efficacy of experienced students in teaching and novice ones was examined as well. To this end, 277 MA TEFL students from the seven major state universities of Tehran participated in this project. The results indicated that MA TEFL courses did not significantly affect teacher self-efficacy of MA TEFL students. However, a significant difference was found between novice teachers and experienced ones in terms of their self-efficacy and its subcomponents. Also, the findings of the semi-structured interviews revealed unlike the novice ones who were more interested in practicum, the experienced ones were in favor of both theoretical and practical courses. Despite this difference, some similarities were found, specifically in efficacy for classroom management and instructional strategies.
Elaheh Sotoudehnama; Fattaneh Maleki Jebelli
Volume 6, Issue 14 , December 2014, , Pages 75-96
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to activate the passive lexical knowledge through noticing and to investigate the effect of sentence writing as the post task of noticing activity on strengthening the effect of noticing. Forty-two Iranian female adult upper-intermediate English students of a state university ...
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The purpose of the study was to activate the passive lexical knowledge through noticing and to investigate the effect of sentence writing as the post task of noticing activity on strengthening the effect of noticing. Forty-two Iranian female adult upper-intermediate English students of a state university in 2 homogenous groups participated in noticing the lexical items whose production were not as easy as their comprehension through highlighting them in a reading passage. Then, the participants were involved in a four-week process of massed/distributed sentence writing; every week the participants of one group wrote one sentencewith one of the 16 noticed wordseach day during 4 consequent days, and the other group experienced this process once a week in which they wrote 4 sentences with the 4 noticed words without time interval. As the results indicated, presenting the post task was significantly effective in promoting the productive lexical knowledge of both groups. The interaction between the time factor and the methods of learning was significant. Also, the distributed group outperformed the massed group, but not significantly.
Elaheh Sotoudehnama; Fatemeh Moini
Volume 5, Issue 11 , November 2013, , Pages 145-171
Abstract
This study was intended to find out any possible effect of topic bias on the writing proficiency of Iranian extrovert/introvert EFL learners at high/low writing proficiency levels. One hundred participants chosen from among 150 adult language learners on the basis of their personality type (extrovert/introvert) ...
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This study was intended to find out any possible effect of topic bias on the writing proficiency of Iranian extrovert/introvert EFL learners at high/low writing proficiency levels. One hundred participants chosen from among 150 adult language learners on the basis of their personality type (extrovert/introvert) and writing proficiency (high/low) took part in this study. They were arranged into four groups according to their writing proficiency and personality type. They were asked to write on three different topics (one unbiased, one extroversion-biased, and one introversion-biased) and fill out Eysenck Personality Questionnaire for adults (EPQ, Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975). The writings were scored by two raters according to Bailey and Brown's (1984) composition grading scale. The data gathered was analyzed using two-way ANOVA. The final results of the analysis revealed the significant difference between the scores of different groups of participants on all topics – unbiased or biased toward either of the two personality types in favor of introverts but one.
Elaheh Sotoudehnama; Akram Ramazanzadeh
Volume 2, Issue 222 , December 2010, , Pages 161-182
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of oral dialogue journals on communicative competence of Iranian EFL learners. Participants of this study were 80 students of two Payam-e-Noor Universities who were proved to be homogenous in the communicative competence based on TSE (Test of Spoken English) interview. ...
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This study investigated the effect of oral dialogue journals on communicative competence of Iranian EFL learners. Participants of this study were 80 students of two Payam-e-Noor Universities who were proved to be homogenous in the communicative competence based on TSE (Test of Spoken English) interview. The participants of one of these universities were considered as the experimental group. The experimental group practiced oral dialogue journals in addition to participating in Oral Reproduction of Stories 2 class. The comparison group just participated in Oral Reproduction of Stories 2 class. Both classes were conducted by the same teacher. At the end of the treatment two groups were interviewed based on TSE once more. The results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the comparison group significantly. Moreover it was revealed that this technique (oral dialogue journal) was significantly more beneficial for the low proficient speakers of English than the high ones though useful for the high ones, too.
