Sasan Baleghizadeh; Arash Saharkhiz
Volume 5, Issue 12 , December 2013, , Pages 17-41
Abstract
This study was inspired by VanPatten and Uludag’s (2011) study on the transferability of training via processing instruction to output tasks and Mori’s (2002) work on the development of talk-in-interaction during a group task. An interview was devised as the pretest, posttest, and delayed ...
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This study was inspired by VanPatten and Uludag’s (2011) study on the transferability of training via processing instruction to output tasks and Mori’s (2002) work on the development of talk-in-interaction during a group task. An interview was devised as the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest to compare four intervention types for teaching the simple past passive: traditional intervention as the comparison group and three task-based groups were processing instruction, consciousness-raising, and input enhancement. The interviews and the interactions during the treatments were also analyzed qualitatively. Task-based instruction (TBI) proved significantly more effective than traditional intervention and processing instruction significantly outperformed all others on both posttests. Furthermore, processing instruction was the only task-based intervention to retain its improvement till the delayed posttest. Qualitatively, processing instruction led to true negotiation of meaning and deep-level learning, consciousness-raising led to massive negotiation over the function of the target structure and deep-level learning, input enhancement led to enormous unfocused interaction about meaning, and traditional intervention just led to interaction about the forms. It was concluded that a well-planned processing instruction is a promising intervention for focusing on language form; however, due to the strong points cited for the other two tasks, their roles should not be ignored.
Parviz Ajideh
Volume 3, Issue 7 , December 2011, , Pages 19-37
Abstract
This study is an attempt to find the relationship between EGP and ESP test in medical field of studies in Iranian context. To do this, four fields of study were randomly selected out of medicine fields. Estimating the mean and standard deviation of the tests, the variance overlap between EGP and ESP ...
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This study is an attempt to find the relationship between EGP and ESP test in medical field of studies in Iranian context. To do this, four fields of study were randomly selected out of medicine fields. Estimating the mean and standard deviation of the tests, the variance overlap between EGP and ESP tests were calculated. The results indicated that there was no systematic relationship between the students' scores on EGP and ESP tests. In fact the findings indicate that they do not provide similar information. In other words it is not safe to claim that students obtain higher scores in EGP test will receive higher score in ESP test or vice versa in medical field of studies Accordingly, it will be appropriate to accept that EGP and ESP tests have a complementary role in the assessment of the Language proficiency of ESP students.
Ali mohammad fazilatfar
Volume 2, Issue 217 , October 2010, , Pages 19-44
Abstract
In the present study, an exploratory approach (Oxford, Cho, Leung & Kim, 2004) to language learning is adopted which holds that the number and type of strategies used by Iranian learners might vary with respect to the difficulty of task and their L2 proficiency. In this regard, the term task is defined, ...
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In the present study, an exploratory approach (Oxford, Cho, Leung & Kim, 2004) to language learning is adopted which holds that the number and type of strategies used by Iranian learners might vary with respect to the difficulty of task and their L2 proficiency. In this regard, the term task is defined, its leading dimentions and charecteristics are put forward, and the nature of learning startegies is touched upon. In cosequence, a new direction of strategy assessment; namely, task-based strategy assessment is focused on to investigate the relationship between task presence and difficulty and the use of reading strategies. The employment of reading strategies was perused via a strategy-frequency questionnaire in which the subjects themselves reported their strategy use after completing some language tasks. The results revealed that neither task difficulty or proficiency level alone, nor their interaction had a statistically significant effect on the reported frequency of reading strategy use.
Mohammad Amiryousefi
Volume 8, Issue 17 , July 2016, , Pages 25-48
Abstract
The main purpose of the study reported in this paper was to examine the interrelationships between L2 risk-taking, English learning motivation, L2 speaking anxiety, linguistic confidence, and low-proficiency English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ speaking complexity, accuracy, and fluency ...
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The main purpose of the study reported in this paper was to examine the interrelationships between L2 risk-taking, English learning motivation, L2 speaking anxiety, linguistic confidence, and low-proficiency English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ speaking complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). A secondary purpose was to test whether task repetition can influence the level of the mentioned affective variables as well as to study its effects on the development of CAF in L2 oral production. To this end, a questionnaire designed to measure the affective variables was given to 142 Iranian female pre-intermediate EFL learners. Then, they were randomly assigned to one of two groups: task repetition or control. The participants in the task repetition group were required to do an interactive story telling task on five occasions, each one week apart. Meanwhile, the participants in the control group were required to perform the task only on occasions one and five at an interval of three weeks. The questionnaire was given to them at the end of the study too. The findings suggest that: (1) learner variables influence the development of L2 proficiency components (CAF) and (2) task repetition can help EFL learners work on their language problems in a familiar setting and hence help them develop their interlanguage.
Zia Tajeddin; Elham Yazdanmehr
Volume 4, Issue 10 , March 2013, , Pages 27-51
Abstract
This study aims to delve into the unobservable dimensions of deciding and acting in a pragmatically significant speech event. Utilizing a Discourse Completion Test questionnaire, it seeks to find out the structure and pragmatic functions that lie behind EFL learners’ choice of specific wording ...
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This study aims to delve into the unobservable dimensions of deciding and acting in a pragmatically significant speech event. Utilizing a Discourse Completion Test questionnaire, it seeks to find out the structure and pragmatic functions that lie behind EFL learners’ choice of specific wording while engaged in performing a recurrent speech act in Iran i.e. compliments. To this aim, 30 EFL learners were requested to self-assess their performance in a number of presumed situations in which they were required to make compliments to different addressees. The participants were adult intermediate EFL learners in 18-35 range of age. They were of both sexes and studied English between 1.5 to 5 years. To complete the tasks, they both made notes of their responses and uttered out simultaneously why they complimented in a certain way. Their responses along with transcriptions of their recorded think-aloud protocols were subsequently analyzed in this paper as for their structures and pragmatic functions according to Manes & Wolfson (1981), and Brown & Levinson (1987).
Ramin Akbari; Elham Yazdanmehr
Volume 3, Issue 8 , December 2011, , Pages 29-51
Abstract
The critical role and effect of teacher assessment in ELT has been ratified by researchers among whom are Darling-Hammond (2000); Knox (2002); Bailey (2006); Davison & Cummins (2007); and Blum (2009).Taking this issue into account, this exploratory study seeks to investigate the underlying criteria ...
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The critical role and effect of teacher assessment in ELT has been ratified by researchers among whom are Darling-Hammond (2000); Knox (2002); Bailey (2006); Davison & Cummins (2007); and Blum (2009).Taking this issue into account, this exploratory study seeks to investigate the underlying criteria of both recruiting and assessing in-service EFL teachers in private language institutes of Iran. To this aim, five of the most well-known and expanded language institutes in this country were selected. Their procedures for employing teacher applicants and later on assessing their in-service performance have been obtained, analyzed and discussed in this study. Interviews with the supervisors along with analysis of application forms, observation sheets and other relevant documents illuminated the procedures and criteria of teacher entry and assessment in the target setting. Findings are presented more in depth in the Results and discussion section.
Farahman Farrokhi; Fattaneh Abbasi Talabari
Volume 2, Issue 222 , December 2010, , Pages 29-47
Abstract
Language teachers usually face issues regarding the most effective methods of teaching. Teaching language to nonnative speakers of English involves certain problems and challenges at all levels of instruction. Due to the unsatisfactory results of focus on forms and focus on meaning instructions and their ...
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Language teachers usually face issues regarding the most effective methods of teaching. Teaching language to nonnative speakers of English involves certain problems and challenges at all levels of instruction. Due to the unsatisfactory results of focus on forms and focus on meaning instructions and their inevitable inadequacies, focus on form instruction along with its multiple techniques are regarded as a better candidate for classroom instruction. Focus on form instruction does not only pay attention to the importance of the communicative language teaching, but it also maintains the value of occasional and overt study of L2 grammatical forms. It is considered a more promising pedagogical choice than focus on forms and focus on meaning because of its communicatively need-oriented attention to form and its saliency in the language acquisition process. Focus on form may be essential to push learners beyond communicatively effective language toward target-like second language ability. It may also be part of a more efficient language learning experience in that it can speed up natural acquisition processes.
Davoud Amini; Rana Ansari; Bahram Behin
Abstract
Most of the models accounting for L2 oral production have deemed a significant role for vocabulary knowledge in this process. Previous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between different aspects of lexical knowledge and performance or proficiency of second language skills including the ...
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Most of the models accounting for L2 oral production have deemed a significant role for vocabulary knowledge in this process. Previous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between different aspects of lexical knowledge and performance or proficiency of second language skills including the speaking performance. Meanwhile, the findings have suggested a determining role for the task type used for measuring speaking performance when one or more aspects of lexical knowledge are in focus. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the EFL Learners’ deep vocabulary knowledge (DVK) and speaking performance by scrutinizing the mediating role of task type. To this end, 102 bachelor ELT students were given Word Associate Test to measure their DVK, and a planned presentation task and unplanned tasks of description, narration and reasoning to elicit speaking performance. The elicited samples of speaking performance were transcribed and analyzed in terms of fluency, accuracy, lexical complexity and grammatical complexity. Structural equation modeling indicated a lack of causal relationship between DVK and aspects of speaking performance as measured with both planned and unplanned tasks. However, mixed results were obtained in the case of the correlations of fluency, accuracy, grammatical complexity and lexical complexity with DVK across different tasks. Although the findings do not provide evidence for a strong relationship between DVK and speaking performance when DVK is analyzed in isolation from other aspects of vocabulary knowledge, the variation witnessed in findings provide further proof for the importance of task effectiveness in the study of lexical access.
İsmaiel Faghih; MohammadJavad Ansari
Volume 5, Issue 11 , November 2013, , Pages 31-52
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find a practical solution for improving writing skill among Iranian high school learners of EFL. The main question was whether pragmatics had any priority over traditional methods in improving writing or not. Forty high school students were selected on the basis ...
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The purpose of this study is to find a practical solution for improving writing skill among Iranian high school learners of EFL. The main question was whether pragmatics had any priority over traditional methods in improving writing or not. Forty high school students were selected on the basis of their performance in PET (2009). In addition the following instruments were also used in this quasi-experimental research: California Standard Test (2008), Writing Discourse Completion Task, and Discourse Self-Assessment Task. The special treatment of the experimental group on the role of pragmatics lasted for about ten weeks, while the control group received only the traditional instruction on writing. The results show that there is a meaningful relationship between the pragmatic competency and the improvement of the EFL learners' writing skill. Paired t-test was utilized for analyzing the data. The study concludes that the teachers can use insights from pragmatics to teach writing skill appropriately and by improving writing skill through pragmatics, EFL learners will be able to communicate in a more appropriate way.
Ali Akbar Jabbari; Mohammad Javad Rezaie
Volume 4, Issue 9 , December 2012, , Pages 33-61
Abstract
This project investigates the relationship between lexical semantics and causative morphology in the acquisition of causative/inchoative-related verbs in English as a foreign language by Iranian speakers. Results of translation and picture judgment task show although L2 learners ...
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This project investigates the relationship between lexical semantics and causative morphology in the acquisition of causative/inchoative-related verbs in English as a foreign language by Iranian speakers. Results of translation and picture judgment task show although L2 learners have largely acquired the correct lexico-syntactic classification of verbs in English, they were constrained by the morphological patterns of their first language (L1) when learning zero morphology, especially with causative/inchoative verbs. Results also show the lack of the learners' proficiency level in all causative/inchoative contexts and in almost all contexts in grammatical judgment task.The transitivity errors documented are analogous to the overgeneralization errors reported in the L1 and L2 acquisition literature of English and other languages. In this study, we also suggest that L2 learners are atuned to the rich morphology of Persian and that the acquisition of derivational morphology and lexical semantics are not dissociated in these interlanguage grammars.
Mehdi Bazyar; Amir Reza Vakilifard; Fereshteh Sattari
Abstract
In the present study, the researchers have investigated foreign language teachers’ familiarity with scaffolding techniques and where Iranian instructors have learnt such scaffolding techniques. This study follows a descriptive-survey method. For this purpose the researchers used a questionnaire ...
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In the present study, the researchers have investigated foreign language teachers’ familiarity with scaffolding techniques and where Iranian instructors have learnt such scaffolding techniques. This study follows a descriptive-survey method. For this purpose the researchers used a questionnaire of scaffolding techniques. The questionnaires were distributed among 41 instructors in three university language centers. A binomial Test was carried out to investigate the rate of Iranian instructors’ acquaintance with scaffolding. As the result of the first question showed, the majority of Iranian instructors were familiar with the scaffolding techniques and used them while teaching. Furthermore, according to the results of the second question more than half of the Iranian instructors have learnt most of scaffolding techniques in MA level. The results also clearly showed that there are weaknesses in the educational system (here MA courses) for foreign language teaching skills.
ali Darabi Bazvand; Alireza Khoram; Seyyed Ali Mirsalari
Volume 10, Issue 22 , December 2018, , Pages 27-48
Abstract
Most of the validation studies conducted across varying test application contexts are usually framed within the traditional conceptualization of validity and therefore lack a comprehensive framework to focus on test score interpretations and test score use. This study aimed at developing and validating ...
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Most of the validation studies conducted across varying test application contexts are usually framed within the traditional conceptualization of validity and therefore lack a comprehensive framework to focus on test score interpretations and test score use. This study aimed at developing and validating a collocational behavior test (CBT), drawing on Kane's argument-based approach to validity. Four types of inferences including observation, generalization, extrapolation and explanation were articulated. To verify the validity assumptions, both theoretical and empirical evidence were presented within the formative and summative stages of test development and validation. Followed from Kane, theoretical evidence was sought through test specification, item construction, and test construction procedures. Empirical support, however, was sought through examining the collocational behavior test (CBT) with a sample of 60 university students majoring in TEFL. Ebel’s criteria, KR-21 reliability and a series of Pearson-Product correlation were applied to analyze the data for both theoretical and empirical phases. The findings refer to the support for the assumptions proposed for test validity, suggesting that the collocational behavior test(CBT)may provide an appropriate and accurate indicator of collocational language ability for EFL learners. The implications for language testing and assessment are discussed
Mohammad Amiryousefi; Zahra Amirian; Atieh Ansari
Volume 11, Issue 23 , June 2019, , Pages 27-56
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between classroom environment and teacher behavior, and EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ engagement and state motivation. To do so, 110 intermediate Iranian EFL learners with an average age of 18.37 were asked to complete What is Happening Inside ...
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This study investigated the relationship between classroom environment and teacher behavior, and EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ engagement and state motivation. To do so, 110 intermediate Iranian EFL learners with an average age of 18.37 were asked to complete What is Happening Inside the Classroom scale (WIHIC), Questionnaire for Teacher Interaction (QTI), Student Engagement Instrument (SEI), and Student State Motivation scale (SMS). The results of statistical analysis showed that there was a moderate relationship between all aspects of classroom environment (student cohesiveness, teacher support, equity, involvement, cooperation, and task orientation) and learners’ engagement (emotional and cognitive engagement). Moreover, there was a relationship between some aspects of classroom environment (student cohesiveness, task orientation, cooperation, and involvement) and state motivation. However, there was no relationship between teacher behavior, learners’ engagement, and state motivation. Implications are discussed and avenues for future research are outlined.
Hamid Allami; Mohsen Ramezanian
Volume 11, Issue 24 , December 2019, , Pages 29-53
Abstract
The present study was an attempt to investigate the probable differences between narratives as rehearsed by EFL language learners of two different English proficiencies. It aimed to find out how narrative elements (abstract, orientation, main action, results, and coda) are recounted differently by EFL ...
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The present study was an attempt to investigate the probable differences between narratives as rehearsed by EFL language learners of two different English proficiencies. It aimed to find out how narrative elements (abstract, orientation, main action, results, and coda) are recounted differently by EFL language learners of different English proficiencies. To this end, 250 personal oral narratives were recorded through classroom discussions and interviews. Two hundred participants were asked to narrate a personal story in the classroom, and the other 50 were interviewed. The analysis focused on narratives structure to discover how knowledge of target language might affect the way language learners construct English narratives. The collected data were interpreted according to Labov and Waletzky’s (1967) and Labov’s (1972) analytical models. The results revealed that upper-intermediate language learners reported more organized, chronological, logical, and to the point stories than pre-intermediate ones. The difference was in orientation, main action, and result parts. Neither group of language learners expressed the abstract and coda sections.
Mohammad Amiryousefi; Reyhaneh Sasaninejhad; Zahra Amirian
Volume 10, Issue 21 , June 2018, , Pages 33-57
Abstract
This study aims to examine the cross-cultural similarities and differences in the use of rapport management strategies (rapport enhancement, rapport maintenance, rapport neglect, and rapport challenge) in the complaints during service encounters based on Spencer Oatey’s (2008) model. To this end, ...
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This study aims to examine the cross-cultural similarities and differences in the use of rapport management strategies (rapport enhancement, rapport maintenance, rapport neglect, and rapport challenge) in the complaints during service encounters based on Spencer Oatey’s (2008) model. To this end, 90 participants (30 Persian native speakers, 30 Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) learners, and 30 English speakers) were asked to complete a role-play Discourse Completion Task in four different situations. The study argues that: (1) the use of rapport management strategies is universal; all the groups used all kinds of rapport management strategies; (2) the use of rapport management strategies is culture-specific; the participants in each group differently used the intended strategies; and (3) the socio-pragmatic competence of EFL learners is sometimes different from that of the native speakers of English; it goes through developmental stages and is influenced by L1 norms. The study concludes that teachers should condition the communicative tasks used inside the class with factors such as the relationship among the interlocutors to help EFL learners develop a pragmatic competence comparable to that of the native speakers. Teachers can also resort to modern technologies to provide EFL learners with the opportunity to communicate with native speakers and receive feedback with regard to the cultural appropriacy of the forms produced.
Sadegh Khalili; Mohammad Hassan Tahririan; Setareh Bagheri
Volume 7, Issue 16 , December 2015, , Pages 37-54
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of blended learning and multimedia softwares on Iranian ESP students' vocabulary learning. To this end, 120 Iranian ESP learners were assigned to two groups: the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received instructions through ...
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of blended learning and multimedia softwares on Iranian ESP students' vocabulary learning. To this end, 120 Iranian ESP learners were assigned to two groups: the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received instructions through multimedia softwares while the control group received traditional instructions. The data were collected through a vocabulary posttest and classroom observations. The results indicated the great level of disparity between the two groups of learners regarding their acquisition of new vocabulary - in other words, multimedia softwares had positive effect on students' vocabulary learning. In addition, learning with technology also showed positive activity engagement. Based on the current study, suggestions were made on how multimedia softwares can be adopted and incorporated more effectively in ESP classes.
Seyyed Mohammad Alavi; Abbas Ali Rezaee; Seyyed Mohammad Reza Amirian
Volume 3, Issue 7 , December 2011, , Pages 39-65
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to detect differentially functioning items in the University of Tehran English Proficiency Test (UTEPT) which is a high stake test of English developed and administered by the Language Testing Centre of the University of Tehran. This paper is based on the answers of 400 ...
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The purpose of this study was to detect differentially functioning items in the University of Tehran English Proficiency Test (UTEPT) which is a high stake test of English developed and administered by the Language Testing Centre of the University of Tehran. This paper is based on the answers of 400 test takers to the test. All participants earned a master degree either in humanities or science and engineering. To achieve the purpose of this study, the participants were divided into two equal groups. The results of generalized Mantel-Haenszel indicated that out of 100 items 12 items were displaying DIF. Logistic regression procedure also flagged 14 items as exhibiting DIF. Nevertheless, the associated test of effect size for logistic regression showed that none of these effect sizes were large according to the guidelines proposed by both Zumbo and Thomas (1997) and Jodoin and Gierl (2001). Therefore, it was concluded that UTEPT doesn't show significant academic discipline DIF and is equally fair to both humanities and science and engineering groups.
Farahman farrokhi; Somayeh Ashrafi
Volume 1, Issue 212 , December 2008, , Pages 39-75
Abstract
This study was motivated by three factors, which also contribute to its significance for today’s academic writing. First, research articles are the significant means of communication between the writers all over the world. Second, persuasion and organization are crucial notions in academic writing ...
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This study was motivated by three factors, which also contribute to its significance for today’s academic writing. First, research articles are the significant means of communication between the writers all over the world. Second, persuasion and organization are crucial notions in academic writing where the authors have to consider the academic audiences and their needs. Third, some writers are not the native speakers of English and write their research articles in English. Despite their importance in academic writing, we know little about how textual metadiscourse resources (TMRs) are used in different disciplines and genres. This study examines the use of TMRs in research articles of three disciplines of Mechanical Engineering (ME), Medicine (MED), and Applied Linguistics (AL). It also explores distribution of TMRs by native and non-native writers of English in the research articles of three disciplines. Based on a corpus of thirty research articles, the frequency of TMRs was calculated per 1,000 words. The findings of the study indicate a significant difference in the distribution of TMRs in three disciplines and also between the writings of native and non-native writers. In addition, these findings may have some implications for teaching disciplinary communication especially to foreign language learners of English.
Ali Jahangard
Volume 5, Issue 12 , December 2013, , Pages 43-61
Abstract
The study aimed at investigating whether the retention of vocabulary acquired incidentally is dependent upon the amount of task-induced involvement. Immediate and delayed retention of twenty unfamiliar words was examined in three learning tasks( listening comprehension + group discussion, listening comprehension ...
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The study aimed at investigating whether the retention of vocabulary acquired incidentally is dependent upon the amount of task-induced involvement. Immediate and delayed retention of twenty unfamiliar words was examined in three learning tasks( listening comprehension + group discussion, listening comprehension + dictionary checking + summary writing in L1, and listening comprehension + dictionary checking + sentence writing with the target words) inducing differential ‘involvement loads’- consisting of varying degrees of need, search and evaluation. Time-on-task was kept constant among all three tasks. The results partially supported the Involvement Load Hypothesis: The sentence writing task generated the highest retention rate, a finding which is quite in harmony with the Hypothesis’s prediction. However, the other two tasks did not result in different retention rates despite equal involvement loads. These results are discussed with reference to the involvement load hypothesis and some suggestions are made as to how to improve and revise the original theory.
Behzad Ghonsooly; Majid Elahi
Volume 2, Issue 217 , October 2010, , Pages 45-68
Abstract
It is well documented that language learning success or failure is influenced by the affective side of the learner. Self-efficacy and anxiety are among the affective factors influencing language learning. This study first explores the relationship between EFL learners' self-efficacy in reading comprehension ...
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It is well documented that language learning success or failure is influenced by the affective side of the learner. Self-efficacy and anxiety are among the affective factors influencing language learning. This study first explores the relationship between EFL learners' self-efficacy in reading comprehension and their reading anxiety. Secondly, it explores the relationship between EFL learners' self-efficacy and their reading achievement. It also investigates whether high self-efficacious EFL learners experience higher anxiety than low self-efficacious EFL learners and whether high self-efficacious EFL learners perform better in reading or not. 150 sophomores majoring in English literature at three universities participated in the present study. Two instruments were used in this study: a) an author-designed scale on EFL learners' self-efficacy in reading comprehension, b) the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) developed by Saito et al.,. The Pearson formula and an independent T-Test were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between the participants' reading self- efficacy and their reading anxiety. The results also showed that high self-efficacious participants achieved higher scores in reading comprehension course than low self-efficacious participants. The findings of the study draw the attention of EFL teachers to encourage their learners seek ways to reduce their anxiety in reading L2 texts by improving their self-efficacy
Gholam Reza Kiany; Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini; Hossein Navidinia
Volume 2, Issue 222 , December 2010, , Pages 49-71
Abstract
Foreign Language Education Policy (FLEP) needs to be understood as part of broader educational policies and as situated within overarching social macro plans. In this paper, based on a conception of policy as distinct from goals and objectives, and with a view of the relevant literature, we will present ...
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Foreign Language Education Policy (FLEP) needs to be understood as part of broader educational policies and as situated within overarching social macro plans. In this paper, based on a conception of policy as distinct from goals and objectives, and with a view of the relevant literature, we will present some theoretical guidelines of setting and/or evaluating foreign language education policies in the context of broader social and educational policies. Considering theses guidelines a point of departure, several national plan-based documents and in some cases non-finalized documents that reflect some aspects of language education policies of Iran were examined to find the directions and orientations of these plans and the (in)consistencies among them: The 20-year National Vision; The Comprehensive Science Roadmap; The National Curriculum; Policies of the 5th 5-year Development Plan; The National Document of Education; Philosophy of Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Fundamental Principles in Islamic Education; and Roadmap of the Official and General Educational System. Referring to the strengths along with some shortcomings and inconsistencies among these documents as well as the statues of English in the so called global village, we call for a separate unitary FLEP document for Iran and present the requirements and procedure for its actualization.
Mohammad Khatib; Mostafa Mirzaii
Volume 8, Issue 17 , July 2016, , Pages 49-73
Abstract
English language practitioners have long relied on intuition-based scales for rating EFL/ESL writing. As these scales lack an empirical basis, the scores they generate tend to be unreliable, which results in invalid interpretations. Given the significance of the genre of description and the fact that ...
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English language practitioners have long relied on intuition-based scales for rating EFL/ESL writing. As these scales lack an empirical basis, the scores they generate tend to be unreliable, which results in invalid interpretations. Given the significance of the genre of description and the fact that the relevant literature does not introduce any data-based analytic scales for rating EFL descriptive writing, the researcher conducted a three-strand mixed study aimed at the empirical development of an analytic rating scale for scoring descriptions written by EFL learners. Composed of one quantitative and two qualitative strands, this mixed study factor-analyzed 172 ELT experts' analyses of the genre of description, and it content-analyzed 20 authentic and 30 inauthentic descriptive texts. Resulting from two meta-inferences made in the course of this study, the Analytic Rating Scale for EFL Descriptive Writing was constructed. Hopefully, employing this scale will lead to more reliable scores and more valid interpretations and decisions.
Hadi Farjami; AmirHossein Eghbali
Volume 5, Issue 11 , November 2013, , Pages 53-72
Abstract
This research is an investigation of the relationship between the emotional intelligence of a group of Iranian English language learners and the coherence of the essays they produced. A 40-item TOEFL-type test of English proficiency including items on grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension with the ...
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This research is an investigation of the relationship between the emotional intelligence of a group of Iranian English language learners and the coherence of the essays they produced. A 40-item TOEFL-type test of English proficiency including items on grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension with the Cronbach’s alpha reliability of .742, was planned to identify the proficient candidates who could produce substantive and meaningful texts. Moreover, a 33-item inventory of Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale and a task of essay writing on a specific topic were administered. From 110 candidates who took the test, questionnaire and the task, 79 subjects completely submitted them. Forty-five students managed to score above 23 out of 40 on the proficiency test; therefore, their emotional profiles and essays were further analyzed. For objective assessment of the coherence of the essays, Bamberg’s (1984) Holistic Coherence Scale was used with five points ranging from ‘fully coherent’ (4) to ‘unscorable’ (0). The Spearman’s rho test was used in investigating the association between the coherence of the essays and the emotional intelligence of their writers. Flying in the face of the researchers’ expectation, an insignificant relationship was observed.
Naser Rashidi; Fatemeh Javan mardi
Volume 4, Issue 10 , March 2013, , Pages 53-75
Abstract
With the development of research on educational psychology and foreign language teaching and learning, one of the most controversial concepts in educational psychology might be the issues related to the students’ achievement goal orientations. Regarding the goals that students adopt which might ...
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With the development of research on educational psychology and foreign language teaching and learning, one of the most controversial concepts in educational psychology might be the issues related to the students’ achievement goal orientations. Regarding the goals that students adopt which might influence their academic success and failure, this study was undertaken to determine whether gender and different years of education affected the relationship between students’ achievement goal and their academic achievement. To achieve such goals, achievement goal orientation questionnaires were distributed among 182 male and female B.A. students, majoring in English Literature at Shiraz University. The obtained data were analyzed through multiple regression coefficient. The results showed that only in the case of females, gender affected the relationship between students with performance approach and performance avoidant goal orientation and their academic achievement. In addition, in the case of freshmen and juniors, only performance approach was the significant predictor of the students’ academic achievement. Regarding sophomore students, adopting such a goal did not have significant effects on their academic achievement. Likewise, in the case of seniors, both performance approach and performance avoidant had significant effects on the students’ academic achievement.
Nader Assadi Aidinlou
Volume 3, Issue 8 , December 2011, , Pages 53-70
Abstract
The writing skill is often perceived as the most difficult language skill since it requires a higher level of productive language control than other skills (Celce-Murcia & Olshtain, 2000). The present study introduced a discourse-based framework for the teaching of writing on the basis Systemic Functional ...
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The writing skill is often perceived as the most difficult language skill since it requires a higher level of productive language control than other skills (Celce-Murcia & Olshtain, 2000). The present study introduced a discourse-based framework for the teaching of writing on the basis Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). To this end, 60 students majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) were selected from among three different universities and assigned to experimental and control groups. All subjects were pre-tested for homogeneity, and then the experimental group was treated with SFL-oriented discourse knowledge for ten sessions with the non-treated group just receiving the traditional method of teaching writing. Following the treatment, a post-test was administered to the groups the results of which showed that there was a significant difference at p < .05 in the performance of the two groups on writing. It was concluded that the discourse-based teaching had a great effect on the writing of the Iranian TEFL majors.