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Showing 219 results for Type of Study: Research
Ali Beikian, Mansoor Ganji,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
In order to cater for the ever-increasing demand for learning English, private language institutes have mushroomed across Iran. These institutes adopt different policies such as designing their own Teacher Training Course (TTC), following the syllabus of Certificate for Teaching English to Adults (CELTA), or localizing it for the Iranian context to train competent English teachers. Surprisingly, there exists little research evaluating these TTC's or investigating if localizing CELTA is an effective strategy for the Iranian context. This study aimed to fill this gap by delineating the steps taken by a widely-known Iranian language institute in localizing CELTA for the Iranian context, and secondly to determine if the teachers were satisfied with this localized TTC. Data collected through the websites and interviews were subjected to conceptual content analysis; while the data mined through evaluation questionnaires were analysed through quantitative descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the Iranianized TTC suffered from discrepancies such as unreliable selection of the participants, lack of opportunities for teaching practices, not observing experienced teachers' classes, and focusing on received rather than experiential knowledge. These findings are discussed, and a number of practical suggestions are offered to improve the Iranian TTC.
Mohammad Reza Oroji , Houman Bijani, Saeid Moharrami Gheydari , Rouhollah Rajabi , Mahsa Sheikhi,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
This study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between test anxiety and writing performance among Iranian intermediate EFL students. To achieve this goal, 50 participants of EFL students (male and female) at Iran, Tehran, were selected on the basis of sampling convenience. The instruments used in this research consisted of the proficiency test and TAQ (Test Anxiety) questionnaire. After homogenizing the students via a proficiency test (Cambridge Placement Test, 2010), those students who were selected as upper-intermediate ones were allowed to take part in this research. Their age range was between 20 and 40. Having collected the results, the researchers recorded the scores in computer files for statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.00. In order to measure the relationship between the variables (test anxiety & written performance) Pearson Correlation tests were run. The results illustrated that there were significant relationships between writing performance and text anxiety and all its sub-scales of worry and emotionality. In addition, it was proved that there was not any significant difference between male and female in respect to writing performance. It must be reiterated that a Pearson Correlation test was also run to measure the Inter-Rater Reliability. The results of this study will provide insights to help EFL learners reduce their test anxiety and increase the level of their confidence.
Forough Rekabizadeh , Mavadat Saidi,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
The study aimed to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy beliefs in the relationship between coping strategies and language learning anxiety using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). A total of 783 language learners participated in this research and completed Coping with Language Anxiety Scale, Foreign Language Anxiety Scale, and Self-Efficacy Belief Scale. The data were analyzed using SEM to test the hypothesized mediation model. Results indicated that coping strategies were negatively associated with language learning anxiety. Furthermore, self-efficacy beliefs partially mediated the relationship between coping strategies and language learning anxiety. Specifically, higher levels of self-efficacy were found to enhance the negative effect of coping strategies on language learning anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of promoting coping strategies and self-efficacy in language learning contexts to reduce anxiety. The implication of these findings for language learners, educators, and researchers are discussed, along with suggestions for future research in this area.
Pegah Pegah, Mohsen Hanif,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Manipulation, one of the pivotal concepts in critical discourse analysis (CDA), is mainly considered a top-down strategy implemented by superior people on the inferior ones, who are passive recipients of power, to further their goals and benefits. However, the present paper highlights manipulative strategies exercised by a less powerful individual on the more powerful one who rather than being a passive victim, resists being manipulated by having gained counter-information to counterbalance the manipulator’s arguments. In the present paper, a critical discourse analytic approach is adopted to trace the power struggle in interpersonal relationships, taking advantage of a textual-contextual analysis to lay bare how power relations are detectable in discourse and what strategies are employed to exert or neutralize power. The selected excerpt examines the exchange between an irresponsible tour guide who is concerned with his job security and a dissatisfied tourist who threatens to disclose his incompetency as a tour-guide. To accomplish this end, several manipulative strategies are identified in the chosen excerpt, drawing on Teun A. Van Dijk, Eddo Rigotti, De Saussure & Schulz and Sandrine Sorlin’s proposed strategies.
Sepideh Khalili, Shahab Moradkhani,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Although reflective teaching is believed to be a significant feature of effective teachers, there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate its influence on learners’ evaluation. This study examines the relationship between EFL teachers' degree of reflection and learners’ evaluation of teacher effectiveness. Data were collected from 71 Iranian EFL teachers teaching at the private language institutes and 296 language learners. Reflective teaching inventory designed by Akbari, Behzadpour, and Dadvand (2007) was administered to the teachers and their learners’ evaluation was elicited through Murdoch’s (2000) checklist. The statistical analysis revealed significant positive relationships between reflection subscales and learners’ evaluation. It was thus assumed that understanding how reflection can change language learners’ evaluations can shed light on the role of reflection in improving teachers' performance and consequently learners’ appraisal. Hence, 10 teachers with the highest degree of reflection participated in follow-up interviews. Analysis of the interview data, indicated how reflection subscales contribute to teachers' in getting higher ratings from learners. In line with these findings, the implications for teachers, administrators and teacher education are discussed.
Wander Lowie, Houman Bijani, Mohammad Reza Oroji, Zeinab Khalafi, Pouya Abbasi,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Performance testing including the use of rating scales has become highly widespread in the evaluation of second/foreign oral assessment. However, few studies have used a pre-, post-training design investigating the impact of a training program on the reduction of raters’ biases to the rating scale categories resulting in increase in their consistency measures. Besides, no study has used MFRM including the facets of test takers’ ability, raters’ severity, task difficulty, group expertise, scale category, and test version all in a single study. 20 EFL teachers rated the oral performances produced by 200 test takers before and after a training program using an analytic rating scale including fluency, grammar, vocabulary, intelligibility, cohesion and comprehension categories. The outcome of the study indicated that MFRM can be used to investigate raters’ scoring behavior and can result in enhancement in rater training and validating the functionality of the rating scale descriptors. Training can also result in higher levels of interrater consistency and reduced levels of severity/leniency; however, it cannot turn raters into duplicates of one another, but can make them more self-consistent. Training helped raters use the descriptors of the rating scale more efficiently of its various band descriptors resulting in reduced halo effect. Finally, the raters improved consistency and reduced rater-scale category biases after the training program. The remaining differences regarding bias measures could probably be attributed to the result of different ways of interpreting the scoring rubrics which is due to raters’ confusion in the accurate application of the scale.
Mona Akhtari, Mahnaz Azad,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of immediate corrective feedback and delayed corrective feedback on EFL learners’ speaking fluency and speaking anxiety. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design with two experimental and no control groups. The participants consisted of 42 intermediate Iranian EFL learners at an English Institute in Tehran who were randomly assigned to two experimental groups. The instruments of the study included: the PET, teacher-made pre- and post-tests, and a speaking anxiety questionnaire. After the pre-test, the participants went through a ten session treatment during which the first experimental group received immediate corrective feedback while the second group received delayed corrective feedback. After the treatment process, a posttest was administered to both experimental groups to examine the effect of the treatment. Moreover, the participants in both groups filled in the speaking anxiety questionnaire to identify their anxiety level during in-class activities as well as those instructor’s behaviors and characteristics which might reduce their anxiety in class. The recorded data were transcribed and analyzed. The results indicated that delayed corrective feedback has a positive effect on EFL learners’ fluency and it also decreased their anxiety level.
Sharareh Sadat Sarsarabi, Zeinab Sazegar,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
In a world with globalization and communication development as its main features, arriving at a common understanding and correct transition of meaning is an unavoidable necessity. Here the responsibility and duty of the people who hold the task of translation is of great importance and one of the issues that should be considered in translation is using euphemism. The current research seeks to find the relationship between translators’ gender, education, and age and their use of euphemisms in translation. The study consists of four hypotheses, this is descriptive research and a questionnaire is used to find the relationship between translators’ gender, education, age, and their use of euphemisms in translation. It has been distributed among the research population which consists of translators who are members of the Iran Translation Association. The results show that euphemism exists at a suitable level in the translation of the translators who are members of the Iran Translation Association. Moreover, the translators’ gender affects their use of euphemisms in translation. There is a direct relationship between translators’ age and their use of euphemisms in translation. Finally, the translators’ level of education does not influence their use of euphemisms in translation.
Simin Karimi , Hossein Bahri,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
This study explores translators’ (in)visibility in translating English teen and young adult novels into Persian through various analytical perspectives. Five contemporary award-winning young adult novels were chosen for analysis. The textual aspect involved assessing the translator's influence using Baker’s translation universals: explicitation, simplification, and normalization. A sample of 300 sentences was scrutinized. The results indicated that translators utilized translation universals in 193 sentences, demonstrating considerable visibility. Four translators favored explicitation, while one preferred simplification, with normalization being the least prevalent strategy. The semiotic analysis of novel covers aimed to reveal the translators’ visibility. Utilizing Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (2006) framework, it was found that four covers featured smaller font sizes for translators’ names compared to the authors’, reflecting a diminished valuation of translators. None of the back covers acknowledged the translators, while authors’ names and images appeared on two, and publisher names were present on all five volumes. The paratextual analysis focused on the translators' presence in prefaces, postfaces, and footnotes. Three novels were devoid of both a preface and a postface. Translator acknowledgment was absent in the two novels with a postface, rendering them invisible. However, all five novels included footnotes, highlighting the translators' contributions and ensuring their visibility in this aspect. In conclusion, this study underscores the varying degrees of translators’ (in)visibility across different perspectives, particularly highlighting their underrepresentation in semiotic and paratextual domains.
Mohsen Shirazizadeh, Somayeh Fathali, Mahshid Kkamareh,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
The current study explored the status quo of L2 writing self-efficacy among Iranian English majors in light of their gender, level of education, and teaching experience. To this end, 193 learners who were students or graduates of English literature or translation at BA, MA and PhD levels and who ranged in age between 19 to 40 participated in this study. Data were collected using the Second Language Writer Self-Efficacy Scale that measures L2 learners’ linguistic self-efficacy, course performance self-efficacy, and self-regulation efficacy. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference between males and females in terms of L2 writing self-efficacy. A significant difference was, however, found among all the three academic degree levels with the PhD group showing the highest level of L2 writing self-efficacy and the BA group showing the lowest self-efficacy. We set out to also examine whether experience in teaching English influences L2 writing efficacy. Our analyses revealed that the experienced teachers had a significantly higher L2 writing efficacy compared to the mid-experience teachers who were, in turn, less efficacious in L2 writing than low-experience participants. Implications of our findings for the writing courses and the what and how of writing instruction in the Iranian higher education curricula are discussed.
Kobra Tavassoli, Marjan Oskouiefar, Masoumeh Ghamoushi,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of mobile-assisted learning-oriented assessment (LOA) on the writing ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. A total of 60 intermediate Iranian EFL learners were selected through convenience sampling and divided randomly into two groups: control and experimental. Both groups completed pretests and posttests, and the experimental group received nine 90-minute sessions focused on teaching descriptive essay writing using LOA syllabi and mobile applications related to the tasks. The control group followed a traditional writing syllabus without any LOA-related treatments. Both groups used the Adobe Connect mobile application for their online classes. Two open-ended questions were administered to the experimental group at the beginning and end of the course to measure their attitudes toward mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). The data were analyzed using a repeated-measures two-way ANOVA, revealing that mobile-assisted LOA significantly improved the EFL learners’ writing ability. The results of the two open-ended questions indicated that the learners had a positive attitude toward MALL in general but a somewhat negative attitude toward online classes. The findings have important implications for teachers, materials developers, and teacher educators.
Sajjad Sepehrinia, Dr. Ali Arab Mofrad,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
One of the effective ways to increase the learning opportunities in language classes is provide conditions in which learners can provide feedback on one another’s performance. The results of studies have also confirmed its beneficial effects and even its superior effects compared to teacher feedback. Despite its positive effects, the results of some studies reveal that teachers are hesitant or cautious in their use of peer correction. It is not clear, however, what factors and conditions negatively influence the teachers’ willingness to embrace its potentials in learning. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to investigate the teachers’ attitudes and beliefs in this regard as well as the factors they take into account in their decision to advocate activities that involve the use of peer feedback. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 63 Iranian EFL teachers using questions developed based on the related literature. Content analysis of the interviews revealed five major themes including effectiveness of peer corrective feedback, concern about learners’ negative emotional response to PF, the role of learners’ age in being receptive to PF, the role of learners’ proficiency level in PF effectiveness, and teachers’ perception of their learners’ preferences for and attitude toward PF. Generally, the majority teachers seemed to be doubtful in their tendency to use peer correction primarily because they thought their learners are not receptive to peer comments on their linguistic performance. The results carry significant implications for language teachers and teacher education programs.
Mohammad Shahin Taghaddomi, Mahdi Madadkar Shandi,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
English cartoons have become increasingly popular as a resource for language learners worldwide. While the literature has primarily focused on their impact on English language skills and sub-skills in EFL education, less attention has been given to their influence on cognitive and affective aspects such as emotion regulation and self-efficacy. This study employed a mixed-methods approach with a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design to explore the impact of watching English cartoons on the emotion regulation and self-efficacy of adolescent Iranian EFL learners. 120 Iranian learners, aged 12 to 18, were recruited from English institutes in Tehran and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group watched two 30-minute episodes of selected American-produced animated cartoons per week for eight weeks, totaling 16 episodes, while the control group did not. The MANCOVA analysis revealed significant differences in self-efficacy and emotion regulation between the experimental and control groups, indicating that exposure to English cartoons positively influences learners' emotional responses and self-efficacy. Thematic analysis of the interview data highlighted positive evaluations of the experience, identifying five themes: enhancement of language skills, positive emotions leading to increased motivation, the prominence of comedy, contribution to sustained learning, and varying effects on self-efficacy. These findings hold valuable theoretical and practical implications for the field.
Ahmadreza Eghtesadi Roudi,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Reading is the main language skill in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)contexts, and the key to the reading skill is the knowledge of the alphabet. Although there are various approaches to teaching early reading and the alphabet in L1, such as whole language, language experience, literature-based, whole word, alphabetic method, and analytic and synthetic phonics, the topic of teaching alphabet and early reading is almost missing in language teaching methodology textbooks, and the few sources which deal with the subject seem to be mainly concerned with English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts where the learners’ mother tongue also uses a Latin alphabet. Early reading and alphabet teaching in EFL contexts has also received little research attention, and many aspects of literacy teaching in these contexts such as the effectiveness of different approaches for different age groups are still a mystery. ELT community, hence, needs to pay more heed to the needs of teachers and learners in EFL contexts. This paper intends to sensitize the international ELT community, including the researchers, teachers, and publishers to the importance and necessity of taking early literacy in EFL contexts into account.
Hamed Badpa, Hooshang Yazdani,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
The teaching and learning of grammar have continuously been core areas of discussion among practitioners of TEFL. Despite significant investment in creating optimal conditions for grammar learning, it remains essential to explore innovative instructional methods that enable learners to engage meaningfully with grammatical structures, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of grammar acquisition. Learners may reconstruct various grammatical structures by interpreting grammar from their textbooks while drawing upon their own experiences, resources, and events from life. This is called a learning-oriented approach that involves hypothesis testing and conceptualization that, in turn, incubates awareness of one's limitations and needs. This study investigates whether the remodeling method of grammar instruction, where learners reconstruct grammatical structures based on personal experiences, significantly enhances Iranian EFL learners' grammatical and vocabulary proficiency. The research employed an experimental research design where a pretest was administered, and a posttest was administered. The study involved forty high school EFL students aged 15 to 16 from Imam Khomeini Technical High School in Shahreza, situated in the southern part of Isfahan province in Iran. While the performance of learners in the experimental group subjected to remodeling method interventions was obtained, their control group, which was not subjected to such intervention, was measured for comparison. The findings revealed that the experimental group recorded a higher improvement in grammatical knowledge due to the remodeling approach. Furthermore, the results indicated that engaging in the remodeling of various structures allowed learners to communicate more effectively in oral interactions and to enhance their understanding of grammar and vocabulary. Statistically significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups. This study underscores the value of incorporating the strategy of having students remodel various structures based on their concepts in English language instruction to foster greater proficiency in the language. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends utilizing, activating, and implementing this strategy on the other skills of the English language.
Ghasem Barani , Zari Sadat Seyyedrezaei, Forough Aliabadi, Mohsen Davarzani,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Many significant psychological antecedents accompany second/foreign language (L2) teachers in the classrooms. Most recent studies show that spiritual intelligence, happiness, job performance, and psychological well-being are among these antecedents; however, the relationship between these constructs is still underexplored in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Therefore, this research aimed to explore the relationship among EFL teachers’ spiritual intelligence, happiness, and job performance considering the moderating role of psychological well-being. This study applied a correlational design. Iranian EFL teachers (n:103) were invited to participate in this study through convenience sampling. They were requested to fill out four questionnaires at work. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used through PLS software to analyze the collected data. Therefore, it was concluded that both spiritual intelligence and happiness positively influence EFL teachers’ job performance with psychological well-being only moderating the latter association. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge on the teacher antecedents influencing their performance which can consequently result in enhancing the teachers’ job performance.
Mohammad Reza Tousinasrabadi, Navid Rasouli Azar,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
The dominance of English as a global lingua franca has significantly influenced educational materials worldwide, often reflecting underlying patterns of linguistic imperialism. This study conducts a comparative analysis of TEFL textbooks from Iran and Lebanon to examine how cultural, linguistic, and ideological content is represented. Using Content Analysis, the research highlights stark contrasts between the Prospect Series, which is fully localized to Iranian cultural and ideological values, and the Themes Series, which incorporates a mix of Western, localized, and neutral content. Quantitative findings reveal that the Prospect Series avoids any form of linguistic or cultural imperialism, while the Themes Series contains a significant proportion (40%) of imperialistic themes, overshadowing localized content. The results underscore the divergent educational philosophies of the two countries, with implications for policy and pedagogy in developing culturally inclusive TEFL materials. The study contributes to the understanding of linguistic imperialism and offers actionable insights for creating balanced educational resources.
Hadi Azimi, Zeinab Jahangiri, Mohammad Barzegar Rahatlou,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
The current study was conducted to examine the effect of receptive and productive types of learning medical terminology and vocabulary on medical students' reading comprehension to understand which one is more useful to improve reading comprehension of medical texts. Participants included 70 students (male= 36, female= 34) at the School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, who were assigned into control and experimental groups where medical terminologies and words were taught receptively and productively, respectively. Four standardized tests were administered to measure students' medical reading comprehension as well as receptive and productive medical terminology and vocabulary knowledge. Later, participants were asked to write a short medical report to understand the possible difference in the effects of the two productive and receptive vocabulary teaching strategies on their actual language production. The study concluded that all the participants who completed the productive and receptive tasks had higher scores on the posttest. In other words, the results of the study, following the related descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests, indicated that both receptive and productive learning can be effective methods of improving reading comprehension skill of medical texts although the productive method was observed to be slightly, but not significantly, more effective.
Ms. Aysen Chokani, Dr Hossein Navidinia,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
The current study examines the interplay of Iranian EFL teachers' assessment literacy and self-efficacy. Therefore, firstly, it sought to examine whether these variables are significantly correlated. Secondly, it attempted to probe the demographic factors potentially influencing teachers' assessment literacy. To achieve this aim, a sample comprising 100 Iranian EFL teachers participated in this study by simultaneously filling out two questionnaires: Tschannen Moran and Hoy's (2001) teachers' self-efficacy scale and an abridged version of Teachers' Conceptions of Assessment Inventory-III (TCoA), validated by Brown (2006). The findings obtained from the study indicated a statistically significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers' assessment literacy and their perceived self-efficacy, thereby highlighting the interconnectedness of these constructs within the context of educational practice. Furthermore, among the demographic variables examined (participants' gender, level of education, field of study, and age), teachers' assessment literacy is most significantly influenced by their level of education, suggesting a strong link between educational background and assessment competencies. The implications of these results for English language teachers are discussed.
Shahrbanoo Parichehreh, Zari Sadat Seyyedrezaei, Ghasem Barani, Omid Mazandarani,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This investigation examined the effect of BigBlueButton and formative assessment strategies (Mind Dump and Word Journal) on Iranian EFL students’ directed motivational currents (DMCs). Having utilized a quasi-experimental design, it was conducted among 90 out of 120 participants selected via convenience sampling. Quick Placement test was distributed to 120 students from English Translation and Literature at Sari and Qaemshahr branches of Azad University. 90 Iranian sophomore students were chosen and divided randomly into control, Face-to-Face, and BigBlueButton groups. Students in each experimental group (N=30) (Face-to-Face and BigBlueButton) were split into two subgroups (Mind Dump and Word Journal). Students in the experimental groups were taught narrative writing with instructional embedded formative assessment strategies, whereas students in the control group were taught without using these strategies and with traditional teaching methods. To gauge students’ DMCs, DMC Disposition Questionnaire was utilized. Students were distributed the questionnaire once at the outset and once at the end of the course. The results of Quade Nonparametric Analysis of Covariance indicated DMCs of Iranian EFL students using Mind Dump and Word Journal in BigBlueButton significantly improved compared to their counterparts implementing these strategies in Face-to-Face and those who did not use these strategies in the Control group.
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