Writing has a unique position in language teaching since its acquisition involves the practice and knowledge of the other three language skills. One of the best ways to attract students to writing is to let them write at the beginning of the learning process as freely as possible and evoke in them the feeling of creativity. Creative writing obviously can play a crucial role in the development of writing skills. This study is an inquiry into the role grammar-based stylistic imitation plays in learning how to write in English classes. To this end, the researcher, taking advantage of qualitative and action research to collect and analyze the data, attempted to teach paragraph writing to EFL in-service teachers using the grammar-based stylistic imitation. Fourteen non-native English teachers from the Gooyesh language institute in Shahrood were asked to do a close and free imitation. The researcher made use of semi-structured interviews to explain if and when they would use it in their own classes. The results showed grammar-based stylistic imitation could be of tremendous help to novice learners in their classes in that it can alleviate the burden they feel trying to master writing. However, a few teachers argued against it stating concerns about voices getting lost and styles getting killed. The results from the present inquiry can raise awareness of the way imitation, grammar-based stylistic imitation to be more specific, can find its way back into the classroom, which can help curriculum designers, stakeholders, policymakers, and administrators. تفاصيل المقالة

The study of attribution and decision-making is a process that involves improving people's beliefs in the causes of their failures and success to promote future motivation for achievement. It is nowadays widely accepted that decisive teaching and making use of attributional implications is a vital ingredient of a superb academic life. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between different dimensions of decision-making types, attributional styles, and teaching effectiveness among Iranian EFL teachers. Further, this study tried to explore the mediating role of decision-making types between attributional styles and teaching effectiveness. As the study participants, 146 adult male and female EFL teachers aged between 25 to 40 years old at different language institutes in several cities of Golestan province, Iran, were selected based on a purposive sampling method and were given three questionnaires. To analyze the data, structural equation modeling (SEM) was run by using the SmartPLS software, version 2. The obtained results showed significant relationships between different dimensions of attributional styles, decision-making types, and teaching effectiveness. The results indicated that decision-making types could successfully mediate between the dimensions of attributional styles and teaching effectiveness. Finally, the findings were discussed concerning the context of Iran. These findings would hopefully be advantageous for EFL teachers (English as a foreign language), SLTE courses (second language teacher education), and also TTC centers (teacher training course) to shape and empower different domains of teaching effectiveness by exploring teachers' decision-making types and attributional styles. تفاصيل المقالة

It is a general belief that learning management systems (LMSs), especially smart ones, can better learning outcomes. Accordingly, information-age educational centers have to be designed and prepared to adopt these technological developments, sooner or later. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a smart reading instruction management system (RIMS) on the reading ability of Iranian EFL learners. A mixed-methods design was adopted. Accordingly, forty learners selected via convenient sampling took part in the quantitative stage of the study in which a quasi-experimental design was adopted. The results of statistical analyses also showed that RIMS had a significant effect on reading comprehension so the participants (n = 20) made improvements after the course and outdid their counterparts in the control group. Additionally, the qualitative analysis of mediation episodes that occurred in the experimental group showed that RIMS is perceived to be flexible in terms of meeting learners’ needs and interests. It is motivating and provides chances for storing teacher-learner interaction for future formative assessment, incompetency diagnosis, and feedback provision. Moreover, it is perceived to be a suitable timesaving breakthrough for promoting individualized learning methods. تفاصيل المقالة

The universe has no fixed agenda. Once you make any decision, it works around that decision. In educational system, majority of innovative decisions tend to be made are the result of systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the teachers. Hence, the aim of this inquiry was to investigate the different dimensions of teachers' decision-making style and its relationship with the effectiveness of teaching in the classroom among Iranian EFL teachers. To meet this end, 147 adult male and female EFL teachers that were from different language institutes in northern cities of Iran, including Gorgan, Gonbad and Aliabad e katoul being selected as the participants of the study through convenience sampling method. The quantitative data was collected using DMQ and QTE questionnaires. The process of analyzing the collected data was through the SmartPLS software and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS-v26). The result of the descriptive statistics section and this correlation' findings showed that there is a strong relationship between decision-making types and teacher’s effectiveness. It is concluded that decision-making styles would be remarkably beneficial if they could generally distinguish between high and low quality decision makers. This study has implications for language instructors, policy makers, and decision makers in the era of education and also everyone who considers teachers' quality a vital feature to the future prospects of a country. تفاصيل المقالة

Writing always plays an essential part in learning languages, mostly due to close connections it bears to speaking and reading development. Nevertheless, next to speaking and reading, writing is comparatively less attended to. This paper is an attempt to look into the potential stylistic imitation holds in learning how to write as well as how this technic is perceived by the EFL teachers. Action research offers an invaluable chance to delve into the real-life issues teachers deal with on a daily basis. In-service teachers attending a writing course took part in this study to experience first-hand how it feels to use imitation in class to teach writing. They were first presented with a model paragraph and asked to imitate it, first closely sticking to the style of the writer, then freely making changes to the wording and structure as they see fit. Lastly, they were asked to reflect upon the experience. It was revealed that most teachers believed stylistic imitation can benefit learners and they intend to practice it in their classes. They seem to believe stylistic imitation can be of extraordinary help to novice learners in their classes in that it can alleviate the burden they feel trying to master writing. However, a few argued against it stating concerns for voices getting lost and styles getting killed. تفاصيل المقالة