Number 2 Volume 8

Open Access Article

1 - Involvement Load of Vocabulary Tasks IELTS preparation Vocabulary Course Books
Maryam Sadeghi Garmaroudi Mohammad Aghajanzadeh

The importance of vocabulary is undeniable. EFL learners need sufficient lexicon in order to be a competitive speaker. Lots of strategies have been proposed. The concept of involvement load was first introduced by Hulstijn and Laufer (2001). They believed that deeper ex More

The importance of vocabulary is undeniable. EFL learners need sufficient lexicon in order to be a competitive speaker. Lots of strategies have been proposed. The concept of involvement load was first introduced by Hulstijn and Laufer (2001). They believed that deeper explanation of lexical information will result in better retention of them. The present study aimed at finding the involvement load indexes of vocabulary tasks used in two popular IELTS vocabulary books. It also intended to find the most applied vocabulary learning strategies by IELTS learners. Data were gathered from the intensive analysis of 20 selected task of “Oxford Word Skills” and “Advanced Vocabulary In Use”. Also 50 IELTS candidates were asked to fill a questionnaire. The results showed that books applied a variety of activities. The maximum index was 4 and the minimum was 1. The analysis showed that consolidating was used for the tasks with higher involvement load indexes. Tasks with lower involvement load indexes had other strategies like discovery. Data analysis revealed that learners implied different strategies in learning vocabularies. The most popular strategy was germane to determination strategies, which are clustered under discovery Strategy. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

2 - The Need to Develop Authentic Materials in Teaching Grammar Communicatively for Iranian High School Students: (Theoretical perspectives)
Aliakbar Tajik

Teaching and learning grammar in Iranian high schools based on the communicative approach of the newly published textbooks tend to lead students to apply the grammatical pattern in sentence patterns not to apply them in communication. That is, the grammatical materials More

Teaching and learning grammar in Iranian high schools based on the communicative approach of the newly published textbooks tend to lead students to apply the grammatical pattern in sentence patterns not to apply them in communication. That is, the grammatical materials used in the newly published textbooks have been used for the specific purpose of providing grammar practice. The idea of authentic material in language teaching is supported by many professionals in the field of language pedagogy. Authentic material provides the learners with many significant advantages and promotes them with high motivation and interest in language learning and lead to improving communicative competence. In a research done on authenticity of Iranian English high school textbooks by F. Zarrabi (2015) the feedback received from the teachers’ and the students’ responses, the home-made textbooks lack the authenticity of natural English in terms of content and presentation. The materials are not generally presented from the easy to hard order and they are mainly void of cultural and communicative points. Therefore, the study is primarily aimed at discussing the effects of using authentic material in teaching grammar communicatively and examining the need for English language teachers and course designers to develop authentic materials for grammar instruction communicatively for Iranian EFL students. The results of the study indicate that the need for English language teachers to use authentic materials in teaching grammar to give the opportunity to the students to expose to the real use of language. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

3 - On the Relationships of Iranian EFL Learner’s Crystallized and Fluid Intelligences with their Vocabulary Size
Samaneh Maroufolzakerin Akram Faravani

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of Iranian EFL Learner’s Crystallized and Fluid Intelligences with their Vocabulary Size. The Participants of the study were 100 male and female learners from Islamic Azad University of Mashhad in T More

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of Iranian EFL Learner’s Crystallized and Fluid Intelligences with their Vocabulary Size. The Participants of the study were 100 male and female learners from Islamic Azad University of Mashhad in TEFL course that are ranged from 20 to 40 years old. To administer the study, an experimental and quantitative analysis was conducted and the relationship between variables was measured using three instruments namely, Baddeley’s (1968) Grammatical reasoning Test for Fluid intelligence, Persian C-Test (2015) for crystalized intelligence, and Nation’s (2012) vocabulary size Test. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. First, correlational analyses were conducted to find out correlation coefficients between the variables. Then, multiple coefficient tests were done to find Beta weight of variables. The results obtained from correlational analyses showed that there is a significant relationship between crystallized intelligence and vocabulary size, while there is no significant relationship between learners’ fluid intelligence and their vocabulary size. Besides, regression analyses showed that the model consisting of both crystallized and fluid intelligences explains a small but significant portion (8%) of the variance in vocabulary size. It was also concluded that fluid intelligence does not significantly predict vocabulary size, but crystallized intelligence significantly predicts vocabulary size. The study implies that crystalized intelligence should be considered in language learners’ curriculum to achieve the teaching and learning purposes. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

4 - A comparison of self - assessment of English reading comprehension with teacher assessment on the students of Kish Institute of Science and Technology of Ilam
Mohsen Bahramvand Ali Jamali

Learner-centered classes refer to engage students in their process of learning as well as their evaluation, while, the classical way to teach and assess students was teacher based. Accordingly, the current study investigated to compare the impact of teacher assessment a More

Learner-centered classes refer to engage students in their process of learning as well as their evaluation, while, the classical way to teach and assess students was teacher based. Accordingly, the current study investigated to compare the impact of teacher assessment and self - assessment on reading comprehension on Iranian EFL learners. The current research was carried out in Kish Institute of Science and Technology of Ilam. To investigate, there were 30 EFL learners, out of a population of 79, selected based on Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) in the level of intermediate. Prior to the treatment, Likert scale questionnaire applied by the teacher to assess the participants’ ability to figure out and answer reading questions. To set out the study, the participants were classified into two different groups namely; base group (teacher assessment); experimental group (self - assessment) included 15 participants in each group. In continue, these two groups received a pre-test. Additionally, after performing the treatment course, which was included 10 sessions (two sessions a week) that per each session 45 minutes allocated, the students of two groups were given the post-test. It was followed with giving the follow-up test after a week from finishing given post-test to two groups. To analyze the data, SPSS was performed. The instruments used in this study were Likert scale questionnaire, OQPT Test ,and Quiz Sheets .All in all, regarding to the outcome of this research ,students play magnificent role in their learning and evaluation process. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

5 - A Study on Translation of Slang Words and Phrases in Jalal Al-e-Ahmad’s Pink Nail polish
Narges Talabeygi Azar Bagheri Masoudzade

The present study has focused on the translation of slang words/expressions in Pink Nail polish story as a literary Text. The researchers analyzed the extent of translation accuracy and applied strategies based on Baker’s (1992) model. For this end, Jalal Al-e-Ahm More

The present study has focused on the translation of slang words/expressions in Pink Nail polish story as a literary Text. The researchers analyzed the extent of translation accuracy and applied strategies based on Baker’s (1992) model. For this end, Jalal Al-e-Ahmad’s Pink Nail polish story as Source Text (ST) with the English translation as Target Text (TT) by Robert Wells (2007) were selected by the researchers. Data were descriptively and qualitatively analyzed and the results revealed that all Bakers' strategies of slang translation were applied except "translation by illustration". However, none of the strategies were equally distributed in English translation. Based on the analysis, "Translation using a loan word or loan word plus explanation" identified as the least frequent strategy and "Translation by paraphrase using the related word" strategy has been applied frequently which shows that the concept expressed in the ST existed in the TT, but in different form or in different words. Results also indicated some major shortcomings as meaningless translation, untranslated slangs, and adding and removing some words. Totally, the translator tried to find appropriate equivalences in most of the selected parts to be closer to target language. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

6 - A Study of Strategies Used in Translating Idiomatic Expressions In Serial Subtitles from English to Farsi
Sahar Hasani Moghadam

Idiomatic expressions are considered as a part of everyday language. In other words, they are the essence of each language and one of the most problematic parts to cope with, especially in the process of inter-lingual translation. Furthermore, there is sometimes no one- More

Idiomatic expressions are considered as a part of everyday language. In other words, they are the essence of each language and one of the most problematic parts to cope with, especially in the process of inter-lingual translation. Furthermore, there is sometimes no one-to-one equivalent for the idioms of the source language (SL) in the target language (TL). This study aimed at investigating the applied strategies in the translation of idiomatic expressions in two American subtitled serials, namely Friends and The king of queens, two American sitcoms, through using Baker’s (1992) proposed procedures in translating idiomatic expressions in translation studies. To this aim, the idiomatic expressions were extracted from the original versions of the movies and compared with the subtitled translations in Farsi. The first subcategory of audiovisual translation (or screen translation) is subtitling, which is a complex form of translation in which the oral communication (i.e., the SL) of a TV show or film is translated into the written language of the audiences (i.e., the TL). Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

7 - How virtual English language Teaching Can be Used to Address Emotional Regulation, Anger Control, Among Iranian Housewives
Sara Amiri Neda Fatehi Rad valeh jalali

House wives hold a specific position at home, as it is known to everyone. However, the presence of some known issues including their financial dependence to the husband, has made them a vulnerable group in the society, whatever is its development status. This study aime More

House wives hold a specific position at home, as it is known to everyone. However, the presence of some known issues including their financial dependence to the husband, has made them a vulnerable group in the society, whatever is its development status. This study aimed at investigating the effect of virtual English language teaching on Iranian house wives’ emotional regulation, anger control. In so doing, a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design was used. The target population of this study included all Iranian house wives. From the population, about 60 Iranian house wives from different cities of Iran were selected through available sampling. The participants were randomly divided into two groups namely, the experimental and control groups. The required data were collected through the following instruments: The Persian version of Anger Control Questionnaire, developed and validated by Buss and Perry (1992);; and the Persian version of the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski et al., 2003). Data analysis was conducted running descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Leven test, and one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings confirmed a significantly positive impact of virtual English language teaching on Iranian House wives’ emotional regulation, anger control . The findings have implications for top-level educational authorities, social emergency administrators, and future researchers. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

8 - Dromophobia's Veil: Unveiling the Enigma of Hailsham in Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go Through a Virilian Lens of Fear and Control
Seyede Keyhaneh Kafshchi Rohollah Reesi sistani Hassan Shahabi

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go within the framework of Paul Virilio's influential theories. The novel challenges conventional science fiction by seamlessly integrating speculative elements, focusing on character developmen More

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go within the framework of Paul Virilio's influential theories. The novel challenges conventional science fiction by seamlessly integrating speculative elements, focusing on character development, and exploring the complexities of human relationships. At its core, the narrative delves into the theme of simulation through human clones destined for organ donation. The story traces the characters' journey from their sheltered upbringing at Hailsham to the ethical dilemmas of cloning, questions about the nature of humanity, and the struggle for individual identity. Hailsham, a meticulously constructed simulation, conceals the truth about the clones' destinies, conditioning them to accept their fates. The narrative prompts reflections on determinism, free will, and autonomy, emphasizing the role of memory and narration in conferring meaning upon their lives. Never Let Me Go transcends genre boundaries to explore the human condition, love, and friendship within a dystopian context. This analysis employs Virilio's theories to enrich our understanding of the novel's intricate exploration of simulated existence and genuine humanity. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

9 - Effects of Synthetic Phonics and Whole Language Methods of Teaching Reading on Iranian Elementary EFL Learners’ Spelling and Pronunciation
Hadi Salehi Nasim Mirdamadian

There has been a fierce controversy for decades over which approach is more effective in order to achieve the best reading instruction and there is no clear answer until today. This study mainly compared the effectiveness of Whole Language, phonics, and balanced approac More

There has been a fierce controversy for decades over which approach is more effective in order to achieve the best reading instruction and there is no clear answer until today. This study mainly compared the effectiveness of Whole Language, phonics, and balanced approach to develop the EFL learners’ reading in the light of spelling and pronunciation development over time. Thirty Iranian elementary EFL learners were selected from an English Language Institute in Isfahan, Iran. The participants were randomly divided into three different instructional groups, Whole Language group, phonics group, and balanced group (phonics group integrated with Whole Language group), with 10 students in each group. The students in the Whole Language group were exposed only to Whole Language method with the book Family and Friends (Starter), while those who were in the phonics group only received phonics instruction with the book Let’s Go Phonics 1. The students in the balanced group were taught through both phonics and Whole Language methods with the books Let’s Go Phonics 1 and Family and Friends (Starter). All three classes were held twice a week for 12 weeks and each class lasted 1 hour. A series of tests were designed by the researchers used to assess the participants’ word pronunciation and spelling. A series of ANOVA tests were also carried out to compare pretest and posttest scores of three instructional groups in reading spelling and pronunciation. Meanwhile, two weeks after the immediate posttest, the students were tested again in reading spelling and pronunciation. The findings suggested that for the three groups of Whole Language, phonics, and balanced methods, there were improvements on both pronunciation and spelling from pretest to immediate posttest and delayed posttest. There were also no significant differences among them on the immediate posttest, but for the delayed posttest, both phonics and balanced methods were seen to be more effective than the Whole Language method, with the slight differences between phonics and balanced groups. To sum up, this study lends its support to the synthetic phonics integrated and balanced judiciously with Whole Language approach, neither phonics nor Whole Language can be considered strong enough programs to stand alone. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

10 - Investigating the Effects of a Guided- Autonomy Syllabus on Motivation from the Self Determination Theory Perspective
Abbas Ali Rezaee Maryam Pahlevan Aqajooni

Motivation and autonomy in language learning are considered as the most fundamental and influential factors in second language learning. The study aimed at investigating the potential of a Guided Autonomy Syllabus to enhance motivation in the Iranian EFL context during More

Motivation and autonomy in language learning are considered as the most fundamental and influential factors in second language learning. The study aimed at investigating the potential of a Guided Autonomy Syllabus to enhance motivation in the Iranian EFL context during a 3-month period. A revised and translated version of Academic Motivation Scale was distributed among students in the first and last session of the course in order to measure the change in students’ motivational orientations after autonomous learning intervention. The results of Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test indicated that all constructs of Intrinsic Motivation (IM-to know, IM-toward accomplishment, and IM- to experience stimulation), and two constructs of Extrinsic Motivation (identified regulation and introjected regulation) increased significantly after the autonomy treatment. On the other hand, the third construct of EM which is external regulation and Amotivation which is total lack of motivation decreased after the intervention. Generally, the findings of the study emphasize the effectiveness of the Guided Autonomy Syllabus on Motivation enhancement. The results particularly demonstrated a remarkable increase in intrinsic motivation after the autonomous learning intervention. Since intrinsic motivation highly correlates with achievement and success, providing students with autonomous learning program seems to be necessary. Manuscript profile

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