Considering the great importance of speaking to EFL learners, teachers have tried to use different teaching techniques to help learners master this skill. One of these techniques is learner-based language teaching. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of using selected class presentation on the speaking development of EFL learners. To this purpose, a mixed-methods research was conducted, with both qualitative and quantitative data. The population of the study comprised 66 female EFL students of a language institute in Bandar Abbas. To homogenize them, Nelson Placement Test was administered and as a result, 50 students whose score were around the mean were selected as the pre-intermediate participants of the study. They were randomly assigned to two equal, experimental (EG) and control groups (CG). The experimental group was exposed to treatment by the teacher, while the control group was taught through traditional speaking method. A standard speaking test was used as both pre-test and post-test. The results obtained from the statistical analysis of the participants’ scores in pre-test and post-test revealed that using selected class presentation in the class has considerable impact on the improvement of learners’ speaking performance. This finding shows that emphasizing on the role of the learners by involving them in suitable the speaking tasks can positivity affect their Oral language output. پرونده مقاله

The main priority for university translation educators is to improve the quality and outcomes of translation courses. To achieve such a goal, the instructors are required to integrate learners' needs, identified with the help of a needs survey, into syllabus content. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to identify the Iranian English majors' difficulties in translating English texts since once a problem is identified, exploring the best pedagogical solutions would follow. The aim was accomplished through qualitative descriptive research conducted at Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch tracing the errors committed by the English majors in their exam papers in academic years 2016-2019. Following the model proposed by Miremadi (2008), the syntactic and lexical problems were identified in the exam papers collected during six semesters. Moreover, three more categories were added to the list as the data analysis moved forward: culture problems, stylistic problems, and miscellaneous errors with detailed subdivisions. What appeared to be worthy of attention in the results was the students' weakness in text and sentence segmentation to find the function of the components to approach textual meaning, resulting from the students' poor English language proficiency. The results also revealed the students' poor topical knowledge as well as the lack of knowledge of translation techniques and strategies. پرونده مقاله

This study was an endeavor to develop a model of identity among Iranian EFL learners. To achieve this end, a multiphase design was implemented. Initially, it attempted to investigate different factors of identity to propose and validate a model. Thus, 120 EFL learners studying in different English language institutes in Iran were randomly selected, and 36 learners were interviewed about their views of their identity in the qualitative phase. After extracting six factors of identity, including: second language acquisition and social status, cultural attachment, Persian language adhesion, pronunciation posture, technology involvement, and language identity, and second language knowledge, a questionnaire was constructed which reflected these factors. Then, in the quantitative phase, the questionnaire went through an exploratory factor analysis for the sake of validity. After its validity and reliability were corroborated through a pilot study with 20 learners, it was distributed among 120 EFL learners. Besides, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was run to confirm that the final proposed model enjoyed validity for future research. To do so, the confirmatory factor analysis was run, and the model of identity was developed. Eventually, the possible relationship between 120 EFL learners’ identity and their English language achievement scores were examined, and the results of this phase indicated that there was a significant and positive relationship between learners’ identity and their English language achievement scores. The findings of this study can enhance awareness among English teachers, materials developers, and syllabus designers to equip themselves with the updated techniques to handle the possible challenges that may occur in EFL learning contexts. پرونده مقاله

This research chiefly focused on the application of mitigation strategies and traditional form of feedback in writing development of the fifth semester University students majoring in TEFL and English Translation fields based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory in general and the notion of “Zone of Proximal Development” in particular. To that end, this study relied on a pre-posttest experimental design which was mediated by different written types of feedback such as mitigation strategies vs. error correction to find out if any gains in writing development of participants could be achieved. It is to be noted that participants of this inquiry were 125 fifth semester university students who were chosen and assigned to four experimental and one control groups. The materials of this study consisted of a textbook called Writing Power by Nancy White (2002) that the teacher taught during the course of instruction; a standard writing test of IELTS (2007) as a pretest; another standard writing test of IELTS (2007) as a posttest. The results showed that although homogeneity among the groups was observed on the pretest, writing scores of those groups which received corrective feedback and paired comments outscored those of the other groups. On the other hand, the interrogative forms and personal attributions had the least increase from the pretest to the posttest. Hence, it is recommended that some teacher training courses regarding the appropriate use of these strategies be held in educational settings in a way that teachers can apply these techniques in the best possible ways in their writing classes. پرونده مقاله

This study was an endeavor to develop a model of cultural identity among Iranian advanced EFL learners. To achieve this end, a multiphase design was implemented. Initially, it was attempted to investigate different factors of cultural identity to propose and validate a model. Thus, 20 EFL learners studying in Safir English language institute in Tehran were interviewed about their views of their cultural identity in the qualitative phase. After extracting four factors of cultural identity including: “religion, culture, nationality, and language”, a questionnaire was constructed which reflected these factors. Then, in the quantitative phase, the 30-item questionnaire went through an exploratory factor analysis for the sake of validity and after its validity and reliability were corroborated through a pilot study with 183 learners, it was distributed among 384 EFL learners. In addition, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was run through LISREL 8.8. to confirm that the final proposed model enjoyed validity for future research. To do so, a confirmatory factor analysis was run and the model of cultural identity was developed. Eventually, the possible relationship between 384 EFL learners’ cultural identity and their English language achievement scores was examined and the results of this phase indicated that there was a significant and positive relationship between learners’ cultural identity and their English language achievement scores. The findings of this study can enhance awareness among English teachers, materials developers, and syllabus designers to equip themselves with the updated techniques to handle the possible challenges that may occur in EFL learning contexts. پرونده مقاله

Culture is an inseparable part of a language. In other words, mastering a language and being able to communicate through it inevitably entails integrating with the culture of the speakers of that language which is the reflection of people's identity. The aim of the present study was designing a model of Iranian cultural identity. Initially, to select a homogeneous sample of learners at the advanced level, 300 language learners at the advanced level took TOEFL and 180 learners were chosen as the participants of the study. The cultural identity model was designed by the use of interviews and literature review to come up with main components of cultural identity. Afterwards, participants were interviewed about their identity and four components comprising Iranian cultural identity were identified. The results of the factors analysis showed that raw data converged to a pattern with four components which fit the hypothesized model of cultural identity. Then, the cultural identity questionnaire was given to participants. The results of statistical analyses indicated that there was a significant negative relationship between cultural identity and language achievement of the participants. پرونده مقاله

The current study aimed at investigating the impact of Personal Response System (PRS) on Iranian EFL learners’ English language performance, class communication, and comfort level. To this purpose, a mixed methods design was used. The participants comprised 60 male-female Iranian grade eight junior students studying at Bahonar secondary school, Kazeroon, Iran. They were selected through convenient sampling method from two intact classes and divided into two experimental and control groups. The needed data was collected using the following instruments: Oxford Placement Test (OPT), Preliminary English Test (PET), Observation Checklist, and PRS. The two groups of the participants attended twelve English class sessions of the high school once a week. The only difference between the two groups was that during the class sessions, the experimental group attended PRS. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests and qualitative content analysis of the observation data. The results showed that PRS had a statistically significant impact on English language performance, class communication, and comfort level of Iranian EFL learners. Accordingly, EFL teachers are recommended to use this tool in an attempt to enhance EFL learners' general English language performance. پرونده مقاله

This qualitative study was an endeavor to assess English language quality of EFL students with linking to a grounded theory. To this aim, first 20 teachers working in a non-profit language institute were selected based on chain sampling or snowball sampling. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation and were interviewed. After extracting the components and indicators obtained from the analysis of interviews, a questionnaire was created to collect the necessary information and data to assess the quality of English language students. Then, a total number of 100 English language teachers teaching English in different levels of proficiency participated in this survey. According to the careful analysis, findings identified the main evaluating criteria for English language quality of Iranian EFL Learners as individual characteristics, learning strategy, individual characteristics, learning dynamics, educational technology, content setting, anxiety, weakness in learning, assessing knowledge/skills, positive evaluation, as well as individual and social consequences. Moreover, the most important ones with the highest distribution of category concepts among EFL learners referred to learning strategy (like to acquire language skills, spirit of competitiveness, spirit of collaboration, planning, cognitive development, employing group learning), individual characteristics (using peers' experiences, using the experiences of others, appropriate evaluation, giving desirable homework, eagerness to attend the class), and learning dynamics (innovative management, self-centered learning, having online learning, a positive learning context, access to up-to-date resources). The results can provide useful insight into curriculum development and improvement for seeking educational effectiveness in EFL setting. پرونده مقاله

Achieving success in teaching English requires teachers to demonstrate varying essential characteristics that consist of several underlying and interacting constructs. The purpose of this study was to orient the reader and succinctly identify the key variables of teachers' passion that leads teachers to success. In fact, the study tried to identify the components of a model of teachers’ passion which can be expanded based on teachers’ perceptions and MSA model. It delineated the characteristics of successful English teachers embedded within five central dimensions, along with their underlying structures. The data of the study were collected with semi-structured interviews. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. By the research aim, this study identified 5 dimensions from 22 subcomponents and 65 concepts. Individual characteristics were determined as the first dimension of the study. The subcomponents under these categories identified as ‘Self-awareness’, ‘Personal Lifestyle’ and ‘Potential Ability. Psychological characteristics were determined as the second dimension of the study. The subcomponents under these categories included ‘Anger Management, ‘Emotion’ ‘Positive Attitude’ and ‘Flexibility’. In conclusion, teachers were passionate about being successful, effective working conditions, students’ desire for learning, being more autonomous, equitable and consistent implementations regarding with education approach. The present study can offer major practical implications for language teachers, language students and material developers. In the second language learning context, creating positive emotions and lessening the negative emotions both on the part of the teachers as well as the learners could increase motivation, effort and success. پرونده مقاله

Language learning and achievement are related to the skills teachers practice and the presence of expert capability such as teachers’ reflectivity. The objective of the present study was to search the extent to which EFL teachers are involved in reflective instruction, and test the level of growing teachers’ awareness of reflective teaching which leads to students’ language achievement. Data were collected by the following instruments: a) a TOEFL test administered to 350 Iranian EFL students, b) reflective journals written by 120 Iranian EFL teachers, and c) Reflective Teaching Inventory. For the qualitative stage, 120 male and female EFL teachers from two language institutes in Kerman, the center of Iran, were selected through convenient sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. After completing the treatment, a reflective teaching inventory as a post-test was given to the two groups to test the impact of the treatment. The results of the t-test indicated that the experimental group outdid the control group in taking advantage of reflective teaching components. This finding raises provocative questions regarding reflective teaching and teaching skills. پرونده مقاله

The main priority for translation educators is to improve the quality and outcomes of translation courses at the university level. The process of planning and implementing the teaching process and the design of teaching materials are the translation teachers' two major concerns among many. This research presents Iranian translation educators' views on the possibilities for improving the conditions in the English language departments of Iranian universities. The goal was achieved through conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with some of the experienced faculty members of the Iranian universities involved in translation teaching, whose suggested guidelines and perspectives were extracted and synthesized. The discussions centered around applying the constructivist approach to teaching translation, which the interviewees believed could provide opportunities for students to play an active role in their own learning by integrating and activating corresponding knowledge, skills, and attributes specifically in the form of group work or collaborative learning in translation classes. Furthermore, local policies, based on needs assessment, implemented by each department were considered to be highly efficient to face translation teaching and learning problems. پرونده مقاله

The present mixed-method research has been prepared to probate scaffolding types on EFL learners’ reading ability and reading strategy. To achieve this end, a multiphase design was implemented and the researchers recruited a total number of 80 intermediate students from Azad University of Bandar Abbas in Iran. The sample was divided into four groups as soft scaffolding group, hard scaffolding group, reciprocal scaffolding group, and virtual scaffolding group. The participants of these groups sat for a pretest of reading comprehension, a posttest of reading comprehension, along a test of reading strategies. In addition, the students’ self-reports and portfolios and the researchers’ observations and notes through filling out the checklists were used. Considering the students’ reading ability development, the results indicated that complex scaffolding enjoyed the highest mean on the posttest of reading. Regarding reading strategies, the findings highlighted that different scaffolding treatments had effects on the development of global, problem solving, and supporting reading strategies among the learners. The hard-scaffolding group had the highest use of reading strategies followed by the virtual scaffolding group. The reciprocal and soft scaffolding groups similarly had less use of reading strategies. پرونده مقاله

This study intended to develop a model of identity for the Iranian EFL context with emphasize on their language proficiency. Moreover, the study defined learners' opinions about the language and identity and that method would be the best to be taught. The project had a cross-sectional quantitative research design, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data via interviews, questionnaires and language proficiency test. Considering a total population of EFL learners in Iran, a sample of 120 students were randomly se- lected to participate in the study. The students were surveyed by testing their identity perceptions in learn- ing English. As a result, language-specific effects on the learners' identities, and how much competency in language learning would be occurred were the most important aspects of this study. The importance of a second language learning skill alongside the native language was thoroughly explained and its relation- ship to the identity of the language learners was explored and was concluded that there was significant relationship between them. Apart from these discussions, it has clearly seen the importance of the identity of learners and the skill of the learners in the educational implications that have a great impact in this field. Implementation of the methods based on these findings facilitates the emergence and development of a second language system in the learner's mind during the process of learning, and prevents the inter- play of first language patterns with second language patterns. پرونده مقاله

The present research was an endeavor to determine whether or not the adoption of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) can be an effective means of increasing the students’ reading comprehension ability. Also, this paper explored the students' views towards the mentioned method. To fulfil the purposes of the study, a mixed method research was employed and 80 advanced EFL learners of university participated in the study that were assigned randomly to the experimental and control groups. Having instructed the two groups with the same texts but different methods of teaching during a term, the learners’ reading performance results were compared through administering a reading posttest to both groups. The researchers in the control group class followed her regular teaching practice through the conventional book-based method, but, she applied task based method in three stages in the experimental group class. The obtained data were analyzed using t-test to examine the effectiveness of TBLT method as on students’ reading performance. Moreover, the students' views of the experimental group were investigated through related questionnaire and interview. The findings revealed that the experimental group remarkably performed better than the control group. Therefore, TBLT had a significant effect on learners’ reading performance compared to traditional reading instruction. On top of that, findings of the interviews and questionnaires demonstrated the participants' satisfaction with implementing TBLT method, and also revealed that they had positive views towards it. پرونده مقاله

The current paper investigated the effect of postmethod pedagogy on senior high School students’ achievement, academic self-efficacy, achievement emotions, and self-esteem. The participants of this study included 120 female students in Zahedan located in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan. They were randomly recruited and categorized into two control and experimental groups. The students’ academic achievement was measured through a pretest. Subsequently, the Morgan-Jinks Student Self-Efficacy Scale (MJSES), Pekran Academic Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) (2005), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were distributed among the participants in both groups. The control group received instruction based on the conventional method, while instruction in the experimental group was based on the new method during the academic year. Upon the completion of the study, the achievements of both groups were measured again through a posttest. The data obtained were analyzed to reveal that postmethod played an important role in teaching and the use of this approach could develop academic achievement, self-efficacy, emotions, and self-esteem among senior high school students. پرونده مقاله

This study aimed to examine the different components of the speaking self-assessment instrument, and the most and least influential factors in the self- assessment instrument affecting Iranian EFL learners’ speaking skill. Finally, utilizing a grounded theory, the model of self -assessment Instrument affecting Iranian EFL learners' speaking skill was designed and validated. Accordingly, 20 language experts and 350 Iranian EFL learners were selected based on convenience sampling. The data were gathered via interviews and questionnaire. The data was analyzed by MAXODA. The findings revealed two broad categories of most influential factors in the self-assessment instrument affecting Iranian EFL learners’ speaking skill are classroom practice concerns EFL teachers’ actions in EFL speaking classrooms and conceptions referring to their beliefs about assessment in general and self-assessment in particular. In addition to teacher assessment, it was also reported using peer assessment can be influential. The participants explained that sometimes comment on their peers’ speaking productions can be conductive. Regarding the assessment techniques, the participants did not provide much information concerning the assessment procedures as no reference was made to any particular assessment techniques or tasks. As far as the least influential factors are concerned, teachers’ formative feedback, and assessment criteria were mentioned, implying that they do not have any significant impact on self- assessment instrument affecting Iranian EFL learners’ speaking skill. Consequently, the model of self-assessment instrument affecting Iranian EFL learners’ speaking skill emerges includes some characteristics and advantages, as well as disadvantages and challenges پرونده مقاله

این مطالعه کمّی به دنبال اعتبارسنجی مدل انواع حرکات ایرانی با استفاده از بینش‌های حاصل از معلمان انگلیسی و ادبیات فارسی ایرانی بود. بر اساس 3 موضوع و 8 دسته از مدل انواع حرکات شامل: الف) دیداکتیک (تمرین، آموزش و بازخورد)، ب) انضباط (تنبیه و مدیریت)، و ج)سازگاری (اعتماد، درگیری و تشویق)، یک پرسشنامه 3 عاملی انواع حرکات تهیه و با نمونه‌ای به حجم 190 نفر از معلمان در بافت ایرانی پایلوت شد تا قابلیت اعتماد و روایی آن را ارزیابی کند. تحلیل عاملی اکتشافی (EFA) انجام شد که وجود 3 سازه و 26 مورد را تأیید کرد. همچنین روایی صوری و محتوایی پرسشنامه انواع حرکات تأیید شد. علاوه بر این، ضریب آلفای کرونباخ 0.83 نیز قابلیت اعتماد آن را تأیید کرد. سپس، پرسشنامه نهایی 26 مورد در میان طیف وسیعی از معلمان انگلیسی و ادبیات فارسی ایرانی از طریق کانال‌های مختلف مانند ایمیل، واتس‌اپ و تلگرام توزیع شد و در نهایت 332 پاسخ دریافت شد. یافته‌ها نشان داد که نگرش معلمان انگلیسی و ادبیات فارسی ایرانی در مورد سازه‌های سازگاری و انضباط به لحاظ آماری متفاوت است. سپس با استفاده از تحلیل عاملی تأییدی (CFA)، نتایج ساختار اولیه شناسایی شده از طریق EFA را که شامل 3 سازه و 26 مورد است، تأیید کرد. به طور کلی، مدل پیشنهادی انواع حرکات نشان‌دهنده برازش قابل قبول تا خوب است، هرچند امکان بهبود در شاخص‌های TLI و CFI وجود دارد. نتایج نشان می‌دهد که حرکات دیداکتیک باید در کنار سایر روش‌های آموزش برای تکمیل آموزش استفاده شوند.

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