Number 3 Volume 8

Open Access Article

1 - FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF FRAME MARKERS IN STUDENTS' ESSAYS: AN ACROSS DISCIPLINARY STUDY
Azadeh Mallaki Seyed Foad Ebrahimi Mohammad Taghi Farvardin

Frame markers are a broad interactive subcategory, displaying the writer-reader relationships. They can be characterized as items to frame information about discourse components and functioning for argument sequencing, labelling, predicting, and shifting while offering More

Frame markers are a broad interactive subcategory, displaying the writer-reader relationships. They can be characterized as items to frame information about discourse components and functioning for argument sequencing, labelling, predicting, and shifting while offering readers more discourse clarity. How to make good use of frame markers becomes one of the focuses in English writing classes. Thus, this study investigates the frequency and functions of frame markers in academic students' essays. To this end, 56 students' essays (totally 170.760 words) were selected from the Michigan Corpus of Upper-Level Student Papers (MICUSP), belonging to Philosophy and Psychology disciplines. The corpus was analysed considering Hyland's (2005) model of interactive metadiscourse into frequency and functions. The results showed that the frame markers were frequent enough to be considered in teaching writing genres. Besides, frame markers exhibited a significantly essential way, allowing writers organize their discourse according to certain audience and enabling them to observe the argument coherence and directing their thoughts toward what the author wished. Disciplinary differences concerning frequencies, types and functions of the frame markers were reported. The study results could directly be used in the syllabus designed for writing academic genres. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

2 - Analyzing the Impact of Using Multimedia Visual Aids on Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral skill
Fatemeh Mohammadi Sadegh Mahla Rafsanjani Feizabad

Using multimedia audio-visual aids stimulates thinking and improves learning environment in a classroom and they can be a helpful tool in the language classroom (Mannan, 2005). The present study made an effort to investigate the effect of using multimedia visual aids on More

Using multimedia audio-visual aids stimulates thinking and improves learning environment in a classroom and they can be a helpful tool in the language classroom (Mannan, 2005). The present study made an effort to investigate the effect of using multimedia visual aids on the learners’ oral (speaking) skill. This study is an experimental research and two groups of learners in a language institute were chosen to participate in the experiment. The participants of the study were made up of 68 advanced EFL learners in a language institute in Mashhad. To homogenize the study subjects to select an appropriate sample, a placement test was administered, and 60 students were selected. Then, they were randomly classified into two groups, i.e., control and experimental groups (30 Ss in each group). The participants of the experimental group were exposed to the multimedia visual aids in their classes, while the EFL students of the control group were instructed through the conventional teaching method and using ordinary material. The results indicated that the use of multi-media visual aids could positively impact the Iranian EFL learner's' speaking ability. Findings of this study have numerous implications for language teachers, practitioners and administrators. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

3 - The Effects of Age, Gender, and Experience on Grit, Anxiety, and Commitment of Kurdish EFL Secondary School Teachers
Bahroz Mawlood Jaleh Hassaskhah Hezha Abdallah

This mixed methods study examined the effects of three demographic variables, namely, grit, anxiety, and commitment, on Kurdish EFL teachers in Sulaimani Province secondary schools. To this end, using snowball purposive sampling, 73 Kurdish EFL secondary school teachers More

This mixed methods study examined the effects of three demographic variables, namely, grit, anxiety, and commitment, on Kurdish EFL teachers in Sulaimani Province secondary schools. To this end, using snowball purposive sampling, 73 Kurdish EFL secondary school teachers, 42 male and 31 female, aged between 22 and 50 with an experience range between 1 to 28 years, participated in the study and completed the questionnaire. Expanding the quantitative results, interviews with 10 participants were conducted to further the information and support the quantitative results. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the quantitative data, specifically, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent sample t-test, and Pearson’s correlation. A thematic analysis was conducted for the collected interview data. The quantitative findings indicated that age, gender, and experience significantly affected Kurdish EFL secondary school teachers’ grit, anxiety, and commitment. Results of the qualitative data revealed that Kurdish EFL secondary school teachers consistently pursue their educational goals and show unwavering persistence in the face of challenges. They also handle their anxiety by compartmentalizing personal issues and controlling their impulses to maintain a positive teaching environment, reflecting their understanding of the importance of teaching and their interest in developing their students. Lastly, Kurdish EFL secondary school teachers exhibit high levels of commitment to both the educational community and institutional standards, even when challenges appear. The results of this study are beneficial for policymakers, English language teachers, and also EFL learners. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

4 - The Relationship between High School Learners’ Learning Styles and Their Reading Comprehension Performance
Hamed Badpa

The study involved a total of 70 participants who were selected from Besharat High School in Chabahar. To determine their English proficiency level, the participants were administered a Longman placement test at the beginning of the study. The Brindley Questionnaire (1 More

The study involved a total of 70 participants who were selected from Besharat High School in Chabahar. To determine their English proficiency level, the participants were administered a Longman placement test at the beginning of the study. The Brindley Questionnaire (1984), version 1, was utilized to identify how the students preferred to receive information. Additionally, version 2 of the questionnaire, which was designed for teachers, was used to assess their awareness of their students' preferred learning styles. Reading tests were also conducted to establish a connection between students' learning styles and their reading performance. The statistical analysis revealed that learners' learning styles could be categorized into three sections: ways of learning, working styles, and vocabulary learning. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that teachers were indeed aware of their students' preferred learning styles. The results of the study demonstrated a positive medium level of correlation (0.402) between students' learning styles in ways of learning and their reading performance, as well as a high level of correlation (0.916) between students' learning styles in vocabulary learning and their reading performance. In summary, the findings suggest that teachers' awareness of students' learning preferences can significantly impact their learning and reading skills. These findings hold great potential for EFL teachers, EFL learners, syllabus designers, and supervisors. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

5 - Undergraduate ESP Students’ Reading Comprehension and Metacognitive Awareness across Discipline and Gender
Zohreh Seifoori

The aim of this ex-post-facto study was to investigate Iranian undergraduate ESP students’ reading comprehension (RC) and use of metacognitive strategies (MCSs) across discipline and gender. The participants included eight groups of junior university students who were t More

The aim of this ex-post-facto study was to investigate Iranian undergraduate ESP students’ reading comprehension (RC) and use of metacognitive strategies (MCSs) across discipline and gender. The participants included eight groups of junior university students who were taking the three-credit ESP course. Two groups were selected from each discipline each including 30 participants. To collect the research data about the participants’ RC, the RC section of the Preliminary English Test (PET) was employed, and their use of MCSs was measured by administering the metacognitive section of the Strategy Inventory for Language learning. The analyses of the data through two-way ANOVA revealed that the participants did poorly on the RC test regardless of gender and discipline Their use of MCSs, however, was significantly impacted only by discipline with computer and mechanical engineering students reporting more frequent use of MCSs. The findings underscore the weaknesses of ESP undergraduates’ in RC and use of MCSs as well as their need for some metacognitive awareness-raising. The implications will be discussed. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

6 - The Ratio of Teacher Talking Time (TTT) to Student Talking Time (STT) in Iranian EFL Classes: An Observational Multi-Class Analysis
Kamran Rabani EbrahimiPour Neda Fatehi Rad Ehasn Rayani

Classroom discourse and interaction, particularly the balance between teacher talking time (TTT) and student talking time (STT), are critical elements in (English as a Foreign Language) EFL settings. While some research has explored various facets of classroom discourse More

Classroom discourse and interaction, particularly the balance between teacher talking time (TTT) and student talking time (STT), are critical elements in (English as a Foreign Language) EFL settings. While some research has explored various facets of classroom discourse and interactions, few studies have specifically examined the TTT and STT ratio across a broad spectrum of EFL classes through direct observation. Addressing this gap, this observational study aims to evaluate the TTT/STT ratio in 83 diverse EFL classes in Kerman, Iran. Furthermore, it investigates if this ratio correlates with teachers' gender, years of teaching experience, and class level. To this end, the study involved 83 EFL teachers, including both genders, with teaching experience ranging from 1 to 15 years, teaching classes at elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. Findings revealed that TTT constituted approximately 61.49% of total class time on average, with STT comprising 38.51%. No significant differences were detected in relation to teachers' gender, teaching experience, or class level. The implications of these results are discussed. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

7 - Reconstruction of Identity in Modern Iranian Fiction
Fatemeh Pourjafari

Abstract Studying modern Iranian fiction demonstrates a gradual shift in gender identity formation. This transition includes the multiple perspectives towards the female by the male characters, dangling between their comprehension of women as either angels or witches. More

Abstract Studying modern Iranian fiction demonstrates a gradual shift in gender identity formation. This transition includes the multiple perspectives towards the female by the male characters, dangling between their comprehension of women as either angels or witches. The emergence of womanly-men and manly-women literary characters is a sign of a gradual refusal of the conventional gender roles during the last decades. This study aims to develop a new perspective on reading modern Persian fiction regarding the issue of gender and identity, based on Judith Butler’s theory of the performativity of identity.Classical Persian literature, dominated by masculine myths, considered mobility and assertiveness as the natural, featuring characteristic for males. The image of women in these works is usually associated with enclosure and domesticity and those women are appreciated who show modesty and purity of manner. This study aims to develop a new perspective on reading modern Persian fiction concerning the issue of gender and identity. The significance of the present research lies in its attempt to change the stereotyped image that the West has of Iranian Muslim women and their social reality. Manuscript profile

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