Masoomeh Estaji; Farhad Ghiasvand
Abstract
A teacher’s self-perception and identity are shaped by the test accountability context where they teach. Although research on washback effect and teacher-related factors is not an uncharted territory, investigating the nexus of high-stakes tests and teachers’ professional identity has been ...
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A teacher’s self-perception and identity are shaped by the test accountability context where they teach. Although research on washback effect and teacher-related factors is not an uncharted territory, investigating the nexus of high-stakes tests and teachers’ professional identity has been kept at the margins. In response to this gap, the present study examined the washback effect of IELTS examination on Iranian EFL instructors’ professional identity. To this end, at the beginning of the study, a professional identity questionnaire was administered on 120 IELTS instructors to determine the relationship between EFL teachers’ IELTS Related Experiences and their Professional Identity. Likewise, 15 IELTS instructors were closely examined at the outset of their IELTS course and at its end to examine the change in their perceptions. Regarding the qualitative phase, the researchers carried out a semi-structured interview with all 15 instructors. The results of t-test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test indicated there was no statistically significant improvement in IELTS instructors’ Professional Identity total scores from pretest to posttest (p>.05). However, the results of Spearman rho indicated a positive and significant relationship between instructors’ professional identity and their past IELTS related experiences. Likewise, the interview results indicated that Iranian instructors’ professional identity has been extensively affected by IELTS examination in that they had no option but to work for the test rather than developing genuine literacy skills. The participants further argued that to survive in such a score-polluted context, they have had no choice but to use tips and tricks, test-taking strategies, and past papers.
Masoomeh Estaji; Shabnam Moradi Aghdam
Volume 3, Issue 2 , May 2016, , Pages 55-35
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of learning together model of cooperative learning on Iranian EFL learners’ and high and low achievers’ critical thinking ability. To this end, a total of 52 students out of a population of 60 English language learners from Simin Language ...
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of learning together model of cooperative learning on Iranian EFL learners’ and high and low achievers’ critical thinking ability. To this end, a total of 52 students out of a population of 60 English language learners from Simin Language School in Karaj were selected, through a Preliminary English Test (PET), and randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control. Prior to the treatment, a critical thinking questionnaire as a pretest was administered to the students of both groups. Then a 10- session treatment was conducted to the participants in the experimental group according to the dynamics of the learning together model of cooperative learning. Finally, a posttest of critical thinking questionnaire was provided to both groups. An independent samples t-test was run to compare the mean scores of both groups along with a two-way ANCOVA to investigate the effect of achievement level of the participants on the posttest of critical thinking. The obtained results revealed that the null hypotheses were all rejected, concluding that the learning together model of cooperative learning had a significant effect on the improvement of critical thinking skills of Iranian EFL learners. More significantly, there was a significant difference between the high and low achievers in the groups in terms of their critical thinking mean scores, meaning that in both the experimental and control group, the high proficiency achievers enjoyed higher critical thinking ability.
