Research Paper
Parisa Ashkani; Ehsan Namaziandost; Karamollah Javanmard
Abstract
This research delved into the effects of the school's organizational climate on teacher job motivation, focusing on EFL teachers ‘perspective in the context of Iran. The study involved a sample of 25 EFL teachers who were selected through a criterion sampling method, encompassing both male and ...
Read More
This research delved into the effects of the school's organizational climate on teacher job motivation, focusing on EFL teachers ‘perspective in the context of Iran. The study involved a sample of 25 EFL teachers who were selected through a criterion sampling method, encompassing both male and female teachers. They partook in semi-structured interviews, during which they elucidated their perspectives on how SOC influenced their motivation as teachers. These interviews were meticulously recorded utilizing audio recording devices and subjected to analysis via a phenomenological approach. The findings illuminated six prominent themes: dysfunctional principal leadership, inequitable salary system, and benefits, high teaching load, lack of autonomy, lack of constructive educational relationships, and unsatisfactory school facilities. Consequently, the research underscores that a negative SOC exerts a deleterious impact on the motivation of EFL teachers. In conclusion, this study elucidates numerous practical managerial and pedagogical implications pertinent to stakeholders within the education system and process.
research paper
Parviz Ajideh; Mohammad - Zohrabi; Behnaz Khojand
Abstract
Reading skill entails the employment of specific skills and strategies. The use of post-reading and pre-reading activities, considering the importance of individual differences of the learners, have been reported to be successful techniques in improving reading comprehension. Thus, the objective of the ...
Read More
Reading skill entails the employment of specific skills and strategies. The use of post-reading and pre-reading activities, considering the importance of individual differences of the learners, have been reported to be successful techniques in improving reading comprehension. Thus, the objective of the current study is to scrutinize the influence of pre- and post-reading activities in developing EFL learners’ reading motivation, self-regulation, and reading comprehension. The participants were 111 male and female B.A. students at the intermediate proficiency level selected through random sampling method. The instruments included Motivation for Reading Questionnaire by Mori (2002) and Self-Regulation Questionnaire by Brown et al., (1999). Reading comprehension is assessed founded on the learners’ scores in the reading section of PET. The collected data was analyzed by ANCOVA. The findings revealed that pre-reading and post-reading activities were effective in improving learners’ self-regulation, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Additionally, it can be claimed that the effectiveness of pre-reading and post-reading activities on developing self-regulation and reading motivation can ultimately enhance learners’ reading comprehension. The outcomes of the study could be beneficial for EFL learners and teachers.
research paper
Alireza Bekhrad; Behdokht Mall-Amiri; Nacim Shangarffam
Abstract
Language learning anxiety has gained enormous attention as it has a detrimental role in foreign language learning and creating stress-free contexts for language learning has always been advised. Therefore, being cognizant of strategies to reduce anxiety seems to be of great importance. This study aimed ...
Read More
Language learning anxiety has gained enormous attention as it has a detrimental role in foreign language learning and creating stress-free contexts for language learning has always been advised. Therefore, being cognizant of strategies to reduce anxiety seems to be of great importance. This study aimed at developing and validating a scale for measuring EFL learners’ preferred strategies for reducing their language learning anxiety (LLA) via adopting an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. The participants comprised 200 Iranian EFL learners studying at different proficiency levels, selected on a convenience sampling basis. To develop the items for the scale, 30 EFL learners, randomly selected from the initial 200 ones, were asked about their perceived sources of anxiety and their preferred strategies to reduce their LLA. Content analysis of interviews along with the extant theoretical standpoints and empirical literature led to the development of a 13-item scale for measuring EFL learners’ LLA reducing strategies. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted on the collected data also revealed that the developed three-factor model, including metacognitive, social, and tactile dimensions, fits the Iranian EFL learners’ population. The validated questionnaire may be utilised to familiarize EFL learners with strategies of coping with their anxiety and ultimately measure their perceived use of such strategies.
research paper
Servat Shirkhani; Samaneh Omidi
Abstract
Written corrective feedback has been extensively investigated with regard to its effectiveness, comparison of its different types, and perceptions about its effectiveness. However, few studies have addressed the types of errors receiving corrective feedback (CF) and still much fewer have focused on formulaic ...
Read More
Written corrective feedback has been extensively investigated with regard to its effectiveness, comparison of its different types, and perceptions about its effectiveness. However, few studies have addressed the types of errors receiving corrective feedback (CF) and still much fewer have focused on formulaic errors as targets of CF. Thus, the current study compared formulaic and non-formulaic errors as targets of CF in learner writings. In addition, it examined the CF types provided to these errors. Finally, it sought the effect of a teacher awareness-raising program on teachers' attention to formulaic versus non-formulaic errors and on the CF types used to correct these errors. To achieve these purposes, eight English language teachers from four language institutes were selected through convenience sampling. First, during two sessions, the teachers asked the learners to write two compositions on two writing topics. Next, an awareness-raising program for teachers was run to raise the teacher's awareness level about formulaic and non-formulaic errors and CF types for correcting such errors. Then, the learners were asked to write two other compositions each in one session. The results showed that before the treatment, non-formulaic errors received considerably more CF than formulaic errors and that the percentage of direct CF was more than other CF types. In addition, the study showed that the awareness-raising program for teachers influenced their attention to formulaic errors. The findings of this study indicate that teachers need awareness-raising about the importance of formulaic sequences and about the need for correcting formulaic errors whenever possible.
research paper
Faranak Shapouran; Roya Ranjbar Mohammadi Bonab; Mohammad Hossein Yousefi; Hassan Asadollahfam
Abstract
Teachers' professional learning plays an important role in their attempt to change their teaching practices; however, few studies have been conducted on how teachers prepare themselves for the vast initiatives in ameliorating students' outcomes. This study aimed to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions ...
Read More
Teachers' professional learning plays an important role in their attempt to change their teaching practices; however, few studies have been conducted on how teachers prepare themselves for the vast initiatives in ameliorating students' outcomes. This study aimed to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions toward their professional learning practices and their professional developmental orientations that contribute to the process of their professional learning. To this end, 30 Iranian EFL teachers selected through purposive sampling participated in this qualitative phenomenological study. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and narrative inquiries to ensure the trustworthiness criteria of the data. The thematic analysis of the data revealed three themes of professional development programs, collaborative learning and experience-based learning. The result showed that only a few teachers were satisfied with the school-based professional learning programs, indicating that revision in the educational system was required to develop teachers’ professional learning. Meanwhile, effective learning occurred through collaboration among the teachers and the mutual learning between teachers and students, hence, leading to participative decision-making and teachers' reflective practice. Overall, participants mentioned students' outcomes as a key level of teachers' professional learning. This study has important implications for policymakers, school administrators, and teacher educators.
research paper
Mehri Farzaneh; Farzaneh Khodabandeh; Ehsan Rezvani
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of computer-supported input enhancement techniques on the mastery of parallel structures in essay writing among EFL learners within the contexts of flipped online and face-to-face instruction. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of these techniques is conducted ...
Read More
This study investigates the impact of computer-supported input enhancement techniques on the mastery of parallel structures in essay writing among EFL learners within the contexts of flipped online and face-to-face instruction. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of these techniques is conducted between the two instructional settings. The research involved 75 participants, randomly divided into three groups: flipped online (n=25), flipped face-to-face (n=23), and a control group (n=27). In the flipped online class, students accessed pre-recorded videos one week before class and received online feedback on their essays. In the flipped face-to-face class, students received printed notes highlighting relevant structures for each session. The control group followed their regular instructional method without any specific intervention. At the semester's conclusion, all participants completed a post-test essay assessment to evaluate their proficiency in utilizing parallel structures. The findings reveal that the flipped online group demonstrated the highest proficiency in employing parallel structures, emphasizing the efficacy of computer-supported input enhancement techniques in the online, flipped approach. Additionally, the flipped face-to-face group exhibited improvement compared to the control group, highlighting the potential benefits of input enhancement in the face-to-face flipped approach. These results offer empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of input enhancement techniques and underscore the significance of explicit instruction and practice in language learning. The integration of these techniques by language instructors and curriculum developers holds promise for enhancing the acquisition and application of parallel structures in language learning settings.
research paper
Kofi Nkonkonya Mpuangnan; Gladys Phumzile Mngomezulu; Samantha Govender
Abstract
The form of assessment which grade four teachers use to determine the learning outcomes of the learners who are studying English First Additional Language (EFAL) in South African schools demands urgent attention. This urgency stems from the necessity to critically examine the post-apartheid educational ...
Read More
The form of assessment which grade four teachers use to determine the learning outcomes of the learners who are studying English First Additional Language (EFAL) in South African schools demands urgent attention. This urgency stems from the necessity to critically examine the post-apartheid educational system's assessment practices and how effectively they align with the evolving needs of society. To maintain a more discreet approach, this investigation specifically centered on teachers of EFAL and utilized a qualitative case study methodology. A purposive sampling technique led to the inclusion of 10 grade four EFAL teachers from schools in the King Cetshwayo District for data collection. The primary tool employed for this purpose was a semi-structured interview, skillfully developed to explore the perspectives of teachers and beliefs on assessment techniques. The researchers opted for a thematic analysis approach, allowing for a thorough examination of the data while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the participants. The findings of classwork and teachers predominantly leaned towards traditional approaches such as engaging students through question-and-answer interactions, conducting tests, evaluating classwork, and assessing comprehension abilities. These methods were the primary means through which teachers assessed their students' understanding and performance within the learning environment. The study recommended that diversifying assessment techniques could provide a more comprehensive understanding of learners' development, catering to varying abilities and better addressing individual learning needs.
research paper
Rajab Esfandiari; Omid Allaf-Akbary
Abstract
In recent decades, undivided attention has been drawn to the examination of metadiscourse in different contexts, genres, languages, and disciplines. Nevertheless, a large body of research has been predominantly centred on the qualitative examination of potential metadiscourse markers and their associated ...
Read More
In recent decades, undivided attention has been drawn to the examination of metadiscourse in different contexts, genres, languages, and disciplines. Nevertheless, a large body of research has been predominantly centred on the qualitative examination of potential metadiscourse markers and their associated functions. In the current study, we drew on an embedded design and followed learning-oriented language assessment (LOLA) in the use of interactional metadiscourse markers (IMMs) to better understand metadiscourse use by ectenic (n = 27) and synoptic (n = 30) learners using integrative writing tasks. To that end, 57 intermediate language learners completed Ehrman and Leaver’s (2003) learning style questionnaire. We followed Hyland’s (2019) interpersonal metadiscourse markers to determine the learners’ realisation of metadiscourse in their writing. SPSS (version 25) was run to analyse the quantitative data, and MAXQDA (version 2020) the think-aloud data. The results of chi-square analyses showed that ectenic learners outperformed synoptic ones following LOLA in the employment of IMMs. The results of inductive thematic analyses revealed that synoptic learners benefitted from the utilization of LOLA in employing IMMs in their integrative writing tasks. The findings suggest that the use of LOLA as a pedagogical method can effectively develop the writing proficiency of EFL learners.
