research paper
Navid Bahrami Maleki; Ali Akbar Ansarin; Yaser Hadidi
Abstract
Focus on form through oral corrective feedback has been the center of many L2 learning investigations in recent decades. Although research has been abundantly done on the impact of different single-feedback types, not many studies have included combinational feedback strategy, especially as regards the ...
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Focus on form through oral corrective feedback has been the center of many L2 learning investigations in recent decades. Although research has been abundantly done on the impact of different single-feedback types, not many studies have included combinational feedback strategy, especially as regards the mastery of both explicit and implicit knowledge of morpheme ‘s’ by EFL students in Iran. Therefore, the present work attempted to compare the effectiveness of unmarked recast, explicit correction with metalinguistic explanation, and mixed feedback in the expansion of knowledge of third-person singular ‘s’ in Iranian task-based language teaching context in a pretest/posttest design. To this end, forty-eight lower-intermediate learners of EFL were selected as participants. Every feedback type was supplied to an experimental group through story retelling and picture description tasks. Control group, however, was not provided with any intervention and feedback. Untimed grammaticality judgment and elicited oral imitation tests were used as measurement tools. Results of Descriptive Statistics, One-Way Between Groups ANCOVA and Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Post-Hoc Test illustrated that all types of feedback were relatively effective. Nevertheless, mixed feedback and explicit correction with metalinguistic explanation lead to overall acquisition. The insights provided might benefit EFL instructors in Iran in employing the best way(s) of corrective feedback to foster language learning in task-based teaching approach, which can promote Iranian English learners’ acquisition of third person singular ‘s’.
research paper
Zahra Sabaghzade; Neda Fatehi Rad; Leila Anjomshoa
Abstract
With a view to the recent educational developments in addition to the increasing adoption of critical pedagogy (CP) in educational systems worldwide (Grassini, 2023), taking critical digital pedagogy (CDP) in the field of teacher education within the context of Iran offers numerous benefits, like encouraging ...
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With a view to the recent educational developments in addition to the increasing adoption of critical pedagogy (CP) in educational systems worldwide (Grassini, 2023), taking critical digital pedagogy (CDP) in the field of teacher education within the context of Iran offers numerous benefits, like encouraging critical thinking, fostering creativity, building community, and empowering students. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study aimed to develop a technology-laden, critical pedagogy (CP)-based EFL teacher preparation program (TCPTPP). In order to facilitate access to the participants, time limitation, and productivity of the cost effectiveness, 100 male and female teaching-English-as-a-foreign-language (TEFL) experts and 100 male and female EFL teachers participated in the study. To collect the data, the researchers used a semistructured interview and a close-ended questionnaire. Qualitative data analysis was done via open, axial, and selective coding through constant comparative methods. Quantitative data analysis was conducted through structural equation modeling (SEM). Through using grounded theory, a TCPTPP was developed in three main categories including pedagogical, socio-cultural, and criticality-related issues, each consisting of some subcategories. Moreover, the Cronbach’s alpha (.88) revealed that both experts and teachers endorsed the developed program. The findings have implications, redefining the policies and revising the current curriculum for EFL teacher education administrators and using educational technologies with the framework of CDP for curriculum planners and educators.
research paper
Giti Sabadoust; Kobra Tavassoli; Gholamhassan Famil Khalili
Abstract
There is a consensus among researchers and educators that teachers need to be well prepared to improve the quality of education and students’ learning. Nevertheless, little attempt has been made to implement the trends in teachers’ quality assurance (TQA) in the field of language education. ...
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There is a consensus among researchers and educators that teachers need to be well prepared to improve the quality of education and students’ learning. Nevertheless, little attempt has been made to implement the trends in teachers’ quality assurance (TQA) in the field of language education. To overcome this gap, the researchers developed a questionnaire on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ quality assurance to underscore the role of TQA as a valuable part of teachers’ professional knowledge. First, the researchers developed 51 items based on a thorough review of the literature on TQA and interviewing 10 TEFL university professors. Next, the 51-item questionnaire was reviewed and revised based on the university professors’ comments. Then, 52 EFL teachers, who were selected based on convenient sampling, answered the questionnaire in the piloting phase. Subsequently, after refining the items, 207 EFL teachers chosen through convenient sampling responded to the revised questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis were applied to evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the questionnaire, respectively. The results showed that the items loaded on four components, which were named as “skills and knowledge, students’ learning and classroom management, working collaboratively, and students’ needs and feelings”. The good results of the reliability and construct validity of the questionnaire imply its potential use to evaluate TQA consistently. Moreover, the EFL teachers’ high agreement with the questionnaire items showed their awareness of the importance of TQA. The findings of this study can offer insights to second language teachers and teacher educators.
research paper
Masoume Ahmadi; Nasser Sabourianzadeh; Mobina Nazari
Abstract
Reciprocal learning, nurtured within a community of practice, is a cornerstone of teacher professional development. Despite extensive research on mentor-led support for student teacher (ST) professional development, the reciprocal potential of STs to transform and shape mentor teachers' (MTs) practices ...
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Reciprocal learning, nurtured within a community of practice, is a cornerstone of teacher professional development. Despite extensive research on mentor-led support for student teacher (ST) professional development, the reciprocal potential of STs to transform and shape mentor teachers' (MTs) practices remains largely unexplored. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the distinct perspectives of practicum students (PSs) concerning their ability to empower and support in-service teachers, exploring the impact of STs on the professional development of their MTs. A maximum variation sampling technique was employed to recruit 57 Iranian STs from diverse majors at Farhangian University. All participants had completed a minimum of 10 weeks of supervised teaching practice sessions at schools. In-depth focus group interviews were conducted to collect data, and the thematic analysis approach was adopted to analyze the data using NVivo software version 10. The results demonstrated how the STs, armed with new insights and pedagogical expertise, were invaluable collaborators in accelerating the professional development of their MTs. This collaboration was particularly evident in essential teaching competencies, such as communication, planning and organization, assessment, classroom management, and specialized knowledge and skills in the subject matter and technology. The findings reinforce the effectiveness of practicum placements in developing higher-quality in-service teacher training programs. Policymakers and authorities are encouraged to consider these findings to improve the impact of STs in practicum courses, thus promoting the overall quality of teacher education and teaching practices.
research paper
Vahid Norouzi Larsari; Farahman Farrokhi
Abstract
The realm of education has experienced significant transformation driven by swift advancements in technology, leading to the rise of virtual learning as a key instructional approach. Within this context, the Flipped Classroom (FC) model has gained prominence as a modern and innovative methodology. This ...
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The realm of education has experienced significant transformation driven by swift advancements in technology, leading to the rise of virtual learning as a key instructional approach. Within this context, the Flipped Classroom (FC) model has gained prominence as a modern and innovative methodology. This model inverts the traditional classroom structure, contrasting with conventional classroom practices by frequently incorporating instructional content through videos or PowerPoint presentations. The study investigated the effect of FC model on sixth-grade students’ self-efficacy in Iran. Employing a quantitative research approach, 100 male sixth graders aged 12-13 were chosen in accordance with their English proficiency Test scores. Then, these participants were divided into a control group, experiencingtraditional classroom teaching, and an experimental group, undergoing FC instruction using the Shad application platform. The study spanned two months, covering key English Grammar objectives. Both groups took a pre-test at the beginning, followed by 16 sessions of grammar instruction. A post-test assessed the teaching impact. Independent-Samples t-tests compared the two groups’ post-test means. The findings demonstrated a significant performance improvement in the experimental group when compared to the control group. This suggests potential benefits for educators, policymakers, and institutions in adopting FC methods to improve academic literacy and student perceptions of virtual learning.
research paper
Tahereh Movahhedi; Amir Sarkeshikian; Mohammad Golshan
Abstract
Although critical English for academic purposes (CEAP) has grown theoretically, more research is needed to explore it in more depth. This sequential mixed-methods study primarily aimed to examine whether the CEAP and traditional English for academic purposes (EAP) have different impacts on Iranian university ...
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Although critical English for academic purposes (CEAP) has grown theoretically, more research is needed to explore it in more depth. This sequential mixed-methods study primarily aimed to examine whether the CEAP and traditional English for academic purposes (EAP) have different impacts on Iranian university students' English reading comprehension, and (if yes) whether it is discipline-specific. This study also intended to explore how traditional EAP students’ preferences aligned with the CEAP principles. To this end, a sample of 100 Iranian university students of computer sciences and architecture with intermediate level of English proficiency was initially selected through convenience sampling. They were then randomly assigned to two control groups and two experimental groups, consisting of 25 participants each. Then, two piloted researcher-made reading tests were administered to all groups as a pre-test. The experimental computer sciences and architecture groups were taught using the CEAP pedagogy. Hence, the syllabus was negotiated based on the CEAP principles. The control computer sciences and architecture groups received the traditional EAP as their placebos. They were taught the curricular textbooks. After the treatment, all groups were asked to complete their posttests. Two-way ANOVA results indicated that the CEAP groups significantly outperformed the traditional EAP groups on the posttests. It was also found that the effect of the CEAP pedagogy was not discipline-specific. Additionally, the results of qualitative data analysis revealed a lack of preference for the traditional EAP programs among the interviewees in favor of the CEAP. Implications are offered for EAP teachers, students, and material developers.
research paper
Samaneh Yadollahi; Amirsaeid Moloodi; Mohammad Rahimi
Abstract
Error-tagged learner corpora are helpful resources in language teaching, providing authentic samples of learners' errors. This longitudinal study aims to investigate accuracy development in three subsequent writing performances of Iranian EFL learners across beginner, intermediate, and advanced proficiency ...
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Error-tagged learner corpora are helpful resources in language teaching, providing authentic samples of learners' errors. This longitudinal study aims to investigate accuracy development in three subsequent writing performances of Iranian EFL learners across beginner, intermediate, and advanced proficiency levels. This investigation involved developing and annotating the first error–tagged English written learner corpus for Iranian EFL learners, followed by analyzing the errors. The current corpus includes 35747 tokens from 219 written texts, manually transcribed and annotated based on the latest version of the Louvain Error Tagging Manual. A total of 6917 errors were identified. The developmental patterns of all error categories were detected using potential occasion analysis, specifically focusing on the most frequent error types (i.e., articles, noun numbers, and personal pronoun errors). The results indicated that grammar, lexical, and word redundant/missing/order errors increase significantly as proficiency levels increase. Conversely, form, lexico-grammatical, and punctuation errors exhibited a U-shaped trend, rising from beginner to intermediate levels and declining from intermediate to advanced levels.Additionally, the accuracy of article and noun number usage improved from beginner to intermediate levels but showed little or no change from intermediate to advanced levels, suggesting that higher proficiency levels did not lead to much improvement in this area. However, there was a significant decrease in personal pronoun accuracy from beginner to intermediate levels, followed by a slight increase from intermediate to advanced levels. This study reveals error patterns across different proficiency levels, offering guidance for teachers to adapt their writing instruction methods and enhance learners’ writing accuracy.
Research Paper
Language Skills and subskills
Davoud Amini; Mahsa Rahmani Asl; Abolfazl Ghasemzadeh
Abstract
The brain-based learning (BBL) approach refers to a learning method which attends to the structural and functional properties of the brain when involved in learning. The proponents of BBL approach in language teaching have proposed a set of strategies in line with neuroscientific findings regarding the ...
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The brain-based learning (BBL) approach refers to a learning method which attends to the structural and functional properties of the brain when involved in learning. The proponents of BBL approach in language teaching have proposed a set of strategies in line with neuroscientific findings regarding the qualities of optimal language learning. Numerous studies have attested to effectiveness of these neuroeducational techniques. The present study attempted to investigate the effect of brain-based vocabulary teaching activities on EFL learners’ vocabulary retention and recall. The participants were 60 high school students in the Iranian EFL context selected via convenience sampling. The experimental group received 14 sessions of instruction in accordance with the BBL strategies suggested by Caine and Caine (1994). The findings revealed that the brain-compatible approach to teaching L2 vocabulary improved learners’ vocabulary retention. However, the intervention failed to have a significant effect on vocabulary recall. The divergent finding regarding the recall and retention of vocabulary is attributed to the intrinsic nature of productive vocabulary in developing in the long run as a result of deep emotional and cognitive engagement. The data collected with the perception questionnaire revealed that the majority of the participants demonstrated positive attitudes toward BBL strategies. Neuroeducational strategies facilitate vocabulary learning as a result of involving learners in deep emotional and cognitive engagement. Therefore, they should make up an integral aspect of foreign language teacher education programs. It is suggested that the synergic effects of the composure of BBL strategies for L2 teaching be investigated in relation to individual differences.
