رضا غفارثمر

Previous literature on the study of identity representation in political discourse has been mainly concerned with the spoken discourse and the representation of self. However, the way different groups of political agents represent others’ identities across languages has not attracted much attention. Using Wodak’s (2007) Discourse Historical approach to CDA, the present study investigates the way EL2 and English speaking political actors and researchers in the context of Iran and the U.S represent others’ identities in their political discourse. Through purposive sampling, 28 English political speeches and columns produced by native and non-native (Persian) speakers of English were selected for analysis. The results of CDA, as well as Chi-square tests of statistical significance, indicated there were differences in the quality and quantity of the strategies employed by the two groups of political agents across language groups. EL2 speakers of English used more implicit, covert, anonymous and less transparent as well as more distant representation strategies than English agents who tended to use more explicit, direct and involved strategies. Implications were drawn for ESP material development at an advanced level.

Much interest has recently been directed toward the knowledge of collocations in the field of second language learning since they have been asserted to improve fluency. The current study was intended to examine the effect of verbal and visuospatial working memory spans on the processing of collocations using a Self-Pace Reading Task (SPRT) and relevant working memory tasks. To this end, participants were divided into two distinct groups (high vs. low) based on their scores in the verbal and visuospatial memory tasks. The results of the analyses revealed that there was not a statistically significant difference between high and low verbal memory groups in the processing of collocations. However, a significant difference was witnessed between high and low visuospatial memory groups in their reaction time. These results have important implications for the multi-word processing models and the way collocations should be taught in the classroom.

Code-switching is known to be a widespread phenomenon among bilinguals and in ESL/EFL teaching/learning process; it refers to any alternate use of two codes or languages within the same conversation or even the same utterance. The present study is an attempt to investigatethe functions, types and frequencies of code switching in students discourse in the context of ELT classrooms.The study also explores the relationship between the language proficiency level of the students and their use of code switching. To achieve this end, two groups of students (at two different levels of proficiency) from two classes of general English courses in an institutional program in Oil Ministry Center of Isfahan were selected as participants. All sessions of an entire semester were videotaped. A coding scheme was developed for classifying students’ instances of CS into relevant functions.The data were tabulated, and frequencies and percentages were conducted by SPSS program. The findings indicate that the majority of CS in the classroom is highly purposeful, and related to pedagogical goals. Also, the research found that pedagogical functions were more frequently fulfilled through CS compared to social functions. The findings of this research suggest that code switching is a necessary tool for teachers due to a number of pedagogical considerations in ET classrooms and can give teachers a clue to have a better understanding of student code switching in ELT classrooms and use CS in the direction of teaching and effective learning.

Performance evaluation is one of the important components of each organization, and educational organizations are not the exceptions. Teachers are believed by many researchers as the single most important factor influencing student academic success or failure. Therefore, they need to be at the center of attempts to improve or reform the educational system of any country. Considering the pivotal role of teachers, educational systems need to be assured that teachers perform their best to enhance student learning, and also they should try to improve by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of teachers' practice for further professional development. The present study tries to examine the effectiveness of the current teacher evaluation system in Iran from EFL teachers’ perspectives. For that matter, a survey consisting of both Likert-scaled and open-ended questions was developed based on theoretical underpinnings of purposes for teacher evaluation, experts’ views, and the purposes of foreign language education as stated by the National Curriculum. 423 English language teachers were asked to answer the questions included in the survey. The results indicated the current teacher evaluation system did not contribute to teacher professional development nor could it assure teacher accountability. The results of the study as well as the requirements for developing an alternative model for EFL teacher evaluation are discussed

پژوهش حاضر به بررسی بیان اختلاف در استدلال میان زبان آموزان پیشرفته ی ایران و ارتباط آن با عوامل محیطی می پردازد. داده ها های تحقیق نتیجه استدلال نمیان ۲۶ گقتگوکننده به زبان انگلیسی در سه حالت مختلف: 1) موسسه زبان، 2) محیط خانه، 3) محیط دانشگاه است. نمونه مطالعه بر اساس دسترس پذیری انتخاب شدند. تجزیه و تحلیل این استدلال ها نشان دهنده ی تاثیر عوامل محیطی مانند روابط طرفین و بافت موقعیتی که در آن شرکت کنندگان بحث می کنند، بر نحوه ی ابراز مخالفت بود. نتایج این مطالعه تایید کرد که عمل گفتارمخالفت پیچیده و چند بعدی است و جنبه های مختلف محیط بر بیان آن به عنوان یک عمل گفتار تهدید کننده وجهه طرفین یا بهبود بخش تاثیرگذار خواهند بود. بنابراین در این پژوهش پیشنهاد شد که نمی توان این عمل گفتار را بدون در نظر گرفتن عوامل محیطی مورد مطالعه قرار داد، و نشانگرهای زبانی به سادگی نمی توانند مخالفت را در دسته بندی مودبانه / بی ادبانه یا ترجیحی/غیرترجیحی قرار دهد. این پژوهش همچنین نشان داد که روابط، صفات شخصی، پس زمینه، سطح مهارت زبانی و بافت موقعیتی که در آن استدلال می کنند از عوامل مهم است که تعیین کننده ی مخالفت به عنوان حفظ کننده یا تهدیدکننده ی وجهه هستند.