درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

As one of the most prominent components of native-like language use, lexical bundles play a crucial role in academic texts. Considering the amount of written language produced by writers, this study explored lexical bundles in non-native and native academic reports. To that end, 100 sample reports of non-native and native writers taken from the Michigan Corpus of Upper-level Student Papers (MICUSP) were selected and analyzed to find non-native and native writers’ use of lexical bundles regarding frequency, structure, and function. Results indicated that native writers generally used a more extensive variety of lexical bundles in their reports. Regarding the structure of bundles, both non-native and native writers tended to employ more noun phrases with of-phrase fragments. In terms of the functions of bundles, both groups of writers tended to use more research-oriented bundles, followed by text-oriented and participant-oriented bundles, respectively. Findings highlight the value of fixed expressions in producing coherent academic texts by proficient writers, hence their importance in materials design and second language instruction.  

This bibliometric analysis explores the integration of semiotics within educational contexts, highlighting a transformative shift towards multifaceted understandings of knowledge construction through language, multimodality, and educational transformation. Drawing on 1823 publications from the Web of Science database, this study employs both co-citation and co-word analysis to reveal prevalent themes and keywords in the field of semiotics in education. The co-citation analysis highlights the evolution of semiotic theories and their application in educational practices, from foundational concepts introduced by pioneers such as Saussure and Peirce to modern interpretations that consider the impact of digital technologies on semiotic resources. Co-word analysis, on the other hand, uncovers key research topics such as multimodality, multiliteracies, and the role of technology in mediating semiotic learning processes. This investigation is novel in its comprehensive approach to mapping the semiotic landscape in education through bibliometric methods, offering insights into how semiotic theories shape educational practices and outcomes, especially in language teaching and learning. By synthesizing findings from diverse research clusters, this study emphasizes the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach to understand the dynamic interaction between semiotics, technology, and learning. It contributes to advancing educational research by highlighting the transformative potential of semiotics in crafting more engaging, inclusive, and effective learning environments in the digital era.

This study explores the impact of supplementary blended learning on the listening comprehension skills of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. A sample of 60 male Iranian EFL learners was selected from a population of 100 learners studying English at Pardis Language Institute, Hamadan, Iran, via double-stage sampling. After being selected, participants were sorted into two groups, that is, a control group and an experimental group. In the treatment sessions, all participants listened to parts of the American English File (book 2). The participants in the control group received the usual procedure of teaching listening in the institute. In the experimental group, the students received target language input via videos and supplementary reading materials before classes so that they had sufficient exposure to the input. The listening topics were uploaded on a common social networking site, i.e., the telegram application, which was also reserved for giving teachers feedback on the students’ questions. The results of the data analysis showed that supplemental blended learning had a statistically significant effect on EFL learners’ listening comprehension. In other words, the research question was answered positively, and the corresponding null hypothesis was rejected.

Many aspects of EFL teaching are negatively influenced by professional identity challenges which are not effectively responded to by EFL teachers. Considering this, few studies, however, have been conducted on EFL teachers’ professional identity challenges, and especially on their gender-specific challenges, and factors which can facilitate their professional identity construction. Therefore, this study, benefitting from a narrative inquiry method and using semi-structured interviews, aimed to examine the professional identity gender-specific challenges of six institute EFL teachers. The findings of this study showed that EFL male and female teachers were different in relation to the professional challenges they faced and a number of factors had caused this. Based on the overall findings, it is recommended that EFL teacher educators become aware of the challenges faced by teachers and factors which can affect their professional identity construction. Additionally, they need to help EFL teachers reduce the destructive effects of professional identity challenges by facing them and turning them into opportunities for learning. 

The advent of AI technologies has been influential on the quality of language learning in EFL contexts. A plethora of studies have explored the employment of AI bots in academic writing. Yet, exploring the strategies employed by Iranian EFL learners while using an AI bot to complete academic IELTS writing task 2 has been underestimated. To address the lacuna, this qualitative study computer-recorded eleven participants’ interactions with AI bot to identify the strategies they employed to complete academic IELTS writing task 2. The researchers intended to clarify the intricacies of the human-AI interactions and infer the potential contributions of AI bots for academic writing in EFL settings. The findings revealed that despite the employment of several strategies by the participants to compose high-quality writing tasks, none of them fully trusted the AI outputs to use them without post-editing. They considered the AI bot as a writing assistant, used some revised segments of AI responses and added their own words respectively. The pedagogical implications for language teaching in general, and IELTS-oriented practices in particular to take advantage of the emerging AI technologies for better educational outcomes are provided. Moreover, avenues for future research on AI-assisted Language Learning (AILL) are suggested.

This study seeks to investigate the role and impact of translators in the (anthropological) field during research conducted by foreign anthropologists in Iran. To achieve this, a questionnaire, an apparent open-ended one with six items, was distributed to 30 anthropologists who conducted field research in Iran, aiming to identify invisible interpreters/translators, including local informants, who assisted researchers in overcoming language barriers and communicating with participants during anthropological fieldwork. Given that anthropologists are typically trained to work independently without the aid of translators, certain participants displayed hesitancy in discussing the subject matter. Anthropologists who completed the questionnaire and said they conducted the research without utilizing translators in the field cited their fluency in the local language, perceiving translators as impediments, and their accessibility as the main reasons for their approach. Nevertheless, some of these researchers emphasized the potential benefits of using translators, particularly in terms of enhancing comprehension. Conversely, there were anthropologists who found value in engaging both formal and informal translators, as they served as gateways to communication. As an interdisciplinary study, this article endeavors to shed light on a relatively unexplored aspect of anthropology, namely translation. It is crucial to acknowledge and engage in further discussion regarding the collaboration between professionals from different disciplines, including Translation Studies and anthropology, within various scientific journals and conferences.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of a gamification-enhanced language classroom within the context of Moodle in promoting extrinsic and intrinsic motivational attributes of language learners. A total of 220 language learners from different universities in Iran were recruited as the participants and randomly assigned to the gamification-enhanced (n= 114) and control groups (n= 106). Over the eight weeks of treatment, the experimental group members were taught using various gamified tasks and activities through the gamified Moodle LMS. A motivational orientation scale was administered before and after the intervention. The results of ANCOVAs demonstrated a significant boost in the extrinsic motivation of language learners, including external, introjected, and identified regulation. Furthermore, the study confirmed that the integration of gamification has resulted in a higher level of intrinsic motivation for the participants in the areas of knowledge, accomplishment, and stimulation. The relevant pedagogical implications and directions for future studies are discussed.

This study investigates the impact of teachers’ rapport on classroom interactions and students’ participation in class activities, comparing experienced and novice EFL teachers. Rapport, defined as a positive, harmonious relationship between teacher and students, is often cited as critical for effective communication and a supportive learning environment. Despite the extensive literature emphasizing the importance of rapport in enhancing student engagement, motivation, and classroom dynamics, limited research has explored the role of teaching experience in moderating these effects. The study involved 40 EFL teachers (20 experienced and 20 novice) from Safir Language Academy in Tehran, with data collected through classroom observations. An independent t-test was used to analyze the differences in classroom interaction and student participation between the two groups. The findings indicate no significant difference between experienced and novice teachers in terms of the impact of rapport on classroom interactions and student participation. The study’s results challenge previous research, suggesting that the level of teacher rapport, regardless of experience, does not significantly influence classroom dynamics or student engagement. These findings imply that other factors may play a more substantial role in shaping classroom interactions and participation, warranting further investigation into the complexities of teacher-student relationships and their effects on learning outcomes.

Dans sa première œuvre, Les cerfs-volants de Kaboul, Khaled Hosseini, écrivain d’origine afghane d’expression anglaise, pratique un bilinguisme singulier dont la particularité réside dans l’usage du farsi au sein d’une narration en langue anglaise mais qui fait croire à un espace langagier monolingue où les locuteurs s’expriment effectivement en farsi. Est singulière aussi la traduction persane de cette œuvre qui doit ramener le texte à sa langue-culture d’origine. La question qui se pose alors est de savoir quelles peuvent être les particularités d’une telle traduction où le traducteur partage la langue maternelle de l’auteur et que le rapport classique entre l’Autre et le Soi est donc inversée. Pour étudier ce phénomène, nous avons choisi la traduction de Mahdi Ghabraii qui jouit d’un accueil favorable de la part des lecteurs iraniens. L’analyse des exemples relevés dans la traduction nous montre que le traducteur fait subir des modifications à l’original qui définissent une autre éthique en traduction et qui prouvent définitivement que le rapatriement et donc la communication peuvent être ici considérés comme le seul projet du traducteur, perçus d’ailleurs comme positifs.

The growing interest in learning English language as an international language through international textbooks has necessitated the need for the evaluation of the cultural content embedded in English coursebooks. With regard to the close interrelation of language and culture, this study investigated the extent to which cultural aspects are represented in two international EFL textbooks. To this end, content analysis was used to analyze two commercial coursebooks (i.e., Summit 1a and Viewpoint 1), which are used in Iranian language institutes. The results of the directed content analysis revealed that two subcategories emerged from the content analysis (i.e., technology and environment), which were coded as an off-list category. Therefore, it was found that the reevaluation and extension of Stern’s (1993) framework for culture is necessary. Moreover, the results of the quantitative content analysis showed that there was not a balanced representation of cultural aspects in the selected coursebooks and the most frequent element was individual values in life. In addition, it was found that there was significant variation between the two coursebooks in the representation of culture. The study concluded that more in-depth investigation of cultural content is needed to develop cultural awareness of language learners. This study has implications for language material developers, language teachers, and language learners.

 On the Elaboration of Contexts of Situation with Special Reference toRequesting Strategies in BaliI Made Netra  , I Made Suastra  , & I Putu SutamaAbstractOver the last two decades, the study of meaning has been done utilizing context of situation. It has been practiced in determining the speaker’s meanings in languages around the world. However, this research attempts to develop an elaborated form of context of situation in a culture-specific Balinese language and to explicate the speaker’s meaning bound by the elaborated context. To this end, an approach of participatory observation was applied which  was qualitative and  descriptive in nature. The data were collected from respondents and informants of Buleleng and Gianyar regencies,considering that although they share the same language, their understanding on requesting strategies, however, might be different. Requesting strategies in Balinese is contextually bound by a given and elaborated context of situation, which is referred to as Desa Kala Patra functioning both as a context of situation and an adjustment for language effectiveness.  The elaborated context is immensely applicable to different requests. The requests are articulated based on the Balinese cultural scripts. Again, as an elaborated context of situation, Desa Kala Patra can bind the requesting strategies.  As an adjustment for language effectiveness, Desa Kala Patra can mostly shift the direct strategies into indirect ones. Indirect requests can be expressed by asking, tag-questioning, giving information, giving advice, providing alternative points, offering, complaining, greeting, and inviting. The practices of requesting are configured by low-level scripts using exponents of philosophical aspects, Desa Kala Patra itself, “ if/then” condition, mechanism, results, and concluding statement.

Teachers play a pivotal role in the instruction-assessment process. Knowing EFL teachers’ conceptualizations of the role of assessment as well as their own role in the implementation of assessment is very critical. Accordingly, the current study aimed to compare Iranian EFL public high school teachers’ literacy and perceptions of dynamic assessment with those of English language institute teachers. In so doing, 45 (23 high school, 22 institute) English teachers, teaching in Lahijan, Iran were selected according to convenience sampling method. The teachers were invited to cooperate and participate in the study and fill out the questionnaire sent via social network like WhatsApp and Telegram. In addition, nine teachers (five high school, four institute teachers) were selected through purposive sampling to participate in a semi-structured interview with five questions posed through the above-mentioned social networks. A researcher-adapted questionnaire with 23 items in a Likert-type scale was utilized to collect data. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were achieved through experts’ opinion and Cronbach Alpha, respectively. Having collected the data, descriptive and inferential statistics of the findings showed that although both groups of teachers had a realistic view about the application of dynamic assessment due to its practicality and social acceptance, the teachers in two different contexts of teaching had different rates of literacy and perceptions of dynamic assessment. Furthermore, the difference in the two groups of teachers’ perceptions of dynamic assessment practicality was significantly different. The institute teachers enjoyed a higher average of both literacy and perceptions of dynamic assessment practicality in their classrooms. This study echoes the teachers’ voices, and as in the wake of new forms of curricular policy in many parts of the world, teachers are increasingly required to be agents of change that would hopefully encourage change at the discipline and in the institutional level.