درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Moving in line with the postulation that metadiscourse (MD) markers help transform a dry and tortuous piece of text into a coherent and reader-friendly one, the researchers in the current study attempted to investigate the effect different metadiscourse markers might have on Iranian EFL learners’ perception of written texts. To this end, 120 undergraduate English students were given three different texts chosen from the most common textbooks in BA, along with their doctored versions (all MD-removed, interactive-removed, and interactional-removed). Each text duo was then accompanied by an 8-item questionnaire following Ifantido’s (2005) lead. The findings, overall, were indicative of the positive role of metadiscourse markers in bringing about EFL learners’ ameliorated text perception. Furthermore, data analysis via ANOVA and LSD tests revealed that texts with both interactive and interactional resources had more effect on learners’ perception. Moreover, it was found that interactive and interactional resources had more or less the same effect on learners’ reactions to texts. To sum it up, in line with the findings of the present study further evidence is garnered in favor of the postulation holding that metadiscourse markers bring about an increased amount of coherence and reader-friendliness in texts.

Abstract: The widespread use of test scores for different educational and social decision making purposes has made the washback effect of tests a distinct educational phenomenon (Cheng, 1997).The high school third grade final exam in the general educational system of Iran has for long been a high stake test designed to assess the achievement of high school graduates in different school subjects. The present study aimed to investigate the washback effect of this nation-wide exam on EFL teachers’ teaching methodology, assessment procedures, and attitudes towards different aspects of the educational system. For this purpose, a researcher made, validated questionnaire was administered to 160 EFL teachers. The results indicated that the third grade nation-wide final exam adversely affects EFL teachers’ teaching methodology and increases teaching to the test effect quite noticeably as they try to teach according to the content and format of the test. The results further showed an even stronger negative effect of the exam on EFL teachers’ assessment procedures. However, the teachers’ attitude towards different aspects of the educational system was not found to be as strongly affected as the other two variables. The findings of the study are of importance for testing and assessment bureaus in charge of extensive high stake tests development. Moreover, raising teachers’ awareness of the drawback of teaching-to-the test effect of such a high stake test might help them improve their teaching and evaluation practices.

This study aimed to investigate the washback effect of three alternative assessment procedures, namely oral-conferences, portfolios, and corpora-based feedback on the writing achievement and attitudes of Iranian EFL university learners. The participants taking part in the study were 156 native Iranian students in a mixed Reading-Writing course. Through the two three-month semesters, the learners were studied in terms of three experimental and one control groups. It should be mentioned that revision was a major component of the pedagogy and learners were asked to incorporate feedback into their revision processes. The findings revealed that the aforementioned assessment procedures led to a significantly better performance of the participants and created a considerable change in their attitudes.

پژوهش حاضر به منظور بررسی ارتباط میان سه متغیر مهم در معلمان زبان انگلیسی و موفقیت دانش آموزان آنها در فراگیری زبان خارجی انجام گردید. بدین منظور، به 105 معلم زبان انگلیسی از شهرهای شیراز و همدان، سه ابزار جهت جمع آوری اطلاعات داده شد: ابزار آموزش تفکر عمیق ( اکبری، بهزادپور، و دادوند، 2010)، پرسشنامه ی نگرش ها و عقاید در کنترل کلاس ((Martin, Yin, & Baldwin, 1998، و پرسشنامه ی راهبردهای یادگیری زبان (Ardasheva & Tretter, 2013). همچنین نمره آزمون نهایی درس زبان انگلیسی2673 دانش آموز پایه سوم دبیرستان این معلمان جمع آوری شد. نتایج آزمون همبستگی پیرسون نشان داد که ارتباط معناداری بین خصوصیات معلمان زبان انگلیسی و موفقیت زبان آموزان آنها وجود دارد. نتایج همچنین نشان داد که میان معلمان مرد و زن از لحاظ میزان تفکر و آگاهی از راهبردهای یادگیری زبان تفاوت معناداری وجود دارد؛ در حالیکه، هیچ تفاوت معناداری میان گرایش های مدیریت کلاس در بین این دو گروه مشاهده نشد. بعلاوه، تجزیه و تحلیل رگرسیون چندگانه نشان داد که این متغیرها، می توانند حدود 47 درصد از واریانس موفقیت دانش آموزان را پیش بینی کند. در نهایت، با توجه به یافته های این پژوهش، پیشنهاداتی عملی جهت افزایش موفقیت زبان اموزان در کلاس های زبان ارئه می شود.

Research has shown that writing skill of Iranian learners is not at a satisfactory level. One of the ways to develop writing ability is improving strategic behavior of learners. The current study set out to compare writing performances and patterns of using metacognitive strategies in bilinguals and monolinguals as well as senior and freshmen students. A total of 176 English major university students took part in the study (88 bilinguals and 88 monolinguals). Data were collected through three instruments: a background questionnaire, a writing metacognitive strategy questionnaire, and participants’ compositions. A two-way factorial ANOVA was used to analyze the data obtained through the strategy questionnaire. Since the composition data were not parametric two Kruskall-Wallis tests were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that bilinguals used more metacognitive strategies and had higher writing scores than monolinguals. In addition, seniors had better writing performance than freshmen while the difference between them in using strategies was not significant. Based on the results it can be concluded that teaching writing metacognitive strategies may result in better writing performance.