درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The process of globalization entails the acquisition of a construct, cultural intelligence, with which EFL students can function appropriately in intercultural situations. This study was, first, intended to find the relationship between cultural intelligence and the use of expressions of gratitude by Iranian EFL learners. Second, it sought to determine whether there were any significant differences between low and high culturally intelligent EFL learners in the way they used expressions of gratitude in English. To this end, 118 intermediate learners were selected through convenient sampling, with their proficiency level being controlled. A discourse completion test (DCT) for the expressions of gratitude and a cultural intelligence scale were given to the participants of the study. Learners’ DCT responses were rated on a five-point Likert scale and then analyzed. Statistical tests including Pearson Correlation Coefficient and t-test were used to investigate the research questions. The results of the analysis revealed that there was not a significant relationship, either positive or negative, between cultural intelligence and use of expressions of gratitude. Furthermore, no difference was found between the two groups, high and low culturally intelligent, in the way they used English expressions of gratitude. These findings have implications for the instruction of pragmatic competence.

This paper aimed at probing the implementation of portfolio assessment in the writing classroom in an attempt to examine its effect(s) on EFL learners’ metadiscourse awareness. It addressed the following questions: Does portfolio assessment as a teaching technique have positive wash back effect on the participants’ achievement in their writing ability in an academic context? And to what extent do the students develop metadiscourse awareness in their writing by the treatment of portfolio assessment? The participants were the students of English literature enrolled for their composition course. After being homogenized for their proficiency level, they were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG). As the treatment, portfolio assessment was employed as the teaching technique for the experimental group. Data was then subjected to different statistical procedures. The results of data analysis revealed that the participants in the EG outperformed those in the CG with regard to the achievement in their overall writing ability. Second, based on chi-square results, participants in the EG used metadiscourse markers more correctly and efficiently compared with those in the CG. The results of the present study may have some implications for teaching of writing to EFL learners.

Lewis (1993) recognized significance of word combinations including collocations by presenting lexical approach. Because of the crucial role of collocation in vocabulary acquisition, this research set out to evaluate the rate of collocations in Iranian EFL learners' writing production across L1 and L2. In addition, L1 interference with L2 collocational use in the learner' writing samples was studied. To achieve this goal, 200 Persian EFL learners at BA level were selected. These participants were taking paragraph writing and essay writing courses in two successive semesters. As for the data analysis, mid-term, final exam, and also the assignments of L2 learners were evaluated. Because of the nominal nature of the data, chi-square test was utilized for data analysis. Then, the rate of lexical and grammatical collocations was calculated. Results showed that the lexical collocations outnumbered the grammatical collocations. Different categories of lexical collocations were also compared with regard to their frequencies in EFL writing production. The rate of the verb-noun and adjective-noun collocations appeared to be the highest and noun-verb collocations the lowest. The results also showed that L1 had both positive and negative effect on the occurrence of both grammatical and lexical collocations.

Like conversation and other modes of communication, writing is a rich medium for gender performance. In fact, writing functions to construct the disciplines as well as the gender of its practitioners. Despite the significance of author gender, as one constitutive dimension of any writing, it has been relatively under-researched. One way, by means of which author gender is practiced, and revealed in written discourse, is the incorporation and use of metadiscoursal categories. Examining 20 applied linguistics research articles (10 written by native male English writers and 10 written by native female English writers), the present study sought to examine whether male and female native English writers differed in their use of metadiscoursal elements. For this purpose, Hyland’s (2005) model of metadiscourse was employed as an analytical framework to identify the type of metadiscoursal elements. The results of Independent samples t-test showed that English male and female writers did not differ significantly in their overall use of metadiscourse; but, significant differences were observed in categorical distribution of metadiscoursal elements. The findings of the study can provide a sound basis for the development of pedagogical materials.

Underlying the recently developed notions of applied ELT and life syllabus is the idea that language classes should give precedence to learners’ life qualities, for instance emotional intelligence (EI), over and above their language skills. By so doing, ELT is ascribed an autonomous status and ELT classes can lavish their full potentials to the learners. With that in mind, this study aimed to design and validate a scale for appraising the current English language learning textbooks with respect to EI competencies. Having used several psychological models of EI, the authors developed a 44-item scale. The scale was then disseminated to in-service EFL teachers at non-profit language institutes in Iran. Rasch rating scale model was utilized to substantiate the construct validity of the scale. Three items, two representing impulse control and one pertaining to adaptability, misfitted the model, requiring to be pruned. The results also showed that the 6-point Likert scale functioned effectively. The scale is therefore a unidimensional and valid instrument with considerable implications for language teachers, syllabus designers, and materials developers.

این تحقیق به موضوع برداشت زبان آموزان از سطح دشواری تکالیف آموزشی می پردازد. بیست زبان آموز ایرانی بطور داوطلبانه در این پژوهش شرکت نمودند. محققین با استفاده از مدل های تعیین دشواری تکالیف آموزشی موجود، چهار تکلیف روایی که در چهار سطح دشواری مختلف بودند بطور عملی تعریف کرند. پس از انجام تکالیف، شرکت کنندگان مورد مصاحبه قرار گرفتند. بر اساس بررسی کمی داده ها پنج معیار کلی زبان آموزان در تعیین سطح دشواری تکالیف روایی مشخص گردید. به منظور بررسی قابلیت مدل های موجود در انعکاس عوامل موثر بر دشواری تکالیف آموزشی، معیارهای بدست آمده در قالب چارچوب های اسکین و رابینسون قرار گرفتند. در این ارتباط، درون مایه های شناسایی شده ازدیدگاه تئوری زاویه شناختی و پردازش اطلاعات تحلیل شده و نتایج عملی مرتبط با امر آموزش زبان خارجی مورد بحث قرار گرفتند.

این پژوهش برای ارزیابی فایده نسبی دانش واژگان و دانش نحو به عنوان پیش بینی کننده های عملکرد در خواندن و درک مطلب انجام شد. علاوه بر این، رابطه دو جانبه دانش نحو و دانش واژگان و عملکرد در خواندن و درک مطلب بررسی شد. شرکت کنندگان تحقیق 159 دانش آموز پسر سال اول و دوم دبیرستان در ایران بودند. داده های مطالعه از طریق بخش خواندن و درک مطلب نسخه ای قبلی از آزمون زبان انگلیسی مقدماتی (2004)، آزمون سطوح دانش واژگان، آزمون وابسته های لغت و آزمون دانش نحو جمع آوری شد. طبق نتایج، هم نمرات دستور زبان و هم نمرات واژگان با نمرات خواندن و درک مطلب همبستگی مثبت داشتند. همچنین نمرات واژگان با نمرات خواندن و درک مطلب همبستگی معناداری داشتند اما همبستگی بین نمرات دانش نحو و نمرات خواندن و درک مطلب قوی تر بود. تحلیل داده ها نشان داد که دانش نحو بخش بزرگتری از واریانس خواندن و درک مطلب را پوشش می دهد. برای بررسی قدرت دامنه/عمق دانش واژگان یا دانش نحو در پیش بینی عملکرد خواندن و درک مفاهیم آزمون تحلیل واریانس چند متغیره انجام شد. شاخص های بتا نشان داد که دانش دستور زبان کمک معناداری به خواندن و درک مطلب کرد اگر چه متغیر های دیگر واریانس آزمون خواندن را پوشش دادند. یافته های این پژوهش شناخت جدیدی در مورد نقش مهم دانش دستور زبان آموزان به عنوان عاملی میانجی در خواندن و درک مطلب در سطح پایینتر از متوسط فراهم می کنند.