درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to assess the retention of two word types (synonyms and homonyms) in the short term memory, and (b) to investigate the effect of these word types on word learning by asking learners to learn their Persian meanings. A total of 73 Iranian language learners studying English translation participated in the study. For the first purpose, 36 freshmen from an intact class were presented with two lists of words with their Persian meanings. One of the list included 5 pairs of synonyms and the other one included 5 pairs of homonyms. They were asked to retain as much vocabulary items as they can. Learning was measured by lexical representations of the words. The results showed that learners did better on the retention of homonyms than synonyms. For the second purpose, 37 sophomores from an intact class were provided with 40 words in pairs (20 synonyms and 20 homonyms). They were asked to write their Persian meanings in the testing session. The results indicated that students did better on learning synonyms than homonyms. The study revealed that homonyms are better retrieved in short term memory but learned more slowly regarding to the semantic representation.

Despite the importance of hedging in academic productions, its use in different disciplines and genres has been given little attention (Hyland, 1998; Crystal, 1995). More precisely, the role of different genders as contributors to this social phenomenon (i.e., research articles) has been taken as neutral, as if gender is inconsequential in identity construction. The studies done in English suggest that females’ language is proportionately more hedged. So hedging has been claimed to be a strategy that is used mostly by female writers than male writers. To examine the role of gender in text construction, we investigated the linguistic realizations of the identities reflected in male and female authors’ preferences for hedging words in the research articles in applied linguistics. To this end, 130 single-authored research articles written in the field of applied linguistics were examined. The results revealed significant differences between two sets of articles in using hedges. Statistical analysis revealed that female authors’ articles were significantly (i.e., p-value of 0.000) more hedged as compared with those of males. Furthermore, it is suggested that the hedging words that are used in these articles could be used as an index through which gender of the author is identified.

The present study compares the performance of two TEFL reading classes: one taking place in a regular classroom and the other held in a computer lab, with the learners practicing reading online. The results of an independent samples t-test showed that the difference between the learners’ scores on their reading comprehension post-tests and pretests did not differ statistically significantly from one group to the other, indicating that the two groups’ progress was similar during the one-term period of instruction. In addition to this, learner interviews and teacher observations showed that some of the challenges of practicing reading in a computer lab included an over-reliance on copy/pasting; time wasted and stress induced due to Internet/technology problems, phobia, or lack of expertise; distractions created through working with technology; and occasional lack of learners’ awareness of the benefits of online reading. Yet, despite all this, reading online seems to have benefits which make it worth all the difficulties and extra effort.

The present study is a research which explores the relationship between introversion/extroversion and the use of vocabulary learning strategies. The participants were 80 male and female EFL students of University of Sistan and Baluchestan who had studied EFL at the university for at least two years and were randomly selected. The participants were selected after excluding those who got L scores of above 4 or 5 from the EPI personality inventory. They were then divided into two groups of introverts and extroverts based on the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). The independent sample t-test was run to examine if there is a significant relationship between the students’ personality type (intro/extra) and their use of vocabulary learning strategies. It was found that there is no difference between introverts and extroverts in the overall use of vocabulary learning strategies as well as in the use of cognitive, memory, and social strategies. However, a significant difference was found between these two groups in the use of determination strategies. It was also found that of the four categories, determination strategies were the most frequently used category by all the participants. The results also revealed that extroverts used vocabulary learning strategies more frequently than their introverted counterparts.

این تحقیق به بررسی منابع اصلی کاهنده انگیزه دانش آموزان ایرانی در یادگیری زبان دوم و سنجش رابطه بین کاهش انگیزه و جنسیت و مقطع تحصیلی دانش آموزان می پردازد. به منظور یافتن عوامل اصلی کاهنده انگیزه پرسشنامه ای با 32 سوال پنج گزینه ای تدوین و توسط 327 دانش آموز دختر و پسر تکمیل شد. به منظور بررسی عوامل اساسی پرسشنامه تحلیل عامل اکتشافی انجام شد. بر اساس نتایج پنج دسته از عوامل کاهنده انگیزه شناسایی شدند: مطالب مواد و امکانات اموزشی، نگرش نسبت به جامعه انگلیسی زبان، معلم، تجربه شکست، نگرش نسبت به یادگیری زبان دوم. به منظور بررسی عوامل کاهنده انگیزه در رابطه با جنسیت و مقطع آموزشی دانش آموزان دو تحلیل واریانس یک طرفه انجام شدند. یافته ها تفاوت معناداری بین دانش آموزان دختر و پسر در مورد سه عامل کاهنده انگیزه نشان دادند. تفاوت معناداری بین دانش آموزان در مقاطع تحصیلی مختلف نسبت به سه عامل کاهنده انگیزه مشاهده شد. در پایان، یک تحلیل واریانس چند متغیره به منظور بررسی تفاوتهای بین دانش آموزان دختر و پسر در مقاطع تحصیلی یکسان در مورد عوامل کاهنده انگیزه انجام شد. تفاوت معناداری بین دانش آموزان دختر و پسر در مقاطع تحصیلی مختلف نسبت به همه عوامل کاهنده انگیزه جز یک مورد یافته شد.

مقاله حاضر به بررسی رؤیا در رمان مارسل پروست می پردازد. رؤیا تصویری ناخودآگاه است که در هنگام خواب ایجاد می گردد. پس این ارتباط بین رؤیا و خلق ادبی است که مورد نظر ماست. برای این منظور به ترتیب ارتباط بین رؤیا و واقعیت، ارتباط بین رؤیا (خیال پردازی در شب) و خاطره ی ناخواسته (خیال پردازی در روز) و نقش رؤیا در شناخت «من پنهان» یا «من عمیق» مطالعه می شود. همچنین به بررسی رؤیا از دیدگاه فروید در رمان مارسل پروست می پردازیم. در نهایت به این نتیجه می رسیم که رؤیا نیز به مانند خاطره ناخواسته، از طریق کشف من عمیق به خلق استعاره ی ادبی که یکی از اصلی ترین ویژگی های سبک مارسل پروست است منتهی می شود؛ و این همان نقش رؤیا در خلق ادبی است.

The effect of error feedback on the accuracy of output task types such as editing task, text reconstruction task, picture cued writing task, and dictogloss task, has not been clearly explored. Following arguments concerning that the combination of both corrective feedback and output makes it difficult to determine whether their effects were in combination or alone, the purpose of the present study is to document the role of teachers’ feedback in improving the accuracy of linguistic form in output tasks and in acquiring target form. To this end, this study compared three groups of Iranian intermediate learners (N= 93), one with direct grammar feedback, the other one with indirect grammar feedback and the last one with no grammar feedback. In terms of the target form uptake from first to subsequent text reconstruction tasks, the analysis of the data obtained within ten treatment sessions indicated that the participants, who received written corrective feedback compared to those who did not, progressed significantly from the first to the subsequent output tasks. In terms of learning, the learners who had the opportunities for receiving feedback performed significantly better than those in non- feedback condition on the production and recognition post- tests although explicit feedback rather than implicit feedback led to greater learning of target form on the production test, but no significant differences were found in relative efficacy of the two written corrective feedback types as far as the result of the recognition test was concerned.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) are developing branches of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Iran. These branches have a marginal status in the tertiary education, and the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology’s high commission offers no clear guidance for selecting and developing basic academic instructional materials related to the linguistic or communicative standards expected by teachers (Mazdayasna & Tahririan, 2008). This paper tries to evaluate an ESP textbook written for BSc students of physics entitled, ‘English for the students of physics’, which is prepared by the Center for Studying and Compiling University Books in Humanities (SAMT). The present research was based on qualitative and quantitative research techniques and included two steps. First, internal, external and overall evaluation of the book was carried out based on McDonough & Shaw (1993) model. While conducting the external evaluation of the book, the intended audience, the proficiency level, the context of use, the language, the author's views on language and methodology, the inclusion of a vocabulary list/index, visual features, and the cultural aspects were examined. The internal evaluation included the presentation of the skills, grading and sequencing, discourse skills, listening section, the representation of different learning styles. And in overall evaluation, general suitability of the textbook was assessed. In the second step, six teachers each responded to a 22-item textbook evaluation questionnaire to express their perceptions concerning various aspects of the textbooks. The results revealed the extent of appropriateness of the textbook used by BSc students of physics. Suggestions are offered for the future revision and/or designing the textbooks.