درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

While cognitive and social-affective strategies have straightforward impacts on learners’ academic performance attached to specific tasks in a communicative and student-centered language classroom, metacognitive strategies, with their vigorous power, are arguably worth more attention. This group of strategies plays a vital role in making students become more self-directed and autonomous learners. This paper reported on a study investigating Vietnamese university students’ perception of using metacognitive strategies in their listening activities. Specifically, 140 English majors at the foreign language department of a university in Vietnam were involved in the study. Based on quantitative data from a questionnaire slightly adapted from Vandergrift et al. (2006), it was found that students in the study generally had a relatively high awareness of metacognitive strategies, with varying levels across the five subcategories of specific strategies. In addition, a comparison between the two groups (first-year and third-year students) showed minor differences regarding their listening strategy awareness. The findings suggested that metacognitive strategies should be encouraged, and listening strategies should be instructed early in English education programs.  

Metadiscourse is an essential component of academic writing, as it helps authors better communicate their ideas and engage their readers. It is through the analysis of the text's metadiscourse that one can explore academic writing and compare the rhetorical traits and preferences of various discourse communities (Hyland, 2005). To this end, this study examined the differences in the use, type, and frequency of interactional metadiscourse markers in the discussion and conclusion sections of political science and religious studies articles written in English language. The corpus of this study consisted of 45032 words extracted from fifty research articles, twenty-five articles in the field of political science, and twenty-five articles in the field of religious studies published between 2019 and 2023 in the top one high-impact factor and peer-reviewed international journals. To analyze the data, one Eta and two Chi-square tests were run. Considering the interactional resources of Hyland’s (2005) metadiscourse model, the researchers uncovered that despite some subtle differences in the use, frequency, and types of these metadiscourse markers, “hedges” were the most and attitude markers were the least frequently used metadiscourse markers employed in both political science and religious studies disciplines. The findings have some educational implications that shed light on the need to encourage English language teachers, university professors, and publishers in the fields of TEFL and ESP to provide EFL learners with appropriate sources and settings to increase their familiarity with various metadiscourse markers, especially the category of interactional MDMs that aids them write coherently and establish genuine interaction with audiences.

Self-assessment, a form of alternative assessment focusing on learner-centered curricula, autonomy, and needs analysis, has gained prominence recently. Via individual and cooperative self-assessment, EFL learners notice and apply the established standards and criteria that would decide on the accuracy and fluency of their productions, particularly in challenging areas like writing that require detailed forms of assessment. Here, learners’ capacity to self-assess and peer-assess their writings could contribute to their developmental functions. The objective of this study was to explore a specific number of Iranian EFL learners’ perceptions of criteria-referenced self-and-peer assessment in writing through a mixed-method survey. Sixty EFL learners were asked to answer a questionnaire on self-and-peer assessment. Additionally, 15 learners were requested to answer semi-structured interview questions to express their perceptions toward criteria-referenced self-and-peer assessment. For the quantitative phase of the study, a self- and peer-assessment questionnaire developed by Cornelius and Kinghorn (2014) was utilized. The questionnaire's reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and content validity was confirmed. For the qualitative phase of the study, the researcher developed and conducted a semi-structured interview with five open-ended questions with validated content. The data related to the quantitative and qualitative phases were analyzed through descriptive statistics including the frequency percentage and content analysis methods, respectively. Results revealed learners had positive perceptions towards criteria-referenced self-and peer assessment in language classes. The findings offer beneficial implications for EFL teachers, learners, test developers, and administrators.

This study examines the occurrence of increments in three languages (Nigerian English, Yoruba, and Pidgin) in the medical context in Nigeria with the aim to give a functional classification to increments built upon the conceptual and structural description in the literature. This is a step further from reflecting the manifestation of increments in the monotypic context of mundane interactions to an investigation of the phenomenon in an institutional context. Fifty audio-taped recordings of naturally occurring conversations in selected hospitals in three states in southwest Nigeria were transcribed and analysed using Conversation Analysis. Functional classification of increments in the data revealed six types of increments namely, symptom-motivated, information-motivated, history-related, face-saving, emphatic, and mundane. The increments were mainly glue-ons and very few instances of non-add-ons in the context of history-related increments. Patients were more frequently disposed to designing increments than doctors in STI and HIV consultations in Nigeria. The patients utilized the symptom-motivated increments for the purpose of elaborating on their health concerns and for clarifying the most pressing symptoms. This afforded them the opportunity of unburdening their health concerns and focalising more pressing symptoms. In addition, the sensitive nature of their condition also spurred the deployment of face-saving and history-related increments to handle embarrassing and face-sensitive questions about their condition and lifestyle. 

Speech act theory is a significant issue in comprehending the intricate dynamics of human communication, acting as a guiding light in understanding how language is used to perform actions beyond the literal meanings of words. While traditional frameworks have presented valuable perceptions in classifying speech acts, the evolving nature of communication requires reconsidering and expanding these conventional approaches. The researchers of the current study proposed an innovative framework for speech act classifications, one that exceeds traditional boundaries and embraces the nuanced complexities of modern discourse. Based on seminal works by Austin (1962) and Searle (1969), and also by considering important research by Grice (1975), Levinson (1983), and emerging perspectives represented by Verschueren (1999) and Sbisa (2002), the researchers of this study critically assess current classifications, identifying essential challenges and opportunities in speech act analysis. The proposed framework introduces other categories such as Metaplocutionary Acts, Interlocutionary Acts, and Negotiation Acts, offering a more comprehensive and context-sensitive approach to understanding speech acts. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and empirical validation, the researchers of this study aim to refine and apply this framework across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts, thereby paving the way for a more nuanced and dynamic comprehension of human communication.

Kurmanji uses two morphological forms of pronouns and R-expressions: direct and oblique. The direct form of first and second pronouns (local pronouns) is fully specified for person and number. In contrast, direct third-person pronouns and R-expressions are unmarked; however, these arguments still exhibit person and number agreement with verbs and number and gender agreement with Ezafe heads. There are two approaches to deal with direct unmarked arguments. In the asymmetric approach, these arguments are assumed to be fully specified for relevant φ-features, which are deleted at PF (Phonological Form) after agreement, whereas in the symmetric approach, they are merged as underspecified for relevant features and acquire their interpretation via agreement. Given the prevalence of unmarked arguments in Kurmanji, the symmetric approach is more economical and minimalistic, requiring fewer theoretical tools and computations. The present study shows that the key distinction between local pronouns and unmarked arguments lies in the specification of relevant φ-features. Direct unmarked arguments enter the derivation underspecified for these features, establishing a relation of ‘subset control’ in agreement and acquiring their interpretation by spreading features from the agreeing head at the LF (Logical Form) interface. This study also reveals that agreement in Ezafe constructions and pro-drop sentences also involve subset control and agreement is the only possible way to license φ-features, such as gender in inanimate arguments and person in R-expressions.

This study aims to investigate the role of first language literacy and reading habits in L2 development. the researcher invited a group of 97 pre-intermediate and intermediate learners from various schools to participate in this study. They were asked to take part in two L1 tests (L1 reading comprehension and L1 spelling) as well as an L2 achievement test. Correlation was used to find the possible relation between L1 literacy and L2 development and in order to find out which of the two subcomponents of L1 literacy can better predict L2 development, regression was used. The findings show that there is a meaningful relationship between L1 literacy and L2 development. Both reading comprehension and spelling knowledge of L1 can lead to L2 development; the statistics revealed that both can preferably lead to L2 development and L2 literacy. But in this study, reading comprehension has the strongest impact on L2 development.

Despite research on preservice teacher practicums, few studies have examined these experiences through a complexity theory lens to capture the intricate, dynamic interplay of factors involved. Addressing this gap, this qualitative case study explored the multidimensional influences shaping the practicum experiences of three preservice English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Vietnam. Using an in-depth case study design with semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, the study analyzed the participants' lived experiences across diverse school environments through the lens of complexity theory principles. The findings revealed complex interactions of student factors, curricular demands, resource constraints, and contextual influences shaping the preservice teachers' dynamic, self-organizing learning trajectories as they adapted to emergent needs. Notably, the pivotal role of context profoundly influenced pedagogical decision-making. The study's insights underscore the importance of teacher education programs providing contextualized support and learning opportunities to nurture adaptable, reflective educators responsive to complexity. This research contributes a nuanced complexity theory perspective on the multifaceted nature of preservice EFL teacher learning.

The present study compares the motivation of Burundi junior high school students from urban and rural settings to learn L2 French and L3 English, mainly focusing on Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self System. A total of 348 (grade 7 through 9) pupils participated in the present study which used a 40-item questionnaire to collect the data. The results indicated that the students from both learning contexts have distinct motivational dispositions for learning both French and English. French is more popular among rural school learners while English enjoys more popularity among urban school students. Moreover, region-specific differences were found in the participants with learners from rural schools exhibiting more positive motivation to learn both languages than their urban counterparts. The results also revealed that, independent of the region, L2 learning experience and ideal L2 self were the two variables that respectively predicted most the students’ intended effort to learn each target language. One region and language-related difference was that the variable of international posture emerged as a significant contributor to the students’ intended language learning effort only among urban school learners uniquely in relation to their English learning. In the light of the results of this study, pedagogical implications are provided.