درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

This study examined the impact of auditory input enhancement on the speaking abilities of Iranian EFL learners. Given the importance of speaking in language acquisition and the challenge of limited exposure to spoken English, the study focused on auditory input enhancement—altering intonation and pitch—to improve speaking proficiency. Fifty intermediate-level female learners, aged 18-28, from an English Language institute were selected based on their Oxford Placement Test (OPT) scores. Participants were divided into an experimental group, which received auditory input enhancement, and a control group, which followed traditional methods. Speaking abilities were evaluated with pretests and posttests using the Preliminary English Test (PET). An independent samples t-test analyzed the scores to test the hypothesis. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's speaking performance compared to the control group, with Cohen's d showing a large effect size. These findings support previous research on input enhancement, underscoring the role of auditory input in focusing learners' attention on linguistic features and enhancing speaking performance. The study suggests that auditory input enhancement could be a valuable tool for EFL teachers and curriculum designers to improve learners' speaking skills.

According to sociocultural theory, dynamic assessment (DA) merges instruction and assessment. This study attempted to compare the effects of interactionist versus interventionist DA on the writing fluency and complexity of adult versus young IELTS candidates in an international language school in Tehran with the age range of 15-48. One hundred and forty students (90 males and 50 females) who had enrolled in the IELTS preparation course in the spring of 2021 participated in this study. The study participants were divided into four groups namely, young interactionist, young interventionist, adult interactionist, and adult interventionist. The participants in all groups were homogenized based on the result of their performance in a standard version of Preliminary English Test (PET). During the eight-week treatment period, the interactionist groups were given writing tests followed by the instructor’s feedback and guidance, while the interventionist groups received instructions and were given writing test samples without qualitative feedback. The pre-test and post-test comparisons among the four groups by Two Way ANCOVA showed that both young and adult individuals in the interactionist groups had a significant improvement in their writing performance compared to those in the interventionist group. In addition, the study revealed the significant impact of interactionist DA vs. interventionist DA on both young and adult participants' scores in both writing fluency and complexity post-test. Likewise, the results showed no statistically significant interaction between the type of assessment and the candidates’ age. The study presents pedagogical implications for teachers, students, and IELTS preparation program designers.