مطالب

This study is aimed at investigating the writing skills of students with attention deficiency (attention deficit disorder). As a part of their assignments, middle school and high school students in India are required to write character sketches. In this study it was observed that students faced difficulties in imagining different aspects of the character. As a result they wrote short, incomplete and poorly detailed character sketches. According to a study , the problems students face while writing in English include grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation and choice of vocabulary. This study is aimed at investigating the development of writing skills in students diagnosed with an attention deficit. Bronfenbrenner’s ‘Nature vs Nurture’ model was used to create a template for writing character sketches. Character sketches written by 10 students with AD were examined before and after the introduction of Bronfenbrenner’s model using a rubric. When Bronfenbrenner’s model was introduced to them, their ability to write a character sketch increased by 50 to 70 percent. The incorporation of Bronfenbrenner’s model helped the students form fuller character sketches by considering the different influencers in Bronfenbrenner’s ‘systems’ and their interactions with them.

A long-standing concern reverberating over the minds of intercultural scholars is how best to incorporate intercultural issues in English language teaching, an issue on which there has been little research in EFL contexts. To fill this gap, this qualitative study examined the efficacy of interculturally-laden tasks in promoting Iranian learners’ intercultural competency in Anzali, Guilan province, Iran. Thus, a group of 22 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were recruited through convenience sampling from a pool of 44 according to their score on Oxford Quick Placement Test. All the participants were 12 females and 10 males aged 21-30. Then, they attended eighteen sessions of intercultural training using Mirrors and Windows: An intercultural communication textbook and completed seven intercultural tasks as a pretest and posttest. Data was collected through seven intercultural tasks and reflective worksheets. Drawing on the qualitative content analysis of intercultural tasks, the findings revealed that the tasks could help the participants increase their intercultural competence. Moreover, three themes were emerged from the analysis of the reflective worksheets as follow: (1) the participants’ evaluation of the ICC course and intercultural tasks, (2) perceptions regarding intercultural development and (3) language skills and anxiety. The implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Writing skill is a challenging and frequently-used activity in academic circles. This study investigated the effects of reflective writing on EFL learners’ writing performance. The participants were 61 Iranian EFL learners from two intact university classes randomly assigned to the non-reflective (n=31) and reflective (n=30) groups. Over sixteen sessions of instructions over eight weeks, the non-reflective group was taught using the traditional writing method; however, the reflective group was exposed to reflective writing instruction under Kolb’s Model. The data were collected through reflective writing compositions and the content analysis of think-aloud protocols. The quantitative data analysis revealed that the reflective group significantly outperformed the non-reflective group in writing compositions. The thematic analysis of think-aloud protocols substantiated the quantitative data findings, indicating that all participants went through the cognitive psychological processes of ‘planning, drafting, pausing and thinking, reading and reproducing, reviewing, editing and revising’ as they were engaged in reflective writing via Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. The results offer significant implications for language instructors, curriculum planners, and course designers.

As conceptual models of language learning, use, and processing mature, it is both natural and necessary for the statistical models we apply to follow suit. One statistical approach with great potential in the field Applied Linguistics and L2 studies is structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM is introduced in this paper as a powerful and highly flexible family of analyses. In doing so, the paper outlines (a) the types of variables and possible modeled relationships that SEM is equipped to address and (b) statistical considerations for applying SEM in L2 research, and (c) a number of additional and key considerations for those interested in delving deeper into SEM (e.g., goodness of fit indices, model modification procedures, etc.). This paper also describes the potential of SEM to contribute to construct validation (e.g., convergent and discriminant validity). Throughout the paper, a plethora of examples pertaining to applications of SEM in L2 research are provided.

Decorative motifs have evolved significantly in the architecture of the Islamic era in terms of form, s tructure, aes thetic, and doctrinal principles and represent the beliefs of the people in that era. In this s tudy, an attempt has been made to provide a new possibility for a deeper analysis of common animal motifs in the Islamic periods of Safavid and Qajar with an intertextuality approach (with the help of logical reasoning and the Delphi method) to perceive decorative motifs. Therefore, the intertextuality relations between the motifs of the two his torical tombs of the Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili complex (Safavid period) and the holy shrine Imam Reza (AS) (Qajar period) were analyzed. According to the findings, the animal motifs identified with intertextual relations included peacock (11 cases), cow (2 cases), pheasant (16 cases), duck (1 case), and dragon (16 cases). In all the motifs of the buildings, the pretext type was of the exclusive type, and the hypertext type was of the transformation type. In addition, in peacock, pheasant, and dragon motifs, the larges t number of additional subs titution, subs titution, and subs titutional -ellipsis types were observed, respectively. It seems that in selected buildings of the Safavid and Qajar periods, the change in the colors of animal motifs is more evident than in other dimensions of intertextuality. This change has had an impact on the spiritual and mys tical content of the motifs, and somehow, in addition to the mys tical and spiritual content, attention to material aspects (increase in wealth and abundance of blessings) has been considered in the use of various colors.

Method: It was conducted in a mixed quantitative and qualitative manner using the safety checklist of the environment according to the elmeri method and the researcher-made questionnaire of safety and sports tourism. distributed and collected by 100 sports tourists who were selected by Morgan's table as a simple random sample of 80 people. The data were entered in Smart Pls3 structural equation software to implement the research model. Findings: The results of the elmeri index regarding environmental safety showed that the component of safety behaviors with 93.5%, the component of cleanliness and order with 89%, the paths of passage with 87% and the component of fire and first aid with 75% have status were desirable Also, the opinion of tourists regarding the safety components of the environment showed that the component of first aid with the route coefficient of 63% and the t value (4.775) had the greatest impact in attracting tourism to sports venues. Also, the components of order and safety behaviors, according to tourists, did not have much effect on attracting tourism, P<0.05. Conclusion: The safety condition of the Tehran Revolution sports complex was in a favorable condition, therefore it provides a suitable platform for holding sports events and holding international seminars and conferences in order to attract sports tourism. Therefore, the managers of the sports facilities of Tehran's Enghelab Complex should take steps to improve the infrastructure and sports facilities in order to attract sports tourists.

In the increasingly interconnected world, English proficiency has become essential for developing technical skills and opening up global career opportunities. However, Iranian technical and vocational education (TVE) suffers from adequate attention to the English language for students’ specific fields of study and occupations. Accordingly, the present study aimed to bridge the existing gap in Iranian TVE through a comprehensive needs analysis and the development of a blended TBLT-based ESP course tailored to second-year vocational school students specializing in photography. Initially, needs analysis was conducted through interviews with TVE administrators at the Ministry of Education in Iran, experienced photography teachers, and photography students to develop the course. After the accurate investigation of fundamental course components, the course was implemented and its effectiveness and possible challenges were evaluated. The findings showed that photography students found the blended course effective in terms of learning photography terminology and tools in English, practicing photography and editing techniques, using multimedia and interactive games, and enhancing motivation and self-confidence. However, the students also encountered some linguistic and technological challenges. Ultimately, by contributing to the ongoing discourse on ESP course development, this study emphasizes the need for ESP courses and the preparation of students for future careers.

Mediate Learning Experience (MLE) posits that the quality and amount of mediated learning interactions undergone by a learner affects both his cognitive and psychological development and his functioning as an autonomous and independent learner. This study attempts to implement MLE theory in pedagogy by designing an MLE-based grammar lesson plan in respect of present continuous through operationalizing and activating MLE parameters in a grammar class. Through the application of MLE in pedagogy, not only do the teachers take on new roles like mediating lifelong learning and mentoring fellow teachers but also the learners experience innovative functions such as developing heuristics for solving problems and autonomous learning and thinking essential to the late modern knowledge-based era. Through the application of MLE in pedagogy, not only do the teachers take on new roles like mediating lifelong learning and mentoring fellow teachers but also the learners experience innovative functions such as developing heuristics for solving problems and autonomous learning and thinking essential to the late modern knowledge-based era.