مطالب مرتبط با کلیدواژه

EFL students


۱.

The Interplay of Emotional Intelligence, EFL Students’ Gender, and their Writing Performance: A Correlational Study of Iranian University Students(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Applied Research on English Language, V. ۵ , N. ۲ , ۲۰۱۶

کلیدواژه‌ها: Gender Bar-On EQ-i Questionnaire EFL students Emotional Intelligence Writing Performance

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۵۲۶ تعداد دانلود : ۳۷۵
This study was an attempt to examine the relationship between EFL students’ EI, their gender, and writing performance. To this end, 30 female and 27 male English B.A. students, studying at Allameh Tabataba’i University, participated in this study. After checking the homogeneity of the participants through a TOEFL test, Bar-On EQ-i questionnaire (Bar-On, 1997) was administered in order to measure the participants’ emotional intelligence. Besides, their writing performance was measured by their writing course final grades. Three Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were run to analyze the relationships and interactions among the variables of emotional intelligence, gender, and writing performance. The findings revealed that there was a positive relationship between the participants’ EI and their writing performance. Furthermore, the female participants had a higher emotional intelligence compared to the male participants. However, no difference was found between the male and female participants’ writing performance. The obtained results of this study have had several implications in the fields of English teaching, language testing, and syllabus design and materials development.
۲.

Investigating the Sixth Semester Students’ Knowledge of Speech Act: A Collective Response from EFL students of Class B at University of Islam Malang

نویسنده:
منبع: Research in English Education Volume ۳, Issue ۴ (۲۰۱۸) 50-62

کلیدواژه‌ها: Communicative competence Speech Act EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۰۸ تعداد دانلود : ۲۹۴
An utterance may constitute act. Hence, performing acts through speech are commonly committed by people currently; it is no exception for the EFL students. Some linguists assert that learning communicative competence is of great importance in communication including the act of speaking in the social context. This study was carried out to investigate the students’ acquaintances with speech act. A survey was conducted in this study so as to know their acquaintances with speech act. This study focused on the divisions of speech act including locutionary act, illocutionary act, perlocutionary act, and direct and indirect speech act. The data resource was the sixth semester students of class B at University of Islam Malang majoring in English Education Program. A questionnaire was distributed to know if they have an acquaintance with the speech act. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics after being collected. The findings revealed that the students still committed errors towards the speech act competence. They, a considerable part, did not know parts of speech act which is salient to recognize. For this reason, the researcher expects that the students will be capable of recognizing more on speech act by learning either from this paper or from other resources regarding speech act learning.
۳.

Uncovering the Influence of EFL Students’ Perfectionism and Anxiety on their Willingness to Communicate in Language Classes(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies,Vol ۱۱, No. ۱, ۲۰۱۹ 93 - 112

کلیدواژه‌ها: willingness to communicate Anxiety perfectionism EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۵۱۰ تعداد دانلود : ۲۸۰
The study aims at investigating the influence of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ perfectionism and anxiety on their Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in EFL classes. To do so, a set of questionnaires, namely “Willingness To Communicate” (MacIntyre et al., 2001), “Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety” (Horwitz et al., 1986) and “Multidimensional Perfectionism Scales” (Hewitt & Flett, 1991) were distributed among 120 (50 males and 70 females) Iranian EFL university students. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to indicate the extent to which each independent variable (perfectionism and anxiety) could predict the dependent variable (WTC). The results showed that both EFL     students’ anxiety (B=-.586, p<.0.05) and their perfectionism (B=-.224, P<.0.05), had a significantly negative influence on their WTC in language classes. These two independent variables could explain .456 percent of the variance in the dependent variable (WTC).  The results of the study were discussed and the implications were made.
۴.

On the Role of Willingness to Communicate and Critical Thinking in Receptive/Productive Lexical Knowledge of Gifted and Non-Gifted EFL Learners(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), Volume ۳۸, Issue ۳, Fall ۲۰۱۹ 113 - 158

کلیدواژه‌ها: Receptive/Productive vocabulary Giftedness Critical thinking willingness to communicate EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۴۰ تعداد دانلود : ۲۵۵
This study investigated the receptive and productive vocabulary command of learners based on their willingness to communicate (WTC) and critical thinking skill. The study also aimed to compare gifted and non-gifted learners in terms of the above-mentioned variables. To this end, 112 gifted and non-gifted Iranian EFL learners were picked out and given four instruments (WTC questionnaire, critical thinking skill test, receptive, and productive vocabulary tests). Having analyzed data through two-way ANOVA and independent samples t-tests, the study revealed that, first, no significant difference was found between high and low WTC learners and also high and low critical thinkers in their receptive lexical command; and second, high and low WTC learners, high and low critical thinkers, and also gifted and non-gifted learners showed significant differences in their productive lexical command. Thus, while for receptive vocabulary knowledge, giftedness is a more influential factor than WTC and critical thinking, for productive vocabulary knowledge, WTC, critical thinking, and giftedness are all influential. The pertinent theoretical and practical implications of the study will also be explicated.
۵.

Investigating Iranian EFL Students’ Metacognitive Online Reading Strategies, Critical Thinking, and Their Relationship: A Mixed-Methods Study(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Issues in Language Teaching (ILT), Vol. ۹, No. ۱, June ۲۰۲۰ 151 - 182

کلیدواژه‌ها: Critical thinking EFL students mixed-methods Online Reading metacognitive strategies

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۸۶ تعداد دانلود : ۲۷۲
The digital information age requires skills and strategies that are crucial in comprehending online academic texts. Also, research has emphasized the crucial role of critical thinking (CT) in education. Thus, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study aimed to (a) identify Iranian EFL students’ metacognitive online reading strategies and CT skills, and (b) investigate the possible relationship between Iranian EFL students’ metacognitive online reading strategies in academic texts with their CT skills. To these ends, 80 Iranian EFL university students, selected nonrandomly from Shahrekord University, took part in this study and responded to the Pookcharoen’s (2009) Online Survey of Reading Strategies and Facione, Facione, Blohm, and Giancarlo’s (2002) California Critical Thinking Skills Test. In the follow-up, to probe into metacognitive online reading strategy use, 10 Iranian EFL university students were selected to do think-aloud online reading tasks. The descriptive statistics indicated that the EFL university students greatly preferred to use problem solving strategies more, followed by different global and support reading strategies respectively. Also, evaluation and inductive (sub)skills of CT were used mostly by the university students. Moreover, the results of the think-aloud provided evidence in support of quantitative results, confirming various problem solving, global and support strategy use in online academic reading. Furthermore, Pearson correlations revealed a positive and significant relationship, though it was small, between metacognitive online reading strategy use and CT skills. Integrating the findings from the quantitative and qualitative components call for metacognitive strategy assistance and instruction and CT development to improve online reading comprehension.
۶.

Promoting Dialogic Talk in a Speaking Classroom: Rethinking Bakhtinian Pedagogy(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)

نویسنده:
منبع: The Journal of English Language Pedagogy and Practice, Vol.۱۳, No.۲۶, Spring & Summer ۲۰۲۰ 160 - 181

کلیدواژه‌ها: dialogic teaching dialogic discourse pattern EFL students learners’ perceptions Speaking Skill

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۳۸۲ تعداد دانلود : ۲۲۳
This study sought to promote EFL learners' speaking ability drawing on Bakhtin’s notion of dialogic discourse pattern (DDP) and to explore their perceptions towards implementing dialogic teaching (DT) in a speaking classroom. To this end, from the population of students in different language institutes, 47 students were selected based on a purposive sampling method. The data were collected at two step-wise processes adopting a mixed-method approach. First, the researcher directed two EFL teachers to apply the DDP principles in a dialogic (DG) and non-dialogic group (NDG). The intervention lasted for 12 weeks. Then, a posttest of speaking was conducted to track the possible improvement. The findings attested that the dialogic talk could promote EFL learners’ speaking ability. Next, DG group was required to complete a written discourse completion task to determine the extent to which incorporating DT could promote learners’ speaking ability. To analyze the data, Thomas's (2006) inductive approach was adopted comprising the dominant themes. The results revealed different themes and sub-themes such as developing self-directed learning skills, disseminating critical literacy practice, fostering language learning, promoting motivation and affective factors, to name but a few. The findings propose some implications for classroom management, materials preparation, and language policy program.
۷.

Classification of EFL Students: EFL Teachers’ Criteria and a Case Study(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Applied Research on English Language, V. ۷ , N. ۲ , ۲۰۱۸ 237 - 272

کلیدواژه‌ها: Classification Teachers’ Criteria EFL students Student Types Cluster Analysis

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۳۳۱ تعداد دانلود : ۲۰۴
Language learners have frequently been classified according to individual difference variables such as aptitude, personality, cognitive style, and motivation. However, a language teacher’s view seems to have been missing from such classifications. This exploratory research investigated whether and by which criteria Iranian EFL teachers classify their students. Based on preliminary interviews with 29 high-expertise Iranian EFL teachers, 21 criteria were identified and included in a questionnaire that was completed by 175 Iranian EFL teachers. The respondents almost unanimously agreed that they did classify their students according to their understanding of the character type, behavior patterns, and achievement patterns of their students. Then they rated the 21 criteria on a scale from 0 to 4 according to how important each classification criterion was for them. Factor analysis of questionnaire responses revealed six major classification criteria. Subsequently, in a case study, 26 EFL students in a typical Iranian high school class were asked to rate their classmates according to the six major criteria. Only five of the criteria were found to predict English achievement and Grade Point Average (GPA). A cluster analysis of the students’ peer ratings using the five criteria generated three clusters. An ANOVA revealed that the three clusters were accurately differentiated not only on the clustering criteria but also on the two non-clustering variables: EFL Achievement and GPA.
۸.

The Development and Validation of Peer Support Questionnaire (PSQ)(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), Volume ۳۹, Issue ۳.۲, fall ۲۰۲۰ 67 - 109

کلیدواژه‌ها: EFL students Peer Support Social Supportive Functions Instrument Validation Confirmatory and Exploratory Factor Analysis

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۳۱۱ تعداد دانلود : ۲۹۴
The quality of students’ relationships with their peers plays an important role in developing their academic achievement. The present study aimed at constructing an accurate, reliable, and valid instrument that could assess the EFL students’ perceptions of peer support. The instrument includes different subscales, namely Informational Support, Emotional Support, Instrumental Support, Feedback, and Companionship Support. The Peer Support Questionnaire was administered to 212 Iranian undergraduate EFL students studying at two public universities in Iran. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were conducted, and the overall factor loading estimates indicated a quite satisfactory level of convergent validity for the developed Questionnaire. Both the degree of factor loadings and the construct validity test supported the convergent validity of peer support factors and their related items. The findings demonstrated that PSQ could be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the concept of peer support in both academic and educational settings.
۹.

EFL Students’ Evaluation Apprehension and Their Academic Achievement, Gender, and Educational level: Towards Designing and Validating a Comprehensive Scale

نویسنده:
منبع: International Journal of Language Testing, Volume ۱۱, Issue ۱, Winter and Spring ۲۰۲۱ 1 - 21

کلیدواژه‌ها: evaluation apprehension EFL students academic achievement EFA CFA

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۳۳۴ تعداد دانلود : ۳۰۸
Student evaluation apprehension as one of the detrimental factors in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context, reduces and gradually diminishes student participation in classroom activities, since learners are mostly concerned with how others (teacher and classmates) evaluate/judge their performance. Due to the fact that the studies considering the important role of student evaluation apprehension are scarce in number, this study was conducted to validate the newly-designed questionnaire via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and find the relationship between student evaluation apprehension and academic achievement, gender, and educational level of 258 EFL students. The results from EFA, CFA, and reliability analyses revealed that the new questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument measuring EFL students’ evaluation apprehension. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was observed between student evaluation apprehension and academic achievement. Besides, it was found that females experience evaluation apprehension more than males, and BA students were also found to have more evaluation apprehension than their MA counterparts.
۱۰.

Emergence Distance Education (EDE) role in the Learning of English Language Skills during COVID-19 Pandemic(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), Volume ۴۰, Issue ۳, Summer ۲۰۲۱ 41 - 82

کلیدواژه‌ها: COVID-19 Higher education Emergence Distance Education (EDE) English Language Skills EFL students Iran

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۲۷۰ تعداد دانلود : ۲۱۱
During the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty members and students had to leave their face-to-face (FTF) classes and move into emergency distance education (EDE) contexts. Due to this drastic change in the system of education, investigating the probable effects of EDE on the quality of education seems essential. As such, this study has attempted to probe the effect of EDE on the language skills of Iranian EFL students. To do so, drawing on the maximum variation sampling, the present study embarked on a qualitative descriptive research method, triangulating data through written open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from 170 EFL students from different universities in Iran. The sample included BA students majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and English Literature, aged above 18. Using Thematic Analysis (TA), students’ responses were transcribed, codified, and interpreted. The findings of TA revealed that along with several disadvantages and challenges that Iranian EFL students experienced in EDE with regard to learning English language skills, EDE provided some opportunities and benefits for their learning. The analysis of students’ responses also indicated that they deemed speaking skill as the most negatively influenced language skill and listening skill as the most positively affected skill. Furthermore, the findings represented that most of the students held teachers and administrators responsible for the problems and challenges they experienced in EDE contexts. The findings of the present study can encourage administrators, teachers, and students to prepare themselves for EDE against the possible subsequent waves.
۱۱.

Using Writing Assistive Technology to Improve EFL University Students Performance

نویسنده:
منبع: Iranian Distance Education, Volume ۲, Issue ۲ - Serial Number ۶, Spring ۲۰۲۰

کلیدواژه‌ها: Assistive technology Auto-correct technology EFL students Spell-checkers Writing skills

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۱۳۰ تعداد دانلود : ۱۵۸
Success at university depends on the possession of outstanding writing skills. Yet of all language skills, writing is the most arduous to master and the situation gets even worse in the case of second or foreign languages. The current study investigated the suitable ways to overcome the difficulties students of English face with writing especially in terms of vocabulary items and spelling mistakes by exploring the effects of adapting autocorrect and spell- checkers technologies on their writing skills. The research data comes from an experiment conducted at Adrar University, south of Algeria, in which 18 LMD (Licence-Master-Doctorat, equivalent to the BMD, BachelorMaster-Doctorate) students utilize autocorrect and spell-checkers as assistive technology. The finding of the experiment shows that the use of assistive technology has perceptible effects regarding the quality of students’ production as these technologies displace the attention from worrying about spelling mistakes to other aspects of writing. The paper also proposes some suggestions to improve writing skill at the level of Algerian Higher educational institutions (HEIs).
۱۲.

A Survey on Intercultural Contact (IC) among Iranian EFL Students: Validating a Questionnaire(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)

نویسنده:
منبع: The Journal of English Language Pedagogy and Practice, Vol.۱۴, No.۲۹, Fall & Winter ۲۰۲۱ 19 - 40

کلیدواژه‌ها: intercultural contact Validity Reliability EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۱۱ تعداد دانلود : ۱۳۶
Intercultural contact (IC) among students has received a great prominence in EFL and ESL contexts in recent years; therefore, this study was an attempt to modify and validate a questionnaire as an instrument to elicit the resources from which Iranian EFL students obtain their IC information. To reach this aim, a modified version of Peng and Wu’s questionnaire with 26 items and five factors was administered among 200 male and female Iranian EFL students from different language institutes in Tabriz, Iran. To determine the reliability and validity of the modified questionnaire, the statistical analyses of the model and fitness of the questionnaire were conducted by SmartPLS3 software. The results of reliability analyses using three measures of Cronbach’s alpha, combined reliability (CR) and average variance extraction (AVE) demonstrated that the questionnaire has a good reliability. Moreover, the results of construct crossvalidated communality (Q²) proved the construct validity of the questionnaire. Additionally, the results of correlation coefficient matrix and p value for all the latent variables demonstrated that all the paths and relationships in the model are significant and the model is a good fit. This study also clarifies the implication of such a questionnaire for ELT and presents some suggestions for future studies.
۱۳.

Translation of Dialectal Words and Aesthetic Features: Baba Tahir’s Couplets with Implications for Translanguaging in the EFL Classroom

نویسنده:
منبع: Foreign Language Teaching and Translation Studies, Vol. ۷, No.۲, ۲۰۲۲ 97 - 116

کلیدواژه‌ها: Translanguaging Aesthetics Dialect Domestication Foreignization EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۲۹ تعداد دانلود : ۱۸۳
Poetry translation deals with many difficulties as translators need to consider socio-cultural, linguistic, dialect, and aesthetic aspects. The poetry translation involves the interpretation of the real meaning of the main text and creates a readable and enjoyable poem in target language as a literary text. Thus, to address such an important aspect, translators have to consider language standardization and signals to the audience. The <em>do-baytis</em> of Baba Tahir written in <em>Fahlavyiat, </em>have specific dialect and aesthetic features in rhyme and meter. This research analyzed the strategies used in two translations of the traditional Iranian couplets - an English prose by Heron-Allen (1902) and a back-translation of English poetry based on Heron-Allen prose by Curtis Brenton (1902). The analysis was grounded on domestication and foreignization. The results show that the dialect was standardized and foreignized through paratextual references. Upon sharing the results with a group of Iranian EFL students in a translanguaging task, it was revealed that they have limited awareness regarding the translation of literary works from Persian to English.  The findings can raise the awareness of professional translators, translator educators, translation students and teachers and those involved in literary translation. 
۱۴.

The Role of Academic Confidence and Grit in Willingness to Communicate of Iranian EFL Students in Outside, Inside and Online Classrooms

نویسنده:
منبع: Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Translation Studies, Vol. ۶, No. ۴, ۲۰۲۱-۲۰۲۲ 57 - 76

کلیدواژه‌ها: Academic Confidence Communicative and Educational Contexts EFL students Grit willingness to communicate

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۳۲۲ تعداد دانلود : ۱۳۱
Academic Confidence, Grit and WTC of students play important roles in their second language achievement. This paper examined the role of academic confidence and grit in willingness to communicate of Iranian EFL students in different communicative and educational contexts. To this end, 385 EFL students responded to the relevant questionnaires. The analysis of the data revealed that the students with higher levels of academic confidence and grit had a higher L2 WTC in in-class, out-of-class, and online classrooms. The results also revealed that the students’ grit was a predictor of their L2 WTC in all communicative contexts, and the university students scored the highest, followed by language institute and senior secondary school students. Moreover, academic confidence and grit had significant relationship with L2 WTC of students in senior secondary schools, language institutes and universities. Another finding was that grit was a predictor of all groups’ L2 WTC, while academic confidence predicted L2 WTC of students in language institutes and universities. The results of this study have implications for EFL teachers.
۱۵.

Teachers’ burnout and students’ language achievement during COVID-19 pandemic: A case of online education(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Journal of preventive Counselling, Volume ۴, Issue ۳, September ۲۰۲۳ 57 - 65

کلیدواژه‌ها: Burnout Language Achievement EFL Teachers EFL students

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۱۱۵ تعداد دانلود : ۱۱۰
The present study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between teachers’ sense of burnout and students’ language achievement in their online classes. To this end, 40 male and female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and 100 EFL learners were randomly selected from both public schools and private language institutes. The Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and MBI-ES questionnaire were employed as the instruments of the present study. The researcher distributed MBI-ES questionnaire among the teacher participants and also used OPT test and gave it to 100 students of each class in order to measure their achievement and their language performance. The present study used Pearson correlation in order to find the correlation between the aforementioned variables. Then, after collecting the data about the two above-mentioned variables, the results revealed that there is no significant relationship between teachers’ sense of burnout and students’ language achievement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
۱۶.

Using Writing Assistive Technology to Improve EFL University Students Performance

نویسنده:
منبع: Iranian Distance Education, Volume ۵, Issue ۲, Summer & Autumn ۲۰۲۳ 113 - 126

کلیدواژه‌ها: Assistive technology Auto-correct technology EFL students Spell-checkers Writing skills

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۷۲ تعداد دانلود : ۶۵
It is a truism that success at university depends on the possession of outstanding writing skills. Yet of all language skills, writing is the most arduous to master and the situation gets even worse in the case of second or foreign languages. The current study aims at investigating the suitable ways to overcome the difficulties students of English face with writing especially in terms of vocabulary items and spelling mistakes by exploring the effects of adapting autocorrect and spell- checkers technologies on their writing skills. The research data comes from an experiment conducted at Adrar University, south of Algeria, in which 18 LMD (Licence-Master-Doctorat, equivalent to the BMD, Bachelor-Master-Doctorate) students utilize autocorrect and spell-checkers as assistive technology. The finding of the experiment shows that the use of assistive technology has perceptible effects regarding the quality of students’ production as these technologies displace the attention from worrying about spelling mistakes to other aspects of writing. The paper does also propose some suggestions regarding the improvement of the writing skill at the level of Algerian Higher educational institutions (HEIs).
۱۷.

On the Improvement of EFL Students' Virtual Interaction via Game-based Tasks

نویسنده:
منبع: Research in Techno-based Language Education, Volume ۲, Issue ۳, September ۲۰۲۲ 1 - 15

کلیدواژه‌ها: Action Research EFL students Game-Based Tasks online classes Virtual Interaction

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۴۸ تعداد دانلود : ۴۲
The role of games in improving EFL students’ motivation to participate in interactive practices has been highly emphasized in past research. Although Iranian students are reluctant to interact in online language classes, the current study explored the impact of using game-based tasks on Iranian students' virtual interaction in EFL classes. The subjects included 35 female students in the seventh grade of a junior high school in Tabriz, Iran were selected by convenience sampling method. Classroom Action Research was conducted in four stages: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Innovative game-based activities, such as Roleplay, This or That, Café Owner, and Let's Make Salad were used to improve students’ interaction. Interviews, tests, and class observations were used to collect and triangulate the data. In this study, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the obtained data. The findings revealed that the use of games could improve students’ interaction in online language classes. The results can yield useful implications for language teachers and materials developers in increasing EFL students' virtual interaction through different game-based techniques.
۱۸.

The Role of Digital Testing on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning and Retention(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Journal Of English Language and Literature Teaching, Volume ۲, Issue ۱, March ۲۰۲۳ 70 - 83

کلیدواژه‌ها: digital testing EFL students Vocabulary Learning Vocabulary Retention

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۱۸ تعداد دانلود : ۱۴
The present study attempted to investigate the role of digital testing on EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. Sixty EFL students were divided into two groups: control (n=30) and experimental (n=30). A vocabulary test was administered to both groups in order to ensure that they were equivalent. Then, all participants attended 18 sessions. where participants of the experimental group used an English vocabulary that included unknown vocabulary and different online tests while participants of the control group practiced vocabulary in the class but without any application. Immediately after the treatment was over, the vocabulary test was administered to both groups in order to evaluate the differences between the two groups in vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, the same test was administered to both groups two weeks after the administration of the post-test with the purpose of evaluating the differences between the two groups in vocabulary retention. The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the two groups in both the immediate and the delayed administrations of the vocabulary test. Therefore, it was concluded that digital testing enhanced both vocabulary acquisition and retention among EFL students. The findings of this study have implications for teachers. It can be used by other researchers and EFL students.
۱۹.

EFL Students’ Critical Reading and Collaborative Learning Skills via Virtual Literature Circle (VLC) within a Critical Reading Class(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

نویسنده:
منبع: Applied Research on English Language, V. ۱۳ , N. ۳ , ۲۰۲۴ 65 - 90

کلیدواژه‌ها: collaborative learning Critical Reading EFL students Virtual Literature Circle

حوزه های تخصصی:
تعداد بازدید : ۱۲ تعداد دانلود : ۱۳
Research within EFL education highlights specific challenges in fostering critical reading and collaborative learning skills among students, extending to the implementation of Virtual Literature Circle (VLC). Notable issues include persistently low engagement levels and limited participation observed within conventional instructional methods. Moreover, there exists a substantial gap in providing meaningful collaborative learning experiences in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, emphasizing the need for alternative approaches. This study investigated the impact of VLC within a Critical Reading class tailored for EFL students. Through a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design involving a cohort of 25 EFL students at STKIP PGRI Sidoarjo, the study examined their engagement with VLC and subsequent skill development. The findings revealed promising advancements, with students demonstrating increased engagement and active participation during VLC sessions. Additionally, students reported enhanced critical reading skills and a deeper understanding of literary texts through collaborative discussions within VLC. However, challenges persist, including the importance of diversified group dynamics, structured facilitation, and support mechanisms. Notably, students expressed a preference for the collaborative learning format facilitated by VLC over traditional instructional methods. These findings underscore the critical importance of VLC in addressing challenges and enhancing collaborative learning experiences for EFL students.