Speaking ability

This study investigated the predictive role of HEXACO personality traits (honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience) in the speaking performance of Iranian EFL learners, as well as the role of gender in the relationship between HEXACO personality traits and EFL learners’ speaking ability. To this end, 250 learners (125 male and 125 female learners) were selected using a random cluster sampling method and were asked to complete the HEXACO personality traits questionnaire. The speaking ability of all the learners was checked via a scored interview and then was evaluated by three interviewers based on the IELTS speaking bands. Fisher's Z and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that extraversion, conscientiousness, and altruism could predict 90.3 percent of the variance in the speaking ability of the participants. The findings also showed that the gender of the language learners did not have a predicting role in the relationship between personality traits of the language learners and their speaking ability.

Authenticity has always been the concern of test developers in the history of second language assessment. This study was an attempt to investigate the authenticity of the present researchers' innovative idea of “Language Town” as a method for assessing learners’ speaking ability. To this end, a simulated town was designed like a real town in an outdoor space of about 400 square meters. The participants in this study were 31 undergraduate students of Translation Studies at Jahrom University who were taking the 4-credit course of Conversation 2. First, the students’ speaking ability was measured based on the IELTS testing system. Then each student was sent to the Language Town with a few definite missions determined in advance by the teacher; e.g. ordering food in the restaurant, depositing/withdrawing money in a bank, etc. Using IELTS band descriptors, each student’s speaking ability was measured by two raters in both tests. Then the correlation between the two sets of scores obtained from the IELTS test and the one in the Language Town were calculated. Using open-ended questions, a survey was also conducted to extract the students’ attitudes towards the Language Town. The results of the statistical analyses showed a weak correlation (0.36) between the two sets of scores. The survey also revealed that almost all the students were interested in and had positive views towards Language Town as an authentic method of assessment. A Virtual Language Town (VLT) could be a solution to the practicality problems of the Language Town.

This study investigated the impact of code-switching on speaking ability of Iranian low proficiency EFL learners. Moreover, it was an attempt to show what functions existed behind code-switching strategies used by the EFL learners. To this end, 60 male and female Iranian EFL learners age-ranged between 20 and 30 participated in the study. Data collection instruments which were used were the Interchange Objective Placement Test, a pretest, a teaching material, and a posttest. The speech of 60 Iranian EFL learners was recorded while they were performing some picture-description tasks. Then, their speech was transcribed and analyzed. The collected data were subjected to independent-samples t-test. The results indicated the two main functions of code-switching were equivalence and floor-holding. Furthermore, the findings of the t-test demonstrated that code-switching was an effective strategy among low proficiency level EFL learners and it could increase their motivation and interaction in the class discussions. Thus, they can speak in a positive environment and speaking is not an inhibitory factor anymore in their English learning.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between HEXACO personality traits and Iranian EFL learners’ speaking ability. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, among all the language institutes (fifteen institutes) in Amol, Mazandaran Province, 8 were selected randomly (four institutes for female and four institutes for male language learners). Then, two classes were selected randomly from each institute. Among all the language learners in these eight institutes and classes, 250 learners (125 male and 125 female learners) were selected using a random cluster sampling method. The participants were asked to complete the HEXACO personality traits questionnaire. Speaking ability of all the learners was checked via scored interview to examine the relationship between HEXACO personality traits (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience) and their speaking performance. Speaking ability of the learners were evaluated by three interviewers (the researcher and two trained raters) based on IELTS speaking bands in four areas: 1) Fluency and Coherence 2) Lexical Resource 3) Grammatical Resource 4) Pronunciation. The interview was scored out of 9 in this study. To analyze the collected data, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regressions with stepwise method were used in the study. The findings of the study showed a positive and significant relationship between HEXACO personality traits and speaking performance of the learners. Extraversion, conscientiousness and altruism could predict 90.3 percent of variance of speaking ability.

Enhancing speaking ability is an important component of the acquirement of a language. The innovative aspect of this study is improving speaking ability through online strategy-based instruction by applying the Moodle course management system as an instructional platform. To this end, a group of 80 Iranian female and male students at the advanced level participated in the treatment. Participants of the study were divided into four groups of 20. The subjects in experimental groups benefited from two particular instructional focuses of this study include social and affective strategies. In order to assess the effect of the treatment pre and posttests design were utilized. Consequently, the data were analyzed through One-Way ANOVAs and t-tests. The findings revealed that strategy treatment was successful in improving the participants’ speaking ability. Therefore, the findings suggest that online strategy-based instruction can positively influence the speaking ability of Iranian advanced EFL learners. In addition, a questionnaire from Kitchakarn (2015) was employed to understand students’ perceptions and attitudes toward computer-based learning. The statistical analysis of the questionnaire revealed positive attitudes of participants toward computer-based learning.This study may have pedagogical implications for material practitioners, CALL package designers and distance learning planners to include strategy instruction in English courses.

Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the purposes ahead of assessment. Of many, the major controversy, which was the motive behind this study, is the incorporation of L1-based elicitation as a valid measure of second language (L2) performance assessment. To shed empirical lights on this issue, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods research employed 87 Iranian intermediate EFL learners, whose L2 classroom performance was assessed through L1-based elicitation techniques. In order to validate this mechanism, multi-method mono-trait model (namely, Pearson correlation, structural equations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability and convergent validity) suggested by Henning and Mesick’s Unitary Concept of validity were applied. The results from these multiple sources of evidence yield support to their common consensus that L1-based elicitation techniques are valid measures of L2 performance assessment. The findings then offer legacy to the educational implications of L1-based mechanisms both in L2 instruction and assessment.