Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
The Impact of Practicing van Dijk’s Model of Critical Discourse Analysis on the Improvement of Iranian EFL Undergraduates’ Critical Thinking across Different Proficiency Levels (Research Paper)
1
16
EN
Sahar
Najarzadegan
0000-0001-6884-6596
Department of English Language, University of
Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
snajarzadegan@gmail.com
Azizollah
Dabaghi
Department of English Language, University of Isfahan,
Isfahan, Iran.
dabaghi.v.azizollah@gmail.com
Abbass
Eslamirasekh
Department of English Language, Faculty of foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
abbasseslamirasekh@yahoo.com
IJEAP-1710-1110
Despite the saliency of raising critical thinking not only in ELT but also in other aspects of life, there is still lack of studies in this regard that need to be filled. Previous studies dealt with Faiclough’s model not that of van Dijk, and besides, they weren’t concerned about CDA effects on different proficiency levels. The present study, however, examined the impact of critical discourse analysis (CDA) on EFL undergraduates’ critical thinking (CT) ability across different proficiency levels. To this end, 96 EFL undergraduates in three different proficiency levels of high, mid and low participated in this study to all of whom the “Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal” (WGCTA) was administered. They received treatment of van Dijk’s model practice over a period of an hour a week and for four weeks, once the model proved to be appropriate through expert judge. The results indicated that CDA has a positive influence on learners’ CT. Besides, the scores for the high group were significantly higher than that of low group, and the high group performed better than the mid-level group, but the difference was not significant for the mid and low proficiency level groups. The findings demonstrated that language proficiency has a positive mediating role in the extent to which a CDA model awareness can improve learners’ critical thinking ability.
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA),critical thinking (CT),van Dijk’s model,EFL undergraduates
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_76930.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_76930_a86bc9476b597dfb739acc3865411186.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
The Differing Role of L2 WTC in Iranian EFL Learners’ Performance on a Computerized Dynamic Test of Writing (Research Paper)
17
34
EN
Azam
Behshad
Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University
rahil.behshad@yahoo.com
Seyyed Mohammad Reza
Amirian
Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University
smr.amirian@gmail.com
Mohammad
Davoudi
0000-0002-1311-4555
Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University
davoudi2100@gmail.com
Saeed
Ghaniabadi
Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University, Iran
sghaniabadi@yahoo.com
IJEAP-1810-1301
Computerized dynamic assessment has been proposed as a solution to the practicality issues involved in ordinary dynamic assessment procedures. However, most of computerized dynamic assessment studies have addressed receptive skills (i.e., reading and listening). Responding to the scarcity of CDA studies of productive skills, the present study was an attempt to design and implement a computerized dynamic test of writing (CDTW) for 93 Iranian EFL university students. Moreover, this study investigated if learners’ willingness to communicate might have a facilitating role in their level of responsiveness to mediation. CDTW was designed following a sandwich-format interventionist approach. 93 Iranian EFL learners took part in a six-week procedure that consisted of a pretest; a mediation procedure; a posttest; and a delayed posttest. Running paired sample t-test revealed that there was a significant difference between learners’ non-dynamic (pretest) and dynamic (posttest) scores indicating the fact that providing learners with Zone of Proximal Development based mediations brings about significant changes in their performance. Moreover, learners’ learning potential score (LPS) proved useful in differentiating among learners with the same non-dynamic (independent) performance. In addition, comparing the posttest and delayed posttest scores revealed that learners could transfer their learning to situations outside CDTW. Finally, comparing learners’ performance through ANOVA at three levels of L2 WTC (i.e., low, mid, high) showed that L2 WTC could have significant role in learners’ level of responsiveness to mediation in CDTW. This could be indicative of the fact that learners with high L2 WTC lend themselves better to the mediation provided in dynamic assessment procedures.
computerized dynamic assessment,L2 Willingness to Communicate,Writing Ability,Zone of Proximal Development
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_80603.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_80603_7ca4e9c8bdc6eeb3b5699d11148ad0e1.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
Disparities in Students’ Perceptions of Demotivating Factors in Learning English across Educational Levels and Fields of Study (Research Paper)
35
48
EN
Nafiseh
Hosseinpour
0000-0002-4680-8908
Department of English Language, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
hosseinpour@iaufala.ac.ir
Laya
Heidari Darani
0000-0001-6341-5308
Department of English Language, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
layaheidari@yahoo.com
IJEAP-1807-1252
Demotivation is a relatively new topic in the field of second or foreign language acquisition which is in need of more rigorous research. In this regard, the present study was an attempt to investigate university students’ perceptions of seven demotivating factors in learning English as a foreign language across educational levels and fields of study in an Iranian context. To this end, three hundred and eighty two Persian learners of English were selected through stratified clustering sampling procedure to participate in this mixed method study. The data was collected through a 40-item Likert type questionnaire and a follow-up interview. The results of the study revealed that postgraduate students were significantly different from undergraduate students regarding their perception of inadequate facilities, lack of purpose to study English and class characteristics. The comparisons of four groups of field of study including social sciences, basic sciences, engineering, and medicine showed significant differences with respect to inadequate facilities, teaching methods, and reduced self-confidence. The findings had important pedagogical implications for curriculum planning and teaching English in tertiary education since diagnosing differences in perceptions of demotivating factors in learning EFL across educational levels and fields of study could pave the way in the procedure of removing and preventing such detrimental features.
Motivation,Demotivating Factors in Learning EFL,Iranian EFL learners,Educational levels,fields of study
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_81101.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_81101_3f5b29a82c2a0857d8e239898bfead76.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
The Impact of Fostering Learner Autonomy through Implementing Cooperative Learning Strategies on Inferential Reading Comprehension Ability of Iranian EFL Learners (Research Paper)
49
71
EN
Morteza
Teimourtash
Department of English, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
teimourtash2000@gmail.com
Massood
Yazdanimoghaddam
Department of English, Garmsar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran
mym13300@gmail.com
The great shift of paradigm from teacher-centeredness to learner-centeredness has one major rationale in line with the definitions of autonomy, i.e., the capacity and willingness to act independently and in cooperation with others, so cooperation is looked upon as the manifestation of autonomy. In the present study, the researchers investigated the impact of training cooperative learning strategies in reading courses on inferential reading ability of EFL learners. The researchers used both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to collect data. The instruments were test, questionnaire, and interview. Sixty intermediate EFL undergraduates aged between 23 and 31 were selected from the subject pool of 197 participants and randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group (n=30) received Student Team Achievement Divisions (STADs) strategy training as one of the cooperative learning strategies. The instructional material for both groups was identical. The control group (n=30), however, experienced an individualistic approach as common in traditional reading courses. An autonomy questionnaire and an inferential reading comprehension test were administered at pre-test and post-test phases during the first semester of academic year 2016-2017. The treatment group was interviewed on their experience with cooperative learning. The analysis of the numeric data through descriptive statistics and one way ANOVA along with content analysis of the qualitative data confirmed that cooperative learning strategy training had positive influence on inferential reading comprehension ability of Iranian EFL undergraduates. This study also bears the implications of the findings for language instructors, learners and policy makers.
learner autonomy,Inferential Reading Comprehension,Cooperative Learning Strategies,STADs
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82140.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82140_9162e507c848bd1847b4c30eb19d933e.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
The Interplay of Motivation and Willingness to Communicate in Four Skills: The Iranian Perspective (Research Paper)
72
95
EN
Afsaneh
Saeedakhtar
Department of English Language, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
a.saeedakhtar@ut.ac.ir
Saeedeh
Hamidizare
Department of English Language, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
sa93hamidizareh@gmail.com
Reza
Abdi
0000-0002-4955-4472
Department of English Language, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
reabdi@uma.ac.ir
IJEAP-1810-1291
The present study examined the relationship between willingness to communicate (WTC) and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation among Iranian intermediate learners of English. It also attempted to identify the motivational orientations which best predicted learners’ WTC. Moreover, it measured Iranian intermediate learners’ willingness to read (WTR), willingness to listen (WTL), and willingness to write (WTW). To this end, 133 university intermediate English majors filled out a questionnaire based on which their L2 WTC and language learning motivation level were measured. All participants were then interviewed individually to elicit their attitudes towards L2 WTC and motivation in learning English. The results indicated that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were significantly correlated with L2 WTC. However, only intrinsic motivation predicted L2 WTC significantly, and extrinsic motivation was more dominant among Iranian learners. Results of the 7-item structured interview indicated that teacher immediacy, the teachers’ and peers’ judgment, and scoring, ranked in descending order, were as the top impetus to influence the participants’ WTC. Results also demonstrated that participants represented higher degrees of WTL and WTW than WTR. In light of the findings of the study, teachers are recommended to improve learners’ L2 WTC by recognizing individual and situational factors affecting WTC, strengthening their motivation and self-confidence, and decreasing their anxiety.
EFL Context,extrinsic motivation,intrinsic motivation,willingness to communicate
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82936.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82936_3e2b82a07809ef4d8dd48dcf541a6ebf.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
An Interactionist Dynamic Assessment of Essay Writing via Google Docs: A Case of Three Iranian EFL University Students (Research Paper)
96
114
EN
Fateme
Besharati
Islamic Azad University- Bandar abbas branch
fpa.besharati@gmail.com
IJEAP-1810-1289
The present case study sought to investigate the application of dynamic assessment to an EFL writing context. It primarily aimed to understand the effectiveness of an interactionist dynamic assessment procedure through a web-based application in enhancing argumentative essay writing skill at the university level. The three participants of the study received mediational interactions in five consecutive sessions in an online environment where they revised their written drafts in a joint activity with the mediator. The analysis of the mediator-learner dyadic interactions uncovered traces of microgenetic development in the learners. Also, checking the frequency distribution of implicit and explicit prompts as well as the degree of learner responsiveness over the sessions showed a substantial change in the degree of autonomy and self-regulation in the learners. Ultimately, the participants were able to successfully transfer the learned materials from DA sessions to the transfer task. The study, after all, proved the efficacy of online interactionist dynamic assessment in the development and self-regulation of learners in argumentative essay writing skill.
Interactionist dynamic assessment,Argumentative essay writing skill,Google Docs
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82937.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82937_41406e693dd4584bf93ff2b0f54b5804.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
An Investigation of Bastin’s Adaptation as a Kind of Pseudotranslation: A Case Study of A Year Amongst the Persians (Research Paper)
115
127
EN
Masoud
Sharififar
department of foreign languages, faculty of literature and humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
m.sharifi@uk.ac.ir
Mina
Zandrahimi
Department of foreign languages, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
mina_zandrahimi@uk.ac.ir
Fatemeh
Fathimoghaddam
department of foreign languages, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
fathiyazdan9@gmail.com
For various reasons such as ideology of patronage, fear of censorial measures and specific cultural and literary plans, authors may present their original texts as translation, and sometimes translators manipulate the original text to the extent that it can not be considered as translation anymore. This research was aimed at investigating Bastin's adaptation as a kind of pseudo-translation. He considered two kinds of adaptation: local and global adaptation. In order to conduct this study, Zabihullah Mansouri's translation of A Year Amongst the Persians was compared with its original text by Edward Browne. 100 samples were extracted and investigated closely according to Bastin's procedures of adaptation. The results revealed that Bastin's procedures of adaptation were mostly applied in the selected corpus to the extent that it could be called a pseudo-translation. Intervention was so significant in the ST that out of 581 pages in the ST, 128 pages were omitted and the content of omissions was indicator of intentional intervention.Transformations, modifications and adjustments converted the book to a work that although could not be considered a text independent from its original, a considerable part of it was the translator's own writing.
Pseudo-translation,adaptation,Local Adaptation,Global Adaptation,Ideology
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82938.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_82938_28fdc729dcf789b9436eeab0ae8e4caa.pdf
Chabahar Maritime University
Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2476-3187
24763180
7
1
2018
06
01
Language Teacher Immunity among Iranian EFL Teachers: A Self-Organization Perspective (Research Paper)
128
143
EN
Mehdi
Haseli Songhori
0000-0001-9513-5108
Department of English, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran
m_haselisonghori@yahoo.com
Behzad
Ghonsooly
Department of English, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
ghonsoolyelt@gmail.com
Shahram
Afraz
Department of English, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran
a.sh32@rocketmail.com
As a novel concept in language teacher psychology, language teacher immunity, either in its productive or maladaptive manifestation, is a strong indicator of how teachers behave and respond in the face of adversity and disturbances and it has a profound effect on teachers' career. Research on language teacher immunity is in its nascent stage. This study tried to fill the gap in the existing literature by using a mixed-methods approach to find out what type of language teacher immunity was dominant among Iranian English teachers and how these teachers might have developed their immunity type. For the quantitative part of the study a questionnaire was distributed among 230 English teachers to find out their dominant immunity type. In the qualitative part of the study a series of semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with 13 seasoned English teachers were conducted in order to find out the developmental pathways of teacher immunity. The findings of the two-step cluster analysis of the questionnaire data indicated that maladaptive immunity was a dominant type of immunity among Iranian English teachers since their mean scores on six out of seven questionnaire scales were low. Also, the results of the directed content analysis of the interviews revealed that Iranian English teachers followed the four stages of self-organization, namely, triggering, coupling, realignment, and stabilization in forming their immunity. Further results and their implications for educational policy makers and teacher educators are discussed.
Language Teacher Immunity, Teacher Motivation,Iranian English teachers,Self-Organization,Teacher Stress
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_87253.html
https://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_87253_3e0f56606331dff36e36598fe8731db8.pdf