Sources of Self-Efficacy as Predictors of EFL Learners’ Course Performance

It is generally believed that self-efficacy as a psychological construct contributes to learning process and academic performance. The present study attempted to investigate the possible differences among self-efficacy sources as predictors of EFL learners’ academic achievement in educational settings. To this end, a questionnaire of EFL self-efficacy sources together with Nelson English Proficiency Test were administered among 219 senior EFL learners. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that of the four sources of self-efficacy, only enactive mastery experience accounted for a statistically significant portion of the variance with course performance and, therefore, was a positive predictor of students’ course performance. The results of the present study imply that when learners continue to develop self-efficacy, they will have better English performance scores. It is also concluded that what an educational system needs to consider, in addition to general teaching and learning process, is focusing on personality features of learners. The findings of this study can, therefore, provide implications for researchers, teachers, materials developers, and syllabus designers

La eficacia de las estrategias de andamiaje y la orientación de tareas sobre el conocimiento receptivo y productivo de las colocaciones léxicas

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of scaffolding strategies using input and output-oriented tasks on Iranian EFL learners' receptive and productive knowledge of lexical collocations. For this purpose, 540 adult intermediate-level EFL learners- both male and female- were selected and divided into six experimental groups; three input-oriented and three output-oriented tasks. Each experimental group received treatment under one of the three scaffolding strategies of direct corrective feedback, cooperative group technique, and visual cues. After the treatment period, a 40-item multiple-choice test and a 40-item fill-in-the-blanks test were administered to assess the participants' receptive and productive collocations knowledge. To analyze the data, two separate two-way ANOVA procedures were used. The results indicated that visual cues were the most effective scaffolding strategy in teaching lexical collocations. Moreover, the cooperative group technique had a significant positive impact on learning collocations compared to direct corrective feedback. The results also showed that the participants in the output-oriented tasks group significantly outperformed those in the input-oriented tasks group. These findings can have practical implications for language learners, teachers, and materials developers, and theoretical implications for researchers.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar los efectos de las estrategias de andamiaje que utilizan tareas orientadas a insumos y resultados en el conocimiento receptivo y productivo de las colocaciones léxicas de los estudiantes iraníes de inglés como lengua extranjera. Para este propósito, 540 aprendices adultos en nivel intermedio, tanto hombres como mujeres fueron seleccionados y divididos en seis grupos experimentales; tres en la categoría de insumos y tres en la categoría de resultados. Cada grupo experimental recibió un tratamiento bajo una de tres estrategias de andamiaje, tales como:  retroalimentación directa correctiva, técnica grupal cooperativa y señales visuales. Después del periodo de tratamiento, se administró una prueba de 40 preguntas de múltiple respuesta y una prueba de 40 preguntas de llenar espacios para evaluar el conocimiento de las colocaciones receptivas y productivas de los participantes. Para analizar los datos, se utilizaron dos procedimientos ANOVA bidireccionales separados. Los resultados indicaron que las señales visuales fueron la estrategia más efectiva en la enseñanza de colocaciones léxicas. Además, la técnica de cooperación grupal tuvo un impacto significativo en el aprendizaje de colocaciones comparado con la retroalimentación directa correctiva. Los resultados también mostraron que los participantes en el grupo de tareas orientadas a resultados superaron significativamente a los del grupo de tareas orientadas a insumos. Estos hallazgos pueden tener implicaciones prácticas para los aprendices de lengua, docentes, desarrolladores de materiales e implicaciones teoréticas para los investigadores

Sources of Self-Efficacy as Predictors of EFL Learners’ Course Performance

It is generally believed that self-efficacy as a psychological construct contributes to learning process and academic performance. The present study attempted to investigate the possible differences among self-efficacy sources as predictors of EFL learners’ academic achievement in educational settings. To this end, a questionnaire of EFL self-efficacy sources together with Nelson English Proficiency Test were administered among 219 senior EFL learners. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that of the four sources of self-efficacy, only enactive mastery experience accounted for a statistically significant portion of the variance with course performance and, therefore, was a positive predictor of students’ course performance. The results of the present study imply that when learners continue to develop self-efficacy, they will have better English performance scores. It is also concluded that what an educational system needs to consider, in addition to general teaching and learning process, is focusing on personality features of learners. The findings of this study can, therefore, provide implications for researchers, teachers, materials developers, and syllabus designers

Cooperative and competitive teaching techniques affecting iranian EFL learners’ autonomy level

This study investigated the effects of competitive and cooperative teaching techniques on Iranian adult EFL learners’ autonomy. To this end, a sample of 88 non-English major university students at Sohrevardi Nonprofit College in Qazvin were assigned to two groups, and each group received instruction under one of the treatment conditions including cooperative and competitive teaching techniques. To collect data, the Persian translation of an autonomy questionnaire was administered before and after the treatment. The obtained data were analyzed using an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) procedure. The result of data analysis showed that competitive and cooperative teaching techniques affected the level of autonomy in EFL learners. The learners in the cooperative group were more autonomous. The findings of the present study may have implications for learners, teachers, and syllabus designers

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AS PREDICTORS OF READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE

Abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate types of Multiple Intelligences as predictors of reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. To meet this objective, a 60-item TOEFL test and a 90-item multiple intelligences questionnaire were distributed among 240 male and female Iranians studying English at Qazali and Parsian Universities in Qazvin. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression procedure. The result of the data analysis indicated that musical, interpersonal, kinesthetic, and logical intelligences were predicators of reading comprehension. Moreover, musical, verbal, visual, kinesthetic and natural intelligences made significant contributions to predicting vocabulary knowledge.  Key words: Multiple intelligences, reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge

Vocabulary Teaching Strategies: How Do They Affect L2 Learners’ Lexical Recall?

Abatract The present study set out to compare the effects of different vocabulary teaching strategies, teaching vocabularies through context, dictionary definition, and synonyms, on short-term and long-term retention of vocabulary items. 90 intermediate EFL learners were randomly divided into three groups of context, definition, and synonyms (thirty learners in each group). 30 vocabulary items were selected and taught to them in two sessions. Two delayed post-tests were administered to investigate the retention of vocabulary items, the first one after 4 weeks and the second after 8 weeks of delay. The obtained scores were analyzed through one-way ANOVA. Results revealed that the context method produced superior results compared with the other two methods in both delayed post-tests. The findings of the study provide pedagogical implications for EFL teachers, learners, syllabus designers, material developers and language test makers. The findings of the study also provide helpful information about the most effective way of teaching vocabulary that leads to a more durable retention of L2 words.   Keywords: Implicit and explicit learning, Vocabulary retention, Long term, Synonym, Definitio

On the Relationship between Metacognitive Reading Strategies, Reading Self-Efficacy, and L2 Reading Comprehension

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between metacognitive reading strategies, reading self-efficacy, and reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. The participants were 119 Iranian B.A and M.A students majoring in English at Imam Khomeini International University and Islamshahr Azad University. A Michigan Test of English language Proficiency was given to the participants to determine their language proficiency and reading comprehension. Then, they were asked to respond to the two questionnaires of MARSI (Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory), and RSEQ (Reading Self-Efficacy Questionnaire). To analyze the data, multiple regression analyses and correlation procedures were used. The results revealed a significant relationship between the use of reading strategies and reading comprehension. Also, a significant relationship was found between the use of reading strategies and reading self-efficacy. Moreover, the findings showed a positive relationship between reading self-efficacy and reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. The results of this study may have implications for teachers, learners, and materials developers

Mazdek hareketi üzerine bir araştırma

Bu makalenin Farsça aslı “Berresî Cunbiş-i Mazdek” adıyla “Pejûheşnâme-i Ulûm-i İnsânî (Şehit Beheşti Üniversitesi Edebiyat ve Beşeri Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi) 27 (1379), s. 108-126.”de yayımlanmıştır.Eski tarihçilerin İslamiyet öncesi İran tarihi hakkında Farsça veya Arapça nakilleri önemli bir kaynağa, yani Sâsânî saltanatının sonunda (muhtemelen III. Yezdicerd döneminde) Pehlevî dilinde kaleme alınmış yarı resmi bir metin olan Ħudâynâme’ye dayanır. Onun Arapça çevirileri arasında en bilineni İbnü’l-Mukaffa’nın tercümesidir. İbnü’l-Mukaffa ve Pehlevî Ħudâynâme’nin diğer yazarları, Sâsânî saltanat yıllıkları veya mezkûr yıllıklara dayanan başka kaynaklardan faydalanmışlardır. Ħudâynâme’de olayların gidişatı hükümdarların, soyluların ve Zerdüştî din adamlarının bakış açısıyla ifade edilmektedir. Bu bakış açısı Müslüman tarihçi ve yazarların metinlerine doğrudan yansımıştır. İslam tarihçileri sayılı birkaç örnek haricinde her ne kadar menşeini ve kaynaklarını belirtmemiş olsalar da yazdıklarını Ħudâynâme’nin Arapça çevirisinden alıntılamış oldukları açıktır

The Effect of Task Type and Task Orientation on L2 Vocabulary Learning

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of meaning-focused versus form-focused input-oriented and output-oriented task-based instruction on elementary level Iranian EFL Learners’ vocabulary comprehension and recall. For this purpose, a sample of 120 male students from a private school in Tehran was selected through convenience sampling and based on availability. The participants were divided into four groups, and each group was given a different treatment. The first group was taught through meaning-focused input-oriented vocabulary tasks; the second group was instructed through meaning-focused output-oriented tasks; the third group received form-focused input-oriented vocabulary tasks, and the fourth group received form-focused output-oriented vocabulary instruction. At the end of the treatment, the participants in all the four groups were given a vocabulary comprehension and a vocabulary recall posttest. The results indicated that meaning-focused tasks were more effective than form-focused tasks on both vocabulary comprehension and recall. At the same time, input-oriented tasks turned out to be more effective than output-oriented tasks on only vocabulary comprehension. In vocabulary recall, input-oriented tasks were more effective when they were form-focused, while output-oriented tasks were more effective when they were meaning-focused. The results of this study can have implications for teachers, learners, and curriculum designers

The Contribution of Various Dimensions of L2 Identity to L1 National Identity: A Case of the Iranian EFL Context

The two most important defining aspects of L1 national identity are language and social belonging that are manifested through the individual’s inclinations toward the mother tongue or the official language and the sociocultural heritage of the country in which people are living. Moreover, based on the available literature, L2 identity may also exert an influence over the L1 national identity; however, this claim has not been securitized through valid large-scale and comprehensive surveys. Therefore, this study sought to shed light on the relationship between various second language identity dimensions (SLID) and L1 national identity. A sample of 1018 Iranian EFL learners who were selected based on the purposive snowball sampling filled out a researcher-made and validated Multidimensional L2 Identity Questionnaire (MLIQ) and a National Identity Questionnaire (NIQ). Data analysis using multiple regression revealed that the constructed SLID model could significantly contribute to the L1 national identity. The results also showed that the following four dimensions of SLID were significant predictors of national identity: transitive vs. intransitive, convergent vs. divergent, homogeneous vs. heterogeneous, and active vs. passive dimensions. Among these, active vs. passive and convergent vs. divergent dimensions had strong contributions to explaining the degree of the L2 national identity. These findings can help EFL teachers and learners develop a positive L2 identity with balanced dimensions that also promotes L1 national identit