The impact of teaching communication strategies on EFL learners’ Willingness to Communicate

ArticleOne of the pedagogical implications of the research on the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) might be to propose practical ways of making language learners more willing to communicate in the classroom. This study investigated the impact of teaching communication strategies (CSs) on Iranian EFL learners’ WTC. To this end, 8 intact classes were included as the experimental and control groups. The control group underwent regular language instruction, while the experimental group received the treatment (i.e., communication strategy training). The self-report measurement of WTC (MacIntyre, Baker, Clément, & Conrad, 2001) was done before (pre-test) and after the treatment (post-test). The results of the independent-samples t test showed that the degree of WTC of the treatment group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group. It was concluded that teaching CSs helps learners become more willing to communicate in the classroom

Textual Enhancement across Linguistic Structures: EFL Learners' Acquisition of English Forms

This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the link in this recordThe benefits of textual input enhancement in the acquisition of linguistic forms have produced mixed results in SLA literature. The present study investigates the effects of textual enhancement on adult foreign language intake of two English linguistic forms-subjunctive mood and inversion structures-to explore the role of the type of linguistic items in input enhancement studies. It also investigates learners’ trend of development in the acquisition process of these structures. Thirty first year college-level participants were exposed to twelve enhanced texts for subjunctive mood and twelve other texts for inversion structures. The study employed a pretest-posttest-delayed posttest design to explore the effectiveness of instructional treatment in the short term and long term acquisition of the structures. Alongside a pretest and a posttest, three production tests were administered to assess the trend of development in each structure.The results revealed that textual enhancement aided the learning of the target forms. With regard to type of linguistic items, significant benefits of subjunctive mood over inversion structures were found during both short term and long term. This study revealed that textual input enhancement may have differential effects on the acquisition of linguistic forms. Theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications are also discussed

Book prefaces in basic, applied and social sciences: A genre-based study

This is the final version. Available from IDOSI Publications via the link in this recordGenre- based studies have recently focused on different types of professional and academic texts to identify their communicative purpose(s), generic structure and linguistic features. However, analyzing the generic and linguistic structure of book prefaces as a subcategory of academic genres seems to have been significantly underresearched. This study focuses on academic book prefaces in three disciplines of management, metallurgy and mathematics to identify their generic structure, linguistic features and potential disciplinary differences. Identifying similar generic structure for book prefaces in the three disciplines, the researchers suggest that book prefaces in the above-mentioned areas are very similar in terms of their communicative purpose(s), generic structure and readers' expectation. Furthermore, the study did not identify any significant difference in the use of the moves and steps among the book prefaces in the three disciplines on the whole, which suggests that writers in the three disciplines generally use the same moves and steps with rather similar frequencies. Finally, analyzing the generic structure and linguistic features of book prefaces indicated that book prefaces fulfill a promotional purpose besides their common informative purpose

On the practicality of group dynamic assessment: A seminal enterprise deserving closer scrutiny

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.This paper is a preliminary study designed to scrutinize the way Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA), suggested by Poehner (2009), has been implemented in L2 classrooms regarding its basic premise: moving the group forward in its ZPD while benefiting individuals as well. Since the one-to-one interaction that characterizes DA framework represents an unrealistic model for classroom teachers who must manage classes of 15 to 30 learners, Poehner (2009) suggests the use of DA with groups of L2 learners rather than individuals and offers examples of two approaches to G-DA: concurrent and cumulative. However, the development of group ZPD cannot be easily traced in the presented approaches, and the process of shifting the activity from the individual to the group is not clarified either. To present a more realistic model of G-DA, this paper suggests the application of small group DA to L2 classrooms. To this end, it has initially delved into the concepts of 'group learning', 'group ZPD', and 'group DA'. Next, the areas of ambiguity in the two suggested approaches to G-DA have been identified. Finally, a less complicated model of classroom DA, namely small group DA is presented

Inferring logical relations by male and female EFL learners

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the link in this recordThis study examines the comprehension of the logical relations denoted by different conjunctive adverbials by undergraduate EFL learners. More specifically, it tries to discover if the sex of the participants and type of the text affects inferring logical relations. 254 undergraduate EFL students took language proficiency and a logical relations test (LRT). The results demonstrated a consistent pattern of performance on conjunctive relations across learners with different language proficiency levels. No significant differences were found between males and females in their performance on the LRT. Further, significant differences and interactions were found in inferring conjunctive relations across text and conjunction types. The results can have both theoretical and practical applications for text comprehension theories and reading-writing instruction

A cross-cultural study of hedging in discussion sections by junior and senior academic writers

This is the final version. Available on open access from AELFE via the link in this recordThis study examined the employment of uncertainty marking in discussion sections written by three groups of writers: masters dissertations written in English by Iranian and English graduate students of applied linguistics, and research article discussions by professional writers of applied linguistics. The focus was on the employment of hedging devices and degree of conviction promoted in their claims. The results showed that for all writer groups epistemic modals had the highest frequency of use in the discussion sections followed by epistemic adverbials/adjectivals/nouns (EAAN), and verbal hedges respectively. Graduate writers (English and Iranian) mostly used modal verbs to express conviction; hence, produced a larger proportion of modals compared to professional writers. Professional writers; however, produced more accuracy and reader-based hedges such as EANN, evidential, and judgmental verbs. Further, they used a more unique and diverse range of hedging devices. Except for modals, Iranian graduates’ discussions were less hedged compared to those by English graduates and professional writers. Certain epistemic modals (i.e. can, could) were more frequently used by this group. Certain conversational hedges (e.g., guess, feel) were used mostly by English graduates. Pedagogical applications and implications for junior researchers about developing appropriate stance and engagement strategies in writing discussion sections will be proposed and discussed.Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from fish, shrimp, and cooked ready-to-eat (RTE) aquatic products in Iran

The prevalence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes was investigated by biochemical and molecular methods in a total of 201 fish, shrimp, and ready-to-eat seafood samples collected from Iranian supermarkets. Thirty-six samples were also collected from a seafood processing plant. Twenty-one (8.86) of the total retail and processing plant samples (237) were positive for Listeria spp., confirmed by a simplex PCR assay for the prs gene. Seven (2.95) of the total samples were also positive for L. monocytogenes. The presence of four virulence-associated genes in the seafood isolates (inlA, inlC, inlJ, and hlyA) was examined using PCR and the results were compared with seven clinical L. monocytogenes strains. All virulence genes were detected in six fish isolates. One fish isolate did not show amplification of the inlJ and inlC genes. However, all seven clinical strains were positive for internalin genes. Furthermore, a multiplex PCR assay was employed to evaluate the major L. monocytogenes genoserogroups' distribution. The results revealed that the serotypes of lineage II are most frequently present in clinical and food isolates. In summary, PCR screening for both the major L. monocytogenes serovars and virulence genes revealed the potential public health risk posed by L. monocytogenes in aquatic products. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Negotiating academic conflict in discussion sections of doctoral dissertations

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from John Benjamins Publishing Company via the DOI in this recordThis study explores how doctoral students negotiated academic conflict (AC) in discussion section of their dissertations and what engagement resources they utilized to convey academic conflict. To this end, discussion chapters of 30 doctoral dissertations in Applied Linguistics (15 samples by each writer group) were analyzed using Huston’s (1991) academic conflict framework and Martin and White’s (2005) engagement system of Appraisal Theory. The functional analysis constituted discovering components of academic conflict and engagement resources in the discussions. We found that components of academic conflict determined engagement values used to convey them. The linguistic background of the authors was less of an issue in resolving conflicts. The two writer groups managed academic conflict and related engagement resources more or less similarly in different components of academic conflict. They mainly expressed their novel contribution readily and identified the flaws of previous research; however, both writer groups showed little tendency to explain controversial points. The findings have pedagogical implications for academic writing courses highlighting the importance of developing awareness of AC and resolving the conflicts

Metadiscourse in academic writing: A systematic review

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordData availability: Data will be made available on request.A means to control how writers mark their presence, negotiate knowledge claims, and engage with their audience, metadiscourse is one of the most prominent approaches to analysing academic writing. The present systematic review attempts to take stock of the existing literature by investigating how metadiscourse has been researched in academic writing by analysing a sample of 370 high-quality empirical studies published between 1990 and 2021. Studies were coded for their conceptual frameworks, research designs, data sources, study contexts, writers, texts, corpora, and reporting practices. It was found that over 80% of research involved cross-sectional descriptive corpus-based analysis, drawing on intercultural rhetoric. Owing to its impact, ease of application, and study comparability, most research adhered to the ‘broad’ tradition in metadiscourse. Representative of this approach, Hyland's interpersonal framework and models of stance and engagement were prevalent, although difficulties in undertaking a ‘thick’ analysis of such a wide variety of features coupled with publishing constraints meant that many authors narrowed their focus to a few select features (especially hedges, boosters, and self-mentions). Approximately 37% of corpus-based research followed the ‘thin’ tradition, with an emphasis on marker frequency counts over contextually-bound interpretations. Corpora of English texts, notably, research articles, were prominently studied, with little research taking place outside of university contexts or recruiting human participants as informants. We discuss avenues to advance research in metadiscourse, through identifying possible future inquiries and improving study quality.Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF

Self-regulated learning, metacognitive awareness, and argumentative writing: a structural equation modeling approach

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Equinox Publishing via the DOI in this record The current study examined the relationships among self-regulated learning, metacognitive awareness, and EFL learners’ performance in argumentative writing. We collected data through two questionnaires (i.e., Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ); Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI)), and an argumentative writing task administered to 250 Iranian graduate students of TEFL in eleven universities across Iran. Using LISREL version 8.8, we ran structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that although the SEM enjoyed a good fit on the hypothesized relationships among self-regulated learning, metacognitive awareness, and argumentative writing, the significant influence of metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning on students’ argumentative writing performance could not be postulated. Finally, the pedagogical implications for writing instruction and research are discussed