The Effect of Mnemonic Vocabulary Instruction on Reading Comprehension of Students

The present article was an investigation of mnemonic vocabulary teaching to improve reading comprehension in the EFL classrooms. A major problem with the most of the past researches was that they paid no or little attention to the effects of using mnemonic strategies to improve reading comprehension. The purpose of this paper was to investigate how key word mnemonic vocabulary teaching can improve reading comprehension of the students. To this end, 360 third grade senior high school students from 6 senior high schools of Zanjan were selected through multistage cluster random sampling method and based on Cambridge placement test (2010), 345 students proved to be upper intermediate. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the effects of a mnemonic vocabulary intervention on reading comprehension. In this article there were one control group (A, n=115), and two experimental groups (B, n=115; C, n=115) all of which were male and there were selected randomly by the researchers. During one month in four weeks, every week in two thirty-minute session, group B received direct vocabulary instruction and group C received key word mnemonic instruction. The quantitative component of this article was comprised of the Unit Cloze test. In order to test the effects of Mnemonic Vocabulary Teaching on reading comprehension, the covariance analysis was employed and the results demonstrated that by eliminating the covariance factor of the pre-test, mnemonic vocabulary instruction improved the reading comprehension of the students. The use of keyword mnemonics as a means to differentiate instruction is an educational implication that can assist teachers seeking better student achievement outcomes

The Effects of Corrective Feedback on Iranian EFL Learners' Writing

Matching the expectations of teachers and learners is vital for successful learning. Few studies have investigated the effects of corrective feedback on Iranian EFL learners. Therefore, this study aimed to bridge this gap. To this end, the sample of 180 male and female teachers, who taught language courses in an English Language Teaching program in language institutes in Zanjan, and 350 learners, chosen through stratified random sampling, formed the participants of the study. Two standard instruments were used in this study- PET Test and Fukuda’s (2004) Feedback Questionnaire. The findings suggest that learners believed that corrective feedback had a significant effect on their writing but the teachers did not think so. It is concluded that most of the feedback given by teachers were concentrated on grammatical errors and that the teachers’ views on feedback are based on the context, which might origin from absence of sufficient teacher training. With this in mind, giving feedback, or rather the right kind of feedback should perhaps play a better role in teacher education. The fact that feedback is based on each context may be positive as learners are different and teacher trainees might still take advantage from studying the provision of feedback

Effective strategies for the establishment of integration model for succession planning and career progression path of iranian azad universities administrators (Qualitative Research Based Grounded Theory Approach)

• AbstractThis research was done to provide effective strategies for the establishment of integration model for succession planning and career progression path of azad universities administrators from the perspective of higher education administrators and professionals based on the systematic theoretical design of Strauss and Corbin grounded theory. Accordingly, using a targeted sampling method, semi-structured interviews were made with 22 middle and executive managers of universities, authors in the field of succession planning and career progression path, and key scholars on human resource management and higher education, and the data were extracted from the interviews.The approach used in this study is a mix approach and hence, for developing the comprehensive research model, qualitative and quantitative approaches (in combination with one another) were used.. For selecting sample volume, snow ball method was used and finally, the research model was developed based on the opinions of 22 experts. In the second stage, the presented research model was tested by using SPSS 20, Lisrel8.8 and results indicated that the relationships and components of the proposed model are significant. During a three-step coding process (open, axial and selective), the data analysis revealed seven main categories as the effective strategies for the establishment of integration model for succession planning and career progression path of governmental universities administrators, which included acquaintance, participation of university administrators, organizational learning, trust-making, futurism, academic independence and systemic insigh

Design , Implementation & Evaluation of an Educational Program on Improving the Communication Skills with Patient based on WHO in Interns

Introduction: The effective relationship of physicians with patients has a significant role in effective treatment, reduces stress and establishes satisfaction in the patient. It was shown that many doctors fail to communicate with patients effectively. The aim of present research was designing, implementing, and evaluating the effect of training on improving the communication skills with patients in medical interns of Arak University of Medical Sciences based on the WHO pattern . Methods: This interventional research was done on 74 interns of Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2010. Communication skills of the subjects were directly observed and documented through using a checklist prepared according to basic communication skills developed by WHO. Validity and reliability of the checklist were confirmed. Then through role –playing, the subjects learned how to communicate effectively with patients. After training, their communication skills were checked again.. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t test. Results:. The average score on communication skills before training and after it were 2.53±.47 and 3.25± .34 respectively, which showed a significant difference (P=0.00, t=10.3). The average scores on interpersonal communication skills & skill of obtaining information from & giving information to patients before and after education were 2.62± 0.47; 3.29± 0.37,2.74±0.47 & 3.24±0.3, and 2.42±0.39 & 3.24± 0.3 respectively . The average score on presenting information before and after training were 2.24±0.39 and 3.24 ± 0.3 and on educating patients 2.33 ± 0.52 3.15 ± 0.38, which indicated a significant difference between the scores before and after training(, p = 0/00).There was no significant difference between the scores of males and females(, p = 0/00). Conclusion: Interns’ scores were improved by training, significantly. It is recommended the medical curriculum be revised and some theoretical and practical courses relevant to communication skills accompanied by applying effective methods in teaching communication skills be planned for

Extent, nature and hospital costs of fireworks-related injuries during the Wednesday Eve Festival in Iran

BACKGROUND: Fireworks are commonly used in local and national celebrations. The aim of this study is to explore the extent, nature and hospital costs of injuries related to the Persian Wednesday Eve festival in Iran. METHODS: Data for injuries caused by fireworks during the 2009 Persian Wednesday Eve festival were collected from the national Ministry of Health database. Injuries were divided into nine groups and the average and total hospital costs were estimated for each group. The cost of care for patients with burns was estimated by reviewing a sample of 100 patients randomly selected from a large burn center in Tehran. Other costs were estimated by conducting semi structured interviews with expert managers at two large government hospitals. RESULTS: 1817 people were injured by fireworks during the 2009 Wednesday Eve festival. The most frequently injured sites were the hand (43.3%), eye (24.5%) and face (13.2%), and the most common types of injury were burns (39.9%), contusions/abrasions (24.6%) and lacerations (12.7%). The mean length of hospital stay was 8.15 days for patients with burns, 10.7 days for those with amputations, and 3 days for those with other types of injury. The total hospital cost of injuries was US$284 000 and the average cost per injury was US$ 156. The total hospital cost of patients with amputations was US$ 48 598. Most of the costs were related to burns (56.6%) followed by amputations (12.2%). CONCLUSION: Injuries related to the Persian Wednesday Eve festival are common and lead to extensive morbidity and medical costs