The Impact of Language Anxiety and Language Proficiency on WTC in EFL Context

Abstract Spontaneous and sustained use of the L2 inside and outside the classroom varies according to a number of linguistic, communicative, social, and psychological factors. Authentic communication in L2 as a result of the complex interrelated system of variables occurs in terms of utilizing L2 for a variety of communicative acts, such as speaking up in class or reading a newspaper, and changes accordingly over time and across situations. By helping the students to decrease language anxiety and increase a willingness to use the L2 inside and outside the classroom, we direct the focus of language teaching away from merely linguistic and structural competence to authentic communication. Willingness to communicate (WTC) model integrates these variables to predict L2 communication, and a few number of studies have tested the model with EFL students. To this end, the current study is an attempt to shed light on the examination of Iranian EFL university students’ WTC and its interaction with their language anxiety and language proficiency. Forty nine university students participated in this study, took TOEFL first and then filled out two questionnaires of WTC, MacIntyre, Baker, Clement, and Conrod (2001) and language anxiety, Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). For data analysis, Repeated Measures ANOVA and Spearman correlation were run and the results have revealed that Iranian university students’ WTC is directly related to their language proficiency but surprisingly higher proficient learners showed to be less communicative than lower proficient ones outside the classroom and this proves the state-like nature of WTC in the present sample. Moreover, the interaction between WTC and anxiety did not turn out to be significant. This shows that anxiety did not affect the learners’ participation in communication (WTC). Finally, anxiety and language proficiency are negatively correlated, so the association between language learning experience and L2 anxiety has been confirmed in the results of this study. Therefore, linguistic variables appear to be more predictive of WTC for Iranians, and language instructors should work on their students' English proficiency. Key words: Willingness to communicate; Language anxiety; Language proficiency; EFL context; Iranian students Résumé L'utilisation spontanée et continuelle de la L2 à l'intérieur et l'extérieur de la salle de cours varie selon de nombre facteurs linguistique, communicatifs, sociaux et psychologiques. La communication authentique en L2 est un résultat d’un système complexe des variables survenus en termes d’utilisation de L2 pour une variété d'actes de communication, tels que prendre la parole en classe ou lire un journal, changeant en conséquence au fil du temps et selon les situations. En aidant les élèves à diminuer l'anxiété linguistique et à augmenter la volonté d'utiliser la L2 à l'intérieur et l'extérieur de la salle de classe, nous éloignons les actions d'enseignement des langues de la compétence purement linguistique et structurelle de la communication authentique. Le modèle de la Volonté de communiquer (WTC) intègre ces variables pour prédire la communication L2. Un petit nombre d'études ont testé le modèle avec les étudiants en EFL. À cette fin, la présente étude est une tentative pour faire la lumière sur l'examen du WTC sur les étudiants iraniens en EFL et sur son interaction avec leur anxiété linguistique et leur maîtrise de la langue. Quarante-neuf étudiants ont participé à cette étude. Ils ont pris le TOEFL en premier et ont ensuite rempli deux questionnaires du WTC, MacIntyre, Baker, Clément et Conrod (2001) et de l'anxiété languistique, Horwitz, Horwitz et Cope (1986). Pour l'analyse des données, les mesures répétées ANOVA et la corrélation de Spearman ont été effectués. Les résultats ont révélé que le WTC des étudiants iraniens est directement lié à leurs compétences linguistiques Mais les apprendis étonnément compétents se montrent moins communicatifs que ceux qui ont moins de compétence en dehors de la classe, prouvant dans l’exemple actuel la nature étatique du WTC. Par ailleurs, l'interaction entre le WTC et l'anxiété ne s'est pas avéré significatif. Cela montre que l'anxiété n'a pas d'incidence sur la participation des apprenants dans la communication (WTC). Enfin, l'anxiété et la maîtrise de la langue sont corrélés négativement, alors l'association entre l'expérience de l'apprentissage des langues et de l'anxiété L2 a été confirmée dans les résultats de cette étude. Par conséquent, les enseignants de langues devrait augmenter de compétence linguistique des apprenants et de leur fournir la commodité. Mots-clés: Volonté de communiquer; Anxiété languistique; contexte EFL; compétences linguistique

Implicational Scaling of Reading Comprehension Construct: Is it Deterministic or Probabilistic?

In English as a Second Language Teaching and Testing situations, it is common to infer about learners’ reading ability based on his or her total score on a reading test. This assumes the unidimensional and reproducible nature of reading items. However, few researches have been conducted to probe the issue through psychometric analyses. In the present study, the IELTS exemplar module C (1994) was administered to 503 Iranian students of various reading comprehension ability levels. Both the deterministic and probabilistic psychometric models of unidimensionality were employed to examine the plausible existence of implicational scaling among reading items in the mentioned reading test. Based on the results, it was concluded that the reading data in this study did not show a deterministic unidimensional scale (Guttman scaling); rather, it revealed a probabilistic one (Rasch model). As the person map of the measures failed to show a meaningful hierarchical order for the items, these results call into question the assumption of implicational scaling that is normally practiced in scoring reading items. In English as a Second Language Teaching and Testing situations, it is common to infer about learners’ reading ability based on his or her total score on a reading test. This assumes the unidimensional and reproducible nature of reading items. However, few researches have been conducted to probe the issue through psychometric analyses. In the present study, the IELTS exemplar module C (1994) was administered to 503 Iranian students of various reading comprehension ability levels. Both the deterministic and probabilistic psychometric models of unidimensionality were employed to examine the plausible existence of implicational scaling among reading items in the mentioned reading test. Based on the results, it was concluded that the reading data in this study did not show a deterministic unidimensional scale (Guttman scaling); rather, it revealed a probabilistic one (Rasch model). As the person map of the measures failed to show a meaningful hierarchical order for the items, these results call into question the assumption of implicational scaling that is normally practiced in scoring reading items

Learners’ Beliefs of an Effective Teacher: A Case of Iranian Context

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 36pt 0pt 45.35pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The influence that teachers have on learners’ achievements is unquestionable. Learners’ beliefs and perspectives are also considered as a determining factor in their academic achievements. Sixty students from the University of Tehran’s Center for Extra Curricular Activities participated in this study. The participants’ perception of their teachers in different aspects, such as Personality of the teacher, Proficiency of the teacher, Teaching skills, was investigated. The findings revealed that teaching skills were viewed, by learners, as the most influential characteristic of a teacher. Proficiency and personality of a teacher were ranked second and third accordingly. The results of the study had certain implications for teachers and teacher educators.</span></p&gt

BRAIN Journal - Potential Predictability of ZPD of Children's Cognitive Development

ABSTRACT Obtaining information on whether the child has the potential for growth is not an easy task. Research shows that using different matrix like Raven or different batteries in a static way cannot be indicative of children further development. This study attempts to probe the potential predictability of children’s performance during Dynamic Assessment of their Future development. 41 children between ages 3 to 6 years old participated in this study. The data in pretest, ZPD, and posttest were converted into Rasch Measure. The results of different analysis indicate that relying on children’s actual performance cannot be an indicative factor of their development in the future

Modular vs. Unitary (Non-modular) Views on the Brain and Mind

This article aims at delineating the two distinguished paradigms as far as their views towards learning in general and language in particular are concerned. Moreover, it attempts to discuss different views on the flaws and praises raised by each of their proponents and opponents. Therefore, the purpose of this article IS NOT to claim anything in favor of either view. To this end, this article reviews brain and mind issues as well as Modularity and Non-modularity views.<br /&gt

Potential Predictability of ZPD of Children’s Cognitive Development

Obtaining information on whether the child has the potential for growth is not an easy task. Research shows that using different matrix like Raven or different batteries in a static way cannot<br />be indicative of children further development. This study attempts to probe the potential predictability of children’s performance during Dynamic Assessment of their Future development.<br />41 children between ages 3 to 6 years old participated in this study. The data in pretest, ZPD, and posttest were converted into Rasch Measure. The results of different analysis indicate that relying on children’s actual performance cannot be an indicative factor of their development in the future

On the Relationship Between Input and Interaction Psycholinguistic, Cognitive, and Ecological Perspectives in SLA

Input is one of the most important elements in the process of second language acquisition (SLA). As Gass (1997) points out, second language learning simply cannot take place without input of some sort. Since then, specific issues have been actively debated in SLA on the nature of input and input processing, such as the amount of input that is necessary for language acquisition, various attributes of input and how they may facilitate or hinder acquisition, and instructional method that may enhance input. In this paper, four hypotheses and paradigms of input processing have been described. It is delineated that although the three paradigms of triggering, input hypothesis, and interaction hypothesis have been widely used and accepted, they lack the ability to account for the dynamic nature of language. Affordance, on the other hand, can account for such a nature of language.<br />Therefore, affordance replaces fixed-eye vision by mobile-eye vision; an active learner establishes relationships with and within the environment. The learner can directly perceive and act on the ambient language without having to route everything through a pre-existing mental apparatus of schemata and representation, while this is not true in the fixed-code theory. In the fixed-eye theory of communication it is assumed that ready-made messages are coded at one end, transmitted,<br />and then decoded in identical form at the other end. We need in its place a constructivist theory of message construction and interpretation

BRAIN Journal - Potential Predictability of ZPD of Children’s Cognitive Development

<i>Abstract</i><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div>Obtaining information on whether the child has the potential for growth is not an easy task. Research shows that using different matrix like Raven or different batteries in a static way cannot be indicative of children further development. This study attempts to probe the potential predictability of children’s performance during Dynamic Assessment of their Future development. 41 children between ages 3 to 6 years old participated in this study. The data in pretest, ZPD, and posttest were converted into Rasch Measure. The results of different analysis indicate that relying on children’s actual performance cannot be an indicative factor of their development in the future.</div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Find out more at:</b></div><div><b>https://www.edusoft.ro/brain/index.php/brain/article/view/198</b></div

BRAIN Journal - On the Relationship Between Input and Interaction Psycholinguistic, Cognitive, and Ecological Perspectives in SLA

ABSTRACT Input is one of the most important elements in the process of second language acquisition (SLA). As Gass (1997) points out, second language learning simply cannot take place without input of some sort. Since then, specific issues have been actively debated in SLA on the nature of input and input processing, such as the amount of input that is necessary for language acquisition, various attributes of input and how they may facilitate or hinder acquisition, and instructional method that may enhance input. In this paper, four hypotheses and paradigms of input processing have been described. It is delineated that although the three paradigms of triggering, input hypothesis, and interaction hypothesis have been widely used and accepted, they lack the ability to account for the dynamic nature of language. Affordance, on the other hand, can account for such a nature of language. Therefore, affordance replaces fixed-eye vision by mobile-eye vision; an active learner establishes relationships with and within the environment. The learner can directly perceive and act on the ambient language without having to route everything through a pre-existing mental apparatus of schemata and representation, while this is not true in the fixed-code theory. In the fixed-eye theory of communication it is assumed that ready-made messages are coded at one end, transmitted, and then decoded in identical form at the other end. We need in its place a constructivist theory of message construction and interpretation

The Effect of Recast vs. Self Correction on Writing Accuracy: The Role of Awareness

Studies in support of the facilitative role of correction in either forms of recast, repetition, confirmations, compression checks, or clarification request abound (Ellis, 2003). Among these studies recast has proved to be the most frequent type of error correction in classroom [30] [32]; however,&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; self-correction or elicitation might make students notice the gap more than recast. To illuminate the difference, two methods of recast and self correction were applied to two groups of students to see if there would be any difference between two methods on the students' writing accuracy regarding the use of past tense. Man Whitney, along with Wilcoxon, was run as the main statistical techniques to examine the effectiveness of methods of error correction on students' writing accuracy. The result of this study showed that there is no significant difference between the two methods of correction although students improve after treatment; however, self correction outperformed recast and recast did not improve students' accuracy in posttest