TEACHER EFFICACY AND ITS CORRELATES IN THE EFL CONTEXT OF IRAN: THE ROLE OF AGE, EXPERIENCE, AND GENDER

Teacher efficacy is a context and culture-specific construct. The current study explored the two types of teacher efficacy (individual and collective teacher efficacy) among Iranian English language instructors. Moreover, this study was an attempt to discover whether age, gender, and experience can significantly influence perceptions of collective teacher efficacy and teacher self-efficacy. Data were collected from 130 English language instructors through Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy's (2001) Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and Goddard's (2002) Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale questionnaires. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed no significant difference between the English instructors' collective teacher efficacy and teacher self-efficacy and their respective subscales. Furthermore, the results indicated no meaningful differences in perception among teachers with different age, experience, and gender levels across all the subscales of collective teacher efficacy or teacher self-efficacy.  We conclude that efficacy beliefs seem to be resistant to change once established and may not change significantly with age, experience and gender. Keywords: Teacher-efficacy, self-efficacy, EFL, collective teacher efficac

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

One 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 con- trol 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.4151764Studies in Second Language Learning and Teachin

Evaluative stance in master's theses discussion sections: the case of Iranian graduate student writers

Presenting the writer's voice and positioning it within the larger body of alternative voices is essential in academic writing. Realizing the challenges novice academic writers might experience while doing this, we selected and analyzed a corpus of 40 discussion chapters (timespan: 2010-2019) written by Iranian master's students. Following systemic functional perspective (Martin & White, 2005), we explored the engagement resources in the corpus to discover evaluative language choices and stance types. The results showed that although student writers actively engaged other voices and adopted a more balanced dialogically contractive and expansive stance, they employed fewer and less diverse linguistic devices. Moreover, these novice writers tended to avoid certainty and preferred more modest and cautious assertions. There was a great tendency to remain neutral toward other voices. In aligning with other voices, they preferred to present more supportive evaluations than critical ones as well as more explicit structures. They opted for implicit attitudes in evoking resources to show criticism. The implication of this study is for EAP and dissertation writing to novice writers

Argumentative writing behavior of graduate EFL learners

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.This study analyzed the argumentative writing behavior of Iranian graduate learners of English as Foreign Language in their English essays. Further, the correlations between the use of argument elements and overall writing quality as well as soundness of produced arguments were investigated. To this end, 150 essays were analyzed. The sample essays were found to be predominantly deductive in terms of rhetorical pattern. Moreover, they mainly utilized ‘data’ and ‘claim’ most frequently with secondary elements of argument (i.e., counterargument claim, counterargument data, rebuttal claim, and rebuttal data) as the least produced elements. Overall writing quality co-varied significantly positively with the uses of claims, data, counterargument claims, counterargument data, rebuttal claims, and rebuttal data. Essays rated high in terms of overall writing quality were further rated for soundness and relevance of the arguments. The results demonstrate that even for advanced language learners good surface structure cannot necessarily guarantee well thought-out logical structure. The pedagogical implications for writing instruction and research are discussed

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

This study examines the employment of uncertainty marking in discussion sections written by three groups of writers: master’s 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 use 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, they 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 frequently used by this group. Particular conversational hedges 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 discussedEste artículo analiza el empleo de marcadores de duda en las secciones de discusión de trabajos escritos por tres grupos de autores: tesis de máster de estudiantes iranís e ingleses de lingüística aplicada y artículos de investigación de investigadores profesionales de esta misma área. En concreto, se ha puesto el foco en los mecanismos mitigadores y el grado de convicción con que se presentan sus afirmaciones. Los resultados muestran que en todos los grupos de autores analizados los modales epistémicos registran la mayor frecuencia de uso en las secciones de discusión, seguidos de los adverbios, adjetivos y sustantivos epistémicos, por un lado, y los mitigadores verbales, por otro. Los estudiantes de máster (ingleses e iranís) emplean los verbos modales fundamentalmente para expresar convicción; así pues, se ha identificado una mayor proporción de modales en sus trabajos en comparación con los de los investigadores profesionales. En los artículos de estos últimos, en cambio, se ha detectado mayor precisión en el uso de mitigadores “en clave de lector” (reader-based) como adverbios, adjetivos y sustantivos epistémicos, y verbos evidenciales y de juicio, así como un uso más variado y rico de mecanismos mitigadores. A excepción de los modales, las secciones de discusión redactadas por estudiantes iranís contienen menos mitigadores que las de los estudiantes ingleses y las de los investigadores profesionales. Asimismo, ciertos modales epistémicos (can, could) aparecen con gran frecuencia en los textos de los estudiantes iranís. Por otra parte, determinados mitigadores conversacionales se encuentran principalmente en los trabajos de los estudiantes ingleses. Por último, se proponen y discuten aplicaciones pedagógicas relacionadas con el desarrollo de estrategias adecuadas de autoridad e implicación en la redacción de secciones de discusión y sus implicaciones para investigadores novele

The Effect of Semantic Mapping as a Vocabulary Instruction Technique on EFL Learners with Different Perceptual Learning Styles

Traditional and modern vocabulary instruction techniques have been introduced in the past few decades to improve the learners’ performance in reading comprehension. Semantic mapping, which entails drawing learners’ attention to the interrelationships among lexical items through graphic organizers, is claimed to enhance vocabulary learning significantly. However, whether this technique suits all types of learners has not been adequately investigated. This study examines the effectiveness of employing semantic mapping versus traditional approaches in vocabulary instruction to EFL learners with different perceptual modalities. A modified version of Reid’s (1987) perceptual learning style questionnaire was used to determine the learners’ modality types. The results indicate that semantic mapping in comparison to the traditional approaches significantly enhances vocabulary learning of EFL learners. However, although visual learners slightly outperformed other types of learners on the post-test, no significant differences were observed among intermediate learners with different perceptual modalities employing semantic mapping for vocabulary practice

The effect of vocabulary instruction through semantic mapping among EFLlearners with different perceptual learning styles

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LiBRI Journal - On The Effect of Recast in Task-based Grammar Instruction Across Two Age Groups: Adolescents vs. Adults

<i>Abstract</i><div><br></div><div>In order to address the issue of age differences in feedback reception, this study investigated the effect of recast in task-based grammar instruction on Iranian adolescent and adult EFL learners’ learning of conditionals and relatives. The data were collected from 114 adolescent (aged 15-18) and adult (aged 30-35) EFL learners. Of the two adolescent classes, one class was assigned as the experimental and the other as the control group and the same procedure was followed for the two adult classes. The two experimental groups were provided with recast. The analysis of the participants' performance on the posttest demonstrated that the experimental groups outperformed the control groups, and adults more than adolescents benefited from recast. As a result, the efficacy of recast in establishing new grammatical knowledge was proved. Further, the age of the learners did affect the degree of the utility of recasts in developing grammar knowledge.<br></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Find out more here:</b></div><div><b>https://www.edusoft.ro/brain/index.php/libri/article/view/205</b><br></div

Data_Sheet_1_The relationship between L2 motivation and transformative engagement in academic reading among EAP learners: Implications for reading self-regulation.pdf

This study examined the relationship between L2 motivation and engagement in academic reading skill from the lenses of L2 motivational self-system and transformative experience. More specifically, following the transformative experience (TE) framework, we investigated the level of students’ engagement in academic reading skills inside and outside English classes. We also explored what motivational factors act as strong predictors of transformative experience and whether L2 motivation and engagement of students differ across different disciplines. Stratified purposive sampling was followed to recruit 419 undergraduate English for academic purposes (EAP) students studying in different majors. As such, we developed a questionnaire for measuring TE and utilized a pre-established questionnaire to operationalize L2 motivational self-system. We found that L2 motivation significantly covaried with students’ level of engagement in English academic reading skill. Furthermore, the results of multiple regression analysis revealed that L2 learning experience and ideal L2 self were strong predictors of transformative engagement; ought-to L2 self played a marginal role in the occurrence of TE. Discipline-wise, Life Sciences students were considerably more motivated than those in Arts and Humanities. However, no significant difference was observed in the extent of transformative engagement among students across disciplinary groups. Implications for EAP instructors, educational authorities, and material and curricula developers are discussed.</p

Qatari student writers’ metalinguistic understanding of transitions in L2 English written argument

Research in metadiscourse has foregrounded the multiple ways in which writers build a relationship with readers through internal dis¬course. Yet, few studies consider the relationship between the texts writers create and the metalinguistic thinking which informs their decision-making as writers. This paper draws on data from a larger study which sought to address this gap by investigating both the occurrence of metadiscourse in students’ writing and their metalinguistic understanding of metadiscourse usage in their own texts. The sample comprised 195 students who wrote argument texts in both L1 Arabic (first language) and L2 English (second language), generating a corpus of 390 texts. Interviews were conducted with a sub-sample of 41 students to determine their metalinguistic thinking. In this paper, we focus on transitions – the internal devices which mark the steps and connections in the discourse. The analysis evidences a limited metalinguistic understanding of the metadiscoursal function of transitions but a strong understanding of the linking function of transitions. This understanding tends to foreground transitions’ textual rather than interpersonal role, emphasising the semantic and ideational. The paper argues that developing students’ metalinguistic understanding of this interpersonal role would empower them to make more strategic, informed use of transi¬tions in their own writing.Open Access funding is provided by the Qatar National Library (QNL), Doha, Qatar. The current research paper is the outcome of an awarded National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) research grant No. NPRP11S-1112-170006, funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), Doha, Qatar.لقد أشارت الدراسات السابقة في السمات الدقيقة للخطاب الكتابي إلى طرق متعددة يبني من خلالها الكتًاب علاقتهم بالقرًاء من خلال الخطاب الداخلي للنص. ومع ذلك، فإن القليل من الدراسات تبحث العلاقة بين النصوص التي يكتبها الكتًاب والتفكير سد هذه الفجوة البحثية من خلال البحث في كل من السمات الدقيقة للخطاب الكتابي في كتابات الطلاب وفهمهم “ما وراء اللغوي” لاستخدام تلك السمات الدقيقة في نصوصهم المكتوبة. واشتملت عينة البحث على 195 طالباً كتبوا نصوصا حجاجيه باللغتين العربية (اللغة الأم) والإنجليزية (اللغة الثانية)، مسفرة عن مدوًنة مكونة من 390 نصاً كتابياً. وقد أُجريت مقابلات مع عينة مكونة من 41 طالباً لتمحيص تفكيرهم “فيما وراء اللغوي”. ويركز الباحثون في هذا البحث على أدوات الربط – تلك الروابط التي تحدد الخطوات والعلاقات في الخطاب الكتابي داخل النص. وأوضحت نتائج البحث الحالي محدودية فهم الطلاب اللغوي لوظيفة روابط النص الخطابي، ولكنها تشير أيضا إلى فهمم القوي لوظيفة تلك الروابط. ويميل فهم الطلاب القوي لوظيفة الروابط إلى تقديم الروابط كنسق نصي و ليس كأسلوب للتفاعل مع القارئ مؤكدا على المعنى الدلالي والفكري لتلك الروابط. و يؤكد هذا البحث على أهمية تنمية فهم الطلاب لما وراء اللغوي لهذا الدور التفاعلي لتلك الروابط، و ذلك من شأنه أن يمكنهم من استخدام الروابط بشكل أكثر استراتيجيةً واستنارةً في كتاباتهم