The Impact of Implementing Computer Games and Motor Activity on Early EFL Vocabulary Achievement

Study aims to investigate the effect of implementing computer and motor activity games on early EFL vocabulary achievement and using it at the sentence level. To do so three intact groups were chosen. Then the game group learned English vocabulary through motor activity, computer group was taught by using two software Jumpstart English and Baby Einstein, and children in control group was taught through traditional methods.  In the last session an oral achievement test (reliability= 0.87) was run and the results revealed that at the both levels (vocabulary retention and sentence level) children who learned through motor activity game performed significantly better on the achievement test than those who learned through other methods

Implications of Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in Teacher Education: ZPTD and Self-scaffolding

AbstractOne of the major themes in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory is the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development was created with child development in mind. Unfortunately, Vygotsky lived a short life and never proposed any specific methodology for the use of ZPD in teacher education. Recently the idea of ZPD has been used in teacher education (Warford, 2011). In this paper, first the philosophical and historical foundation of ZPD is discussed. Then, ZPTD and different stages of developing the ZPTD are introduced. Finally, factors affecting teachers’ ZPD are studied and suggestions are made on improving the ZPTD

The Study of Iranian EFL Learners’ Mental Lexicon through Word Association Tests

AbstractThis study intended to peek into Iranian EFL learners’ metal lexicon through word association tests (WATs).  31 male and female EFL learners studying at Bonab and Marageh language institutes participated in this study. A WAT comprised of 8 English words adopted from Roux’s (2013) word list administered to the participants. The results analyzed and interpreted according to both WA conventional classification and Fitzpatrick’s framework. Within conventional classification (syntagmatic, paradigmatic, and clang), the results confirmed the syntagmatic to paradigmatic change hypothesis (S→P) only between intermediate and upper-intermediate levels. The results also indicated that low intermediate learners besides other conventional factors, associate words based on phonological and orthographical relations. Within Fitzpatrick’s framework, the results indicated that learners generally associate words according to meaning and position across all proficiency levels. However, at low-intermediate level the rate of meaning-based association overwhelms position-based association. Form-based association and erratic association drew the least attention of the participants respectively. Finally, pedagogical implication of this study along with further research idea is discussed.Key words: conventional classification, Fitzpatrick’s framework, mental lexicon, word association tes

The Impact of Inquiry-based Learning approach on Critical Thinking Skill of EFL Students

To modify the way how the students are getting ready to encounter the needs of the new era, some other different teaching approaches are under research. Inquiry-based learning is such a method supposed to empower the skills students need to master.  The hypothesis was that inquiry-based learning can have impact on critical thinking ability of students. The data was from language learners at Guyesh language institute placed in Alborz(Iran). To homogenize the participants, they had a language proficiency test (PET) as pre-test. Out of 62 students, 38 students were selected. The learners were put into one experimental and one control group based on their exam results. The researchers used independent sample T–Test to measure the statistical differences between the two groups. Before receiving instruction the students completed a critical thinking questionnaire. After sessions of inquiry-based instruction, the researchers gave the post-tests to both experimental and control groups. Finally, the results of the analysis of the data ensured that doing inquiry-based activities increased critical thinking ability of the subjects.  The outcome of this study confirmed that participation in inquiry-based learning class had a significant impact on learners’ critical thinking skill

The Impact of Visual Aids on the Retention of English Word Stress Patterns

The present study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of three different techniques on learners’ long term memorization of English word stress patterns. After administering a quick placement test, 67 Iranian EFL elementary learners at language institutes were selected to participate in the study. Then they were divided into three groups. Before starting the instruction, a pretest was conducted to classify the participants’ abilities on word stress patterns. Then the new techniques were used to teach English word stress patterns. In all three groups, words were printed largely on a piece of paper and the syllables were clearly specified by dots. In group ‘A’, pronunciation and stress pattern of new words were taught aurally through the repetition of the words. In group ‘B’, all the procedure was exactly similar to that of group ‘A’, the only difference was that the stressed syllables were printed in bold. In group ‘C’, all the procedure was exactly similar to that of group ‘B’,  except that the stressed syllables were not only printed in bold, but also introduced by teacher’s hand gesture. After two weeks, a delayed posttest was conducted to check long term memorization of the word stress patterns. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant difference between pretest and delayed posttest in all three groups. But the most meaningful difference belonged to group ‘C’. That is, the participants in the third group (gesture group) outperformed those in the other groups. Finally, some implications and suggestions provided for further research

The competition model: From language processing to pedagogical implications

The competition model is a psycholinguistic model which was first introduced to account for language processing, yet over time, the model was generalized to deal with the areas of first and second language acquisition. As a functionalist model, the 'competition model' suggests that language forms are at the service of communicative functions. It also draws on connectionism, and thus emphasizes the importance of frequency and the information value of linguistic input. Furthermore, it is based on the hypothesis that human beings do not need to have any innate brain module for language learning. However, it does not reject the innate and psychological mechanisms underlying language acquisition. The present article attempts to discuss the principles of the 'competition model' and the possible pedagogical implications of it

Critical pedagogy in SLA: A state of the art study

Abstrac

The Impact of Culture-bound Content on Learning Productive Skills within CBLT Program in EAP Classrooms

Despite the determining role of culture-bound materials in the enhancement of EFL learners’ productive skills, a scarcity of investigation on the influence of culture-oriented content on their productive skills is staunchly perceived. This gap can be partly filled by implementing Content Based Language Teaching (CBLT) program which contrives the EFL content especially in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classrooms. In this respect, a culture-oriented EAP course book was designed based on Tomlinson’s (2001) materials development framework. A total of 100 participants were recruited according to their language proficiency results, and were fractionated into two productive EAP task groups embracing Oral Presentation and Systematic Writing as the two befitting techniques to strengthen productive skills. After practicing and teaching the developed course book in each class in twenty treatment sessions, the participants were given a posttest. Correspondingly, a paired samples t-test indicated that culture-oriented content affected the EFL students’ speaking and writing skills separately. Similarly, an independent samples t-test revealed the influence of culture-oriented content on their speaking skill than the writing skill. The findings suggest the significance of the first culture as the benchmark for incorporating second culture contents in EFL teaching arenas

The Impact of Embedded Story Structures versus Sequential Story Structures on Critical Thinking of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Confirming the constructive effects of reading comprehension on critical thinking, this paper attempted to investigate the impact of story structures on critical thinking of Iranian EFL learners. In doing so, the researcher utilized a quasi–experimental design with 60 intermediate students who were divided into two embedded story structures and sequential story structures groups (experimental groups). After taking PET, a critical thinking questionnaire was employed as a pre-test. The two groups received 16 sessions of treatment. All participants received similar amount of instruction but one group was given embedded short stories and the other group sequential short stories. To compare the two groups, they were received the parallel critical thinking questionnaire as a post-test. The two null hypotheses in this study were rejected due to different performance of the two groups. Statistical results did not support the superiority of neither structures. Therefore, the researcher was not able to suggest which structure caused a better or higher impact on critical thinking. However, the findings reveal that teaching story structures in EFL context can develop critical thinking of intermediate EFL learners. The study have some implications for test-designers, teachers, and students.

The Impact of Visual Aids on the Retention of English Word Stress Patterns

The present study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of three different techniques on learners’ long term memorization of English word stress patterns. After administering a quick placement test, 67 Iranian EFL elementary learners at language institutes were selected to participate in the study. Then they were divided into three groups. Before starting the instruction, a pretest was conducted to classify the participants’ abilities on word stress patterns. Then the new techniques were used to teach English word stress patterns. In all three groups, words were printed largely on a piece of paper and the syllables were clearly specified by dots. In group ‘A’, pronunciation and stress pattern of new words were taught aurally through the repetition of the words. In group ‘B’, all the procedure was exactly similar to that of group ‘A’, the only difference was that the stressed syllables were printed in bold. In group ‘C’, all the procedure was exactly similar to that of group ‘B’,  except that the stressed syllables were not only printed in bold, but also introduced by teacher’s hand gesture. After two weeks, a delayed posttest was conducted to check long term memorization of the word stress patterns. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant difference between pretest and delayed posttest in all three groups. But the most meaningful difference belonged to group ‘C’. That is, the participants in the third group (gesture group) outperformed those in the other groups. Finally, some implications and suggestions provided for further research