Classroom Observation: A Factor for Iranian EFL Teachers’ Professional Development and Their Students' Achievements

The present paper describes the processes used to examine the effectiveness of less experienced teachers' participation in experienced teachers' classes on students' achievements in terms of their proficiency levels in both Elementary and Pre-intermediate levels. This quasi-experimental design study was conducted In KISH Language School in Bojnurd, a city in the Northeast of Iran. Between July 2011 and October 2011. Twenty-one EFL teachers were selected as experienced and less experienced ones. Also 169 male and female students (age range 15_45 years) taking Elementary and Pre-intermediate courses formed the participants of this study. The participants assigned into experimental and control group. In order to test students' performance in English before the treatment, a Key English Test (KET) and a Preliminary English Test (PET) were employed to check students' English proficiency. There was a statistically significant increase in KET experimental group' final scores before (M=53.87, SD= 2.822), and after treatment (M=70.81, SD=3.113), p-value=.000 which is < .05. The mean increased with 95% confidence interval from 15.81863 to 18.06599. Also there was a statistically significant increase in PET scores before (M=44.36, SD= 2.114), and after treatment (M=59.27, SD=1.835), p-value=.000 which is < .05. The mean increased with 95% confidence interval from 14.233 to 15767. Data analysis and statistical calculations through T-TEST and one way ANOVA revealed that, although both control and experimental group students' proficiency in English enhanced, there was a significant difference in experimental group students' final scores before and after treatment

Classroom Observation: A Factor for Iranian EFL Teachers’ Professional Development and Their Students' Achievements

The present paper describes the processes used to examine the effectiveness of less experienced teachers' participation in experienced teachers' classes on students' achievements in terms of their proficiency levels in both Elementary and Pre-intermediate levels. This quasi-experimental design study was conducted In KISH Language School in Bojnurd, a city in the Northeast of Iran. Between July 2011 and October 2011. Twenty-one EFL teachers were selected as experienced and less experienced ones. Also 169 male and female students (age range 15_45 years) taking Elementary and Pre-intermediate courses formed the participants of this study. The participants assigned into experimental and control group. In order to test students' performance in English before the treatment, a Key English Test (KET) and a Preliminary English Test (PET) were employed to check students' English proficiency. There was a statistically significant increase in KET experimental group' final scores before (M=53.87, SD= 2.822), and after treatment (M=70.81, SD=3.113), p-value=.000 which is < .05. The mean increased with 95% confidence interval from 15.81863 to 18.06599. Also there was a statistically significant increase in PET scores before (M=44.36, SD= 2.114), and after treatment (M=59.27, SD=1.835), p-value=.000 which is < .05. The mean increased with 95% confidence interval from 14.233 to 15767. Data analysis and statistical calculations through T-TEST and one way ANOVA revealed that, although both control and experimental group students' proficiency in English enhanced, there was a significant difference in experimental group students' final scores before and after treatment

A Space for Oneself: Comparative Spatial Analysis of Gender-Identity in Sylvia Plath and Forough Farrokhzad

Since the twentieth century onward, women studies have gained undeniable significance in revealing gender issues. In this way the significance of space for women”s lives began to gain importance by Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own (1929) and Guilbert and Gubar’s Madwoman in the Attic (1979). Indeed, space in general (domestic, public, private, and physical) has been influential in shaping gender identities. Some feminist theorists have theorized the inter-play of gender and other identities in place, over space, and in shaping the production of space and power. This essay aims to analyze the role of space in identity construction of the outstanding American poet, Sylvia Plath and Forough Farrokhzad, one of the greatest Iranian poets of  the twentieth century

Humoral autoimmunity after solid organ transplantation: Germinal ideas may not be natural

Non-HLA antibody responses following solid organ transplantation have become increasingly emphasised, with several large clinical series suggesting that such responses contribute to late graft failure. Many of the responses described recognise both recipient and donor moieties of the target antigen and thus represent auto-, rather than allo-immunity. Within this rapidly evolving field, many questions remain unanswered: what triggers the response; how innate and adaptive humoral autoimmunity integrate; and most pressingly, how autoimmunity contributes to graft damage and its relationship to other effector mechanisms of graft rejection. This review summarises recent clinical and experimental studies of humoral autoimmunity in transplant rejection, and considers some of the answers to these questions

Strah od premještanja: Narušena pripadnost mjestu u romanu White Noise Dona DeLilla

Spatial criticism is an attempt to study environmental literature to demonstrate relationships between physical spaces and identity. Place attachment is a concept of environmental psychology that deals with the emotional bonds between individuals and the environment in which they feel secure. It is through the concepts of place identity and sense of place that scholars bring to the fore the concept of place attachment. Extending this thinking, the present paper seeks to propose place attachment and fear of disruption in attachment as the main reason for Jack Gladney’s fear of death. The protagonist of Don DeLillo’s White Noise (1985) has developed a strong sense of place, identity and belonging to the space of town, supermarket, and his house. Jack’s obsession with the cyberspace of TV and its psychic data is also examined in this paper. The aim of this paper is thus to study the formulation of the sense of place in Gladney. His place attachment and the fear of disruption are also studied at the crossroad of spatial criticism and trauma theory. The paper concludes by demonstrating how the fear of displacement causes haunting fear and anxiety in Jack Gladney.Prostorna kritika nastojanje je ekokritičkoga čitanja tekstova s ciljem prikazivanja odnosa fizičkih prostora i identiteta. Privrženost mjestu pojam je ekopsihologije koji proučava emocionalne veze pojedinaca s okolinom u kojoj se osjećaju sigurno. Kroz pojmove identiteta mjesta te osjećaja mjesta, pojam privrženosti mjestu poprima značaj teme vrijedne znanstvenoga istraživanja. Nastavno na to razmišljanje, rad iščitava privrženost mjestu i strah od narušene privrženosti mjestu kao glavni razlog za strah od smrti glavnoga lika DeLilove Bijele buke (1985.). Jacka Gladneya karakterizira snažan osjećaj mjesta, identiteta i pripadnosti prostoru grada, supermarketa i njegove kuće. U radu se isto tako propituje Jackova opsjednutost televizijskim cyberprostorom te njegovim nematerijalnim podacima. Shodno tomu, cilj je proučiti oblikovanje Gladneyjeva osjećaja mjesta, kao i njegovu privrženost mjestu i strah od njezine narušenosti na presjeku prostorne kritike i teorije traume. Rad će u zaključku slikovito prikazati kako strah od narušene privrženosti u Jacku Gladneyju izaziva neprestani strah i tjeskobu

Validación de un cuestionario de autoeficacia del estudiante de EFL usando el modelo de Rasch

Self-efficacy plays a key role in learners' learning processes by helping or hindering their development (Bandura, 1984). Based on related studies (e.g. Littel, 1991; Lier, 2010) one major point affected on language learning is self-efficacy. To this aim, a 35-item an EFL learners’ selfefficacy questionnaire was adapted and validated by the application of the Rasch model. The test was developed in Persian to be used for Iranian EFL learners. A total number of 987 EFL learners learning English in different language institutions of Iran participated in this study. The results revealed that the Rasch model fits the test after removing 10 items from the scale. Moreover, it is confirmed that the scale enjoyed suitable reliability. This proposes that the questionnaire is potentially valid and can be used as a measure of EFL learners’ self-efficacy.La autoeficacia desempeña un papel clave en los procesos de aprendizaje de los alumnos al ayudar o dificultar su desarrollo (Bandura, 1984). Basado en estudios relacionados (por ejemplo, Littel, 1991; Lier, 2010) un punto importante afectado en el aprendizaje de idiomas es la autoeficacia. Con este objetivo, la aplicación del modelo de Rasch adaptó y validó un cuestionario de autoeficacia de 35 ítems de EFL. La prueba fue desarrollada en persa para ser utilizada por estudiantes iraníes de inglés como lengua extranjera. Un total de 987 estudiantes de inglés que aprenden inglés como lengua extranjera en diferentes instituciones lingüísticas de Irán participaron en este estudio. Los resultados revelaron que el modelo de Rasch se ajusta a la prueba después de eliminar 10 elementos de la escala. Además, se confirma que la escala gozó de una fiabilidad adecuada. Esto propone que el cuestionario es potencialmente válido y se puede usar como una medida de la autoeficacia de los estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera.A autoeficácia desempenha um papel fundamental nos processos de aprendizagem dos aprendentes, ajudando ou dificultando o seu desenvolvimento (Bandura, 1984). Com base em estudos relacionados (por exemplo, Littel, 1991; Lier, 2010), um ponto importante afetado na aprendizagem de línguas é a autoeficácia. Para este fim, um questionário de 35 itens de auto-eficácia de alunos de EFL foi adaptado e validado pela aplicação do modelo de Rasch. O teste foi desenvolvido em persa para ser usado para alunos de EFL iranianos. Um total de 987 alunos de EFL que aprendem inglês em diferentes instituições de idiomas do Irã participaram deste estudo. Os resultados revelaram que o modelo Rasch se encaixa no teste após a remoção de 10 itens da escala. Além disso, confirma-se que a escala gozava de confiabilidade adequada. Isto propõe que o questionário é potencialmente válido e pode ser usado como uma medida da autoeficácia dos aprendentes de EFL