Factors influencing language teacher cognition: An ecological systems study

Learning about language teacher cognition (LTC) is useful for understanding how language teachers act in the classroom. Employing an ecological framework, this study aimed to explore the factors influencing language teachers’ LTCs at different levels. To this end, qualitative data using semi-structured interviews and observation were collected from 62 (30 males and 32 females) Iranian EFL teachers. The results indicated that, at microsystem level, factors such as teaching equipment and facilities, teachers’ mood and feelings, their job satisfaction, and language proficiency influenced LTC. At mesosystem level, LTC was influenced by teachers’ prior learning experience, the collaboration and collegiality among teachers working in the language institute, teachers’ self-efficacy, and critical incidents that happened when teaching or learning. Additionally, the results indicated that exosystem level factors including teacher appraisal criteria, the teaching program and curriculum, and teacher immunity affected LTC. Moreover, LTC was subject to the influence of the government’s attitudes about ELT and religious beliefs about self and interaction, and friendliness with students at macrosystem level. More importantly, it was found that the factors influencing LTC were interrelated and interconnected and in several cases, LTC was a product of joint effect of several factors at various ecosystem levels. Finally, findings in this study suggest that language teaching programs provide recent educational technology in the classroom, foster collaboration and collegiality among teachers, and clarify teacher appraisal criteria for teachers in order to help create positive language teaching beliefs

Influencias sobre las creencias de comprensión y eficacia del alumnado de inglés como lengua extranjera: el efecto de la estrategia de mapas de conceptos

This study aims to investigate the influence of concept mapping on reading comprehension and self-efficacy of intermediate EFL students in Iran. To fulfill the aims of the study, 60 participants (21 males and 39 females) were selected. Their age ranged between 19 and 23. A randomized pre-test post-test control group design with a concept mapping group and a traditional method group was employed. Prior to the treatment, both the concept mapping group and the traditional method group were administered pre-tests in reading comprehension and self-efficacy. Eight items in the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire MSLQ which measure self-efficacy were applied to measure students' self-efficacy beliefs. The duration of training was ten weeks. At the conclusion of the training, all participants again completed the achievement test as well as self-efficacy scale. After controlling the effects of pre-test scores, results of ANCOVA revealed that students in the concept mapping group showed greater achievement in reading comprehension and self-efficacy than students in the traditional method strategy group. The findings of this study could have some implications for teaching reading comprehension to EFL students.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la influencia de los mapas conceptuales en la comprensión de la lectura y en la autoeficacia de estudiantes de inglés de nivel intermedio en Irán. Para cumplir los objetivos del estudio, se seleccionaron 60 participantes (21 hombres y 39 mujeres). La edad osciló entre 19 y 23 años. Se realizó un estudio aleatorizado pre-post con grupo de control, con un grupo de mapas conceptuales y un grupo de métodos tradicionales. Antes del tratamiento, se administraron las pruebas previas de comprensión lectora y de autoeficacia tanto en el grupo de mapas conceptuales como en el de métodos tradicionales. Ocho ítems del Cuestionario de Estrategias de Aprendizaje y Motivación MSLQ que miden la autoeficacia se aplicaron para medir las creencias de los estudiantes sobre autoeficacia. La duración de la instrucción fue de diez semanas. Al término del entrenamiento, todos los participantes completaron el nuevo test de rendimiento, así como la escala de autoeficacia. Después de controlar los efectos de los resultados de los pretests, los resultados del ANCOVA revelaron que los estudiantes en el grupo de mapas conceptuales mostró mayor logro en comprensión lectora y en autoeficacia que los alumnos en el grupo en el que se aplicó un método tradicional. Los resultados de este estudio podrían tener algunas implicaciones para la enseñanza de la comprensión lectora de estudiantes de inglés

Diferentes maneiras de observar eventos: o aprendizado de língua estrangeira e a aquisição de padrões de perspectivação conceitual de ações na L2

Given the growing body of evidence on the interaction between language and thought, the overall aim of the current study is to verify whether there is a developmental pattern in the cognitive behavior of Persian L2 learners of English as a foreign language with regard to action construal level. Specifically, this study investigates whether acquiring English as a foreign language would affect the construal level of Persian EFL learners with different levels of bilingualism. A group of 40 Persian monolinguals, a group of 40 low-level Persian EFL bilinguals (bilinguals with low L2 proficiency), and a group of 40 high-level Persian EFL bilinguals (bilinguals with high L2 proficiency) were recruited. Participants were divided into the above groups based on their performance on Oxford Quick Placement Test (QPT). The participants’ action construal level was measured using Behavior Identification Form (BIF) (Vallacher and Wegner, 1989). The results of a one way ANOVA and a post-hoc Tukey test indicated that while low-level participants behaved relatively similar to Persian monolinguals, the construal of high-level learners was significantly different from monolinguals and low-level bilinguals. These findings provide evidence of a developmental pattern regarding the acquisition of construal level, supporting the claim of previous research that learning an additional language can affect the construal of language learners. Keywords: language acquisition, foreign language, construal, action construal, construal level.Tendo em vista o crescente conjunto de evidências sobre a interação entre língua e pensamento, o objetivo geral deste estudo é verificar se há um padrão de desenvolvimento no comportamento cognitivo de aprendizes persas de inglês como língua estrangeira (ILE) no que diz respeito ao nível de perspectivação conceitual de ações. Especificamente, este estudo investiga se a aquisição do ILE afeta o nível de perspectivação conceitual de aprendizes persas de ILE com diferentes níveis de bilinguismo. Foram recrutados um grupo de 40 persas monolíngues, um grupo de 40 persas bilíngues com baixo nível em ILE (bilíngues com baixa proficiência na L2) e um grupo de 40 persas bilíngues com alto nível em ILE (bilíngues com alta proficiência na L2). Os participantes foram divididos em tais grupos com base em seu desempenho no teste de nivelamento Quick Placement Test (QPT), de Oxford. Mediu-se o nível de perspectivação conceitual de ações dos participantes por meio do formulário Behavior Identification Form (BIF), de Vallacher e Wegner. Os resultados do ANOVA de uma via e de um teste de Tukey post-hoc indicaram que os participantes com baixo nível tiveram comportamento relativamente semelhante ao dos monolíngues, ao passo que os aprendizes com alto nível demonstraram uma perspectivação conceitual significativamente diferente da dos outros grupos. Esses achados evidenciam um padrão de desenvolvimento na aquisição do nível de perspectivação conceitual, reforçando estudos anteriores que afirmam que o aprendizado de uma língua adicional pode afetar o nível de perspectivação conceitual de aprendizes de línguas. Palavras-chave: aquisição da linguagem, língua estrangeira, perspectivação conceitual, perspectivação conceitual de ações, nível da perspectivação conceitual

A Study of Form and Content of Private Speech Used by Iranian EFL Learners

From the sociocultural point of view, the investigation of private speech is important in seeing how the mind works. Yet, not much is known about the form and content of private speech. A group of English language learners were required to talk about some topics of their reading courses. Their voices were recorded and the private speech used by them were identified. It was found that the main role of the loud and silent forms of the private speech in the data is to help learners manage the interaction. Private speech is embedded within the speech context and it needs to be explained in the context in which it happens

The Noticing Function of Output in Acquisition of Rhetorical Structure of Contrast Paragraphs of Iranian EFL University Students

This article is an attempt to contribute to the growing body of research investigating the noticing function of output (cf. Swain 1995 in Izumi/Bigelow 2000: 239), and more specifically the use of output-fronted activities that might prompt FL learners to notice their linguistic problems to facilitate their gain of rhetorical structure of contrast paragraphs in English. Three groups of EFL learners participated in the study. Two groups (the experimental group and comparison group 1) were required to initially produce a paragraph (output 1), then they received a model contrast paragraph to underline, and finally they were asked to produce a contrast paragraph (output 2). For the experimental group, the topic to write was a contrast topic; whereas, the comparison group were to write on a non-contrast topic. The third group (the preemptive comparison group 2) received the teacher's deductive instruction and explanation of contrast paragraphs in English followed by an output to produce a contrast-related paragraph. The results indicated considerable effect of output-fronted activities on learners' noticing the targeted structures and forms. In addition, the output-first-then-input activities were found to be much more effective than pre-emptive input activities

RATERS’ FATIGUE AND THEIR COMMENTS DURING SCORING WRITING ESSAYS: A CASE OF IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

Rating accuracy in writing among EFL learners is crucial in determining their English proficiency. Despite the importance of its accuracy, little is known about various factors may affect the accuracy of rating writing essays. This study examines how raters’ comments on EFL writing tasks change as a result of fatigue. To this end, four raters were selected and each given 28 essays to score and comment on. Six general types of raters’ comments (i.e., those on grammar, choice of words, organization, punctuation, dictation, and capitalization) were into focus in this study. Overall, results suggested that fatigue affects raters’ frequency of comments on grammar, choice of words, and organization, and that raters’ comments on punctuation, dictation, and capitalization do not seem to change significantly due to the effect of fatigue. Furthermore, this study revealed that the most and least frequent comments in 112 scored essays were those on grammar and dictation, respectively

Video-enhanced Reflection in Iran: Impacts of Gender and Experience

The present study aimed at investigating the video-enhanced reflections of Iranian EFL teachers. It also made an attempt to cast light on the differences between male and female teachers’ video-enhanced self-reflections of their own teaching process. Moreover, the role of experience in changing their video-enhanced reflection was explored. Applying instruments like video-recording, reflection checklists and semi-structured interviews, this study implemented a mixed-method approach with a triangulation design focusing on both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings of the study demonstrate that the video-enhanced reflections of Iranian EFL teachers mostly pivot around issues consisting of innovative teaching strategies, classroom management, learners’ characteristics, classroom interactions, teacher talk, organization of the lessons, technology resources and visual aids. Results also show that the above-mentioned reflections are both experience and gender-sensitive

McDonaldization in Iranian ELT Textbooks: Absence or Presence?

The development of materials for language teaching has been retraced from different perspectives. For example, some have identified influences of a social view on designing course books and compiling materials for language classes. The purpose of this article is to focus on the specific case of ELT material, its design and priorities in the context of Iran. This article also offers a detailed analysis of the contemporary condition of Iranian context and the consequences of materials colonization in English language teaching courses.In addressing the question of “How McDonaldization is attributed to language teaching”, it is attempted to broaden the understanding of the condition of English teaching classrooms in different private language institutes and universities of Iran and show how the framework of standardization of materials is regarded as the main concern of the present educators of Iran’s context of English language teaching. Finally, the idea that uniformity of materials is an integral part of our classes is presented. Reviewing some scholars’ ideas about standardization of materials in our EFL context, the way teachers are pictured with their roles as experimenters rather than the mere designers of the detailed instructions is also highlighted. Meanwhile, increasing the amount and quality of teacher development programs and not disregarding the role of teachers would be practically useful recommendations for those involved in the process of EFL teaching in Iran

The Role of Private Speech Produced by Intermediate EFL Learners in Lexical Language Related Episodes

Private speech utilization is accepted to have a critical role in the continuum of language acquisition. As a valuable device in studying learners’ talk during interaction, a language related episode (LRE) is any part of a dialogue where a student speaks about a language problem s/he comes across while completing a task. The present study investigated the role of private speech produced by Intermediate Iranian EFL learners while they were involved in completing a dictogloss. For this purpose, 12 female EFL learners were chosen and they were required to speak about a lexical item cooperatively while they were completing a dictogloss task. These interactions were recorded and their lexical language related episodes were transcribed. In order to investigate the private speech used in the interactions, data was coded for different forms and contents of private speech and their functions were identified. The results indicate that private speech is mostly used for self-regulation and gaining control over the task. The study has implications for teachers and researchers by giving insights on how L2 is used in interactions