Investigating the relationship between discourse markers, language proficiency and reading comprehension: a case of some Iranian university students

AbstractThis research aimed at investigating the relationship between discourse markers (DMs), language proficiency and reading comprehension of EFL university students. Three groups of students were selected to participate in the study. The participants in each group took a proficiency test and a reading comprehension test including two passages with various numbers of DMs. Two statistical measures such as UNANOVA and Matched T-Test were run. The study came to significant findings: (1) More DMs meant better comprehension. (2) Levels of proficiency did not display clashing results when dealing with a fewer number of DMs. (3) Manipulation of the passages was significant

El efecto de la pre-tarea y la planificación en línea en la complejidad, precisión y fluidez en la producción escrita de estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera

The purpose of this study was to investigate how pre-task and online planning could have impact on the three dimensions of language production. Language performance and proficiency are believed to be multi-dimensional in nature, and that their principal dimensions can be examined through the notions of complexity, accuracy and fluency (Skehan, 1998; Ellis, 2008; Ellis &Barkhuizen, 2005). To conduct the study, forty intermediate EFL learners from a language center in Iran were selected to participate in this study. They were homogenized in terms of gender, age, nationality, L1, and English proficiency. They were randomly assigned to either the pre-planning or the online planning conditions and were required to complete a written narrative based on a series of pictures. Ten of the participants in the pre-task planning condition were randomly selected to participate in a retrospective interview following the task to see what they did during the 10 minute planning time. Independent samples t-tests were run in order to see if any significant difference existed in the writing performance of the participants under the two planning conditions in relation to complexity, accuracy, and fluency. The findings of this study showed that the pre-task planning group produced more complex and fluent writings, whereas the online planning group produced more error free clauses indicating a more accurate writing performance

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

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

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

Different ways of looking at events: Foreign language learning and the acquisition of L2 action construal patterns

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.</p

Teachers’ reflections on the practicality of English in-service courses in Iran

As professional development is essential for teacher quality, many countries have made investments in designing teacher education programs. The study explores the efficacy of in-service courses in Iran from the perspective of English language teachers. Interviews were conducted to examine teachers’ beliefs about the efficacy of in-service courses, their involvement in program development, the application of program material by teachers, and their preferences about teacher education programs. The findings showed that program designers adopted a traditional transmissive model to transfer pre-determined knowledge to the teachers without involving teachers in the decision making process. Teachers, in turn, did not apply the program materials in their teaching practices because they believed program materials were idealistic, impractical, generalized, and decontextualized. Moreover, what teachers considered beneficial for their development was different from what was presented to them in the in-service courses. The reason for such inconsistencies is a lack of communication and effective feedback channel between teachers and planners. The findings suggest that as teachers are the final decision makers based on the realities of their teaching situation, involving them in planning and program development process can decrease the existing gap and make program materials more realistic and consequently applicable. Implications for language planning and teacher education programs are discussed

Corneal Confocal Microscopy Detects Small Fibre Neuropathy in Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer and Nerve Regeneration in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

Published onlineThere are multiple neurological complications of cancer and its treatment. This study assessed the utility of the novel non-invasive ophthalmic technique of corneal confocal microscopy in identifying neuropathy in patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer before and after platinum based chemotherapy. In this study, 21 subjects with upper gastrointestinal (oesophageal or gastric) cancer and 21 healthy control subjects underwent assessment of neuropathy using the neuropathy disability score, quantitative sensory testing for vibration perception threshold, warm and cold sensation thresholds, cold and heat induced pain thresholds, nerve conduction studies and corneal confocal microscopy. Patients with gastro-oesophageal cancer had higher heat induced pain (P = 0.04) and warm sensation (P = 0.03) thresholds with a significantly reduced sural sensory (P<0.01) and peroneal motor (P<0.01) nerve conduction velocity, corneal nerve fibre density (CNFD), nerve branch density (CNBD) and nerve fibre length (CNFL) (P<0.0001). Furthermore, CNFD correlated significantly with the time from presentation with symptoms to commencing chemotherapy (r = -0.54, P = 0.02), and CNFL (r = -0.8, P<0.0001) and CNBD (r = 0.63, P = 0.003) were related to the severity of lymph node involvement. After the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy, there was no change in any measure of neuropathy, except for a significant increase in CNFL (P = 0.003). Corneal confocal microscopy detects a small fibre neuropathy in this cohort of patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer, which was related to disease severity. Furthermore, the increase in CNFL after the chemotherapy may indicate nerve regeneration

Protective effect of Cortisone and Hydrocortisone drugs on lysosomal damages induced by bacteria endotoxin in wistar rats

Objectives: Bacterial endotoxin as biological stress by multiple organs failure causes lysosomal enzyme leakage. Lysosome as a basic cytoplasmic organelle in animal tissues contains hydrolytic enzymes capable of degrading various cellular constituents. In this study protective effect of Cortisone acetate and hydrocortisone 21-sodium hemisuccinate on lysosomal damage and its association with change level of serum and hepatic acid phosphatase activity investigated. Methods: In this study, 30 rats equally divided to Control, tolerance and Endotoxin groups. The tolerance group (12.5 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly injection Cortisone acetate for 3 days and on the 4th day, the intravenous injection 12.5 mg/kg of hydrocortisone 21-sodium hemisuccinate). The induce endotoxin shock in rats with 2.5 mg/kg body weight intravenous injection of Salmonella endotoxin. Partial purification and beta-glucuronidase activity were determined by sephadexG75 chromatography and Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. Results: The results of this study shown a significant different in level serum and homogenate acid phosphatse activity in Tolerance group compared with the other groups (P<0.05). Also enzyme especial activity in all steps of purification, in Endotoxin group was more than the other groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Endotoxin shock as biological stressor by induction of lysosomal enzymes into the cell plays an important role in deterioration of cells. Also, it seems that protection of these particles by injection of cortisone acetate and hydrocortisone 21-sodium hemisuccinate can a significant resistance to induced stress by endotoxin shock

Study of type and frequency of Alfa-thalassemia mutations in a cohort of 3,823 patients from Isfahan Province, Iran

Introduction: Alpha-thalassemia (α-thalassemia) is caused by a range of mutations in the α-globin gene resulting in the complete reduction or absence of α-globin chain production. Material and methods: This study assessed the presence of α-thalassemia in 3,823 patients referred to Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran during a 10-year period (from 2012 to 2022). These patients experienced anaemia for more than ten years but had not the full indication for β-thalassemia or iron deficiency. Results: Based on the present assessment, 3,483 cases out of 3,823 suspicious cases had an α-Thalassemia-involved mutation (91.1%). According to the results, the most common detected mutation in the α-thalassemia carriers of Isfahan province was –α3.7 with a frequency of 81.58% (3,119 individuals), followed by α5nt (–TGAGG) (3.71% in total or 39.01% between 364 patients), polyadenylation signal mutations (polyA2) (14.28% between 364 patients), αcodon 19 (GCG4GC–, a2) (11.53%), –α3.7/–α3.7 (11.53%), –α20.5 (7.69%), Hb Constant Spring [Hb CS, a142, Stop →Gln; HBA2: c.427T4C] (5.7%), α4.2 (5.49) and – –MED (4.67%). Conclusion: The results of this investigation may be valuable for designing a program for carrier screening, premarital genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis in the Isfahan province