The Impact of Focus on Form Instruction on Second Language Vocabulary and Grammar Learning

The teaching of vocabulary and grammar has long been an area of dispute in the field of second language acquisition (Brown, 2001). This study investigated the effect of focus on form instruction on vocabulary learning through the medium of visually enhanced reading texts. Sixty four Intermediate EFL learners were assigned to two experimental groups including a vocabulary and grammar group. After taking a pretest based on the enhanced forms, the learners received ten reading texts with visually enhanced lexical items for the vocabulary group and grammatical structures for the grammar group. In order to investigate the effect of visual enhancement of forms on participants’ vocabulary learning, they took a posttest based on the enhanced forms. Paired sample t-test and ANOVA were used for the analysis of the data gathered from the learners’ performance on the pretest and the posttest. The results revealed positive effects of visual enhancement of forms on learning vocabulary and grammar. This research can provide L2 teachers and syllabus designers with useful information about the effectiveness of visual input enhancement as a technique for vocabulary and grammar learning

Cultural Differences in Writing English Native and Non-Native Acknowledgment texts: A Contrastive Study

This study investigates the similarities and differences in different cultures between English natives and non-natives speakers in writing acknowledgments. Six major sections of acknowledgments in both English natives and non-natives were examined. Forty- three dissertations and books from different fields, 11 by English natives and 32 by non-natives including Iranians (Fourteen written by Iranians, seven in English and seven in Persian) were analyzed in percentages, and the quantitative results of the analysis were examined statistically. The results showed that the cultural origins and the teamwork had the most differences. There was the least gap due to supervisor and advisor, and the most gaps were seen between writing acknowledgments of natives and non-natives, which were due to family and God. The average of word counts of natives and non-natives writings came to a great similarity

The Effect of Interaction through Social Networks Sites on Learning English in Iranian EFL Context

This study aims to investigate the effect of interaction in social network websites on enhancing acquisition of English language in students studying in language institutes. Since the emergence of Social Network Sites (SNS) in 2005, they have been potentially affective in area of education in general and foreign language learning in particular. Language learners may use social networks sites (SNS) as a mean to get engaged and motivated in meaningful communicative situations. This study was conducted among 40 active and regular EFL intermediate level EFL learners in Qalame Bartar Language institute joining a Facebook group who are familiar with using computer and internet as participants of the study. The data were collected from the learners’ interactional exchanges in the weekly posts, from social interaction and discussion in SNSs; research conducted in related subject and the tests given to these participants after using SNS for 60 days. Based on data analysis, the EFL learners’ language learning skills in the treatment group highly increased during this period in comparison to the control group. The findings indicate interaction through SNS putting learner in real communicative situations plays an important role in enhancing the development of foreign language learning

The Effect of Three Phase Approach on Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

This research examined the strategies employed in the Three Phase Approach ( Pre-reading /During-reading / Post-reading ) stages of instruction language learning. This study aimed at determining the difference in the strategy use by each stage at Pre-Intermediate level. To fulfill the purpose of the study, a piloted sample Preliminary English Test (PET) was administered to a total number of 30 Iranian female teenage EFL learners at Kish Language School, Tehran. Then, the Homogeneity test was administered to a total number of 120 Iranian female teenage EFL learners and 80 learners were homogenized to pass the pre-test. The selected participants were then non-randomly assigned into three experimental groups: Pre-reading / During-reading / Post reading. In one of the groups, the pre-reading tasks, in the second group, the while-reading tasks and in the last group, the post-reading tasks were practiced through 10 sessions and at the end of the course, the participants in each group were given the reading section of another sample PET as a posttest to measure their reading comprehension. Subsequently, the mean score of all three groups and the control group on the posttest were compared which led to implying that the null hypothesis was supported. In other words, no significance Difference was found between the three experimental groups – pre, post and during reading – and the control group

Interpersonal Metadiscourse in Compositions Written by Iranian ESP Students

The aim of this study was to investigate two types of Hyland's interpersonal metadiscourse (MD) used in compositions written by male and female students. Twelve students including 5 males and 7 females aged between 26 -33 who have been studying chemistry engineering in Islamic Azad University, Shahreza Branch were selected. Without any instruction, they were given a topic to write an eighty-word composition in ten minutes. Compositions were collected and were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Data was analyzed quantitatively in the result section and discussed qualitatively in discussion and conclusion sections. Findings showed that students employed all types of metadiscourse except for two subcategories of interactive MD namely endophoric markers and evidentials. Self mentions were the most frequently used, and hedges and boosters were the least in both males and females. Differences between genders in using MD with different degrees of occurrence are present in the overall interpersonal metadiscourse

Cultural Differences in Writing English Native and Non-Native Acknowledgment texts: A Contrastive Study

This study investigates the similarities and differences in different cultures between English natives and non-natives speakers in writing acknowledgments. Six major sections of acknowledgments in both English natives and non-natives were examined. Forty- three dissertations and books from different fields, 11 by English natives and 32 by non-natives including Iranians (Fourteen written by Iranians, seven in English and seven in Persian) were analyzed in percentages, and the quantitative results of the analysis were examined statistically. The results showed that the cultural origins and the teamwork had the most differences. There was the least gap due to supervisor and advisor, and the most gaps were seen between writing acknowledgments of natives and non-natives, which were due to family and God. The average of word counts of natives and non-natives writings came to a great similarity

Interpersonal Metadiscourse in Compositions Written by Iranian ESP Students

The aim of this study was to investigate two types of Hyland's interpersonal metadiscourse (MD) used in compositions written by male and female students. Twelve students including 5 males and 7 females aged between 26 -33 who have been studying chemistry engineering in Islamic Azad University, Shahreza Branch were selected. Without any instruction, they were given a topic to write an eighty-word composition in ten minutes. Compositions were collected and were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Data was analyzed quantitatively in the result section and discussed qualitatively in discussion and conclusion sections. Findings showed that students employed all types of metadiscourse except for two subcategories of interactive MD namely endophoric markers and evidentials. Self mentions were the most frequently used, and hedges and boosters were the least in both males and females. Differences between genders in using MD with different degrees of occurrence are present in the overall interpersonal metadiscourse

Cultural Differences in Writing English Native and Non-Native Acknowledgment texts: A Contrastive Study

This study investigates the similarities and differences in different cultures between English natives and non-natives speakers in writing acknowledgments. Six major sections of acknowledgments in both English natives and non-natives were examined. Forty- three dissertations and books from different fields, 11 by English natives and 32 by non-natives including Iranians (Fourteen written by Iranians, seven in English and seven in Persian) were analyzed in percentages, and the quantitative results of the analysis were examined statistically. The results showed that the cultural origins and the teamwork had the most differences. There was the least gap due to supervisor and advisor, and the most gaps were seen between writing acknowledgments of natives and non-natives, which were due to family and God. The average of word counts of natives and non-natives writings came to a great similarity

An Evaluation of Implementing ICT among Pre-Service English Teachers in Farhangian University

In recent years, the trend toward globalization and the needs of an information-oriented society have become a focus of attention for science educators. However, many teachers are still struggling to adopt and implement computers into their classrooms. Some researchers contend that beginning teachers are not adequately prepared to integrate computers into their teaching. This study examined the decision-making process used by secondary pre-service science teachers in implementing ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into English instruction by pre-service teachers in Farhangian University, Iran. The study sought to understand pre-service teachers' conceptual development and its impact on their new understanding of teaching and decision-making. The data were collected through a survey. The findings suggest a pivotal influence of teacher educators, cooperating teachers, and peer teaching on the development of practical theories, and subsequently the practice of pre-service teachers with computers. Participants highlighted that two most beneficial aspects that computers have as a pedagogical tool are helping and enhancing more student-centred learning and providing complex and sometimes interactive visual aids to help students understand concepts better