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Since the advent of technology to transform education, the use of computer technology has pervade... more Since the advent of technology to transform education, the use of computer technology has pervaded many areas of fields of study such as language learning and testing. Chapelle (2010) distinguishes three main motives for using technology in language testing: efficiency, equivalence and innovation. Computer as a frequently used technological tool has been widely inspected in the field of language assessment and testing. Compute-adaptive language test (CALT) is a subtype and subtest of computer-assisted language test because it is administered at computer terminal or on personal computer. The issue that currently needs more attention and prompt investigation of researchers is to study the testing mode and paradigm effects on comparability and equivalency of the data obtained from two modes of presentation, i.e. traditional paper-and-pencil (PPT) and computerized tests. To establish comparability and equivalency of computerized test with its paper-and-pencil counterpart is of importanc...
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Dynamic assessments originated from Vygotsky's ZPD theory have been widely accepted and emplo... more Dynamic assessments originated from Vygotsky's ZPD theory have been widely accepted and employed as an effective contribution to linguistic development in EFL classrooms in recent years. With this in mind and due to the importance of hedging devices in qualifying academic writing and the fact that EFL writers experience difficulties in acquiring and applying them appropriately in their writings, the present study aims at exploring the effectiveness of dynamic assessment approach on developing the Iranian EFL learners' linguistic and pragmatic knowledge of modal auxiliaries as hedging strategies. To this end, thirty seven undergraduate students majoring in different fields were randomly assigned into an experimental and control group. The participants in the experimental group received the dynamic assessment mediation. Both groups attended a pre-test and a posttest. Consequently, the obtained scores were analyzed using SPSS V. 22. The results of descriptive analysis as well a...
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Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 2018
Language proficiency tests have become common instruments to judge people based on their performa... more Language proficiency tests have become common instruments to judge people based on their performance. Thus, the scores on language proficiency tests, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), play a crucial role in the test-takers’ lives. Because of increasing demands on the part of students to get a good score on these tests, test preparatory courses have emerged. These preparatory courses, characteristically short and limited in terms of time, equip IELTS candidates with the skills required for passing the test, called test-taking strategies. The present study explored the effect of strategy teaching- namely wash-back effect on reading section of academic IELTS on intermediate learners in Iran. Besides, learners’ attitude toward the strategy teaching was investigated as well. According to the descriptive statistics and t-test results, those learners who received strategy teaching outperformed those who had ...
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Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 2015
1. IntroductionContent-based language instruction (CBLI) and task based-language instruction (TBL... more 1. IntroductionContent-based language instruction (CBLI) and task based-language instruction (TBLI) are two kinds of integrated-skill instruction. Content-based language instruction places emphasis on learning content through language, whereas task-based language instruction stresses doing tasks that require communicative language use. Both of these instructions benefit from a wide range of materials, textbooks, and technologies for English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. Learners get to practice all language skills in a highly integrated, and communicative fashion, while they learn content such as mathematics, science, and social studies in content-based instruction (CBI).In CBI, integrating language and content is the main concern of teaching a foreign or second language (FL/L2). The rationale behind CBI is to empower learners to become autonomous and go on with the learning process beyond the classroom. The significant aspect of CBI is...
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The present study aimed to capture and represent the mediator-learner’s interaction in the develo... more The present study aimed to capture and represent the mediator-learner’s interaction in the development of listening proficiency and statistically compare this interaction between high and low proficient English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Thirty EFL learners participated in Oxford Quick Placemat Test (OQPT) and the Interactions/Mosaic Listening Placement (IMLP) Test to select those whose proficiency levels and listening skills were based on the placement guide of the tests, at upper-intermediate and advanced levels. Out of 30 learners, 12 learners (upper-intermediate level=6, advanced level=6) volunteered to participate in individualized tutoring sessions. The study adopted an interactionist Dynamic Assessment (DA) approach and implemented a qualitative research methodology to reveal the frequency and quality, the two criteria to interpret the learners’ developments and Zone of Actual/Potential Development (ZAD/ZPD) functioning, of mediator-learner’s interaction. The amoun...
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Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 2016
EFL learning context stresses on the speaking skill as a vital communicative tool. The students w... more EFL learning context stresses on the speaking skill as a vital communicative tool. The students will be more proud if they are able to interact with the other interlocutors. Since the Iranian students are far from the native context and the most of their learning happens in the classroom, application of an appropriate teaching method increases motivation, self-confidence, autonomy, and consequently speaking skill as whole. The present research endeavored to illustrate the effect of PW on students’ speaking skill. The participants were selected from a mixed-class students enrolled a general English course in Islamic Azad University of Chabahar (IAUC). The pre-test was administered and indicated that the students were homogeneous and at the elementary level. Then, one of the classes was assigned as control group and the other was the experimental group who respectively underwent conventional teaching method (teacher-centered method) and PW (student-centered method). After 10 sessions...
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The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of cloze tests and open-ended questions... more The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of cloze tests and open-ended questions on reading comprehension ability of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners. 47 EFL language learners at intermediate level, all female, from a high school in Chabahar were selected for this purpose. The homogeneity of their proficiency level was determined by using a TOEFL proficiency test. Then they were randomly divided into the control and experimental group. The control group received the traditional way of teaching reading comprehension while the experimental group worked with cloze tests and open-ended questions in addition to traditional way of teaching reading comprehension. Two reading comprehension tests as pretest and posttest were given to the students of both groups to find out their reading comprehension ability at the beginning and at the end of the study and the treatment. The results of data analysis revealed that the students in the experimental group outperformed the stude...
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Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 2017
Advances in technology and techniques of using technological tools and equipment have always had ... more Advances in technology and techniques of using technological tools and equipment have always had an impressive and significant role in the development of human life from their inception. Using technological assessment tools to create tests, test takers’ performance can be practically assessed through computer based simulations, item and item bank creation and also scoring process. Use of computer in language testing has resulted in the birth of independent discipline named Computer-Based Testing (CBT). The issue that currently needs more attention and prompt investigation of researchers is to study the testing mode effects on comparability and equivalency of the data obtained from two modes of presentation, i.e., traditional Paper-and-Pencil-Based Testing (PBT) and computerized tests. Furthermore, inevitable questions about test takers’ reactions and attitudes towards computerized version of test are raised after the introduction of CBT. Then, findings of the study, based on the res...
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Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2017
This study examined the impact of Clear Pronunciation 2 software on teaching English suprasegment... more This study examined the impact of Clear Pronunciation 2 software on teaching English suprasegmental features, focusing on stress, rhythm and intonation. In particular, the software covers five topics in relation to suprasegmental features including consonant cluster, word stress, connected speech, sentence stress and intonation. Seven Iranian EFL learners participated in this study. The study lasted for six weeks and both the teacher and the software were involved in teaching suprasegmental features. To measure the learners’ pronunciation and their degree of progress for both pre-test and post-test, the software itself was used. The software has the ability to generate report and score on learners’ performance at the end of any activity. So, the analysis of learners’ performance was based on the software reports on their performance. The results of the study showed that the learners had a significant level of progress in all aspects of suprasegmental features. They learned suprasegm...
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Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2020
AbstractPitfalls inherent in traditional approaches, movement into post-method frameworks and nec... more AbstractPitfalls inherent in traditional approaches, movement into post-method frameworks and necessity of reaping benefits of technological advancements gave birth to flipped instruction as a newly emerged practice of teaching. A robust literature has submitted proofs on the merits of this practice in language learning. Adopting an innovatory perspective, the current research was an attempt to investigate the effect of this practice on a number of learning and learner related variables among Iranian intermediate language learners. To this aim 39 learners were selected through convenience sampling, and after removing outliers, 29 learners were randomly assigned to control (N=14) and experimental (N=15) groups. For each variable, a valid instrument was selected or adopted from the literature and modified for the purpose of the study. Then, employing a post-test-only control-group design, their performance on the post-test was measured and analyzed through one-way analysis of variance...
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Representational transformation is a process through which one representation of a domain is unde... more Representational transformation is a process through which one representation of a domain is understood in terms of another representation. This is a prevalent strategy that is used by comprehenders to obtain a better understanding of various domains. Metaphoric language is one of the areas in which representational transformation of domains is used. Perhaps one of the most complex areas of representational transformation is mathematics. Mathematicians transform the abstract representation of problems into concrete imageable representations in order to facilitate the process of solving these problems. It is the creative mind that decides which representation is easier to solve and how a difficult-to-process representation can be transformed into an easy-to-process representation. After discussing these subjects, three-dimensional space and motion events, as two domains through which a large number of abstract domains can be understood, are discussed.
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International journal of humanities and social sciences, 2016
Since the last two decades, training students in self-assessment has gained increasing attention ... more Since the last two decades, training students in self-assessment has gained increasing attention and investigation in a considerable number of studies . Therefore the current research is an attempt to delve into the students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards the concept of self-assessment using contrastive analysis and shed light on similarities and differences between these two groups. To this aim, we selected 120 language teachers and 120 students considering principles of convenient in the city of Tehran. Also we adapted two questionnaires from (Oguz's, 2003) and (Feng, 2007) to fulfill the aims of the research. Then, the obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency counts, and percentages. The results indicated a significant effect of self -assessment initiatives in enhancing the students’ willingness and ability to engage in self- assessment and in creating positive outlooks toward English language learning .The implications of self-assessment in Engli...
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Iranian Journal of Research in English Language Teaching, 2013
Since the emergence of the process-oriented approach in second language writing instruction, the ... more Since the emergence of the process-oriented approach in second language writing instruction, the issues of writing instruction have been predominantly concerned with what and how error feedback should be given to the students’ writing. The present study investigated the effect of explicit corrective feedback on writing accuracy of Iranian intermediate EFL learners (N = 44) in Hamedan Islamic Azad University. The three most frequent occurring errors in EFL learners’ writing pre-test were chosen to be targeted. Two groups were formed: the explicit corrective feedback group (N = 22), and the control group (N = 20). Paired samples t-tests revealed that both the explicit and control groups increased their writing accuracy in immediate post-test in comparison with pre-test, but Independent t-test indicated that there was not a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the control and experiment groups (p = 0.65). In delayed post-test, there was no significant differe...
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Italian Sociological Review, 2018
The present study is an attempt to shed light on the mediator-learner’s interaction in the develo... more The present study is an attempt to shed light on the mediator-learner’s interaction in the development of listening comprehension skill and compare this interaction between high and low proficient L2 learners of English. 30 L2 learners participated in Oxford’s Quick Placemat Test and the Interactions/Mosaic Listening Placement Test to select those whose proficiency levels and listening skills were based on the placement guide of the tests, at upper-intermediate and advanced levels. Out of 30 students, 12 learners (advanced level=6, upper-intermediate=6) volunteered to participate in individualized tutoring sessions. Learners listened to the listening items and answered the item(s) individually. Upon the learner’s failure to answer the item, the mediator intervened and provided mediation. Mediation was provided using the interactionist approach. The qualitative data were then coded in terms of task completion along with errors and struggles to indicate the quantity and quality of med...
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Novice academic writers, particularly Iranian graduate students (IGSs), upon entering an academic... more Novice academic writers, particularly Iranian graduate students (IGSs), upon entering an academic community, are hypothesized to face probable difficulties in practicing rhetorical expectations set by the experienced (EXP) members, hence, not being able to write in a way acceptable to these professionals. To explore the probable rhetorical distance between them, this study investigated the employment of interactional metadiscourse markers (IMMs) in the writings of IGSs (MA and Ph.D.) and EXP figures in Applied Linguistics. 120 recent research articles (RAs) served as the corpus of the study. Drawing on Hyland’s (2005) model of metadiscourse, all occurrences of the five types of IMMs were functionally identified, and compared. To detect any possible significant differences between the corpora, Chi-square tests were run. The results indicated that the IGSs used far less IMMs than the EXP ones in their RAs. However, the general pattern of their metadiscourse use was similar to the EXP ...
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The current study was conducted to investigate whet her test scores of Iranian English as Foreign... more The current study was conducted to investigate whet her test scores of Iranian English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners were equivalent across CBT and PBT modes, with 58 intermediate learners studying at a private language academy loc ated in Behshahr city in northern Iran. Moreover, test takers’ computer familiarity, attitu des, aversion, and testing mode preference were regarded as the potential issues to influence CBT t est scores. Data were collected using CBT and PBT versions of Nelson Proficiency Multiple-Choice T sts and Computer Aversion, Attitudes, and Familiarity Index (CAAFI) questionnaire as well as a simple testing administration mode preference question. The participants produced simi lar scores across modes, although they insignificantly outperformed on the CBT version. Ad ditionally, analysis of the overall scores on the CAAFI and mode preference question obtained fro m CBT testing session indicated no statistically significant correlation between compu ter familia...
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Online learning is an educational instruction that is delivered via technology and internet to th... more Online learning is an educational instruction that is delivered via technology and internet to the students. Online courses can be delivered through different learning platforms. This study intends to investigate the benefits and drawbacks of the online instruction with the use of Telegram, a mobile application which is widely utilized by Iranians. The study aims to investigate the new insights into online language courses through modern technology. To this end, a channel was created on Telegram with 280 members as learners and 15 members as tutors. The tutors, being the subjects of this study, were invited to have collaboration in a group on Telegram for online teaching/tutoring. A descriptive qualitative method was used for data collection. An interview was conducted with the tutors about their perspectives toward the online tutoring course.
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In order to assess the viability of enjoying improvements in the world of language testing and th... more In order to assess the viability of enjoying improvements in the world of language testing and the proposed approaches of alternative assessment in EFL contexts, the current research was an attempt to shed light on the role of interactionist and interventionist models of dynamic assessment (DA) on promoting speaking of Iranian language learners. Therefore, five students enrolling in intermediate language learning courses in Chabahar maritime university were selected randomly. Using an adopted typology for interactionist DA and an adopted regulatory scale for interventionist DA, the researcher found that interactionist DA help learners to gain mastery over speaking problems and perform better through negotiated interaction with the teacher. Besides, the results of t-test showed that students gained better scores on post-test following an interventionist mediatory session. On top of that, for learners and teachers to benefit from these findings, the most frequent interactionist strate...
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