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Teaching English Language - Volume:13 Issue: 31, Winter and Spring 2019

Teaching English Language
Volume:13 Issue: 31, Winter and Spring 2019

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1398/01/12
  • تعداد عناوین: 8
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  • Alireza Ahmadi *, Zahra Montasseri Pages 1-26
    Previously, competence was conceptualized as a static individual construct that could be measured with regard to grammatical, sociolinguistic, pragmatic, and discursive dimensions of second language (L2) knowledge. This perspective was criticized with the emergence of constructivist views in second language acquisition (SLA), and interaction was assumed to be coconstructed in specific contexts by all the members of the group, and was referred to as interactional competence. This study aimed at investigating the highlighted features of interactional competence from raters' point of view. The raters were also required to compare and contrast the differences between the performance of paired vs. group interactions. For this purpose, 16 male and female proficient English language and literature students of Shiraz university participated in the study; also, 10 experienced raters were chosen to rate the performances. The participants were given a set of controversial questions, once to argue their viewpoints in four-member groups, and once more in paired interaction. Having videotaped the discussions, the raters were asked to watch the clips and were interviewed to comment their perspective. The detailed analysis of the transcription of interviews revealed at least three aspects of interactional competence, each with some subcategories: management, engagement and attention, and paralinguistic aspects. Moreover, peer-to-peer interactions were filled with turn-taking, other-initiated self-repair, use of pauses and wait times, backchanneling, and facial features such as eye contact. Group performances were prominent with self-initiated self-repair, open-ended clarification requests, and employment of vocal features.
    Keywords: Interactional Competence, Peer-to-Peer Interaction, group interaction, Rater Perspective
  • Zari Saeedi Talab *, Sara Salehabadi Pages 27-55
    Learners have been required to be in the know about some target language cultural knowledge to improve their communicative ability that is a subject in stereotypical perspective towards different cultures named psychological phenomenon which affects the supranational communication. This study targets to investigate the impact of input flooding (extensive reading) on Iranian EFL learners' speaking accuracy. In this mixed-method study, 48, Iranian advanced-level participants studying English as a foreign language at Azadi English institute with a well-equipped library were chosen based on the Oxford Placement Test (2013). According to their test scores, they were randomly divided into two experimental groups, one receiving a ten-session literature-oriented (Big-C culture genre) input flooding treatment; while the other received a ten-session culture-oriented (Little-c culture genre) input flooding treatment using the story books of graded readers. The speaking test of IELTS, Cambridge ESOL, (2013) was run twice to see the effect of the program on their speaking. The result of the T-test measures reveals the significant effect of input flooding through literature and culture-oriented texts on the EFL learners' speaking structural accuracy. The findings bear some clear implications for those teachers who intend to add more meaning to the learning process of their students, for those involved in language policy planning, course design, and material development as well as researchers and learners.
    Keywords: Extensive-reading, input flooding, Literature, culture, speaking accuracy
  • Ali Malmir *, Zeinab Aghazamani Pages 57-84
    Despite all the studies conducted on second/foreign language (L2) vocabulary, most L2 learners suffer from deficiency in their vocabulary development and retention. One of the probable reasons behind this specifically in Iranian EFL context is that less implementation of new technologies such as CALL and Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). Because the use of new language learning technologies is likely related to learner variables and personality differences, the present study attempted to examine the use of Moodle as an effective type of VLE on 90 introverted vs. extroverted EFL learners' vocabulary development and retention. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), researcher-made and validated vocabulary tests used as pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest were employed for data collection. The application of two-way ANOVA indicated that Moodle had a significant positive effect on L2 vocabulary development and retention. However, introversion/extroversion personality factor could not moderate the effect of Moodle on vocabulary learning and retention. The interaction effect of the two independent variables on vocabulary development and retention was not significant as well. Study findings suggest that EFL practitioners and learners can employ Moodle as an effective VLE for L2 vocabulary achievement and retention.
    Keywords: Vocabulary Development, vocabulary retention, moodle, Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), Introversionism, Extroversionism
  • Masoud Rahimi, Nouroddin Yousofi *, Shahab Moradkhani Pages 85-117
    As part of a large-scale project on English Language Teaching (ELT) researchers' research practice in higher education, this study explored how a Masters student, a doctoral student, and a university instructor in applied linguistics in higher education setting constructed and reconstructed their professional identities as ELT researchers and how they coped with the contextual challenges in this regard. The required data were collected through a narrative enquiry approach in the forms of interviews, diaries, and field visits over nine academic months (i.e., one academic year) in the ELT higher education. The findings, guided by Grounded Theory, indicated a number of themes addressing the participants' professional identities, which were subject to change. The participants formed and reformed their professional identities as ELT researchers with regard to the passage of time, their personal values, their social interactions with other researchers, and the institutional and sociocultural setting. The findings are further elaborated and discussed in the light of the literature and the uncovered themes. The study suggests implications for newly accepted or recruited Masters and doctoral students and university instructors in applied linguistics as researchers in higher education.
    Keywords: Professional Identity Construction, applied linguistics, ELT Researchers, ELT Higher Education
  • Rafat Bagherzadeh, Zia Tajeddin *, Gholam, Reza Abbasian Pages 119-146
    Curricular knowledge, as one of the key components of teacher knowledge base, has received scant attention in second language teacher education. To address this gap, this study was conducted to explore the curricular knowledge base of Iranian English language teachers. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed based on the components of curricular knowledge mentioned in Roberts'' (1998) model. Results showed that the teachers possessed an appropriate knowledge of a few components of curricular knowledge, including their awareness of materials suitability and structures of the lessons, their ability to judge the content of the materials or to translate the instructions in teachers'' manuals into practical activities, and their ability to teach English as a Foreign Language textbooks. However, they showed a less developed knowledge base on half of the components of the curricular knowledge which comprised, inter alia, their cognizance of the content of the exams, cultural aspects of the textbooks, and learner-cantered activities. These findings imply that measures should be taken to help teachers fill the existing gaps in their curricular knowledge through teacher education courses.
    Keywords: Curricular knowledge base, English language teachers, Knowledge base
  • Mohammad Nabi Karimi *, Fariba Ziaabadi Pages 147-176
    This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships among teachers' metacognitive awareness, their motivation to teach, students' perceptions of teacher credibility and students' affective learning, and motivation to study. Three hundred sixty-five English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and seventy-four EFL teachers participated in the study. Three questionnaires were administered to students and two questionnaires were administered to teachers. The collected data were subjected to Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the significance of the hypothesized paths among variables. The results indicated significant positive paths from teacher metacognitive awareness to teacher credibility and teacher motivation, also from teacher credibility to teacher motivation and students' affective learning, and from teacher motivation and students' affective learning to student motivation. The findings also indicated that teacher motivation could significantly affect students' affective learning. Furthermore, the results revealed that teacher credibility promotes student motivation through full mediation of students' affective learning and the indirect intervention of teacher motivation. Moreover, the path leading from teacher metacognitive awareness to students' affective learning was justified through the indirect effects of teacher motivation and credibility. Implications for teachers and teacher educators are also presented.
    Keywords: structural equation modeling, Student motivation, Students' affective learning, Teacher credibility, Teacher metacognitive awareness, Teacher motivation
  • Flora Pashazadeh*, Parviz Alavinia Pages 177-203

    Though creativity in teaching has always constituted a seminal issue in discussions of successful pedagogical endeavours, renewed interest in how creativity can be integrated into teaching practices seems to be a fairly recent phenomenon which has gained increased momentum in the current decade. In an attempt to pinpoint the factors underpinning teacher creativity, the researchers in this study embarked on probing the potential relationship between Iranian high school teachers' creativity, on the one hand, and their autonomy and emotional intelligence, on the other. In so doing, 100 high school teachers were selected as participants based on availability and convenience. To conduct the study, Torrance's (2008) test of creativity, Shutte et al.'s (1998) Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and Breaugh's (1985) Work Autonomy Scale (BWA) were utilized. Running Spearman rho correlation and Structural Equation Modelling, the researchers came up with a positive relationship between creativity and emotional intelligence, as well as creativity and autonomy. However, teachers' gender was not found to be a significant determiner of their creativity. Furthermore, as the results revealed, teachers' emotional intelligence had a greater predictive power than autonomy for their creativity. The implications of the study are discussed throughout the paper.

    Keywords: Appraisal, Prosody, Logogenecy, Dialogic, Monologic Positionings
  • Reza Banari, Alireza Jalilifar*, Zohre G. Shooshtari Pages 205-233

    This study explored the patterns of evaluative language in applied linguistics blurbs to see how attitude is reflected in these advertising texts. Following a qualitative approach, the study was informed by pragmatic and discourse-semantic perspectives in exploring the overall structuring of blurbs. Findings indicated that blurbs are frequently charged with appreciation as a category of attitude in the appraisal framework. Graduation as another element in the appraisal framework was also found to be employed both as intensification and quantification. With respect to the communicative settings of blurbs, it was found that blurbs are mainly constructed monologically. Meanwhile, results also showed that blurbs are logogenetically constructed due to the interpersonally prosodic flow of attitudinal resources across the whole components of blurbs. The study concluded that blurbs are logogenetically constructed by means of the monologic pressure of attitudinal resources for increasing the impact of persuasion as the primary tool of advertising discourse in blurbs.

    Keywords: Appraisal, Prosody, Logogenecy, Dialogic, Monologic Positionings