نشریه پژوهش در مسائل تعلیم و تربیت
شماره 54 (2016)

Materials development and evaluation especially in the field of foreign or second language education have recently received momentum to the extent that the stake holders try to warrant compatibility between teaching -learning theories and those of syllabus design. Principles of teachability and learnability hypotheses seem sound enough to be incorporated in the development and evaluation of materials as a new trend in this field. To this end, this study was an attempt to approach the evaluation of the newly developed materials in the form of a series of textbook (i.e. called Prospect) for Iranian EFL Junior Secondary Program from the teachability perspectives. To do so, this descriptive-exploratory research employed 30 Iranian EFL teachers encouraged to attempt a questionnaire addressing the teachability tenets on one of the textbooks (i.e., Prospect I). Aimed to probing the components of the materials developed in terms of target tenets from the participants’ perspectives, the data analyses revealed that the teachers positively evaluated the textbook in terms of its objectives, design and package, methodology, content selection and grading, language component presentation, discourse and style appropriateness, and listening skills presentation, although they held opposite perspectives on the components of language development. The core message of this study for the stakeholders could be the necessity of serious and rigorous revisions, modifications or adaptations so that the expectations of all consumers can be met.

The present research was an attempt to examine the effectiveness of three techniques for teaching two target structures (simple past and past progressive) in English grammar. The participants were 90 Iranian students randomly assigned to three groups: Group A as the control group, Group B as the first experimental group (receiving enhanced input), and Group C as the second experimental group (receiving enhanced input plus metalinguistic explanations). To make sure the participants did not possess any background knowledge of the target structures, a pretest was administered. Then, three techniques were utilized to present the grammatical input to the three groups. A posttest was also administered after implementation of the treatment. Statistical analysis revealed the participants in the first and the second experimental groups experienced the largest improvement in recognition and intake of the structures. Given the higher mean of the scores for the participants in Group C and the integrated nature of the technique, typographically enhanced input plus metalinguistic explanations seems to be more effective in teaching grammar.

Radical changes in the English textbook of the first grade of junior high after 27 years have aroused researchers’ incentives to conduct evaluations of the new textbook (Prospect 1) to get insights into its strengths and weaknesses. In line with this trend, this study aimed at evaluating the new textbook from teachers’ perspectives. For this purpose, a quantitative research methodology was applied. To collect data, a researcher-made textbook evaluation checklist was administered to 405 junior high school English teachers and the data were analyzed by SPSS. The results revealed that from teachers’ perspectives, there were some pitfalls with the new textbook such as applying an unsuitable method of literacy instruction; over-attention to the communication skills at the expense of literacy skills; over-localization of the content; overlooking the development of intercultural competence in students; and lack of authenticity in the presentation of the content. Finally, as the central figures in the process of educational change, teachers offered some suggestions to amend the new textbook with the hope that their voices be heard by the pertinent authorities.

Motivation is a key factor in learning in general and in second language learning in particular. Motivation has a dark side, “demotivation” that is the loss of existing motivation, which can lead to failure of students in second language learning. This study aimed at finding the most important demotivating factor(s) among Engineering and Humanities students in Iran. A modified form of Sakaii and Kikuchi’s demotivation questionnaire was administered to 300 university students (150 Humanities, 150 Engineering), from 7 universities of Iran (in Qom, Kashan, Tehran). The result of the study showed that the three factors “Learning contents, Materials Facilities”, and “The Teacher”, and “Attitude towards Second Language Learning” were the most important demotivating factors in both Engineering, and Humanities students . Significant differences between Humanities and Engineering students in demotivating factors were also found. The findings of this study can benefit material developers, English teachers and language planners.

Vocabulary may be considered the most essential part of any language. It has a central role in the process of second/foreign language learning because it can facilitate communication in general and comprehension in particular. Hence, research on vocabulary learning is significant for teachers and students. This study investigated the impact of two different techniques of vocabulary presentation i.e., picture vs. word list on improving Iranian students’ vocabulary learning. There were twenty six pre-intermediate learners of English in this study. The treatment went for 10 weeks during which each group was instructed through one of the techniques mentioned above. The results, analyzed through Analysis of Covariance, revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The Picture group learners outperformed the Word list group learners. The results suggest that teaching vocabulary through picture technique is more conducive to vocabulary learning. The results will
further be applied to curriculum design and materials development.

Drawing on the literature on the appearance of different varieties of English in the globalized world, the present study reports the findings of a quantitative and qualitative research study with 76 native American and British, 88 Indian and Pakistani and 80 Iranian and Turkish learners as members of Inner, Outer and Expanding circles (Kachru, 1992) to explore their attitudes towards pronunciation issues and varieties of English within the framework of English as an international language and how they see themselves in relation to English in the global era. The findings demonstrate the Iranian learners’ norm-bound orientation was found to be the greatest among the three groups of learners. The findings also highlight the concept of “identity” which shows that expanding-circle learners like more to have a native-like identity. This article argues that together with valuing different varieties of English, it is important to acknowledge and promote ways to raise awareness of English learners towards global spread of English.

The enormous, exceptional unique power and influence of art is enthusiastic sympathetic and empathetic understanding of voices of outcasts, passive, subaltern/ intransitive / muted/excluded groups and subordinates humans. So art becomes rival and the vanguard of culture. The art and mysticism are a form, a kind and a sketch of the relationship between man and existence. Iran artistic / mystical sketch was an effective method in solving the contradiction between resistance to reason and dominant discourses and drawing another speech (perhaps "impossibility"). In community turning "the whole man" (i.e. "Man based on himself", the man who believes in itself, "healthy humans", replaces the "perfect man." The social and societal issue takes the place of pilgrim and Sufi. the artist and intellectual take center stage instead of the Sufi and the pilgrim. Art can be transgressive and often takes shape in a complex action of liberating character, resentment and crossing closures. in art and especially in the literature of Iran "wine" and "tavern" is the symbol and sometimes the reason for this transgression. Also, art is there a field opening stalemates of the action of the individual subject, organizational, social and civilizational in the permanent challenges of unstable free will and sometimes decreasing and at the same time the increasing diversity of the commitment and necessity of moral action. This writing shows that the artist / Iranian mystic tries to overcome even the need for hope in dominant discourse, including the usual criteria of reason and aesthetics, and tie it.