جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « active learning » در نشریات گروه « ادبیات و زبان ها »

Emerging as a novel instructional approach, Active Learning (AL) is predicated on paving the way for students to actively explore knowledge and reflect on the learning processes. Despite its robust theoretical foundations, AL has rarely been implemented by English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in the Iranian context. A lion’s share of this hesitation may be ascribed to the lack of strong empirical findings to underscore its advantages and disadvantages. To fill in this lacuna, this mixed-methods study inspected the effects of AL on fostering EFL learners’ speaking skills (SSs) and willingness to communicate (WTC) in the Iranian context. For this purpose, a total of 87 intermediate EFL learners, were selected using a convenience sampling method. They were homogenized through a Key English Test (KET) and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 26) and a control group (n = 25). Afterward, a pre-test, interventions (lasting 18 75-miniute sessions held twice a week), and a post-test were administered. Then, eight participants who actively participated in the interventions were invited to a focus group interview to express their perceptions of and experiences with AL. The results of the independent samples t-tests documented that AL substantially contributed to fostering the participants’ SSs and WTC on the post-test. Additionally, the qualitative findings of a thematic coding analysis yielded four overarching themes; facilitating knowledge construction, developing metacognitive awareness, promoting self-regulated learning, and fostering motivation. The findings provide a number of implications for pertinent stakeholders.

As a model for a new pedagogical approach, Flipped Instruction has been recently exploited as a worldwide modern technique where the actual classroom activities following assignments in conventional classroom are reversed in a logical sequence which often seems to integrate or supplement with instructional materials in video or PowerPoint forms. The current research strives to illuminate the effect of flipped classroom (FC) instruction on the achievements in macro/micro EFL writing subskills of Iranian upper intermediate students. For the purpose of this experiment, 78 male and female upper intermediate EFL learners aged 25-38 were selected from three language schools in Ahvaz based on their scores on the Quick Oxford Placement Test, and then equally divided into control and experimental groups. An IELTS argumentative essay was used as the main tool of the study which was considered both as a pretest and a posttest. Used as a pretest, the IETLS argumentative essay was meant to support the fact that both groups were of similar status with regard to the writing proficiency. Besides, the posttest was used to assess any distinguishing features between the two groups due to the treatment. The control group experienced the conventional classroom instruction whilst the experimental group received FC instruction. To address the research questions, a descriptive statistics and two one-way MANOVAs were implemented. The results indicated that the students treated with FC scored statistically higher on the macro-subskills and micro-subskills than the students experienced conventional instruction. The statistical analysis of the quantitative data revealed that FC was an efficient means of developing writing subskills for the Iranian EFL learners. Moreover, results indicated a certain amount of pedagogical implications for teachers, learners, curriculum designers, and administrators.

: This study aims to apply active learning in a foreign language context to improve L2 learners’ listening comprehension. Participants in this attempt were 56 EFL learners between 13 and 15 years old. To amass the required data, learners went through a ten-week treatment, in which participants in the experimental group received computer-mediated active learning intervention and those in the control group had computer-mediated listening activities in traditional lecture-based format. Since the focus of this study is on listening comprehension, tasks were designed in such a way so as to teach the basic tenets of listening including: a) reflective listening to comprehend meaning and content, b) reflective listening to clarify feelings, and c) listening to nonverbal cues. The aim was to find the possible effects of such intervention on learners’ listening comprehension. Scores on final exams and an attitude interview were compared between the two groups. Results of independent samples t-tests revealed that, as opposed to students in the control group, students in the experimental group performed significantly better and had much more positive attitudes toward the course. It was found that the proposed intervention is beneficial for English-language learners by reducing their anxiety in listening tasks and enhancing their motivation to take part in classroom activities and to do independent test tasks as their homework