فهرست مطالب

Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics
Volume:10 Issue: 2, Summer-Autumn 2019

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1398/08/10
  • تعداد عناوین: 9
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  • Ghazi K. Alnaimat *, Ahmad M. Saidat Pages 3-24

    This study examines the visual aesthetic function of English signs in line with ethnographic approaches as a means of achieving various symbolic and communicative implications in the linguistic landscape (LL) of Jordan. Having coded the data in 6 urban streets of the major Jordanian cities, the social semiotic analysis centers on the visual layout of signs based on the typographical features of English texts and the multimodal interrelationships amongst the typographical characteristics wherein images and drawings are often supplemented to the English letter-forms in decorative manners. These aesthetic resources utilized in the construction of the English signs encourage symbolic ideological meanings of practices and customs related to young femininity, amusement and entertainment values, and shared cultural concepts. After all, this study establishes the aesthetic and ornamental aspect of visual English as a new approach in communicating the symbolic commercial messages in the Jordanian public space for both Arabic- and English-speaking audiences.

    Keywords: Social Semiotics, Visual Typography, Multimodality, Urban Areas, Symbolic Ideologies, Jordan
  • Asieh Amini, Reza Pishghadam *, Fahime Saboori Pages 25-43
    Given the importance of psychological reactance in social and educational interactions and its influence on language learning/teaching, the present study intended to investigate the relationship among stroke, psychological reactance, and teacher success. To this end, a total number of 300 Iranian English learners from different English language institutes filled out a newly developed scale on psychological reactance along with stroke and teacher success scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was exerted to both develop and validate the new scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was, then, employed to examine the possible relationships. Results revealed that stroke was a positive predictor of teacher success. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between psychological reactance and teacher success. Findings are discussed and suggestions are provided to pay more attention to the role of psychological reactance in English language teaching/learning.
    Keywords: Teacher Success, Stroke, Psychological Reactance, EFL Teachers, EFL Learners
  • Seyyed Bagher Mirshojaee *, Rahman Sahragard, Seyyed Ayatollah Razmjoo, Alireza Ahmadi Pages 44-69
    To explore Iranian professionally developed English teachers’ passion for the English language teaching profession, an interview with 7 open-ended questions was conducted to 14 Iranian professionally developed teachers to discover what factors were at work in their professional growth. Participants included 8 Ph.D. holders, 3 Ph.D. candidates, and 3 M.A. holders in TEFL who had more than 20 years of service in the Iranian context and were chosen by purposive sampling. After interviewing the participants via a standard interview and delving deeply into the emotional aspects of their professional journey throughout their lives, the following factors emerged from the analysis of the transcriptions of the interviews as reasons to have and sustain passion for language teaching profession: acceptance of change, cooperating with colleagues, being a model, establishing relationships, helping the students, meeting personal needs, contributing to the society, and love of learning/language.
    Keywords: Professional Learning_Emotions_Change_Cooperation_Relationship_Being a Model_Personal Needs
  • Masoud Azizinezhad, Gholamreza Tajvidi *, Abbas Ebadi Pages 70-90

    In this study, the directed (deductive) content analysis approach was adopted to explore the components of translator trainers’ competencies through in-depth individual semistructured interviews conducted with 10 expert Iranian translator trainers at different universities around Iran. Theoretical model was the translator trainer profile proposed by The European Master’s in Translation (EMT) Group, including fundamental requirements, instructional competence, assessment competence, field competence, organizational competence, and interpersonal competence. Initial codes were extracted from the interview data and subsumed under the existing subcategories of the framework or formed new categories. Subcategories were, then, analyzed and subsumed under the existing main categories or caused new subcategories to emerge. As a result, for the theme fundamental requirements, the main categories ‘research skills’ and ‘linguistic-cultural-general knowledge,’ for the theme assessment competence, the main category ‘using different assessment methods in the class in addition to the summative assessment,’ for the theme instructional competence, the main category ‘the ability to improve students’ competencies and metacompetencies,’ for the theme field competence, the main category ‘the ability to provide students with congruent tasks and being able to do the tasks,’ and ‘knowledge and practice of translation technology,’ for the theme interpersonal competence,  the main category ‘complying with the personal/educational ethos,’ and for the theme organizational competence, the main category ‘the ability to manage change’ emerged. So, all the themes were retained with the exception that the theme ‘interpersonal competence’ was changed into ‘personal and interpersonal competence.’

    Keywords: Qualitative Study, Translation Trainer, Competencies, Content Analysis
  • Rajabali Askarzadeh Pages 91-105

    A Doll’s House brought about the disillusionment of many men and women in the 19th century with its unique probing of the dynamics of married life as well as its uncompromising critique of a society that did not respect the freedom of human beings. Drawing on the works of stylisticians like Jeffries and Mills as well as using stylistic tools including endearments and sexist language, modality, and negation, this study aimed to analyze Helmer’s and Nora’s language. This research clarifies Nora’s doll-like status at home and sheds some light on the strategies her husband adopts to maintain a kind of husband-doll relationship. Findings show that Nora sometimes acts like a doll on purpose to achieve her goals without posing any threat to Helmer’s authority at home. Helmer seems to dote on Nora; he does not respect her as an equally respectable human being.

    Keywords: A Doll’s House, Drama, Stylistics, Endearments, Sexist Language, Negation, Modality
  • Mahmoodreza Moradian *, Marzieh Asadi, Zeinab Azadbakht Pages 106-135
    Pragmatic competence is one of the most important components of successful communication; also, it is the most difficult aspect of SLA. This study aimed to explore the effects of concurrent group dynamic assessment (G-DA) on Iranian EFL learners’ learning of requests and refusals, following a mixed method design. In the experimental part of the study, 2 intact classes were homogenized by a pretest, with 24 written discourse completion tasks (WDCTs), carried out by the participants as the treatment. Concurrent G-DA group received calibrated feedback, whereas the nondynamic assessment (N-DA) group was explicitly provided with pertinent assistance without considering their zone of proximal development (ZPD). Additionally, for the sake of a qualitative study, all the dialogues between the teacher and pairs of students under investigation were audiorecorded while they were receiving the treatment. Finally, a WDCT posttest was administered to both groups. Results of the analysis of the data, using t test, showed that the G-DA group performed significantly better than the N-DA group. Also, the qualitative microgenetic analysis of the dialogues between the learners and their teacher indicated the effectiveness of concurrent G-DA in learning requests and refusals, thus corroborating the efficiency of dynamic assessment (DA) in pragmatic instruction. Implications and applications are discussed in this study.
    Keywords: Pragmatic Instruction, Speech Acts, Refusals, Requests, Concurrent Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA)
  • Atefeh Ghaedsharafi, Mortaza Yamini *, Farzaneh Dehghan Pages 136-158
    The purpose of this study was to explore the predictors of negative attitudes towards learning English from L2 learners’ points of view. A mixed methods research approach was adopted with a sequential exploratory design, followed by an endorsement phase. Eighteen high school students in Fars province (Iran) were interviewed on the sources of negative attitudes towards learning English. Based on the interviews, a questionnaire was developed and pilot-tested. Results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed 6 latent variables: materials, difficulty of learning English, affective factors, teaching methodology, school policy, and learning environment. Questionnaire was administered to 980 high school students. Through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and simple linear regression, we found that the variable materials was the best predictor of negative attitudes. Then, came the variable affective factors that predicted negative attitudes better than the variables teaching methodology and learning environment, and the least predicting variable was difficulty of learning English.
    Keywords: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Learning English, Mixed Methods Approach, Negative Attitudes
  • Jalil Fathi *, Mohammad Ahmadnejad, Nouroddin Yousofi Pages 159-181
    Employing an explanatory sequential design, this study investigated the effects of a blog-mediated writing course on L2 students’ writing motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. A number of 46 Iranian EFL learners from 2 intact university classes were recruited as the participants and were randomly assigned into the control group (n = 21) and the experimental group (n = 25). Over a 16-week university semester, the control group was taught using traditional writing instruction, whereas the experimental group was taught using a blog-mediated writing course. Data were collected through administration of 3 scales, measuring L2 writing motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. Also, to reveal a more comprehensive understanding of blog-mediated writing instruction, a set of semistructured interviews were conducted with a number of participants in the experimental group. ANCOVA analyses and thematic data coding were conducted for the quantitative and qualitative data analyses, respectively. Findings revealed that integrating blogs into EFL writing instruction helped the experiment group to have more writing motivation and writing self-regulation than the control group that only had received regular in-class instruction. However, the blog-mediated writing course decreased the writing self-efficacy of the EFL students. Findings offer theoretical and pedagogical implications for L2 writing instruction.
    Keywords: Writing Motivation, Blogs, EFL Writing, Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation
  • Sayyed Rahim Moosavinia *, Karlis Racevskis, Sasan Talebi Pages 182-197
    Edward Said is regarded as the originator of colonial discourse theory. He deploys Michel Foucault’s notion of discourse to accomplish his project in Orientalism and emphasizes Foucault’s notion of discourse and its relation to power, rendering discourse a carceral system. Although Said explicitly expresses the similarity between Orientalism and Foucault’s discourse theory, it seems he implicitly suggests that the carceral quality of Foucault’s idea affects his formulation of Orientalism. This study examines the validity of Said’s understanding of Foucault and shows that Said’s construction of Orientalism is based on an imperfect image of Foucault. Argument here is to postulate that Foucault’s discourse theory provides space for resistance and his theorization of power helps the idea of struggle in discursive practices. Besides, Foucault himself is trapped in a discourse produced by Said. This study casts light on Foucault’s theory of discourse and modifies this misreading.
    Keywords: Edward Said, Colonial Discourse Theory, Michel Foucault, Discourse, Power