پژوهش نامه ی آموزش زبان فارسی به غیر فارسی زبانان
پیاپی 24 (پاییز و زمستان 1401)

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in Persian and Other Languages Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has become a popular tool in diverse educational settings, ranging from primary education to higher education in many developed and developing countries worldwide. As a result, many researchers have shown a keen interest in this particular field and have conducted and published numerous studies. The main purpose of this special issue on CALL in Persian and other languages is to provide a comprehensive collection of specific articles in this area for interested individuals and to shed light on this distinct field. While we believe that this special issue has achieved its goal to some extent, we acknowledge that we could have provided a more extensive collection with a more pronounced focus on the Persian language. Of the fifteen articles received for consideration, seven pertained to Persian language teaching and learning, while eight focused on the English language. Thus, this issue serves as a clarion call for Persian scholars to pay greater attention to the significance of technology in teaching and learning. Unfortunately, only one article focused on the Persian language received acceptance from the reviewers and the guest editor. The published articles in this special issue can be broadly classified into two sections: theoretical and empirical. In the theoretical section, the first article by Jamaleddin et al. presents a systematic analysis of CALL research in Iran to provide an overview of the current state of technology in language teaching and learning in Iran, specifically in the context of the Persian language. Dabir's article offers an insightful overview of the current state of remote language education and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran and other countries, examining various aspects of online education to enable language teachers and decision-makers to gain a better understanding of the current situation and develop quality and planned online education for language learners. In the empirical section, Nami's article focuses on flipped classrooms and the use of webquests to address language learners' writing challenges. Behboodzadeh and Mazdayasna explore flipped classrooms from the perspective of language learners in the context of higher education. Mohammadi discusses the critical role of parents in guiding and mediating language learners' learning and evaluates the use of digital games as an emerging tool in CALL. In the sixth article, Attar Sharghi et al. investigate the impact of technology on English language learners' writing ability and attitude. Finally, Rahimi discusses the importance of motivation in language learning using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and offers insightful recommendations for enhancing language learners' success. Overall, this special issue provides a valuable insight into the use of technology in language teaching and learning in both theoretical and practical contexts. It highlights the urgent need for further research and development in this area, particularly in the Persian language. In conclusion, the present special issue underscores the increasing importance of CALL in language education and highlights the need for more research and development in this promising field.

Today's world is evolving at an increasing speed. In such a world, the rapid evolution of technologies and social issues has led to the emergence of new educational methods, especially new language teaching methods. Considering the wide and diverse population of language learners interested in Persian language learning and the difficulty of face-to-face teaching in the current situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of developing and creating teaching resources and content based on the current digital needs in teaching Persian as a foreign/second language is unavoidable. Therefore, the present study aims to systematically analyze the studies conducted in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in Iran to provide an overall perspective of the status of CALL in Iran. To meet the aim, in the time span of 2010 to 2022, 42 academic journals which are certified by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology (MSRT), focusing on language and language education, were selected. The researchers applied systematic analysis to review 225 articles which met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The analysis revealed that only 12 articles were concentrated on Persian language teaching and learning, which proved the small share of CALL research in Persian language education in the Iranian research context compared to English language.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has driven us apart, disrupted the continuity of education worldwide, and awakened the need for developing an educational environment based on kindness, compassion, and understanding more than ever before. Also, this crisis has forced the authorities to change the format of education from face-to-face to online delivery mode on very short notice. Due to this rapid transition, lack of appropriate infrastructures, and absence of proper preparation in Iran and most countries around the world, face-to-face education has switched into a kind of low-quality, temporary, and unplanned online practice, which should be referred to as Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). This study aims to provide a discussion on the practice of this low-quality and temporary online education or ERT in the current situation of Iran and other countries around the globe during the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, this paper summarizes the literature on the history, definitions, merits, barriers, and effectiveness of online education for students and teachers from different disciplines, especially language education. The present literature review can help students and teachers grasp the current status of this low-quality and unplanned online education or ERT in Iran and other countries worldwide. Furthermore, instructors and authorities can reconsider their online teaching practices, move beyond ERT, and develop a high-quality and well-planned online education for their students based on the information obtained from this literature review and the lessons learned from the pandemic.

Writing is one of the most challenging language skills for both teachers and language learners. As a productive language skill, writing needs ample time and practice to be effectively developed, requirements that are not usually satisfied in conventional lecture-based second or foreign language classrooms. In effect, learners’ ability to produce cohesive and coherent texts usually lags behind their general language proficiency. Inverted classroom designs that enable learners to be engaged in inquiry-oriented activities such as WebQuests prior to classroom meetings might be solutions to this problem. Reversing the order of instruction and practice enables teachers to dedicate more in-class time to systematic interaction and learner practice which can be particularly fruitful for writing skill development. This paper reports an experimental study on the possible impact of flipped WebQuest-oriented writing instruction and practice on foreign language learners’ ability to produce cohesive multi-paragraph essays. Analyzing the data obtained from pre- and post-treatment essays written by language learners in control and experimental groups (N = 20 each), we observed that while both treatments were productive, learners in the flipped classroom produced longer essays containing more frequent and diverse markers of cohesion namely reference words, substitution, ellipsis, conjunctions, and lexical cohesion. The results indicate that when inquiry-based learning outside of the classroom setting is coupled with systematic in-class interaction and practice, it can better enhance learners’ writing proficiency.

Language teaching has benefitted from technology for enhancing teaching and learning quality. Although some language teachers may implement technologies in their general language classes in their classes in institutes, technology is rarely used in university classes to facilitate learning academic course procedures and deepen students' understanding of the academic content. The flipped learning model is a popular approach, which according to many scholars, is quite effective in enhancing teaching and learning languages. The current quantitative research attempted to explore the impact of flipped learning model on the TEFL graduate students' perceptions of experiencing this new model. To this end, 34 graduate students majoring in TEFL who had enrolled in a course entitled 'Materials Designing and Development' at Yazd University constituted the participants in this study. Two questionnaires were applied for data collection, including the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire and the Perception of Flipped Learning Experience questionnaire. The findings revealed that most students were engaged in their learning procedures and enjoyed learning their academic course in a flipped classroom. They also reported that flipped learning model is applicable in academic contexts and university classes. The researchers highlight the effects of flipped learning model on teaching academic courses, the students’ perceptions of flipped learning model, and their impressions of the online platform used (i.e., Telegram). Findings showed that students found flipped learning model as an effective and enjoyable instrument for improving their academic performance and motivation. Moreover, Telegram was found to be a suitable platform for this approach.

Digital games have become more widespread in recent years, and children's interest in them has significantly changed their learning habits. The growing popularity of digital games makes them an essential tool for homebound language learning. Hence, parents' mediations and practices play a vital role in directing children's education, and their mediation might open up various opportunities. In this quantitative study, parents' mediation and perception of digital games were explored through questionnaires. The results revealed that parents mostly favored 'instructive mediation,' 'conscious co-playing mediation,' and 'restrictive mediation.' The correlational analysis of parents' attitude scale with parents' mediation scale revealed that parents' attitude toward digital games is predictive of parents' mediation. Therefore, parents who favor digital games applied 'instructive' and 'conscious co-playing' mediations. However, parents with negative attitudes applied 'restrictive' mediation. The results revealed that it is important to make parents aware about the educational potential of digital games and shape their attitudes. This study has significant implications for policymakers and early childhood educators to plan for family education regarding the educational potential of digital games. Also, these findings guide the prevention and intervention of other technological devices related to children and adolescents.

The present study investigated the effect of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) on Iranian EFL writing ability on the one hand and studied the participants’ attitudes toward integrating CALL into their curriculum on the other hand. Advanced learners from Iran Language Institute (Tehran, Iran) were selected based on a non-random convenient sampling method. Then, the researchers measured the participants’ English writing skill by administering a researcher-made writing pre-test in which the students were required to write an opinion essay. Having made sure the students were at the same proficiency level regarding their writing ability, the teacher gave instructions on how to use Virtual Tutor and Grammarly applications to practice writing opinion essays. After 15 sessions of instruction, a writing post-test was administered and finally, the data were analyzed using paired and independent samples t-tests. The obtained results indicated a significant difference between the pre-tests and post-tests. The findings showed that learners’ writing skill improved compared to their pre-tests. Moreover, the results of descriptions and t-tests of the attitude questionnaire suggested that students believed they were learning more effectively, which helped them boost their motivation in the long run. The present study confirms the advantage of using technology in the language classroom which by itself implies that instructors and material developers should integrate technology into the language learning process.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have high drop-out and low course completion rates, causing stakeholders' greatest concern. As these open and flexible online courses acquire self-paced language learners, many psychological factors are simultaneously considered for helping enrollees learn the online language successfully. Among the psychological factors associated with self-directed language learning, motivation is one of the critical factors. It is, therefore, crucial to identify how online motivation can be incorporated into Language massive open online courses (LMOOCs). This quantitative study explores online motivation's role in predicting Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' online achievements. To do so, 353 Iranian EFL learners from Tehran and Karaj participated in the current studied during the outbreak of COVID-19, learned English online on the Canvas platform, answered the Online Language Learning Motivation (OLLM) questionnaire developed by Zheng et al. (2018) and took an online test. Using linear regression, it was determined that only instrumentality-promotion and instrumentality-prevention were capable of predicting Iranian EFL learners' online achievement. Furthermore,  males outperformed females in LMOOCs. The researcher recommended that LMOOCs' stakeholders escalate their learning communities and provide more extrinsic rewards for language learners to learn online in LMOOCs successfully.

Nowadays, the importance of virtual space and technology in education, research and scientific production is not hidden from anyone. Providing knowledge and awareness, creating communication, and especially education through computers and advanced technologies of the contemporary world has many advocates. Second language learners often prefer computer-based education and advanced technological techniques over face-to-face and traditional education because of its ease of use and higher speed; therefore, this type of education changes the time and place relations in the process of language education. Accordingly, the Editorial Board members of the "Journal of Teaching Persian to Speakers of Other Languages" devoted one of the issues of this journal as a special issue regarding the importance, role and impact of computers and new technology on second language education. It is hoped that the articles presented in this issue can provide valuable information about the new methods and detailed points in language analysis and teaching.

In the flipped class, unlike in the traditional class, new information and instruction are given at home, and homework is done in class; In flipped learning, direct instruction is transferred from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and as a result, the group space in the classroom becomes a dynamic and interactive learning environment, and the teacher, Instead of presenting lessons, along with language learners, guides them to apply concepts and interact creatively with the subject matter; and learners are also involved in the active learning process. Among the theories of secondary language learning, the skill acquisition theory is a purely psychological theory that is rooted in three types of behavioral, cognitive and relational psychology. This theory is not specific to language acquisition but is commonly used to explain the acquisition of a variety of skills. This research is a qualitative and practical action research type. The purpose of this study is to investigate how to implement a filipped approach to language teaching; For this purpose, among the theories of secondary language acquisition, the skill acquisition theory has been considered. Therefore, in this study, by reviewing the literature and theoretical foundations of the flipped approach and the framework of the skill acquisition theory, the alignment of these two approaches in the implementation of flipped Persian language teaching to intermediate Arabic speakers as a lived experience has been expressed. Findings showed that the format of skill acquisition theory is suitable for implementing the flipped approach in language teaching.

The current interdisciplinary research tries to determine and analyze the semantic network of a part of Persian verbs, by applying graph theory, in the general framework of cognitive linguistics, (cognitive) lexical semantics and computational linguistics.To do this50basic Persian verbs of high frequency were selected from the verified lists of Ebadi etal.(2014),Bijankhan etal.(2014)and Sahraee etal.(2017.The research objective was to identify the strongest and most frequent sense and intra-lingual relations between these verbs by means of the characteristics of the graph drawn by Persian speakers whose mother tongue was also Persian.The statistical population of this field study consisted of Persian-speaking students studying in a ScientificApplied Center as well as those of Sharif University of Technology, and the research sample consisted of101examinees.The research instrument was a nativized questionnaire(including the verbs)which was given to the examinees and they were asked to draw any possible semantic relation between these verbs.By applying Java and Python soft wares, the graph of the extracted data from the questionnaires, the mother(social)graph, was drawn.The findings reveal that the graph’s pattern represents sense relations of synonymy, reverse antonymy, polysemy, entailment (including troponymy (hyponymy) and meronymy as well as causative relation and collocation.From among these, collocation(29.61%)entailment(23.85%)and reverses(16.71%)are themost frequent semantic relations.The achievement of this research is the identification of the semantic network oftheverbs in question in the mental lexicon of thePersian-speakers examinees.Thisnot only canbe used in preparing and compiling better materials for basic lessons of non-Persianspeakers who are learning Persian, but also in applying new educationalmethods suchas teaching verbclusters.

The aim of this paper was to find out what kind of possible linguistic changes may occur during translating a certain English text into Persian. For this reason, two passages, each one composed of approximately fourteen lines, were translated. Passage Num.1 was chosen from the book MAN AND HIS WORLD, and passage Num.2 from act one, scene one of the play ROMEO AND JULIET by Shakespeare. The motivation behind this was to study the linguistic/grammatical behavior of the two languages toward developing the same literary and half-scientific ideas. In addition, we tried to meet the goal from a contrastive analysis point of view. After careful comparison of the original texts with their translations, considerable differences were observed. These differences were grouped into three major levels: morphology, syntax, and semantics. In the end, based on the limitation of the passages, it was concluded that various linguistic behaviors can be observed in the levels already mentioned, while translating a text from English into Persian. Finally, based on and within the limitation of the passages selected, it was concluded that various linguistic behaviors can be observed in the levels already mentioned, during translating a text from English into Persian.On the other hand, this article is based on the contrastive analysis hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, the researcher, with the tools at his disposal, finds the possibility to correctly describe the two languages ​​in question and use the resulting descriptions to determine the existing contrasts or differences between two languages. Learning a second language basically requires overcoming the differences between the two linguistic systems of the first language and the target language.

Language teaching textbooks are a mirror of a nation's culture and customs and can reflect the attitudes and values of a society. Therefore, considering that each element in educational books has a meaning that is decoded by the readers, the present study intended to examine the texts and pictures in "Let's Learn Persian" textbook series in terms of the way gender is represented. To this end, among 30 lessons in each volume, three lessons from the beginning, the middle, and the end of the book were selected for analysis and their texts and pictures were coded based on the study's criteria. Findings indicated that in all considered criteria except for one in the first volume, where female characters outnumbered male ones, gender bias in favor of men was observed. Results of the chi-square test indicated a statistically significant difference with respect to all the criteria, except for the order of males and females' mention in a phrase, among different volumes of this series. Additionally, analysis of pictures suggested gender bias in favor of men in terms of the number of female and male characters in the pictures. In general, more women were depicted in the first volume in that most of the characters of the lessons examined in this volume were children and women and the topics revolved around introducing people and everyday events; however, the intermediate and advanced volumes, in which the topics shifted to social and literary ones, showed the underrepresentation of female characters in texts and pictures.

Collaborative action research is concerned to improve practice, challenge and reorient thinking about practice and transform through dialogue and collaboration contexts for learning. It makes explicit links between the micro-level of classroom practice and the macro-level of society (Lock and et al. 2013: 112). The current research seeks to study and investigate the effectiveness of collaborative action research on the self-regulated learning of Iranian AZFA (Teaching Persian to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers, in order to determine the impact of conducting a collaborative action research course on Iranian teachers self-regulated learning dimensions. The statistical population of the study consisted of 20 Iranian AZFA teachers (95% female teachers and 5% male teachers) in several AZFA centers from all over the country. In order to collect data, `Yesim et al. (2009) self- regulated learning questionnaire which consisted of 40 items related to 9 dimensions for evaluating self-regulated learning, and action research project were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference between collaborative action research and self-regulated learning of Iranian AZFA teachers and the implementation of collaborative action research course has been effective on all dimensions of self-regulated learning of Iranian AZFA teachers except emotional control.