سامان عبادی

Over the past decades, technological advances have opened up language learning and teaching opportunities and integrated theory, practice, and research in education. Therefore, researchers have begun exploring whether Extramural English activities afforded through technology are linked with improving EFL learners’ language learning. This qualitative study is intended to track the trajectory of two highly proficient EFL learners’ experiences with language learning through technology-based Extramural English (EE). In so doing, it sought to gain insights into technology roles in mediating learners’ ability to achieve high proficiency levels in English language. To this end, the study used narrative inquiry as the main approach, drawing upon different sources, including interviews, diaries, and WhatsApp texting, to collect the desired data. In this study, the EFL learners revealed how technology could provide EFL students with an excellent opportunity to develop their oral language abilities, particularly speaking and listening. Additionally, they demonstrated that technology has great potentials and advantages for enhancing EFL learners’ vocabulary and grammar. An analysis of the narratives also revealed that technology could positively affect their affection and psychological state, such as boosting their self-confidence and inspiring them to pursue language learning with greater motivation. This study would make it possible to identify resources and a range of affordances offered by technological tools, including learners' capacity to benefit from extramural English activities, and extending learning outside of the classroom, which, in turn, can provide insights into language learning occurring in educational contexts.

Speaking skills in a foreign language, mainly English, pose challenges for learners. The online flipped classroom is a popular method for improving speaking skills in a foreign language like English. It combines online learning materials with face-to-face interactions to create an interactive learning experience. This approach involves students accessing online materials before class and using class time for interactive activities. A systematic literature review explored the effectiveness of this method in enhancing speaking proficiency. After a thorough screening process, the researchers searched databases such as Eric, Taylor & Francis, Full Text Education, and Web of Science. They focused on articles published between 2021 and 2023 in English, investigating the benefits of the online flipped classroom approach in English Language Teaching. The review analyzed research methods, education levels, countries of publication, language skills studied, advantages, challenges, and results of the flipped classroom approach. The comprehensive review highlights valuable insights on the trends and effectiveness of the online flipped classroom approach in enhancing speaking abilities in ELT. The screening process involved removing duplicates, evaluating titles and abstracts, and conducting thorough article reviews. Data analysis utilized content analysis techniques for the relevant information. Future research should investigate its use in K12 classrooms, and its impact on other language skills, conduct qualitative studies, and assess the long-term influence on proficiency and academic achievement. Policymakers and stakeholders in ELT should consider the global perspective provided by the review, emphasizing contextual factors and diverse language learning environments when implementing the online flipped classroom approach.

In line with Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (SCT) of mind, digital game-based language learning (DGBL) and dynamic assessment (DA) offer language learning opportunities via sociocultural engagement. This quantitative study explored the role of pragmatic learning strategies (PLSs) and gender in game-based group dynamic assessment. Our participants included thirty upper-intermediate EFL learners (15 males and 15 females) from two intact classes taking an English pragmatic course via game-based group dynamic assessment. Following a pre-test, treatment, and post-test design, the participants filled out a PLS inventory to identify the strategies for tackling L2 conversations in different situations. Besides, all learners were required to write reflective journals following each treatment session. Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings indicated that the participants most widely used memory strategies, i.e., they relied more on memorizing and storing previous pragmatic knowledge. In addition, compensatory strategies were positive but weak predictors of the learners’ L2 pragmatic performance, and gender did not impact the learners’ use of different PLSs. The study’s limitation and its practical and pedagogical implications for educational policymakers, teacher education programs, and L2 instructors will be discussed in light of the posed research questions.

Speaking skills in a foreign language, mainly English, pose challenges for learners. The online flipped classroom is a popular method for improving speaking skills in a foreign language like English. It combines online learning materials with face-to-face interactions to create an interactive learning experience. This approach involves students accessing online materials before class and using class time for interactive activities. A systematic literature review explored the effectiveness of this method in enhancing speaking proficiency. After a thorough screening process, the researchers searched databases such as Eric, Taylor & Francis, Full Text Education, and Web of Science. They focused on articles published between 2021 and 2023 in English, investigating the benefits of the online flipped classroom approach in English Language Teaching. The review analyzed research methods, education levels, countries of publication, language skills studied, advantages, challenges, and results of the flipped classroom approach. The comprehensive review highlights valuable insights on the trends and effectiveness of the online flipped classroom approach in enhancing speaking abilities in ELT. The screening process involved removing duplicates, evaluating titles and abstracts, and conducting thorough article reviews. Data analysis utilized content analysis techniques for the relevant information. Future research should investigate its use in K12 classrooms, and its impact on other language skills, conduct qualitative studies, and assess the long-term influence on proficiency and academic achievement. Policymakers and stakeholders in ELT should consider the global perspective provided by the review, emphasizing contextual factors and diverse language learning environments when implementing the online flipped classroom approach.

One of the influential factors in deep language learning is the usage of consciousness raising tasks in grammar teaching. These tasks facilitate language learning through strengthening the link between grammar rules and the real contexts of using them. This study explored the way consciousness raising tasks are employed in Persian Language Teaching (PLT) series. In so doing, it randomly selected and analyzed three grammatical structures common to the most famous PLT series in Iran. Based on our research, these textbooks mainly follow the Presentation-Practice approach of grammar presentation which leads to high levels of grammatical accuracy. The series use the deductive way of grammar presentation, and do not use the consciousness raising tasks. Although the deductive approach decreases teaching time and involves more accurate explanations, it privileges the idea that language learning doesn’t nead learners` engagement in the learning process. Moreover, it doesn’t cover learners` analytic and holistic learning styles and does not improve their critical thinking. Thus, material developers need to pay more attention to the potentials of the grammatical tasks they employ.

Digital multimodal compositing (DMC) has recently garnered considerable interest in second language education. There is an increasing demand for L2 teachers to invest in DMC. This instructional activity engages students through digital tools for integrating texts with other semiotic modalities, including images, sounds, and motion. The proposed approach in this study included choosing a topic, planning a narrative, collecting authentic resources, employing digital platforms, incorporating dialogue-based multimodal elements, peer reviewing and revising for quality, exporting the final product, and reflecting on the creative process. While DMC is predominantly designed to entertain players, it may significantly impact multi-literacy development. This qualitative study employs narrative inquiry, which entails collecting data from the experiences of young twins who have spent a substantial amount of time creating DMCs. The data was compiled from various sources, including individual interviews, diaries, and observation. In this study, the twins describe how creating digital multimodal composition led to their subconsciously developing multi-literacy and acquiring English. A narrative analysis reveals how creating DMCs contributes to multi-literacy development, language acquisition, and cultural knowledge of digital native twins. The implications of incorporating DMC into language learning and multiple literacy skills were considered.

Company stability based on financial efficiency means maximizing the value of the company with its highest growth rate. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is a firm sustainability model based on financial efficiency model based on DEMATEL-FANP combination technique.technique.

In line with the purpose of the research, the data of 91 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the period 91 to 97 were collected and the variables and indicators were analyzed using Demetel and fuzzy ANP techniques.

Research findings show that among the variables, asset management and efficiency; And among the secondary indicators, operating cycle and accounts receivable cycle and operating profit ratio are of the highest importance in evaluating financial efficiency and optimization from the perspective of company sustainability.

The results of the combined Demitel and fuzzy ANP techniques show that asset management is the most important factor in evaluating financial efficiency and optimizing it from a company sustainability perspective.

Contribution: 

The application of sustainability leads to the theoretical development of sustainability theories in the company based on financial efficiency.

Managers today deal with complex and unique social, environmental, technological and market trends. Managers are still hesitant to come up with sustainable strategies because they believe the cost outweighs the benefits. Studies show that sustainability practices have a positive effect on business performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the sustainability model of the company based on the financial efficiency model based on the P-VAR model. Based on this goal, data related to 91 companies of Tehran Stock Exchange in the period 1390 to 1398 were analyzed. The research variables include 4 variables (profitability, efficiency, debt management and asset management) and secondary indicators in a total of 14 indicators. Data analysis was performed based on secondary variables and indicators. The results of the P-VAR model showed that the interaction between the variables of profitability, efficiency, debt management and asset management is small. Therefore, the mentioned variables do not have much effect on each other. Also, in the long run, these effects either decrease or do not increase enough. This small amount of interaction between variables is also related to the model used in the research.

This mixed-method study endeavored to solicit the perspectives of Iranian collegiate students passing the obligatory course of medical English through Navid Learning Management System and its acceptance during COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing Technology Acceptance Model, this study also sought to examine the possible effect gender, academic degree, instructional mode, and e-learning duration in LMS may have on the participants' attitudes. An online survey was employed to gather data from 78 Iranian students. Semi-structured interviews with ten participants were conducted as well to shed more light on the quantitative data regarding main advantages and disadvantages of medical English learning through Navid. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics along with inductive thematic analysis, respectively. Findings revealed that Iranian collegiate medical students viewed Navid as a comprehensive e-learning platform to be favorable in terms of its system/service quality, student/educational service quality, and perceived satisfaction, but its perceived satisfaction was not aligned with their needs. Moreover, neither the individual variables, (viz., age and academic degree), nor the instructional variables (viz., instructional mode and e-learning duration) were predictors of the discrepancies among the participants in their perspectives and acceptance of Navid. Learning ubiquitously and lacking face-to-face communication were the main advantage and disadvantage of learning medical English through Navid, respectively. Results revealed that although under the Covid-19 pandemic the acceptance of Navid and students' satisfaction with its use might not be related to the individual and instructional variables in the medical English courses, it might not be the case in others.

There are demands on TEFL students and researchers from national authorities to publish widely. Because of the growing pressure put on students and their professors in the area of humanities especially TEFL to publish in national and international journals, it is often tempting for them to take the shortest possible root to get their articles published. Thus, the objective of this paper is to explore why publishing in predatory journals has been growing among students in higher education. In this article the researchers drew on critical English for academic purposes approach (CEAP) and Bourdieu’s (1991) concept of symbolic violence to demonstrate how violence and domination are reproduced in higher education which causes students to publish in predatory journals. In order to look into students’ views regarding predatory publishing a structured questionnaire was developed by the researchers and distributed among 52 PhD and MA students. The results of this study state that academic institutions and professors can exert symbolic violence that silence students’ voices. This study pervades critical pedagogy and right analysis into the learning system in order to democratize higher education institutions and to enact genuine and meaningful student engagement in the process of article publication.

This study explored the autonomy of advanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in reading comprehension through scaffolding and jigsaw in computer-assisted and conventional contexts. After being homogenized through the reading section of DIALANG proficiency test, a total of 80 female advanced EFL learners with the age range of 21 to 45 were selected as the participants of the study. They were randomly assigned to four groups: experimental group A (scaffolding in a conventional context), experimental group B (scaffolding in a computer-assisted context), experimental group C (jigsaw in a conventional context), and experimental group D (jigsaw in a computer-assisted context). Next, the autonomy in RC questionnaire, which was designed and piloted by Ebadi and Shirzad (in press), was administered as the pretest. Then, the learners in each group took part in three months (16 sessions) autonomy in reading comprehension training courses. After the treatment, the same autonomy in RC questionnaire was administered as the posttest. One-way ANCOVA was used to analyze the quantitative data. The results revealed that although both jigsaw and scaffolding approaches were successful in both conventional and computer assisted contexts from pre-test to post-test, the scaffolding method proved more effective. Moreover, both the scaffolding and jigsaw approaches were more effective in computer-assisted environment compared to conventional contexts, with the scaffolding CA approach outperforming the jigsaw CA technique. The findings’ implications for learners, teachers, and syllabus designers are discussed in both contexts.

Although much individual variability exists, most persons with Down Syndrome (DS) experience marked expressive language delays and challenges with speech production, hearing, and verbal memory that may negatively affect literacy development. There is a paucity of research regarding intervention literacy programs in their first language; however, there appears to be no comprehensive study about learning to read in a second language. The current study tries to develop a program for these individuals to gain literacy in second language as well as the first language. This was a longitudinal case study. The intervention started with teaching English alphabets .The study was done in three phases. Each phase was based on previous phase findings. Each session was recorded with the camera. Another tool of data gathering was researchers' diaries. Collecting data by filming sessions provided the opportunity to analyze sessions extensively. The result of the study showed that the case of the study gained the ability to recognize the letters and read them. This study shows that children with DS can be taught to read English words. The authors describe intervention literacy program that used a hybrid approach to reading instruction combining whole-word (i.e., visual) and analytic (i.e., phonic or sound-based) reading strategies. Despite the genetic, cognitive and memory problems people with Down syndrome have the ability to learn English and read second language words. It seems that intensive interventions and exploitation of the strengths of these individuals such as the reduction of pressure on working memory and using visual memory and multisensory techniques can work. This study has many applications for medical professionals, teachers and parents.

Writing a Master of Arts (MA) thesis is a challenging task for postgraduate students. This complexity is of great significance when one is writing in his/her second language. From this perspective, genre-centered approaches help non-natives enhance their understanding of academic and scientific texts. This study is intended to comparatively investigate the rhetorical differences/similarities existing in the abstracts and introduction sections of MA theses produced by Iraqi and international students in the field of Applied Linguistics (AL). To achieve this goal, two groups of MA theses (30 theses each) were randomly selected. Hyland’s (2000) proposed model and Chen and Kuo’s (2012) framework were utilized in order to categorize the rhetorical structures in abstract and introduction sections, respectively. The findings showed that Iraqi university students included the steps of (a) Research hypotheses and (b) Outlining thesis structures in their abstracts while these rhetorical features were absent in their international counterparts. Iraqi students also discussed results in the abstracts more frequently than international MA students. Furthermore, although both Iraqi and international MA students utilized the moves with similar frequencies in their introduction chapters, international students utilized various steps for the realization of Move 1 and Move 3. The findings call for a genre-based approach in teaching academic writing to raise the students’ awareness of these schematic organizations in MA thesis writing classes in EFL contexts.

This study aimed to compare the effects of vocabulary practice and group dynamic assessment on word learning through lexical inferencing. Using purposive sampling, 42 Persian language learners were selected as participants. The treatment consisted of four texts which in total contained 20 unfamiliar words. The learners read a text a day and answered its comprehension questions. After reading each text, in the “dynamic assessment” group the learners inferred the meanings of unfamiliar words and in the end read the text once more. The learners of the “vocabulary practice” group did two exercises for each unfamiliar word of the text. The “dynamic assessment plus vocabulary practice” group first inferred the meanings of unfamiliar words and then did one exercise for each unfamiliar word. One day before the treatment, the pretest of unfamiliar words was administered. One day and one month after the treatment, the learning and retention posttests were held, respectively. The results indicated that there were no significant differences between the means of “dynamic assessment” and “vocabulary practice” groups on learning and retention posttests. However, on learning and retention posttests the means of “dynamic assessment plus vocabulary practice” group were significantly higher than those of the other two groups. It was concluded that vocabulary practice and group dynamic assessment have a nearly similar effect on word learning through lexical inferencing, but, simultaneous use of these two could result in more word learning. Extended Abstract: Persian language vocabulary is one of the areas in which Persian language learners experience many difficulties. Many of the Persian language vocabulary cannot be directly taught in the language classes and the learners must acquire them through other means. Lexical inferencing is one of the ways in which vocabulary could be acquired. Lexical inferencing involves discovering the meanings of a text’s unfamiliar words based on textual clues or one’s own knowledge (Haastrup, 1991). Lexical inferencing is a reading comprehension strategy which could lead to word learning as a byproduct (Wesche & Paribakht, 2010. ) Paribakht and Wesche (1997) reviewed the studies which explored word learning through lexical inferencing. In naturalistic studies which involved reading texts and answering comprehension questions, vocabulary acquisition was inefficient and unpredictable. However, in interventionist studies which involved vocabulary enhancement activities following reading and answering comprehension questions, enhanced vocabulary learning was observed. In this study, it was argued that naturalistic and interventionist studies of word learning through lexical inferencing are not different in kind. Both types focus on the amount of word learning pursuing lexical inferencing and do not pay due attention to the process of lexical inferencing. That is, they do not train learners in drawing on textual clues and their own knowledge to discover word meanings. It was suggested that one of the ways in which the process of lexical inferencing could receive due attention involves using group dynamic assessment to explore word learning through reading.  In a lexical inferencing study which draws on group dynamic assessment, the teacher would engage in a dialogic interaction with a group of learners who are reading a text for comprehension. Whenever learners experience problems with an unfamiliar word, drawing on the text and the learners’ knowledge the teacher would offer clues to the learners to help them infer its meaning. At first, the clues would be very implicit and if the learners are not responsive to them, they could gradually become more explicit until the learners discover the meaning or the teacher provides it. This study aimed to compare the effects of vocabulary practice and group dynamic assessment on word learning through lexical inferencing. For this purpose, three elementary schools in rural areas of Urmia were contacted to participate in the study. The student population consisted of 137 Azeri-speaking boys who were studying at grade three. Using purposive sampling, 42 Persian language learners were selected as participants. That is, one day before the treatment the pretest of target words was administered to the third grade students and the students for whom more than 85% of the target words were unfamiliar were selected as participants. The participants were randomly assigned to three equal size groups. Over four days, the treatment was administered to the participants. The treatment consisted of four texts which in total contained 20 unfamiliar words. The learners read a text a day and answered its comprehension questions. After reading each text, in the “dynamic assessment” group the learners inferred the meanings of unfamiliar words and in the end read the text once more. After reading each text, the learners of the “vocabulary practice” group did two exercises for each unfamiliar word of the text. After reading each text, the “dynamic assessment plus vocabulary practice” group first inferred the meanings of unfamiliar words and then did one exercise for each unfamiliar word. One day and one month after the treatment, the learning and the retention posttests were held, respectively. The results of MANOVA analysis indicated that there were no significant differences between the means of “dynamic assessment” and “vocabulary practice” groups on learning and retention posttests. However, on learning and retention posttests the means of “dynamic assessment plus vocabulary practice” group were significantly higher than those of the other two groups. It was concluded that vocabulary practice and group dynamic assessment have a nearly similar effect on word learning through lexical inferencing, but, simultaneous use of these two could result in more word learning. Based on the findings, Persian language teachers were recommended to encourage their learners to read extensively. While reading, the teachers were encouraged to draw learners’ attention to unfamiliar words; to have the learners infer their meanings; to offer inference clues to the learners; and to engage the learners in vocabulary practice pursuant to reading. According to Hulstijn (2001), after elaborate processing of a newly encountered word and intentional practice of that word the learner should engage in fluency practice of the new word. This would necessitate the use of the new word in L2 communication. One of the main limitations of this study was that the learners were not made to use the target words in real L2 communication. Future studies could explore this gap in the literature. Another limitation was that the study involved male participants alone. The effect of group dynamic assessment on word learning through lexical inferencing could be explored in female participants as well.

This study aimed to investigate the application of Group Dynamic Assessment (GDA) to writing accuracy of EFL learners and explore whether secondary interactants could benefit from interactions between mediator and primary interactants. The idea of implementing DA (Dynamic Assessment) in dyads seems unworkable since teachers are required to teach the whole class (Guk & Kellog, 2007). Moreover, Lantolf and Poehner (2004) suggest a new approach to DA that is GDA, which involves applying DA with a large number of learners rather than individuals. Following a multiple case study design and interactionist DA, the development of ten students in a class of twenty five was tracked during the eight sessions of DA program. Data were collected though written artifacts, video-recording of interactions, interview, and observation. The results indicated that GDA was an effective way of helping learners overcome their linguistic problems and there were signs of microgenetic as well as macrogenetic development within the same DA session and across sessions. The present findings provide further insight into understanding how secondary interactants benefit from the interactions between mediator and primary interactants.

The study is set up to see how participants deal with interpersonal interaction when they criticize their classmates and professors as interlocutors. This concerns lower-to-higher status with great social distance between professors and students compared to equal status and neutral social distance pertaining to the classmates. The study is concerned with the pragmalinguistic patterns, realization and mitigation strategies that the participants apply to criticize their interlocutors.
Criticism implies one’s dissatisfaction with a quality in someone or something. Criticizing implies voicing an objection or appraising the faults in somebody or something. Speech act of criticizing as a face-threatening act has been the focus of few studies (Nguyan 2005a, 2008, 2013). This neglected speech act has already been the focus of some studies but in a restricted way in terms of type and applied strategies. L2 criticism has been studied with respect to giving critical feedback on the learner’ peer correction of written papers in writing courses (Nguyen, 2005a, 2005b, 2008a, 2008b). This article aims to explore how Persian NSs perform facework to achieve politeness when they criticize their interlocutors. The researchers want to investigate the topics along with the features that characterize politeness among Persian NSs with regard to mitigating the face-threatening aspect of giving criticisms. This is an attempt to discover common issues and patterning of genuine criticisms (GCs) as they are used among native speakers of Persian in and around the University of Razi community. It explores how Persian NS students in relation to their professors and classmates realize and mitigate the speech act of criticism. The case study consisted of 200 adult B.A and M.A university students. They were all students from two universities in a western province of Iran, and the towns nearby, aged between 19 and 27 (Mean = 23). The participants were 105 females and 95 males. The themes of GCs and the level of seriousness of the topic of GCs vary according to the relationship between the participants. Three important interlocutor variables that are supposed to affect GC exchanges are gender, social distance, and power status. The manner in which interlocutors perform criticism is directly related to the interlocutor status, their relationship, and gender. Both male and female participants in the study seem to have similar general tendencies in terms of criticizing their interlocutors with equal status and little social distance. Nevertheless, they are different in terms of the strategies that they apply toward their higher status interlocutors with larger social distance. The strategies that male group use for criticizing their higher status professors are subcategories of direct/explicit strategies; however, the female group use indirect/implicit strategies. The findings indicate that male participants have the tendency to introduce their point of criticisms, i.e. use steers, regardless of the status and distance of their interlocutors. While female participants are inclined to soften the act of criticism by using consultative strategies. The relationship between GC strategies and social status of the interlocutors seems weaker than the relationship between GC strategies and gender. In comparing the results for interlocutors of equal status, it is apparent that for equal status participants the percentage of implicit strategies is higher than the percentage of explicit ones. It seems that in studied community it`s not appropriate for females to criticize their interlocutors directly when they are from higher social status, compared to the ones from lower social status. You would reasonably expect female speakers from lower social status to be more constrained when the addressee is from higher status. But for male participants, a combination of explicit and implicit strategies are employed. Similarly, equal status participants draw mainly on implicit strategies to realize GCs. All in all the findings indicate that male participants have the tendency to introduce their point of criticisms regardless of the status and social distance of their interlocutors. While, female participants are inclined to soften the act of criticism by giving suggestions, complimenting, or making requests i.e. they actually apply consultative strategies.
The analysis of mitigation strategies to soften the negative impact of GC also shows that it may function positively in social interchanges and lead to creating a sense of solidarity between participants through strategies of complimenting and requesting. GC may function negatively when it is only a negative evaluation of the hearer, or it may serve to seek agreement between interlocutors. This study has implications for language pedagogy: awareness of social patterns underlying GCs is important for non-native speakers; by means of such patterns they learn how to criticize Persian native speakers appropriately, and, moreover, it increases their opportunities to interact with Persian native speakers.

With consideration of the importance of grit for learning English as a foreign language (EFL), the present study aimed to develop and validate an EFL grit instrument whose items are specific to EFL context.
A Methodology of this research was descriptive and participants of this study were EFL teachers and learners in Hamadan and Tehran Language Institutes. This questionnaire was developed reviewing the existing literature and exploring EFL experts’ perceptions.
The piloting and testing of the tentative model through exploratory and confirmatory data analyses with the use of scree plot, Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and warimax rotation on a sample of 306 EFL learners indicated the existence of four reliable factors of “Trying Hard to Learn English (0.78)”, “Having Interest in Learning English (0.84)”, “Practicing a lot in order to Learn English (0.81)” and “Having Goal for Learning English (0.82)” and the reliability of 0.83 for the whole questionnaire.
So, it could be said that, the present questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for applied educational, linguistics and psycholinguistics researches

The current study, setting a two-fold goal, attempted to see whether the preemptive focus on form (FonF) under either planned or unplanned conditions could contribute to increasing lexical diversity in written narratives and, second, to find whether there was a trade-off between the lexical diversity and accuracy. To this end, 32 beginner learners were selected following a Quick Oxford Placement Test and assigned into two groups to receive preemptive FonF under no-planning and pre-task planning conditions. The analysis of the results through a set ofrepeated measure ANOVAs and independent-samples t-tests revealed that the first group with unplanned condition outperformed the one with pre-task planning in lexical diversity. The results also revealed the trade-off between the lexical diversity and accuracy. That is, both lexical diversity and accuracy were significantly taken care of under unplanned preemptive condition whereas pre-task planning hindered attendingto lexical diversity and, thus, both aspects simultaneously. It was concluded that providing learners with appropriate conditions through form-focused instruction can set the ground for activating their linguistic knowledge and letting them attend to different linguistic aspects during writing.

This study aimed to explore the effect of computerized dynamic assessment on Persian vocabulary learning through lexical inferencing. In this quasi-experimental study, 75 learners of Persian as a foreign language read four texts over four days, one text per day, and answered comprehension questions. In the control group, the learners were not informed that there were unfamiliar words in the texts. In the second group, the learners were informed that there were unfamiliar words in the texts and they had to infer their meanings. In the third group, the learners were informed about the presence of unfamiliar words and were asked to infer their meanings. In addition, computerized dynamic assessment approach was also utilized. The results of learning and retention posttests showed that noticing of the texts’ unfamiliar words and adoption of computerized dynamic assessment enhanced vocabulary learning through reading. After the study, four questions were administered to the third group’s participants to explore their perspectives on the efficiency of vocabulary learning through computerized dynamic assessment. The results of this analysis showed that the learners were interested in computerized dynamic assessment and judged it as an apprpriate and effective means of developing vocabulary knowledge.

This study aims to investigate the L2 motivation of the undergraduate non-English major students from the perspective of the “L2 Motivational Self System”. The qualitative and journal keeping were method of interview used to determine the motivational factors. After reviewing the related literature and receiving the opinions of a panel of experts, the questions of the semi-structured interview were prepared. 40 non- English majors from state universities of Kurdistan and Kermanshah in the 2015-2016 academic year participated in the study. The criterion-based sampling was used for selecting the sample. The transcribed interview and the journals were content analyzed to locate the key themes in the data. The themes were then coded and based on the theoretical framework of the study several categories were determined. The findings of the study provide some evidence for the validation of the “L2 Motivational Self System” in this specific context. Also, the findings showed that the “L2 Learning Experiences” element of this model is the strongest motivational factor for the non-English majors. This element appeared in the data in four themes. The “L2 Ideal Self” was also proved to be a stronger motivational factor than the “Ought-to L2 Self”. The findings have implications in designing syllabuses and materials compatible with “possible selves” of students and foreground the importance of teachers’ characteristics.

This study seeks to provide insights into the process of vocabulary learning and promoting vocabulary knowledge by tracking its development in dynamic assessment (DA) procedures through thematic and microgenetic analysis. In order to meet the aim of this study, three male and three female EFL learners were chosen non-randomly based on their availability. All the participants were beginners with regard to their vocabulary knowledge. The participants voluntarily attended 15 DA sessions throughout each session a few new vocabulary items were presented using different techniques of teaching vocabulary. The participants received corrective feedback within their zone of proximal development (ZPD). They were provided with appropriate levels of help by moving gradually and using prompts through the regulatory scale from the most implicit to the most explicit assistance which emerged from the individualized mediation between the mediator and the learners. The results of the study indicated that using DA procedure can enhance the development of vocabulary knowledge among EFL learners.

This qualitative study investigates the process of learning verbs, as one of the fundamental aspects of learning Persian language, by PSL (Persian as a second language) Learnersthrough dynamic assessment and using new technologies which are in contradiction with the traditional approaches of teaching and assessment. In so doing, two Iraqi students of Razi University were subjected to a four-month enrichment program that captured their microgenetic development and involved using IMO which, as a realization of new technologies, provides its users with the opportunity of synchronized electronic communication. Results indicate that each learner upon receiving the right level of instruction and prompts moved along the continuum of mediation internalization to get closer to the self-regulation extreme which in turn denotes their social and cognitive development in their Zone of Proximal Development in using the target structures. That is, dynamic assessment via electronic communication equipped the researchers with an in-depth knowledge of each learner`s position along the continuum of other-self regulation which was followed by the appropriate level of instruction and led to his development. The findings of this study contribute to the area of second language teaching in general and Persian language teaching in particular.

This study investigated the manifestation of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (BRT) in two series of young and adult teaching Persian to Speakers of Other Languages (TPSOL) textbooks. To this end, the contents of the textbooks were analyzed based on a coding scheme. The results showed statistically significant differences between the different volumes of young learners’ series and between the two series in terms of learning objectives. However, the research revealed significant differences neither between the different volumes of adult learners’ series nor between the two series in terms of their emphasis on higher and lower order thinking skills. The overall results revealed lower order skills as the most represented levels in these books. The findings indicated that the analyzed textbooks would not foster critical thinking ability in learners because their content did not correspond to BRT. This study has some implications for TPSOL policy makers, materials developers, teachers, and language learners.

The present study, following Vygotskyan Sociocultural theory in education, and inspired by Rogoff‘s conceptualization (1995, 2003) of development, aimed at conceptual development of in-service EFL teachers. To this end, two Iranian EFL teachers with pseudonyms (Tara and Sara) were selected as participants of the study. The participating teachers were first taught the sociocultural concepts related to language, teaching, and learning taken from Johnson (2009) and Rogoff‘s (2003) mediatory model of development in six workshops through dialogic mediation. The data for the study comprised two semi-structured interviews, and three video-recording of critical reflection of each teacher on their video-taped classroom behavior. The recordings and transcripts were analyzed using Hatch‘s (2002) procedure for interpretive analysis. The results of the study showed that participating teachers, over a process of struggle with 42 The Conceptual Development of In-service EFL Teachers’ Perception… their past experiences, gradually replaced their old everyday concepts such as grammatical accuracy, correct samples, and teacher interruption with new scientific concepts such as grammatical apprenticeship, guided grammatical participation, and grammatical appropriation through assisted participation. The results of present study can be illuminating for teacher educators and teacher education programs which have aimed at changing the classroom practice of in-service teachers.