mohammad javad rezai

The role of metacognitive processing in learning different language skills has been considered by scholars in the field of English Language Teaching. The present quasi-experimental study sought to investigate the effect of explicit and implicit strategy instruction on reading comprehension among Iranian university students. A total of 119 male and female English as a foreign Language (EFL) university students aged 20-28, enrolled in three reading courses, were selected conveniently from a university in the central part of Iran. The three classes were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: explicit group (n=37), implicit group (n=39), and control group (n=43). The experimental groups received treatment in the form of explicit and implicit strategy instruction while the control group followed the conventional course of instruction. Two different validated reading comprehension tests were used to collect measures of reading ability, and some reading texts taken from Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School were used as the materials of the study. Data analysis using ANOVA showed that although the reading scores of both experimental groups improved from pretest to posttest, the explicit strategy instruction group outperformed the implicit group in reading comprehension. Pedagogic implications stemming from the findings are discussed.

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effects of computer-based feedback through Grammarly® on the L2 writing skills and writing attitudes of Iranian EFL learners. Forty lower intermediate and 40 upper intermediate level male and female learners with the age range of 20 to 26 studying TEFL were chosen through a standard version of OQPT as the homogeneity test. These participants represented the two experimental sub-groups namely, Grammarly® Correction Group (GCG) and the Teacher-Correction Group (TCG). To apply the treatment, the subjects in the GCG were asked to develop eight writing tasks all in 150-190 words during the treatment using the Grammarly® software. However, in TCG, the teacher himself provided feedback and assessed the students’ process of learning. Following intervention sessions, the writing posttest was run to measure the learners’ ability in L2 writing skills. Employing two sets of Two-way analysis of covariance (Two-way ANCOVA) and a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), the learners' attitude towards Grammarly ® by proficiency levels was collected and then a thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the interview data. The findings of the present investigation revealed Grammarly® software had a positive and significant effect on improvement of the EFL learners’ writing skills. Moreover, the results showed that the participants had a positive attitude after taking the instruction based on Grammarly® software. The findings have implications for EFL classroom.

This mixed methods study compares L2 learning motivation of Burundi simultaneous learners of French, English and Kiswahili, mainly focusing on L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS). A total of 348 junior high school students participated in a 60-item questionnaire survey, and 12 of those learners participated in a follow-up semi-structured interview. The quantitative data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) while the interview data were analysed employing a thematic analysis method. The results support the validity of the L2MSS in comparing and explaining Burundi simultaneous multiple language learners’ motivation. For all the three target languages, L2 Learning Experience appeared as the strongest predictor of the learners’ intended learning effort, followed by the Ideal L2 Self only in relation to English and French learning. The role of the variable of International Posture on the three components of the L2MSS, which was assumed to be influenced by the Burundi socio-educational context, was also observed in the SEM analysis. The analysis indicated that the impact of International Posture on Ideal L2 Self was only significant in the models of both English and Kiswahili while its impact on L2 Learning Experience was only significant in the model of Kiswahili. The interview data also provided further insight into the quantitative findings. Pedagogical implications are provided based on these key findings.

The goal of the present study was to realize whether L1 (first language) or L2 (second language) affects the third language (L3) learning. Three mirror-image groups learning English were compared, as early learners of sequential Persian-Arabic bilinguals. The first group used L1 Persian-L2 Arabic languages. The second and the third groups used L1 Arabic-L2 Persian languages. Moreover, the first and the second groups used Persian, and the third group used Arabic as a language of communication. The Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was administered to select initial L3 English learners. Sixty English learners participated in the study. The translation task and Grammaticality Judgment Test were administered to elicit English attributive adjectives. To compare the performances of the three groups, the non-parametric equivalent of One-Way ANOVA, which was the Kruskal-Wallis test, was used. Mann-Whitney U tests were applied to recognize the probably significant differences among groups. None of the Cumulative Enhancement Model (CEM), the L1 Factor Hypotheses, the L2 Status Factor, and the Typological Primacy Model was confirmed. However, the influence of the dominant language of communication on L3 learning supported data. Groups one and two had better performances in the comprehension and production of attributive adjectives. Group three obtained the lowest mean score. This study lets us determine the influence of earlier acquired languages, Persian and Arabic, on the initial stage of learning L3 English attributive adjectives. The results indicate that the language of communication has a substantial effect on transferring from the first and second languages into the L3 language.

One of the most fascinating and enduring mysteries of human cognition concerns the process of cognitive control, a function that depends on the engagement of the prefrontal cortex (Miller, 2000) in order to coordinate thoughts and actions (Koechlin, Ody, & Kouneiher, 2003). Considering language switching as a practice to improve the general control mechanisms, the effect of bilingual experience on cognitive control has been a matter of scientific debate in the past two decades. The existence of bilingual advantage, however, has remained highly controversial in the bilingualism literature because of a mix of negative, positive, and null effects. The current study investigated the influence of late unbalanced bilingualism on cognitive control among 97 participants aged 18 to 40 years. A group of 63 Iranian monolinguals and 34 Persian-English bilinguals took part in this study and were exposed to a computerized version of Stroop Color and Word Task so as to measure conflict monitoring and inhibition. An independent samples t-test analysis of the Stroop results showed no significant differences in the mean color-word interference effects (RT and score) across both groups. Therefore, late unbalanced bilinguals are not cognitively different from their monolingual counterparts. The study findings indicate that the role of other key variables such as intellectual, physical, and social activities should further be considered in dealing with the notion of bilingualism and cognitive control.

Considering the facilitative role of corrective feedback in language learning, the impact of learners' noticing on its effectiveness, and the significant contributions of individual attributes in learners' noticing the corrective feedback, this study is designed to examine how learners’ implicit theories of intelligence (Mindset), an individual attribute, predict their preferences for oral corrective feedback (henceforth, OCF). A total of 143 Iranian EFL learners participated in the study. The participants were assigned to groups of fixed mindset (N = 26) and growth mindset (N = 26) based on their scores on Language Mindset Inventory (LMI) scale. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the fixed-mindset and the growth-mindset groups in their beliefs toward some aspects of OCF. All in all, it can be claimed that language mindset (henceforth, LM) has a significant role in EFL learners’ beliefs about OCF. Pedagogical implications for considering learners’ LM in providing OCF are also discussed.

Inclusion as a vast-growing practice commits teachers, the central pillar of the inclusive education, to maximize learning outcomes for all learners. In spite of voluminous research on inclusion and the critical role of teachers in its successful implementation, there remains a paucity of research on EFL teachers’ practices for students with disabilities in inclusive classes. This qualitative study aimed to detect EFL teachers’ practices in inclusive English language classes and describe how inclusion may influence teacher practices. To this end, five English language classes were observed for sixteen 90-minute sessions (7200 minutes), and30 EFL teachers (15 male and 15 female) with the experience of teaching at least one learner with physical disability over the past six months were also interviewed. This multiple-case study revealed that EFL teachers' practices are partially, but not completely, tailored to the needs of learners with disabilities in inclusive EFL classes. A conceptual framework was also developed based on 483 extracted entries, according to which teachers’ inclusive practices in EFL classes were classified into support-oriented (and non-support-oriented categories. Findings also offered valuable insights into the current status of inclusive English language teaching in Iran. The pedagogical implications of the study are discussed in the paper.

This study aimed at evaluating the impact of Grammarly® software as a new technology-based immediate corrective feedback on improving EFL learners’ writing achievements. To this end, 40 sophomore Iranian EFL students from Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, were selected. Before initiating the 15-session treatment, a pretest including 20 questions based on four different variables such as definite and indefinite articles, punctuations, passive voice, and correct spelling was administered. The participants were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. At the end of the treatment and based on the principles of noticing hypothesis, a posttest was administered to evaluate the impact of each intervention on the final writing skill in each group. Employing the independent samples t-test, the data analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the use of Grammarly® software and learners’ writing achievement in each of the four writing skills variables. The experimental group outperformed the control group. In addition, the results indicated that utilizing Grammarly® software had a positive effect on EFL learners’ attitudes. The pedagogical implications of this study are that both teachers and students should learn to employ different technology-based applications to improve language learning.

Resultative constructions represent magnitude of variations at the interface of syntax and semantics and are subject to cross-linguistic variations. The current study investigates the acquisition of different types of resultative constructions by Persian EFL Learners. Due to lack of causative and non-causative property resultatives in Persian, L2ers may face difficulties in producing and perceiving different categories of such constructions. This study inspects (a) the acquisition of different categories of resultative constructions on the syntax-semantics interface, (b) the impact of proficiency on rendering various types of resultative constructions by EFL learners, (c) the most difficult and problematic categories of such constructions, and (d) the impact of L1 on production of resultatives by Persian EFL learners. To this end, using quantitative method and non-interventionist quasi-experimental design, 68 participants completed a translation task. Results indicated that L2ers produced path resultatives to a considerable extent while resorting to various substitute constructions in the case of property resultatives including prepositions like till and until to indicate the result phrase. The L2ers faced difficulties producing fake reflexive resultative constructions. Proficiency revealed a significant effect on the production of resultative constructions. The findings of the study reveal the challenges associated with the syntax-semantics interface in SLA and entails pedagogical implications for teachers and material developers in Iranian community.

Investigating the lack of ultimate native-like attainment in L2 acquisition is among the concerns of psycholinguistic research. Processing differences have been argued to be among the underlying factors influencing the lack of native-like attainment. This study is an attempt to investigate how Persian learners of English resolve ambiguity in processing sentences containing two noun phrases and a relative clause that can be attached either high to NP1or low to NP2. To this end, 30 advanced Persian learners of English participated in two experiments, both on-line and off-line tasks. The results showed that L2 learners exhibit different attachment preferences compared to the native speakers of English. Moreover, the L2 learners do not exhibit L1-based preferences in L2 English in the on-line task, which indicates they are not directly influenced by attachment preferences from their L1. But transfer had an effect in the off-line task as the L2 learners may resort to some metacognitive knowledge. The results of the current study suggest that L2 learners integrate information relevant for parsing differently from native speakers, with the L2 learners relying more on lexical-semantic cues than native speakers and less on phrase-structure rules.

1. Introduction Dynamic assessment (DA) is grounded in the Vygotskyan concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and includes mediated teacher-learner dialog during the assessment procedure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of DA on EFL learners’ morphological awareness. A secondary aim of the study was to examine whether there was a relationship between dynamic assessment and static assessment measures.
In this study, a new approach to measure morphology was adopted targeting the shortcomings of measures of morphological awareness, which have been dually noted in the literature (Apel, Diehm, & Apel, 2013; Moats & Smith, 1992). Neither criterion-referenced nor norm-referenced assessments that adequately assess derivational morphology are available (Moats & Smith, 1992); therefore, a new method of assessment can be adopted to examine morphology.
Despite promising findings gained from the implementation of DA in the domain of L1 morphological awareness (Larsen & Nippold, 2007; Ram, Marinellie, Benigno, & McCarthy, 2013; Wolter & Pike, 2015), no published study has tried to find whether a DA of morphological awareness task may improve morphological awareness in the EFL context. In this regard, the current study has applied the principles of DA to the teaching and assessment of EFL learners’ morphological awareness in order to offer an alternative perspective on assessment and its relevance to teaching and learning of morphological awareness based on the sociocultural theory of mind developed by Vygotsky (1987).
2. Methodology The participants of this study were two groups of female students each consisting of 25 students between the ages of 14 and 18, all of whom had enrolled at the intermediate level of general English classes in Iran Language Institute, Yazd branch. First, all of the participants of this study, who were at the same level of general English proficiency based on the institute’s policies, in the experimental and control groups completed the static morphological awareness task (SMAT). In the DA sessions, students in the experimental group were asked to define each targeted word (e.g., define the word cookery). If needed, a series of prompts or scaffolds, consistent with Larsen and Nippold’s (2007) task, was then systematically provided to determine the level of assistance needed to define the given word. After each cue, the researcher paused for up to 10 seconds; if no response was given or the language learner responded incorrectly, the next clue was provided. In addition, the scoring stipulations of Larsen and Nippold (2007) were further adapted for EFL students and were similar to those of Ram et al. (2013). Finally, the SMAT, was administered in the posttest aimed at understanding the extent to which the intervention affected students’ reading morphological awareness.
3. Discussion The first question of this study addressed the effect of DA task on morphological awareness. Comparing A comparison of the pre- and post- static morphological awareness of the students indicated that their performance on the dynamic morphological task significantly improved through the use of scaffolding [(t =3.81, df =48, p4. Conclusion There was a significant improvement in the EFL learners’ ability to demonstrate morphological knowledge on low-frequency derivatives, indicating that scaffolding prompts likely resulted in morphological improvement. The findings can be a unique contribution to the literature as the study examines improvement in morphological awareness performance via DA, a subject that does not seem to have been investigated in previous research in the EFL context. In addition, findings concerning the validity of the DATMA are encouraging. In the current study, the dynamic measure was shown to have adequate internal consistency. Findings show that the DATMA had a strong relationship with the SMAT, a static measure of morphological awareness. It can be concluded that the DA was not just a measure of individual variations in a morphological analysis task; it was a measure of individual variations in a student’s ability to respond to adult instruction. Generally, static measures typically assess already-developed abilities whereas dynamic measures are an indicator of a student’s potential to learn new information (Lantolf & Pohner, 2004). The DATMA task may have potential as a tool to help determine an individualized instruction plan for EFL learners to improve their morphological awareness. Since each successive prompt increases the amount of scaffolding that is given to a language learner, it could potentially help a mediator how much instructional support needs to be provided. All in all, DA may open a new horizon in teaching and assessing morphology, paving the way for language learners to learn vocabulary more efficiently.