Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Mahmoud Nabilou; Abbas Ali Zarei
Abstract
Flipped instruction has been shown to be effective in improving learning. However, this improvement might come at a cost. Since the responsibility for preparing is shifted to students, there is also a risk of augmenting learners’ anxiety. This study was an attempt to check the effects of flipped ...
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Flipped instruction has been shown to be effective in improving learning. However, this improvement might come at a cost. Since the responsibility for preparing is shifted to students, there is also a risk of augmenting learners’ anxiety. This study was an attempt to check the effects of flipped instruction through shad application on foreign language classroom anxiety among Iranian English learners. 120 male pre-intermediate English language learners constituted the main participants of this study. The participants were randomly assigned to one control and three experimental groups based on their performance on an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). The instruction provided for the control group was conventional instruction while the first experimental group received traditional flipping, the second group received demonstration-based instruction, and the third experimental group received double-flipped instruction for eight sessions, each lasting for 45 minutes. Data collection was done using pretests and posttests of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA); the results of ANCOVA revealed that all the three types of flipped learning had more positive effects than conventional instruction on reducing the learners’ anxiety level; however, there were no meaningful differences among the three types of flipping. The results of this study might be valuable for English learners and teachers, materials writers, and curriculum developers. The choice of the right kind of teaching materials and instructional techniques can help reduce learners’ anxiety.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Parisa Rajabi; Farhad Mazlum; Mahdi Dasta
Abstract
Given the key role communication plays in L2 learning, studies addressing students’ (un)willingness to communicate (WTC) and factors contributing to it are of pedagogical and theoretical relevance. Although studies on Iranian students’ WTC and its relationship with different variables are ...
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Given the key role communication plays in L2 learning, studies addressing students’ (un)willingness to communicate (WTC) and factors contributing to it are of pedagogical and theoretical relevance. Although studies on Iranian students’ WTC and its relationship with different variables are available, no research has been conducted on how Kuhl’s (1994) Action Control (AC) theory—proposed to carry explanatory potential regarding WTC—relates to it or its pertinent variables. The current study aims at investigating the predictive power of three variables (preoccupation, hesitation, and volatility) underpinning Kuhl’s AC theory and two high-evidence key factors (perceived competence and communication apprehension) vis-à-vis Iranian English students’ WTC in class. To collect data, Willingness to Communicate in L2 Questionnaire, Perceived Competence Questionnaire, Communication Apprehension Scale, Preoccupation, Hesitation, and Volatility Scales were given to four hundred and fourteen English students. Structural Equation Modeling was utilized to analyze the data and test the hypothesized model. Findings indicated that volatility, an AC variable, coupled with perceived competence and communication apprehension are significant predictors of students’ WTC. Results also suggested that hesitation and preoccupation predict WTC indirectly. Findings are used to maintain that Kuhl’s AC theory can help with explaining WTC with reference to a new argument, i.e. state and action orientation. The paper ends with pedagogical suggestions.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Farahman Farrokhi; Yaser Hadidi; Parya Tadayyon
Abstract
Considering the overwhelming nature of Pre-Task Planning (PTP) in writing for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a factor of PTP called Strategic Planning (SP) on lexical complexity of Iranian EFL learners. The data collection procedure ...
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Considering the overwhelming nature of Pre-Task Planning (PTP) in writing for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a factor of PTP called Strategic Planning (SP) on lexical complexity of Iranian EFL learners. The data collection procedure in this mixed-method research, which took 5 weeks, utilized the Oxford Quick Placement test (OQPT) to separate the sample of upper-intermediate learners. Following OQPT, the participants with a high working memory capacity (WMC), measured by the Operation Span Test (OST), were selected as the members of the final sample. They were categorized into three SP groups: form-focused (FF), content-focused (CF), and no planning (NP). After administrating the pre-tests of descriptive and argumentative tasks, each group received a different form of SP guidance, either FF or CF, in two different writing tasks for 4 sessions, whereas the NP group acted as the control group without any intervention. Then the post-tests were run in all three groups. The lexical sophistication of the post-tests was analyzed using the CELEX data center on the Coh-Metrix website. Based on ANOVA tests, FF instruction led to better and highly sophisticated writings in terms of lexis in both descriptive and argumentative tasks. The results can be helpful for syllabus designers, educators, and EFL learners to consider the type of SP in the PTP stage according to the WMC, in the case of different task types.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Samira Farahani; Mohammad Ali Heidari Shahreza; Mohsen Shahrokhi
Abstract
Mobile-mediated flipped scaffolding strategies have been documented as effective for language acquisition in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This study employed a mixed-methods research design, collecting data through both quantitative and qualitative methods, to investigate the effectiveness ...
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Mobile-mediated flipped scaffolding strategies have been documented as effective for language acquisition in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This study employed a mixed-methods research design, collecting data through both quantitative and qualitative methods, to investigate the effectiveness of a flipped classroom model in enhancing upper-intermediate EFL learners' grammatical writing skills and self-regulation. Additionally, the study explored the treatment group's attitudes towards the strategy. The Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was completed by 74 female upper-intermediate English language learners. 58 subjects (one standard deviation above and below the mean) were selected for the experimental and control groups. The study used a semi-structured interview, the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ) by Brown et al. (1999), and pre- and post-tests in grammar. The results showed that the treatment group did better than the control group in terms of self-regulation and grammar writing abilities. The interview results corroborated these findings, suggesting that students appreciated the strategy's engaging and educational elements. The study offers insightful proof for the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in addressing challenges faced by EFL learners in Iran. The mobile-mediated flipped scaffolding strategy demonstrates promise for improving grammatical writing skills and self-regulation. The study's implications highlight the importance of equipping learning environments with new resources and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) guidance, enabling learners to develop autonomy and accountability in their learning.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Reza Dashtestani; Shadi Forutanian
Abstract
Developing students’ various competencies and skills of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has made serious challenges for university students. However, just a few studies have been done regard to incorporating project-based learning activities that integrate general education and Fourth Industrial ...
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Developing students’ various competencies and skills of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has made serious challenges for university students. However, just a few studies have been done regard to incorporating project-based learning activities that integrate general education and Fourth Industrial Revolution competencies as education 4.0 project-based ESP curriculum (E4PEC). Therefore, this exploratory mix method study has been carried out to create a Medical English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course that is in line with a specific academic institution's curriculum, in order to understand how students perceived the challenges and benefits of studying Medicine based on E4PEC. A total of 64 fourth-year medical majors, with 46 females and 18 male students at Najafabad Islamic Azad University in Iran participated in the study. Cronbach’s Alpha was run to test the reliability of the questionnaires’ items with a coefficient to measure students’ perceptions of the challenges and benefits of E4PEC. Regarding their perceptions of benefits, it is evident that all five categories received the students’ positive attitudes; especially, most of the students perceived that PBL brought those benefits of language and content knowledge and skills and enhancement of self-responsibility and personal qualities. The study findings suggest that the E4PEC-based ESP medicine courses were more beneficial than challenging for the students and has the potential to improve students' utilization and development of technology, communication, critical thinking and analysis, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Nevertheless, issues with peers frequently surface, including a lack of digital and research skills, as well as difficulties with both hard and soft skills. This study suggests implications for the integration of E4PEC into ESP medical classes in Iranian higher education and other similar education contexts.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Maryam Farnia; Fatemeh Hemmati; Raziyeh Rabbani Yekta; Shoora Mirsayafi
Abstract
This quasi-experimental research examined multimodal feedback impacts on writing complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of Iranian EFL learners in flipped and traditional classrooms. Hence, 57 Iranian EFL learners from two different language institutes at Babol City were recruited and divided into four ...
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This quasi-experimental research examined multimodal feedback impacts on writing complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of Iranian EFL learners in flipped and traditional classrooms. Hence, 57 Iranian EFL learners from two different language institutes at Babol City were recruited and divided into four groups, including two experimental groups of flipped classroom plus multimodal feedback and traditional classroom plus multimodal feedback and two control groups of a flipped classroom plus monomodal (text-written) feedback and traditional classroom plus monomodal (text-written) feedback. Pretest and posttest were used to elicit information on the learners’ writing CAF. Experimental groups received multimodal feedback, and control groups received monomodal feedback during 12 weeks (24 sessions). According to the results obtained from one-way analysis of multivariate (MANOVA), providing multimodal feedback significantly improved students’ writing performance. Furthermore, using multimodal feedback via a flipped teaching model significantly influenced EFL learners’ writing CAF, suggesting that foreign language educators could effectively employ multimodal feedback primarily via flipped instruction to improve writing performance in intermediate EFL learners. The study results were discussed and some suggestions were given.
Research Article
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Nasrin Behnam; Zohreh Seifoori; Biook Behnam
Abstract
Although macrostrategies provide a broad framework for effective language teaching, research on how teachers’ experience in using these strategies affects students’ motivation is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between teachers’ use of macrostrategies and EFL ...
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Although macrostrategies provide a broad framework for effective language teaching, research on how teachers’ experience in using these strategies affects students’ motivation is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between teachers’ use of macrostrategies and EFL learners’ motivation. Meanwhile, it investigated the effect of teachers’ experience on the use of these strategies on EFL learners’ motivation. To this end, 42 Iranian EFL teachers (21 experienced and 21 novice) and 42 EFL learners were chosen from language institutes in Tabriz and Shahin Dej. The data were collected through the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and Macrostrategy Observation Form. The results of the Spearman correlation showed a significant and positive relationship between the use of macrostrategies by teachers and their students' motivation. Meanwhile, Mann-Whitney U test revealed a significant difference in motivational levels between students taught by experienced teachers and those taught by novice ones. These findings have important implications for EFL teachers, EFL students, teacher educators, and syllabus designers, suggesting that teacher experience may play a key role in motivating learners.
Research Article
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Saleh Arizavi
Abstract
This study examines whether the use of directives in academic writing, esp. research articles (RAs) written in social and natural sciences, should be considered as an impoliteness strategy or engagement marker. Eighty RAs from four disciplines (two social sciences and two natural sciences) were analyzed, ...
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This study examines whether the use of directives in academic writing, esp. research articles (RAs) written in social and natural sciences, should be considered as an impoliteness strategy or engagement marker. Eighty RAs from four disciplines (two social sciences and two natural sciences) were analyzed, and 429 directives were identified. Two informants from each discipline assigned functions to the directives, and then rated them on a scale of impoliteness. Findings suggest except for text-external Implication/Suggestion directives in social sciences and Cognitive Warning directives in both social and natural sciences, which may carry shades of impoliteness, the other functions should be viewed as engagement markers. Thus, directives are not impolite strategies in this conservative genre. Furthermore, no significant differences in directive functions were observed between the two branches of science. RA authors often follow the prescriptive rules conventionalized in their fields; however, they also tend to use elements that are less legitimized in academic writing.
Research Article
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Hasan Tarlanialiabadi; Rahim Bohlooli Niri
Abstract
The present study aimed to validate the usefulness of Laclau and Mouffe's Discourse Theory in discourse analysis through eliciting interpretations of a film provided by a number of Iranian participants from different socio-cultural backgrounds and persuasions. To achieve the objectives of the study, ...
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The present study aimed to validate the usefulness of Laclau and Mouffe's Discourse Theory in discourse analysis through eliciting interpretations of a film provided by a number of Iranian participants from different socio-cultural backgrounds and persuasions. To achieve the objectives of the study, we chose as our data a Persian film which had already been analysed by an Iranian distinguished discourse analyst using Laclau and Mouffe's Discourse Theory. We then asked three groups (five in each) of participants to watch the film and provide us with their open-ended interpretations of the episodes which the analyst had analysed in detail as examples to better illustrate his analyses of the film. Comparisons between the analyst's analyses and the participants' interpretations revealed both convergences and divergences, demonstrating the need to accommodate the alternative interpretations in Laclau and Mouffe’s theory of discourse. Pedagogical implications are discussed for those who are interested in analysing different types of discourse.
Research Article
3. Applied Literature
Melika Ramzi
Abstract
Differently formed bodies are treated as negatively marginalized in ableist, normative societies that intend to homogenize them. This study explores the intersection of postcolonial theory and disability studies through an analysis of Octavia E. Butler’s (1991) short story entitled “The Evening ...
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Differently formed bodies are treated as negatively marginalized in ableist, normative societies that intend to homogenize them. This study explores the intersection of postcolonial theory and disability studies through an analysis of Octavia E. Butler’s (1991) short story entitled “The Evening and the Morning and the Night” (2001). The main objective of this study is to address the problem of societal marginalization and control mechanisms applied to disabled individuals, analogous to colonial oppression. The research methodically develops the argument by first outlining the societal unease and stigmatization of disabled bodies, comparing it to racism and colonialism. It then examines Lynn’s journey and her experiences at Dilg, highlighting how the facility’s operation mirrors colonial control systems. The findings suggest that Butler’s narrative deconstructs the binary opposition between healthy (non-DGD) and unhealthy (DGD), presenting a hybrid identity that challenges dominant societal norms. Major conclusions show that the story critiques the social structures that label and control differently formed bodies, emphasizing the fluidity of disability and the complex interactions between power, identity, and autonomy. Finally, the results contribute to the broader discourse by demonstrating how science fiction can be a powerful medium for social commentary, indicating the dynamic nature of disability that resists a static, limiting definition.
Research Article
3. Applied Literature
Maryam Azizi; Mohammad-Javad Haj'jari; Naser Maleki
Abstract
Encouraging a transformative perspective that nurtures a harmonious bond between humans and Nature has been the most important concern in ecocriticism and among its proponents. One enduring concept throughout human history, and the subject of harsh criticism in this regard, is “anthropocentrism”, ...
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Encouraging a transformative perspective that nurtures a harmonious bond between humans and Nature has been the most important concern in ecocriticism and among its proponents. One enduring concept throughout human history, and the subject of harsh criticism in this regard, is “anthropocentrism”, which prioritizes human welfare over nature. Aldo Leopold’s “land ethic” theory vehemently rejects this human-centered stance and advocates for the moral inclusion of non-human natural beings in all human-made decisions about nature. In this light, as a literary call to active environmentalism, Richard Powers’ Bewilderment (2021) directly challenges anthropocentric ideologies by arguing for environmental equity and underscoring the inherent worth of all living entities. Drawing upon the anthropocosmic ethical approach of the “land ethic” theory, this study adopts an interdisciplinary approach to question anti-environmental behaviors that build upon the so-called anthropocentric human supremacy over non-humans. It argues that Bewilderment vividly criticizes the ethos of industrialized societies that exploit the Earth for immediate gain, ignoring the long-term consequences of anthropocentrism and degrading the natural rights of animals as co-architects of the human realm.
Research Article
3. Applied Literature
Faride Arefinia; Hossein Mohseni
Abstract
Ali Smith's attempt at doing a time-sensitive experiment in the post-Brexit urban landscape has given rise to Seasonal Quartet in which formal experimentalism assists in rendering the complex post-Brexit reality and the moral engagement of her reading public. Utilizing Jens Martin Gurr’s (2021) ...
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Ali Smith's attempt at doing a time-sensitive experiment in the post-Brexit urban landscape has given rise to Seasonal Quartet in which formal experimentalism assists in rendering the complex post-Brexit reality and the moral engagement of her reading public. Utilizing Jens Martin Gurr’s (2021) framework from “Charting Literary Urban Studies: Texts as Models of and for the City”, the study argues that Smith’s novels serve dual functions: they textualize complex urban realities and shape perceptions of the city, suggesting conceptual possibilities for different urban futures. Gurr’s theory posits that literary texts not only depict external urban realities but also invite intervention by using experimental narrative techniques like allusion. Integrating Gurr’s ideas with Wolfgang Iser’s reader-response theory, this study examines how Smith’s recourse to Charles Dickens's works depragmatizes familiar Victorian contexts, inviting readers to envision solutions to contemporary urban issues. These allusions enrich the text's semantic potential, capturing the complex nature of post-Brexit London and engaging readers in imaginative re-conceptualizations of the city. This dual function—descriptive and prescriptive—illustrates how literature can reflect urban experiences and inspire transformative thinking. Ultimately, the research contributes to literary urban studies by highlighting the transformative power of literature in urban studies and political discourse, demonstrating how literary analysis can influence both understanding and envisioning more inclusive and dynamic urban futures.
Book Review
Muhammed Parviz
Abstract
Teachers are invaluable assets to the education system, particularly in a post-method era that not only redefines their role but also expands their responsibilities. Within this evolving educational landscape, the concept of “teacher autonomy” has gained significant recognition as a vital ...
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Teachers are invaluable assets to the education system, particularly in a post-method era that not only redefines their role but also expands their responsibilities. Within this evolving educational landscape, the concept of “teacher autonomy” has gained significant recognition as a vital factor influencing the development of learner autonomy in second language acquisition. This relationship underscores the idea that when teachers are empowered to exercise their autonomy, they can foster more independent and motivated learners. This understanding of teacher autonomy is crucial because it has significant implications for the language teaching profession and the dynamics within the language classroom. As individuals enter the English language teaching profession or seek to advance in their careers, it becomes increasingly beneficial to engage with the various interpretations and dimensions of teacher autonomy encountered in our field. Recognizing these different aspects is essential for professional growth, as it helps educators to understand how autonomy can enhance their instructional effectiveness, ultimately enriching the learning experiences of both teachers and students. To better understand and develop these concepts, Pedagogies for Autonomy in Language Teacher Education: Perspectives on Professional Learning, Identity, and Agency systematically examines how autonomy can be cultivated within language teacher education programs. This work explores diverse lenses including theoretical, reflective, collaborative, and technological perspectives, demonstrating how teacher autonomy can be integrated into various pedagogical frameworks. The chapters, organized thematically, illustrate the dynamic and relational nature of autonomy across different educational contexts, featuring specific contributions from different authors.
