|
|
|
 |
Search published articles |
 |
|
Showing 27 results for Writing
Mohsen Shirazizadeh, Somayeh Fathali, Mahshid Kkamareh,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
The current study explored the status quo of L2 writing self-efficacy among Iranian English majors in light of their gender, level of education, and teaching experience. To this end, 193 learners who were students or graduates of English literature or translation at BA, MA and PhD levels and who ranged in age between 19 to 40 participated in this study. Data were collected using the Second Language Writer Self-Efficacy Scale that measures L2 learners’ linguistic self-efficacy, course performance self-efficacy, and self-regulation efficacy. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference between males and females in terms of L2 writing self-efficacy. A significant difference was, however, found among all the three academic degree levels with the PhD group showing the highest level of L2 writing self-efficacy and the BA group showing the lowest self-efficacy. We set out to also examine whether experience in teaching English influences L2 writing efficacy. Our analyses revealed that the experienced teachers had a significantly higher L2 writing efficacy compared to the mid-experience teachers who were, in turn, less efficacious in L2 writing than low-experience participants. Implications of our findings for the writing courses and the what and how of writing instruction in the Iranian higher education curricula are discussed.
Kobra Tavassoli, Marjan Oskouiefar, Masoumeh Ghamoushi,
Volume 26, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of mobile-assisted learning-oriented assessment (LOA) on the writing ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. A total of 60 intermediate Iranian EFL learners were selected through convenience sampling and divided randomly into two groups: control and experimental. Both groups completed pretests and posttests, and the experimental group received nine 90-minute sessions focused on teaching descriptive essay writing using LOA syllabi and mobile applications related to the tasks. The control group followed a traditional writing syllabus without any LOA-related treatments. Both groups used the Adobe Connect mobile application for their online classes. Two open-ended questions were administered to the experimental group at the beginning and end of the course to measure their attitudes toward mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). The data were analyzed using a repeated-measures two-way ANOVA, revealing that mobile-assisted LOA significantly improved the EFL learners’ writing ability. The results of the two open-ended questions indicated that the learners had a positive attitude toward MALL in general but a somewhat negative attitude toward online classes. The findings have important implications for teachers, materials developers, and teacher educators.
Hadi Azimi, Zeinab Jahangiri, Mohammad Barzegar Rahatlou,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (4-2024)
Abstract
The current study was conducted to examine the effect of receptive and productive types of learning medical terminology and vocabulary on medical students' reading comprehension to understand which one is more useful to improve reading comprehension of medical texts. Participants included 70 students (male= 36, female= 34) at the School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, who were assigned into control and experimental groups where medical terminologies and words were taught receptively and productively, respectively. Four standardized tests were administered to measure students' medical reading comprehension as well as receptive and productive medical terminology and vocabulary knowledge. Later, participants were asked to write a short medical report to understand the possible difference in the effects of the two productive and receptive vocabulary teaching strategies on their actual language production. The study concluded that all the participants who completed the productive and receptive tasks had higher scores on the posttest. In other words, the results of the study, following the related descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests, indicated that both receptive and productive learning can be effective methods of improving reading comprehension skill of medical texts although the productive method was observed to be slightly, but not significantly, more effective.
Zahra Mohammadi Salari,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (4-2024)
Abstract
The current study explored the status of rating scales among Iranian EFL raters. It appeared that EFL/ESL assessment environments were significantly influenced by the perceived authority of native assessment groups. Consequently, examining the realities of rating practices in EFL/ESL settings could offer a more accurate understanding of how assessment is viewed and implemented. To assess this, the present study conducted a comprehensive survey within the Iranian EFL writing assessment framework. A carefully designed eight-item interview guide was created to investigate various aspects of the rating task, including the rating scale. This guide was administered to ten raters from various universities and institutions in Iran, all of whom possessed either a Master's or Doctorate degree in TEFL. The raters participated in 40 minutes interview sessions, and the audio-recorded interviews were transcribed by the researcher for qualitative analysis. Through a thorough content analysis of the interview data, some general patterns emerged. Results of interviews with Iranian EFL composition raters revealed that rating scale in its common sense did not exist. In fact, raters relied on their own internalized criteria developed through their long years of practice. Therefore, native speaker legitimacy in the design and development of scales for the EFL context was challenged and the local agency in the design and development of rating scale was emphasized.
Dr Hossein Siahpoosh, Phd Candidate Elnaz Hoseinpour,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (4-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
Due to the significance of assessment in language education, this investigation aimed to inspect the influence of models of dynamic assessment (DA) on intermediate EFL learners' interactional and interactive metadiscourse use regarding TOEFL independent writing task fluency. The participants were 105 EFL learners Jahad university in Ardabil. Based on the random assignment, two experimental and one control group were established. To measure TOEFL iBT independent writing task fluency, during eight sessions, the first experimental groups received interactional metadiscourse instruction using interventionist interactionist DA and the second experimental group received interactive metadiscourse instruction using interventionist interactionist DA. The control group was instructed conventionally. After the treatment, all participants were administered a modified version of the TOEFL iBT independent writing task as the post-test. The obtained data were examined through Kruskal-Wallis tests. The outcomes indicated notable variations across the different groups in terms of writing fluency. The interventionist group outperformed the other two groups showing that interactional metadiscourse contributed to writing fluency. However, regarding the contribution of interactive metadiscourse to writing fluency, both interventionist and interactionist groups performed better than the control group. This means that DA plays a facilitative role in improving TOEFL iBT independent writing task fluency considering metadiscourse use, irrespective of DA classifications. This study may suggest some implications for educators, learners, and curriculu
Sara Ashouri,
Volume 28, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Abstract
Abstract
The increasing popularity of AI writing tools raises the question of how students perceive the fairness of automated feedback, particularly in comparison with teacher feedback. The perceived fairness of the feedback is an underexplored subject. This paper investigated the perceived fairness of AI writing feedback among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students compared to teacher writing feedback and the relationship between students’ acceptance of AI writing feedback. The design was quantitative, within-subjects and it was based on 35 B1–B2 EFL students who were enrolled in an English language institute. The participants were given a brief writing assignment and were provided with teacher feedback as well as AI feedback. Subsequently, they completed a survey that assessed perceived fairness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and acceptance (intention to use) AI feedback. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation, and regression. Findings indicated that teacher feedback was perceived as significantly fairer than AI feedback. The AI feedback was positively evaluated. Perceived fairness was related to students’ acceptance of AI feedback. The regression analyses indicated that acceptance was predicted by perceived fairness, usefulness and perceived ease of use jointly, but usefulness emerged as the strongest predictor. The findings imply that AI feedback is most effective when it is used as a complement to teacher feedback in EFL writing instruction.
Ms. Atragin Sadat Saadatmand, Dr. Mansoor Ganji, Dr. Ali Beikian, Dr. Nahid Yarahmadzehi,
Volume 28, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Abstract
IELTS writing is a critical factor in facilitating academic and professional mobility and success of both EFL learners and non-English majors globally. This study systematically identifies and categorizes the principal research themes, methodological trends, learners’ challenges, and proposed solutions through a scoping review of the previous literature. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant studies on IELTS writing task 2 were identified and screened from Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and ResearchGate. Through a multi-stage screening process based on rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria, 30 peer-reviewed studies were selected for the final content analysis. Thematic content analysis employing manual open coding was applied to these chosen studies in order to identify the recurring patterns regarding the themes, methodology, problems, and solutions. The analysis yielded five primary themes: linguistic features, cross-linguistic transfer, pedagogical interventions, assessment and washback, and emerging AI-based evaluation. The findings showed that IELTS writing research is mainly employing qualitative approach, followed by mixed-methods, making use of corpus analysis, discourse analysis, surveys, and classroom interventions. According to these studies, candidates consistently face challenges in grammar, lexical range, coherence, L1 transfer, and task management, while the proposed solutions strongly emphasize genre-based instruction, model-essay noticing, contrastive rhetoric teaching, focused feedback, strategy training, and AI-supported diagnostic tools.
|
|
Publisher
