The present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of two types of alternative assessment, namely self-and peer-assessment in improving paragraph writing ability of Iranian Intermediate EFL learners. In so doing, 45 female learners who were studying at Pardis institute in Rasht, and in the 18-22 age range, were selected among 90 participants based on their performance on OPT. The participants were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group each consisting of 15 participants. A pre-test was administered to the three groups. Then, both experimental groups received 10-session treatments that were the use of self-assessment in the experimental group (A) and the use of peer-assessment in the experimental group (B). A post-test was then administered to all the three groups. A statistically significant difference was found between self, peer and traditional assessment. The results also revealed that the experimental group (B) that utilized peer-assessment achieved significantly higher proficiency in paragraph writing than the other two groups. Additionally, the experimental group (A) that received the use of self-assessment outperformed the control group. Based on the findings of this study, language teachers can utilize both kinds of alternative assessment investigated in this study (i.e. self-assessment and peer-assessment) to improve their learners' paragraph writing ability.
This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of input flooding through teacher talk on the Iranian advanced EFL learners' knowledge of pseudo-cleft structure. To achieve the objective, 60 male participants in the 15-18 age range who were studying for about 25 semesters at Shokouh institute in Rasht were selected from among 85 learners based on their performance on QPT. There were two groups in this study, and each group consisted of 30 students. A pretest, involving a topic with a particular situation was administered. Then, the experimental group received a 10-session treatment that was the use of input flooding of pseudo-cleft structure through teacher talk. Meanwhile, the control group received a 10-session placebo that was applying the traditional method without utilizing excessive use of pseudo-cleft structure. A posttest was then administered to both groups. The results of this study revealed that the experimental group that utilized input flooding of pseudo-cleft structure through teacher talk achieved higher proficiency to use regarding structure in topic-based writing than the control group. Based on the findings of this study, language teachers can utilize input flooding of these structures to improve their learners' knowledge of pseudo-cleft structure in writing. The findings showed that input flooding of mentioned structure through teacher talk made an appropriate context to have incidental learning for learners that led higher proficiency in their writing. Thus, teachers can exploit it to contribute to learners' learning.
Abstract-This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of applying individualized homework assignments on Iranian intermediate level EFL learners' motivation. To achieve this objective, 60 learners in the 16-21 age range who were studying at two private language institutes in Rasht, Iran, were selected from 122 participants based on their performance on QPT. The participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A pretest piloted before with an accepted reliability index was administered to both groups. Next, the experimental group received the treatment for 02 sessions (doing homework materials specifically designed based on each learner's interests and preferred learning style). Meanwhile, the control group received a placebo which was the use of exercises in the workbook of the coursebook American English File 3 (Second Edition) as homework assignments. The posttest of motivation was then administered to both groups. The results showed significantly higher scores on motivation test for experimental group at the end of the course. Based on the findings of this study, language teachers can utilize individualized homework assignments to motivate their learners for doing their homework more willingly.
The use of technology has had great impacts on different aspects of our lives. Educational settings, in this regard, have been no exception, and technology is changing and affecting the way students learn and present academic endeavors. Among these is the use of computer assisted presentation of materials (PowerPoint in particular) that has received special attention when it comes to presenting the results of research such as students’ theses. This study investigates the moves and steps M.A. students of TEFL use in the introduction and review of literature sections while presenting their M.A. theses through PowerPoint. The findings showed that five basic units of M.A. theses (Introduction, Literature review, Method, Results and Discussion) are present as the rhetorical structuring of PowerPoint presentations. The findings of this study can have implications for students, teachers, material developers, curriculum designers and all those who wish to benefit from the genre theory and make use of it practically.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.