The present study attempted to investigate the impact of electronic portfolio assessment on performance of Iranian EFL learners' writing. To do so, 30 advanced EFL learners who participated in a TOEFL preparation course were selected as the participants of the study. After administrating a truncated version of TOEFL proficiency test, they were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group was given a treatment including electronic portfolio assessment, while the control group was given a placebo. To collect the required data, two instruments (a writing pre-test and a writing post-test) were administered to both groups during the experimentation. Subsequently, the learners' scores were collected and the results were statistically analyzed. Inter-rater reliability, matched t-test, and independent t-test were calculated. The findings revealed that the participants of the experimental group outperformed those of the control group and thus it was concluded that electronic portfolio assessment can improve the writing ability and can be considered as a motivating assessment strategy.
This study investigated the medical students' English language learning needs and their perceptions of ESP courses in an academic environment. To do this, 100 medical students studying medical sciences in the faculty of medicine in Mashhad, Iran, were selected as the participants. Hutchinson and Waters' target language needs analysis framework was drawn on as the analytic model guiding the study. A needs analysis questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire designed to identify the learners' perceptions of the frequency of English language skills/sub-skills use, the importance of English language learning, their ability in using language skills, their needs of language learning and their preferences of an English language course. After gathering and analyzing the data, it was found that reading skill is given priority by the students in terms of frequency of use, importance and proficiency. It also revealed that students need and prefer training in speaking, listening and communication skills. Considering the students' perceptions of the current ESP course, the findings implied that the English language skills incorporated in the current ESP book for the medical students and the allocated time for this course are not compatible with the English language learning needs and wants of the students.
This study investigated the relationship between critical thinking and gender in second language learning. To do this, thirty students who participated in a TOEFL preparation course at Shokouh English language institute, Mashhad, Iran, were selected as the participants. Limbach, Waugh, and Duran’s model of critical thinking was used as a guiding framework for teaching critical skills to the participants over the course of ten sessions. The model involved five steps: (a) determining and discovering learning objectives; (b) teaching through questioning; (c) practicing before assessing; (d) reviewing, refining and improving; and (e) providing feedback. To examine the development of critical thinking skills among the participants, a critical thinking questionnaire was designed. Results of the data analysis revealed a poor level of critical thinking among the learners, and showed that males and females were not significantly different from each other in applying critical thinking skills.
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