Purpose In spite of the growing interest in using corpora in language teaching and learning, applying computers and software (especially corpora software) is still new in second language teaching and learning. In addition, employing a learner corpus-based perspective in teaching metadiscourse features in International English Language Testing System (IELTS) writing tasks is not reported to the best knowledge of the researchers. Understanding and spotting this gap, the purpose of this paper is to utilize a learner corpus-based approach in teaching metadiscourse features and investigate its possible impacts on IELTS writing performance of the Iranian second language learners. Therefore, this study addressed the following research questions and hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach The current research utilized a quasi-experimental research design. In addition, this research used a learner corpus-based methodology. The corpus-based methodology was exploited to enable the researchers to have access to a large body of authentic language materials. In other words, a corpus-based methodology was used due to the fact that it made it possible for the researchers to elicit the metadiscourse features from a large number of authentic writing materials and to employ them during the treatment process with authentic examples. Findings The findings showed that there was a positive correlation between teaching metadiscourse features and writing performance of IELTS learners; in that, teaching metadiscourse features could soar the writing performance of the subjects. In addition, interactional metadiscourse features had more impact than interactive metadiscourse features on writing performance. Practical implications The results of this research can have useful implications for second language teachers and learners as well as researchers in learner corpus as they can learn the creation and application of learner corpora in second language teaching and learning. Originality/value This paper is value in that it uses corpus software and methodology in teaching metadiscourse features in writing section of IELTS test.
Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory (SCT, 1978) of human learning focuses on human cognitive development and its origination in social interaction. One of Vygotsky's notions is the zone of proximal development (ZPD). This study sought to examine the effect of the ZPD-activated vocabulary instruction (i.e., collaborative dialogue and scaffolding) on Iranian EFL learners' vocabulary knowledge, their written lexical density, and their domain-specific vocabulary use in writing outputs. Forty male and female EFL students from language institutes in Isfahan (Iran) took part in the study in the form of a pretest-posttest-comparisongroup design. A pretest was administered to the first 2 groups (i.e., vocabulary and lexical density groups) to ensure their homogeneity in the control and experimental groups. Afterwards, the control group was taught using their EFL textbooks without any use of ZPD-activated vocabulary instruction, whereas the second group was taught through ZPD-activated vocabulary instruction and received scaffolding. The experimental and control groups also performed 3 writing tasks related to their use of domain-specific vocabulary that was taught to them previously in order to check the effect of ZPD-activated vocabulary instruction on domain-specific vocabulary use. After the instructions, the first 2 groups received a posttest to check the participants' vocabulary achievement and their lexical density improvement in their writing. The ANCOVA and independent samples t-test results for all groups showed that the experimental group developed great gains of vocabulary, lexical density and domain-specific vocabulary in their writing output, whereas the control group, which was taught using conventional techniques in vocabulary teaching showed a small development in their vocabulary knowledge, lexical density and domain-specific vocabulary knowledge. Further, the results showed that scaffolding was most effective in improving learning. The findings have implications for implementing ZPD-based activities in L2 classrooms...
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