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Zahra Talebi

Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi, Translation and Interpreting Studies, Faculty Member

Payame Noor University (PNU), English Teaching, Faculty Member

Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi, English Language and Literature, Faculty Member

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Zahra Talebi received her Ph.D. degree in TEFL from IAU of Iran in 2018. She was distinguished and awarded as an exceptionally talented student in MA. Her research interests lie in the areas of writing, tasks, SLA, Research Method, Applied Linguistics, Methodology and methods in ELT, and Translation Studies
Address: Gelisim University

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simin sattarpour

University of Tabriz

Laleh Fakhraee Faruji

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Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies

Imam Khomeini International University(IKIU)

Alireza Mohammadzadeh

University of Isfahan

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Papers by Zahra Talebi

THE EFFECTS OF TASK COMPLEXITY ALONG RESOURCE-DIRECTING AND RESOURCE-DISPERSING FACTORS ON EFL LEARNERS' WRITTEN PERFORMANCE

Proceedings of ADVED 2016 2nd International Conference on Advances in Education and Social Sciences 10-12 October 2016- Istanbul, Turkey , 2016

The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resour... more The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resource dispersing factors namely pre-task planning time and number of elements on EFL learners' written task production in terms of accuracy. To this end, 30 participants performed decision-making task. Using T-test as the statistical means of analysis, the results of the study revealed the significant differences of cognitive load of task complexity on EFL learners' performance in terms of accuracy. This study carries some implications for foreign language acquisition (FLA) researchers, language teachers, and syllabus designers. Findings may also add to the present literature in FLA theory, language testing, syllabus design, and material development. Therefore, providing insights on designing and implementation of tasks in EFL classroom settings.

The Impact of Collaborative Instruction on Enhancing EFL Learners' Writing Proficiency

International journal of psychology and educational studies, May 7, 2024

Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental ef... more Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental effort to "think out" the sentences and the ways of joining them to be meaningful and communicative. The present study was set up to the effectiveness of collaborative instruction on developing EFL students' writing ability and also to delve into their attitudes towards it. For this purpose, 30 EFL students(18-25) studying at Gelisim University in Turkey were chosen by quasi-experimental research design with a pre-test, treatment, and post-test design using intact EFL classrooms. The obtained data was analyzed using the T-test. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a positive and significant impact on the development of learners' academic writing skills. Therefore the importance of writing in international communication and the complexity of this skill necessitate the application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies and approaches.

The Impact of Collaborative Instruction on Enhancing EFL Learners' Writing Proficiency

IJPES Journal, 2024

Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental ef... more Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental effort to "think out" the sentences and the ways of joining them to be meaningful and communicative. The present study was set up to the effectiveness of collaborative instruction on developing EFL students' writing ability and also to delve into their attitudes towards it. For this purpose, 30 EFL students(18-25) studying at Gelisim University in Turkey were chosen by quasi-experimental research design with a pre-test, treatment, and post-test design using intact EFL classrooms. The obtained data was analyzed using the T-test. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a positive and significant impact on the development of learners' academic writing skills. Therefore the importance of writing in international communication and the complexity of this skill necessitate the application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies and approaches.

An investigation of reciprocal teaching on EFL learner's reading comprehension

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of reciprocal teaching on the English reading compre... more Purpose: This study investigated the effects of reciprocal teaching on the English reading comprehension and metacognitive reading strategies of Iranian pre-university learners in a reading comprehension classroom. Method: To fulfill the purpose of the study, the participants, included 60 female junior high school students were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups each consisting of 30 learners. The experimental group was taught through reciprocal teaching while the control group was taught through traditional teaching method. Following a pretest, treatment, and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using paired t-test to examine the effects of the independent variables. Findings: The results of the analysis indicated that reciprocal teaching had a significantly positive effect on the English reading comprehension and usage of the four main metacognitive reading strategies of the students. The posttest mean score of the experimental group was significantly...

The Effects of Types of Writing Approaches on Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance and Their Attitudes toward Writing Skill

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to in... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to investigate the effects of using of two approaches namely; genre and process on EFL learners’ accuracy, fluency, and complexity in written task production. Secondly, it attempted to investigate the effects of mentioned approaches on EFL learners’ attitude toward writing skill. to this end, 60 learners of English at intermediate level were selected randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into three groups of product, process, and genre groups. a written task was employed to collect data from the participants. the collected written data was quantified in terms of accuracy, fluency, and complexity measures. The results of the study based on one-way ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences on EFL learners’ writing performance. The current study might carry some pedagogical implications for EFL learners’ writing skill, learner attitude toward writing, teacher educat...

Comparative Analysis of Teaching Methods Effect Based on Result-based, Process-based and Genre-based Approaches of Writing Skill amongst Intermediate English Learners

Introduction One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics since the past two decad... more Introduction One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics since the past two decades concerns the role of genre-based writing instruction and its applications in the area of second language (L2) teaching and learning (Correa & Echeverri, 2017; Derewianka, 2015; Lin, 2016; Tardy, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011; Truscott, 2012; Thompson, 2014). Genre has been variously defined by different scholars in the field of second language acquisition. Swales (1990) introduced genre as a class of “communicative events” characterized by a sequence of segments with each move accomplishing some part of the overall communicative purpose of the text, in order to produce distinctive structural patterns.The main theoretical background of the study lies on Halliday’s (1994) Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which offers the most theoretically sophisticated and pedagogically developed approach of the three, underpinned by a highly evolved and insightful theory of language and motivated by a ...

The Impact of Linear Process versus Genre-Based Approach on Intermediate EFL Learners’ Accuracy in Written Task Performance

Applied Linguistics, 2018

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of linear... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of linear process versus genre-based approach on EFL learners’ written production. To this end, 40 learners of English at intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of the study and assigned into two groups of experimental (process and genre) which received different types of instruction for 8 sessions. Narrative and process-tasks were employed to collect data from the participants. The collected written data was quantified in terms of the accuracy measure. Independent samples T-test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study revealed no difference between the performances of two groups in written narrative task, however, the result of statistical analysis in process task was significant. The study might carry some pedagogical implications for second language teachers, SLA researchers, teacher education and task designers.

Morphological Awareness and Vocabulary Knowledge: A Case of Correlation

by Zahra Talebi and Sima Farhadi

1. IntroductionVocabulary knowledge is one of the language skills essential for fluent language u... more 1. IntroductionVocabulary knowledge is one of the language skills essential for fluent language use (Nation, 1993). Wilkins (1972) asserts, "without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed" (p.150).Regarding sounds, grammar, and vocabulary as three principle components of language, word knowledge plays a crucial role in language learning. Within the process of learning a language, words are so pervasive that learners absolutely can't underestimate the po wer they manifest. In order for the clarification of the role words as the building blocks of language play, Anglin, Miller, and Wakefield (1993) address them as a key to make language production as well as language comprehension possible. Moreover, Coady & Huckin (1997) stated that lexical competence is at the center of communicative competence.The fact that vocabulary learning and teaching is a central activity in the L2 classroom cannot be taken for granted. Learning strategi...

The Effects of Task Complexity Along Resource-Directing and Resource-Dispersing Factors on Efl Learners’ Written Performance

The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resour... more The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resource dispersing factors namely pre-task planning time and number of elements on EFL learners' written task production in terms of accuracy. To this end, 30 participants performed decision-making task. Using T-test as the statistical means of analysis, the results of the study revealed the significant differences of cognitive load of task complexity on EFL learners’ performance in terms of accuracy. This study carries some implications for foreign language acquisition (FLA) researchers, language teachers, and syllabus designers. Findings may also add to the present literature in FLA theory, language testing, syllabus design, and material development. Therefore, providing insights on designing and implementation of tasks in EFL classroom settings.

Paradigm Shift and Implications for Teachers

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 2015

By the end of the twentieth century, language teaching no longer regarded method as the pivotal d... more By the end of the twentieth century, language teaching no longer regarded method as the pivotal dynamic in accounting for success or failure in language teaching. The twentieth century has seen the rise and fall of a variety of methods and approaches from the series method (Gouin, 1880) to the audio-lingual method (Fries, 1945), the designer methods (Brown, 2001), and later communicative language teaching (Brumfit & Johnson, 1979; Wilkins, 1976).In the late 1980s and the beginning of 1990s, L2 researchers came to evaluate the limitations of the concept of method, and critique its validity and acceptability. As a consequence of such critical attitudes towards the profession of language pedagogy, innovative paradigms came to light.To this end, language teaching has initiated a movement toward a fundamental restructuring in organizing principles for l2 teaching/learning and teacher education. This orientation was a reaction to restricting concept of method which we are hardly aware of ...

The Effect of Reactive vs. Student-Initiated Focus on Form on Efl Learners' Production of Uptake

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, Sep 1, 2012

ABSTRACTThis study investigated incidental focus on form by comparing the relative effects of two... more ABSTRACTThis study investigated incidental focus on form by comparing the relative effects of two types of focus on form, namely reactive vs. student-initiated preemptive focus on form on learners' uptake in Iranian EFL context. To obtain the required data, twenty hours of naturally occurring meaning focused L2 lessons were observed in two classes of female adults. A total of 371 focus on form episodes (FFEs) were identified and transcribed. These FFEs were then categorized in terms of student-initiated and reactive episodes. Categories of uptake and successful uptake following these FFEs were also identified and transcribed. The chi-square analysis was used to investigate the relationship between two types of FFE (i.e. reactive vs. studentinitiated FFE) and uptake. Logistic regression analysis was also used to predict which Types of FFE may affect the production of uptake and its successfulness. The results indicated that learner uptake was generally high and successful. The amount of uptake was high in student-initiated FFEs. There was a higher frequency of successful uptake following reactive FFEs. Finally, the implications of such variation for both research and teaching were discussed.KEYWORDS: FFE; Incidental focus on form; Preemptive focus on form; Reactive focus on form; Student-initiated focus on for; Uptake1. IntroductionMeaningful communication and communicative activities has recently emerged and rapidly attracted much attention in the field of language learning. It is increasingly acknowledged that creating opportunities for students to interact has important consequences for second language acquisition (Long, 19%; Pica, 1999; Willis & Willis, 2007). According to Long (1985), acquisition is facilitated when learners negotiate for meaning while communication breakdown occurs by restructuring their interaction in order to reach mutual understanding. However, many educators in the field of SLA have recognized that learners who learned a second language through purely communicative classes do not gain high levels of proficiency (Higgs & Clifford, 1982). Also research revealed that learners must improve their grammatical accuracy in the target language (e.g., Hatch, 1978; Long, 1996; White, 1987). This approach is what Long (1991) calls focus on form. Focus on form, as defined by Long (1991), "overtly draws students' attention to linguistic elements as they arise incidentally in lessons whose overriding focus is on meaning or communication" (pp. 45^46). Focus on form has attracted the attention of SLA researchers and theorists by suggesting that it can enable learners to develop linguistic accuracy, hence creating the conditions for interlanguage restructuring to take place (Long & Robinson, 1998; Doughty, 2001; Farrokhi & Gholami, 2007). Focus on form also provides learners with the opportunity to produce 'pushed output' (i.e. the amount of uptake) which stretches learners' linguistic recourses to express their intended meaning both accurately and appropriately in the target language (Swain, 1995; Swain & Lapkin, 1995; Swain, 2000; Farrokhi & Gholami, 2007). Ellis (2001) makes a distinction between planned focus on form, which involves the preselection of a limited number of linguistic forms and targeting them through meaning-focused activities, and incidental focus on form, which involves focusing on diverse linguistic structures as they arise incidentally during meaning-focused lessons. Furthermore, incidental focus on form can be either reactive or preemptive. Reactive focus on form refers to those occasions during which a learner commits an error in his or her production which is corrected mostly by the teacher or sometimes by other learners. In contrast, preemptive focus on form refers to those moments, when either the teacher or a student chooses to make a specific form the topic of the discourse. The leaner' s reaction to the teacher's feedback during a focus on form episode is called uptake. …

Form-based Approaches vs. Task-Based Approaches

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 2015

This study aimed at investigating whether task-based approaches bear any superiority to that of m... more This study aimed at investigating whether task-based approaches bear any superiority to that of more traditional ones evident in presentation-practice-and production phase .to fulfill the purpose of the study, the participants within the age range of 11-19, took part in the study. Following a pretest, treatment, and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to examine the effects of the variables. The results of the analysis showed that participants in the PPP group did significantly better in the grammar recognition of the posttest than that of the task group. However, their counterparts in the task group gained better scores in the writing section of the test .this research study provided evidence in support of task proponents' claim in the merit of task-based activity in raising learners' implicit knowledge claiming to play the primary role in spontaneous speech.

The Impact of Gender and Strategic Pre-task Planning Time on EFL Learners’ Oral Performance in Terms of Accuracy

Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2013

The role of planning time and gender as an interactional factor or task condition in second langu... more The role of planning time and gender as an interactional factor or task condition in second language development is one of the interesting issues in the realm of task-based language teaching and learning. The present study intends to investigate the effects of strategic pre-task planning and gender on EFL learners' oral task production in terms the linguistic domain of accuracy. In order to collect the data, a narrative pictorial task was employed as the means of data collection. The orally collected data was quantified and measured by means of the measure of accuracy. Then, the data was fed into the SPSS Software (Version 16) for statistical analysis. Independent Samples T-Test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study indicated significant differences between the oral performance of the female and male learners in both planned and unplanned conditions. The results of the study carry some pedagogical implications for SLA researchers, language teachers in EFL contexts, and teacher educators.

Can Focus on form Instruction Make a Difference on EFL Learners’ Accuracy?

This study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely reca... more This study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of past tense-ed by Iranian EFL learners. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was used. To this end, 45 Iranian EFL learners comprising three intact classes participated in this study. Learners in two intact classes designated as feedback groups received feedback during meaning-focused tasks, while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The results showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between the two types of corrective feedback as far as their accuracies are concerned.

THE EFFECTS OF IMPLICIT AND ExPLICIT FEEDBACK ON EFL LEARNERS’GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY; THE CASE OF REGULAR PAST TENSE IN ENGLISH

This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective fe... more This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of English regular past tenseed by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 45 female learners of English at a low intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of this study and were assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received recast and metalinguistic forfocused feedback on the target form following picture description tasks while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The acquisition of regular past tense-ed was measured by means of metalinguistic knowledge and oral imitation tests. The results of the one-way ANOVA showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings of the study also indicated that there were no significance differences between the two types of corrective feedback in terms of learners' performance in an EFL context. The results of this study are considered to be useful in error correction techniques, syllabus and task designers especially in EFL contexts.

The Writing Performance of Iranian EFL Learners in the Light of Metadiscourse Awareness

Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2016

In the framework of language teaching, the writing skill requires to be encouraged during the lan... more In the framework of language teaching, the writing skill requires to be encouraged during the language learners’ course of study. Since metadiscourse markers help transform a tortuous piece of text into a coherent and reader-friendly one, knowledge about the metadiscourse, amongst other things, is used to improve writing skill. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of instruction of metadiscourse markers on intermediate EFL learners’ writing performance by using metadiscoursal taxonomies proposed by Hyland (2005). For this purpose, a pet test was administrated to 60 intermediate students in Iran Language Institute in Urmia. Having being homogenized by Preliminary English Test (PET), they were assigned randomly into two groups. Both the control and the experimental group sat for a pretest of writing test in the form of a cloze test which aimed to measure the learners’ initial knowledge of writing performance. The experimental group was exposed to explicit instruction o...

The effects of implicit and explicit feedback on EFL learners' grammatical accuracy; the case of regular past tense in English IJPSS

This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective fe... more This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of English regular past tense-ed by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 45 female learners of English at a low intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of this study and were assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received recast and metalinguistic for-focused feedback on the target form following picture description tasks while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The acquisition of regular past tense-ed was measured by means of metalinguistic knowledge and oral imitation tests. The results of the one-way ANOVA showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings of the study also indicated that there were no significance differences between the two types of corrective feedback in terms of learners' performance in an EFL context. The results of this study are considered to be useful in error correction techniques, syllabus and task designers especially in EFL contexts.

The Effects of Types of Writing Approaches on Iranian EFL Learners' Writing Performance and Their Attitudes toward Writing Skill Nader Asadi‫٭‬ (Corresponding Author

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to in... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to investigate the effects of using of two approaches namely; genre and process on EFL learners' accuracy, fluency, and complexity in written task production. Secondly, it attempted to investigate the effects of mentioned approaches on EFL learners' attitude toward writing skill. to this end, 60 learners of English at intermediate level were selected randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into three groups of product, process, and genre groups. a written task was employed to collect data from the participants. the collected written data was quantified in terms of accuracy, fluency, and complexity measures. The results of the study based on one-way ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences on EFL learners' writing performance. The current study might carry some pedagogical implications for EFL learners' writing skill, learner attitude toward writing, teacher education and task designers.

The Impact of Linear Process versus Genre-Based Approach on Intermediate EFL Learners' Accuracy in Written Task Performance

THE EFFECTS OF TASK COMPLEXITY ALONG RESOURCE-DIRECTING AND RESOURCE-DISPERSING FACTORS ON EFL LEARNERS' WRITTEN PERFORMANCE

Proceedings of ADVED 2016 2nd International Conference on Advances in Education and Social Sciences 10-12 October 2016- Istanbul, Turkey , 2016

The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resour... more The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resource dispersing factors namely pre-task planning time and number of elements on EFL learners' written task production in terms of accuracy. To this end, 30 participants performed decision-making task. Using T-test as the statistical means of analysis, the results of the study revealed the significant differences of cognitive load of task complexity on EFL learners' performance in terms of accuracy. This study carries some implications for foreign language acquisition (FLA) researchers, language teachers, and syllabus designers. Findings may also add to the present literature in FLA theory, language testing, syllabus design, and material development. Therefore, providing insights on designing and implementation of tasks in EFL classroom settings.

The Impact of Collaborative Instruction on Enhancing EFL Learners' Writing Proficiency

International journal of psychology and educational studies, May 7, 2024

Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental ef... more Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental effort to "think out" the sentences and the ways of joining them to be meaningful and communicative. The present study was set up to the effectiveness of collaborative instruction on developing EFL students' writing ability and also to delve into their attitudes towards it. For this purpose, 30 EFL students(18-25) studying at Gelisim University in Turkey were chosen by quasi-experimental research design with a pre-test, treatment, and post-test design using intact EFL classrooms. The obtained data was analyzed using the T-test. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a positive and significant impact on the development of learners' academic writing skills. Therefore the importance of writing in international communication and the complexity of this skill necessitate the application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies and approaches.

The Impact of Collaborative Instruction on Enhancing EFL Learners' Writing Proficiency

IJPES Journal, 2024

Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental ef... more Writing is an important communicative language skill. It is an activity that requires a mental effort to "think out" the sentences and the ways of joining them to be meaningful and communicative. The present study was set up to the effectiveness of collaborative instruction on developing EFL students' writing ability and also to delve into their attitudes towards it. For this purpose, 30 EFL students(18-25) studying at Gelisim University in Turkey were chosen by quasi-experimental research design with a pre-test, treatment, and post-test design using intact EFL classrooms. The obtained data was analyzed using the T-test. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a positive and significant impact on the development of learners' academic writing skills. Therefore the importance of writing in international communication and the complexity of this skill necessitate the application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies and approaches.

An investigation of reciprocal teaching on EFL learner's reading comprehension

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of reciprocal teaching on the English reading compre... more Purpose: This study investigated the effects of reciprocal teaching on the English reading comprehension and metacognitive reading strategies of Iranian pre-university learners in a reading comprehension classroom. Method: To fulfill the purpose of the study, the participants, included 60 female junior high school students were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups each consisting of 30 learners. The experimental group was taught through reciprocal teaching while the control group was taught through traditional teaching method. Following a pretest, treatment, and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using paired t-test to examine the effects of the independent variables. Findings: The results of the analysis indicated that reciprocal teaching had a significantly positive effect on the English reading comprehension and usage of the four main metacognitive reading strategies of the students. The posttest mean score of the experimental group was significantly...

The Effects of Types of Writing Approaches on Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance and Their Attitudes toward Writing Skill

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to in... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to investigate the effects of using of two approaches namely; genre and process on EFL learners’ accuracy, fluency, and complexity in written task production. Secondly, it attempted to investigate the effects of mentioned approaches on EFL learners’ attitude toward writing skill. to this end, 60 learners of English at intermediate level were selected randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into three groups of product, process, and genre groups. a written task was employed to collect data from the participants. the collected written data was quantified in terms of accuracy, fluency, and complexity measures. The results of the study based on one-way ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences on EFL learners’ writing performance. The current study might carry some pedagogical implications for EFL learners’ writing skill, learner attitude toward writing, teacher educat...

Comparative Analysis of Teaching Methods Effect Based on Result-based, Process-based and Genre-based Approaches of Writing Skill amongst Intermediate English Learners

Introduction One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics since the past two decad... more Introduction One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics since the past two decades concerns the role of genre-based writing instruction and its applications in the area of second language (L2) teaching and learning (Correa & Echeverri, 2017; Derewianka, 2015; Lin, 2016; Tardy, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011; Truscott, 2012; Thompson, 2014). Genre has been variously defined by different scholars in the field of second language acquisition. Swales (1990) introduced genre as a class of “communicative events” characterized by a sequence of segments with each move accomplishing some part of the overall communicative purpose of the text, in order to produce distinctive structural patterns.The main theoretical background of the study lies on Halliday’s (1994) Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which offers the most theoretically sophisticated and pedagogically developed approach of the three, underpinned by a highly evolved and insightful theory of language and motivated by a ...

The Impact of Linear Process versus Genre-Based Approach on Intermediate EFL Learners’ Accuracy in Written Task Performance

Applied Linguistics, 2018

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of linear... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of linear process versus genre-based approach on EFL learners’ written production. To this end, 40 learners of English at intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of the study and assigned into two groups of experimental (process and genre) which received different types of instruction for 8 sessions. Narrative and process-tasks were employed to collect data from the participants. The collected written data was quantified in terms of the accuracy measure. Independent samples T-test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study revealed no difference between the performances of two groups in written narrative task, however, the result of statistical analysis in process task was significant. The study might carry some pedagogical implications for second language teachers, SLA researchers, teacher education and task designers.

Morphological Awareness and Vocabulary Knowledge: A Case of Correlation

by Zahra Talebi and Sima Farhadi

1. IntroductionVocabulary knowledge is one of the language skills essential for fluent language u... more 1. IntroductionVocabulary knowledge is one of the language skills essential for fluent language use (Nation, 1993). Wilkins (1972) asserts, "without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed" (p.150).Regarding sounds, grammar, and vocabulary as three principle components of language, word knowledge plays a crucial role in language learning. Within the process of learning a language, words are so pervasive that learners absolutely can't underestimate the po wer they manifest. In order for the clarification of the role words as the building blocks of language play, Anglin, Miller, and Wakefield (1993) address them as a key to make language production as well as language comprehension possible. Moreover, Coady & Huckin (1997) stated that lexical competence is at the center of communicative competence.The fact that vocabulary learning and teaching is a central activity in the L2 classroom cannot be taken for granted. Learning strategi...

The Effects of Task Complexity Along Resource-Directing and Resource-Dispersing Factors on Efl Learners’ Written Performance

The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resour... more The present study investigated the effects of task complexity along resource-directing and resource dispersing factors namely pre-task planning time and number of elements on EFL learners' written task production in terms of accuracy. To this end, 30 participants performed decision-making task. Using T-test as the statistical means of analysis, the results of the study revealed the significant differences of cognitive load of task complexity on EFL learners’ performance in terms of accuracy. This study carries some implications for foreign language acquisition (FLA) researchers, language teachers, and syllabus designers. Findings may also add to the present literature in FLA theory, language testing, syllabus design, and material development. Therefore, providing insights on designing and implementation of tasks in EFL classroom settings.

Paradigm Shift and Implications for Teachers

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 2015

By the end of the twentieth century, language teaching no longer regarded method as the pivotal d... more By the end of the twentieth century, language teaching no longer regarded method as the pivotal dynamic in accounting for success or failure in language teaching. The twentieth century has seen the rise and fall of a variety of methods and approaches from the series method (Gouin, 1880) to the audio-lingual method (Fries, 1945), the designer methods (Brown, 2001), and later communicative language teaching (Brumfit & Johnson, 1979; Wilkins, 1976).In the late 1980s and the beginning of 1990s, L2 researchers came to evaluate the limitations of the concept of method, and critique its validity and acceptability. As a consequence of such critical attitudes towards the profession of language pedagogy, innovative paradigms came to light.To this end, language teaching has initiated a movement toward a fundamental restructuring in organizing principles for l2 teaching/learning and teacher education. This orientation was a reaction to restricting concept of method which we are hardly aware of ...

The Effect of Reactive vs. Student-Initiated Focus on Form on Efl Learners' Production of Uptake

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, Sep 1, 2012

ABSTRACTThis study investigated incidental focus on form by comparing the relative effects of two... more ABSTRACTThis study investigated incidental focus on form by comparing the relative effects of two types of focus on form, namely reactive vs. student-initiated preemptive focus on form on learners' uptake in Iranian EFL context. To obtain the required data, twenty hours of naturally occurring meaning focused L2 lessons were observed in two classes of female adults. A total of 371 focus on form episodes (FFEs) were identified and transcribed. These FFEs were then categorized in terms of student-initiated and reactive episodes. Categories of uptake and successful uptake following these FFEs were also identified and transcribed. The chi-square analysis was used to investigate the relationship between two types of FFE (i.e. reactive vs. studentinitiated FFE) and uptake. Logistic regression analysis was also used to predict which Types of FFE may affect the production of uptake and its successfulness. The results indicated that learner uptake was generally high and successful. The amount of uptake was high in student-initiated FFEs. There was a higher frequency of successful uptake following reactive FFEs. Finally, the implications of such variation for both research and teaching were discussed.KEYWORDS: FFE; Incidental focus on form; Preemptive focus on form; Reactive focus on form; Student-initiated focus on for; Uptake1. IntroductionMeaningful communication and communicative activities has recently emerged and rapidly attracted much attention in the field of language learning. It is increasingly acknowledged that creating opportunities for students to interact has important consequences for second language acquisition (Long, 19%; Pica, 1999; Willis & Willis, 2007). According to Long (1985), acquisition is facilitated when learners negotiate for meaning while communication breakdown occurs by restructuring their interaction in order to reach mutual understanding. However, many educators in the field of SLA have recognized that learners who learned a second language through purely communicative classes do not gain high levels of proficiency (Higgs & Clifford, 1982). Also research revealed that learners must improve their grammatical accuracy in the target language (e.g., Hatch, 1978; Long, 1996; White, 1987). This approach is what Long (1991) calls focus on form. Focus on form, as defined by Long (1991), "overtly draws students' attention to linguistic elements as they arise incidentally in lessons whose overriding focus is on meaning or communication" (pp. 45^46). Focus on form has attracted the attention of SLA researchers and theorists by suggesting that it can enable learners to develop linguistic accuracy, hence creating the conditions for interlanguage restructuring to take place (Long & Robinson, 1998; Doughty, 2001; Farrokhi & Gholami, 2007). Focus on form also provides learners with the opportunity to produce 'pushed output' (i.e. the amount of uptake) which stretches learners' linguistic recourses to express their intended meaning both accurately and appropriately in the target language (Swain, 1995; Swain & Lapkin, 1995; Swain, 2000; Farrokhi & Gholami, 2007). Ellis (2001) makes a distinction between planned focus on form, which involves the preselection of a limited number of linguistic forms and targeting them through meaning-focused activities, and incidental focus on form, which involves focusing on diverse linguistic structures as they arise incidentally during meaning-focused lessons. Furthermore, incidental focus on form can be either reactive or preemptive. Reactive focus on form refers to those occasions during which a learner commits an error in his or her production which is corrected mostly by the teacher or sometimes by other learners. In contrast, preemptive focus on form refers to those moments, when either the teacher or a student chooses to make a specific form the topic of the discourse. The leaner' s reaction to the teacher's feedback during a focus on form episode is called uptake. …

Form-based Approaches vs. Task-Based Approaches

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 2015

This study aimed at investigating whether task-based approaches bear any superiority to that of m... more This study aimed at investigating whether task-based approaches bear any superiority to that of more traditional ones evident in presentation-practice-and production phase .to fulfill the purpose of the study, the participants within the age range of 11-19, took part in the study. Following a pretest, treatment, and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to examine the effects of the variables. The results of the analysis showed that participants in the PPP group did significantly better in the grammar recognition of the posttest than that of the task group. However, their counterparts in the task group gained better scores in the writing section of the test .this research study provided evidence in support of task proponents' claim in the merit of task-based activity in raising learners' implicit knowledge claiming to play the primary role in spontaneous speech.

The Impact of Gender and Strategic Pre-task Planning Time on EFL Learners’ Oral Performance in Terms of Accuracy

Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2013

The role of planning time and gender as an interactional factor or task condition in second langu... more The role of planning time and gender as an interactional factor or task condition in second language development is one of the interesting issues in the realm of task-based language teaching and learning. The present study intends to investigate the effects of strategic pre-task planning and gender on EFL learners' oral task production in terms the linguistic domain of accuracy. In order to collect the data, a narrative pictorial task was employed as the means of data collection. The orally collected data was quantified and measured by means of the measure of accuracy. Then, the data was fed into the SPSS Software (Version 16) for statistical analysis. Independent Samples T-Test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study indicated significant differences between the oral performance of the female and male learners in both planned and unplanned conditions. The results of the study carry some pedagogical implications for SLA researchers, language teachers in EFL contexts, and teacher educators.

Can Focus on form Instruction Make a Difference on EFL Learners’ Accuracy?

This study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely reca... more This study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of past tense-ed by Iranian EFL learners. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was used. To this end, 45 Iranian EFL learners comprising three intact classes participated in this study. Learners in two intact classes designated as feedback groups received feedback during meaning-focused tasks, while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The results showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between the two types of corrective feedback as far as their accuracies are concerned.

THE EFFECTS OF IMPLICIT AND ExPLICIT FEEDBACK ON EFL LEARNERS’GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY; THE CASE OF REGULAR PAST TENSE IN ENGLISH

This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective fe... more This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of English regular past tenseed by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 45 female learners of English at a low intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of this study and were assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received recast and metalinguistic forfocused feedback on the target form following picture description tasks while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The acquisition of regular past tense-ed was measured by means of metalinguistic knowledge and oral imitation tests. The results of the one-way ANOVA showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings of the study also indicated that there were no significance differences between the two types of corrective feedback in terms of learners' performance in an EFL context. The results of this study are considered to be useful in error correction techniques, syllabus and task designers especially in EFL contexts.

The Writing Performance of Iranian EFL Learners in the Light of Metadiscourse Awareness

Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2016

In the framework of language teaching, the writing skill requires to be encouraged during the lan... more In the framework of language teaching, the writing skill requires to be encouraged during the language learners’ course of study. Since metadiscourse markers help transform a tortuous piece of text into a coherent and reader-friendly one, knowledge about the metadiscourse, amongst other things, is used to improve writing skill. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of instruction of metadiscourse markers on intermediate EFL learners’ writing performance by using metadiscoursal taxonomies proposed by Hyland (2005). For this purpose, a pet test was administrated to 60 intermediate students in Iran Language Institute in Urmia. Having being homogenized by Preliminary English Test (PET), they were assigned randomly into two groups. Both the control and the experimental group sat for a pretest of writing test in the form of a cloze test which aimed to measure the learners’ initial knowledge of writing performance. The experimental group was exposed to explicit instruction o...

The effects of implicit and explicit feedback on EFL learners' grammatical accuracy; the case of regular past tense in English IJPSS

This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective fe... more This quasi-experimental study was an attempt to examine the effects of two types of corrective feedback, namely recast and metalinguistic feedback on the acquisition of English regular past tense-ed by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 45 female learners of English at a low intermediate level were randomly selected as the participants of this study and were assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received recast and metalinguistic for-focused feedback on the target form following picture description tasks while the learners in the control group received no feedback. The acquisition of regular past tense-ed was measured by means of metalinguistic knowledge and oral imitation tests. The results of the one-way ANOVA showed that the experimental groups who received corrective feedback outperformed the control group who did not receive any feedback. The findings of the study also indicated that there were no significance differences between the two types of corrective feedback in terms of learners' performance in an EFL context. The results of this study are considered to be useful in error correction techniques, syllabus and task designers especially in EFL contexts.

The Effects of Types of Writing Approaches on Iranian EFL Learners' Writing Performance and Their Attitudes toward Writing Skill Nader Asadi‫٭‬ (Corresponding Author

The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to in... more The main purpose of the present quasi-experimental study was twofold; its first purpose was to investigate the effects of using of two approaches namely; genre and process on EFL learners' accuracy, fluency, and complexity in written task production. Secondly, it attempted to investigate the effects of mentioned approaches on EFL learners' attitude toward writing skill. to this end, 60 learners of English at intermediate level were selected randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into three groups of product, process, and genre groups. a written task was employed to collect data from the participants. the collected written data was quantified in terms of accuracy, fluency, and complexity measures. The results of the study based on one-way ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences on EFL learners' writing performance. The current study might carry some pedagogical implications for EFL learners' writing skill, learner attitude toward writing, teacher education and task designers.

The Impact of Linear Process versus Genre-Based Approach on Intermediate EFL Learners' Accuracy in Written Task Performance