@article{ author = {Ananisarab, Mohammad Reza and SeifReihani, Mahs}, title = {Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use and Second Language Reading Test Performance: The Case of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners}, abstract ={The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between test takers’ cognitive and metacognitive strategy use and their second language reading test performance. The researchers employed the following instruments in order to get introspective and retrospective data from the participants: 1) a multiple-choice test on two reading passages, 2) a checklist of specific strategies for immediate introspective use after each item, 3) a questionnaire on more general strategies for retrospective use at the end of the test. The results showed that test-takers used both contributory and non-contributory strategies to get at the correct answer. The test-takers’ pattern of strategy use revealed a tendency towards the more frequent use of ‘returning to the passage’ as a contributory strategy and ‘guessing’ as a non-contributory strategy. The results also showed that the contributory and non-contributory strategies functioned differently when their use was compared across easy and difficult test passages.  }, Keywords = {Test-taking Strategies , Reading Test , Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies , Test Performance , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {1-18}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-36-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-36-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Atai, Mahmood Reza and Nasseri, Maryam}, title = {A Gender-based Study of Informal Fallacies of Argumentation: The Case of Iranian Advanced EFL Learners’ Writing}, abstract ={Informal fallacies of argumentation as pitfalls of reasoning appear frequently in students' written texts, specially EFL / ESL Learners' argumentative essay writings. The present study examines whether gender could be considered as a determining factor influencing Iranian advanced EFL learners' argumentative writings with regard to informal fallacies of argumentation. The corpus comprised of argumentative essays written by 120 Iranian male and female English language learners. The participants’ age and discipline were also included as independent variables. Nine major categories of informal fallacies were examined in learners’ texts and the observed frequencies were analyzed using MANOVA. The results of the Multivariate Tests for all independent variables and /or their interactions indicated no significant differences for the overall informal fallacies. However, three separate instances of differences were observed. Finally, the findings of the present are discussed in relation to the previous literature and some implications of the study are suggested. }, Keywords = {EFL Writing , Informal Fallacies of Argumentation , Iranian EFL learners , Argumentation , gender , age , Discipline , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {19-45}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-37-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-37-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Khodadady, Ebrahim}, title = {Factors Underlying Characteristics of Effective English Language Teachers: Validity and Sample Effect}, abstract ={This study replicated another research project to find out what factors underlie the Characteristics of Effective English Language Teachers (CEELT) when a large and more representative and homogeneous sample is selected. The CEELT questionnaire compiled by Moafian and Pishghadam (2008) was administered to 1469 Iranian learners of English as a foreign language at various private and public schools in Mashhad, Iran to test three hypotheses addressing the strength of relationship among the characteristics, the number of extracted factors and their cross loadings. The 47 characteristics revealed high correlations among themselves and loaded as well as cross loaded on only five rotated factors when the Principal Axis Factoring was applied to the participants’ responses, i.e., rapport, fairness, qualification, facilitation and examination. The results have several research implications. First, reporting correlation coefficients and the KMO statistic of sampling adequacy is necessary. Secondly, samples consisting of at least 1000 participants should be selected, preferably with a ratio of 30 cases for each item. And finally, cross loading variable must be reported because these cross loadings necessitate adopting a holistic view towards teaching languages and establishing significant relationships between teacher characteristics and learner abilities such as language achievement and proficiency. }, Keywords = {Factors , Sample Size and Adequacy , Inter-correlations , Teacher Characteristics , Cross Loading , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {73-48}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-38-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-38-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Rahimi, Mohammad and AmalSaleh, Ehya and Deghat, Sanaz}, title = {The CDA of 2008 Presidential Campaign Speeches of Democratic Candidates with Respect to Their Gender & Race}, abstract ={Critical discourse analysis (CDA) provides an analytical and political approach to language in context and it concerns with manifestations of ideology and power/dominance relations in society, manifestations of social asymmetry via discourse, racism, sexism and in general segregation and discrimination (Wodak and Meyer, 2001). The present study, applying some of the most agreed upon guidelines of critical discourse analysis, aimed at analyzing the discursive structures of the 2008 presidential campaign speeches of democratic candidates--Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama--to see if they carry and enforce certain ideologies. The methodology used in this study was generally based upon Hodge and Kress’s (1996) framework and the texts were compared and contrasted to find the traces of gender and/or race of the candidates. From among a hundred tapescripts, fifty were randomly selected. The results of the study showed the discoursal features used in the speeches made by the two candidates were significantly influenced by their race and gender.}, Keywords = {Critical Discourse Analysis , Discursive Structure , Hodge and Kress’s Framework , gender , Race , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {75-99}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-39-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-39-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Rezai, Abbas Ali and Zafari, Nushi}, title = {The Impact of Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (S-CMC) on the Oral Proficiency of Iranian EFL Learners}, abstract ={The present study is an attempt to investigate whether online dyadic text-based discussion can help language learners develop their oral proficiency due to the fact that classroom interaction barriers have been eliminated and a less threatening, less stressful environment for learner-learner interaction has been created. A total of 30 college freshmen students at the University of Tehran participated in weekly online discussions using the 'Yahoo Messenger' platform for dyadic discussions during six consecutive weeks. The results of participants' oral proficiency test showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the learners' scores in the pre-test and those in the post-test. In addition, the results of both questionnaires and oral proficiency tests employed in the present study showed that online discussion (S-CMC) is more beneficial for the linguistically insecure and shy learners as well as those who had positive attitudes toward online discussion. Moreover, analysis of learners' chat logs regarding the number of turns and number of words per student per session indicated that learners' participation in dyadic online discussion was not equal. This is, in fact, in contrast to what has been reported in previous studies done in this field.}, Keywords = {Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) , Synchronous Computer Mediated Communication (S-CMC) , Online Communication , Peer Communication , Interaction , Yahoo Messenger , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {101-119}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-40-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-40-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Roohani, Ali and Saba, Zeinab}, title = {Effect of Pedagogical Tasks and PPP Instruction on L2 Vocabulary Learning: A Case of EFL Learners}, abstract ={Vocabulary learning is one of main components of L2 teaching. However, there is no consensus on the best method of teaching/learning vocabulary. Recently, some researchers (e.g. Kim, 2008 Keating, 2008) have emphasized the task-based instruction in contrast with the traditional method of Presentation, Practice and Production (PPP). This study investigates the comparative effect of pedagogical tasks (PTs) and PPP instruction on L2 vocabulary learning among Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 72 intermediate EFL learners in the Jahad-e-Daneshgahi Language Centre in Shahrekord participated in the study. They were randomly divided into 2 groups: one group received PPP instruction and the other group received task-based instruction. The participants in the task group were further assigned into 2 PT groups: one of them received “listen-and-do” and the other one received “complete-the-chart” task instructions. To collect data, an L2 vocabulary test consisting of 30 multiple-choice items was used as pre-tests and post-tests. The results of covariate analyses on the vocabulary test scores in a pre-test post-test design showed that the two types of PTs had a significant positive effect on the vocabulary mean scores, suggesting that such tasks were more effective than PPP instruction in vocabulary learning/teaching. However, the treatment effect between the two types of PTs was not significantly different. Finally, pedagogical implications are presented.}, Keywords = {Pedagogical Tasks , PPP Instruction , Vocabulary Learning ,}, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {121-146}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-41-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-41-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} } @article{ author = {Zarei, Abbas Ali and Baniesmaili, Ne}, title = {Learnability of Various Patterns of Lexical Collocations by Iranian Upper-intermediate Learners of English}, abstract ={To investigate the effect of different patterns of lexical collocations on the recognition and production of Iranian upper-intermediate learners of English, 34 participants at Imam Khomeini International University (IKIU) in Qazvin were presented with receptive and productive tests of English collocations. To compare the participants' recognition of various patterns of lexical collocations, a one-way ANOVA procedure was used. Results indicated that the participants performed relatively better on 'adjective + noun' and 'noun + noun' patterns of lexical collocations, although the differences among the scores of the participants on the different patterns were not statistically significant. Another one-way ANOVA procedure was used to compare the participants' production of the same patterns. Analysis showed that of the seven patterns of lexical collocations investigated, the participants' performance on the 'noun + verb' pattern was significantly poorer than the other patterns. }, Keywords = {Lexical Collocations , Recognition of Collocations , Production of Collocations , }, volume = {13}, Number = {2}, pages = {147-169}, publisher = {}, url = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-42-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-42-en.pdf}, journal = {}, issn = {}, eissn = {}, year = {2010} }