OTHERS_CITABLE The Effect of Output-based Task Repetition on EFL Learners’ Speech Act Production This study investigated the effects of different output-based task repetition conditions on EFL learners’ speech act production. Three intact classes of English-major students constituted three instructional groups: (1) the explicit task-repetition (ETR) group, (2) the implicit task-repetition (ITR) group, and (3) the no-input task repetition (NTR) group. All the three groups engaged in the repetition of output-generation tasks. However, before the second performance of the task, the ETR group received input coupled with metapragmatic information, the ITR group received visually enhanced input coupled with a consciousness raising task, and the NTR group received no input. The results of a written discourse completion test (WDCT) revealed statistically significant gains in the learners’ performance from the pretest to the posttest in the ETR and ITR groups, but not in the NTR group. Moreover, the analysis of differences across the groups in the posttest revealed the superiority of the ETR over the ITR and NTR groups. The results suggest that output-based task repetition cannot enhance EFL learners’ speech act production ability unless learners are provided with input before the second performance of the task. Also when explicit and implicit instructional methods are integrated with output-based task repetition, the explicit approach is more effective than its implicit counterpart. http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2726-en.pdf 2016-09-21 1 32 10.29252/ijal.19.2.1 Output Metapragmatic information Visual enhancement Task repetition Speech acts Hossein Ahmadi 1 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran AUTHOR Farid Ghaemi ghaemi@kiau.ac.ir 2 Islamic Azad University, Karaj AUTHOR Parviz Birjandi 3 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE A Comparison of Thematic Choices and Thematic Progression Patterns in the Research Articles of Well-established and Emerging Disciplines Several studies have employed the theme-rheme construct to examine the generic profile of research articles (RAs). However, they have mostly focused on the subject matter and nature of disciplines, and other disciplinary characteristics as contextual factors which can impact the genre realization have not been considered in the discourse analysis research. This work, therefore, investigates thematic choices and thematic progression patterns in the RA in relation to the status of disciplines as well-established or emerging fields. To this end, a corpus of 240 RAs of mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, horticulture, and environmental science were analyzed using Halliday’s (1994) framework of thematicity and McCabe’s (1999) model of thematic progression (TP). The results showed significant differences in the distributions of unmarked and marked themes as well as the patterns of thematic progression between the well-established and emerging disciplines. Based on the findings of this study, we suggest further consideration of the status of disciplines in discourse studies which can serve disciplinary research and contribute to the body of research on science.  http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2727-en.pdf 2016-09-21 33 60 10.29252/ijal.19.2.33 Thematicity Thematic progression (TP) Research article (RA) Well-established disciplines Emerging disciplines Esmat Babaii babai@khu.ac.ir 1 Kharazmi University, Tehran AUTHOR Mahmood Reza Atai 2 Kharazmi University, Tehran AUTHOR Leila Shoja 3 Kharazmi University, Tehran AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE EFL Teacher Education Programs in Iran: The Absence of Teachers’ Involvement This study investigated the nature of EFL teacher education programs with respect to implementation, practicality, and approach to teacher learning. The data were collected through observation of two teacher education programs and interviews with 8 teacher trainers. The results attested to the transmission orientation of the programs. It was found that a pre-specified body of teaching knowledge is transferred from the trainers to the teachers. Teachers’ creativity, prior knowledge, and experience, the role of teaching context, and the population of learners are not considered in program development. The results of interviews with teacher trainers supported the results of the observations. It was found that even the trainers are not involved in the process of program development, as they are only transmitting the materials presented by textbook authors. The findings also indicated that what teachers considered beneficial for their development was different from what was incorporated in the programs. The existing gap between macro plans and teachers’ practices and preferences results from the centralized education system in Iran in which practicing teachers are not involved in the policy-making process. Implications for teacher education in general and EFL teacher education programs in particular are discussed.     http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2728-en.pdf 2016-09-21 61 86 10.29252/ijal.19.2.61 EFL Teacher education programs English teachers Teacher trainers Teacher development Somayeh Baniasad-Azad 1 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR Mansour Tavakoli mr.tavakoli14@gmail.com 2 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR Saeed Ketabi 3 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE Micropolitics of School and EFL Teachers’ Professional Interests: The Case of Schools for Gifted Students in Iran The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the role of the micropolitics of schools for gifted students in the EFL teachers’ professional interests in the workplace. Results of interviews revealed that to establish their professional interests, teachers involved in conflict and rivalry as well as collaboration and coalition. Furthermore, teachers’ micropolitical actions were interrelated with their efficacy beliefs. Self-interests such as public recognition and high visibility were sought as they provided a positive feedback on teachers’ professional behavior and substantiated their efficacy. Material interests such as the use of the smart boards, the Internet, and extra resources were further means through which they could present their informed and efficacious character to others. Organizational interests also confirmed teachers’ efficacy since only effective teachers were recruited in schools for gifted students. Teachers’ social interests achieved through developing affinity and rapport with others, particularly the principals, were the prerequisite for the establishment of all other professional interests. The findings were discussed with reference to the importance of fostering micropolitical literacy and the effect of information on school micropolitics on teachers’ ability to develop appropriate coping strategies. http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2729-en.pdf 2016-09-21 87 114 10.29252/ijal.19.2.87 Micropolitics Professional interests Teacher efficacy Power School structure Fatemeh Chahkandi 1 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR Abbass Eslami Rasekh abbasseslamirasekh@yahoo.com 2 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR Mansour Tavakoli 3 University of Isfahan, Isfahan AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE A Mixed-methods, Cross-sectional Study of Assessment Literacy of Iranian University Instructors: Implications for Teachers\' Professional Development Professionalism requires that language teachers be assessment literate so as to assess students’ performance more effectively. However, assessment literacy (AL) has remained a relatively unexplored area. Given the centrality of AL in educational settings, in the present study, we identified the factors constituting AL among university instructors and examined the ways English Language Instructors (ELIs) and Content Instructors (CIs) differed on AL. A researcher-made, 50-item questionnaire was constructed and administered to both groups: ELIs (N = 155) and CIs (N = 155). A follow-up interview was conducted to validate the findings. IBM SPSS (version 21) was used to analyse the data quantitatively. Results of exploratory factor analysis showed that AL included three factors: theoretical dimension of testing, test construction and analysis, and statistical knowledge. Further, results revealed statistically significant differences between ELIs and CIs in AL. Qualitative results showed that the differences were primarily related to the amount of training in assessment, methods of evaluation, purpose of assessment, and familiarity with psychometric properties of tests. Building on these findings, we discuss implications for teachers’ professional development. http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2730-en.pdf 2016-09-21 115 154 10.29252/ijal.19.2.115 Assessment literacy Content instructors English language instructors Professionalism Rajab Esfandiari esfandiari@hum.ikiu.ac.ir 1 Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin AUTHOR Razieh Nouri 2 Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE Towards a Task-Based Assessment of Professional Competencies Performance assessment is exceedingly considered a key concept in teacher education programs worldwide. Accordingly, in Iran, a national assessment system was proposed by Farhangian University to assess the professional competencies of its ELT graduates. The concerns regarding the validity and authenticity of traditional measures of teachers' competencies have motivated us to devise a localized performance assessment scheme. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a performance assessment scheme to be used as a benchmark for assessing the professional competencies of ELT graduates of this university. To this end, three assessment tasks and rating scales were developed, piloted, and administered. Next, Haertel's participatory approach was employed to set passing standards for the assessment tasks as well as the whole assessment scheme. Analysis of the data revealed inter-rater and intra-rater reliability coefficients of 0.85 and 0.89. The validity of the assessment scheme was also confirmed by experts' judgments made, to a large extent, on the correspondence between the target domain and test domain skills. Based on the results, the proposed assessment scheme is rendered more efficient and reliable in comparison to traditional tests with regard to the following dimensions: a) higher degrees of reliability and validity of the assessment scheme aimed at the improvement of licensure and program development; b) stronger evidence for inter-/intra- rater reliability and consistency of scoring; and c) an optimized and systematic procedure for setting passing standards based on the consensus of experts' judgments. It is believed that further development of the proposed assessment scheme unlocks its potential to be used as a large-scale teacher assessment model for Farhangian University. http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2731-en.pdf 2016-09-21 155 193 10.29252/ijal.19.2.155 performance assessment teacher evaluation Farhangian University Gholam Reza Kiany rezakiany@yahoo.com 1 Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran AUTHOR Monireh Norouzi 2 Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran AUTHOR
OTHERS_CITABLE Investigating Dynamic Writing Assessment in a Web 2.0 Asynchronous Collaborative Computer-Mediated Context This study aims at investigating the effect of dynamic assessment (DA) on L2 writing achievement if applied via blogging as a Web 2.0 tool, as well as examining which pattern of interaction is more conducive to learning in such an environment. The results of the study indicate that using weblogs to provide mediation contributes to the enhancement of the overall writing performance, vocabulary and syntactic complexity, and quantity of overall information presented in a single paragraph. That is to say, DA procedures are applicable via Web 2.0 tools and are advantageous to L2 learners’ writing suggesting that L2 practitioners and instructors should actively consider the integration of Web 2.0 technology into L2 education system using DA. Moreover, the collaborative pattern of interaction as compared to expert/novice, dominant/passive, and dominant/dominant patterns is found to be more conducive to fostering writing achievement in the asynchronous computer-mediated communication environment. http://ijal.khu.ac.ir/article-1-2732-en.pdf 2016-09-21 195 240 10.29252/ijal.19.2.195 Dynamic assessment Web 2.0 Vocabulary complexity Syntactic complexity Quantity of overall information Patterns of interaction Zohreh Zafarani 1 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran AUTHOR Parviz Maftoon 2 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran AUTHOR