Perceptions of Iranian English Language Teachers towards the Use of Discourse Markers in the EFL Classroom

Abstract

This study attempts to examine Iranian English language teachers’ perception towards the use of discourse markers (DMs) in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It is the contention of this study that past research studies have not paid sufficient attention to how teachers perceive the use of discourse markers in the English language classroom. This research extends on Fung’s (2011) study and further includes the listening and speaking skills together with the role of DMs in teaching the reading and writing skills. Three research questions are posed in this study. They are 1) What is the perception of Iranian English teachers toward the use of discourse markers? 2) How do Iranian English teachers perceive DMs? 3) Do Iranian English teachers exhibit high, moderate, or low attitudes toward the use of discourse markers? The descriptive method to the data analysis in this study provides better understanding of teacher’s perception towards the use of DMs. Forty five Iranian English teachers participated in the study via a questionnaire survey. Results from the analysis of data showed that Iranian English teachers seem to have a moderate attitude toward DMs. Findings also suggest that teachers tend to believe in the pragmatic and practical value of DMs.