Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners Research Articles

INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF ONLINE VS. BLENDED LEARNING ON VOCABULARY LEARNING: EVIDENCE FROM IRANIAN INTERMEDIATE EFL LEARNERS

This study aimed to examine the effect of online vs. blended learning on improving vocabulary learning among Iranian intermediate EFL learners. The current study followed a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group research design. The researchers selected a sample of 120 EFL intermediate learners from a private English Language Institute in Lahijan, Iran for this purpose. The researchers divided the participants into three groups of 40 students each. The researchers used three instruments: 1) a Solution Placement Test (SPT), 2) a Vocabulary pre-test 3), and Vocabulary post-test. The control group only learned vocabulary through traditional lecture methods and face-to-face teaching. The LMS instructional model and the blended learning instructional model were used to teach vocabulary to the online learning group and the blended learning group, respectively. After 10 weeks, students were tested again using a before and after design. In the L2 vocabulary test, both the online and blended learning groups performed better than the control group, in addition, no significant difference was observed between the online and blended learning groups. That is, both online and blended learning instructions have been effective in the development of EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and have had a statistically significant effect on the vocabulary learning of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. The researchers suggest that EFL students can benefit from learning L2 vocabulary through online and blended learning. The findings have practical implications for teacher education programs to promote prospective teachers’ interest and willingness to implement web-based systems. The findings also have important implications for web-based application developers. They should consider a clear model for blended learning and teachers should have the right to choose a blended learning model that suits their teaching contexts to manage the classroom and provide a more effective learning environment.

Relationship Between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Intelligences and Their Speaking Skill

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence and their speaking ability. To achieve this aim, 30 Iranian EFL learners whose level of proficiency was intermediate participated in this study. The participants’ general English knowledge was measured via Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). The placement test revealed that all participants were intermediate learners and homogenous. The other instruments of the study were the Multiple Intelligences Inventory and the speaking test. After evaluating the participants’ general English knowledge, the speaking test was given to them. After collecting the speaking tests’ results, the questionnaire was distributed among the participants, and they were requested to answer all the items in it carefully and honestly. The Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to show the relationship between the participants’ interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence and speaking skill. The findings revealed positive and significant relationships between the participants’ interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence and their speaking. The findings of the study would be useful for teaching and learning speaking skill and researchers in the fields of TEFL and sociolinguistics.

The consequences of task-supported language teaching via social media on academic engagement, emotion regulation, willingness to communicate, and academic well-being from the lens of positive psychology

Although TBLT has been the subject of many prior studies, no research has addressed the impact of TBLT through social media (SM), specifically the Telegram app, on academic engagement, emotion regulation, willingness to communicate (WTC), and academic well-being. To reach this goal, a convenience sampling method was used to select 58 Iranian intermediate EFL learners out of 83 based on their Oxford Quick Placement Test performance. The selected learners were randomly assigned to the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG). Pretests were conducted to measure both groups’ academic engagement, emotion regulation, WTC, and academic well-being. During the treatment, the EG received treatment using the Telegram app and the LMS, while the CG only utilized the LMS without any social media assistance. After the treatment, posttests were administered to evaluate the performance of both groups. The results of the data analysis revealed a significant difference in the posttest scores of the EG and CG. The EG demonstrated superior outcomes (p < 0.05) regarding academic engagement, emotion regulation, WTC, and academic well-being, indicating the effectiveness of incorporating Telegram alongside the LMS. Thus, this study demonstrated that utilizing the Telegram app with an LMS can significantly enhance EFL learners’ WTC, academic engagement, well-being, and emotion regulation. The findings suggest that EFL students can utilize the Telegram app to improve their English language skills outside of traditional classroom settings. Furthermore, using social media platforms like Telegram can facilitate self-study and transform the role of students. It provides EFL students with easy and rapid access to global information. The study concludes with implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research.

Effects of Using the WhatsApp Application on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning and Autonomy

The current study was planned to find out if the use of blended learning as a combination of face-to-face instruction and mobile-assisted language learning using WhatsApp contributed to the vocabulary learning and autonomy of Iranian EFL learners compared to the traditional method. To assess their English skills, PET was given to 80 homogenous intermediate learners at the beginning of the study. The study's intended participants were fifty EFL learners with scores that were within the intermediate competency level. Then, the participants were divided randomly to experimental and control groups to see how successful blended learning vs traditional education is at improving learners' vocabulary knowledge. One-way between-groups analysis of covariance was run. On post-test scores, the findings indicated a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. Another one-way between-groups analysis of covariance was performed to assess the impact of two distinct blended learning vs traditional teaching treatments on EFL learners' autonomy. In post-test results, a significant difference between the control and experimental groups' performance was observed. This study provided insights into how technology may be applied to teach language components and skills.

A Comparative Study on the Impact of Lexical Inferencing, Extended Audio Glossing, and Frequency Mode of Input Instruction on EFL Learners' Lexical Collocation Knowledge.

This study shed light on the effects of four modes of vocabulary instruction, i.e., extended audio glossing, lexical inferencing, lexical translation, and frequency manipulation of input on the learning of lexical collocations by Iranian intermediate EFL learners. In so doing, 80 L1 Persian EFL students were divided into four 20-participant comparison groups: Lexical Inferencing (LI), Extended Audio Glossing (EAG), Frequency Manipulation of Input (FM), and the Lexical Translation group (LT). LI, EAG, FM, and LT were treated through lexical inferencing, extended audio glossing, skewed frequency of input, and lexical translation techniques, respectively. The participants were pretested and posttested through a piloted multiple-choice lexical collocation test and instructed for ten instructional sessions. The results of the data, analyzed through repeated measures ANCOVA, showed that all the techniques examined in this study were effective on learners' achievement in lexical collocations. Comparatively, FM treated through frequency manipulation of input, significantly outperformed the other groups in lexical collocation improvement. The ANCOVA results and paired comparisons also indicated that EAG had the least achievement in lexical collocation compared to the other three groups. These results can hopefully inform language teachers, learners, and syllabus designers.

The Effect of Mother Tongue Translation on Iranian Extroverted and Introverted EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning

Vocabulary is an essential language component that will affect all four language skills. Therefore, any technique that can help promote vocabulary learning should be encouraged. The current study aimed to explore the effect of first-language translation on Iranian intermediate extroverted and introverted EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. The authors chose 80 Iranian EFL learners using convenience sampling and applied a quasiexperimental design for the research. First, they administered the Oxford Placement Test, the Eysenck personality questionnaire, and a vocabulary pretest and posttest. Then, the treatment started using the first language to teach vocabulary to introverted and extroverted learners. The findings showed that first-language translation had a statistically significant effect on developing Iranian intermediate extroverted EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. The results implied that the instructors could use L1 in teaching a language in general and vocabulary in specific as an effective strategy, just for extroverted learners, as it was found ineffective for introverted learners. Furthermore, the results showed that L1 translation as a learning strategy can be more effective for vocabulary learning by extrovert EFL learners than introverts. Therefore, it can be concluded that the learners’ personality traits should be considered in teaching and learning vocabulary, but as a supplementary teaching strategy since using the first language was just effective for parts of the learners, extroverts.

The relationship between metacognition and multiple intelligence of Iranian elementary and intermediate EFL learners and their reading comprehension

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between metacognitive, multiple intelligence, and reading comprehension of elementary and intermediate EFL learners. To this end, the researchers recruited 60 elementary students of Hasanzadeh high school in grade 10th and 60 intermediate English learners from Bilan-Taymaz English institute in Kazeroun using the Oxford Placement Test. Afterward, the researchers administered the researcher-made reading comprehension test. Furthermore, the Multiple Intelligence Questionnaire and Metacognitions Questionnaire tests were conducted. Participants were asked to complete these questionnaires and to take the reading comprehension test through separate sessions on the Rubika app. The results revealed a significant relationship between the metacognition and reading comprehension of both elementary and intermediate EFL learners. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the multiple intelligences of Iranian elementary and intermediate EFL learners and their reading comprehension. According to the next results obtained through SPSS, the researchers found that there is a significant difference between the metacognition of the elementary and intermediate participants. The same result was obtained for multiple intelligence. Keywords: Iranian elementary EFL Learners, Iranian intermediate EFL learners metacognition, Multiple intelligence, Reading comprehension;

The Effect of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Using Tiny Cards App on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning and Retention

Emerging technologies have brought about major changes in the teaching and learning processes, and there is no doubt that the rapid growth of technology has significantly changed the way English teachers transfer knowledge to their students. Accordingly, this study investigated the effect of MALL using Tiny Cards app on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. It was a quantitative research employing a quasi-experimental design. Forty intermediate EFL learners, taking English course at Farzan English Language Institute, Rasht, Iran, were selected as homogeneous participants based on Quick Placement Test. Next, they were non-randomly divided into one experimental group (N = 20) and one control group (N = 20). Before the onset of treatment, a pretest of vocabulary was administered to certify the learners’ initial knowledge of vocabulary items. The groups then received the treatment on their vocabulary for eight sessions. The experimental group received instruction of vocabulary through Tiny Cards app. The control group, however, received the same items but approached them through traditional method of instruction without MALL. Overall, the results of independent-samples t-tests for the posttest and delayed posttest of vocabulary revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in their performance on the posttest and delayed posttest of vocabulary learning and retention. Finally, it was concluded that the findings can be utilized by the teachers, materials developers, and education authorities to provide Iranian EFL learners with MALL vocabulary instruction.

THE IMPACT OF NEGOTIATED LESSON PLAN ON INTERMEDIATE EFL LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE

The current study investigated the effect of the traditional lesson planning determined by teachers and the negotiated lesson plan (NLP) on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary knowledge. To this end, a copy of Solution Placement Test was administered to 47 learners, and 36 participants at the intermediate level of language proficiency were homogeneously selected. They were then divided into two groups of 18 participants as the experimental and the control groups. Next, the vocabulary pretest was conducted to measure the participants’ vocabulary knowledge and check the homogeneity of the groups at the beginning of the treatment. The learners in the experimental group shared their ideas in small groups, had the key role and enjoyed shared-decision making deciding what they would do for the next sessions of the course. The learners in the control group had no role in determining the course materials. The result of data analysis based on their pretest and posttest scores of vocabulary showed that the participants of the experimental group became better vocabulary learners after receiving NLP treatment compared to those in the pre-determined lesson plan that received unnoticeable results from the pretest to the posttest. The teachers and the material developers need to consider the negotiated lesson planning into account so that the issue of learner involvement in instructional materials is paid attention to.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0096/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Learner-oriented assessment (LOA) practice: the comparative study of self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment on EFL learners’ writing complicity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF), speaking CAF, and attitude

As the effects of self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment on EFL learners’ writing CAF and speaking CAF have not examined in Iran, this research compared their effectiveness on developing Iranian EFL students’ writing CAF and speaking CAF. Moreover, this research examined the attitudes of EFL students towards the three types of assessments. To achieve these objectives, 75 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were selected based on a convenience sampling method and divided into three groups. Next, all groups were pretested on two skills of writing and speaking. Then, one group was taught writing and speaking skills by using teacher assessment, the second group was taught the same skills through using self-assessment; and the other group received the treatment by applying peer assessment. After an 18-session instruction, writing and speaking posttests were administered to the three groups, and also, three attitude questionnaires were distributed among them. The outcomes of one-way ANOVA tests revealed that the peer-assessment and self-assessment groups outflanked the teacher-assessment group on the writing and speaking posttests. The findings showed that the respondents of the three groups presented favorable attitudes towards the three sorts of assessments. It was concluded that the peer and self-assessment are useful techniques to develop EFL learners’ writing and speaking skills. At the end of the study, a couple of implications and recommendations were enumerated.

The Impact of Scaffolded Metacognitive Writing Strategy Instruction on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ IELTS Writing Task 2

According to research findings, metacognition has been shown to have an essential role in education. As individuals are different,6 metacognitive knowledge cannot be the same for all learners. Learners need to be trained to improve their metacognition. Given this, the current study has examined the influence of scaffolding awareness and the use of metacognitive strategies during a strategy instruction program on the performance of Iranian EFL learners on IELTS writing task 2. To achieve this aim, using the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT), eighty intermediate EFL learners (males and females) were selected from among 100 learners. They were randomly assigned to two groups of forty participants each as control and experimental groups. To benchmark the participants’ writing skills, an IELTS writing task 2 question was administered as the pretest. The experimental group received scaffolded metacognitive strategy instruction in their writing practices for four weeks, with 6 hours per week. The control group was instructed in traditional writing practices. The purpose was to promote the metacognitive awareness of the experimental group in performing the writing task. At the end of the treatment, another IELTS writing task 2 question was assigned as the posttest to measure the participants’ gain due to the treatment application. The independent and paired samples t-tests indicated that scaffolded metacognitive instruction effectively improved learners’ metacognitive awareness, which led to their improvement in writing skills. There was not any significant difference between males and females’ posttest mean scores.

The Effect of Student-Led Small-Group Discussion as a Pre-writing Task on the Development of EFL Students’ Writing

This paper aims to investigate the impact of small-group student-led discussion as a pre-writing task on the writing performance of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To this end, a quasi-experimental study design was employed in which 80 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, with the former being required to engage in small-group student-led discussions prior to writing paragraphs on a predetermined topic. Their paragraphs were subject to analysis focussed on the components of vocabulary, grammar, content, writing mechanics, and organization. Results indicated that, following the treatment, learners’ writing performance improved significantly according to raters’ holistic evaluation, as well as specifically in relation to the elements of content and vocabulary. Our study indicates that the socially negotiated nature of learners’ interactions can help them engage with and develop a more wide-ranging and in-depth understanding of written content.

Cultural Resources, Listening Comprehension of Intermediate Iranian EFL Learners and their Emotional Intelligence

The notion of emotional intelligence (EQ or EI) was provided to complement general intelligence. This study intended to study the influence of emotional intelligence on listening comprehension of junior high school EFL learners from both genders when using culture-based materials. In so doing, a number of 50 Iranian intermediate level EFL learners were selected using the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). In addition, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire was employed. The listening test was administered first. Participants were classified into an experimental and a control group. In the experimental group, students were exposed to listening materials such as special expressions, idioms, and conversations. After ten sessions, participants participated in the listening post-test. The results of an independent samples t-test showed that the performance of the participants in the two groups was significantly different. Moreover, one-way ANOVA and post-hoc analysis revealed that gender significantly affects the listening skills of EFL learners with varying degrees of emotional intelligence when using cultural material in listening lessons. The findings of this study can lead language teachers to include materials as listening pieces about cultural entities to improve the listening ability of language learners.

The Effect of Computer-Based Concept Mapping Learning Strategy on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Writing Accuracy and Fluency

The Effect of Computer-Based Concept Mapping Learning Strategy on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Writing Accuracy and Fluency

The Effects of Definitional, Sentential, and Textual Vocabulary Learning Strategies on Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning and Retention

This research investigated the effect of three definitional, sentential, and textual vocabulary learning strategies on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. Based on Oxford Solutions Placement Test, of 94 total population, 66 Iranian EFL learners were selected as homogeneous participants at the intermediate level from a private English Language Institute in Rasht, Iran. Next, according to the quasi-experimental design, characterized by administration of a pretest, treatment, and a posttest and a delayed posttest, the learners were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of textual (TG), sentential (SG), and one control group of definitional, (DG) each with 22 participants. A familiarity test of vocabulary was administered to certify the learners’ familiarity with the targeted vocabulary items. The groups were pretested on their current knowledge of vocabulary, after which they received a 20-session text-based, sentence-based, and definition-based instructions of vocabulary. In addition, all groups attended the posttest of vocabulary at the end of the treatment sessions. The results of the immediate and delayed posttests analyzed using one-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in the performances of the three groups in favor of TG group that gained and retained higher rates of vocabulary items than did the SG and DG groups although the SG group was more successful. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper. The findings of the research can be utilized by the teachers, materials developers, and education authorities to provide textual-based vocabulary instruction for Iranian EFL learners.

Investigating the Effects of Written Corrective Feedback and Revision on EFL Learners’ Production of Grammatical Structures

The study was an attempt to examine the effects of three types of written corrective feedback namely direct, indirect, and metalinguistic, and the related responses (with and without revision) on the production of grammatical structures by Iranian intermediate EFL learners. 180 language learners were chosen out of a population pool of 260 participants and assigned to six groups of 30 learners based on their performance on Oxford Quick Placement Test (QPT): DCF with and without revision, ICF with and without revision, MCF with and without revision. Provided with different types of feedback, the students in any of six experimental groups were given instruction on present and past perfect tenses. A pre-test -post-test design was applied to conduct the study. Participants in each group were required to take Dicto-Comp as a pre-test. After being offered with the relevant treatments, a parallel post-test was run. The results showed that students in all experimental groups outperformed their knowledge of present/past perfect tenses from the pre-test to the post-test. Students in the 'DCF with revision' outperformed all other groups, and the groups required to make revisions (i.e., DCF / ICF / MCF with revision) outperformed the corresponding groups with no revision, and the only groups whose scores (between pre-test and post-test) showed more variation were MCF with and without revision. The results provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of teacher feedback on L2 writing ability at large and learning these two tenses at least for the participants of the present study. Furthermore, these results suggested that providing written corrective feedback can be beneficial as an enhancing element in the curriculum development for improving EFL learners’ writing ability.

MALL and EFL Learners’ Speaking: Impacts of Duolingo and WhatsApp Applications on Speaking Accuracy and Fluency

Regarding the importance of using MALL in learning English, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Duolingo and WhatsApp applications on developing the speaking accuracy and fluency of Iranian EFL learners. To fulfill this objective, three groups of Iranian intermediate EFL learners were selected as the participants of this research. After that, all groups took the speaking pretest and then received the treatment. One group was taught ten conversations from Family and Friends Book 5 using the Duolingo application, and the other group was taught the same conversations using the WhatsApp application. The third group, considered the control group (CG), was instructed on the conversations in a traditional classroom. After teaching the conversations, a speaking posttest was administered to all groups to compare their performances after the treatment. The collected data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA test. The results revealed that two experimental groups (EGs) had better performances than the CG on the speaking posttest. In addition, the outcomes showed that two EGs performed similarly on their speaking posttests. Eventually, the conclusions and the pedagogical implications of this research were explained.

Reading Digital Texts vs. Reading Printed Texts: Which One Is More Effective in Iranian EFL Context?

Considering the development of technology in the current era, the present research aimed at investigating the effects of reading digital texts vs. reading printed texts on developing Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ reading comprehension. To this end, the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was administered to 93 language learners, and 60 of them whose level was intermediate were selected. Then, they were assigned to two groups: one CG and one EG. After grouping the participants, a reading pretest was administered to gauge the participants’ reading comprehension before conducting the treatment. After that, ten digital texts in the format of PDF with their audio files were instructed to the EG. On the other hand, the same texts were taught to the CG in a printed format. After teaching all texts, a reading posttest was administered to both groups to measure the effects of the treatment on their reading comprehension. The gained data were analyzed using paired samples and independent samples t-tests. The findings illustrated that both digital and printed texts helped the participants to improve their reading comprehension, but digital texts were more effective than printed ones. In other words, the EG participants trained by the digital texts outflanked the CG participants taught through the printed texts. The implications of this study can inspire both English teachers and learners to use digital texts in their teaching and learning.

The Effect of Phonetic Transcription of TV News on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Pronunciation Accuracy at Word Level

The Effect of Phonetic Transcription of TV News on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Pronunciation Accuracy at Word Level

The Comparative Effect of Online Instruction, Flipped Instruction, and Traditional Instruction on Developing Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Knowledge

During the COVID-19 pandemic, using online and flipped instruction is the best alternative for traditional instruction. Therefore, this study compared the effects of three instructions, including online, flipped, and traditional, on improving Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary knowledge. To do so, 90 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were selected among 119 students as the participants of this study. The target participants were randomly divided into three equal groups (online, flipped, and traditional). After that, all groups were pretested by a vocabulary test. Then, the participants of one group received the treatment by using fully online instruction, and the other group participants received a flipped instruction. On the other hand, the participants of the third group received conventional vocabulary instruction. After teaching 100 new English words to all groups with three different instructions, a vocabulary posttest was administered to all participants. The paired samples t-test and one-way ANOVA results indicated that both online and flipped groups outperformed the control group in the vocabulary posttest. In addition, the findings revealed the flipped group outflanked the online group in the posttest of vocabulary. The implications of this study can encourage both EFL teachers and learners to integrate the flipped and online instructions into their teaching and learning processes.