Oxford Placement Test Research Articles

The Efficacy of Topic Familiarity on Oral Presentation: Extensive Speaking Assessment Task of Iranian EFL Learners in TBLT

In order to communicate effectively, EFL learners require considering a variety of linguistic, contextual, cultural, and interactional aspects of complex communicative process of English learning along with receiving appropriate tasks. The tasks of speaking assessment are of paramount importance in EFL settings. The current study focused on one main factor that has been proposed in TBLT, i.e. topic familiarity to investigate the effect of topic familiarity on EFL oral presentations. The participants were 30 female intermediate participants ranged from 14 to 18 year old studying at one English language institute in Shiraz, Iran. A sample model of Oxford Placement Test was used to determine the participants' level of English proficiency. Then, the participants were asked to give impromptu presentations about unfamiliar topics. Their oral presentations were evaluated as pre-tests. In order to administer post-tests participants were asked to work on a new topic for the subsequent session. All oral presentations were evaluated through Brown and Abeywickrama (2010) checklist. Using SPSS software, paired- sample t -test was used to analyze the collected data. The results indicated that there was significant difference between mean scores of pre-tests and post-tests. The findings of this study indicate that topic familiarity has an influence on learners' oral presentations.

The Difference between the Effectiveness of Authentic and Pedagogical Films in Learning Vocabulary among Iranian EFL Students

This study tried to investigate the effectiveness of authentic and pedagogical films with English and Persian subtitles in learning vocabulary. Moreover, the role of these two types of subtitles and the films with no subtitles were investigated. To conduct the study, 30 Iranian EFL students were selected based on the results of an Oxford Placement Test and were assigned in two experimental groups as authentic and pedagogical groups. The students were given twelve sessions as treatment. Then, the researcher administered a post-test at the end of the treatment period. The post-test was a multiple-choice test with 25 items. To answer the research questions statistical analysis was performed. The results of t-test showed that the students in authentic group had a better performance than the students in the pedagogical group in vocabulary learning. Regarding the findings of One-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tuckey test, revealed that the students who received films with English subtitles had a better performance in comparison to groups of students who watched films with Farsi subtitles or those watched films with no subtitles. Keywords: Subtitles, pedagogical, authentic, films, EFL students, vocabulary learning

The Effect of STAD Technique on the Idiom Learning of Low-Intermediate Institute Language Learners

Learning a language is learning how to communicate in culturally, socially and academically in appropriate ways consistent with the norms and customs of the target language users. Cooperative learning as a technique used by teachers can assist students in improving essential social skills. This study aimed to investigate the effect of STAD technique on learning idioms of low-intermediate EFL learners. In addition, it aimed to compare the idiom learning of male and female language learners based on STAD. Sixty low-intermediate language learners were selected from No’andishan language institutes in Sari. Oxford Placement Test and the idiom learning package test were used in this study. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups on the posttest of the idiom. The STAD group performed better on the post-test of idiom. No significant difference between the mean scores of the males and females on the posttest of the idiom was found.

Enhancing Idiom Competence of Iranian EFL Learners: Idiom Etymology and Short Story in Focus

Learning the meaning and application of idiomatic expressions in English have always been challenging to the foreign language learners. This is mainly because such expressions display non-conventional and figurative senses. The present study aimed to investigate authentic, systematic and influential ways of exposing EFL learners to idiomatic expressions. To this end, short stories, as an important component of literature, and etymological elaboration, as a crucial aspect of language, were used to present the meaning of such expressions to L2 learners. Using Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 60 intermediate EFL learners studying at a private language institute were selected to participate in this study. They were assigned to three groups: control group (taught through conventional method), experimental group 1 (taught expressions through short stories), and experimental group 2 (taught through the application of etymological elaboration). Pre and posttests were administered at the beginning and at the end of the study, and the required data were analyzed by the use of SPSS. The findings revealed the considerable effect of short stories in raising L2 learners’ awareness of the concepts underlying idiomatic expressions in comparison with the use of etymological elaboration. Moreover, it disclosed the positive effect of using etymological elaboration in a higher level of idiomatic development in contrast to mere teacher descriptive definition used in the control group. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p465

ANXIETY AS IT PERTAINS TO EFL WRITING ABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

This paper reports the results of a study conducted to find (a) the impact of anxiety on EFL learners' writing performance, and (b) the relationship between anxiety and foreign language writing ability. 137 (N = 137) EFL learners took the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), and a writing task on a sensitive political topic. Results of the FLCAS were used to assess the participants' degrees of trait, state, and situational anxiety, and OPT scores indicated their proficiency levels. The writing task scores were used as a measure for the participants' writing task performance. Regression and partial correlation analyses were conducted. The findings of the study showed that state anxiety is debilitative whereas situational anxiety and trait anxiety are facilitative. It was concluded that mitigation strategies, discursive textual techniques, and the use of passive voice are in fact triggered by state anxiety rather than by writers' face-saving intentions or their inclination to show politeness.

The Investigation of Authentic vs. Pedagogical Tape Scripts on Listening Comprehension Ability of Tourism Students

The present study is an attempt to investigate the effects of authentic vs. pedagogical tape scripts on Iranian EFL learners' listening comprehension ability . For this purpose an OPT (Oxford Placement Test) was administered to a total of 78 Iranian EFL learners. Then, 40 of them who were considered as intermediate learners were selected. The participants were randomly divided into two groups i.e. an experimental group and a control group. Both groups were pretested prior to the study. Then, the experimental group received the treatment in the form of listening to authentic or real English i.e. the real conversations by native speakers of English; while, the control group was exposed to pedagogical listening skills that were specially recorded for EFL learners of foreigners After ten sessions, both groups were post tested. Then the results of the posttests were subjects of statistical analysis (paired-samples t-test and independent-samples t-test). The results indicated that the experimental group did better than the control group and there is a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group who were exposed to authentic tape scripts and the control group who received a normal practice of listening proficiency i.e. a placebo.

Personalized versus Normal Practice of L2 Speaking on Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral Proficiency

Personalized learning is a self-initiated, self-directed or self-prioritized pursuit which gives the learner a degree of choice about the process of learning i.e. what to learn, how to learn and when to learn. Of course personalized learning does not indicate unlimited choice; because, L2 learners will still have targets to be met. However, it provides learners with the opportunity to learn in ways that suit their individual learning styles. The L2 learner should have the opportunity to freely choose a series of activities, already predisposed by the teacher, to improve and develop L2 proficiency. This is because human beings have different ways to learn and process information; and, these different ways of learning are independent of each other. In other words, learning styles and techniques differ across individuals; thus, personalized learning provides L2 learners to freely choose the activities they enjoy the most. So it is a student-centered learning method in which the interests and the preferences of the learner is taken into account.The present study is an investigation of a personalized versus normal practice of L2 proficiency. For this purpose an OPT (Oxford Placement Test) was given to a total of 80 Iranian EFL learners. Then, 40 of them who were considered as intermediate learners were selected for the purpose of the study. The participants were randomly divided into two groups i.e. an experimental group and a control group. Both groups were pretested prior to the study. Then, the experimental group received the treatment in the form of personalized learning (games-based learning, songs, music, stories, English tongue twisters and the materials that the subjects were most interested in) for ten sessions while the control group received a normal practice of speaking proficiency (based on New Interchange course books). After ten sessions, both groups were post tested. Then the results of the posttests were subjects of statistical analysis (independent-samples t-test). The results indicated that the experimental group did better than the control group and there is a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group who were exposed to a personalized learning and the control group who received a normal practice of oral proficiency i.e. a placebo. Based on the results of this study, L2 learner’ interests in carrying out joyful L2 activities can help to reach promising results.

The effect of concordance-based approach on learning phrasal verbs to Iranian EFL learners

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference between high and low proficiency learners who studied phrasal verbs by an English teaching method that uses concordance methods. In addition, the difference between the performances of high and low proficiency learners in the concordance group together and the students in the traditional group was investigated. Fifty two pre-intermediate learners from Parsian Institute participated in this study. They were divided into controlled and experimental groups based on the Oxford Placement Test. They were taught English phrasal verbs through concordance and traditional approaches during 12 sessions of instruction. Before the instruction began, they were given a list of the phrasal verbs to ensure they do not know the meaning of the phrasal verbs. Before the treatment began, they were given a pre-test. After the instruction, they were given the post-test to answer and after three weeks of the instruction, they were given a delayed-posttest to answer. Pre and post and delayed-posttests were the same with the internal reliability index of 0.78, according to KR-21 formula. Findings showed that there was a significant difference between high and low proficiency learners using concordance concerning the acquisition of phrasal verbs, with the high proficiency learners outperforming the low one. However, there was not a significant difference between the two groups taught phrasal verbs through concordance and traditional approaches.

A Comparison between TEFL Students with Mental Health Disorders and Normal Students in Cognitive Strategy Use in L2 writing

Previous studies show that psychiatric conditions can influence educational achievements of learners. This study aims to investigate the differences between TEFL students with mental health disorders and normal students in cognitive strategy use in L2 writing. Seventy and two EFL postgraduate and under graduate students of Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University participated in this study. They were selected through random sampling. The materials were Quick Oxford Placement Test (QOPT), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Modsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory(MOCI), writing strategy questionnaire, Semi- structured interview. Although, people with OCD and people with depression show cognitive impairment, the study indicates no difference between students with mental health disorders and normal students in cognitive strategy use. It seems that cognitive impairment in OCD and depression does not play an important role in selecting cognitive strategies in writing. Besides the findings of this study, further research is required to show the importance of psychological problems in the process of learning to language teachers in order to help learners in this respect. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p882

The Effect of Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills on Translation Quality of Iranian EFL learners

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teaching reading comprehension skills on translation quality of EFL. In other words, this study sought to see if teaching reading comprehension skills had statically any significant impact translation quality of Iranian EFL learners and if yes, which reading comprehension skill was the most predictive of translation quality of Iranian EFL learners. In order to put this study into practice, these steps were taken. First, in order to assign subjects homogeneity, an OPT (oxford placement test) was given to BA students of English Literature at Beheshti University. Then, a pre- test on translation and a pre-test on reading comprehension were given to the subjects. In the next step, a treatment, on reading comprehension skills only, was given to the subjects. After that a test based on the treatment was given to the subjects. In the final step, two other post-tests, on reading comprehension and translation were given to the subjects to determine if teaching reading comprehension skills had any impact on translation quality of EFL subjects. As the data represents the translation quality of EFL students although increased after they were given some treatments on their reading comprehension; the correlation between reading comprehension skills and the translation quality was not significant (0.585).

Dynamic assessment versus static assessment: A study of reading comprehension ability in Iranian EFL learners

This study extends traditional or static assessment of reading comprehension in foreign language contexts and applies dynamic assessment (DA) to the development of learners’ reading ability. To homogenize the research population (N= 250), an Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered. On the basis of the test results, the population was sorted into three groups of reading-low, reading-mid, and reading-high students. The participants of this study were a sample of 30 participants with the lowest level of reading comprehension proficiency randomly assigned into two groups of control and experimental. This study was conducted in the Nosrat Institute, located in Kermanshah Province in 2012. In order to determine their current zone or level of reading proficiency, a TOEFL reading comprehension pre-test was administered to both groups. Afterwards, DA training was applied to the EG in 9 successive 80-minute sessions on reading comprehension, Unlike EG, static assessment was applied to the CG. In the end, another TOEFL reading comprehension post-test was administered to the research groups to measure their reading comprehension performance level after their treatment. The statistical data analysis revealed that DA was statistically more significant and effective for the low skilled readers than static assessment.

The Effect of the Keyword Method and Word-list Method Instruction on ESP Vocabulary Learning

The present study examined the effect of the keyword method and word-list method instruction on ESP vocabulary learning across proficiency levels. Two groups of students at Islamic Azad University of South Tehran branch were selected with the total population of 120 Industrial engineering intermediate students with an average age of 21. The students of each class were divided into two different homogeneous groups, the upper-intermediate level and the lower- intermediate level, based on their scores on the Oxford Placement Test. Each class was instructed through a specified method of vocabulary learning, i.e. the keyword method and word-list method, for an equal time of four weeks. Following both treatments, a multiple-choice test was administered to each class as the post-test to find out the ESP students' vocabulary knowledge. The results of the study indicated that the upper-intermediate learners who received the keyword method instruction outperformed the upper-intermediate learners who received the word-list method. In addition, the lower-intermediate level students in the keyword method group had better performance than those in the word-list method. Moreover, regardless of the proficiency level of the students, all of the students in the keyword method group obtained higher scores than those in the word-list method group. The results of the study revealed that the keyword method instruction has superiority over the word-lists method in learning ESP vocabulary regarding the proficiency level of the students.

The Relationship Between The Male And Female Language Performance And The Level Of Anxiety Among Iranian EFL Students

This study tries to investigate the relationship between the male and female language performance and the level of anxiety among Iranian EFL students. The participants of the current study were 26 Iranian EFL students studying English in Islamic Azad University, Larestan, Iran who were selected in terms of the administering of an Oxford Placement Test. Then, the students were given The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. Finally, they were given an English class test which consisted of 40 multiple-choice items. The researcher calculated the correlation between the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and the performance of both Iranian male and female students on English Class test. The findings indicated that there was a negative correlation between the level of anxiety and the students' performance on English Class Test scores. Moreover, Iranian male students were more anxious in learning English than female students.

Crossing Metacognitive Strategy Awareness in Listening Performance: An Emphasis on Language Proficiency

This paper aims to give a comprehensive account of the roles of metacognitive strategy awareness and proficiency level in EFL Learners’ listening comprehension performance. 147 EFL learners were selected and divided into three language proficiency levels according to their scores on Oxford Placement Test (2004). Based on Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire, they were divided into five groups. To check their listening skill, three listening tests were designed and estimated as both reliable and valid. Besides, a think-aloud procedure was also conducted. The two-way ANOVA demonstrated that: metacognitive listening strategy awareness and language proficiency had independently significant roles in the learners’ listening comprehension. Results of post-hoc Scheffe test located a significant role of metacognitive awareness in ‘problem-solving’ and ‘planning-evaluation’ groups. Results showed a significant difference in listening performance of elementary-limited and intermediate learners only. The results which promise theoretical and pedagogical implications for language teachers and syllabus designers are fully discussed.

The Relationship between Self-efficacy Beliefs and Autonomy among Iranian Intermediate and Upper Intermediate EFL Learners

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and autonomy among Iranian intermediate and upper intermediate EFL learners. To this end, after conducting Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 84 Iranian EFL learners at both intermediate and upper intermediate levels of English language proficiency were selected. Then, a 28-item autonomy questionnaire and a 34-item self-efficacy questionnaire were administrated. In order to understand the relationship between self-efficacy and autonomy among intermediate EFL learners which is the first aim of this study, a quantitative method of data analysis procedure was conducted which falls under the category of correlational research. To do so, Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used. To figure out the same relationship between the mentioned values among upper intermediate EFL learners, the same procedure was followed. The results of the second research question indicated that there is a somehow strong correlation between the mentioned values among upper intermediate EFL learners. In addition, it was found that the mean score of the two variables is rather stronger among upper intermediate learners than the intermediate ones. At last, the findings of this study indicated that there is not a significant difference between the obtained correlation coefficients of intermediate and upper intermediate learners. By being aware of the importance of self-efficacy and autonomy in the area of language learning, and also the positive association between these values, language experts, teachers, and many learners will be guided toward the right direction in their track of teaching and learning.

Crossing Metacognitive Strategy Awareness in Listening Performance: An Emphasis on Language Proficiency

This paper aims to give a comprehensive account of the roles of metacognitive strategy awareness and proficiency level in EFL Learners’ listening comprehension performance. 147 EFL learners were selected and divided into three language proficiency levels according to their scores on Oxford Placement Test (2004). Based on Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire, they were divided into five groups. To check their listening skill, three listening tests were designed and estimated as both reliable and valid. Besides, a think-aloud procedure was also conducted. The two-way ANOVA demonstrated that: metacognitive listening strategy awareness and language proficiency had independently significant roles in the learners’ listening comprehension. Results of post-hoc Scheffe test located a significant role of metacognitive awareness in ‘problem-solving’ and ‘planning-evaluation’ groups. Results showed a significant difference in listening performance of elementary-limited and intermediate learners only. The results which promise theoretical and pedagogical implications for language teachers and syllabus designers are fully discussed.

A Survey of Iranian EFL Teachers’ and Learners’ Perceptions Toward Authentic Listening Materials at University Level

This study intends to deal with attitudes of teachers and learners toward authentic listening materials at pre- intermediate level. Studies have indicated the positive effect of authentic listening materials on motivation and listening comprehension ability in learners of English as a foreign language (Nuttall, 1996; Peacock, 1997; Miller, 2005; Field, 2008). It focused on EFL teachers and students at pre intermediate proficiency level. Participants included 60 students, from both gender; male and female university students studying at Rodaki Higher Institute Education in the fields of: Accounting, Computer Engineering and Commercial Management and also 30 teachers who taught listening at Rodaki Higher Institute Education. The students were randomly selected and assigned to two groups. Then, Oxford Placement test as a standard test was administered to the participant in order to determine their proficiency level. Then, the participants were divided into two groups of control and experiment. The experiment group received the listening materials taken from UK radio program whereas the other group received simplified listening materials taken from the authentic listening materials. Afterwards, to be sure that they know what authentic materials are, they were exposed to both of related materials, then the questionnaire was distributed among them, the results taken from the questionnaire showed that the participants of this study prefer authentic materials and have positive attitudes toward using them. By the same token, the analysis of teachers’ questionnaire also showed their satisfaction with authentic listening materials. These findings can have implications for language learning/teaching, and curriculum development paving the way for educational policy makers, teachers and learners to introduce authentic listening materials to EFL learners at pre- intermediate proficiency level.

The Role of Persian L1 and English L2 on the Acquisition of French L3 Syllable Structure

The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of two consonant coda clusters of first language Persian, second language English and third language French in the acquisition of French syllable structure when learners have achieved different levels of L2 proficiency.The following hypotheses are investigated in this study: (1) the L2 Status Factor (Rothman and Amaro, 2010) proposing that L2 impedes transfer from L1 into L3, (2) the Cumulative Enhancement Model (Flynn et al. 2004) proposing selective transfer from the previously learned languages, (3) the Full Transfer/Full Access Hypothesis (Hakansson, Pienemann and Sayheli, 2002), suggesting that the Universal Grammar (i.e. UG) is available in acquiring the succeeding languages.(4)Typological Primacy Model (Rothman, 2010) that believe in the similarities between the L3 and the previous languages determine the transfer into L3.To carry out the study, 30 Persian L3 French candidates at Tehran University who participated at Oxford Placement Test and French Placement Test were selected. In addition, two types of tasks were prepared to measure the L3 learners. The data analysis was carried out by one-way ANOVA as well as Mixed between-within subjects ANOVA. The results of the study proved ‘Full access/Full transfer’ and TPM hypotheses.

Sociocultural Theory in Practice: The Effect of Teacher, Class, and Peer Scaffolding on the Writing Development of EFL Learners

One of the influential concepts of sociocultural theory in language acquisition research is the zone of proximal development, which is an opportunity for language learners to develop their capacities. It is believed that the learner’s language development happens through scaffolding in language learning (Bruner, 1983). This study relies on the scaffolding technique to investigate the effect of three forms of scaffolding process, namely teacher, class, and peer scaffolding , on the writing development of EFL learners. To do this, an intact group sample of 30 participants was selected. The participants were doing their essay writing course in which 19 of them were in one class, assumed as the experimental group in the study, and 11 were in another, assumed as the control group. To maintain possible homogeneity of the participants, an Oxford Placement Test was administered to both groups. The experimental group practiced the techniques of teacher, class, and peer scaffolding in three consecutive sessions respectively, while the control group practiced three individual techniques. After analyzing the mean of the total scores in addition to inter-rater reliability, the multivariate tests, on the quantitative analysis, showed that the control group outperformed the experimental group. For further understanding of the reasons, on the qualitative analysis, the talks in the experimental group were analyzed. Finally, the findings of both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis are discussed.

Investigating Elementary & Intermediate Level Students’ Perspectives towards Demotivating Factors In ESP Classes

In the present study, attempts were made to investigate and contrast the demotivating factors in English classes from the viewpoint of ESP students at different proficiency levels. To this end, 134 ESP students were chosen from Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch. Based on the scores obtained from Oxford Placement Test, the sample was divided into two groups, i.e. the intermediate level of proficiency students ( n =60) and the elementary level of proficiency students ( n =74). The data required for the study were collected by means of a demotivating factors questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using the Minitab statistical package version 16. Results revealed that there were no significant differences among the demotivating factors perceived across the groups. From the viewpoint of both groups, teachers’ attitude and personality, their teaching methods, and the weakness of students in English vocabulary were among the highest frequency mentioned demotivating factors.