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The Effectiveness of Dynamic Assessment in Linguistic Accuracy in EFL Writing: An Investigation Assisted by Online Scoring Systems
Get PDFFrom the perspective of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), dynamic assessment (DA) highlights the role of mediation in the learning process by unveiling the distance between actual learning proficiency and potential learning development. DA is more helpful in fostering students’ ability to solve problems independently and in facilitating future tutoring. However, due to its large consumption in time, a vast majority of studies on DA target at a limited scale. To remove this limitation from the implementation of DA, this paper attempts to apply interventionist DA with the support of online scoring systems in EFL writing. Targeting at 44 Chinese L2 English learners, this experimental research mainly adopts quantitative methods with qualitative methods as a supplement to explore their improvement in linguistic accuracy in English writing. It is found that both non-dynamic assessment (NDA) and DA helped participants to improve their accuracy, but only in the DA group observed a remarkable statistical significance. That is, DA is more effective in promoting learning outcomes. Besides, ZPD is predictive for future learning achievement
Assessing Task-based Language Needs of the Students of International Law
Get PDFNeeds analysis is regarded as an essential step for developing a curriculum for English for specific purpose courses. Assessing learners’ present and real-life language needs can contribute to learners’ active participation in learning processes. This study aimed to assess English geared law learners’ needs and to analyze the pedagogical tasks in international law ESP textbooks. To this end, pedagogical tasks practiced in ESP courses for international law students at universities in Iran were identified. Furthermore, the participants’ wants and needs were asked through interviews. The participants were selected using a convenience method of sampling. The results were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results indicated that law discourse community members need to read the cases, brief the cases, articulate the cases, interpret the cases, preset the cases orally, interact with the other discourse community members, argue, express themselves, and take notes while listening to and reading the cases. The results of this study showed there was no agreement between what the learners wanted and felt to need and what the authors of such books selected as the relevant tasks; some of the pedagogical tasks were not aligned with the real-life tasks. Such incongruences can be found in different perspectives like mode, channel, and degree of interaction. The results can be used to help book designers and material developers in the field
The Effect of Multiple Intelligences on Language Achievement of Iranian EFL Learners
Get PDFApplying Multiple Intelligences Theory in lessons is a new teaching activity which makes learning more attractive and effective. Since every person has their own abilities and intelligences, teachers should be aware of these talents and skills in their students and contribute them in their teaching process. For conducting this study forty learners were divided as two male and female learners. Their homogeneity was assessed through a TOEFL test. In this paper, the researcher emphasized various intelligences and assessed learners MI through completing a questionnaire. The results show that female learners have higher multiple intelligences. Furthermore, female learners outperformed male learners in the final writing test. According to the results, there is a positive correlation between MI and writing skill. This study proves that teachers should pay attention to MI and try to apply them in their teaching methods
EFL Classes for Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mind-set
Get PDFEntrepreneurship is not a new idea but it has never been more important than it is today in this time of financial, societal, educational crisis and massive challenges both at local and global scale. On the one hand, innovation and entrepreneurship are possible potential instruments to provide solutions for both local and the global challenges of the 21st century and onward by building sustainable development, creating jobs, generating renewed economic growth and advancing human welfare. On the other hand, education has the potential to develop the skills to generate the entrepreneurial mind-set needed to prepare future leaders in all sectors, entrepreneurs, to solve more complex, interlinked and rapidly changing social and economic problems of the world. Therefore, education systems across the world are facing profound challenges. Although there has been a significant increase in the number of courses and programmes featuring entrepreneurship in some form, I feel that more could still be done to integrate it fully into the educational curriculum, including the curriculum of language classes. The last few decades have seen the importance of the English language continuing to increase around the world, especially as the lingua franca for economic and scientific exchange. English has become dominant in a way that no language has ever been before, and the common belief is that it may never be dethroned as the ‘king of languages’. The use of English as the world’s preferred medium for international communication can be credited to globalisation, just as globalisation can be credited to the spread of the English language. The two have gone hand in hand. As a result, both studying and teaching English language consist of more than just learning a foreign language or teaching a subject matter. Therefore, having a good command of the English language became a key element in the continuity of many sectors and the success of businesses all over the world. Consequently, having an entrepreneurial mind-set together with a good command of the English language is a good prognosticator for a successful career. And it is obvious that these two qualities can both be taught in schools. Therefore, I strongly believe that English language classes are the best places to kill two birds with one stone and make this educational vision come true. This Paper aims to highlight the importance of designing and implementing EFL courses in such a way that learners can both learn the English language and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set since no other discipline and, as a result, no other subject area teacher has such a power
The Cognitive Basis of Foreign and Second Language Teachers’ Global Attitudes in Classroom Teaching
Get PDFThough some research has been done on second and foreign language (SL/FL) teachers’ attitudes, little is known about their cognitive basis while this issue is central to formal teacher education. Employing the rationale of the theory of planned behavior, this in-depth small-scale study investigated the implicit theories which form the cognitive basis of global attitudes towards grammar teaching in informal learning situations. A concise overview of relevant studies on SL/FL teacher attitudes and beliefs on (grammar) classroom teaching was introduced to inform the specific research questions. A general patterns of behavior analysis was innovatively conducted to uncover teachers’ global attitudes. Two types of global attitude towards grammar teaching (i.e., curriculum matter, task complexity) were found. These were divided into two hypothesized theories, namely the wholesale grammar teaching theory (WGTT) and the fragmented grammar teaching theory (FGTT). The cross-correlation and simple linear regression analyses showed that global attitudes significantly predicted their corresponding theories with the strongest predictor ß = 1.20, t(13) = 16.63, p < .001 and the lowest ß = .92, t(13) = 2.24, p = .04. The WGTT was found to be a uniform entity, whereas the FGTT entailed two distinct sub-categories
The Other Side of the Coin: Native Expatriate Teachers in Focus
Get PDFThis paper examines the native/nonnative debate from an angle that is often disregarded: the challenges and difficulties faced by native English-speaking teachers who live and work abroad for an extended period of time. We argue that while they often stand a better chance in job application procedures, preferential treatment is secured by political and economic considerations rather than professional ones. Our survey data indicate that despite the seemingly advantageous position native expats enjoy, many of them face discrimination and marginalization in their work context and beyond in terms of their professional status and remuneration. We believe that our knowledge of the native/nonnative debate would be deepened ifboth groups were given equal attention and representation in research. A comparative analysis of the problems encountered and injustices suffered by both natives and nonnatives is hoped to contribute to remedying the present situation
The Effectiveness of Mentoring in ELT Context
Get PDFThe teachers, in their beginning stages of learning, about teaching strategies and meeting students’ learning needs, require more practical ideas on how to choose and behave effectively to be a successful teacher. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of mentoring, as a tool for aiding teachers’ development, and teacher’s portfolio assessment of the teaching skills of Iranian ELT teachers. Classroom observation via a checklist as well as an interview was used to examine the effectiveness of mentoring in Iranian ELT context. The findings indicated the effectiveness of mentoring in the teaching skills of teachers as well as some of its shortcomings.  
Teacher’s Perspectives and Practice of Multilingualism in a Qazaqstan Secondary School
Get PDFLinguistic diversity, particularly within a STEM programme, is increasingly a desired competency in high schools world-wide. The way in which teachers enact multilingualism in their classrooms is dependent on historical and current, cultural and ideological influences operating within each context. Research suggests there is a knowledge gap concerning how teachers manage integrated, multilingual programmes and how these programmes impact on the teaching and learning processes. What constitutes best practice is uncertain. In Qazaqstan many ambiguities persist about how to scale such a programme country wide (Bridges, 2014) and questions are raised about how to train and prepare future teachers for implementing the trilingual education curricula. The success of such an ambitious programme lies with those tasked with its implementation. The methodology teachers use is known as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). This paper comments on how such a multilingual programme policy has been transferred into practice within the context of a high school in Qazaqstan, and comments on what is working in terms of the teaching processes as well as highlighting some of the barriers teachers face. By means of a case study, using a mixed methods format, the author finds that multilingualism in the Science classroom has revealed some positive outcomes in terms of raising teachers’ self-efficacy. However, delivery of content to optimise student learning is dependent on the linguistic skill of the teacher, this requires more careful planning in order to ensure programme sustainability. 
The Impact of Strategic Thinking on the Exploitation Opportunities in Entrepreneurial Venture
Get PDFNowaday’s organization needs skilled leaders who have the ability to understand the role of strategic thinking to exploit the opportunity, and the entrepreneurial leaders need to understand with sense the concept “Opportunity Exploitation”; it starts as an idea that stimulated the human mind then transferred into action through strategic thinking. The paper tried to review some of theoretical frameworks to illustrate the impact of strategic thinking on the exploitation opportunities in entrepreneurial venture
Utilization of TOPSIS Approach to Formulate Strategy in IRANOL Oil Company
Get PDFEnergy is a strategic commodity that its supply and security plays a critical role in international security and the global economy. Considering Iran’s place among the countries active in production of oil and its related industries, identification of strategies related to this sector is of significant importance. At the present time, lubricants industry has become an imperative part of the development of machinery industry and its related industries. This industry has a unique quality and attractiveness when its total number of manufactured products and their markets are considered. Therefore, gaining competitive advantage is of significant importance to the players of this industry. The purpose of this research is to develop strategies for IRANOL Oil Company which is an active and important player in the lubricants industry in Iran. This study is an applied research which utilizes both descriptive and analytical approaches. By using field study method, the lubricants sector was analyzed. Then, by utilizing SWOT matrix, external and internal factors and strategies were identified and then defined through IE matrix. At last, the factors were prioritized based on TOPSIS method. Based on the results, conservative strategy, meaning the 11 strategies in the WO section, were selected for further evaluation and prioritization Which in order of 3 priority are:‘strengthening the R&D department’, ‘designing and implementing comprehensive marketing strategies incorporating appropriate lateral services by developing sales engineering offices’ and ‘utilizing the company’s full advertising power’.