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Applied Research on English Language
Number of Followers: 5  Open Access journalISSN (Print) 2252-0198 - ISSN (Online) 2322-5343 Published by U of Isfahan  [5 journals]
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- Google Translate in Foreign Language Learning: A Systematic Review
Abstract: Thanks to the significant achievements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Translation (MT) in general and Google Translate (GT) in particular have been extensively used in all facets of life, including language learning. However, faced with a plethora of research evidence on GT’s educational contributions, erroneous translations create disparity regarding its use in language learning. To address this lacuna, this research systematically reviewed 10 databases, namely, Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, Science Direct, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, SAGE Journals, Springer Link, Springer Open, and DOAJ. Additionally, it hand searched the reference lists of 44 studies selected to be included in the synthesis from database search along with references cited in three previous systematic reviews on similar topics to capture a comprehensive view of the literature related to the use of GT in language learning between 2010-2021. It reviewed 50 studies witnessing a rise in the number of studies in this area. Studies reported that although significant improvements in the quality of GT led to pedagogical gains and more tendency to implement it in language learning, instructors still distrust it. Accordingly, this research provides pedagogical implications and suggests avenues for future research on the use of GT in language learning.
- A Study of the Discursive Accomplishment of Stereotypes in Everyday
Discourse A Case of Persian Speakers
Abstract: This study set out to examine how stereotypes as social psychological phenomena are enacted in everyday discourse. Besides discussing how ingroups and outgroups are formed in mundane talk, it is argued that stereotypes are ideological constructs that are jointly achieved in social contexts. Moreover, it is assumed that the ways in which stereotypes are constructed and discussed in discourse are informed by a number of underlying moral conceptualizations which might justify the potential face-threatening acts and the impoliteness inherent in prejudiced talk targeted to a third party. The study is an ethnographic case study informed by an eclectic approach to the analysis of data so as to shed light on how the expression of thoughts and feelings are constructed as talk in ordinary social interactions unfolds and what these expressions achieve. The analyses revealed that the construction of outgroup stereotypes is a mutual accomplishment and possibly a face-threatening act moderated by mitigating discourse features
- A Comparative Study of Sustainability Education among Iranian EFL
Instructors and Social Sciences Instructors
Abstract: During the twentieth century, the views of sustainability and its vital contribution to the refinement of education systems have become so momentous that many researchers have sought to remove barriers to achieving sustainability in the education system and across disciplines. Yet, such research has been less common in the humanities. Hence, the present study tried to depict a picture of the strengths and shortcomings of EFL and Social Sciences (SS) instructors in terms of sustainability literacy, sustainability implementation, and eventually Sustainability Education (SE). Moreover, it provides the readers with the status of SE in EFL and SS faculties in Iran and offers clear recommendations for how and in which specific areas to adopt interdisciplinary approaches for SE development. This comparative study can pave the way for further practical studies in these areas through a quantitative method using a researcher-developed questionnaire with 300 participants. It proved that SS instructors have the potential to make outstanding contributions to sustainability literacy enhancement and EFL instructors are well aware of the strategies which work for sustainability implementation. It also came down in favor of the specific courses which should be incorporated into all-round teacher education policy. The study can be an important step towards teacher education reform and has implications for different fields of humanities. It has been implied that multidisciplinary approaches can bring about livelier and more effective teacher training programs.
- Digital Gaming as a Panacea for Incidental L2 Acquisition in an EFL
Context
Abstract: The use of digital games has increased dramatically in the last two decades due to the augmentation in the number of Personal Computers (PCs) and mobile devices worldwide. Not only can digital games be played for entertainment, but also, they may have both positive and negative effects on their players. Various effects of digital games on individuals’ levels of attention span, concentration, and addiction have already been tested by numerous studies; however, their impact on incidental Second Language (L2) acquisition is still untouched by language researchers. To address this lacuna, this is a longitudinal observational study that lasted for three months to investigate the impact of digital games played by young learners for entertainment at home on their unintentional acquisition of English as an L2. The age of the participants ranged from 8 to 14 years old, and the experiment was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Three main games were played by the sample; namely, Free Fire, Minecraft, and Among Us. The findings revealed that digital gaming significantly influenced the vocabulary development of the participants, and gaming was a clear asset for their L2 acquisition. It was also found that the players’ level of vocabulary retention was high; however, two drawbacks were identified in this regard, namely, the prolonged screen time and vocabulary items specifically related to a given area of a particular game. Overall, this study can be an impetus for further research into evaluating the benefits or drawbacks of using digital games for specific aspects of L2 acquisition such as the development of cognitive abilities or enhanced understanding.
- Detecting halo effects across rubric criteria in L2 writing assessment: A
Many-facet Rasch analysis
Abstract: This study applied multi-faceted Rasch measurement to investigate the halo effect in the performance-based assessment of writing across rubric criteria. Five raters who had received specialized training applied a four-criteria rating rubric to analytically rate writing scripts on two argumentative topics. Facets, a Rasch computer program, was utilized to pinpoint the halo effect by analyzing rater and rubric criteria interactions. After examining the appropriateness of the rubric in terms of functionality, the results showed that except for one rater, the raters did not exhibit any sign of the halo effect across rubric criteria. Generally, the severity hierarchies for raters and difficulty levels for rubric criteria suggested that raters’ training and their perceptions of the importance of criteria were associated with their manifestation of the halo effect. Pedagogically, through a detailed Facet analysis of interactions between raters and rubric criteria, rater trainers may better realize how to design effective training programs to minimize raters’ variance including the halo effect and improve the overall objectivity of human rating.
- Do the Number of Contact Hours Matter'
Abstract: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the remedial English courses in improving the students' English skills in terms of Grammar, Vocabulary, Listening, and Speaking. The study also aimed to identify the optimal number of contact hours spent in remedial courses to improve students' post-test scores. The study utilized the pre and post-test scores of 37 students enrolled in the English remedial Programme at the University of Technology Bahrain during the second and third trimester of Academic Year 2020-2021. Using a Wilcoxon Signed Ranked Test and Receiver operating characteristic curve, the study derived the following conclusions: Remedial courses significantly increased the post-test scores of the students for both Grammar and Vocabulary and Speaking and Listening. This would suggest that the conduct of remedial courses effectively improves the overall English-speaking skills of the students who completed the remedial course despite being fully delivered online. Contact hours spent in remedial courses, both in ENGL301 for Speaking and Listening and ENGL302 for Grammar and Vocabulary, can significantly determine the student's success in passing the post-test. The effect of the number of contact hours in the remedial course on passing post-tests, both for Grammar and Vocabulary and Speaking and Listening, is not linear. The optimum number of hours to be spent per trimester on directed learning to improve students' post-test scores in Grammar and Vocabulary and Speaking and Listening is 86.25 hours 88.5 hours, respectively. This threshold maximizes the chance of predicting the students who passed at the level of sensitivity and specificity.
- Use of Blogging to Improve Writing Skills: A Study Conducted on EFL
Freshman Students
Abstract: This study aimed to develop writing skills by using the blogging technique. The experimental research used a pre-post group design. The study had two groups; a control group (23 male students). It was taught traditionally through "paper-and-pencil assignments" and an experimental group (24 male students). It was taught using blogging. The topics focused on current global events, which were prepared and posted by the researcher. The learners were asked to search for photos, videos, or articles related to the assigned topic and write about these events in their own words. They also had to post comments and feedback on their classmates’ blog posts. The learners worked on their blog posts individually, in pairs, or small groups. The researcher worked as a facilitator. Comparing the posttest scores using SPSS analysis of learners who blogged about current global events and those who only used paper-and-pencil tasks on the same topics showed significant differences in writing improvement in favor of the blog group. Moreover, students in the blog group showed positive attitudes toward the blogging activity. They enjoyed interacting and cooperating with their peers and reflecting on their performance in writing in response to the feedback and comments they got from other classmates’ blog posts. The study ended with some recommendations for intensifying the blogging activity of EFL students in writing courses. Also, blogging about current global events was confirmed to be efficient in raising students’ global awareness and promoting their writing skills.
- Encouraging EFL Students’ Willingness to Communicate inside
Vietnamese High School Classrooms: Teachers’ Strategies and
Students’ Beliefs
Abstract: Despite a currently profilerating interest in second language (L2) willingness to communicate (WTC), much less has investigated Asian high school students’ beliefs about L2 teachers’ strategies to encourage WTC inside the classroom. This qualitative study explores the strategies employed by Vietnamese EFL teachers to encourage their students’ WTC inside the classroom and students’ beliefs about their teachers’ strategies. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with seven teachers and eight students. Results revealed that the teachers employed six main strategy groups, namely grouping, warm-up, topic choice, correction strategies, class atmosphere, and motivational strategies. Also, the students indicated their preferences of some strategies and suggested other strategies which they believed to be effective. They expressed expectations and suggested ways to improve their teachers’ strategies to encourage WTC inside the classroom. The students’ preferences and recommendations of strategies reflected contextual factors. As WTC is a context-sensitive construct, it might be necessary for L2 teachers to understand their students’ beliefs to foster L2 WTC effectively inside the classroom.
- Exploring Implicit and Explicit Lexical Strategies in L2 Learners’
Incidental Vocabulary Learning While Reading
Abstract: Vocabulary learning can occur incidentally when explicit and implicit cognitive processes are at work. This study investigated how frequently a set of (implicit/explicit) lexical strategies were used by Iranian learners of English while reading journalistic texts for comprehension, and how effective they were regarding vocabulary retention in incidental vocabulary learning. Also, it examined the role of gender in lexical strategy use in such a context. To these ends, 40 upper-intermediate learners of English, including 20 males and 20 females, were selected and were asked to read journalistic texts. To collect data, think-aloud and a retention test (Vocabulary Knowledge Scale) were used. Descriptive and chi-square data analyses revealed that the most frequent lexical strategy was consulting a dictionary (particularly a bilingual dictionary), followed by inferring (particularly contextual strategies) and ignoring strategies. The male participants were found to use inferring strategies more frequently whereas the female participants were found to use the ignoring strategy more frequently. Moreover, significant differences were observed between explicit and implicit strategy types with higher lexical use and retention effect for explicit ones. Findings provide implications for L2 vocabulary learning.
- The Impact of Synchronous Online Teaching on Iraqi EFL Learners'
Oral Comprehension
Abstract: Nowadays, technological applications provide language learners with many possibilities to improve their learning. Online learning environments could create opportunities for more flexibility, interaction, and collaboration in a way different from face-to-face learning environments. The present study attempted to investigate the effects of synchronous distance education on oral comprehension of Iraqi English language learners. The participants were 19 Iraqi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in a language institute in Karbala, Iraq. All learners were following the same language course at B1 level. These learners were randomly divided into three conditions: 1) the face-to-face control group; 2) the experimental group taught via Adobe Connect platform; and 3) the experimental group taught via Skype application. Data were collected through pre- and post-oral proficiency tests. The findings showed significant differences in the improvement of oral comprehension among the three conditions. The experimental groups scored significantly higher than the control group. Moreover, the results indicated that the Adobe Connect-based instruction had a better effect on the learners’ oral comprehension in comparison to the Skype-based instruction. Concerning the performance of males and females in the experimental groups, the findings showed a significant difference between females and males in the Adobe Connect condition, with females showing more improvement. However, no significant difference was observed between males and females in the Skype group. The study stresses the mediation of virtual classrooms on enhancing EFL learners' learning achievements. Relevant pedagogical implications for classroom practice in EFL education are presented and some suggestions are made for future research.
