علیرضا ذاکر

This quasi-experimental study investigated the comparative effects of two instructional approaches – cooperative learning and a hybrid model integrating cooperative and competitive elements – on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' writing proficiency. Participants (n = 23) were female EFL learners aged 16 to 45 (Mage = 30.5) selected through convenience sampling and homogenized based on their Preliminary English Test scores. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups. Both groups received pre- and post-tests. The experimental groups received instruction using either a cooperative learning approach or a hybrid approach incorporating both cooperative and competitive elements. Repeated Measures ANOVA was employed to analyze the data. Results indicated that the hybrid approach significantly outperformed the cooperative learning approach in enhancing learners' writing complexity, accuracy, and fluency. These findings suggest that integrating competitive elements within a cooperative framework can significantly improve EFL learners' writing proficiency, offering valuable pedagogical implications for educators and materials developers.

Despite its pivotal importance in comprehension and production, many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners struggle with retrieving and applying new vocabulary beyond class. This study investigated the comparative effects of the Ripple Effect Approach (REA) and the Word Wall Approach (WWA) on vocabulary retrieval and production among Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Sixty participants (30 females and 30 males), aged between 18 and 23 years ( M age = 20.5), were selected through the Preliminary English Test (PET) and randomly divided into two experimental groups. The REA group was taught through interconnected, contextualized vocabulary exercises, while the WWA group received visual aids and interactive word displays. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was employed, with data collected through vocabulary tests. Statistical analyses, including repeated-measures ANOVA and MANOVA, revealed significant improvements in vocabulary retrieval and production for both groups. However, the REA group demonstrated higher retention rates, with a mean increase of 3.6 points in retention from pre-test to post-test, compared to a 3.2-point increase for the WWA group. These findings underscore the effectiveness of interactive and varied instructional approaches in enhancing vocabulary acquisition and retention among EFL learners. Implications for educators suggest incorporating the REA and WWA to meet diverse learner needs and improve teaching practices, emphasizing the importance of integrating innovative, learner-centered techniques into educational curricula. Incorporating these approaches might develop adaptive and responsive educational frameworks, enhancing EFL learners’ learning outcomes and experiences.

Simultaneous with the emergence of numerous new concerns and techniques in carrying out research in English language teaching (ELT) contexts, conducting ELT research has turned into a multi-dimensional process, and ELT researchers seem to require advanced research skills in order to address different pedagogical issues. Focusing on quantitative research, the present study was undertaken to develop and validate a quantitative research literacy (QRL) instrument for English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher training context. To this objective, a four-component model of QRL, encompassing developing research topic knowledge, research design knowledge, procedural knowledge, and data analysis knowledge was developed based on experts’ opinion and an extensive review of the related literature. Testing of the tentative model through exploratory and confirmatory data analyses on a sample of 1180 EFL teachers across three education levels indicated that a 4-factor model of QRL with 9 sub-factors and 50 items could best explain QRL.

Condemning a laissez faire approach to English Language Teaching (ELT), English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher trainers unanimously agree that the building blocks of teachers’ teaching framework are profoundly influenced by conducting research. Focusing on quantitative research, this study endeavored to scrutinize the impact of the Critical Appraisal of Published Research (CAPR) in undergraduate teacher training programs on EFL teachers’ Data Analysis Knowledge (DAK). To this objective, 30 male and female EFL teachers were non-randomly selected and randomly assigned to two groups. In two Research classes, the experimental group received the CAPR whereas the control group received traditional teacher-centered instruction with summative assessment. The DAK section of the Quantitative Research Literacy (QRL) questionnaire was employed as the pretest and posttest. Subsequent to corroborating participants’ pre-treatment homogeneity in terms of DAK, analyzing the post-treatment data through running an independent-samples t-test, eta squared = .338 (representing a large effect size), indicated the existence of a significant difference in the post-treatment DAK scores between the two groups. The obtained results confirmed that the CAPR has a significantly better impact on EFL teachers’ DAK which is a key area of QRL. Therefore, it seems accurate to argue that ELT teacher training programs should endeavor to involve the students in a mentally engaging process, e.g. CAPR, where the content of the course is put into practice by the students, something which is required for balancing the concrete and the abstract.