کریم شعبانی

The current study, setting a two-fold goal, attempted to see whether the preemptive focus on form (FonF) under either planned or unplanned conditions could contribute to increasing lexical diversity in written narratives and, second, to find whether there was a trade-off between the lexical diversity and accuracy. To this end, 32 beginner learners were selected following a Quick Oxford Placement Test and assigned into two groups to receive preemptive FonF under no-planning and pre-task planning conditions. The analysis of the results through a set ofrepeated measure ANOVAs and independent-samples t-tests revealed that the first group with unplanned condition outperformed the one with pre-task planning in lexical diversity. The results also revealed the trade-off between the lexical diversity and accuracy. That is, both lexical diversity and accuracy were significantly taken care of under unplanned preemptive condition whereas pre-task planning hindered attendingto lexical diversity and, thus, both aspects simultaneously. It was concluded that providing learners with appropriate conditions through form-focused instruction can set the ground for activating their linguistic knowledge and letting them attend to different linguistic aspects during writing.

Intralingual translation is mainly motivated by the intention to modify the text to facilitate the listener's understanding. The present study attempts to examine the differences between VOA Special English and Regular English due to intralingual translation at the levels of phonology, lexicon, and syntax. To this end, 36 samples of passages of varying lengths dealing with academic discourse from non-modified (Regular English) and VOA’s modified (Special English) corpora were randomly selected and analyzed. The comparative analysis showed a significant difference between the modified and non-modified corpora in speech rate, syntax, and lexicon. Further investigation revealed that Special English was characterized by slower readings, increased pauses and tone units, more frequent and limited words, no idioms, repetitive and unmarked nominal clauses, and impersonal subjects in active voice structures. The findings of the study have implications for English teachers and material developers.

Academic writing has emerged as a central area of inquiry among researchers specializing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the current study aimed to explore the mediatory role of digital literacy in the writing improvement of EAP learners in a ChatGPT-supported writing course. Following the administration of the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and digital literacy questionnaire, a cohort of 100 upper-intermediate learners from a non-profit university in Mazandaran, Iran was randomly selected. The participants were then split into two experimental groups (high vs. low digital literacy) and two control groups (high vs. low digital literacy), with each group consisting of 25 participants. The experimental groups received writing instruction that incorporated ChatGPT, while the control groups were taught implementing traditional pedagogical methods devoid of ChatGPT. Data were gathered through pre- and post-writing assessments along with semi-structured interviews. Results from the pre- and post-tests indicated that the experimental groups with either high or low digital literacy exhibited significantly superior academic writing outcomes compared to the control groups. However, no notable disparity was evidenced between the two experimental groups. Analysis of the interviews revealed that ChatGPT contributed greatly to their writing accuracy and fluency, while creating several challenges namely the generation of inappropriate responses and limited access. On implication side, suggestions are offered for prospective EAP students, teachers, teacher educators, and syllabus designers along with a sketch of possible avenues for further exploration.