درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The present study aims to explore negation patterns in Ardalani, a variety of central Kurdish (Sorani) spoken mainly in Sanandaj, within the typological framework proposed by Miestamo (2005). This framework explains the main negation patterns found in the languages of the world as symmetric, asymmetric, and symmetric-asymmetric. Although Miestamo applied this stypological framework to analyze a wide range of languages, none of the Kurdish dialects are represented in his study. The data used in the present study comprises 263 negative sentences with their affirmative counterparts, which were obtained from the spoken Sorani material broadcast on Kurdistan Radio and Television. The results indicate that Ardalani follows a symmetric-asymmetric pattern. It reveals a symmetric pattern in the past tense with perfective and imperfective habitual aspect but displays an asymmetric pattern in the imperfective continuous aspect and modal structures. For the sentences in the imperfective continuous aspect, the speakers apply either A/Fin/Neg-LV or A/Cat/ATM. In the former, the verb loses finiteness and the features move to the available copula in the structure. In the latter, the aspect changes from continuous to habitual, a more common strategy. Modal structures also follow A/Cat/ATM, in which the modal marker is removed and replaced with the negation marker. However, the modal content remains semantically the same as its affirmative counterpart. 

Acknowledging the critical role of working memory in language acquisition, this study examines the effects of multimodal input enhancement on working memory capacity (WMC) and collocation learning in adolescent and adult EFL learners. A cohort of 117 participants was randomly assigned to either experimental groups, receiving enhanced textual and auditory inputs, or control groups, experiencing standard inputs. Assessments included the Preliminary English Test, n-back test, and immediate and delayed collocation posttests. The results indicated that multimodal input significantly improved WMC and the recall and retention of collocations for all learners. Adolescents, in particular, excelled in both immediate and delayed tests and adapted their WMC more effectively in a multimodal context than adults. Additionally, an interaction between age and WMC was noted, affecting collocation recall and retention. These findings affirm the benefits of multimodal materials in enhancing cognitive functions and memory resources, thus improving language learning. The study offers practical insights for educational practices, advocating for the use of varied modalities in teaching materials to cater to different learning styles and cognitive needs. It also highlights the significance of designing age-appropriate materials and managing cognitive load in curriculum development, providing a tailored approach to language education for diverse learner populations.

In recent years, dynamic assessment and positive psychology have attracted the attention of many researchers. This phenomenological study explores Iranian intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' perception of academic buoyancy, reflective thinking, and academic resilience in response to dynamic assessment. Data were gathered through narrative inquiry, observation, and focus group discussion involving 18 intermediate EFL learners at a language institute in South Iran. Member checking, peer debriefing, and audit trail were used to ensure the credibility and dependability of the instruments. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed that dynamic assessment positively influenced learners' academic buoyancy by providing tailored scaffolding and support, fostering resilience in the face of academic challenges, and enhancing reflective thinking abilities. These findings suggest that integrating dynamic assessment techniques into language teaching practices contributes to students' adaptive coping mechanisms and ability to navigate academic setbacks, enhancing their academic success and overall well-being. The study underscores the importance of incorporating dynamic assessment approaches to cultivate resilient and empowered learners within EFL settings. This study contributes to understanding dynamic assessment's role in fostering academic resilience and reflective thinking in language learning contexts. The implications of the study are discussed.

Online classes, among other things, may require confidence, persistence, use of effective strategies, managing distractions, and maintaining focus on the part of the learners. Due to the prevalence and unique nature of this mode of instruction, it seems necessary to examine the factors that contribute to successful learning outcomes. This study examined the function of internet self-efficacy and online self-regulated learning in an online reading course. 264 university students completed the Persian versions of the Online Self-regulation Questionnaire (Cho & Cho, 2017) and the Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (Zimmerman & Kulikovich, 2016). Their reading performance was evaluated by the reading section of the TOEFL. The results, analyzed by a bivariate correlation, showed a significant correlation between internet self-efficacy and reading comprehension. Also, a significant positive connection was found between reading comprehension and self-regulated learning. Learners confident in using online environments and active in regulating their cognitive processes during reading tasks showed better comprehension outcomes. The regression analysis findings, however, show that self-efficacy (β = 0.47, t = 8.15, p < 0.00) is a stronger predictor of reading performance than self-regulation (β = 0.16, t = 2.89, p < 0.00). The findings highlight the importance of promoting self-regulation and internet self-efficacy to improve reading comprehension. Further research should explore other factors, such as cultural perspectives, teaching methods, cognitive abilities, and technological advancements.

Drawing on the team-teaching model of multiple instruction, this study aimed to investigate the impact of team-teaching on the English language achievement of Iranian high school students. The study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-method design, consisting of two phases for data collection and analysis. In the quantitative phase, 40 male and 40 female students aged 16-18 were conveniently sampled from tenth-grade high schools in Lahijan, Iran. They were divided into two experimental and two control groups. The experimental groups received instruction using the team-teaching model, while the control groups received traditional instruction. Data analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA, which revealed a statistically significant improvement in the performance of the experimental groups compared to the control groups. Due to gender differences, the results showed no significant disparities in the outcomes achieved by male and female students. In the qualitative phase, the same participants from the experimental groups were asked to provide open-ended responses regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the team-teaching method, using a questionnaire developed by Jones and Harris (2012). The responses were carefully examined using open coding techniques, and common themes were identified through systematic comparison of the codes. The findings indicated that team-teaching offered a wide range of benefits. Considering gender differences, it was evident that male participants perceived the benefits of the team-teaching model to outweigh the drawbacks more than their female counterparts. These findings have pedagogical implications for Iranian teachers and theoreticians in the field of English language instruction.

Our planet faces major environmental issues that must be addressed through ecological initiatives, education, and awareness raising. In language education, ecolinguistics has grown substantially during the last decade and has taken a cognitive step toward fostering and improving people’s ecological awareness; however, there was no mention of pedagogical practices of ecolinguistics rooted in theories of second language teaching and learning. Thus, the present study sought to apply a framework of English teaching based on the Activity Theory to raise EFL learners’ ecological critical language awareness. The researchers of the current quasi-experimental study employed a non-equivalent pretest and posttest control-group design to assess the effectiveness of using an AT-based framework in EFL classes to foster learners’ critical language awareness of ecological issues. An experimental group (n=45) and a control group (n=45) with intermediate-level members selected through convenience sampling took part in the study. The experimental group was taught with the AT-based framework, while the control group was not. The result of the independent samples t-test indicated that the ECLA of the experimental group had risen significantly compared to the control group. Also, the results of a series of paired samples t-tests comparing the pretest and posttest of the experimental group’s score on each domain of the ECLA showed that the learners’ awareness of all six domains had significantly improved. The study suggests that implementing the AT-based framework to teach ecolinguistics in language classes can be a promising way to raise learners’ ECLA.