درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) systems are used to evaluate measurable characteristics of written texts, thereby creating a scoring model based on a compilation of essays. While considerable research has focused on the feedback provided by AWE systems, there is a conspicuous absence of studies examining these tools specifically in the Iranian context. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the consistency of scores obtained from automated systems and human raters. Furthermore, it sought to explore the perceptions of EFL learners regarding the application of AWE in their writing practices. To facilitate this investigation, 30 male and female IELTS students participated, each writing two essays: one selected from topics provided by the AWE system and the other derived from Cambridge Official IELTS past papers. The essays were assessed by both My Access and three human raters. For the topics designated for the AWE system, a significant and robust positive correlation was identified between the ratings assigned by human raters and the machine. A similar significant and strong positive correlation was also found for the second essay, which did not utilize pre-defined topics. The results of two linear regression analyses demonstrated that the scores produced by the machine could significantly predict human scores for both pre-defined and non-pre-defined topics. Additionally, the findings indicated that My Access Home Edition is perceived to significantly enhance students' accuracy and autonomy, although it does not contribute to improved interaction. This study presents important implications for writing instructors and the field of second language education.

Tasks are as useful devices for identifying learners’ needs and thus for designing specific purpose courses. Hence, the present study aimed at examining the viable effects of three varieties of task manipulation, i.e., oral reproduction, role-play, and group discussion, on the accuracy and fluency components of Iranian EFL learners’ oral speech. For the sake of homogeneity of the participants, 60 L1 Persian EFL students were selected through Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and divided into three 20-participant comparison groups: Oral Reproduction Group (ORG), Role-play Group (RPG), and Group Discussion Group (GDG). Each of the three comparison groups was treated just through a single task. ORG, RPG, and GDG were treated by oral reproduction, role-play, and group discussion tasks, respectively. The participants were pretested and posttested by the speaking part of Preliminary English Test (PET). The three groups were exposed to ten sessions of treatment, each of which lasted one hour and thirty minutes. The results of the study, obtained through ANOVA and Post Hoc analyses, revealed that the three types of task manipulation had significant influence on the fluency and accuracy of the participants’ speech. It was also revealed that GDG, treated through group discussion type of task manipulation, outperformed the other groups in terms of accuracy and fluency achievement. Tasks are hence recommended to be used in EFL teaching and testing contexts in that they are assumed to be effective tools to enhance the accuracy and fluency of English learners’ oral speech.