Papers by Gholam-Reza Abbasian
Collaborative dialogue (CD) in developing L2 skills known as ‘knowledge-building dialogue’, in sp... more Collaborative dialogue (CD) in developing L2 skills known as ‘knowledge-building dialogue’, in spite of its momentum in foreign language acquisition, has rarely been conjoined and empirically investigated with Task-based approach. To this end, the present research was conducted with a two-fold aim: firstly, investigating the effect of task-based collaborative dialogue on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ speaking ability, and secondly, exploring teachers’ and learners’ perceptions towards the exercised treatment process. The participants of the study consisted of 100 Iranian B.A. TEFL and Translation Studies students, who identified relatively homogeneous with regard to their language proficiency through administering Oxford Placement Test (OPT), and ten Iranian EFL teachers. The experimental group was exposed to task-based collaborative dialogues, while the control group experienced conventional mainstream teaching speaking skill. Upon accomplishing the treatment, CD qu...
Theory and practice are two sides of one coin, and the way they are perceived adds to its practic... more Theory and practice are two sides of one coin, and the way they are perceived adds to its practice. This holds true regarding teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) literacy status and its implementation. To shed more light on these issues in the Iranian EFL setting, this study was designed to pursue a threefold purpose: the status quo of the Iranian EFL teachers' TPACK literacy, the contribution of TPACK literacy, and perception developments in the light of TPACK intervention. For the intervention purpose, TPACK workshops were implemented with 15 teachers through employing the TPACK framework and the learning by doing method. The results of chi-square data analysis showed statistically significant differences between the participants' TPACK literacy before and after TPACK workshops and also positive contributions of the intervention. Moreover, it was observed that participants' perceptions towards TPACK literacy developed in the light of TPACK workshops. Thereby, the study develops a new perspective and provides empirical evidence to investigate incorporating technology and
Abstract
Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of t... more Abstract
Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the
purposes ahead of the assessment. Of many, the major controversy, which was the motive
behind this study, is the incorporation of L1-based elicitation as a valid measure of L2
performance assessment. To shed empirical light on this issue, this explanatory sequential
mixed-methods research employed 87 Iranian intermediate EFL learners, whose L2 classroom
performance was assessed through L1-based elicitation techniques. In order to validate this
mechanism, the multi-method mono-trait model (namely, Pearson correlation, structural
equations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability, and convergent
validity) suggested by Henning and Mesick’s Unitary Concept of validity were applied. The
results from these multiple sources of evidence yield support to their common consensus that
L1-based elicitation techniques are valid measures of L2 performance assessment. The findings
then offer a legacy to the educational implications of L1-based mechanisms both in L2
instruction and assessment.
Keywords: L1-based elicitation, Performance assessment, Speaking ability, Unitary concept of
validity
Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the purpos... more Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the purposes ahead of the assessment. Of many, the major controversy, which was the motive behind this study, is the incorporation of L1-based elicitation as a valid measure of L2 performance assessment. To shed empirical light on this issue, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods research employed 87 Iranian intermediate EFL learners, whose L2 classroom performance was assessed through L1-based elicitation techniques. In order to validate this mechanism, the multi-method mono-trait model (namely, Pearson correlation, structural equations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability, and convergent validity) suggested by Henning and Mesick's Unitary Concept of validity were applied. The results from these multiple sources of evidence yield support to their common consensus that L1-based elicitation techniques are valid measures of L2 performance assessment. The findings then offer a legacy to the educational implications of L1-based mechanisms both in L2 instruction and assessment.
Abstract: Characterizing a critically-thinker second language learner as well as the
way such ch... more Abstract: Characterizing a critically-thinker second language learner as well as the
way such characteristics can be developed and implemented in instructed second
language have received momentum in applied linguistics. As a novel practice, this
mixed-methods study was designed to feature a critically-thinker reader in developing both her critical thinking and reading abilities in the light of two novel
instructional mechanisms (i.e., Asynchronous Web-based Collaborative (AWC) vs.
Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) instructional approaches). To this end,
a sample of 89 Iranian EFL learners (Pilot group) were interviewed based on which
first the features of a critically-thinker reader were extracted, analyzed and modeled via MaxQDA. Then, three groups of 154 language learners (i.e., Control, QAR &
AWC) were exposed to its specific type of instruction. In addition to the extraction of
“argumentation”, “judgment”, “dispositions”, “action”, “social cognition”, and “creativity” each with its sub-categories as the sub-traits of critically-thinker’s conceptual
model, ANOVAs were run to analyze the quantitative data. It was observed that
AWC group outperformed others both in critical reading and critical thinking
This study, contrary to the conventional research on PCK, which attempted to enhance the teachers... more This study, contrary to the conventional research on PCK, which attempted to enhance the teachers' PCK and single out its driving factors, aims to use PCK as an outcome-based lens for evaluating Iranian EFL teachers' programs. To this end, two current EFL teacher-education programs (i.e., State and Islamic Azad universities on the one hand and Farhnagian Teacher Education University on the other), each with its specific approach to developing EFL teachers' PCK, were selected. Along with administering a glocally developed and validated PCK questionnaire among 263 studentteachers, this study ran a one-on-one semi-structured interview with 80 student-teachers to capture a crystal-clear evaluation of the outcomes the programs were to cultivate. The results of running qualitative and MANOVA analysis methods showed the student-teachers trained in the program with a more finely-tuned PCK instruction, which was accompanied by four continuous courses of teaching internship, were more cognizant of the role of PCK in their professional development and enjoyed a statistically significant index of developed PCK. Although there existed some similarities between these programs in terms of reviewing high school English course books, evaluation and assessment, and applying technology in teaching English, student-teachers in both programs were not completely aware of different components of PCK, including curriculum design and materials development, language teachers' technological knowledge, and professional development. The results imply that content knowledge, PCK, and internship should be fettered together. The findings suggest that EFL teachers' PCK can be applied as an effective lens for delving deeply into teacher training programs.
Among the notable literary texts that emerged during the Iranian constitutional period for critic... more Among the notable literary texts that emerged during the Iranian constitutional period for criticizing tyranny and monopoly in political, social, and cultural affairs was Charand Parand by Ali Akbar Dehkhoda. It was a significant text due to the realistic depiction of both formal and informal political discourses. The importance of this article which is based on discourse theory lies in how it challenges the dominant discourse of power in Dehkhoda's work. The purpose of this research is to apply the theory of dialogism and the role of Bakhtin's carnival elements in Charand Parand, in order to study the polyphonic category and the role of carnival elements in creating a polyphonic atmosphere and confronting authoritarian discourse. The article attempts to answers the question: how the Cognitive stylistics methods provide the liberal writer of constitutional era with opportunities to speak and be heard forand of spoken and marginalized discourses and voices.
Journal of Education and Practice, 2014
Language acquisition and social intelligence are generating considerable interest in terms of the... more Language acquisition and social intelligence are generating considerable interest in terms of their vital applications in today's modernized world. Research over the previous decades in the domain of second language learning has mainly focused on neurological and cognitive aspects of a bilingual mind and whether bilinguals outperform monolinguals in various linguistic facets. These studies failed to address possible interconnections between second language learning and intelligence. Likewise, social intelligence has rarely been discussed as a distinct phenomenon from emotional intelligence. With this in mind and the fact that our knowledge of possible interconnections between social intelligence and language proficiency level is largely based on very limited data, the current study attempted to explore the relationship between social intelligence and language proficiency level. Participants included a monolingual group comprising of 30 participants and three English proficiency groups of elementary and advanced, involving 30 subjects in each group. All participants responded to the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale questionnaire. The evidence from this study revealed significant differences concerning participants of the advanced proficiency group with respect to their social skill and social intelligence. Furthermore, a strong, positive correlation was shown only between the advanced and elementary groups regarding their social intelligence.
International journal of research in social sciences, 2016
This paper tried to investigate the relationship between cognitive and metacognitive strategy use... more This paper tried to investigate the relationship between cognitive and metacognitive strategy use and EFL writing test performance. For the purpose of this study, 40 EFL students were chosen. First, those participants whose scores were 1 standard deviation above and 1 standard deviation below the mean were chosen, and then they were divided into three groups. Cognitive and meta-cognitive questionnaire and a final writing test were used as the instrumentations of this study. Analyses of the data revealed that there was a difference between the cognitive and metacognitive strategy. Correlation with cognitive strategies and writing test was 0.53 and insignificant, while correlation with the metacognitive strategy and writing test was 0.60. Showing significant relationships, the findings of the present study can entail some implications in promoting the meta-cognitive strategies by teachers to have better improvement in writing skill.
ELT literature is relatively rich in terms of Focus on Form (FOF), Focus on Meaning (FOM) and Foc... more ELT literature is relatively rich in terms of Focus on Form (FOF), Focus on Meaning (FOM) and Focus on Forms (FOMs) research mainly applied in teaching structural, and communicative aspects, though their effectiveness is still controversial. The issues are rather challenging when their application in teaching language skills including reading is concerned. Along with the effectiveness issue various versions of these F-like instructions, their feasibility in relation to language skills is also challenging. As an attempt to accommodate both challenges and dilemmas, this volume is a report of an empirical study done in the Iranian EFL setting in which the effectiveness and feasibility of FOF and FOM were comparatively investigated. The results were in favour of effectiveness of FOF-based instruction, while FOM-based one proved more feasible in teaching reading skill; indicating that the dilemma warrants further studies. Though both mechanisms were evaluated equally well- functioning, the findings warrant further explorations on the nature of the dilemma.
Language Testing in Asia
This study aimed at investigating the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perceptions o... more This study aimed at investigating the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perceptions of L1-based and L2-based elicitations in the English classroom employing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design. Ninety-seven Iranian intermediate EFL learners of English have been selected from Islamic Azad University (Science and Research Branch) in Tehran Province using a convenient sampling method. Of these, in the qualitative phase, 15 individuals were selected through a convenience sampling method as the focus group (N = 15; n = 8 for the L1 group and n = 7 for the L2 group). In the quantitative phase, 90 intermediate EFL learners were selected. The selected participants’ L2 performances were assessed through L1-based and L2-based elicitation techniques. They completed two validated researcher-made questionnaires to capture their perceptions of the elicitation techniques. Accordingly, five separate exploratory factor analyses were run to investigate the underlying constructs ...
Cogent Education
Abstract: Characterizing a critically-thinker second language learner as well as the way such cha... more Abstract: Characterizing a critically-thinker second language learner as well as the way such characteristics can be developed and implemented in instructed second language have received momentum in applied linguistics. As a novel practice, this mixed-methods study was designed to feature a critically-thinker reader in developing both her critical thinking and reading abilities in the light of two novel instructional mechanisms (i.e., Asynchronous Web-based Collaborative (AWC) vs. Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) instructional approaches). To this end, a sample of 89 Iranian EFL learners (Pilot group) were interviewed based on which first the features of a critically-thinker reader were extracted, analyzed and modeled via MaxQDA. Then, three groups of 154 language learners (i.e., Control, QAR & AWC) were exposed to its specific type of instruction. In addition to the extraction of “argumentation”, “judgment”, “dispositions”, “action”, “social cognition”, and “creativity” each with its sub-categories as the sub-traits of critically-thinker’s conceptual model, ANOVAs were run to analyze the quantitative data. It was observed that AWC group outperformed others both in critical reading and critical thinking features. So, it is theoretically and pedagogically implied that the developments of both cognitive traits (i.e. critical thinking) and the resultant language skills (i.e. reading skill) are subject to appropriate instructional approach/s. Gholam-
Language Related Research
Despite the fact that interpreting has long existed in history and predates translation, interpre... more Despite the fact that interpreting has long existed in history and predates translation, interpreter training as an autonomous discipline is non-existent at the graduate level in Iran. The paramount focus of this study was to probe into the status quo of interpreting courses in Iranian academia and subsequently delve into the possible expediencies to establishing such a discipline in higher education. To this end, 15 professional interpreters (9 from Iran and 6 from other countries), 10 interpreter trainers (4 from Iran and 6 from other countries), and 118 English Translation Studies students (32 M.A. and 86 B.A.) who were selected through convenience sampling participated in this study. The students filled out a 20-item researchers-designed Likert-scale interpreting status quo questionnaire and the interpreter trainers and interpreters were invited for a formal semi-structured interview. Findings, analyzed quantitatively by SPSS software version 28 and qualitatively by inductive codification process, revealed the existing situation of the interpreting courses in the Iranian academia in terms of needs analysis, objectives and syllabus, methodology, materials as well as course contents and ensured the significance of establishing interpreter training as an independent discipline in the higher education among all stakeholders, i.e. interpreters, interpreter trainers (teachers) and interpreter trainees (students) for a number of expediencies including non-existence of this discipline in Iran, the need for academization, its multidisciplinary nature, dearth of specialization, addressing stakeholders and researchability, generating pertinent activities, glocal reputation, and employability.
Language Testing in Asia
Thinking has always been an integral part of human life, and it can be said that whenever humanit... more Thinking has always been an integral part of human life, and it can be said that whenever humanity has been thinking, it has been practicing a kind of criticizing the issues around. This is the concept of critical thinking that enhances the ability of individuals to identify problems and find solutions. Most previous research has focused on only one aspect of critical thinking that is critical thinking skills, while two other dimensions of criticality and critical pedagogy should have also been included. In order to assure of the validity of the instrument designed by Mohammadi et al. (Characterization and Development of Critically-thinker EFL Readers’ Reading Ability: Asynchronous Webbased Collaborative vs. Question-Answer-Relationship Instructional Approach, under review), it was first adapted and then SEM modeling was used. Examination of the results of factor analysis and modeling of SEM showed that the model satisfied the fit indices (χ2/df, CFI, TLI, RMSEA), and all the factor...
علوم تربیتی, Feb 19, 2009
This study, first, attempted to explore the conflict or tension between EFL teacher intuition or ... more This study, first, attempted to explore the conflict or tension between EFL teacher intuition or concepts and the conception with a composite view assembled from learner's accounts of the distinctive features of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), and second to investigate the latter's "hidden agenda" (Nunan, 1998) of what ELT should be. On the other hand, role of educational context as an independent variable in determining such conflicting conceptions was also investigated. The study was carried out in the Iranian educational context conventionally categorized into three settings including; authoritarian, semi-democratic and democratic, given their varying existing educational policies and planning. Both the learner and teacher-participants (N=150, 45, respectively) answered three triangulating and already validated questionnaires (Brindly, 1984 and BALLI of Horwitz, 1987) attempting both the nature of language learning activities and their beliefs on CLT. Findings revealed that the learners hold variety of selfefficacy beliefs different from those of their teachers about learning language, many of which supported to be attributed to the educational context type and language planning and the pertinent administration policies. While both sides agreed in general on the virtues of CLT to language teaching, there were interesting differences in their perceptions mainly as to
Considering language skills, particularly the writing skill, has revealed that students are strug... more Considering language skills, particularly the writing skill, has revealed that students are struggling with writing problems mainly due to insufficient instruction and ineffective feedback. Under the insights of Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory, Dynamic Assessment intended to unifurcate instruction and assessment for the betterment of language pedagogy and warrant both instruction and feedback quality. Therefore, the present quasi-experimental study tried to comparatively investigate the effectiveness of the interventionist DA modalities (authoritative and facilitative) on developing the writing revision types of 120 advanced Iranian EFL learners in the form of two experimental and one control group. Parametric statistical analyses (MANOVA, one-way ANOVA) run for this purpose revealed: 1) significant differences among the three groups in favor of DA-interventions; 2) more effectiveness of authoritative-DA modality over facilitative-DA modality; 3) significant differences with regard...
English Language Teaching, 2019
Motivation is a crucial factor in learning a foreign language. However, some learners may become ... more Motivation is a crucial factor in learning a foreign language. However, some learners may become demotivated during their experience of learning a language. Demotivation among learners has rarely been addressed from the teachers’ perspectives. The purpose of the current study was to investigate novice and experienced English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of sources of demotivation among language learners. Initially, through convenience sampling, different institute teachers were contacted. Thirty novice (n = 15) and experienced (n = 15) English language teachers volunteered to participate in face-to-face semi-structured interviews to investigate their beliefs about sources of learners’ demotivation. Content analysis was run to extract relevant demotivation sources, and frequency analysis was used to summarize and report the data. The findings revealed that both novice and experienced teachers had largely similar perceptions of sources of demotivation. Both groups...
Journal of Academic and Applied Studies, 2012
Modular EFL Program exercised nationwide by the University of Applied Science & Technology is an ... more Modular EFL Program exercised nationwide by the University of Applied Science & Technology is an innovation in Iranian educational system which has managed to offer specialized language education in a specific field entitled as Audio-Visual Translation Course. Contrary to significant academic achievements, the program has been subject to continuous scholarly criticisms. However, no explicit empirical studies can be traced on both internal and external validity measures as well as on the extent of compatibility of the course with the standards and criteria of scientific educational program. In a bid to address these issues, this study was conducted to evaluate the program from the perspectives of both the respective teachers and students. The teachers‟ perspectives were examined on the basis of five fundamental criteria including 1) Admission Requirements, 2) Program Content, 3) Program Resources, 4) Program Instruction/Evaluation Methods, and 5) Graduation Requirements/Employment Re...
Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 2016
The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of authentic materials on improving in... more The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of authentic materials on improving intermediate EFL learners' pragmatic competence. To this end, 140 female Iranian EFL learners were originally employed out of which 60 participants were selected as a homogeneous sample based on their performance an OPT and then they were divided into equal groups; an experimental and a control group. Having received a diagnostic pragmatic test, the former group was exposed to authentic materials, while the latter one to conventional pedagogic materials. Afterwards, they received a posttest identical to the pretest; measuring pragmatic competence. The data analysis through an independent sample t-test revealed that the experimental group outperformed on the posttest of pragmatic competence. In other words, teaching authentic materials showed to have a significant effect on improving learners' pragmatic competence.
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Papers by Gholam-Reza Abbasian
Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the
purposes ahead of the assessment. Of many, the major controversy, which was the motive
behind this study, is the incorporation of L1-based elicitation as a valid measure of L2
performance assessment. To shed empirical light on this issue, this explanatory sequential
mixed-methods research employed 87 Iranian intermediate EFL learners, whose L2 classroom
performance was assessed through L1-based elicitation techniques. In order to validate this
mechanism, the multi-method mono-trait model (namely, Pearson correlation, structural
equations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability, and convergent
validity) suggested by Henning and Mesick’s Unitary Concept of validity were applied. The
results from these multiple sources of evidence yield support to their common consensus that
L1-based elicitation techniques are valid measures of L2 performance assessment. The findings
then offer a legacy to the educational implications of L1-based mechanisms both in L2
instruction and assessment.
Keywords: L1-based elicitation, Performance assessment, Speaking ability, Unitary concept of
validity
way such characteristics can be developed and implemented in instructed second
language have received momentum in applied linguistics. As a novel practice, this
mixed-methods study was designed to feature a critically-thinker reader in developing both her critical thinking and reading abilities in the light of two novel
instructional mechanisms (i.e., Asynchronous Web-based Collaborative (AWC) vs.
Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) instructional approaches). To this end,
a sample of 89 Iranian EFL learners (Pilot group) were interviewed based on which
first the features of a critically-thinker reader were extracted, analyzed and modeled via MaxQDA. Then, three groups of 154 language learners (i.e., Control, QAR &
AWC) were exposed to its specific type of instruction. In addition to the extraction of
“argumentation”, “judgment”, “dispositions”, “action”, “social cognition”, and “creativity” each with its sub-categories as the sub-traits of critically-thinker’s conceptual
model, ANOVAs were run to analyze the quantitative data. It was observed that
AWC group outperformed others both in critical reading and critical thinking
Classroom performance assessment has gained prominence parallel to the multiplicity of the
purposes ahead of the assessment. Of many, the major controversy, which was the motive
behind this study, is the incorporation of L1-based elicitation as a valid measure of L2
performance assessment. To shed empirical light on this issue, this explanatory sequential
mixed-methods research employed 87 Iranian intermediate EFL learners, whose L2 classroom
performance was assessed through L1-based elicitation techniques. In order to validate this
mechanism, the multi-method mono-trait model (namely, Pearson correlation, structural
equations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability, and convergent
validity) suggested by Henning and Mesick’s Unitary Concept of validity were applied. The
results from these multiple sources of evidence yield support to their common consensus that
L1-based elicitation techniques are valid measures of L2 performance assessment. The findings
then offer a legacy to the educational implications of L1-based mechanisms both in L2
instruction and assessment.
Keywords: L1-based elicitation, Performance assessment, Speaking ability, Unitary concept of
validity
way such characteristics can be developed and implemented in instructed second
language have received momentum in applied linguistics. As a novel practice, this
mixed-methods study was designed to feature a critically-thinker reader in developing both her critical thinking and reading abilities in the light of two novel
instructional mechanisms (i.e., Asynchronous Web-based Collaborative (AWC) vs.
Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) instructional approaches). To this end,
a sample of 89 Iranian EFL learners (Pilot group) were interviewed based on which
first the features of a critically-thinker reader were extracted, analyzed and modeled via MaxQDA. Then, three groups of 154 language learners (i.e., Control, QAR &
AWC) were exposed to its specific type of instruction. In addition to the extraction of
“argumentation”, “judgment”, “dispositions”, “action”, “social cognition”, and “creativity” each with its sub-categories as the sub-traits of critically-thinker’s conceptual
model, ANOVAs were run to analyze the quantitative data. It was observed that
AWC group outperformed others both in critical reading and critical thinking