@article { author = {Alavi, Seyyed Mohammad and Karami, Hossein}, title = {Differential item functioning and ad hoc interpretations}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {1-18}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66129}, abstract = {A plethora of research studies has focused on Differential Item Functioning. Despite the diversity of DIF detection techniques offered, little research has been done on the interpretation of DIF results. This study was undertaken to investigate whether there is any order to the interpretations offered for the real cause of items flagged as displaying DIF. The analysis of the opinion of experts showed that there is no such order. It is argued that such “ad hoc” interpretations have rendered DIF analysis of little use. It is further suggested that research should focus on devising a mechanism for basing DIF interpretations on principled grounds.}, keywords = {Differential Item Functioning,UTEPT,fit analysis,item calibration}, title_fa = {بررسی}, abstract_fa = {بررسی}, keywords_fa = {بررسی}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66129.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66129_fb3943541a48b34e329f1341f08ee0b9.pdf} } @article { author = {Hassaskhah, Jaleh and Chavoshi, Seyedeh Marziyeh}, title = {Interactional modifications in text-based online chat and EFL question development}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {19-48}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66130}, abstract = {The limited language exposure available to the learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) decreases their chance of utilizing two important practices- questions and interactional modifications- in their classrooms, which according to interaction hypothesis are influential in language development. This study thus explores the possibilities of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), and in particular, text-based online chat in increasing these opportunities. To do so, a total of eighteen paired intermediate EFL students were assigned to use a synchronous chat program to complete a set of seven communicative tasks outside their classroom over a period of seven weeks’ time. Their performance was later compared with that of the control group members who completed the same tasks but through in-class written interaction. The results show that participants in the former environment not only outperformed those in the latter in terms of both type and frequency of the interactional modifications, but also manifested higher level questioning abilities. However, since this study focused on the forms of questions rather than their cognitive value, further research is required to seek ways in which questions which call for speculative, inferential and evaluative thinking can develop.}, keywords = {computer-mediated communication,interactional modifications,question forms development}, title_fa = {تغییرات تعاملی}, abstract_fa = {تغییرات}, keywords_fa = {تغییرات}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66130.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66130_91db5e195e33f0ab52f909f9ae25e2e2.pdf} } @article { author = {Jalilifar, Alireza}, title = {A contrastive discourse analysis of English newspaper headlines: Facing syntactic challenges in translation}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {49-68}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66131}, abstract = {Among the various news genres, the distinctive telegraphic syntax and stylistic features of newspaper headlines have drawn a good deal of linguistic attention. However, no substantive analysis has been conducted to compare English headlines published in native and non-native contexts. To this end, the present study was done in two phases. In the first phase, 2000 English headlines were randomly selected from the electronic versions of New York Times (1000) and Tehran Times (1000) and analyzed syntactically and stylistically based on Haixin's (2003) model. Results indicated differences in syntactic and stylistic features of the headlines of the two newspapers. In the second phase, 26 male and female senior BA students of English were asked to translate 60 headlines chosen from the two newspapers. The analysis of the translations revealed that, in general, the participants experience greater difficulty comprehending and translating English headlines of New York Times, suggesting contextual variations being important in comprehending and translating headlines.}, keywords = {headline,syntactic features,stylistic features,New York Times,Tehran Times}, title_fa = {تحلیل مقابله‌ای}, abstract_fa = {تحلیل مقابله‌ای}, keywords_fa = {تحلیل مقابله‌ای}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66131.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66131_95ad9ceff16631672ef1e9ce0617589a.pdf} } @article { author = {Akbari, Ramin and Abednia, Arman}, title = {Second language teachers’ sense of self-efficacy: A construct validation}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {69-101}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66132}, abstract = {While teacher efficacy is a well-researched concept in mainstream teacher education, it is relatively unexplored in second language (L2) teaching contexts. Part of the problem stems from lack of a specific instrument for measuring teacher efficacy in L2 settings. The present study was conducted, therefore, to develop such an instrument. “Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy scale” (TSES) formed the basis for the development of the new instrument. 35 L2 teachers with more than 3 years of experience were interviewed on the specifics of efficient foreign language teaching. After the content analysis of the interviews, ten items were developed and added to TSES. The resultant 33- item questionnaire, “Second Language Teacher Efficacy Scale”, SLTES, was administered to 272 English language teachers for construct validation. Factor analysis of the collected data with principal axis factoring yielded the same factor structure of TSES, that is, efficacy in instructional strategies, efficacy in student engagement, efficacy in classroom management which were redefined in light of the items added to each.}, keywords = {Locus of control,measures of teacher efficacy,selfefficacy,social cognitive theory,teacher efficacy}, title_fa = {معلم‌های زبان دوم}, abstract_fa = {معلم‌های زبان دوم}, keywords_fa = {معلم‌های زبان دوم}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66132.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66132_55bb037a4942e0b828b3051d1146b4ec.pdf} } @article { author = {Kiany, Gholam Reza and Ghafar Samar, Reza and Jafari, Sakineh}, title = {The effects of planning condition, task structure, and gender on EFL learners' written performance}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {103-123}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66133}, abstract = {This study focuses on the effect of different variables on the nature of language performance in the context of task-based instruction. The effects of three different tasks with various inherent structures (the personal, the narrative, and the decision-making tasks), two planning conditions (pre-planning and noplanning), and gender on the variables of fluency, accuracy, complexity, and lexical density were investigated. The findings of the study revealed strong effects of planning on all aspects of learners' performances. Also, significant differences were found among the three tasks with the personal and the narrative tasks resulting in better performance than the decision task. No significant differences were found between males and females groups. In addition, interactions were found between task type and planning condition. The findings justifies the integration of planning time and the use of different tasks in writing courses as they clearly promote some aspects of performance.}, keywords = {accuracy,complexity,fluency,Lexical Density,planning condition,task structure}, title_fa = {بررسی اثر}, abstract_fa = {بررسی اثر}, keywords_fa = {بررسی اثر}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66133.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66133_14d9372c4b3b25114daa02c64c92a847.pdf} } @article { author = {Jahangard, Ali and Moinzadeh, Ahmad and Tavakoli, Mansoor}, title = {Vocabulary learning and learners’ ability to transfer their knowledge into L2 reading comprehension: A case for translation}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {125-150}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66134}, abstract = {The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the students who learn their lexical knowledge through translation method are able to transfer the knowledge into reading comprehension .The study consisted of four steps, namely, reading pre-test, lexical instruction, vocabulary testing, and reading post-test. The results showed a significant improvement in the reading scores of the learners in Grade One and Two after the vocabulary instruction treatments were introduced. The results indicated that low-proficiency (Novice Mid and Novice-High) were able to transfer their lexical knowledge learned through decontextualized translation equivalent teaching method into reading comprehension tasks. The apparent discrepancy between the findings of the present study and that of Prince (1996) is also discussed with reference to “task-induced involvement load hypothesis”.}, keywords = {vocabulary learning,reading comprehension,explicit and implicit learning,translation list learning,pairedassociate paradigm,task-induced involvement load hypothesis}, title_fa = {یادگیری واژگان}, abstract_fa = {یادگیری واژگان}, keywords_fa = {یادگیری واژگان}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66134.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66134_41a0ae5b5925b03927a8e1d75617963a.pdf} } @article { author = {Ramin, Zohreh and Asadi, Fazel}, title = {The politics of ambiguity: The case of Richard III Zohreh Ramin}, journal = {Teaching English Language}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {151-171}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)}, issn = {2538-5488}, eissn = {2538-547X}, doi = {10.22132/tel.2010.66135}, abstract = {Critics have long been obsessed with the ambiguous nature of Shakespeare's Richard III. Richard, the protagonist whose name bears the very title of the play, is portrayed as ostensibly an evil figure, and weather his actions are the result of the incarnation of the devil in human form or the result of a mind disturbed as result of physical deformity has long been observed and discussed. However, the present reading, relying on new historicist notions of power and subversion, aims to look at the play from a significantly different perspective. Richard usurps the throne by killing his brother, King Edward IV, and to maintain his authority and sovereignty is compelled to commit more crimes. At the same time, his eloquence and power to control the course of events as well as other characters, specifically in the first part of the play, has long appealed to audiences and critics, attributing a somewhat productive and dynamic quality to his character. The present paper attempts to uncover glimpses of possible reasons for two closely related ambiguities which have long problematized the play. The first aspect is related to the genre of the play, vacillating between two poles; while the play apparently depicts Richard as one of the King's of England, recorded in the history books of Hall and Holinshed, yet Richard embodies certain characteristics which can align him with the tragic hero. The second is related to the very character of Richard, at once a villain and a redeemer. Many critics have praised him, for his power of eloquence and aptitude to govern those around him, simultaneously recognizing the evil and villain in him.}, keywords = {Richard III,ambiguous,deformity,historicist,subversion,genre}, title_fa = {سیاست‌های}, abstract_fa = {سیاست‌های}, keywords_fa = {سیاست‌های}, url = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66135.html}, eprint = {http://www.teljournal.org/article_66135_156f9206ec5b09ce51e851e917a7d3a6.pdf} }