هدف از مطالعه حاضر بررسی میزان اضطراب در میان زبان آموزان زبان آموزان ایرانی و ارتباط سطح اضطراب زبان اموزان با میزان انگیزش آنان است. این مطالعه همچنین به بررسی این مساله می پردازد که آیا ارتباط معنی داری بین اضطراب، انگیزش و بسندگی زبان انگلیسی در میان زبان آموزان ایرانی وجود دارد. برای این منظور، تعداد 80 زبان آموزان انگلیسی به عنوان زبان خارجی (35 زبان آموز پسر و 45 زبان آموز دختر( به روش نمونه گیری تصادفی    خوشه ای از دو کلاس زبان در دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد سردشت، استان هرمزگان، ایران به عنوان شرکت کنندگان در این مطالعه انتخاب شدند. ابزار مورد استفاده جهت جمع آوری اطلاعات از شرکت کنندگان، مقیاس سنجش اضطراب    زبان آموزی خارجی (FLCAS)، مجموعه آزمون انگیزش/ دیدگاه زبان آموزی (AMTB) گاردنر (1985)، و یک نسخه اصلاح شده از آزمون کتبی تافل(TOEFL) جهت اندازه گیری سطح بسندگی زبان شرکت کنندگان در مطالعه بود. نتایج مطالعه نشان داد که اکثریت شرکت کنندگان میزان متوسط تا بالای اضطراب زبان آموزی را تجربه می کنند. علاوه بر این مشاهده شد که شرکت کنندگان داری سطوح پایین تر اضطراب زبان آموزی، انگیزش بیشتری جهت فراگیری زبان آموزی انگلیسی دارند در حالی که زبان آموزان داری سطوح بالاتر اضطراب زبان آموزی، میزان انگیزش کمتری جهت فراگیری زبان آموزی انگلیسی دارند. از سوی دیگر، مشاهده شد که شرکت کنندگان درای سطوح پایین تر اضطراب زبان آموزی از مهارت بیشتری در زمینه زبان آموزان انگلیسی برخوردار هستند و بالعکس. علاوه بر این، نتایج نشان داد که بین انگیزش شرکت کنندگان و بسندگی زبان انگلیسی رابطه مثبت و معناداری وجود دارد. با این حال، تفاوت معنی داری بین سطح اضطراب زبان آموزان پسر و دختر وجود ندارد. به همین ترتیب، تفاوت معنی داری بین میزان انگیزشی زبان آموزان پسر و دختر در این مطالعه مشاهده نشد. در نهایت، مشاهده شد که تفاوت معنی داری بین زبان آموزان پسر و دختر از نظر اضطراب زبان آموزی، انگیزش یادگیری زبان انگلیسی و میزان مهارت های زبان انگلیسی وجود ندارد که این یافته بیانگر این است که جنسیت نقش تعیین کننده ای در این سه متغیر ایفا نمی کند.

 

 

 

واژه های کلیدی:اضطراب زبان آموزی، انگیزش زبان آموزی، بسندگی زبان، زبان آموزان انگلیسی به عنوان زبان خارجی

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction. 2

 

Background. 2

 

Statement of the Problem.. 6

 

Research Objectives. 7

 

Significance of the Study. 7

 

Research Questions. 8

 

Operational Definition of Key Terms. 9

 

 

 

11

 

Introduction. 12

 

Theoretical Framework. 12

 

Anxiety by Definition. 12

 

Types of Anxiety. 13

 

Sources of Language Learning Anxiety. 18

 

Language Learning Anxiety and Gender 20

 

Motivation by Definition. 22

 

Types of Motivation. 24

 

Intrinsic Motivation. 25

 

Extrinsic Motivation. 26

 

Motivation and Language Learning. 26

 

Language Proficiency. 29

 

Empirical Studies Done in the Field. 30

 

Anxiety and Language Learning. 30

 

Motivation and Language Learning. 39

 

Anxiety and Foreign Language Motivation. 42

 

Final Remarks on Literature. 44

 

 

 

. 47

 

Introduction. 48

 

Participants. 48

 

Instruments. 49

 

Data Collection Procedures. 51

 

Data Analysis Procedures. 53

 

Design of the Study. 54

 

 

 

55

 

Introduction. 56

 

Results of the Study. 56

 

Participants’ Anxiety Level in Language Classrooms. 56

 

Relationship between the Participants’ Level of Anxiety and Motivation  60

 

Participants’ Scores on Motivation Questionnaire. 60

 

Relationship between the participants’ language proficiency, level of               anxiety, and motivation. 62

 

Participants’ Performance in the Proficiency Test 63

 

Relationship Between the Participants’ Language Proficiency & Their         Level of Anxiety. 65

 

Relationship Between the Participants’ Language Proficiency &  their            motivation. 67

 

Gender Differences Concerning Anxiety, Motivation, and Language               Proficiency Level of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners. 70

 

Motivation, and English Proficiency. 75

 

Discussion of Findings. 78

 

 

 

82

 

Introduction. 83

 

Summary. 83

 

Conclusion. 85

 

Pedagogical Implications. 88

 

Limitations of the Study. 89

 

 

 

References. 91

 

Appendices. 100

 

Appendix I: Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. 101

 

Appendix II: Attitude/Motivation Test Battery. 103

 

Appendix III:English Language Proficiency Test 106

 

 

 

List of Tables

 

Participants’ Demographic Statistics. 56

 

Descriptive Statistics of the Participants’ Level of Anxiety. 57

 

Anxiety Groups. 57

 

Participants’ Distribution in Anxiety Groups. 58

 

ANOVA Results for Group Differences. 59

 

Descriptive Statistics for Participants’ Motivation. 60

 

Participants’ Motivation in the Anxiety Groups. 61

 

Correlation between Language Learning Anxiety and Motivation. 61

 

Descriptive Statistics for the Participants’ Scores in the proficiency test 61

 

Male and Female Participants’ Scores in the Proficiency Test 61

 

-test for Male and Female Performance in       the Proficiency Test 64

 

Participants’ English Proficiency in the Anxiety Groups. 65

 

Correlation Between Language Learning Anxiety and English Proficiency. 65

 

Motivation Groups. 67

 

Participants’ Distribution in Motivational Groups. 67

 

Participants’ English Proficiency in the Motivational Groups. 68

 

Correlation Between Motivation and English Proficiency. 69

 

Males’ and Females’ Level of Anxiety. 70

 

-test for Differences in Males and Females’ Level of        Anxiety. 71

 

Distribution of Males and Females in Anxiety Groups. 71

 

Males’ and Females’ Motivation. 72

 

-test for Differences in Males and Females’ Level of       Motivation. 73

 

Distribution of Males and Females in Motivational Groups. 73

 

Correlation Between Males’ Anxiety, Motivation, and English Proficiency  75

 

Correlation Between Females’ Anxiety, Motivation, and English                         proficiency. 76

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

The present study was an attempt to investigate the degree of anxiety among Iranian intermediate EFL learners and its relation to their motivation. It also explored whether there was any significant relationship between anxiety, motivation and language proficiency for Iranian EFL learners. To this end, a total number of 80 EFL learners (35 males and 45 females) were selected through cluster random sampling from two language classes at Islamic Azad University, Sardasht Branch, Hormozgan Province, Iran as the participants in this study. The instruments used to collect the data from the participants were the Foreign Language Learning Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), Gardner’s (1985) Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) used to measure the participants’ motivation to learn English, and a modified version of a paper-based TOEFL test that was used to measure the participants’ level of English

 proficiency. The results indicated that the majority of the participants experienced a mid to high level of language learning anxiety. Besides, it was found that the participants with lower levels of the language learning anxiety were more motivated to learn English while those with higher levels of the language learning anxiety were less motivated to learn English. On the other hand, it was noted that the participants with lower levels of the language learning anxiety were more proficient English learners and vice versa. In addition, there was a positive significant relationship between the participants’ motivation and their English proficiency. However, there was no significant difference between the anxiety level of male and female participants. Similarly, there was no significant difference between the motivation level of male and female participants in this study. Finally, the findings indicated that there was no significant difference between the male and female participants concerning their language learning anxiety, motivation to learn English, and their English proficiency, indicating that gender did not play a determining role in these three variables.

 

Keywords: Language learning anxiety, Language learning motivation, Language proficiency,

 

EFL Learners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

1.0   Introduction

 

The present chapter includes six parts. The first part presents a background to the study. The second part addresses the statement of the problem followed by research questions in the third part. Then, the significance of the study and research questions are presented, respectively. Definitions of key terms are presented at the end of the chapter.

 

1.1 Background

 

It is well established that second/foreign language learning is often associated with affective factors, among which the constructs of anxiety and motivation have been recognized as important predictors of second/foreign language performance. Anxiety is defined as a state of uneasiness and apprehension or fear caused by the anticipation of something threatening (Chastain, 1988).

 

Many researchers believe language anxiety influences language learning. Whereas facilitating anxiety exerts positive effects on learners’ performance, too much anxiety may cause a poor performance (Scovels, 1991). Some of symptoms of anxiety are shown physically as we may feel our heart beating faster and psychologically as we may feel frightened or panicky. We start to have anxious thoughts about the very real possibility of making a complete fool of ourselves and the consequent loss of face as a consequence of this type of anxiety. Nobody likes to be thought of as a failure.

 

But the real problem with anxiety is that in order to avoid feelings of discomfort, feeling frightened or a sense of failure, we may choose to avoid situations which have the potential to make us discomfort. But the result of avoidance is the gradual loss of our self-esteem (Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986). Anxiety has been regarded as one of the most important affective factors that can influence second language acquisition. Much research has been conducted to find the relationship between anxiety and achievement in the learning of different foreign languages. Such research has revealed that anxiety can impede foreign language production and achievement (e.g., Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986; MacIntyre& Gardner, 1994). Language anxiety is experienced by learners of both foreign and second language and causes potential problems as it can interfere with the acquisition, retention, and production of the new language (MacIntyre& Gardner, 1991).

 

Students with all levels of academic achievement and intellectual abilities are believed to be affected by anxiety in language learning contexts. This type of anxiety occurs in varying degrees and is characterized by emotional feelings of worry, fear, and apprehension. It can be experienced differently by different individuals. As students’ progress, abundant pressures, and different anxiety levels might affect them. To facilitate higher levels of performance, Soupon (2004) urges teachers to be aware of the language learning anxiety factor, which can negatively impact the performances of students. Soupon lists the lack of competence as the first reason for anxious students; the second is the lack of proper study skills, and the third is wrong self-perceptions about their capacities.

متن کامل پایان نامه مقطع کارشناسی ارشد رشته :زبان انگلیسی

 

عنوان : THE EFFECT OF CRITICAL THINKING ON TRANSLATION PERFORMANCE OF TRANSLATIONS STUDENTS

 

 

 

 

 

ISLAMIC AZAD UNIVERSITY

 

CENTRAL TEHRAN BRANCH

 

Faculty of Foreign Languages- Department of English

 

 

 

A THESIS SUBMITED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE EFFECTS OF CRITICAL THINKING ON TRANSLATION

 

 

 

Title:

 

THE EFFECT OF CRITICAL THINKING ON TRANSLATION PERFORMANCE OF TRANSLATIONS STUDENTS

 

ADVISOR: BEHDOKHT MALL -AMIRI Ph.D.

 

 

 

Summer 2014

 

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 Table of contents

 

Abstract. 7

 

CHAPTER I 8

 

. 8

 

1.1.       Introduction. 9

 

1.2. Statement of the problem.. 10

 

1.3. Research question. 12

 

1.4. Research Hypothesis. 12

 

1.5. Definition of Key Terms. 12

 

Critical thinking. 12

 

Farahzad‘s Model of TQA.. 13

 

1.6. Significance of the Study. 14

 

1.7. Limitations and Delimitations of the Study. 15

 

Delimitation. 16

 

CHAPTER II 17

 

Review of the Related Literature. 17

 

2.1 Introduction. 18

 

2.2 Thinking. 18

 

2.3Characteristics of a Critical Thinker. 19

 

2.4 Critical Thinking Skills. 21

 

2.5. Teaching Critical Thinking. 22

 

2.5.1. How to Teach Critical Thinking. 23

 

2.5.1.1. Critical Thinking and Inferences. 25

 

2.5.1.2. Critical Thinking about Points of View.. 25

 

2.5.1.3. Purpose. 26

 

2.5.1.4. Evidence. 26

 

2.5.1.5. Beliefs. 26

 

2.5.1.6. Conclusions and Decisions. 26

 

2.5.1.7. Assumption. 26

 

2.6. Evaluation of the Quality of Translation. 27

 

26.1 The History of Translation and TQA.. 30

 

2.6.2The Main Approaches toward TQA.. 35

 

2.6.2.1Mentalist Views. 35

 

2.6.2.2 Response Based Approaches. 35

 

2.6.2.2.1 Behaviorist Views. 35

 

2.6.2.3 Text and Discourse Based Approaches. 36

 

2.6.2.4 Functionalist Approaches: Skopos Relate Approach. 36

 

2.6.2.5. Literature-oriented Approaches: 36

 

2.5.2.5.1 Descriptive Translation Studies. 36

 

2.6.2.5.2 Post-Modernist and Deconstructionist Thinking. 37

 

2.6.2.6 Linguistically-Oriented Approaches. 37

 

2.6.2.6.1 A Functional Pragmatic Model of Translation Evaluation: 38

 

2.7. Different Models of Evaluating Students’ Translations. 39

 

27.1 Farahzad‘s Model of TQA.. 39

 

2.7.2. Waddington‘s Model of TQA.. 40

 

2.7.3 Al-Qinai‘s Model of TQA.. 43

 

2.7.4. Sainz’s Model of TQA.. 44

 

2.8. Conclusion. 45

 

Chapter III 47

 

Methodology. 47

 

3.1. Introduction. 48

 

3.2. Participants. 48

 

3.3 Instruments. 49

 

3.3.1. Instructional Material 49

 

3.3.2. Preliminary English Test (PET). 49

 

3.3.3. Pre Translation Production Test. 50

 

3.3.7. Post Translation Production Test. 50

 

3.4. Procedure. 51

 

3.5. Design of the Study. 54

 

3.6. Statistical Analysis. 54

 

CHAPTER IV.. 55

 

Results and Discussion. 55

 

4.1. Introduction. 56

 

4.2. Participant Selection. 56

 

4.3. Discussion. 71

 

CHAPTER V.. 73

 

CONCLUSIONS AND PEDAGOGICALIMPLICATIONS. 73

 

5.1. Introduction. 74

 

5.2. Conclusion. 74

 

5.3. Pedagogical Implications. 75

 

5.4 Suggestions for Further Research. 75

 

References. 77

 

References. 78

 

Abstract

 

This study was conducted to investigate whether critical thinking had any significant effect on translation performance of translations students. To this end, 75 male and female English translation students at the 7th semester at BA level were chosen from Azad University, Shahr-e-Ghods branch. The participants were non-randomly selected on the basis of the scores they obtained on a pre-piloted Preliminarily English Test (PET) and a translation test before conducting the study. The division of the participants to the experimental and control groups was done randomly..Both experimental and control groups were taught using the same material in  translation c

lasses and they received the same amount of instruction .The only difference was some techniques of critical thinking that were  taught to the experimental group to be used in their translation. A posttest of translation was given to the participants after the treatment, and the results of the data analyses showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of their posttest performance

 

CHAPTER I

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

1.1.    Introduction

 

Newmark(1998)asserts: “As a means of communication, translation is used for multilingual notices, for tourist publicity; for official documents such as treaties and contracts; for reports, papers, articles, correspondence, and textbooks to convey information, advice and recommendation for every branch of knowledge”(P.7). According to Newmark(1998)“translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended in the text”(p.5). In other words “translation consists of transferring the meaning of the source language (SL) into the receptor language” (RL) (Larson, 1984, p.3). A translator faces some difficulties during translation and may not convey the meaning of the SL to RLappropriately.AsNewmark(1988) puts it“when there is no such thing as a law of translation”(p.113), tohelpconvey the meaning from SL to RL in different  texts in different languages what should a translator do? Is it possible to find a way to lesson unpredictable difficulties during a translation?

 

Scriven and Paul ( 1987), indicatethatcritical thinking(CT) is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

 

Facion (2010) also believes that CT includes the following cognitive skills: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. So a critical thinker should have especial skills in order to make a good judgment. Critical thinkers observe carefully, rely on evidence, ask right questions, and identify problems based on reasons. These thinkers are opposite to unreflective people who are biased, jump to conclusion and delay too long in making a good decision. These definitions of CT indicate the importance of thinking especially in the production of new ideas and problem solving. . On the other hand Paul and Elder (2004) think making an inference is an essential part of comprehension. Writers can’t make all the information explicit in a text. It is relied on reader to make necessary inferences in each case.

 

Schafersman(1991) believes that children are not born with the power to think critically, nor do they develop this ability naturally beyond survival-level thinking. Critical thinking is a learned ability that must be taught. Most individuals never learn it. Critical thinking cannot be taught reliably to students by peers or by most parents. Trained and knowledgeable instructors are necessary to impart the proper information and skills.. Regarding the teachability of critical thinking Wright (2002) proposes three main ways for teaching critical thinking in the class, teacher modeling, classroom activities, and teaching the tools of critical thinking.Wright (2002) proposes several ways of organizing for instruction in critical thinking: teach a separate course or unit, infuse critical thinking into what we teach, or we can use a mixed approach.Wright (2002) as well believes that in teaching critical thinking mastering the following concepts is crucial: a) cause and effect  b) premise and conclusion  c) point of viewd) evidence  e) reason  f) assumption

 

1. g) inference.

    

 

Bailin (2002) holds firmly to the idea that becoming proficient at critical thinking involves, among other things, takes the acquisition of certain kinds of knowledge. Knowledge of critical concepts such as ‘premise’, ‘conclusion’, ‘cause and effect’, ‘necessary and sufficient condition’; knowledge of methodological principles; and knowledge of the criteria for critical judgment.

 

There is not an appropriate and sufficient theory of CT for application in translation and education but as Robinson (2003 as cited in Kelly.2005) mentions, translation is an intelligent activity involving complex processes of conscious and unconscious learning.

 

According to the above-mentioned forerunners of CT Critical thinking and learning how to think critically may have a crucial role in translation.

 

1.2. Statement of the problem

 

The quality of translation is different from person to person. When a text is given to a number of translators with the same age, social, and educational background to be translated the products are not the same. According to Shahvali (cited in Razmjou 2004), theoretical knowledge and practical skills alone are not adequate to prepare students to have the developments in the field. There is a need for the ability to develop; therefore, it is necessary to focus on students’ self- updating and to develop their relevant mental, communicative, and planning skills.

 

Moreover, there are many factors that influence the quality of translation. The question is that what happens in the mind of a translator that translates differently from the others at the same age and level of knowledge. To provide the answer, one needstolook at the job with a critical pe

متن کامل پایان نامه مقطع کارشناسی ارشد رشته :زبان انگلیسی:

 

عنوان : The Effect of Project Works on Learner’s Autonomy and Language proficiency of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners in Two High schools in District Four in Mashhad

 

 

 

Islamic Azad University

 

Torbat-e Heydarieh Branch

 

 

 

The Effect of Project Works on Learner’s Autonomy and Language proficiency of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners in Two High schools in District Four in Mashhad

 

 

 

A Thesis Proposal Submitted to the English Department at Islamic Azad University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in

 

English Language Teaching (ELT)

 

 

 

Supervisor

 

Dr. Mohammad Ali Fatemi

 

 

 

Feb.2015

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title                                                                                                                    Page
APPROVAL PAGE                                                                                               ii
DEDICATION                                                                                                       iii
AKNOWLEDGEMNENTS                                                                                   iv
DECLARATION                                                                                                    v
TABLE OF CONTNETS                                                                                       vi
LIST OF TABLES                                                                                                  vii
ABSTARCT                                                                                                            xi
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction                                                                                 1
1.1 Background and purpose                                                                                 1
1.2 Statement of the problem                                                                                4
1.3 Research questions                                                                                          5
1.4 Research hypotheses                                                                                       5
1.5 Significance of the study                                                                                6
1.6 (De)Limitations of the study                                                                          8
1.7 Definition of  Key Terms                                                                               9     1.7.1 Learner autonomy                                                                            9   1.7.2 Project works                                                                                  10
CHAPTER TWO: Review of Literature                                                                11        2.1. Theoretical Background & Concepts                                                           11
2.1 Overview                                                                                                     32
CHAPTER THREE: Methodology                                                                       34
3.1 Overview                                                                                                     34
3.2 Participants and setting                                                                                  34
3.3 Instrumentation                                                                                              34
3.3.1. Power points                                                                                    36      3.3.2. Students’ logbooks                                                                                      38   3.3.3. Posters and wall newspapers                                                                      40   3.3.4. Preparing brochure or pamphlets                                                                41   3.3.5. Making authentic material for future use in the classroom                        41   3.4 Procedure                                                                                                                   42
3.5 Study design                                                                                                   51
CHAPTER FOUR: Results and Discussions                                                           52
4.1 Overview                                                                                                       64
CHAPTER FIVE: Conclusions                                                                               72
5.1 Overview                                                                                                       72
5.2 Summary of the findings                                                                               73
5.3 Conclusions                                                                                                   74
5.4 Pedagogical implications                                                                               76
5.5. Suggestions for further research                                                                  77
REFERENCES                                                                                                       78
APPENDICES
Appendix A  Questionnaire to investigate the Learner autonomy                      85         Appendix B   Interview questions                                                                       88       Appendix  C   Common reference levels                                                                 89               Appendix D  Projects implemented during twelve sessions in brief                   92
BIO-DATA                                                                                                            113     Tile page in Farsi       Abstract in Farsi                                                                                                    117   Approval page in Farsi                                                                                                   118       Declaration Page in Farsi                                                                                          119

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

 

Table a- The merits of the PBL procedure in comparison to the traditional classrooms      7

 

Table b – The pre-test scores of both groups                                                                       43

 

Table c – The mean scores of the two groups on the test section                                         44

 

Table 1- Tests of Normality for experimental group                                                            53

 

Table 2- Tests of Normality for control group                                                                      54

 

Table 3- Group Statistics on autonomy                                                                                 54

 

Table 4- Independent Samples Test on autonomy                                                                55

 

Table 5- Group Statistics for reading pre-test                                                                       56

 

Table 6- Independent Samples Test for reading pre-test                                                       57

 

Table 7- Group Statistics for writing pre-test                                                                        57

 

Table 8 -Independent Samples Test for writing pre-test                                                        58

 

Table 9- Group Statistics on speaking pre-test                                                                      59

 

Table 10- Independent Samples Test on speaking pre-test                                                    61

 

Table 11- Group Statistics on listening pre-test                                                                     61

 

Table 12- Independent Samples Test on listening pre-test                                                    62

 

Table 13- Group Statistics on reading post-test                                                                     63

 

Table 14- Independent Samples Test for reading post-test                                                    63

 

Table 15- Table 9 Group Statistics for writing post-test                                                        64

 

Table 16- Independent Samples Test for writing post-test                                                    65

 

Table 17- Group Statistics on speaking post-test                                                                  66

 

 

 

Table 18- Independent Samples Test on speaking post-test                                                 67

 

Table 19- Group Statistics on listening post-test                                                                  67

 

Table 20- Independent Samples Test on listening post-test                                                 68

 

 

 

Abstract

 

The present empirical research reports on the findings of a study that investigated the effects of Project Work on Language proficiency and autonomy level of Iranian Intermediate Learners in an EFL setting. The method of teaching and learning English language through Project works is a contrast to the current teaching of English in Iranian high schools. The researcher after implementing FCE exam as the pre-test to homogenize 250 female students of two high schools in district 4 Mashhad, chose 50 students as the participants of the study. They were divided randomly into two groups of experimental and control groups. Through 12 sessions of instruction in three months’ time students in experimental group went under different project works introduced by the researcher. At the same time the students in the control group were provided with five short stories as their reading comprehension assignments. In order to collect the required data, a Cambridge FCE proficiency test was employed by the researcher as both pre-test and post-test. To check the autonomy level of the participants, a Learner Autonomy Questionnaire developed by Zhang and Li (2004, p. 23), was administered. At the end an interview was performed by the researcher to perceive the students’ ideas about the project work. Regarding the first hypothesis,” Project works do not have any significant effect on Intermediate Iranian EFL learners’ autonomy “, descriptive statistics of the autonomy questionnaire indicated that the mean of the autonomy level of the experimental group (M= 42.80) was higher than that of the control group (M= 26.76), therefor the hypothesis was rejected. The second hypothesis was not completely rejected. The projects applied had enabled the students to develop positive attitudes towards all English skills except for the reading skill. The results of the interview indicated that most students enjoyed doing projects. The study revealed that project works can be an effective way in teaching foreign languages and could create a gradual shift away from the traditional forms of teaching and learning in an EFL Iranian Intermediate setting.

 

Keywords: project works, language proficiency, learner autonomy.

 

Chapter One.

 

Introduction

 

      1.1. Background and purpose

 

Nowadays English is considered as one of the most important international languages which are widely used throughout the world. It is also the medium of communication, therefore the demand for high proficiency in the use of English has increased in the past decades. Today the world’s economy, culture, education, science and politics are under the influence of globalization and English is the medium through which a lot of communications are carried out. This study focuses on the teaching of English through project works to high school students in Iran.

 

English language plays an important role not only in education, but also in foreign trade, overseas jobs, and study opportunities abroad. It is taught in all secondary schools in Iran and is given some weight in the university entrance examinations. It is also the language for economic negotiations and political matters throughout the world. Therefore it is a vital tool in the international world and the acceptance and use of English in international education is very demanding.

 

Kumaravadivelu (2008) in his book Understanding Language Teaching stated that a source of tiresome ambiguity that influences language teaching is the absence of principled way which classifies language teaching methods in a coherent fashion. During 1980s various process-oriented approaches were experimented by several scholars including Comprehension approach (Winitz,1981), Natural approach (Krashen & Terrell, 1983),Proficiency- oriented approach (Omaggio,1986), Communicational approach (Prabhu,1987), Lexical approach(Lewis1993; Willis,1990) and Process approach ( Legutke & Thomas, 1991). However, there are particular instructional procedures that have kept their impact on language teaching among which Project-Based Instruction (PBI) is considered to be fitted with quite effective learning opportunities for teaching languages in various contexts. Project work is usually a group work, for this reason it is very important to establish a good working relationship between the students. This develops students´ social skills. They make a choice altogether, discuss the problem and choose the best strategy to reach their goal. Then students have to share their work, take their own role in the work and the responsibility for their part of the work. They have to cooperate and this cooperation is really important in their future life. Moreover, it should be considered as an important motivating factor.

 

This is a classroom research project that investigated if integrating a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach into the typical classroom syllabus co

پراکندگی رامان مطالعه نوعی از برهم­کنش بین نور و ماده است که در آن نور دچار پراکندگی غیرکشسان می‌شود. در آزمایش­های طیف سنجی رامان، فوتون­های تک طول موج (در ناحیه‌ی مرئی، نور تکفام گفته می‌شود) روی نمونه متمرکز ‌می‌شوند. فوتون­ها با مولکول‌ها برهم­کنش می‌کنند و بازتابیده، جذب یا پراکنده می‌شوند. طیف سنجی رامان فوتون­های پراکنده شده را مطالعه می‌کند. غالباً فوتون‌هایی که با مولکول‌ها برهم­کنش می‌کنند، به طور کشسان پراکنده می‌شوند. به این نوع پراکندگی، پراکندگی ریلی گفته می‌شود و فوتون‌های پراکنده شده همان طول موج نور فرودی را دارند. اما تقریباً از هر یک میلیون فوتون، یک فوتون به طور غیرکشسان پراکنده می‌شود. در پراکندگی

 رامان، فوتون فرودی با ماده برهم­کنش می‌کند و طول موج آن به سمت طول موج‌های بیشتر یا کمتر جابجا می­شوند. جابجایی به طول موج­های بیشتر غالب است و این پراکندگی را رامان استوکس می‌گویند. اتفاقی که در اینجا می‌افتد آن است که فوتون با ابر الکترونی پیوندهای گروه­های عاملی برهم­کنش کرده و الکترون را به یک حالت مجازی برانگیخته می‌کند. سپس الکترون از حالت مجازی به یک حالت ارتعاشی یا چرخشی برانگیخته واهلش می‌یابد. این باعث می­شود که فوتون مقداری از انرژی خود را از دست بدهد و به صورت پراکندگی رامان استوکس آشکارسازی شود[1]. انرژی از دست داده شده ارتباط مستقیمی با گروه عاملی، ساختار مولکولی متصل به آن، نوع اتم­های مولکول و محیط آن دارد. طیف­های رامان هر مولکول، منحصر به فرد است. از این رو می‌توان از آن مانند “اثر انگشت” در تشخیص ترکیبات مولکولی روی یک سطح، درون یک مایع یا در هوا استفاده کرد[2] .

 

بر مکان تکینگی‌ها در طیف گسیلی دارند. علاوه براین، می‌توان فرکانس گذار در طیف رامان را با تغییر میدان مغناطیسی و اندازه نقطه کنترل نمود. همچنین، نتایج نشان می‌دهند که قطبش نور فرودی و پراکنده شده تاثیر چشمگیری بر اندازه قله‌ها دارد.

 

 

متن کامل پایان نامه مقطع کارشناسی ارشد رشته :زبان انگلیسی

 

عنوان : The Effects Instruction on Pragmatic Development among Iranian EFL Learners:Teaching Polite Refusahs in English

 

 

 

Islamic Azad University, Ilam. Iran

 

Department of English Language Teaching

 

 

 

Thesis for Receiving M.A.  Degree on English Language Teaching

 

English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

 

 

 

Title:

 

The Effects Instruction on Pragmatic Development among Iranian EFL Learners:Teaching Polite Refusahs in English

 

 

 

Supervisor:

 

1. Azizifar. Ph.D

    

 

 

 

Advisor:

 

1. Gowhary. Ph.D

    

 

 

 

Spring 2015

 

 

 

برای رعایت حریم خصوصی نام نگارنده پایان نامه درج نمی شود

 

(در فایل دانلودی نام نویسنده موجود است)

 

تکه هایی از متن پایان نامه به عنوان نمونه :

 

(ممکن است هنگام انتقال از فایل اصلی به داخل سایت بعضی متون به هم بریزد یا بعضی نمادها و اشکال درج نشود ولی در فایل دانلودی همه چیز مرتب و کامل است)

 

Table of Contents

 

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1

 

1.1 Pragmatic Competence. 3

 

1.2 Speech acts. 5

 

1.3 The Speech Act of Refusal…………………………………………………………………. 6

 

1.4 Explicit instruction for developing pragmatic knowledge……………………….. 7

 

1.5 Statement of the problem…………………………………………………………………… 8

 

1.6 Research question and hypothesis………………………………………………………. 9

 

1.7 Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………………… 9

 

2. Review of the literature……………………………………………………………………….. 12

2.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

 

2.2 Semantics versus pragmatics……………………………………………………………… 14

 

2.3 Pragmatic competence versus pragmatic failure……………………………………. 15

 

2 4.Pragmatic Awareness………………………………………………………………………… 16

 

2.5 Cross-cultural pragmatics………………………………………………………………….. 18

 

2.6 Factors Influencing L2 Learners, pragmatic Acquisition…………………………. 18

 

2.6.1 Linguistic competence. 18

 

2.6.2 Length of Residence in a target Country……………………………………………. 20

 

2.7 Speech acts. 20

 

2.8 On heretical frameworks related to L2 pragmatic development 22

 

2.9 On teachability of pragmatic knowledge. 23

 

2.10 Factors Influencing L2 Learners’ Pragmatic Acquisition. 25

 

2.11 On how EFL learners produce refusals………………………………………………. 26

 

3. Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………… 36

3.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….. 36

 

3.2 Participants………………………………………………………………………………………. 36

 

3.3 Instrument 37

 

3.4 Procedure………………………………………………………………………………………… 37

 

3.5 Data analysis. 39

 

4. Results and discussion………………………………………………………………………… 41

4.1 Overview.. 41

 

4.2 Demographic statistics………………………………………………………………………. 41

 

4.2.1 Demographic statistics of participants according to gender 41

 

4.2.2 Demographic statistics of participants according to age. 42

 

4.3 Descriptive Statistics. 43

 

4.4 Checking the assumptions of covariance analysis…………………………………. 44

 

4.5 The findings of the hypothesis of the study. 45

 

4.6 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………………. 46

 

5. Discussion and conclusion. 54

5.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….. 54

 

5.2. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………….. 54

 

5.3. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………… 55

 

5.4. Implications……………………………………………………………………………………. 56

 

5.5. Suggestions for further research. 57

 

5.6 Limitations of the study…………………………………………………………………….. 58

 

References. 60

 

64

 

list of Table

 

Table 4.1 The Frequency and Percentage of Participants According to Gender 42

 

Table 4.2 Frequency and Percentage of Participants According to Age………….. 42

 

Table 4.3 Descriptive statistics of learners’ polite refusal in English for experimental and control groups. 43

 

Table 4.4. The test results of normality of variable distribution in the participants  44

 

Table 4.5. The results of homogeneity of the variances using Levene’s test 44

 

Table 4.6. The results of analyzing the homogeneity of the regression slopes in the variable of the study………………………………………………………………………………. 45

 

Table 4.7. The ANCOVA results of the posttest mean scores of “polite refusal” 46

 

 

 

list of Figure

 

Figure 4.1 The Frequency and Percentage of Participants According to Gender 42

 

Figure 4.2 Frequency and Percentage of Participants According to Age. 43

 

Figure 4.3. The comparison of pre- and posttest between control and experimental groups………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 46

 

 

 

Abstract

 

 

Communicative competence as the language users’ knowledge of how language is used encompasses one important component, pragmatic competence, which plays an important role in proper use of language in various contexts. The present study brought the concept of pragmatic competence into focus and took up an inquiry to make it clear whether L2 learners’ ability in using the speech acts of refusals can be developed by explicit instruction. To do so, the study encompassed 60 L2 learners who were in intermediate level of ability studying English in some language institutes in Ilam. The study was experimental in its approach having both control and experimental groups which were pre- and posttested to see the effect of interventionist approach on their pragmatic ability. In order to include continuous explanatory variables, covariates, ANCOVA was put to service. For the purpose of getting data to evaluate learners’ degree of refusal knowledge, the participants took the discourse completion test prior and after the training course. The findings of the study revealed that leaners’ knowledge of using speech acts of refusals improved significantly by applying the explicit technique of instruction in the classroom. Results in this study suggest equipping the language learners with understanding of both linguistic forms and behavior patterns in refusing strategies of the target language.

 

Keywords: Pragmatic competence, speech acts of refusals, explicit instruction, L2 learners

 

 

Chapter One:

 

Introduction

 

1.1 Pragmatic Competence

 

Over the last two decades, the development of learners’ communicative competence in second or foreign language has established one of the main concerns in language teaching in the field of Second Language Aqcuisition (Kasper & Rose, 2002). Recent models of communicative competence (Celce-Murcia, Dornyei, & Thurrell 1995; Martinez-Flor & Uso-Juan, 2006) have asserted that effective communication in target language entails not only knowledge of language system but knowledge of pragmatic rules and language use.  Fundamentally, pragmatics reflects on communicative action and its context. Furthermore, pragmatics considers another dimension in communicative action and context that is the users involved.

 

It is a noteworthy fact that pragmatics plays a very significant role in the production and perception of speech. Crystal (1985) defines pragmatics as ‘‘the study of language from the point of view of users, especially of the choices they make, the constraints they encounter in using language in social interaction and the effects their use of language has on other participants in the act of communication’’ (as cited in Allami & Naeimi (2011), p. 240). One of the main factors in the process of communication is pragmatic competence. How interlocutors produce and perceive speech in diverse situations is an important issue as creating inappropriate utterances would cause misunderstanding and miscommunication (Sahragard & Javanmardi, 2011).

 

Studying pragmatics enables one to probe people’s intended meanings, their assumptions, their purposes or goals, and the kinds of actions (for example, requests) while they are interacting (Yule, 1996). Based on this assumption, successful communication in the target language implies crossing the boundaries of grammatical knowledge and achieving the competency in pragmatics. Accordingly, pragmatic competence necessitates comprehension and production of speech acts and their appropriateness in a given context. Study of pragmatic development in a second language,  observes  how  nonnative  speakers  comprehend  and  produce  action  in  the  target  language  and  considers how second language learners develop the ability to understand and perform action in a target language.

 

The field of pragmatics has hosted a number of models by which the realm of pragmatic competence has been demarcated. Fraser (1983) for instance, defines pragmatic competence in terms of conveying an attitude. He describes communication as an interaction between speaker meaning and hearer-effect and is accomplished successfully when the speaker conveys his or her attitude to the hearer. He argues that this attitude can only be conveyed and interpreted through pragmatic competence. Faerch and Kasper (1984) proposed a model in which pragmatic competence was divided into two categories: declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. The declarative knowledge includes six categories of knowledge: linguistic, socio-cultural, speech act, discourse, context, and knowledge of the world. The procedural knowledge, on the other hand, refers to the process of selecting and combining declarative knowledge from these categories. Bachman (1990) proposed another model that divides pragmatic competence into illocutionary and sociolinguistic competencies. The illocutionary competence has four main functions: ideational, manipulative, heuristic, and imaginative. The sociolinguistic competence, on the other hand, is divided into four categories: sensitivity to differences in dialect, sensitivity to register, sensitivity to naturalness, and knowledge of the culture.

 

As the above mentioned models portrayed, pragmatic competence encompasses a complex set of inter-related factors, both linguistic and socio-cultural. It comes as no surprise then that this kind of knowledge is very difficult for non-native speakers to acquire. Language learners often fail to follow the socio-cultural rules that govern language behavior in the target language, and this has been referred to in the literature as pr