Abstract:
Language teachers have always tried to find the most effective ways to teach new vocabulary to EFL learners. The initial aim of this study was to find out whether different FFI approaches, namely isolated and integrated FFI, are equally effective in teaching vocabulary by focusing on lexical items, either before or during reading. Next, the researcher sought to see whether there is any significant difference between the effects of repeated word exposures and task performance as two techniques of vocabulary learning and teaching. To do the comparison, an experiment was conducted in a 2 × 2 design under four conditions with one reading text being read under each condition. For the purpose of the study, the two techniques were applied in two different ways under the four conditions. To increase the word exposures, each target word was either repeated seven times in a text (as the ‘integrated × exposure’ condition) or occurred in two pre-reading encounters accompanied by five further in-text repetitions (as the ‘isolated × exposure’ condition). For the task performance, each target word was either repeated three times in a text with two post-reading tasks (as the ‘integrated × task’ condition) or occurred in two pre-reading and one in-text encounters accompanied by two further post-reading tasks (as the ‘isolated × task’ condition). At the end of each of the four sessions, an immediate posttest, namely Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) test, was administered to check vocabulary retention of the learners. All the procedures were conducted with an 18-member group of female participants studying at grade two in Jannat High School in Sousangerd, Khouzestan, Iran. The results revealed that the participants were the same in terms of their vocabulary retention shortly after isolated and integrated FFI. In addition, comparing repeated exposures to target words with performing two vocabulary tasks, task performance yielded better results in terms of EFL learners’ lexical knowledge.
 

This study aimed at investigating the effect of genre-based instruction on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ argumentative writing performance. In order to have two homogeneous groups in terms of general English language proficiency, a TOEFL proficiency test was administered at the beginning of the course. Then, the participants whose scores fell under the normal curve that is between +/- one standard deviation below and above the mean were chosen. Then, a writing pre-test was administered in which the participants wrote an essay on a topic chosen from Lougheed (2002) in order to ensure that they were homogenous in terms of overall argumentative essay writing performance. To score the writings the Wang and Liao’s (2008) scoring scheme was drawn on. To choose the argumentative topics, Hylands (1999) genre analysis of argumentative essay was employed. To this end, only the essays from Lougheed (2002) which contained the moves enumerated by Hyland were selected for the purposes of the study. The control group was taught how to write effectively during 10 sessions, drawing on some writing tasks. The researcher provided the learners with the general guidelines for writing as well as different essay model texts. As for the experimental group, the learners were introduced to the functions and components of an argumentative essay genre and its moves were presented and then practiced during the treatment period. All the moves of the argumentative essay as enumerated by Hyland were worked on in this group. At the end, one writing test was given to the learners of the two groups as post-test. To address the research question an independent samples T-test was run on the post-test scores of the two groups. The results of the independent samples T-test (p=.000< 0.05) indicated that Genre-Based Instruction is significantly effective on argumentative essay writing performance of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. It seems evident that GBI has definitely a great potential to assist learners develop their writing skill. GBI by focusing and highlighting the functions of a particular genre and providing learners with a solid framework can be beneficial to them. The findings of the present study also showed that explicit instruction in genre is important in the teaching of writing in a particular genre.

The present study was conducted to compare the effect of immediate and delayed error correction on the level of oral proficiency of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To fulfill the purpose of the study, 30 intermediate male learners of Safir-e-Danesh Language Institute in Sousangerd were chosen by means of administering a proficiency test. These learners were pretested through a structured interview to check their current oral accuracy and fluency level. Then, they were divided randomly into two experimental groups, namely IECG (the group treated with immediate error correction) and DECG (the group treated with delayed error correction), each including 15 learners. Of course, IECG received immediate error correction, while DECG was provided with delayed error correction. After eighteen sessions of treatment, the two groups were post-tested through another structured interview. The scores of the participants demonstrated that IECG outperformed the comparison group in terms of the oral fluency and accuracy gains. The analysis of the data was done through the analysis of mean, standard deviation, and t-test. Finally, it was concluded that immediate corrective feedback can lead to higher accuracy and fluency in oral production of Iranian male EFL in comparison to delayed corrective feedback.