scholarly journals Effects of Using Instagram on Iranian Intermediate Autonomous/Dependent EFL Learners’ Learning of Pictorial Metaphors

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 11-25
Author(s):  
Zahra Ahmadi ◽  
Omid Tabatabaei

This study was an attempt to investigate whether using Instagram had any significant effects on Iranian intermediate autonomous/dependent EFL learners’ pictorial metaphors or not. In doing so, Oxford Placement Test was administered among100 EFL learners studying at Rooyesh language institute in Kelishad, Isfahan, Iran; and based on the results, 80 EFL learners were selected. Then, the autonomy test was conducted to divide them into autonomous and dependent groups. In the next step, they were divided into two equal experimental and control groups (N=40) that each group was subdivided to an autonomous and a dependent group (i.e., 20 autonomous and 20 dependent participants in each CG and EG). Their age ranged between 14 and 18 years old. Gender of participants was not considered as a variable in the study. Next, a metaphorical expression pretest was administered to all groups of the study and then the experimental group was given the metaphorical expressions via Instagram application, whereas the control group only followed conventional treatment. At the end, the posttest of L2 metaphorical expression was administered to both groups of the study and finally the data were analyzed. Analyzing the data through the one-way repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA revealed that utilizing Instagram application had a positively significant effect on autonomous/dependent Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ pictorial metaphors learning. Furthermore, both autonomous and dependent students had a positive attitude toward using Instagram Application.

Author(s):  
Nick Grimes ◽  
Jorge Arede ◽  
Benjamin Drury ◽  
Steve Thompson ◽  
John Fernandes

This study determined the effects of a single sled push at different loads on sprint performance in competitive male soccer players. Twenty male competitive outfield soccer players (age 19.6±1.3y, body mass 73.6±8.2kg) were split into experimental (n=10) and control groups. In the experimental group, 20m linear sprint time was measured immediately before and 5, 6 and 7minutes after the sled push with either 50 or 100% body mass. The control group performed the 20m sprints only. A repeated measures ANOVA comparing control and experimental groups revealed no effects of time, group or time by group interaction for either experimental condition (all P>0.05). The repeated measures ANOVA compared the experimental conditions revealed effects of time (P=0.034) and group (P=0.002), but not time by group (P>0.05). The effects sizes demonstrated within group effects on sprint time that were small to moderate (-0.26 to 0.71) and trivial to small (-0.31 to 0.09) for the 50% and 100% body mass condition, respectively. These findings demonstrate that a sled push has no significant effect on 20 m sprint time in competitive footballers. If coaches continue to prescribed a sled push before sprinting, a single 15 m push with 50% body mass could have positive benefits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-100
Author(s):  
Islam Namazian Doost ◽  
Soheila Tahmasbi

This study aims to investigate the possible effects of peripheral learning on elementary EFL learners’ grammar improvement: the case of prepositions of time and place. Two elementary classes were selected as experimental and control groups. Before beginning the treatment, a grammar test was administered to both the groups as a pre-test. Then, as treatment, the experimental group was exposed to realia, pictures, posters and texts, while the control group was not. After term-long treatment of 10 weeks, the two groups received the same grammar test as post-test. The results of t-test showed that the experimental group improved their grammar ability, i.e., knowledge of prepositions of time and place more than their friends in the control group. The finding of the study may open an optional path for teachers to include some peripheral materials in their teaching environment to further invest on unconscious learning abilities of the students.   Keywords: Peripheral learning, reposition of time, prepositions of place, grammar.


2000 ◽  
Vol 129-130 ◽  
pp. 225-274
Author(s):  
Ali Işik

The present study investigates the combined effects of different amounts of comprehension-based and form-focused instruction on skill-based proficiency and knowledge of grammatical structures of beginner-level efl students. Specifically, the study addresses the following research questions : 1) Does a basically comprehension-based program of instruction supported by form-focused instruction help beginner-level efl learners improve/develop their listening, reading and writing abilities more than a basically form- focused program of instruction? 2) Does a basically form-focused program of instruction help beginner-level efl learners improve their knowledge of grammatical structures more than a basically comprehension-based program of instruction? One experimental and one control group, each containing 20 lycee prep level Turkish efl students, participated in the study. The subjects in the experimental and control groups were randomly selected from among lycee prep classes in two different schools. The experimental group enrolled in a program of comprehension-based instruction supported by form- focused instruction; whereas, the control group enrolled in a basically form-focused program of instruction. Both the experimental and control groups had 29 hours of efl instruction per week for 36 weeks. Different instruments were used to see the effects of these two different types of instruction on their reading, listening, writing skills and knowledge of grammatical structures. At the end of the fourth month, both groups were given the listening, reading and writing components of the Key English Test (ket) and the grammar component of the Oxford Placement Test. At the end of the eighth month, they were given the Preliminary English Test (pet) and another version of the grammar component of the Oxford Placement Test. The results indicated that the program of comprehension-based efl instruction supported by form-focused instruction was more effective than a basically form-focused program of instruction in helping beginner-level students develop their listening, reading, and writing skills as well as their knowledge of grammatical structures.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
Shahram Esfandiari Asl ◽  
Asgar Mahmoudi

The current study was carried out to investigate whether elaborative text modification improves reading comprehension ability of pre-intermediate male and female EFL learners. To do this, 60 pre-intermediate learners were chosen based on their performance on a standard version of Longman's New Opportunities Placement Test. The participants also received a piloted version of a researcher-made reading comprehension test as the pretest to ascertain their homogeneity. The participants were then divided into two equal groups to represent the experimental and the control groups. Each group was further subdivided into male and female groups. Five reading passages in two formats (unmodified and elaborated) were administered to the participants in five weeks which was followed by a posttest. The experimental group received the elaborated texts, while the control group received the unmodified baseline texts. The results of a Two-way ANOVA indicated no significant effect for gender but there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control groups' reading comprehension. Findings of the study suggest that elaborative text modification can be a worthy option in EFL reading classes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lida Mohammadnejad

One of the most problematic areas for foreign language learning is collocation. Iranian EFL learners mostly complain about being unable to talk voluntarily in class since they are not able to produce collocations and new vocabularies because they have of feeling anxious. This study aimed at investigating the effect of reading short stories on learning English collocations among pre-intermediate EFL Learners. The study had an experimental design and the sample of the study consisted of 54 students chosen from the results of a placement test to determine the pre-intermediate level students in Simin Language Institute in Sari. They were placed into 2 groups of experimental and control. Data of the study were collected through a collocation test used as pretest and posttest. The teacher assessed the effect of reading short stories on learning English collocations among pre intermediate EFL learners. The collected data were analyzed through statistical methods by SPSS software version 21. Results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group on the measure. This indicated that reading short stories had a statistical significant effect on EFL learners’ collocation learning. Results had implications for teachers, learners and material developers. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Hashemifardnia ◽  
Hosna Rasooyar ◽  
Mehrdad Sepehri

This study examined the effects of task-based activities on Iranian EFL learners’ speaking fluency. For this study, 50 Iranian participants were selected from students based on Oxford Quick Placement Test. The selected intermediate participants were then randomly divided into two equal groups: experimental and control. After a pre-test, a treatment was started; in the first session of the treatment, the task of ‘buying’ was given to the participants to be performed in a near authentic context. In the second, the third and the fourth sessions of the treatment, the task of ‘ordering food’, ‘ordering a bus ticket’ and ‘visiting a doctor’ were given to the participants, respectively. The control group did not receive task-based instruction. At the end of the experiment, a post-test for finding their speaking fluency was done. The findings revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group (p < 0.05). Keywords: Iranian EFL learners, speaking fluency, task-based speaking activities


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-210
Author(s):  
Banafsheh Mashak ◽  
Maryam Hashemnejad ◽  
Kourosh Kabir ◽  
Mansoureh Refaei ◽  
Sara Esmaelzadeh Saeieh ◽  
...  

Objectives: Post-spinal puncture headache (PSPH) has constantly been one of the research priorities, especially in women undergoing cesarean section (C-section) and it is related to physical and psychological problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of ginger on preventing PSPH in patients undergoing C-section. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 160 women undergoing C-section with spinal anesthesia, who were eligible to enter the study in the experimental and control groups. One ginger capsule (250 mg) was prescribed every 8 hours (TDS) to the experimental group 24 hours before the C-section. The prescription of ginger was continued half an hour after transfer to the post-partum ward until the PSPH onset. PSPH intensity was measured by using visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at 6 timepoints (Time 1=30, Time 2=60, and Time 3=90 minutes vs. Time 4=3, Time 5 =6, and Time 6=12 hours) after C-section. No interventions were performed in the control group. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software by descriptive statistics and analytical tests were applied to determine the changes in PSPH intensity. Results: The comparison results of the mean score of PSPH intensity in the experimental and control groups indicated significant differences over time (P<0.05), except for the sixth time point (12 hours after C-section). In addition, the trend of changes at 6 timepoints based on the results of the repeated-measures test demonstrated that PSPH intensity significantly differed in the two groups over time (P<0.001). Conclusions: Based on the result, the oral prescription of ginger to women undergoing C-section under spinal anesthesia led to effective PSPH prevention at 5 time-points (30, 60, and 90 minutes, along with 3 and 6 hours). Further, the trend of the changes represented that the intensity of PSPH decreased in the experimental group over time. Therefore, ginger is suggested as a noninvasive and efficient method used for preventing PSPH.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 2191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Zahra Arfaei Zarandi ◽  
Behzad Rahbar

The present study set out to investigate the effect of intervening scaffolding strategies on Iranian EFL learners’ speaking ability. To do so, a sample of 60 Iranian EFL learners were selected based on their performance on Oxford Placement Test (OPT). The participants were then randomly assigned to two equal groups of experimental and control. The experimental group was taught speaking through intervening scaffolding by providing flexible opportunities for learners to use their knowledge, skills, and strategies in different contexts and for different purposes. Control group received routine techniques of speaking instruction. Based on the statistical results of the independent sample t-test, intervening scaffolding strategies had been proved to be successful in enhancing speaking ability of EFL learners


2022 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57
Author(s):  
Halimeh Zareii ◽  
◽  
Faezeh Jahanpour ◽  
Parviz Azodi ◽  
Marzieh Mahmoudi ◽  
...  

Introduction: The main way to improve the quality of care, especially for children, is to improve nursing communication skills. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of reminiscence training on professional relationship communication skills in pediatric nursing staff. Materials and Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design that consisted of all babies and infants’ nursing staff working in an educational hospital of Bushehr City, Iran, in 2019. A total of 84 nurses (41 cases were obtained for the experimental group and 43 cases for the control group) took part in the study. The samples were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. In this study, the questionnaires of nurses’ professional communication skills and nurses’ communication skills with hospitalized infant mothers were used. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were confirmed. First, the pre-test was taken from the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 8 hours reminiscence training session. Post-test was taken from both groups immediately and one month after the intervention. To analyze data, descriptive indices, the Chi-square test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA were used. Results: Comparison of demographic data in two groups showed no significant difference between them in terms of scores of both instruments before the intervention. The independent t-test showed that the mean scores of communication with mothers and communication with colleagues one month after the intervention were significantly different (P=0.001) between the experimental and control groups. The results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that the interaction effect between group and time was statistically significant, and the trend of mean scores changes in nursing staff professional relationships with colleagues (P=0.03) and mothers (P=0.001) during the study period (before, immediately after, one month after intervention) were different between the experimental and control groups. Conclusion: Training based on reminiscence effectively improves nurses’ professional communication. So we suggest that this training be included in nurses’ educational programs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Sumarsih Sumarsih

This paper is aimed at describing the impact of Shadowing Technique on students’ listening skills achievement. Therefore, the experimental research was conducted and the techniques on collecting the data were administrating pre- and post- tests to the experiment and control groups, which consisted of 30 university students in each group. Then, t-test and ANCOVA were applied on analyzing the data, then to find the impact of shadowing technique on EFL learners’ listening skill achievements in English Department of Universitas Negeri Medan (UNIMED), Indonesia. As a result, there was a significant difference between the mean of experimental and control groups (F = 8.98, p=. 004 < .05). In addition, there was a significant effect of applying shadowing technique on students’ listening skill achievements (F=56.10, p=0.00<0.05) and the experimental group grammatically outperformed the control group. In conclusion, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. 


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document