متن کامل پایان نامه مقطع کارشناسی ارشد رشته :زبان انگلیسی

 

 

 

عنوان : پایان نامه رشته زبان انگلیسی بررسی اختلاط تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی در میان معلمان قبل از خدمت مرد و زن EFL: ارتباط بین سطح مهارت ها و نگرش نسبت به تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی

 

دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی

 

 واحد بین الملل قشم

 

 

 

پایان نامه برای اخذ درجه کارشناسی ارشد (MA.A)

 

برای رشته آموزش زبان انگلیسی (TEFL)

 

 

 

 

 

بررسی اختلاط تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی در میان معلمان قبل از خدمت مرد و زن EFL: ارتباط بین سطح مهارت ها و نگرش نسبت به تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی

 

 

 

 

 

استاد راهنما :

 

جناب آقای دکتر کربلایی

 

 

 

تابستان 1393

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چكیده فارسی:

پژوهش حاضر دست به بررسی اختلاط تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی در میان معلمان مرد و زنقبل از خدمت  EFLزد تا از سود درک ارزش  کیفیت و منافع ELT در نگرش های انتقادی بهرمند شود. بنابراین، ارتباط سطح مهارت، جنسیت، و نگرش نسبت به آموزش انتقادی برآورد شد. شرکت کنندگان در این مطالعه 120 معلم قبل از خدمت ایرانی بودند. سطوح مهارت تمام شرکت کنندگان مرد و زن با آزمون IELTS سنجدیده شد. جهت مقایسه دو گروه، گروه مرد تشکیل شده بود از 30 تن با نمره ایلتس 6 و 30 مرد با نمره 5  و همینطور گروه زنان تشکیل شده بود از 30 تن با نمره 6 و 30 تن با نمره 5 . پرسشنامه نگرش تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی قابل اعتماد و معتبر استفاده شده است، و آن از طریق یک روش گام به گام با اطمینان با پایایى0.93 توسعه داده شده است. یافته ها نشان داد که تفاوت جنسی می تواند برارتباط نگرش معلمان قبل از خدمت EFL نسبت به آموزش انتقادی تاثیر تاثیر گذار باشد. همچنین، میانگین نگرش تعلیم و تربیت انتقادی در میان گروه مردان بیشتر از گروه زنان است. بنابراین، تفاوت جنس می تواند راه مطالعه یک معلم در فرهنگ و جامعه زبان آموزانش را با توجه به CP تغییر دهد. با این حال، سطح مهارت معلمان تاثیری بر ارتباط با نگرش CP نمی گذارد. همچنین، این قابل توجه است که یک معلم در کلاس درس (در رابطه با  (مسئول موضوع و دانش خود از طریق تعامل با فراگیران است، بنابراین اگر این امر درست باشد، بهبود سطح مهارت معلمان قبل از خدمت قابل توجه خواهد بود، اما یافته های حال حاضر بااین ادعا مخالف هستند که، معلمان قبل از خدمت و یا معلم کلاسی (با توجه به نگرش انتقادی تعلیم و تربیت) لازم نیستند که به عنوان مثال به سطح زبان انگلیسی خیلی بالای برای کمک به دانش آموزان خود را در پردازش زبان رسیده باشند.

ABSTRACT

The present studied incorporation of Critical Pedagogy among EFL pre-service teachers to offer advantages for understanding the worth of ELT distinguishing qualities and interests of critical attitudes; therefore, the correlation between proficiency levels, sexes, and attitudes toward critical pedagogy was estimated. The participants in this study were 120 Iranian pre-service teachers. All of the male and female participants’ proficiency levels were tested by IELTS. For the reason of comparing the two groups, Male Group had 30 participants with band score 6 and 30 ones with band score 5, and Female Group had 30 participants with band score 6 and 30 ones with band score 5. A reliable and valid Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire is used, and it was developed through a step-wise procedure with a reliability of 0.93 (Pishvaei & Kasaian, 2013). Findings presented that sex difference can affect the correlation of EFL pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward critical pedagogy. Also, the Critical Pedagogy Attitude mean among male group is greater than female group. Thus, sex difference could change the way a teacher study their learners’ culture and society with respect to CP. However, preservice teachers’ proficiency level did not affect its relation with CP attitude. Also, it is noticeable to mention that a classroom teacher, in relation with CP, has to be responsible for his subject and knowledge through interaction with learners, so if it is true, improving the proficiency level of preservice teacher will be significant, but the present findings present the opposite claim; that is, preservice teachers or teacher, with respect to Critical Pedagogy, do not need to be so knowledgeable, with respect to English language, to help their students in language processing, for example.

 

Key words: Critical Pedagogy, Pre-service teacher

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract                                                                                                                             III

Acknowledgments                                                                                                              IV

Dedication                                                                                                                           V

Table of Contents                                                                                                               VI

List of Tables                                                                                                                       IX

 

CHAPTER I: Background and Purpose                                                                            1

1.0. Overview                                                                                                                     2

1.1. Statement of the Problem                                                                                           7

1.2. Significance of the Study                                                                                           8

1.3. Purpose of the Study                                                                                                  8

1.4. Research Questions                                                                                                    9

1.5. Research Hypotheses                                                                                                 9

1.6. Definition of Keywords                                                                                              10

1.7. Limitation and Delimitation of the Study                                                                  10

 

CHAPTER II: Review of the Related Literature                                                              12

2.0. Overview                                                                                                                     13

2.1. Critical Pedagogy                                                                                                        13

2.1.1. Pedagogical Approach in Critical Pedagogy                                                    16

2.1.2. Critical Pedagogy and Educational Process                                                     21

2.1.3. Critical Pedagogy and the Teachers’ Role                                                        24

2.1.4. Critical Pedagogy and Teacher Success                                                           27

2.1.5. Curriculum in CP                                                                                              30

2.2. Pre-service teacher                                                                                                      31

2.2.1. The difficult and stimulating tasks of pre-service teacher training                   33

2.2.2. Advancing ELT teachers for future and Critical Pedagogy                             35

 

CHAPTER III: Methodology                                                                                         41

3.0. Overview                                                                                                                     42

3.1. Setting and Participants                                                                                              42

3.2. Instruments                                                                                                                 43

3.2.1. Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire                                                       43

3.2.2IELTS (International English Language Testing System)                                  45

3.3. Procedure                                                                                                                    45

3.3.1. Data Collection                                                                                                 45

3.3.2. Data Analysis                                                                                                    46

3.4. Ethical Considerations                                                                                                46

 

CHAPTER IV: Results and Discussion                                                                              48

4.0. Overview                                                                                                                     49

4.1. Main Results                                                                                                               49

4.2. Discussion                                                                                                                   54

 

 

CHAPTER V: Conclusion and Recommendations                                                           57

5.0. Overview                                                                                                                     58

5.1. Summary                                                                                                                     58

5.2. Brief Overview of the Findings                                                                                  59

5.3. Theoretical and Pedagogical Implications                                                                  60

5.4. Suggestions for Further Research                                                                               61

REFERENCES                                                                                                                    62

 

APPENDIXES                                                                                                                      74

Appendix A: Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire                                                      75

Appendix B: The Female Group with IELTS Band Score 6                                                77

Appendix C: The Female Group with IELTS Band Score 5                                                79

Appendix D: The Female Group with IELTS Band Score 6                                                            81

Appendix E: The Female Group with IELTS Band Score 5                                                 82

 

 

 

 

 

List of Tables

Table 3.1: Participants’ Characteristics                                                                                   44

Table 3.2: Reliability Coefficient                                                                                            44

Table 4.1: Stastistical Description Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire and total Band Scores, 6 and 5, of IELTS proficiency test                                                                               49

Table 4.2: One Sample Kolmogorov- Smirnov Test                                                               50

Table 4.3: Group Statistics between IELTS Band Scores                                                      51

Table 4.4: Independent Samples T-Test between Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire and total Band Scores, 6 and 5, of IELTS proficiency test                                                    51

Table 4.5: Group Statistics between Male Group and Female Group                                    52

Table 4.6: Independent Samples T-Test between Critical Pedagogy Attitude Questionnaire and Gender Difference                                                                                                                               52

Table 4.7: Effect Size                                                                                                             53

Table 5.1: The Brief Overview of All Independent Samples Test                                        60

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER I

Introduction

1.1. Overview

Freire (1970) Critical Pedagogy can be analyzed in many fields of study.

In this respect, Critical Pedagogy (CP) announced to be the way to analyze, education including English Language Teaching (ELT), a new dimension, which has the interaction of social and political elements to holds the view which education is not impartial, and it both affects and is affected by the social and political elements (Freire, 1970).

Critical pedagogy tries to face students with more aims of education to make autonomous students; it is stated that learners acquire their own voice to participate critically in their own processing; that is, confident learners are capable of critiquing learning problems and begin to seek even instruction in their classrooms _what will we have to act in a society in the future?(Freire, 1970).

Recently, ELT researchers try to administer the view of CP to study language learning and acquisition; that is, they are looking for utilizing this social and political theory in assisting teaching as a component of education.

Therefore, they are starting to understand the sociopolitical elements with the represent of the critical viewpoint many scholars in ELT industry as uncovering the hidden aim of scholars’ thoughts and ideologies (Freire, 1970).

Critical theory is interested in the concepts of human beings and the relations between them such as cultural, economic, political, and the power to influence people’s behavior or course of events (Freire, 1973).

Through enabling convert of life requirements, a philosopher of critical theory agrees on satisfying free oppressed members of a race religion or culture (Freire, 1973).

Also, according to Freire (1970), utilizing the body of bases belonging to critical subjects is the main source in language teaching and learning.

Thus, Pre-service teacher education may take advantage of Critical Pedagogy to provide professional ELT teachers before the real actual teaching (Schon, 1996).

A main disclosure during such critical education theory can be the practical section of a course of study when the pre-service teachers are trained to face their students’ critical thoughts within multiple school settings (beginning to

 

 advanced courses) (Schon, 1996).

According to Schon(1996), the pre-service teachers will be had the chance to improve their skills through classroom curriculum, teaching lessons, and lesson plans to allow Critical Pedagogy is run.

Therefore, this consoled and vital aspect is the main component of any course, such as ELT courses, to be assigned in curriculums.

Also, because of the viewpoint of critical pedagogy, teachers are capable of bearing the task of questioning the inappropriate curriculums to assist their own learners in language processing, for example (Canagarajah, 1999).

According to Hall (1995), socio-historical and political elements are parts of ELT components which are related to the theory of language learning and teaching in social characteristics of learners.

It seems that Critical Pedagogy is able to gain the momentum to come from a huge amount of experiment to create conditions to help learners in recent years. In spite of acquiring multiple researchers in this area from the past and recent years, it seems that a few papers could target the main and vital characters of Critical Pedagogy in ELT.

Thus, the present study tries to bright a major theme in CP including teacher, for example, in CP. However, Okazaki (2005) argued that classrooms are far removed from conditions which deal with historical and social aspects.

Critical theory face the view of a society in which people require to control political, economic, and cultural aspects of their lives(Kincheloe, 2005).

Critical Pedagogy may be the approach to assist language teachers, for example, to concern the power of learners’ relations with the processed language and their society which they live. Critical Pedagogy (CP) is a start to deal with in a certain way of language teaching and learning.

Kincheloe (2005) believed that converting connections between people or groups of abilities which are depressing leads to depression among the people. CP seeks to give human qualities to learning (Kincheloe, 2005).

Likewise, according to Kincheloe (2005), advocates of critical theory assume that these aims are satisfied only through liberating unsuccessful learners to empower their abilities to change their educational conditions.

The main assumption of Critical Pedagogy is with criticizing the educational context in societies. As Gor (2005) puts it, the main goals of Critical Pedagogy are conscious raising and rejecting any signs of discrimination against people in any field.

Therefore, this theory seeks to help unsuccessful learners, for example, to save them from being objects of acquisition to subjects of their own autonomy in learning.

With this respect, learners are able to change their societies via appropriate education; that is, it is done through problem solving, surveying the problematic subjects in learners’ lives, and developing a critical awareness to assist learners to improve their educational conditions because it is important to take appropriate actions to structure and equitable society (Gor, 2005). Thus, it is crystal clear that Critical Pedagogy face any inappropriate dominations with the goal of assisting unsuccessful people to achieve their demands.

Moreover, “language learning theory, and teaching should focus on larger socio-historical and political forces which reside in the social identities of people who use them” (as cited in Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011, p. 78). However, Okazaki (2005) claimed that most teachers ignore historical and social conditions of their classrooms.

According to Okazaki (2005), as a consequence, researchers advocating examining socio-historical and political aspects of language learning (Benesch, 2001; Canagarajah, 1999, 2002; Morgan 1998). They recommended an optional access – critical pedagogy- which some researchers mentioned it.

It may be the main organ of language pedagogy (Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011). It is wondered to see that Critical Pedagogy has increased in impetus recently; therefore, some substantiation come from a lot of researches about CP to accept this claim.

Byean (2011) claimed that Critical Pedagogy mainly supports teachers to investigate English language in relation to the historical and cultural issues.

However, English teachers must understand ELT with more judgmental minds; furthermore, Critical Pedagogy may encourage English teachers to obtainthe role of English to clarify how ELT is affected with the procreation of social unfairness in distinctive backgrounds (Byean, 2011).

In fact, critical theory was the point of commencement for Critical Pedagogy (Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011).

The main interest of Critical Pedagogy is the act of giving an evaluation of good and bad qualities for schooling in an economic system based on competition between businesses and societies (Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011).

Moreover, the main purposes of Critical Pedagogy “are awareness raising and rejection of violation and discrimination against people” (as cited in Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011, p. 77).

According to Freire (1973), Critical Pedagogy is similar to critical theory, that is, it seeks to convert depression members of a race religion or culture to maintain them “from being objects of education to the subjects of their own autonomy and emancipation” (as cited in Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011, p. 77).

Therefore, language learners can be able to maintain converting their fellowships “through emancipatory education” (as cited in Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011, p. 77).

Also, some language teaching researchers believed “through problem posing education and questioning the problematic issues in learners’ lives, students learn to think critically and develop a critical consciousness which help them to improve their life conditions and to take necessary actions to build an equitable society” (Aliakbari1 & Faraji, 2011, p. 77).

Therefore, Critical Pedagogy stimulates any frameworks of dominion, suppression and subjugation with the purpose of decreasing depression.

Kissing-Styles (2003) mentioned that Critical Pedagogy is an instructive reactionto unfairness relations in instructive places where people are confined and treated.

Also, Byean (2011) claimed that Critical Pedagogy mainly supports teachers to investigate English language in relation to the historical and cultural issues.

However, English teachers must understand ELT with more judgmental minds; furthermore, Critical Pedagogy may encourage English teachers to obtainthe role of English to clarify how ELT is affected with the procreation of social unfairness in distinctive backgrounds (Byean, 2011).

 

1.1. Statement of the problem

Nowadays, Iranian people are interested in learning at least one foreign language to maintain their relationships to the world wide village.

Meanwhile, there has been an increasing inclination among language researchers with the involvement of CP all around the world. The outbreak involvements of CP affect all branches of studies in language pedagogy.

Also, “critical perspectives towards ELT industry and the role of English in the world are immersing worldwide” (Pishvaei & Kasaian, 2013, p. 60).

Therefore, ELT researchers should concern about their obligations of distinguishing the issue ofconcealed particular parts or features of EFL equipment, and supplies needed for English learning such as English teachers.

By concerning the vital role of English teachers and the outgrown interest of Iranian people toward English learning in a country with the Islamic regulations and policies, ones can understand the necessity of reliable and valid documents to judge the worth or quality of Iranian ELT characteristics and interests of a critical attitude. The researchers, therefore, took this important issue into concern.

That is, In the light of the attempts to refine structure of books and writings on this particular subject, Critical pedagogy, and the absence and deficiency of a valid and reliable critical pedagogy thought in the context of Iran, this study is an effect to develop and validate a research to influence community’s critical attitude towards the critical ELT.

 

این پژوهش ساختار و شکل گیری فردیت اجتماعی را درگلچینی از داستان های کوتاه کرت وانگات بررسی میکند.در این رابطه٬ پژوهش گر بر آن شد تا از تئوری پست مدرن ژان فرانسوا لیوتارد برای بررسی نظام قدرتمند اقتصادی عصر پست مدرن سود جوید. در واقع٬ لیوتارد و دیگر فیلسوفان برجسته مکتب پست مدرن بر این باورند که انسان به شدت تحت تاثیر سلطه نظام سرمایه داری است. در تئوری پست مدرن انسان به عنوان موجودی وابسته٬ متغیر٬ پذیرنده و منفعل تعریف شده است. او یک جزء کوچک در نظام جهانی سرمایه داری است که منافع آن از طریق بهره کشی از انسان ها تامین میشود. پژوهش گر تئوری لیوتارد را بر داستانهای کوتاه تاناسفر٬ مجموعه٬ شهر غنی کوچک فقیر٬ سوقاتی٬ سفر جالی راجرز٬ عروس سفارشی و 2ب ر20ب از مجموعه داستان انفیه دان باگومبو پیاده کرد. همه داستان های کوتاه فضای اجتماعی پس از جنگ جهانی دوم که با شکوفایی اقتصاد سرمایه داری جهانی همراه بود را روایت میکنند. پژوهش گر به این نتیجه دست یافت که در داستان های کوتاه انتخاب شده سرمایه داری فراصنعتی نهادها و ابزارهای اجتماعی مشروعی چون دانش و واقعیت را تولید میکند و با استفاده از آن ها رفتار هنجاری٬ معیارها و ارزش های رایج را در متن جامعه به اجرا میگذارد. سرمایه داری فعالیت های اجتماعی را با فرآیندهای هم جنس سازی و همگانی سازی اداره میکند؛ بنابراین٬ برای مسیردهی به برهم کنش های اجتماعی بازی های زبانی و کلان روایت ها را تولید میکند. علاوه بر آن٬ فردیت اجتماعی محصول نظام قدرت است. خود اجنماعی پست مدرن در ارتباطات شکل میگیرد. او به طرز اجتناب ناپذیری متاثر از شرکت در فعالیت های اجتماعی مشروع است. او ناگزیر از فراگیری گونه های مشروع گفتمان برای ایفای نقش کارآمد است. از این رو در خلال فعالیت های اجتماعی او به طور تدریجی به سمتی که در جهت منافع قدرت است هدایت میشود.

واژگان کلیدی: سرمایه داری٬ قدرت٬ بازی زبانی٬ کلان روایت٬ فردیت اجتماعی٬ قابلیت اجرایی

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

Abstract

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1. General Background

1.2. The Argument

1.2.1. Research Questions

1.3. Literature Review

1.4. Thesis Outline

1.5. Methodology and Approach

1.6. Motivation and Delimitation

1.7. Definition of Key Terms

Chapter 2: The Postmodern Theory of Jean-François Lyotard

2.1. Jean-François Lyotard

2.2. The Postmodernist Movement

2.3. Early Marxist Activities

2.4. The Pragmatics of Knowledge

2.5. Modern Criteria of Legitimation

              2.6. Postmodern Criteria of Legitimation

2.7. The development of Capitalist System

2.8. The Semiotics and the Linguistic Based Culture

2.9. The Postmodern Self (Social Subject)

2.10. The Complementary Approaches of Baudrillard and Foucault

Chapter 3: Language Games

3.1. Studying Capitalism, Power, Language Game and Reality in “Thanasphere”

3.1.1 Synopsis

3.1.2 Commentary

3.2. Studying Capitalism, Reality, Language Game and Power in “Souvenir”

3.2.1 Synopsis

3.2.2 Commentary

3.3. Studying Language Game, Power, Capitalism and Alienation in “The Cruise

of the Jolly Roger”

3.3.1 Synopsis

3.3.2 Commentary

3.4. Studying Capitalism, Disciplinary Power, Language Game and Reality in

“2BR02B”

3.4.1 Synopsis

3.4.2 Commentary

Chapter 4: Grand Narratives

4.1. Studying Grand Narrative, Capitalism and Social Class in “The Package”

4.1.1 Synopsis

4.1.2 Commentary

4.2. Studying Grand Narrative, Capitalism and Performativity in “Poor Little Rich

Town”

4.2.1. Synopsis

4.2.2. Commentary

4.3. Studying Grand Narrative, Capitalism and Commodity in “Custom-Made

Bride”

4.3.1. Synopsis

4.3.2. Commentary

Chapter 5: Conclusion

5.1. Summary

5.2. Findings

5.3. Suggestions for Further Research

Works Cited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

                                           Introduction

 

 

1.1. General Background

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) is renowned as a prominent American novelist and essayist. Vonnegut was one of the celebrated writers of post-World War ΙΙ in American literature. He defined himself as an atheist, agnostic and freethinker. The significant characteristic of his writing career is that for the most part in his works he combined satiric social observation and black comedy; also, he utilized surrealist and imaginary elements.

Several of his novels included science fiction themes. Actually, Vonnegut made use of the elements of science fiction and metafiction to direct the reader’s attention to the more serious issues associated with ethics and politics. His simple writing style is deceptive since it misleads the reader from perceiving the tense and unspeakable agony of the

 

 individual’s life in the twentieth century.

As a postmodern writer, in his writing Vonnegut employs some specific features; that is, the disorder in the narrative events and disruption of time or mixing past, present and future, blending of different genres, drawing the pictures, symbols or designs in the text, vicious circles and paranoia. In his works the limerick, humorous and jokes are entangled to narrate the serious facts that are really happened in Vonnegut’s lifetime.

The crucial event in Vonnegut’s life which had a profound influence on him and consequently on his writing career could be the firebombing of Dresden, Germany, by Allied armies in 1945, a horrifying happening he witnessed personally as a young captive of war. His understanding in Dresden laid the grounds for his greatest novel Slaughterhouse-Five published in 1969 as an obvious attack on the terrors of war in Vietnam, racial turmoil and cultural and social cataclysm.

Accordingly, there is linkage between Vonnegut’s life and works. War, genocide, environmental determinism, atomic bomb and technological advancement were all engendered in the postmodern epoch. He disapproved the technological science and the political economy. Common themes in Vonnegut’s works consist of the dehumanization resulted by the improvement of technology, Sexuality, fierceness, hopelessness, bewilderment, alienation, insecurity and depression.

Vonnegut was a humanist. He maintained that in the postmodern era the human being is a hapless, lonely, bewildered and desperate victim; he is robbed of his identity and integrity to transform to a totally dependent social subject. In an alien world organized by machines, the individual tries to cope with the forces beyond his control. In his novels Vonnegut compassionately praised the characters who refuse to surrender to despair and defeat.

Vonnegut’s remarkable works are Player Piano (1952), Sirens of Titan (1959), Cat’s Cradle (1963), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), and Breakfast of Champions (1973). Galápagos (1985), Bluebeard (1987), Hocus Pocus (1990) and Timequake (1997). On the Whole, Vonnegut is the author of 14 novels and nearly 50 short stories, in addition to plentiful essays, autobiographical pieces, and plays. A number of his works have been transformed into television or film-as an adaptations- and he caused distinction to some of these with cameo role appearances.

This research is going to concentrate on seven short stories written by Vonnegut in the collection, Bagombo Snuff Box. The researcher chose to work on “Thanasphere”, “The Package”, “Poor Little Rich Town”, “Souvenir”, “The Cruise of the Jolly Roger”, “Custom-Made Bride”, and “2BR02B”. In these short stories the postmodern world after the Second World War- is depicted. The concepts which impact on the constitution and formation of the social subject in the postmodern philosophy of Jean-François Lyotard (1925-98) will be discussed by the researcher.

From the above-mentioned fictions, “Thanasphere” and “2BR02B” narrate the circumstances in advanced societies regulated by the technological knowledge. “Souvenir” and “The Cruise of Jolly Roger” deal with the events of World War ΙΙ straightforwardly. “The Package”, “Poor Little Rich Town” and “Custom-Made Bride” depict the social milieu in the American capitalist system. What inspired the researcher to undertake this study is that the entire short stories illustrate the helpless individuals entangled in the coercive environment caused by global capitalism.

In “Thanasphere”, Vonnegut shatters the borderline between the living and dead. He questions the legitimacy of the scientific knowledge since in the capitalist system this form of knowledge is deemed as ubiquitous and infallible; however, in the story some unexpected events take place that cannot be subsumed within the scientific knowledge. It happens that an astronaut as a player deviates the rules of the dominant language game as he communicates with the ghosts of the dead.

The researcher focuses on the reaction of the characters toward this so called illegitimate move of the astronaut; that the people in authority easily condemn him to be inefficient; therefore, they call him idiot and ignore him. Also, the nature of reality or truth in the postmodern world is going to be analyzed by the researcher since in this story the heads of power hide the new discovery and publicize a make-believe reality in order to maintain their legitimacy.

“2BR02B” narrates the far future where there is a boom in the science of medicine. The population of earth has increased enormously because the technology of health care has improved considerably; so that the dangers threatening physical health and soundness have been eradicated entirely. Government exerts strict control on the population. It even encourages people to die voluntarily and make room for others. Likewise, the nature of power in the postmodern period will be analyzed. The individuals in the story challenge a disciplinary kind of power system which invades the very personal territories of the citizens. It advocates suicide and self-sacrificing as a value practiced by the efficient social subject.

“Souvenir” narrates the bewilderment of language games in the wartime and how by the shift of power the dominant language game of German Nazi loses its legitimacy; hence, the individual experiences the contradicting situation in which the proficiency as a value fluctuates constantly. Duo to the improvement of technology, the production of the military machines brings about mass destruction and annihilation of the human being. The soldiers are the defenseless victims of the absurd war. Vonnegut pinpoints to the irrationality of the war when in the story on the day that the war ended still the soldiers were killed by the military vehicles.

“The Cruise of the Jolly Roger” also deals with the post-war circumstances. In this fiction the researcher foregrounds the disparity between the two dissimilar language games practiced in the army and in the public. It portrays the life of a retired army officer who leaves the army where he reckoned as his home; accordingly, the veteran faces the unknown civilian world where he was far from for many years. Encountering the new civil society, he experiences a deep feeling of estrangement and detachment.

The protagonist desperately identifies himself as an inefficient civilian among others whose language game he is strange to. In many places of this short story, Vonnegut implies the sense of alienation experienced by many veterans of the Second World War.  Once being a veteran of the same war, he became familiar with the suffering; consequently, he could vividly narrate the situation of the soldiers who survived the war and came back home as an outsider who had difficulty conforming to the new setting.

The story in “The Package” revolves around the wealthy and extravagant life style of the Americans. After the Second World War America succeeded in achieving the global economic dominance thanks to the technological advancement; therefore, the American society experienced the higher standards of living. It transformed to a rich and consumer society. The amalgamation of the social strata and the mixture of high culture and low culture advocated by the postmodernists facilitated the process.

“The Package” portrays one day in life of a nouveau-rich couple whom tries to fix themselves to their social class. They try to emulate the language game of the affluent class but they cannot perform efficiently; for that reason, they get upset. Vonnegut in this short story indicates the absurd economic-based life in the capitalist society according to which the value of the individual is estimated by the objects and materials that he possesses.

“The Poor Little Rich Town” narrates the traditional life style in a village which is disturbed when the perverted technological progress comes in. Apparently, in this story Vonnegut indirectly alludes to the post-industrial capitalism that swept the world after the Second World War. The global economy subjected the other countries in the world to its homogenizing policy. Likewise, the story contrasts the pre-modern (primitive) and modern culture.

Lyotard and other postmodernist philosophers condemned modernity and lauded the premodern or primitive communities. The researcher studies how in “The Poor Little Rich Town” the arrival of progress degrades the former social bond and the individuals nearly lose their custom and background owning to the fact that they are regarded as no longer legitimated. The new system harms the social relations, warmth and friendship as well; instead, it engenders animosity and distance.

“Custom-Made Bride” deals with the objectification of the human being in the economic-based system of capitalism. The researcher studies one of the grand narratives legitimated by the capitalist system; that is fashion. In the system of production the social subject is personalized to follow the fashion. In such society the individual must be up-to-date; as a consequence, he consumes more and more product.

The story narrates the life of a genius and artist who represents postmodern aesthetic taste. He designs his wife according to the latest fashion but he pays no attention to her feelings and opinions. The woman at last protests to her subjection in view of the fact that her identity is lost; she is degraded to function as a pleasure commodity. The events in the story stand for the condition of the social subject in the capitalist system that is personalized to serve the interests of the market-driven economy.

 

مطالعه ی کنونی به بررسی تاثیر آموزش راهبردهای CSR بر روی مهارت خواندن زبان آموزان ایرانی با سطح توانش متوسط از زبان انگلیسی می پردازد. به منظور دستیابی به این هدف و پس از برگزاری آزمون استاندارد PET ،64 زبان آموز دختر با دامنه ی سنی 18- 26 و با سطح دانش همسان برای این تحقیق انتخاب شده در دو گروه آزمایشی و ملاک قرار داده شدند و در مرحله ی بعد کلیه افراد در یک پیش آزمون خواندن جهت سنجش مهارت خواندن شرکت کردند. در طول دوره ی آموزشی که 20 جلسه به طول انجامید مطالب یکسانی تدریس شد. تنها تفاوت در این بود که به زبان آموزان در گروه آزمایشی، راهبردهای CSR مرتبط با مهارت خواندن طبق مدل Klingner, Vaughn, & Schumm, (2001)” ” آموزش داده شد، در حالیکه گروه ملاک برنامه ی آموزشی معمول در آموزشگاه زبان سفیر را دریافت کردند. در پایان دوره ی آموزشی یک پس آزمون خواندن از زبان آموزان در هر دوگروه گرفته شد. تحلیل و بررسی نمرات به دست آمده نشان داد که که از لحاظ آماری گروه آزمایشی نتایج بهتری را کسب نمودند. این بدین معناست که تدریس راهبردهای CSR  مفید واقع شده و بهتر است که در برنامه های آموزشی مهارت خواندن گنجانده شود و معلمان نیز آموزش های لازم را جهت استفاده زبان آموزان از این راهبردها را برای آنها فراهم آورند و آنها را پیرامون اهمیت و تاثیر این راهبردها آگاهی دهند. نتیجه ی این تحقیق میتواند برای معلمان زبان انگلیسی در خصوص تدریس راهبردهای CSR در دوره های تدریس مهارت خواندن مفید واقع گردد.

Abstract

 

The present study is an attempt to investigate the effect of teaching “Collaborative Strategic Reading Approach (CSR)” on the reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To fulfill this objective, a group of 85 female learners attending English courses at Safir Language School took a sample PET as a proficiency test, 64 of them were selected as homogenous learners and were divided into two groups of experimental and control. In the next step, a piloted pretest of reading was administered in both groups. All classes of the two groups were instructed by the same teacher (the researcher) using the same material. The only difference was that the experimental group received CSR strategy training based on Klingner, Vaughn, & Schumm, (2001) model, while the control group received a common teaching program of Safir Language School which is not concerned with teaching strategies.  At the end of the training, a piloted post-test of reading comprehension (was administered to both groups. The analysis of the test scores using t-test revealed that experimental group did statistically better in their post-test, which means that an increase in students’ performance in reading comprehension due to the effect of CSR approach was occurred. The implication is that CSR strategy training can be included in regular English reading courses. This result may help EFL teachers to bear in mind the beneficial of teaching strategies especially when dealing with reading comprehension.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	IV

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

V

VI

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS..109

 

 

	VII

 

LIST OF TABLES

 

Table 4.18:  Pearson Correlation PET with Pretest and Post-test of Reading Comprehension…107

 

 

 

 

	VIII

 

LIST OF FIGURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	IX

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER I

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

  

 

1.1 Introduction

 

Reading is an inseparable part of daily life and the most necessary skill for it. It is a process involving the activation of relevant knowledge and related language skills to accomplish an exchange of information from one person to another. It requires the reader to focus his/her attention on the reading materials and integrate previously acquired knowledge and skill to comprehend what someone else has written (Chastain, 1988, p. 216).

Reading is a receptive skill, similar to listening, during which readers decode the message of the writer and try to recreate it anew (Rashtchi & Keyvanfar, 2010, P. 141). In fact, reading can be seen as a dialogue between the reader

 

 and the text or between the reader and the author. During this active involvement, the reader tries to either construct their personal interpretation of the text or get at the author’s original intention.

What has to be noted is that in real life, reading does not happen in a vacuum. It is always done within a social context for a specific reason. We might read to get information on how to do something such as reading a manual, or to learn something like studying our course books. We sometimes read in order to socialize with our friends like reading their email or read in order to organize our daily life matters such as finding the shortest route to a certain destination. Many times we find ourselves reading for pleasure such as reading a novel or browsing the internet. In some situations, we may read for a combination of reasons.

Reading comprehension as the “essence of reading” (Durkin, 1993, P. 4) occurs when a mental concept of meaning is created from the written text. To do this, “The reader extracts and integrates various kinds of information from the text and combines it with what is already known” (Koda, 2005, P. 4).

Effective reading is not something that every individual learns to do (Nunan, 1999, P. 249). Learning to reading is difficult especially for those reading in a second or foreign language (Celce-Murcia, 1979). Since reading is one of the most complex cognitive processes, there are a number of skills that contribute to fluent reading comprehension, and it is especially so in the context of L2 reading (Sepp & Morvay, 2010, p. 9). However, the widespread attention to reading predominantly focuses on early reading instruction, such as phonological awareness, decoding, and word identification instruction (Burns, Griffin, Kuldanek & Snow 1998).

To improve learners’ reading abilities, effective strategies, skills and assistant tools should be carefully considered (Oxford, 1990). The concept of strategy is defined by a number of scholars. Strategies are specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques that students (often intentionally) use to improve their progress in developing L2 skills (Oxford, 1990). These strategies can facilitate the internalization, storage, retrieval, or use of the new language. They are tools for the self-directed involvement necessary for developing language skills (Oxford, 1990). Many attempts have been done in order to determine and identify strategies especially influencing in the complex process of reading comprehension. In particular, many researchers have been interested in understanding what good readers typically do or posses while they read (e.g., Block, 1992; Brantmeier, 2002; Burns, Roe, & Ross, 1999; Erten & Topkaya, 2009; Heidari, 2010; Lehr, Osborn, & Hiebert, 2005; Kondo-Brown, 2006).

Interest in reading strategies among ESL/ EFL practitioners to conduct research began in the late 1960s and early 1970s along with various fields such as psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, and education. Common to most of these streams was a desire to account for differences between “good” and “poor” readers and compare the types of strategies the former group employed which contributed to their successes and distinction.

Singhal (2001) emphasizes the crucial role of reading strategies by stating that, “They are of interest for what they reveal about the way readers manage their interactions with written text, and how these strategies are related to reading comprehension” (p. 78).

Despite using the related strategies in reading, the results of reading from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed that many students are still not able to read fluently. There are some reasons behind low reading scores such as lack of phonological awareness, phonics-related skills, not being familiar with and using proper reading strategies fully. It seems that these points were overlooked in most approaches related to teaching reading (Standish, 2005).

As mentioned before, reading is a complex process. So, it seems that using one or two strategies alone is not sufficient for being an effective reader therefore, according to Standish (2005), what is needed is a specific approach consisting of the combination of different strategies that improve reading comprehension. This approach is called “Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR)”.

Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) is proposed by three researchers Klingner, Vaughn, and Schumm in 2001. According to Klingner, Vaughn, and Schumm (as cited in Standish, 2005), CSR was designed to address three important issues in reading instruction. The first, was meeting the needs of the increasingly diverse classrooms in the United States, including English-language learners. Second, CSR provided strategy instruction that increased the students’ comprehension of text and their ability to retain and transfer their new knowledge. Third, CSR was designed to facilitate collaborative, peer-mediated instruction among students in the content area classroom.

It is an assembly of strategies that have been proven through research, to be associated with improved outcomes in reading comprehension. CSR integrates word identification, reciprocal reading, and cooperative learning. Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) is a set of four strategies which struggling readers can use to decode and comprehend as they read content area text as follows:

 

1. Preview: Before reading, students brainstorm prior knowledge and predict what will be learned.
2. Click and Clunk: Students identify words and word parts that were hard to understand (called “Clunks”). A sequence of “fix-up” is used to decode the “Clunk”. These strategies are: (a) Re-reading the sentence for key ideas; (b) Looking for context clues in the sentences before and after; © Looking for prefixes or suffixes; and (d) Breaking the word apart to find smaller words.
3. Get the Gist: Students learn to ask themselves: what is the most important person, place, or thing? What is the most important idea about the person, place or thing?
4. Wrap Up: After reading, students construct their own questions to check for understanding of the passage, answer the questions, and summarize what has been learned.

According to Klingner, Vaughn, and Schumm (as cited in Standish, 2005):

These four strategies are the most effective ones, based on the results of researches that have been conducted over 25 years, with numerous investigators. What we’ve done with collaborative strategic reading is taken these four strategies, organized them in a way that has made sense to teachers and has been something that has been productive for them to use with their students. (p. 39)

It is believed that CSR makes use of social interactions to increase students’ ability. While students read a new text, they are interested in finding out the existing differences between this current knowledge and existing experiences they have already acquired.

In implementing CSR, students work in small, cooperative groups of 4-5 students. They support each other in applying a sequence of reading strategies as they read orally or silently from a shared selection of text.

Drawing attention to such strategies gives the learners clear and concrete routines that help them to move beyond concentrating on decoding processes and/or to facilitate transferring those things while reading for meaning in their first language (L1). Therefore, it seems to be of high value to pay more attention to the way CSR can facilitate and exert influence over the processes of reading comprehension and creating language competence through reading among EFL learners.

 

 

• Statement of the Problem

 

In learning a foreign language, reading is an essential skill to acquire knowledge and exchange information (Chien, 2000; Dlugosz, 2000; Salinger, 2003; Huang, 2005). For the past two decades, awareness of the importance of reading has been steadily growing and consequent demands for effective reading instruction have increased (Burns, Griffin, & Snow, 1998; US National Reading Panel, 2000).

Learning to read is difficult, especially for those reading in a second or foreign language (Celce-Murcia, 1979). Effective reading is not something that every individual learns to do (Nunan, 1999, p. 249). To improve learners’ reading abilities, effective strategies and assistant tools should be carefully considered, but the instructors seldom teach learners how to use learning strategies effectively to improve their reading comprehension; consequently, learners cannot master this language skill effectively (Berkowitz 1986; Carnine and Carnine 2004; Chi, 1997; Griffiths, 2008; Rivard and Yore 1992; Tsao, 2004).

با پیشرفت سریع فناوری و ظهور نسل جدیدی از بسته های نرم افزاری رایانه ای، بررسی بیشتر این مقوله در حوزه ی یادگیری و تدریس زبان انگلیسی منطقی به نظر می رسد. بدین منظور، پژوهش حاضر به ارزیابی دیدگاه زبان آموزان نسبت به برنامه ای خودخوان با استفاده از دو نرم افزار آموزش زبان به نام های رزتا استون (Rosetta Stone) و تل می مور (Tell Me More) پرداخت. شصت شرکت کننده در سطح مقدماتی زبان انگلیسی به طور تصادفی از یک دبیرستان غیر دولتی انتخاب شدند. سپس شرکت کنندگان به دو گروه تقسیم شدند و هر کدام با یکی از بسته های نرم افزاری که پیش تر ذکر شد به یادگیری زبان انگلیسی پرداختند. آنها طی یک دوره ی سه هفته ای از نرم افزارها استفاده کردند. پس از آن، از آنها خواسته شد تا پرسشنامه ای را که به صورت لیکرت تنظیم شده، در مورد تجربه یادگیری شان تکمیل نمایند. این پرسشنامه ی بیست و هفت آیتمی دیدگاه شرکت کنندگان را نسبت به این نوع برنامه ی خودخوان نشان می داد. اطلاعات جمع آوری شده بر اساس آمار توصیفی و استنباطی تحلیل شد. بر اساس آمار توصیفی، یافته ها نشان داد که دیدگاه شرکت کنندگان نسبت به هر کدام از گزینه ها متفاوت بوده با این حال برای اکثر گزینه ها از جمله تمایل زبان آموزان نسبت به یک برنامه ی خودخوان، دیدگاه شان نسبت به ویژگی گرافیک بسته ها ی نرم افزاری، سیستم تشخیص صدا، سهولت استفاده از نظر مهارت های پایه ای و غیره دیدگاه مثبتی نسبت به هر کدام از بسته های نرم افزاری داشتند. به علاوه، آزمون من ویتنی یو (Mann Whitney U  ) نشان داد که از لحاظ آماری، تفاوت آماری معناداری بین زبان آموزان از نظر دیدگاه شان نسبت به بسته های نرم افزاری آموزش زبان وجود ندارد.  

کلید واژه ها: یادگیری زبان به کمک کامپیوتر، دیدگاه زبان آموزان، بسته های نرم افزاری، انگلیسی به عنوان یک زبان بیگانه

Table of Content

 

Title                                                                                                                                 Page                  

 

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Chapter 1: Introduction 

1.0: Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2

1.0.1: Software packages to be investigated in the present study………………………………….. 4

1.1: Theoretical Framework………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

1.2: Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

1.3: Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 7

1.3.1. Merits of the integration of technology in English language education………………. 8

1.3.2. Drawbacks of the integration of technology in English language education……….. 9

1.4: Research Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9

1.5: Research Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………………………………… 10

1.6: Definitions of Key Terms…………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

1.7: Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature

2.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

2.1. Autonomy and Self-study Programs…………………………………………………………………….. 11

2.2. Language Training Software Packages…………………………………………………………………. 12

2.3. Assessing Attitude, Belief, Perception and Motivation in CALL………………………….. 13

2.4. Online vs. Traditional Way of Language Learning………………………………………………. 23

2.5. Barriers to the Integration of CALL……………………………………………………………………… 25

2.6. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26

Chapter 3: Methodology

3.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27

3.1. The Design of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 27

3.2. Participants………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28

3.3. Materials and Instruments……………………………………………………………………………………. 28

3.3.1. Placement Test………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28

3.3.2. Questionnaire……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29

3.3.3. Software Packages…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29

3.4. Procedure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31

3.5. Methods of Analyzing the Data……………………………………………………………………………. 32

3.6. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33

Chapter 4: Results

4.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34

4.1. The Results of the Reliability Analyses of the OPT test and Attitude Questionnaire (Pilot Study)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 35

4.2. The Results of OPT Test for the Sampling Purpose………………………………………………. 36

4.3. Descriptive Statistics for the Items of the Attitude Questionnaire……………………….. 38

4.4. Inferential Statistics for the Attitude Questionnaire…………………………………………….. 57

4.5. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60

Chapter 5: Discussion

5.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 61

5.1. General Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………………… 61

5.2. Implications of the Study…………………………………………………………………………………….. 68

5.3. Limitations of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 68

5.4. Suggestions for further Research…………………………………………………………………………. 69

5.5. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69

 

References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 70

Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 80

 

List of Tables

Table                                                                                                                              Pages                                                                                               

Table 4.1: Reliability Statistics for the OPT test…………………………………………………………. 35

Table 4.2: Suggested Standards (Adopted From Barker, Pistrang, and Elliott, 1994…… 36

Table 4.3: Statistics For the OPT Test…………………………………………………………………………. 37

Table 4.4: Item Statistics for the for the Attitude Questionnaire…………………………………. 38

Table 4.5: Item 1: Learning A Language Using Computer Software Was An Interesting Experience…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41

Table 4.6: Item 2: Language learning May be Important to My Goals, But I Do not Expect It to be Much Fun…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41

Table 4.7: Item 3: It Is Easier to Learn A Language at Home without Classroom Pressure  42

Table 4.8: Item 4: I Worry a Lot About Making Mistakes in Classroom……………………… 43

Table 4.9: Item 5:I Think Working at Home; Using Rosetta StoneTell me more Is More of a Computer Game than a Serious Instruction…………………………………………………………………………………. 43

Table 4.10: Item 6: I have found that classroom attendance is not the only way to learn a language…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 44

Table 4.11: Item 7: I would like to learn English, provided I allocate flexible time per week        45

Table 4.12: Item 8: I Will Recommend Rosetta Stone/TELL ME MORE to My Friends.      45

Table 4.13: Item: 9 I would like to learn English through videos, photos, and graphics not just studying textbooks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 46

Table 4.14: Item 10: Learning with Computers Offers More Advantages over Traditional Methods of Language Education…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46

Table 4.15: Item 11: Computers Are Useful for Language Learning…………………………… 47

Table 4.16:Item 12: I Have No Difficulty in Operating the Basic Functions of Computers as far as Language-Learning Software Is Concerned………………………………………………………………… 47

Table 4.17: Item 13: Computers Have Proved to be Effective Learning Tools Worldwide 48

Table 4.18: Item 14: Students Prefer Learning from Teachers to Learning from Computers          49

Table 4.19: Item 15: I Think I Could Spend More Time Practicing Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) Using Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………. 49

Table 4.20: Item 16: I Prefer to Learn English through Rosetta StoneTell me more Because I Can Adjust My Own Speed of Learning…………………………………………………………………………….. 50

Table 4.21: Item 17: I Would Rather Take A Formal Course Than A Self-Study Program  51

Table 4.22: Item 18: Rosetta Stone/Tell me more Is So User-Friendly. It Is Quite Convenient for Me as an Ordinary Computer User……………………………………………………………………………………. 51

Table 4.23: Item 19: I Enjoyed the Lessons of Rosetta StoneTell Me More……………….. 52

Table 4.24: Item 20: I Think Speech Recognition System in Rosetta StoneTELL ME MORE Can Help You Sound Like a Native Speaker………………………………………………………………………………. 53

Table 4.25: Item 21: It Gradually Becomes Boring Working with Rosetta StoneTell me more     53

Table 4.26: Item 22: It Is Important to Practice Prefabricated Conversation but There Is Not Such a Thing in Rosetta StoneTell me more………………………………………………………………………….. 54

Table 4.27: Item 23: The Speech Recognition System In Rosetta StoneTell me more Is Very Complicated. I Cannot Adjust My Tone to That of the Native Speaker’s……………………. 54

Table 4.28: Item 24: It Is a Good Idea to Use Rosetta StoneTell me more but not as the Main Source of Education……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 55

Table 4.29: Item 25: Diverse and Colorful Photos Used in Rosetta StoneTell me more Have Enormous Appeal………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 56

Table 4.30: Item 26: If I Cannot Pursue a Formal Course In English, Anyway I Prefer to Use Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 56

Table 4.31: Item 27: I Cannot Imagine How Exciting It Was to Practice at Home Using Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 57

Table 4.32: Ranks of group (A) and (B) for their Attitudes………………………………………… 58

Table 4.33: Mann Whitney U Test for EFL learners’ Attitudes towards the Packages…. 58

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of Figures

Figure                                                                                                                             Page

Figure 4.1 the Comparison between Groups (A) And (B) With Respect To Their Attitudes towards the Two Language Learning Packages (“Tell Me More” and “Rosetta Stone”)………………….. 58

 

Abstract                                

With the rapid advancement of technology and the outbreak of the new generation of computer software packages, it seems plausible to shed more light on this issue in the realm of English language learning and teaching. To this end, the present study aimed at scrutinizing the EFL learners’ attitude towards a self-study program using two language training software packages called Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More. Sixty elementary EFL participants were selected randomly from a non-state high school. Then they were divided into two groups each learning English through one of the previously-mentioned packages. They passed a self-study three-week using the two software packages. After that, they were required to fill up a Likert-type questionnaire based on their learning experience. The twenty-seven-item questionnaire elicited participants’ attitudes towards this sort of self-study program. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the descriptive statistics, the findings revealed that the attitudes of the participants towards each item were different, although for most items such as learners’ preference towards a self-study program, their ideas about the software packages graphics, the speech recognition system, the ease of use in terms of individuals’ basic skills etc. they reflected positive views towards the use of each of the software packages. In addition, the result of Mann-Whitney U test showed that there was not a statistically significant difference between elementary EFL learners in terms of their attitudes towards the two language learning software packages.

 

 

Key Words: Computer-assisted Language Learning (CALL), Learners’ Attitude, Software Packages, English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

 

Chapter One

Introduction

 

 

 

1.0. Introduction

With the beginning of the era of technology and a whole raft of new language training software packages, it seems quite sensible to take a closer look at some of these attempts to enhance the quality and effectiveness of language learning and teaching. This is quite a fact that the advent of computer and following it the Internet has made the process of language learning easier, more convenient and even more enjoyable. In other words, technology has revolutionized diverse aspects of human life and as such language learning and teaching is no exception. The inclination towards the use of computer and multimedia facilities in the past two decades in the language education has been reported in the works of some researchers such as Salaberry (2001). The form of technology that is taken into consideration in the current study is the language training software packages.

Figura and Jarvis (2007) defined CALL as learners’ learning language in any context with, through, and around computer technologies. Egbert (http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/j_key24.htm) (n.d.) also stated that CALL is the catalyst for new kinds of teaching and learning that enables learners to achieve their goals faster. It can be said that one of the final goals of CALL is to develop thinking skills in learners out of class environment. Apparently, CALL materials seem to be more appealing and promising owing to their capacity to integrate text, picture, sound, and animation. However, what makes a widespread research in this area arduous appears to be the difficulty in locating the learners using CALL materials.

It can be estimated that the use of computers as an asset to language learning and teaching commenced in the 1960s. As technology is subject to changes almost all the time, the definition of Beatty (2003) of CALL (computer-assisted language learning) that “any process in which a learner uses a computer and, as a result, improves his or her language” (p. 7) truly fits its nature. The field of CALL emerged in three various stages during its protracted history, Structural or Behavioristic CALL (1970s-1980), Communicative CALL (1980s-1990), and Integrative CALL (from late 20th up to 21st century).

As the first stage, behavioristic CALL was adopted as the part of the general field of computer-assisted instruction. As its name indicates, it was inspired by the behavioristic psychology clarifying repetitive language drills so called drill-and-practice (or drill-and-kill). The role of the computer was seen as a mechanical tutor that provided the opportunity to work at individuals’ own speed without getting tired. At that time a tutorial system called PLATO could mesmerize attentions with a central computer and terminals and featured extensive drills, grammatical explanations, and translation tests at various intervals (Ahmad, Corbett, Rogers, & Sussex, 1985).

The second stage, communicative CALL, came into existence at the time when behavioristic CALL was being rebuffed at both theoretical and empirical levels. It also synchronized the outbreak of PCs (personal computers) which proved to be more capable as far as individual work was concerned. Advocates of communicative CALL believed that computer-based activities should emphasize using forms in lieu of the forms themselves, teaching grammar implicitly rather than explicitly, encouraging and having learners produce authentic instead of prefabricated language, and using the language predominantly (Jones & Fortescue, 1987). Communicative CALL was pertinent to the cognitive theories maintaining learning as a process of discovery, expression, and development. Text reconstruction programs with the aim of discovering the patterns of language and meaning through unscrambling words and texts in the form of individual or group works as well as the simulation programs with simulated discussion and conversation allowing students to work in pairs or groups were on full swing. The dominant focus of most advocates of communicative CALL was the students’ interaction with each other while working with the computer.

Although the second stage of CALL seemed a greater success in comparison with the first, it was open to criticism. Critics slammed communicative CALL stating that computer is still being used in an ad hoc and disconnected fashion as a result; it “finds itself making a greater contribution to marginal rather than central elements” of language learning process (Kenning & Kenning, 1990, p. 90). It paved the path to adaptation of communicative language teaching theory in both theory and practice. Cognitive view of communicative language learning was leaving its place to a more socio-cognitive perspective that emphasized more language use in authentic social contexts. Approaches like task-based and content-based used to integrate learners into authentic language situations and also different language skills. As a result, the third stage of technology and language learning called Integrative CALL emerged. As stated before, this stage sought to integrate language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and also technology to language learning process. Simply put, students are exposed to technological assets as a constant process rather than isolated exercises every now and then.

:

تحقیق حاضر دو ترجمه انگلیسی از تلمیحات موجود در منطق الطیر عطار را که در سالهای 1954و 1984بوسیله نات،دربندی ودیویس صورت گرفته اند را مورد بررسی قرار داده است.این تحقیق،استراتژیهای ارایه شده توسط لپیهالم 1997را که مترجمین حاضر جهت انتقال معنا از زبان فارسی به زبان انگلیسی بکاربرده اند را نیزمورد بررسی قرارداده و با هم مقایسه نموده است. نتایج نشان داده اند که هردو مترجم در ترجمه این تلمیحات از منطق الطیر،ازاستراتژی های مختلفی استفاده کرده اند که پرکاربردترین آنها عبارتندازترجمه استاندارد،تغییر جزیی،حذف،جایگزینی،كاهش،تولیددوباره وشناخت سطحی.بیشترین استراتژیهایی كه توسط مترجمان بكار گرفته شده اند ترجمه استاندارد،تغییرجزیی،و حذف هستند.استراتژیهای مورد نظر به مباحث معناشناسی، فرهنگی، بافت معنایی و ترجمه تحت الفظی تلمیحات مذکور مربوط می شوند.همچنین محقق دریافت که در ترجمه های مذکوراستراتژی استفاده از زیرنویس کمتر بکار برده شده است و با مقایسه این دو ترجمه از تلمیحات کدام ترجمه ازترجمه دیگری استاندارد تراست.ترجمه دربندی و دیویس تاحدی تحت الفظی تر از ترجمه ایست که توسط نات صورتگرفته است.لذا،عوامل دیگری چون آشنایی مترجمین با مسایلی همچون فرهنگ اسلامی،آیات و احادیث وایده  خود مترجم در انتخاب استراتژی آنها نیز ایفای نقش کرده اند.یافته های تحقیق حاضر بر این فرض است که تلمیحات و ترجمه بینامتنیت، مقولات پیچیده ای هستند که در این تحقیق تنها نات توانسته است بطور موفق معنای مورد نظرمتن شعری اصیل در منطق الطیررا به خواننده زبان مبدا انتقال دهد

Table of Contents

Title                                                                                                                                      Page

Title Page

Approval page ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….  II

Table of Contents …………………………………………………………………………………………………. III

Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………………………. VI

Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. IX

List of Abbreviations  …………………………………………………………………………………………….. X

Chapter One: Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………. 1

1.1. Overview  ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

1.2. Intertextuality and Allusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 2

1.3. Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

1.4. Significance of the Study ………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

1.5. Research Questions …………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

1.6. Definition of Key Terms……………………………………………………………………………………. 5

Chapter Two: Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………… 7

2.1. Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  8

2.2. History of Intertextuality…………………………………………………………………………………… 8

2.3. Types of Intertextuality…………………………………………………………………………………… 11

2.3.1.Horizontal or Vertical Reference…………………………………………………………………….. 11

2.3.2. Manifest or constitutive Reference    …………………………………………………………….    12

2.3.3. Active versus passive Intertextuality………………………………………………………………. 12

2.4. Scope of Intertextuality…………………………………………………………………………………… 12

2.5. Poetry……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

2.6. Forms of Intertextuality…………………………………………………………………………………… 13

2. 7. Allusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14
3. 7.1.Functions of Allusion…………………………………………………………………………………… 15

2.7.2. Forms of Allusion ………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

2.7.3. Types of Allusion …………………………………………………………………………………………. 16

2.7.3.1. Religious Allusion……………………………………………………………………………………… 16

2.7.3.2. Literary Allusion ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 17

2.7.3.3. Mythological Allusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 18

2.7.3.4. Historical Allusion…………………………………………………………………………………….. 18

2.7.3.5. Proper-Name Allusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 19

2.7.3.6. Key-Phrase Allusion ………………………………………………………………………………….. 20

2.7.4. Potential Strategies for translating Allusion …………………………………………………….. 20

2.7.5. Complication of translating Allusive Texts ……………………………………………………… 27

2.8. Poetry Translation…………………………………………………………………………………………… 28

2.8.1. Possibility of Poetry Translation …………………………………………………………………….. 28

2.8.2. Types of Poetry Translation…………………………………………………………………………… 31

2.8.3. Methods of translating poetry……………………………………………………………………….. 34

2.8.4. Linguistic Problems……………………………………………………………………………………… 35

2.8.5. Literary or aesthetic Problems……………………………………………………………………….. 35

2.8.6. Poetic Structure…………………………………………………………………………………………… 35

2.8.7. Socio-cultural problems ………………………………………………………………………………… 35

Chapter three: Methodology………………………………………………………………………………… 36

3.1. Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37

3.2. Restatement of the research questions  ………………………………………………………………. 37

3.3. Materials ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

3.3.1. Mantiq ut-Tair……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

3.3.2. Nott’s Translation………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

3.3.3. Darbandi’s and Davis’ Translation ………………………………………………………………….. 39

3.4. Procedures …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 39

Chapter Four: Data Analysis and Results …………………………………………………………….. 40

4.1. Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41

4.2. Analysis of the Data……………………………………………………………………………………….. 41

4.2.1. Key-phrase Allusions in Attar’s Mantiq ut-Tair………………………………………………….. 41

4.3. Results ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 69

Chapter Five: Discussion and Conclusions ……………………………………………………………. 74

5.1. Overview………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 75

5.2. Strategies Used for Key-phrases Allusion  …………………………………………………………. 76

5.3. Concluding Remarks ………………………………………………………………………………………. 76

5.4. Limitations of the Study ………………………………………………………………………………….. 77

5.5. Implications of the Study ………………………………………………………………………………… 77

5.6. Suggestions for Further Research……………………………………………………………………… 77

References …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 78

Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr.  H. Vahid Dastjerdi for his guidance, advice and

 

 constructive comments on the topic in question and providing advice and guidance throughout the research period.

My special thanks also go to Dr. M. R. Talebinejad for his advice, help and encouragement. And also I am grateful to my brother, Saadi, M.A. English teaching from University of Tehran.

Finally and most importantly, I thank my God for granting me health and fitness and inspiring me hope and encouragement to accomplish this work.

 

 

 

List of Tables

Table 1   ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 68

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of Figures

Figure 2.1……………………………………………………………………………………………… 22

Figure 2.2……………………………………………………………………………………………… 23

Figure 4.3……………………………………………………………………………………………… 69

 

 

 

 

Abstract

The present study focused on two English translations of KP allusions in Attar’s
Mantiq ut-Tair. Attar’s Mantiq ut-Tair which has been translated by Nott (1954), Darbandi and Davis (1984) was used in the study. It also considered the strategies by Leppihalme (1997, p. 96) which two translators utilized when doing the job in order to transfer the meaning of the ST into TT. The present study compared two English translations of Mantiq ut-Tair with each other to find out what translation strategies have the translators used to convey the intertextual allusive items to the TT and to what extent the true sense of KP allusion in Mantiq ut Tair has been transferred to English. The results showed that when dealing with KP allusions present in the ST which are absent from the TL, translators often resort to different strategies ranging from standard translation, minimum change, omission, replacement, reduction, recreation to the simulated familiarity strategies. The most frequently used strategies by the translators were standard translation, minimum change and omission. These strategies contribute to semantic, cultural, contextual, and literal translation of allusions. The researcher also found that the translations were subject to almost all different strategies except use of footnotes strategy. This thesis also made a comparison between the first translation and the second one to find out which one is more standard than the other with respect to the translation of intertextual references. The second translation of Mantiq ut- Tair by Darbandi and Davis to some extent was more literal than the first translation by Nott. Therefore, other factors such as familiarity with Islamic culture, verses, traditions and the translators’ ideas for which the translations are carried out are needed to explain the translator’s choice of different strategies. The findings of the study suggested that due to the fact that KP allusions and intertextuality are more complicated issues, only Nott could successfully transfer the intended meaning of the original poetry text in Mantiq ut-Tair to TL reader.

 

 

 

 

List of Abbreviations

KP=Key-phrase

PN=Proper noun

SL= Source language

ST=Source text

TL=Target Language

TT=Target text

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

• Overview

     The concept of intertextuality was first introduced by Julia Kristeva in an essay entitled “Word, Dialogue and Novel”, in 1966, to describe the way all language and all literature are constructed from previous utterances to form mosaics of quotations (Kristeva, 1986, p. 37). “Intertextuality concerns the factors which make the utilization of one text dependent upon knowledge of one or more previously encountered texts (Beaugrande & Dressler, 1981, p. 10).” In other words, Hatim (1997) also argued intertextuality is one of the basic forms of relations that are presence of one text in another one – a quote would be the most obvious example (p. 29).

    Meanwhile, Fairclough (1992) noted that intertextuality points to how texts can transform prior texts and restructure existing conventions (genres, discourses) to generate new ones (p. 270). “A text is no longer considered as the container of meaning, but as an intertextual space in which a number of elements are combined, absorbed or transformed (Cascallana, 2006, p. 98).” However, Schäffner & Holmes (1995, p. 58) argued that the influences of intertextuality and the relationship between text and context predispose a target audience to associate specific content with text presented through a given medium.

     According to Lefevere (1992), translating poetry can be considered different from translating other text types, in the sense that one translating poetry is not engaged in a single level to deal with but a fourfold process including: language, ideology, poetics and universe of discourse at each of which particular problems arise to involve him with (p. 88).