My CV by Hassan Soleimani
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Articles by Hassan Soleimani
IJEAP, 2024
Critical pedagogy as a constituent of a democratic society is crucial to be raised and an educati... more Critical pedagogy as a constituent of a democratic society is crucial to be raised and an educational system as a part of the society needs to get familiar with such a context for nurturing teachers and students with critical thinking as well as providing materials based on critical pedagogy principles. The present study intended to elicit the underlying themes in critical pedagogy and to examine their frequency in Iranian EFL textbooks. Following an exploratory sequential mixed method design, reviewing the literature critically, a host of underlying themes were extracted using content analysis and then six experts in Applied Linguistics were asked to select the more relevant themes in critical pedagogy according to the context of teaching the English language in Iranian high schools. Accordingly, the materials utilized in the present study were senior high school EFL textbooks entitled Vision Series and Vision Series Workbooks to examine the elicited themes. Furthermore, the frequency of critical pedagogy themes in Vision Series and Vision Series workbooks in terms of the level of the textbooks were examined. The results indicated "critical praxis" and "critical thinking" were the most frequently-used themes in Vision Series and Vision Series workbooks respectively and the frequency of critical pedagogy themes in these textbooks revealed no significant differences except in some themes. The findings of this study might have implications for stakeholders, materials developers, teachers, and students.
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The study has investigated the perception of Iranian EFL teachers and policymakers towards lingui... more The study has investigated the perception of Iranian EFL teachers and policymakers towards linguistic imperialism and globalization in the English language teaching curriculum and the relationship between contextual factors and the attitude toward linguistic imperialism. To conduct this research, 674 Iranian EFL teachers and eight high-ranking officials of Iran responsible for designing and compiling national documents in the Expediency Recognition Council, the Cultural Revolution Council, and the Ministry of Science, Research, and Information Technology were invited to participate in the research. Using structural equation modeling, the collected quantitative data was analyzed and the content analysis method was used for qualitative data. The findings showed the significant influence of cultural and contextual factors in shaping the attitude of educators and policymakers toward linguistic imperialism. This research underscores the importance of cultural and contextual factors in language education policies. It suggests an approach to preserve students' cultural and linguistic identity while learning English as a global language. This approach can help students increase their language skills and, at the same time, facilitate international communication. Therefore, the members of society, specifically the planners, teachers, language learners, and parents, should pay attention to the nature and cultural, social, and political consequences of this language rather than consider it as a neutral communication tool.
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Soleimani, H., Rostami Abu Saeed, A., Kheiri, S., & Karami, M. (2024). The effectiveness of web-based tools in learning idiomatic expressions: A CALL study. Journal of Language and Translation, 2,14, 129-142. With the development of technology and due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, most of the ELT courses in I... more With the development of technology and due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, most of the ELT courses in Iran have shifted to online learning since March 2020. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of four online technological tools for teaching idioms. To this aim, 106 pre-intermediate learners of English took part in the study. A language proficiency test was administered to them to ensure the homogeneity of the sample. A total number of 80 students who had been selected as the final participants were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: In group A, concept maps of the same idioms were drawn with the help of an online mind-map maker. Group B was presented with online flashcards which included definitions and examples of idioms. Group C received etymological elaboration from an online dictionary of the origins of idioms, and group D listened to online audio stories of all the idioms. Each group of participants received the treatment for 12 sessions and took part in the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest. Results of a one-way ANOVA indicated that the most gains were achieved by story-telling. The findings imply implications for teachers, syllabus designers, and materials developers in using appropriate instructional methods for teaching idioms.
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The examination of the literature reveals that scant attention has been paid to L2 graduate stude... more The examination of the literature reveals that scant attention has been paid to L2 graduate students' engagement with feedback on their academic texts. To fill this gap in the literature, the current study investigated the engagement of 53 TEFL master's degree students with peer comments using a host of data collection and analysis tools, including eye-tracking, stimulated recall interviews, and content analysis. The participants exchanged computermediated comments on an academic writing task (i.e., thesis proposal) and were asked to revise their texts based on these comments while their eye movements were being captured using an eye-tracking application. Then, the eye-tracking videos were employed as stimuli to extract the participants' reasons for not applying the comments. In addition, the participants' first and revised texts underwent content analysis, and their feedback incorporation strategies were identified. The findings of this study indicated that the participants applied more than two-thirds of the comments; however, justified elaborated feedback was adopted more than elaborated and concise general feedback. The participants also applied justified elaborated feedback more accurately than the other feedback types. Finally, the results showed that four main feedback qualities (being too general, incomprehensible, inapplicable, and faulty) adversely affected L2 MA students' feedback incorporation.
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Hosseini, S., Soleimani, H., Hemati, F., & Afshinfar, J. (2024). Revitalizing the potential of CALL with an ecological twist: The impact of an ecolinguistically-based task in fostering ecological sustainability perspectives among EFL learners, Technology of Education Journal, 18/1, 167-190. TEJ, 2024
Background and Objectives: In response to the burgeoning significance of environmental and sustai... more Background and Objectives: In response to the burgeoning significance of environmental and sustainability education, the educational landscape is undergoing rapid transformations, presenting new opportunities for foreign language classrooms to assume a distinctive role in exposing learners to the fundamental concepts and principles of environmental literacy. Drawing on a newly constructed Ecolinguistic computer-assisted language learning (CALL) evaluation scale, this study aims to investigate the implementation of this scale and the interplay between language, centering on an Ecolinguistically-based task that illustrates the interaction between and among the affordance of technology, the teacher participant's pedagogical considerations and their goal of encouraging learner agency in nurturing learners' ecological perspectives, content aspects, and competency of environmental knowledge. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted to implement a newly constructed Ecolinguistic CALL perspective to promote environmental literacy among foreign language learners. Two intact classes, including 30 English foreign language learners, were randomly assigned to investigate the implementation of the subscales. A paired-sample t-test was applied to analyze the quantitative data. As part of implementing the Ecolinguistic scale and qualitative data analysis, the participants were assigned an Ecolinguistically technology-based task and were informed about the fundamental concepts of the subscale domains of environmental literacy using a technology-mediated task. Thematic analysis was run to gain a more robust view of the participants' ecological views. Findings: The study findings unveil a notable and affirmative influence on students' ecological perspectives, as evidenced by the rigorous quantitative data analysis and the participants' thematic analysis reflections. The successful implementation of the Ecolinguistic subscales and the Ecolinguistically-based task significantly bolstered learners' ecological perspectives while concurrently enhancing their comprehension of intricate ecological concepts. These outcomes substantiate the proposition that integrating Ecolinguistic dimensions into technology-mediated pedagogies holds promising potential for cultivating environmental literacy among English foreign language learners. Conclusions: This research highlights the need to reconceptualize environmental challenges and problematizes the traditional positivist framework underlying mainstream linguistic inquiry. It accentuates the significance of thoughtfully integrating appropriate technologies into language learning environments to enrich students' learning experiences and stimulate motivation that aligns with their individual interests. Moreover, the study underscores the importance of employing practical and cost-effective evaluation techniques to assess students' environmental literacy. The findings yielded by this research endeavor will facilitate and advocate for embracing an eco-dimensional strategy that harmonizes numerous concerns about the volatility of the human habitat and the augmentation of the ecosystem's capacities via the integration of technical concepts, methodologies, and linguistic analysis techniques. This approach endows us with universally applicable to implementing humanitarian endeavors through CALL. It furnishes invaluable perspectives that enrich our comprehension of environmental literacy, thereby bolstering the efficacy of decision-making processes in enhancing our grasp of transformative endeavors within the realms of curriculum design and policy. Several noteworthy limitations warrant consideration. Primarily, the investigation failed to acknowledge the potential ramifications of additional constructs on the subscales of the Ecolinguistic scale. Secondly, the inquiry into the environmental literacy of the participants surpassed the confines of the study's purview. Notwithstanding these limitations, the study's findings and methodologies have propelled our comprehension of environmental literacy to new heights. Nonetheless, further measures are imperative to bolster curriculum design and policy formulation decision-making processes. The study carries substantial implications for pedagogy and academia, encompassing the enhancement of environmental literacy among English as a Foreign Language learners and the cultivation of a comprehensive approach to language acquisition. Additional research is indispensable to delve into the pedagogical preferences of educators, regulate variables, and encompass a more expansive sample size. Educators are strongly encouraged to adopt student-centered, transformative pedagogies while simultaneously ensuring equitable access to technology-driven resources. A thorough understanding of sociolinguistics and a thoughtful consideration of technological affordances also assume pivotal roles in this endeavor.
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Zeinali, M., Jafarigohar, M., Atai, M. R., & Soleimani, H. (2023). Practicum and professional role identity (re)construction: A longitudinal mixed methods study on Iranian EFL student teachers, Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies, 10,3, 39-69. The empirically-validated link between teachers' professional role identity and explicit manifest... more The empirically-validated link between teachers' professional role identity and explicit manifestations of teacher efficacy has resulted in a burgeoning literature on educational programs/settings influential in teacher identity formation. In an attempt to expand on this strand of research, the present study explored how taking part in an academic multi-faceted teaching practicum may contribute to professional role identity construction/reconstruction among Iranian EFL student teachers. To this end, 45 third-year undergraduates majoring in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) were traced throughout a twoyear (four-semester) teaching practicum held by Farhangian University, Iran. Based on a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design, the participants' identity was gauged at five different time points: At the outset of the practicum and after every practicum semester. The quantitative data were gathered through the repetitive administration of a standard Likert-scale questionnaire developed based on Farrell's (2011) tripartite model of professional role identity. Coincident with the surveying process, the qualitative data were gathered through a semi-structured interview held at the beginning of the practicum and four integrative reports developed by the participants at the end of every practicum semester. Withingroup comparison of the survey data in tandem with content analysis of the qualitative data based on the focus framework revealed that the multi-faceted practicum helped the student teachers strike a balance in their identity as a manager and a professional. Additionally, the results called into question the contribution of the practicum to acculturator identity development. The influential role of a multi-faceted practicum in promoting professional role identity among student teachers calls for an investment of cost and time to exploit the full potential of practicums of the same quality.
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The use of technology-based instructions and treatment tools to compensate for deficiencies in au... more The use of technology-based instructions and treatment tools to compensate for deficiencies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is evidently increasing. The present study that performed during 2021-2022 was a systematic review and metaanalysis concerning the efficacy of digital technologies in improving the deficient communication skills in language learners with ASD. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The results revealed that the overall effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.12 for both fixed effect model and random-effect model (z = 1.155, p >0.05). The effect size was statistically non-significant. We also considered Magnitudes of Cohen's d fixed at 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 which commonly accepted for small, medium and large quantities. Again, the result was not significantly different from zero and approached the small magnitude (0.12 < 0.2). Despite estimation of variances of effect sizes across studies (Q index, I2 and T2 values), the homogeneity in study results was approved; however, due to small number of studies included in this meta-analysis, the results may not be generalizable (Q= 8.780, I2 = 0.00, T2 = 0.00, p> 0.05). For future comparisons, we therefore recommend the use of more evidence-based experimental studies with modifications in their technology devices to secure higher statistical gains. We also recommend considering moderator variables which affected the effect size of included publications consisting age, IQ level, treatment durations and validity of the technology devices.
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Esnaashari, M., Soleimani, H., Alipour, A., Jafarigohar, M., & Karimi Firouzjaee, A. (2022). The effect of computer mediated instruction on autistic students' conversation skills, The Journal of Exceptional Children, 22,2, 129-144.
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From an ecolinguistic perspective, affordance and technology might be issues of great concern in ... more From an ecolinguistic perspective, affordance and technology might be issues of great concern in recent decades in computer assisted language learning (CALL). The present study was conducted to investigate Iranian novice and experienced EFL teachers' perspectives on challenges and affordance of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) in an EFL context. To this end, a total of 80 EFL teachers at different universities in Iran were randomly sampled. The data were collected through a validated 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire including two sections, each section of which focused on a particular aspect of MALL, including items evaluating EFL teachers' attitudes toward the implementation of mobile phones and items exploring EFL teachers' perspectives on the challenges to the use of MALL instruction. The results revealed that the novice EFL teachers significantly agreed more than experienced teachers with the idea that MALL based instruction should be used in Iranian EFL context. The results also indicated that the experienced EFL teachers significantly "strongly agreed" more than novice teachers concerning the idea that MALL based education created challenges in Iranian EFL. In general, the findings suggest that both novice and experienced teachers had positive attitudes towards MALL instruction. However, there are some challenges which make teaching and learning less efficient and these obstacles need to be tackled by authorities. Implications have also been introduced in the paper.
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Kheiri, S., Soleimani, H., Rostami Abu Saeed, A. A., & Jafarigohar, M. (2022). Blended-learning strategies and EFL learners’ self-regulation in academic writing, Journal of Language and Translation, 12,2, 85-98. Blended learning in Iran has provided a novel learning milieu for language learners and teachers.... more Blended learning in Iran has provided a novel learning milieu for language learners and teachers. This study examined how blended learning writing strategies might contribute to the self-regulation of EFL learners in their writing performance. To this end, grounded theory was used as the study's systemic methodology. Ninety-four Iranian EFL teachers were purposively selected through Writing Strategies and e-Learning Experience questionnaires. The participants were further interviewed to provide information on the blended learning strategies which can contribute to the self-regulation of the learning process. To enrich the data, the interviews were triangulated with some document analyses, observations, and field notes. The collected data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding processes in grounded theory. The results included some web-based strategies that Iranian EFL learners can take into account in order to become academic writers, some web-based strategies which might put Iranian EFL learners into the self-regulated learning frame, and some web-based strategies through which Iranian EFL learners can become self-regulated academic writers. The entire analyzed data were modeled and put into a putative frame. The results revealed that blended learning helps EFL writers in becoming contributors rather than just followers in the development of their compositions, and more importantly, in developing their self-regulated writing skills. The findings can have implications for teachers and students alike.
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The present study explored the impact of various techniques of pre-class content delivery in flip... more The present study explored the impact of various techniques of pre-class content delivery in flipped classrooms on Iranian EFL learners' inferential reading comprehension. In addition, the students' perceptions toward the flipped learning experience and WhatsApp application as the online platform for the delivery of course contents were rigorously examined. To this end, 72 homogeneous intermediate EFL learners from one language institute in Iran were randomly assigned into four equal groups. The techniques being evaluated in these four flipped classrooms were attending video conferencing meetings, listening to audio podcasts, watching PowerPoint slides, and the combination of all the aforementioned ones, respectively. To elicit the required data, multiple sources of instruments, including Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), reading comprehension pre-and post-tests and a semi-structured interview were used. The results of descriptive statistics demonstrated that while the participants' scores of all groups increased in the reading comprehension post-test, blending various techniques of pre-class delivery contributed most in improving the participants' performance. However, the increase in the final scores of the PowerPoint group was insignificant. The results of one-way ANOVA analysis demonstrated a significant discrepancy among the four groups after the treatment. Post hoc comparisons indicated that the significant difference only occurred between the blended and PowerPoint groups. The results of qualitative data showed that most interviewees favored learning English in a flipped learning environment and they were also satisfied with the quality of pre-class content delivery via WhatsApp. Based on the findings, the study also offers important implications for future research.
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Mohammadkhani, A. A., Jafarigohar, M., Atai, M. R., & Soleimani. H. (2021). Evaluating global EFL coursebooks in the Iranian context: A multiliteracies approach, Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 40, 2, 81-118. Global EFL coursebooks are used in numerous educational contexts throughout the world based on th... more Global EFL coursebooks are used in numerous educational contexts throughout the world based on the assumption that they are the optimal source of English educational input. Their widespread use calls for a systematic analysis of these coursebooks using a framework that can reveal their defining characteristics. One such framework is the knowledge process framework, which is based on the multiliteracies pedagogy. The present study deployed this framework in an attempt to analyze seven widely taught coursebooks in the Iranian context. The findings revealed that knowledge processes of "analyzing functionally" and "applying appropriately" were more frequent in the analyzed coursebooks and the other knowledge processes were present in lower numbers. Based on the findings of the study, EFL teachers in the Iranian context are encouraged to include more activities with the knowledge processes of "analyzing critically" and "applying creatively" to address the absence of these knowledge processes while teaching the global coursebooks.
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Shooshtarizadeh, Gh., Jafarigihar, M., Khoshsima, H., & Soleimani, H. (2021). Comparative effects of different situated-learning translation training practices on students’ legal translation quality, ... . Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 13, 27, 359-388. Situated-learning translation training approach has been proven to be efficacious in cultivating ... more Situated-learning translation training approach has been proven to be efficacious in cultivating translators' long-life learning, translation competence as well as translator competence. However, previous studies have mainly delved into the effect of simply one single trend of this modern translation training model on student translators' competencies and sub-competencies and have not compared the effects of different situated-learning trends. To fill this gap, this mixed-methods study was set out to explore the comparative effects of cognitive-apprenticeship (CA), simulated project-based (SPB), and integrative (I) training methods on students' legal translation quality (TQ), their critical thinking ability (CTA), as well as employed problemsolving strategies (PSS). To this end, 71 undergraduate translation students were assigned to three experimental groups of CA, SPB, and I. The quantitative phase involved a quasiexperimental, pretest-treatment-posttest design and the qualitative phase was established on the grounded theory method. Data analysis results indicated that CA and I groups outperformed their counterparts in most subscales of TQ and CTA. The results of the thematic analysis of TAP data also showed that the largest variety of problem-solving strategies with highest frequency of use was employed by the cognitive-apprenticeship group.
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Farrokh Alaee, F, Soleimani, H., Haghir, H., Aghayusefi, A., & Jafarigohar, M. (2020). Multisensory teaching and Beta and SMR oscillatory activities in foreign language vocabulary retention: A neurolinguistics study. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 3, 11, 7-25. Retention and learning are neurolinguistic and psycholinguistic processes. The brain electrical r... more Retention and learning are neurolinguistic and psycholinguistic processes. The brain electrical response to the cognitive processes that happen in the cortices is inescapable. During neuronal activities, created waves can be recorded and displayed by quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) in a non-invasive form. Beta waves are created by thinking, learning, computations, reasoning, attention, and problem-solving activities. This study's primary goal is to objectively investigate the variables impacts of multisensory and non-multisensory methods of instruction on vocabulary retention concerning beta and beta1 waves frequency changes. To meet the purpose, some preschool novice male and female foreign language learners (age: 5-6 years) participated in this study voluntarily and were assigned into two experimental groups: The Multisensory (three girls and four boys) and Non-multisensory (one girl and six boys) teaching groups. The analyses of the collected data on pre-and post-brain QEEG records of beta and beta1/SMR waves' variations indicated no significant difference between the two groups in the brain oscillatory changes. However, the case study analyses specified the supremacy of beta1 frequency ranges in the Multisensory post-records. The comparative findings of pre-and post-Expressive One Word-Picture-Matching Test (EWPMT) showed that the Multisensory group outperformed the Non-multisensory one; besides, a significant positive relationship was found between beta wave frequency changes on Fp1 and mean score of EWPM post-test in the Multisensory group. The study concluded that the multisensory approach could be a promising method to improve retention at the preschool level.
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Jamalvandi, B., Jafarigohar, M., Jalilifar, A., & Soleimani, H. (2020). Mediation and EFL learners’ willingness to communicate: A micro sociocultural study. Applied Research on English Language, 9, 4, 449-476. Original Paper, 2020
Exploring various dimensions associated with classroom Willingness to Communicate (WTC) appears t... more Exploring various dimensions associated with classroom Willingness to Communicate (WTC) appears to have become a focal issue among researchers. Despite previous studies on WTC, there still exists the paucity of research reflecting actual learners' WTC behavior via the lens of the Sociocultural Theory (SCT). The present study, therefore, delved into the role task-mediation and teacher scaffolding might play in EFL learners' WTC, juxtaposing STC, and task-based instruction. Through a multiple case study approach, six types of tasks were applied with 11 Iranian EFL learners over 9 weeks. Relying on triangulation, the authors of the present study collected the data using observation, stimulated recall interviews, and learners' reflective journals. To treat the data, the qualitative method of analysis was utilized. The results showed that the learners behaved variably in their WTC with respect to the tasks. Furthermore, teacher scaffolding was found to contribute to the learners' WTC. Mediation via task and teacher scaffolding carry implications for English teachers, which have been discussed at the end of this article.
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My CV by Hassan Soleimani
Articles by Hassan Soleimani
• Epistemology of language knowledge
• Nature-nurture debate
• Empiricism, innateness, emergentism
• Child’s acquisition of language components
• Research methods in child language acquisition
• Philosophical foundations of curriculum development
• Different models of curriculum development
• Materials development
• Syllabus design
• Curriculum evaluation
• Curriculum development, globalization, and localization