The aim of this study was to compare the performances of EFL learners belonging to various personality groups in listening tests. A group of 30 high school EFL learners were selected for this study. All of them were at low-intermediate level of general English proficiency. Based on Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality questionnaire (2017), these participants were classified into four pairs of contrasting personality groups. The analysis of the participants " personality types was conducted online and took about twenty minutes. Then, they took a test of listening for minimal pairs. Scores of contrasting personality groups were compared with each other by running four paired t-tests. Results obtained by these t-tests showed that intuitive participants outperformed sensing ones, and perceiving participants outperformed judging ones in the listening test. No significant difference was found between the performances of contrasting personality groups in the two pairs of extrovert/introvert and thinking/feeling. Flexibility, adaptability, and being open to a larger set of options are suggested to be possible reasons behind the success of these groups. However, the influence of large set of interacting factors that might have a significant impact on the performance of people in listening test cannot be denied. Depending on the type of listening test, some of these factors might play a more significant role compared to other competing factors.

It is believed that ESL contexts are different from EFL contexts with regard to the language learning and teaching practices. Due to various types of language learning opportunities and resources in these two milieus, language learning practices take place differently in these two situations. ESL context provides learners with ample amount of language learning opportunities, while EFL context does not readily make these opportunities and resources available to language learners. Keeping that in mind, the researchers made an attempt to shed light on the resources and opportunities which may exist for English language learners in an EFL context such as Iran. To this end, a group of advanced language learners in Iran was selected, and the required data was gathered through a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Results obtained from both descriptive and inferential statistics indicated that the range of resources and opportunities used by language learners is very limited in this milieu. Moreover, it was revealed that in this EFL context, there are some new and widespread language learning resources and opportunities which can assist language learners in all four skills.

Dynamic assessments originated from Vygotsky's ZPD theory have been widely accepted and employed as an effective contribution to linguistic development in EFL classrooms in recent years. With this in mind and due to the importance of hedging devices in qualifying academic writing and the fact that EFL writers experience difficulties in acquiring and applying them appropriately in their writings, the present study aims at exploring the effectiveness of dynamic assessment approach on developing the Iranian EFL learners' linguistic and pragmatic knowledge of modal auxiliaries as hedging strategies. To this end, thirty seven undergraduate students majoring in different fields were randomly assigned into an experimental and control group. The participants in the experimental group received the dynamic assessment mediation. Both groups attended a pre-test and a posttest. Consequently, the obtained scores were analyzed using SPSS V. 22. The results of descriptive analysis as well as t-tests indicated that the participants in the experimental group improved significantly and meaningfully regarding linguistic and pragmatic knowledge of modal auxiliaries. The results also showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in acquiring and employing the given hedges in their writing tasks. The interpretations and the implications of the study have also been discussed.

Voluminous research conducted by educational psychologists and teachers has indicated that learning processes vary from every individual to another due to the existence of diverse psychological and biological factors. Once teachers become aware of the fact that learners are dissimilar in learning, they feel inclined to determine students' learning styles and accommodate their needs accordingly. This study aimed to investigate the existence of any possible correlation between learning styles and degree of success of applicants who attended a teacher recruitment test in Iran Language Institute. Participants of the study were classified into either failed-group or succeeded-group. To achieve the objective of the study, Ehrman and Leaver's Questionnaire (2003) was administered to the participants. Then each participant was included in one of the two groups of ectenic or synoptic learners. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was calculated to find any significant relationship between participants' scores in the teacher recruitment test and their scores as an ectenic L2 learner or a synoptic L2 learner. The obtained value of R was 0.77, which is statistically significant, and indicated that synoptic teaching candidates were significantly more successful than ectenic candidates in the teacher recruitment test. While synoptic scores were positively correlated with participants' scores in teacher recruitment test, ectenic scores were negatively correlated with participants' scores in the test. It is concluded that there is a significant correlation between learning styles and degree of success in the teacher recruitment test. And successful teaching candidates in Iran can be grouped synoptically.

The present study has tried to investigate the impact of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) vs. Content-Based Language Teaching (CBLT) on the reading comprehension of the intermediate Iranian ESP learners. There were two experimental groups of thirty participants in the current research. They were chosen randomly from the students of Islamic Azad University of Asadabad, Hamedan majoring accounting. The subjects were given a reading comprehension pre-test (reading section of TOEFL) in order to make them homogeneous regarding EFL reading comprehension at the outset. Then, in group A, reading comprehension was taught to the subjects based on the principles of TBLT. However, in group B, reading comprehension was taught to the students through CBLT. The data analysis using independent T-test revealed that the subjects in TBLT group performed better on the reading comprehension post-test. It means that TBLT has been more effective than CBLT in teaching reading comprehension to Iranian ESP learners. Keywords: Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), Content-Based Language Teaching (CBLT), English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Reading Comprehension

The present study has tried to investigate the impact of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) vs. Content-Based Language Teaching (CBLT) on the reading comprehension of the Iranian intermediate ESP learners. There were two experimental groups of thirty participants in the current research. They were chosen randomly from the students of Islamic Azad University of Toyserkan, Hamedan majoring accounting. The subjects were given a reading comprehension pre-test (reading section of TOEFL) in order to make them homogeneous regarding EFL reading comprehension at the outset. Then, in group A, reading comprehension was taught to the subjects based on the principles of TBLT. In this class, reading was taught based on TBLT and the class time was divided to three phases: pre-task, task cycle and post-task. In the pre-task phase the researcher tried to activate the ESL learners' schemata related to the text and to motivate them to read. In the during-task phase, the students were engaged in completing different kinds of tasks, and in the post-task phase, they presented a report, repeated some of the tasks and practiced some formal and linguistic features of the text. However, in group B, reading comprehension was taught to the students through CBLT. That is , the classroom reading comprehension activities were organized around themes or topics related to banking. Here the students read authentic materials and all the exercises and class activities were designed around the reading text. As much as possible realia, pictures and technological helps were used to strengthen the learning of the subject matter. Both of the two groups were taught throughout one semester, one session (two hours) a week for 12 weeks. After the required data were collected in order to find if the teaching of reading through each of the two methodologies has had any significant effect on the Iranian intermediate ESP learners' reading skill, the learners' scores on both the pre-test and post-test were compared by using matched t-test and some meaningful change was observed .Then data analysis using independent T-test revealed that the subjects in TBLT group performed better on the reading comprehension post-test. It means that TBLT has been more effective than CBLT in teaching reading comprehension to Iranian ESP learners.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the use of communicative methods and form-focused methods as implemented in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. To accomplish this, two groups of management students were selected for the study. Each group consisted of 30 participants. Their level of proficiency in English and their subject matter knowledge were tested through a sample of IELTS and a pre-test. The two groups were at the same level of proficiency in both general English and English for Students of Management before receiving treatment in 20 sessions within a period of 75 days. Participants in Group A received a form-focused method with some occasional uses of their L1. In Group B, however, the participants were exposed to a communicative ESP course which exclusively relied on English the L2. After the period of treatment, the two groups were examined via a post-test. Results showed that Group B was more successful in the post-test. Moreover, the learners who were proficient in English and the subject matter achieved more from the communicative methods of language teaching in the ESP course. Findings imply that the nature of the subject matter, or whether it is theoretical or applied, could be a factor in deciding a method of language teaching for ESP courses.