language

The influence of rater characteristics and other rater background factors   ( Based on a research conducted by Teachers College, Columbia University )   In complement to the studies which looked at how raters differ, studies on the effects of rater background factors attempt to explain why raters differ, with an increasing attention to the effects  of rater language background, rater expertise and rater training on raters’ cognitive processes and rating behaviors. Findings from both types of studies can be combined to provide a useful frame of reference for conceptualizing rater cognition in future research.   Rater language background (i.e., native/non-native speaking rater comparisons, matches between rater and examinee language background) has received major attention among researchers in L2 speaking assessment. A representative study that examined the cognitive differences between native and non-native speaking groups of raters was conducted by Zhang &Elder (2011, 2014), who investigated ESL/EFL teachers’ evaluation and interpretation of oral English proficiency in the national College English Test-Spoken English Test (CET-SET) of China. They found that NS raters attended to a wider range of abilities when judging candidates’ oral test performance than NNS raters. NS raters also tended to emphasize features of interaction while NNS raters were more likely to focus on linguistic resources such as accuracy. Similarly, Gui (2012) investigated whether American and Chinese EFL teachers differed in their evaluations of student oral performance in an undergraduate speech competition in China. He found that the American raters provided more specific and elaborated qualitative comments than the Chinese raters. The raters also differed in their judgment of students’ pronunciation, language usage, and speech delivery. One unique difference was related to raters’ comments on students’ nonverbal communication skills. The Chinese raters provided mostly positive comments about the gestures and other non-verbal demeanors of the students as a group, while the American raters were mostly critical. Both Zhang & Elder’s (2011, 2014) and Gui’s (2012) studies have offered ... ادامه مطلب

How can Online IELTS courses benefit me? IELTS courses can bring you huge benefits over your lifetime.       دوره آیلتس میتواند مزایای بسیاری در مقاطع مختلف زندگی شما داشته باشد. دورهای آنلاین آیلتس تا چه حد میتوانند برای من مفید باشند ؟   Why we should learn English as our second language?   A recent survey found that those who speak more than one language and who have good language skills are naturally more intelligent than those who do not. This might not be the main reason why you might consider learning a language but it is certainly something to consider. Speaking English specifically is one of the best language to learn. It is the most widely spoken second language in the world, the second most widely spoken first language in the world and the language which is spoken in the greatest number of countries. Being able to speak English brings with it a huge number of benefits which will be explored throughout this article.   چرا ما باید زبان انگلیسی را به عنوان زبان دوم خود انتخاب و یاد بگیریم؟   بر اساس یک تحقیقی که اخیر انجام شده است کسانی که بیش از یک زبان صحبت میکنند و مهارت زبانی خوبی دارند طبیعتا باهوش تر ازکسانی هستند که قادر به صحبت به زبانهای مختلف نیستند. قطعا این هدف اصلی از یادگیری زبان برای شما نخواهد بود ولی این موضوع قابل تامل است. زبان انگلیسی یکی از بهترین زبانهای دنیا برای یادگیری است چرا که این زبان زبانیست که بیش از همه زبانهای دنیا در سراسر دنیا صحبت میشود، دومین زبانی است که به عنوان زبان اول مردم در جهان بکار میرود و زبانی است که در بیشتر کشورهای دنیا صحبت میشود.صحبت به زبان انگلیسی مزایای زیادی دارد که در این مقاله به آنها خواهیم پرداخت. ... ادامه مطلب

If you've ever doubted whether you're a good language learner, then bear in mind that you've already learned one language very well indeed – your first. But this raises an interesting question: can adults learn a second language in the same way they learned their first as children? And if so, what are the implications for the classroom?   Stephen Krashen and the acquisition of languages   Perhaps no-one has looked at the question more closely than the linguist Stephen Krashen, who has introduced some of the most influential concepts to the study of second-language acquisition.   In his input hypothesis, first proposed in an article published in 1977, and expanded upon in later years, he makes the distinction between learning: the conscious, traditional grammar-based process in the classroom; and acquisition: essentially how we, as children, pick up our first language. He says that our mistake is trying to teach languages in the same way we teach science, history and mathematics. Instead, he believes that learners should acquire second languages in the same way children learn their first.   Krashen sums up the idea in a famous documentary on the subject called A child's guide to learning languages, produced by BBC Horizon in 1983. In the documentary, he says that acquisition is 'where the action is'. In other words, in every successful example of language-learning – an infant mastering a first language, an adult learner of English scoring a band 9 on the IELTS test – the reason for their success is that they have 'acquired' rather than 'learned' the language.   So, how do children and proficient adult learners perform the seemingly magical trick of mastering a language, and what can teachers learn from this? Krashen offers the following ideas:   1. We acquire languages when we can understand ... ادامه مطلب

IELTS Reading Tips for band 9   Getting band 9 in IELTS Reading is possible!   Many test-takers have been writing to us with the notion that it’s an impossible task for non-native English speakers. They say, “Scoring 9.0 on IELTS Reading is very hard for those, whose first language is not English. They simply cannot know all that tricky vocabulary”. Of course, you will encounter some unknown words on the IELTS Reading Test. But you shouldn’t worry – it’s completely normal!   The main goal of IELTS Reading is to test your ability to understand what you have read. So even if you don’t know some words, it’s OK, as you can guess their meaning and still get band 9!   Ridiculously, most of the test-takers lose marks not because of lack of knowledge, but because of making very simple mistakes! That’s why in this guide we’ve gathered 10 IELTS Reading tips that will really help you to get a high score in IELTS Reading:   Skim over and watch for the answers   Skimming refers to looking only for the main ideas. You don't need to read attentively every word. Remember, you just need to answer the questions, nothing more. So skim over the text and then start looking for the answers.   IELTS Reading tips: watch time   Don’t forget you have only 60 minutes to read three texts and answer 40 questions. You won’t get additional time for filling your answer sheet, so make sure manage your time properly.   Is your spelling correct?   Check your spelling before writing your answer on the answer blank. You will get zero points for the answer if it's spelled incorrectly.   Keep the order   Remember that the questions follow the order of the text in most cases. ... ادامه مطلب

How to Get 9 in IELTS Speaking Test?!!!     If you've ever doubted whether you're a good language learner, then bear in mind that you've already learned one language very well indeed – your first. But this raises an interesting question: can adults learn a second language in the same way they learned their first as children? And if so, what are the implications for the classroom?   Stephen Krashen and the acquisition of languages   Perhaps no-one has looked at the question more closely than the linguist Stephen Krashen, who has introduced some of the most influential concepts to the study of second-language acquisition.   In his input hypothesis, first proposed in an article published in 1977, and expanded upon in later years, he makes the distinction between learning: the conscious, traditional grammar-based process in the classroom; and acquisition: essentially how we, as children, pick up our first language. He says that our mistake is trying to teach languages in the same way we teach science, history and mathematics. Instead, he believes that learners should acquire second languages in the same way children learn their first.   Krashen sums up the idea in a famous documentary on the subject called A child's guide to learning languages, produced by BBC Horizon in 1983. In the documentary, he says that acquisition is 'where the action is'. In other words, in every successful example of language-learning – an infant mastering a first language, an adult learner of English scoring a band 9 on the IELTS test – the reason for their success is that they have 'acquired' rather than 'learned' the language. So, how do children and proficient adult learners perform the seemingly magical trick of mastering a language, and what can teachers learn from this? Krashen offers the following ideas: ... ادامه مطلب

Finding a good English teacher in not as simple as it seems especially when it come to do it in a country like turkey where English is not the first language of the country. since on the one hand just being a native English speaker is not enough for being an English teacher. on the other hand, native English teachers are not found in an Asian country easily. So, the only and the best option would be a good online English course held by a good English teacher. Dr. Arian Karimi is a well-qualified English teacher who holds TESOL CERTIFICATE from London and IETLS TEACHING CERTIFICATE, too. Furthermore, having more than 11 years of experience in teaching English is a good asset for be a good English teacher.   Take part in Dr. Arian Karimi English Class       Dr. Arian Karimi Super Effective Strategies is the key   10 Tips to Prepare for IELTS in 10 days   IELTS PRIVATE CLASS IN TURKEY               ... ادامه مطلب