Assessing English Language Quality of EFL Students: Links to A Grounded Theory

Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation

دوره 5، شماره 1، خرداد 2022، صفحه 133-149   

نوع مقاله: Research Paper

شناسه دیجیتال (DOI): 10.30495/lct.2023.699384

نویسندگان

Fatemeh Gorji¹؛ Shahram Afraz^{* 2}؛ Fazlolah Samimi³

¹Ph.D. Student in TEFL, Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran

²Assistant Professor of TEFL, Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran

³Assistant Professor of TEFL, Department of English Language, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran

چکیده

This qualitative study was an endeavor to assess English language quality of EFL students with linking to a grounded theory. To this aim, first 20 teachers working in a non-profit language institute were selected based on chain sampling or snowball sampling. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation and were interviewed. After extracting the components and indicators obtained from the analysis of interviews, a questionnaire was created to collect the necessary information and data to assess the quality of English language students. Then, a total number of 100 English language teachers teaching English in different levels of proficiency participated in this survey. According to the careful analysis, findings identified the main evaluating criteria for English language quality of Iranian EFL Learners as individual characteristics, learning strategy, individual characteristics, learning dynamics, educational technology, content setting, anxiety, weakness in learning, assessing knowledge/skills, positive evaluation, as well as individual and social consequences. Moreover, the most important ones with the highest distribution of category concepts among EFL learners referred to learning strategy (like to acquire language skills, spirit of competitiveness, spirit of collaboration, planning, cognitive development, employing group learning), individual characteristics (using peers' experiences, using the experiences of others, appropriate evaluation, giving desirable homework, eagerness to attend the class), and learning dynamics (innovative management, self-centered learning, having online learning, a positive learning context, access to up-to-date resources). The results can provide useful insight into curriculum development and improvement for seeking educational effectiveness in EFL setting.

کلیدواژه‌ها

English Language Quality؛ EFL Context؛ Grounded Theory؛ Model Assessment