LINGUIST List 25.703
Tue
Feb 11 2014
Diss: Sociolinguistics:
Rezaei: 'A Longitudinal Investigation of EFL
Learners' Identity Construction in the Iranian
Context'
Editor for this issue:
Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org>
Date: 11-Feb-2014
From: Saeed Rezaei
<rezaei.sd
gmail.com>
Subject: A Longitudinal
Investigation of EFL Learners' Identity
Construction in the Iranian Context
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Institution: Allameh Tabataba’i University
Program: English Language and Literature
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2013
Author: Saeed Rezaei
Dissertation Title: A Longitudinal
Investigation of EFL Learners' Identity
Construction in the Iranian Context
Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics
Dissertation Director:
Mohammad Khatib
Sasan Baleghizadeh
Fahimeh Marefat
Dissertation Abstract:
This study consisted of three phases including
1) model and questionnaire
development phase, 2) nation-wide survey phase,
and 3) post-survey
interviews. The first phase of this study was
exploratory in nature. In
this phase, a model and a questionnaire of
language identity were developed
and validated for the Iranian context. In order
to develop the model,
extensive readings of the literature on
language and identity both in Iran
and abroad were executed. Based on the
literature and consultations with
experts, a model with six components was
hypothesized. In order to test and
validate the model, a questionnaire was
developed and validated to tap the
components of the hypothesized model. The
reliability of the questionnaire
based on Cronbach's Alpha was estimated 0.73
and exploratory factor
analysis along with content analysis confirmed
the validity of the
questionnaire. Then, the model was tested by
feeding the data from the
questionnaire (193 respondents) to the model.
Structural Equation Modeling
(SEM) through AMOS 21 was utilized to test the
model. The initial results
showed a poor fit model; however, the model was
trimmed by removing one
item from the questionnaire and final
statistical indices indicated that
the model was fit. In phase two, the validated
19-item questionnaire from
the previous phase was administered (both
online and by hand) to 1851
English language learners from different parts
of Iran. The results
indicated that the participants showed a
moderate level of language
identity. In addition, the t-test results
showed that there was no
significant difference between the language
identity of the male and female
groups. However, there were significant
differences among the participants
from different age groups and different
language proficiency levels based
on the ANOVA tests and Scheffe post-hoc tests.
The results of this phase
also showed that the participants favored
American English (73.3%) as the
most interesting variety of English followed by
British English (23.6%),
Persian English (1.6%), Canadian English
(1.2%), and Australian English
(0.3%). In the third phase of this study,
individual and focus-group
interviews were conducted with 30 English
language learners recruited from
the second phase of this study. The results
showed that Iranian English
language learners favor American English for
its being nicer to the ear,
easier to produce, understandable, more widely
acceptable, and more
prestigious. They also favored British English
for its being classic and
polite. Some even said that Persian
pronunciation would be OK as far as the
main purpose is communication. There were no
clear reasons for the
popularity of Canadian and Australian English
except for the countries
associated with them for living purposes. The
results from this phase also
indicated that Iranian English language
learners value English in Iran for
its economic, cultural, and social capitals.
The results from this part are
discussed from Bourdieu's (1991) theory of
language and power and how
English language brings language, social, and
cultural capital with it.
Subsequently, in a meta-inferencing move the
pedagogical and theoretical
implications of this study in sociolinguistics
and anthropological
linguistics are discussed. The limitations and
delimitations are
pinpointed; and finally some under-researched
topics are provided for
further research.
Page Updated: 11-Feb-2014