Alternative assessment has made remarkable changes in SLA instruction. Along with the assessment, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and technological developments have penetrated into instruction as well. This study was an attempt to compare the effect of wiki and e-portfolio on writing skill of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To do so, 81 out of 107 participants of 9 intact classes were homogenized by the Preliminary Test of English. They attended a 14 session term in two experimental and one control groups. Following the pretest, the writing points were taught in each group. Meanwhile, the students in both experimental groups were instructed to use technology (wiki and e-portfolio) to write their assignments on specific topics, and also they were requested to assess, to give feedback and comments on their classmates' assignments online and working collaboratively on their feedback in the classes accompanied with the feedback provided by the teacher. Besides, the students in control group were required to do their assignments paper-based and bring them back to the class in order to correct problems. At the end, the posttest of writing was administrated. The results of statistical analysis revealed that applying CALL in both forms of wiki and e-portfolio were significantly more effective in learners' writing than the conventional way. However, wiki could encourage higher levels of progress in writing skill in comparison with using e-portfolio.

One consequence of test use in the English-language teaching community is the negative washback of tests on teaching and learning. Test preparation courses are often seen as part of the more general issue of washback. IELTS and TOEFL iBT tests, focusing on communicative competence, are anticipated to have positive washback effect on how English is taught and learned. This study was a triangulation research to compare the washback of IELTS and TOEFL iBT on teaching and learning activities in test preparation courses. To this end, questionnaires survey with 40 IELTS and iBT teachers, 220 IELTS and TOEFL iBT students, and also ten class observations and ten teachers' interviews were called upon and the related data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results showed evidence of both negative and positive washback in the relevant courses. Generally, in both courses the class time was more characterized by the negative influence of the test although IELTS classes seemed to promote more positive washback than TOEFL iBT did on class activities. While the TOEFL iBT preparation courses appeared to address a wider range of activities for academic study, IELTS preparation courses provided more opportunities for learners' interactions and communications in line with the test activities.

Abstract-There is a potential to supply personality as a psychological factor in terms of the Big-Five Model including Extraversion, Agreeableness, Consciousness, Openness to Experience, and Neuroticism. This study was an attempt to examine the relationship between Big-Five personality traits, English language proficiency scores on IELTS, and academic success of Iranian foreign students. The participants of the study included 202 Iranian students (126 males and 76 females) who studied at English speaking universities in different countries including Armenia, Austria, Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the United States of America. The necessary data for this study were collected from participants' first-semester academic reports to measure the degree of academic achievement, academic IELTS certificates to determine the language proficiency of candidates, as well as International Personality Item Pool Big-Five inventory to identify the participants' personality traits. The data were gathered via different communication tools. The correlational analyses showed that there were significant relationships amongst personality traits and Iranian foreign students' language proficiency. Neuroticism was the only psychological trait, negatively correlated with both language proficiency and academic success of Iranian foreign students. The study also revealed that there was a high correlation between the scores on IELTS and academic success of Iranian foreign students. Finally, multiple regression analysis indicated the causality among the Big-Five personality traits, English language proficiency score on IELTS, and academic success of Iranian foreign students. These bear testimony to the idea of cognitive approach in that one's underlying mental processes are in charge of second language learning process.

Literature and interpreted the analyses of the study. She wrote the first draft and approved the final manuscript.

Abstract-Task-based instruction is crucial in SLA research, teaching and learning language skills particularly reading comprehension. This study investigated the effect of two kinds of focused tasks on reading comprehension and on the attitudes of Iranians mid-intermediate EFL learners. At first, a pilot study was conducted to see the feasibility of the treatments as well as reliability and validity of the instruments of the study. In the main study, a language proficiency test was used to homogenize the 70 participants who attended two experimental groups followed by an administration of the attitudes questionnaires. During the treatments, in one group, the participants received consciousness-raising tasks, and in the other group structure-based production tasks were applied. At the end of instructional courses, the two groups took a reading post-test and were asked to fill out the questionnaire again. The statistical analyses indicated that structure-based production tasks had more significant effect not only on the learners reading comprehension but also on their attitudes toward reading comprehension; while consciousness-raising focused tasks had a significant impact only on learners' attitudes toward reading comprehension. The study also concluded the importance of applying appropriate tasks in reading courses.