The Role of Multiple Intelligence in Iranian EFL Learners’ Cultural Identity and Language Achievement

Ebrahimi, Sharareh; Afraz, Shahram; Samimi, Fazlolah

doi:10.22059/jflr.2019.283728.647

The Role of Multiple Intelligence in Iranian EFL Learners’ Cultural Identity and Language Achievement

Document Type : research article

Authors

¹ Dept. of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran.

² Dept. of English Language, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

10.22059/jflr.2019.283728.647

Abstract

The aim of this study was investigating the relationship between cultural identity and language achievement, the relationship between cultural identity and multiple intelligences, and the relationship between multiple intelligences and language achievement of Iranian EFL learners. This study also sought to find which types of EFL learners’ intelligence can predict their cultural identity and language achievement. Initially, to select a homogeneous sample, language learners took TOEFL and 180 learners were selected. Afterwards, the cultural identity and multiple intelligences questionnaires were applied. The results of statistical analyses revealed that there was a moderate and significant relationship between cultural identity and language achievement, a statistically positive and significant relationship between cultural identity and multiple intelligences, and a statistically positive and significant relationship between multiple intelligences and language achievement. The results also indicated that EFL learners’ cultural identity can be predicted by their interpersonal intelligence and their language achievement can be predicted by their linguistic intelligence. Being aware of such results, English teachers can equip themselves with effective techniques to handle possible challenges.

Keywords

References

Al-Faoury, O. H., & Smadi, O. M. (2015). The effect of an integrative skills program on developing Jordanian university students' select multiple intelligences. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5(1), 38-48.

Alptekin, C. (2006). Cultural familiarity in inferential and literal comprehension in L2 reading. System, 34(5), 494–508.

Alptekin, C. (2008). Multi competence revisited: From EFL to ELF. Plenary speech presented at the 5th ELT Research Conference-Bridging the gap between theory and practice in ELT. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey.

Ameli, S. R., & Molaei, H. (2012). Religious affiliation and intercultural sensitivity: Interculturality between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iran. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36, 31–40.

Atay, D., & Ece, A. (2009). Multiple identities as reflected in English-language education: The Turkish perspective. Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 8(1), 21–34.

Auerbach, C. F., & Silverstein, L. B. (2003). Qualitative data: An introduction to coding and analysis. New York, NY: New York University Press.

Aydemir & Karali. (2014). Study of secondary school students' multiple intelligence areas on 7th grade students of Malatya central district secondary schools. Procedia -Social and Behavioral Sciences 152, 167–172.

Azarfar, F. (2007). Measurement and application of multiple intelligences in school and home. Mashhad: Zarih-E-Aftab Publication, cultural, artistic and publishing institution.

Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36(2), 81-109.

Borg, S. (2006a). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. New York: Continuum.

Brantmeier, C. (2004). Building a comprehensive theory of adult foreign language reading: A variety of variables and research methods. The Southern Journal of Linguistics, 27(1), 1-7.

Bümmen, N. T. (2004). Multiple intelligence theory in school: Second Edition. Ankara: Pegem AYayıncılık.

Caldas, S., & S. Caron-Caldas. (2002). A sociolinguistic analysis of the language preferences of adolescent bilinguals: shifting allegiances and developing identities. Applied Linguistics 23(5), 490-514.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Duff, P. A., & Uchida, Y. (1997). The negotiation of teachers’ sociocultural identities and practices in postsecondary EFL classrooms. TESOL Quarterly, 31(5), 451–487.

Ebrahimi, S., Afraz, S., & Samimi, F. (2019). On the Development of a Model of Cultural Identity and Language Achievement among Iranian Advanced EFL Learners. International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 7(26), 117-135.

Ellinger, B. (2000). 'The relationship between ethno linguistic identity and English language achievement for native Russian speakers and native Hebrew speakers in Israel'. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 21(3), 292-307.

Esmaeili, F., Behnam, B., & Esmaeili, K. (2014). A study of relationship between multiple intelligences and writing ability of Iranian female and male students. Mediterranean Journal of Social Science, 2(20), 2663-2672.

Fought, C. (2006). Language and ethnicity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gagne, F., & St. Pere, F. (2002). When IQ is controlled, does motivation still predict achievement? Intelligence, 30(1), 71-100.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligence: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, R. C. (2001). Integrative motivation and second language acquisition. Motivation and second language acquisition, 23(1), 1-19.

Gardner, H. (2004). A practical theory. In M. Kornhaber, E. Fierros & S. Veenema (Eds.), multiple intelligences: Best ideas from research and practice (pp. xi–xiii). Boston: Pearson Education Inc.

Johnson, K. E. (1994). The emerging beliefs and instructional practices of pre-service English as a second language teacher. Teaching and Teacher Education, 10(4), 390-452.

Johnston, M. (1997). Development and variation in learner language. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian National University.

Johnston, M. (1999). Development and variation in learner language. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian National University.

José, M., Aguilar, C. (2008). Dealing with intercultural communicative competence in the foreign language classroom. Intercultural Language Use and Language Learning, 4 (1) 59–78.

Kevin, T. (2007). How does learning a language affect the Identity students have about themselves, and how their image of self affects learning a language? Retrieved on August 1, 2018 from: www. Bukisa.com.

Khatib, M., & Ghamari, M. R. (2011). Mutual Relations of Identity and Foreign Language Learning: An Overview of Linguistic and Sociolinguistic Approaches to Identity. Theory & Practice in Language Studies, 1(12), 45-58.

Kornhaber, M. L. (2001). 'Howard Gardner' in J. A. Palmer (ed.) Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education. From Piaget to the present, London: Routledge.

Koura, A. A., & Al-Hebaishi, S. M. (2014). The relationship between multiple intelligences, self-efficacy and academic achievement of Saudi gifted and regular intermediate students. Educational Research International, 3(1), 48-70.

Lotfabadi, H., & Nouroozi, V. (2004). How Iranian high school students think about globalization and its effect on religious and national identity. Journal of Educational Innovations, 9, 88-119.

Mangubhai, F. (1997). Primary socialization and cultural factors in second language learning: wending our way through semi-charted territory. Australian review of applied linguistics 12(2), 98-268.

Maree, J. G., & Ebersöhn, L. (eds). (2002). Life skills and career counseling. Sandown: Heinemann.

Marek, K. (2009). Learning to teach online: Creating a culture of support for faculty. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 50(4), 275–292.

Martinez-Gibson, E. (1998). A study on cultural awareness through commercials and writing. Foreign Language Annals, 31, 115-139.

Messick, S. (1992). Validity of test interpretation and use. In M.C. Alkin (ed.), Encyclopedia of educational research (sixth Ed.). New York: Macmillan.

Miller, L. (2009). Reflective lesson planning: Promoting learner autonomy in the classroom. In R. Pemberton, S. Too good, & A. Barfield (Eds.), Maintaining control: Autonomy and language learning (pp. 109-124). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Moheb, N., & S. Bagheri, M. (2013). Relationship between multiple intelligences and writing strategies. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 4(4), 777-784.

Morgan, C. (2004). Seeking perseverance through closer relations with remote students. In Proceedings of ASCILITE'01: Meeting at the Crossroads. Retrieved July 13, 2017 from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne01/pdf/papers/morganc.

Nault, D. (2006) Going Global: Rethinking Culture Teaching in ELT Contexts Language, Culture and Curriculum, 19 (3), 314-328.

Oller, J. W. (1995). Adding abstract to formal and content schema: Results of recent work in Peircean semiotics. Applied Linguistics, 16(3), 273–306.

Pavlenko, A., & Scott, J. (2002). Bidirectional transfer. Applied Linguistics 23(2). 190–214.

Planken, B., van Hooft, A., Korzilius, H. (2004). Promoting intercultural communicative competence through foreign language courses. Business Communication Quarterly, 67 (3), 308-315.

Rahiminezhad, A., & Ahmadi, A. A. (2006). An analytic study of identity formation by Iranian adolescents and its relation with social, economic and educational structure of family among high school students in Tehran. Tehran: Training Department for Ministry of Education and Training.

Razmjoo, S. A. (2008). On the relationship between multiple intelligences and language proficiency. Reading Matrix, 8, 155-174

Razmjoo, S. A. (2010). Language and identity in the Iranian context: The impact of identity aspects on EFL learners' achievement. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), 2(2), 99-121.

Razmjoo, S. A. & Izadpanah, M. A. (2012). On the relationship between L2 literacy (reading and writing) and identity processing styles of Iranian advanced EFL; learners. RALS, 3(2), 2-22.

Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. (2010). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics: Third edition. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

Riley, P. (2008). Language, culture and identity. London: continuum.

Roohani, A., & Rabiei, S. (2013). Exploring language learning strategy use: The role of multiple intelligences, proficiency and gender. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), 5(3), 41-64.

Sajjadi Rad, R., Khojasteh, L., & Kafipour, R. (2014). The relationship between multiple intelligences and writing skill of medical students in Iran. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 7(3), 1-9.

Sebnem, P, Dicle Y., & Guldem A. (2009). Intercultural communication competence: A study about the intercultural sensitivity of university students based on their education and international experiences. Paper presented in the European and Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems.

Spirovska, E. (2013). Integrating multiple intelligences in teaching English as a foreign language-seeu experiences and practices. South East European University Review, 9(1), 9-20.

Sudhoff, J. (2010). CLIL and intercultural communicative competence foundations and approaches towards a fusion. International CLIL Research Journal, 1 (3), 30- 36.

Sussman, N. M. (2000). The dynamic nature of cultural identity throughout cultural transitions: Why home is not so sweet. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 4(4), 355-373.

Tesoriero, F. (2006). Personal growth towards intercultural competence through an international field education program. Australian Social Work, 59 (2), 126-140.

Tsui, A. B. M. (2007). Complexities of identity formation: A narrative inquiry of an EFL teacher. TESOL Quarterly. 41(4), 657– 680.

Tsui, A. B. M. (2011). Complexities of identity formation: A narrative inquiry of an EFL teacher. TESOL Quarterly. 41(4), 657– 680.

Usó-Juan, E., Martínez -Flor, A. (2008). Teaching intercultural communicative competence through the four skills. Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses, 21(2), 157-170.

Varghese, N. V. (2001). Impact of the economic crisis on higher education in East Asia: Country experiences. International Institute for Education Planning/UNESCO. Policy Forum, NO. 12.