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According to Montano and Kasprzyk (2008), attitude is determined by the individual's beliefs about outcomes or attributes of performing the behavior (behavioral beliefs), weighted by evaluations of those outcomes or attributes. This study examined Iranian EFL learners’ attitudes toward the Task-Based Language Assessment (TBLA) and the traditional assessment concerning their General English achievement. One hundred EFL students from Islamic Azad University of Zarghan, Fars Province with the age range of 20-35, participated in this study. The data were gathered using an attitude questionnaire. Frequency Analysis and chi-square were used to show the learners' attitudes towards the task-based assessment in General English ability. Regarding the attitude questionnaire, EFL learners had positive attitudes towards the TBLA utilization in improving their General English achievement and most of the students were satisfied with learning English through the TBLA.

Locus of control refers to individuals' orientation to attribute their successes and failures. Its effect on students' academic achievement has scarcely been investigated within General English context. This study is aimed at exploring the difference in General English (GE) achievement between students of Medicine and Theology. It also examines the effect of locus of control (LOC) on GE achievement in these two groups of university students. University students' General English scores serve as criteria for General English achievement. Fifty students of Medicine and fifty students of Theology participated in this study. The results of the study indicate that: (1) there is a significantly positive association between university students' LOC and their GE achievement, (2) there is a significant difference in GE achievement between students of Medicine and Theology, and (3) there is a significant difference in LOC orientation between these two groups of university students. The results of the interviews conducted with the participants were also in line with those of the questionnaires. The findings of this study suggest that developing internal control orientation can be very constructive in getting better grades in GE courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]