A Study of the Effect of Computer – Assisted Language Learning on Iranian EFL Learners' Grammar Performance R.Sajedi (EDULEARN11, 2011, Spain) R.Sajedi (EDULEARN11, 2011, Spain) Roghayeh Sajedi Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Republic of IRAN [email protected]1
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Roghayeh Sajedi Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Republic of IRAN
A Study of the Effect of Computer – Assisted Language Learning on Iranian EFL Learners' Grammar Performance. Roghayeh Sajedi Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Republic of IRAN [email protected]. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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A Study of the Effect of Computer – Assisted Language Learning on Iranian EFL Learners' Grammar Performance
In the realm of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), the most recent effort to enhance the process of language learning has involved computer technology. In this regard, Garrett [5] points out that the adoption of computer technology in foreign language education is part of a larger phenomenon known as the "new humanism" and represents one of the most exciting developments coming out of the participation of advanced technology in education.
Since the initial introduction of computers in to the field of second/ foreign language education a large number of practitioners have concurred that this technology holds great potential for language learning. This belief leads to what is known as Computer – Assisted Language Learning, more commonly referred to as CALL.
A grammar test, the validity and reliability of which was proven to be high was administered as the pre-test. The research design consisted of one experimental group and one control group. The 40 students were randomly assigned into two sub groups. The students in control group read 20 texts from the printed pages of actual book during ten sessions in a conventional classroom. While the experimental group was asked to look through the web pages to read general articles carefully with a special focus on sentence structure. The two groups followed the same aim and scope of the course and they were taught by the same teacher. Both the actual book group and the computer group participated in 10 sessions. For both groups, these sessions occurred over a five – week period with 60 minutes allotted for each session (although this time limit was shorter in the experimental groups. After the treatment both groups took the same grammar test that they did at the beginning of the instruction as their post – test. Then the results were compared to see which group performed better.
In order to investigate the purpose of this study, the subjects in both groups took an equal pretest on week before the treatment and then at the end of the course, the post test was administered.
Group SDN
Experimental13.142.3220
Control12.912.3020
Table1. Descriptive statistics for both groups' pre-test
As Table1 well indicates that the mean, and the standard deviation of the experimental and control groups are not different. As the next step, the pre-test data were submitted to an independent two-tailed t-test to final whether the two groups had any significant difference prior to the treatment period (Table2):
After the treatment, the same grammar test used as the pre-test was administered as the post-test. The descriptive statistics of the post-test results of the experimental and the control groups are as follows (Table3):
Table3. Descriptive statistics for both groups' post-test
Group SDN
Experimental14.822.420
Control13.022.2620
Table4. Independent t-test for both groups on the post-test
The results revealed that the task of reading articles on the net could help EFL learners' knowledge of grammar to a considerable extent. They seem to indicate that computer- based grammar instruction can be more effective than traditional instruction.
Furthermore the findings of this study may show that integration the technology as an essential component into curricula in the English educational settings is necessary and useful. It will be applicable for teaching English in high schools and universities.