The impact of picture-based vs. context-based method on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' knowledge of prepositions

Journal of Teaching English Lnaguage Studies

مقاله 2، دوره 4، شماره 4، مرداد 2016، صفحه 19-40   

نویسندگان

Saereh Mohamadpour¹؛ Ramin Rahimy²

¹Department of English Language, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon- IRAN

²Department of English Language, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, IRAN

چکیده

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of picture-based vs. context-base method on
Iranian intermediate EFL learners' knowledge of prepositions. The main question this study tried
to answer were whether using picture-based vs. context-based method might enhance higher
knowledge of prepositions in Iranian learners of English at intermediate level. To answer the
questions, 45 intermediate learners participated in the experiment of the study. They were selected
from among a population of EFL learners via an OPT test score of at least one standard deviation
below the mean. They were then divided into three groups of 15 and were randomly assigned to
two experimental and a control group. A pretest of English prepositions (the nine most common)
was administered to all three groups, then, they were taught prepositions for 10 sessions but with
different methodologies: the experimental group one received a treatment of picture-based
simultaneous with context-based method and the experimental group two received a treatment of
picture-based method while control group received a treatment through conventional method
(instructing general rules governing this category of words) without specific focus on proposed
method. A posttest of English prepositions (the nine most common) was then administered to three
groups. The data of the study were analyzed using the paired sample t-test to indicate the groups
mean difference, and the degree of progress from the pretest to the posttest of the study in the
experimental groups was indicated by calculating the ANOVA coefficient. The results indicated
that using picture-based/context-based method was the most effective method in teaching
prepositions.

کلیدواژه‌ها

Picture-Based؛ Context-Based؛ Prepositions؛ cognitive linguistics؛ Syntax؛ Schema

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