The Effect of the Etymological Elaboration and Rote Memorization on Learning Idioms by Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

(2004), languages contain many phrases and expressions that every speaker should learn. Because language production concentrates on an ability to string multi-word expressions, people don't seem proficient speakers of the foreign language until they master many idioms that are used in every day discourse. 54, p> .05, it represents a small-sized effect r = .07). [...]the results indicated that the two groups enjoyed the same level of knowledge on English idioms prior to the administration of the etymological elaboration to the experimental group and the rote memorization to the control group. The results of the independent t-test indicate that the above mentioned difference between the mean scores of the two groups on the posttest of idioms is statistically significant (t (58) = 6.22, ρ < .05, it represents a large-sized effect r = .63). [...]the first null-hypothesis as there is not any statistically significant difference between the effects of etymological elaboration and rote memorization on idiom learning of the Iranian intermediate EFL learners is rejected. The results of the paired-samples t-test indicates that the difference observed in Table 4 is not statistically significant (t (29) = 1.71, ρ < .05, it represents a medium-sized effect r =.30). [...]the third null-hypothesis as rote memorization does not have any statistically significant effect on idiom learning of the Iranian intermediate EFL learners is supported.