CALL-assisted Enhancement of Grammatical Accuracy: Iranian EFL Learners Studying in Rural Settings

Abstract

The current study intended to investigate the extent to which using two types of instructional materials-computer-based vs. print-based materials-may affect Iranian EFL learners' grammatical accuracy. At the outset of the study, thirty homogenous high school EFL learners were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Subsequently, a pre-test was administered to the participants to gauge their familiarity with the targeted grammatical structures before the treatment. During the treatment, the researchers used a grammar textbook to teach the learners in the control group, whereas for those in the computer group the very grammatical points were taught through computer-based materials in a language lab. After the treatment phase, a post-test was administered to measure learners' achievement. The results revealed that utilizing computerized instruction within experimental group led to highly positive gains. However, using computerized materials was not found to be that much effective, as the obtained results were in favor of control group. Accordingly, it can be concluded that integration of computerized instructions in the EFL classrooms might help motivate and enhance learners' mastery of English grammar, though the findings of the current study were a bit contradictory in this regard.