The importance of whole language approach in teaching English to intermediate Iranian EFL learners

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to emphasize on whole language approach developing mainly the two primary skills of reading and writing in varying degrees and combinations. Based on a language proficiency test, out of 150 senior EFL learners from Azad University of Torbat Heydariye, 90 were chosen and defined as intermediate learners. Two expository reading and writing tests were taken and the results were compared with four reading and four writing scores which were defined as their general reading and writing scores. The results were analyzed using the SPSS software and some correlation and ANOVA analyses were run. The correlation coefficients along with the scatter plot matrix showed strong, weak and in some cases partial correlations among the scales. The results of the post hoc tests of the repeated measures of ANOVA and the pairwise comparison of the measures also showed that the EFL learners performed almost equally well on the skills of reading and writing, but with expository writing and expository reading texts the performance was quite different. The concept of language proficiency was reconsidered in respect to the integrative approach's principles and some pedagogical implications in the field of language teaching were suggested. © 2011 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.