Exploring language learners’ perception of the effectiveness of an English Language Teaching (ELT) program in Iran

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of an English Language Teaching (ELT) program at a language institute in Iran from learners’ perspective. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative data showed that the learners found the reading, writing, listening, vocabulary, and grammar materials they received at the institute sufficient, but felt the need for more speaking materials. They also believed that the program overemphasized non-communicative teaching techniques and paid little attention to communicative authentic language learning tasks. The learners were dissatisfied with the difficulty and fairness of the assessment method at the institute and complained that the staff members were uncooperative and little attention was paid to the learners’ voice. The analysis of the qualitative data indicated that the learners viewed “teachers” and “accessibility” as the strengths and “staff’s sense of cooperation,” “class arrangements and rules,” “facilities,” and certain aspects of the “teaching and assessment” methods as the weaknesses of the institute. From the findings, it can be concluded that communicatively oriented teaching materials need to be injected into the ELT program, the teaching method needs to be overhauled, and the assessment system needs to be steered toward standard unbiased methods. Moreover, given the impact of facilities and administrative issues on learners’ evaluation of and satisfaction with a program, the study suggests that supportive policies be made on logistics to secure the learners’ satisfaction and the sustenance of the institute.