Abstract
This study investigates the effect of ten teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) oriented features of mobile phones in the English language classroom on the achievement of foundation-year students in King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in General English. The study also explores students’ attitudes towards this new method of teaching. The study uses an experimental design where the control group is taught through the strategies used in ELI, whereas the experimental group is taught through the same strategies used in the control group in addition to mobile phones. The independent variable is using ten features of mobile phones in the EFL classroom and the dependent variable is the foundation-year students’ achievement in general English. Forty male students of the foundation year at level two are assigned for the control group as well as the experimental one. The tools of the study are: A pre-test to ensure the equivalency of the two groups before conducting the experiment, a post test to see if there are any statistically significant differences in students’ achievement in general English that are attributed to mobile phones, and a questionnaire to see students’ attitudes towards using mobile phones in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. The results of the t-test showed differences in the mean scores in favor of the experimental group, but these differences were not statistically significant at ? = 0.5. The analysis of the questionnaire showed positive attitudes toward using mobile phones in the classroom. The study concludes with recommendations about training students and teachers on the academic use of mobile phones and reinforcing the attitudes of students toward using them in the EFL classroom.
Highlights
Technological development has contributed to the use of new devices in the field of education
This study investigates the effect of ten teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) oriented features of mobile phones in the English language classroom on the achievement of foundation-year students in King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in General English
The study uses an experimental design where the control group is taught through the strategies used in ELI, whereas the experimental group is taught through the same strategies used in the control group in addition to mobile phones
Summary
Technological development has contributed to the use of new devices in the field of education. Reinders, (2010) introduces few practical uses of mobile phones in the English class that are emphasized by the recent generation of researchers. Such uses are using the notes feature to collect everyday language, the camera feature to take pictures of texts, the Voice Memo Recorder feature to record conversations outside the classroom, the Text Messaging feature to reinforce vocabulary learning, the Text Messaging feature for circular writing ...etc. These uses are expected to break the routine of traditional classrooms and to solve the problem of the lack of motivation which is a critical issue in the Saudi environment
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