On the Viability of Vocabulary Learning Enhancement through the Implementation of MALL: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

The augmented interest, at the wake of the new millennium, apropos different modes of computer assisted instruction gave rise to the naissance of a new generation of CALL-based research known as MALL. As research over MALL might be said to still be in its infancy, a multitude of untouched areas remain to be dealt with, among which mention can be made of the way mobile assisted programs can bring about a better implementation of vocabulary instruction. Hence, in the current study, the viable effect of using MALL-operated vocabulary instruction technique on the process of vocabulary acquisition has been scrutinized. To this aim, forty elementary learners (all females) studying at the Iran Language Institute (Mohabad branch, Iran) were selected. To tap the data, the researchers utilized a variety of instruments including questionnaire, interviews, and a multiple-choice vocabulary test. The statistical analysis was mainly carried out through the use of ANCOVA. In tandem with the gained upshots, it was revealed that treatment through the application of mobile assisted vocabulary learning had been quite effective in improving learners' vocabulary acquisition. The results also indicated that the use of this technique had been effective in changing the learners’ attitudes towards the proper use of mobile phones for pedagogical purposes.