The Effects of Mobile-Assisted Collaborative Language Learning on EFL Students' Interpreting Competence and Motivation

Abstract

As globalization continues to grow, there is an increasing need for skilled interpreters. However, the interpreting skills of many students are still deficient: firstly, they are incapable of understanding the source language clearly; secondly, they are incapable of expressing standard English accurately. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how mobile-assisted collaborative language learning (MACLL) can help English as a foreign language (EFL) students improve their interpreting competence and motivation. The study used a quantitative methodology and involved a sample of 60 students from one university. Their performance was monitored over a semester. To facilitate MACLL, mobile technologies such as Chaoxing App, iFlytek Input, and Praat were used as teaching tools. The results showed that MACLL had a positive effect on the improvement of students' interpreting competence, as evidenced by their improvement in academic performance and acquisition of language knowledge. The research also showed that students' learning motivation was enhanced in the MACLL environment.