The Effect of Collaborative Work on Improving Speaking Ability and Decreasing Stress of Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the effect of collaborative learning on improving speaking ability and decreasing stress of Iranian EFL learners. To this end, after the administration of the Solution Placement Test (Edwards, 2007), a total of 60 female intermediate EFL learners were selected out of a population pool of 80 studying at a private language institute in Iran. Their age range was between 18 and 22 and they were randomly assigned to two groups of control and experimental (N=30). Participants in experimental group were given some collaborative tasks, they needed to work in groups and those in control group were given the same tasks but they had to do them individually. Each group did the tasks in six sessions. In order to examine the effect of collaborative learning on improving speaking ability, an oral interview was conducted before and after the treatment with all the participants in each group. Furthermore, to examine the effect of collaborative learning on decreasing stress, pre- and post-anxiety tests were administered to the participants. The results of the independent-sample t-test analysis for oral interview revealed that the participants in experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of speaking ability. Also, the results of the independent-sample t-test analysis for anxiety posttest revealed that the participants in experimental group had less stress after doing collaborative activities. The attitudes of the participants were explored through a questionnaire which was given to all the participants in the experimental group. The analysis of the responses demonstrated that they had positive attitudes towards collaborative learning. This study offers some implications for EFL teachers, learners, and curriculum designer

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s1p274