Effects of Yoga, Visualization, and Rosetta Stone Software on English Achievement of Iranian Senior Citizen EFL Learners

Subject Areas :

Fereshteh  Toghyani ¹ (English Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran)
Omid  Tabatabaei ² (English Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran)

Received: 2021-06-22 Accepted : 2021-11-03 Published : 2022-04-01

Keywords: Visualization, yoga, Rosetta Stone Software, Senior Citizens,

Abstract :

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of applying yoga, visualization, and Rosetta Stone software on English achievement of Iranian senior citizen EFL learners. Prior to this study, the homogeneity of the learners was checked through conducting Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). Consulting the rating scale of OQPT, 30 female elementary level senior citizen EFL learners between the ages of 55 and 65 were selected to take part in the study. The participants sat for an English achievement test designed based on their textbook. They were, then, assigned to two groups of control and experimental. The members of the experimental group were taught English while practicing yoga, visualization, and applying Rosetta Stone software program, whereas their counterparts in the control group were taught via the conventional method of teaching English in the elderly day-care center. The procedure lasted for 30 sessions during the three-month treatment. Afterwards, the posttest which was similar to the pretest was administered to unravel the effect of the treatment. They were also given an attitude questionnaire to uncover their attitude towards the applied instruments. The results of the study indicated that the members of the experimental group outperformed those of the control group in terms of their English learning. The results of the attitude questionnaire demonstrated that they had positive attitudes towards the use of yoga, visualization, and Rosetta Stone software in learning English. The results of this study may offer implications for EFL teachers, curriculum designers, day-care centers of the elderly, well-fare organizations, and language schools.

References:

Abari,K., Gnandt, M., Nagy, A., Pek, G., Polonyi, T., & Santha, J. (2010). Lexical and Grammatical Learning During Forign Language Learning at Elderly and Young Adults. Technology and Economics, 12, 201-220.

Abedi, H., Mostafavidarani, F., & Riji, H. M. (2010). The elderly perception and views on their health-facilitating and inhibiting factors in elderly health care in Iran: a qualitative study. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 2222-2226.

Adib Hajbaghery, M. (2011). Evaluation of old-age disability and related factors among an Iranian elderly population. EMHJ-Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 17 (9), 671-678.

Afshari, M., Ghavifekr, S., Jing. D., & Siraj, S. (2013). Students’ attitudes towards computer-assisted language learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 852-859.

Amini, R., Ingman, SR., & Sahaf. R. (2013). Aging in Iran past, present and future. Iran: The Journal of Aging in Emerging Economies, 7, 17-34.

Azizifar, A., Gowhary, H., & Jebreil, N. (2015). Investigating the Effect of Anxiety of Male and Female Iranian EFL Learners on their Writing Performance. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 185, 190-196.

Ballesteros, S., Reales, J. M., & Toril, P. (2014). Video Game Training Enhances Cognition of Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Study. Psychology and Aging, 29(3), 706-716.

Bhat, G. R., Nagendra, H. R., & Rangan, R. (2009). Effect of yogic education system and modern education system on memory. International journal of yoga, 2(2), 55.

Bland, R. (2006). Senior citizens, good practice and quality of life in residential care homes, Doctoral dissertation, University of Stirling.

Butzer, B., Day, D., Potts, A., Ryan, C., Coulombe, S., Davies, B., Weidknecht, K., Ebert, M., Flynn, L., Khalsa, S. B. S. (2015). Effects of a Classroom-Based Yoga Intervention on Cortisol and Behavior in Second- and Third-Grade Students: A Pilot Study. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 20(1), 41-49.

Boon, B., DiTuro, D., & Kirk, M. (2005). Hatha Yoga Illustrated. Human Kinetics, Canada.

Bulduk, S., & Kececi, A. (2012). Health education for the elderly. Geriatrics, 8, 153-177.

Chen, D. D., & Pauwels, L. (2014). Perceived benefits of incorporating yoga into classroom teaching: Assessment of the effects of “yoga tools for teachers”. Advances in Physical Education, 4(03), 138.

Pellom, B. (2012) Rosetta Stone ReFLEX: Toward Improving English Conversational Fluency in Asia. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automatic Detection of Errors in Pronunciation Training June ,24-36.

Escolán Guiral, E. (2013). Utilización de técnicas basadas en" suggestopedia". uvadoc.uva.es.

Ganje, S. (2013). The Role of Meditation and Visualisation in Pātañjala Yoga and ‘Tantric’ Yoga. Origins & Development of Yoga in Ancient India,1-12.

Gauding, M. (2009). The Meditation Bible (Godsfield Bibles). United Kingdom: Godsfield Press Ltd.

Goli, F. (2010). Bioenergy economy: a methodological study on bioenergy-based therapies. Xlibris Corporation.

Griffin, R. A., Martinez, J., & Martin, E.P. (2014). Rosetta Stone and language proficiency of international secondary school English language learners. Engaging Cultures and Voices, 6(2), 36-73.

Hanif, H. (2016). Using Rosetta Stone Software as Media in Teaching English Vocabulary (An Experimental Study at SDN No. 02 Lhoksukon). Getsempena English Education Journal, 2(1), 217667.

Harandizadeh, M., Harandizadeh, N., Nafisi, N., &Nafisi,N. (2018). Old Trees Sprout New Branches. Iran: سبزگرددشاخساران کهن

Harper, S., & Lunn, D. (2009).  Senior Citizens and The Web: Literature Survey.

Hu, R. (2016). The Age Factor in Second Language Learning. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(11), 2164-2168.

Hubbard, P. (Ed.). (2009). Computer Assisted Language Learning: Critical Concepts in Linguistics. Language Learning & Technology. http:/llt.msu.edu/vol14num3/review1.pdf – Routledge

Ikonta, N. R., & Ugonna, N. C. (2015). The Effect of Rosetta Stone (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) Software on English as Second Language Students' Proficiency in English Language. African Educational Research Journal, 3(1), 69-79.

Kumar, K. (2012). Yoga Education. Shipra Publication, New Delhi.

Lozanov, G. (2005). Suggestopedia. International Centre for Desuggestology, Vienna, Austria.

Mirsalari, S. A., & Rashidi, N. (2017). Investigating the Relationship Between Iranian EFL Learners’ Use of Strategies in Collocating Words and Their Proficiency Level. Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 93-118

Morgan, L. (2011). Harmonious Learning: Yoga in the English Language Classroom. In English Teaching Forum, 49(4), pp. 2-13. US Department of State. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs, SA-5, 2200 C Street NW 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20037.

Meurant, R. C. (2009, December). Computer-based Internet-hosted assessment of L2 literacy: Computerizing and administering of the Oxford Quick Placement Test in Exam View and Moodle. In International Conference on Multimedia, Computer Graphics, and Broadcasting (pp. 84-91). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Pantoja, L., Slovacek, S. P., & Tucker, S. A. (2003). A Study of the Yoga Ed Program at the Accelerated School. Program Evaluation and Research Collaborative, Charter College of Education: Los Angeles.

Pazhanivelu, G., & Sivakumar. A. (2016). Impact of Yoga and Meditation Among the Student Community. International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication 4(2), 92-94.

Rezai, M. J., & Samavarchi, L. (2014). Online Processing of English Wh-Dependencies by Iranian EFL Learners. Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 32(4), 63-83.

Robin, R. (2007). Commentary: Learner-based listening and technological authenticity. Language learning & technology, 11(1), 109-115.

Santos, V. D. (2011) Rosetta Stone Portuguese (Brazil) levels 1, 2, & 3 Personal Edition Version 4 (TOTALe). CALICO Journal, 29(1), 177-194.