Scrutinizing the Utility of Collaborative Tasks for Ameliorating Male and Female EFL Learners’ Flow Experiences

Subject Areas : آموزش زبان انگلیسی

سید حسین کاشف ¹ , هانیه خیری ²

1 - گروه زبان انگلیسی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد ارومیه ارومیه ایران
2 - Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran

Received: 2023-02-07 Accepted : 2023-09-12 Published : 2022-10-01

Keywords: gender, collaborative language learning, flow experiences, language learning tasks, states of mind,

Abstract :

The present study strived to determine the degree to which collaborative tasks and EFL learners’ gender affected their flow experiences. To this end, first, the researchers selected 56 intermediate-level EFL learners in two intact classrooms at a private language institute in Urmia (Iran) as the participants. Second, they randomly assigned the classes to an experimental group and a control group. Third, they used a flow state questionnaire to determine the participants’ flow experiences prior to the onset of the study. Fourth, they provided the experimental group with collaborative language learning treatment during 12 sessions. Nonetheless, they deprived the control group of this treatment. Finally, they administered the flow state questionnaire to the groups anew to appraise the efficacy of collaborative tasks for augmenting the participants’ flow experiences. The results indicated that the above-mentioned tasks had an advantageous impact on the EFL learners’ flow state of mind. Furthermore, based on the results, female learners’ flow experiences were more positively affected by the collaborative tasks in comparison with the male learners’ flow experiences. The obtained results may empower the teacher educators, syllabus designers, and researchers to take account of the flow state of mind during the process of language acquisition.

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