The Effect of Teaching Phrasal Verbs through Pictures on EFL Learners’ Active Application of Phrasal Verbs in Speaking

Hamid Marashi*, Elaheh Maherinia**
* Assistant Professor, Applied Linguistics, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran.
** Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran.
Periodicity:April - June'2011
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.1.2.1459

Abstract

Lexical items, because they are language specific forms are undoubtedly one of the most difficult tasks in learning a second language. Phrasal verbs perhaps further exacerbate this difficult task since the meaning of already known verbs changes drastically when combined with different particles. Hence, facilitating the learning of these commonly used elements in English is indeed an ELT concern. To this end, the purpose of this study was to examine whether teaching phrasal verbs through pictorial cues would significantly improve Iranian EFL learners’ active usage of those phrasal verbs in speaking. To fulfill this purpose, 60 pre-intermediate students of Tehran’s Bayan Salis Language School were selected from among 100 students attending courses in this establishment through taking part in a Preliminary English Test (PET) and randomly put into two experimental and control groups. The same content was taught to both groups which consisted of a number of phrasal verbs inter alia: while pictures were used in the experimental group for the teaching of these phrasal verbs, the students in the control group were taught the same items without pictures. An achievement posttest was administered to the students in both groups at the end of the instruction period and the mean scores of both groups on the test were compared through a t-test. The result showed that teaching phrasal verbs through pictures did have a significant effect on pre-intermediate EFL students’ active application of phrasal verbs in speaking.

Keywords

Phrasal Verbs, Pictorial Teaching, Speaking.

How to Cite this Article?

Marashi, H., and Maherinia, E. (2011). The Effect Of Teaching Phrasal Verbs Through Pictures On EFL Learners' Active Application Of Phrasal Verbs In Speaking. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 1(2), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.1.2.1459

References

[1]. Alexander, L. G. (1988). Longman English grammar. London: Longman.
[2]. Benson, P. J. (1997). Problems in picturing text: A study of visual/verbal problem solving. Technical Communication Quarterly, 6(2), 141–160.
[3]. Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Leech, G. (2002). Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. Essex, UK: Pearson Education.
[4]. Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teachers' course. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
[5]. Cowie, A. P., & Mackin, R. (1993). Oxford dictionary of phrasal verbs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[6]. Chu, Y. Y. (1996). Phrasal verbs for ESL students in Taiwan. Arlington, TX: University of Texas at Arlington.
[7]. Driscoll, M., & Rowley, K. (1997). Semiotics: Toward learning-centered instructional design. In C. R. Dills & A. J. Romiszowski (Eds.), Instructional development paradigms (pp. 311–334). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
[8]. Fraser, B. (1976). The verb-particle combination in English. NY: Academic Press.
[9]. Ginther, A. (2002). Context and content visuals and performance on listening comprehension stimuli. Language Testing, 19(2), 133–167.
[10]. Grosvenor, I., Lawn, M., & Rousmaniere, K. (1999). Silences and images. NY: Peter Lang.
[11]. Hubbard. P. L. (1994). Non-transformational theories of grammar. In T. Odlin (Ed.), Perspectives on pedagogical grammar (pp. 49–71). NY: Cambridge University Press.
[12]. Jackendoff, F. (1997). Twistin' the night away. Language, 73(3), 534–559.
[13]. Levin, L. (1988). Operations on lexical forms: Unaccusative rules in Germanic languages. NY: Garland.
[14]. Lynch, T. (1996). Communication in the language classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[15]. Mackey, A., & Gass, S. (2005). Second language research: Methodology and design. NJ: LEA.
[16]. Pinker, S. (1996). Language learnability and language development. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.
[17]. Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman.
[18]. Sherry, L. (1996). Issues in distance learning. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 1(4), 337–365. Retrieved on December 26, 2010, from: www.cudenver.edu/~lsherry/pubs/issues. html
[19]. Schriver, K. A. (1997). Dynamics in document design. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
[20]. Spolsky, B. (1989). Conditions for second language learning. London: Edward Arnold.
[21]. Stevick, E. W. (1980). Teaching languages: A way and ways. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
[22]. Wiedenbeck, S. (1999). Use of icons and labels in end user application programs: An empirical study. Behaviour and Information Technology, 18(2), 68–82 .
[23]. Zoerner, E. (1996). English verb-particle constructions: Two types, two structures. Kansas Working Papers in Linguistics, 21, 123–141.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.