The Effect of Cognitive Strategies on the Development of L۲ Speaking Components among Iranian EFL Learners

The cognitive strategies used in L۲ speaking have been among significant notions studied by ELT researchers. However, most of these studies have been conducted with English as a Second Language Learners and monolinguals, and few have examined the speaking strategies of English as a Foreign Language learners. The present study, hence, was an attempt to investigate the effect cognitive strategies on the development of L۲ speaking components among Iranian EFL learners. To do so, ۶۰ intermediate level female learners with the age of ۱۸ in Ameneh high school in Isfahan were randomly selected from among ۹۰ intermediate students who received a standardized version of Preliminary English Test (PET). The selected participants were divided into two groups, namely Experimental Group (EG) in which the learners received cognitive strategies training and the Control Group (CG) who followed the situational language teaching as a conventional teaching/learning L۲ speaking method. The study participants went through the process of pretesting, intervention, and post-testing. Then, a multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) was run to probe the null-hypotheses. The results clarified that training of cognitive strategies had a statistically significant effect on the speaking sub-skills of Iranian EFL learners. Findings of the present study could be used by ELT practitioners, program developers, and teachers of English in both EFL and ESL contexts.

Keywords:

Cognitive Strategies , L۲ Speaking Development , Iranian EFL Learners